Chapter 39
Elyse
Elyse’s thighs burned. She’d never climbed so many stairs in her life—not even at Zubir’s island. As she and Sera worked their way down the final row of stands, her muscles rejoiced.
She glanced up at the full moon and felt her stomach lurch. No more, she reminded herself. I don’t have to fear it anymore. How long would it be before she was able to look upon a full moon without her body reacting? Would it happen in this lifetime?
A few rows down the stadium, the others had gathered together.
Killian and Manny were busy pointing at different spots around the arena while Nina and Corin leaned against one another on the nearest bench.
Elyse thought she’d spotted King Maelor with Killian earlier.
She was glad he was nowhere to be seen now.
“Let’s go check in with Killian and Manny before we start on the arena floor,” Elyse said, still a bit breathless.
She turned to look at Sera and found her friend’s face ashen, her expression grave. Her lips were pursed as her lavender eyes stared at her husband.
Her husband. Happy as Elyse was for the couple, it still didn’t quite feel real. The wedding had been too lovely, too perfect. Surely it had taken place in a dream.
She stepped closer to Sera. “What is it?”
Sera’s gaze remained fixed on Manny. In a hushed voice, she asked, “Do you remember when you promised you’d help me—no matter what?”
The blood drained from Elyse’s face as a quiet terror slipped into her heart. There was something about Sera’s tone that had her frightened to hear more. “I remember,” she answered after a dread-filled moment.
Sera pivoted, looking Elyse directly in the eyes. There was a cold determination on her face that Elyse had never seen before. Her brows were lowered in a straight line, and her jaw was set. But beneath all of that, there was a flicker of desperation.
“I need you to promise me something else.”