Chapter 30
Stepping within the Hollow’s wards was a strange relief—like surfacing after being held underwater too long.
After two relentless weeks of ducking through forests, sleeping in tents, and breaking into Mageia, the sight of the Hollow’s jagged peaks felt like coming home to a breath I didn’t realize I’d been holding.
My latest dream of Laney was nothing short of a nightmare.
Lakota grew more restless with each passing day, itching to soar but grounded so he wouldn’t be seen. Rhodes had said Noemi was the same—dragons weren’t meant to be kept from the sky.
“If you need me—don’t. I’ll be busy stretching my wings and snacking on sheep,” Lakota grumbled just moments before the familiar beat of his wings broke the air.
I looked up in time to see him glide overhead, his deep red scales catching the sun like fire-polished rubies. Noemi, Spear, and Echo followed in perfect formation.
Fallon had once told me the Crest was protected by the same ancient wards as the Dragon Keep in the Shadow Glade—safe havens where dragons could vanish into the clouds without fear of watchful eyes.
For the first time in days, I could breathe. And then I remembered who was waiting for our return.
Arrow.
Rhodes must have felt the tension lock my spine, because he leaned close, his voice curling around my ear like smoke. “If you want to run away, we can take to the skies.”
His breath against my neck made me shiver. I glanced at him over my shoulder for half a heartbeat before forcing my gaze forward again.
“You know we can’t run,” I murmured, just for him. “Neither of us would risk the people we love.”
“Oh, so you love me?” His smirk was audible.
My heart gave a traitorous jolt. I hadn’t meant to say it like that—the words had just… slipped out. I cleared my throat, forcing a casual shake of my head. “You know what I meant.”
Rhodes sighed as we reached the hitching post. “I do. But I’m choosing to believe you just said you love me.”
I swung off my saddle before he could see the flush creeping up my neck.
The truth was, I’d been using the Mageia mission as a shield—a way to avoid the storm brewing inside me whenever he was near.
When I’d first woken up in the Hollow, I’d done everything to push him away.
I built walls out of sharp words and venom, braced for him to leave. But he never did.
He stayed.
It was as if he saw right through it—through me—and knew those walls weren’t to keep him out, but to keep myself from falling apart.
He called my bluff, and he was right. So I let him in.
Just a little. And that night in the tub…
steam curling between us, his gaze burning hotter than the water—we’d tangled together in more ways than one.
And then came the truth. Mareki’s Curse. The revelation that Rhodes was a mage. In an instant, the walls slammed back into place, stronger than ever. I would never forget the look in his eyes when I told him not to give up—how, for the smallest heartbeat, he thought I meant don’t give up on me.
But as much as I’ve tried to push him away, he has stayed.
And that fucking hurt. It hurt because I couldn’t bear the thought of losing him to the curse. Because I knew I could never be the one to send him crashing and burning with the Forgotten Realm.
I couldn’t lose him, too.
So I kept him at arm’s length. Maybe a part of me was waiting for him to finally give up on me—just to make the inevitable hurt a little easier. Or maybe… I simply didn’t know how to accept love when it was real.
Maybe it was a little of both.
The rest of our group hitched their horses and dismounted, their voices mingling in easy chatter while I stayed trapped in my own thoughts. I turned to ask Fallon to show them around the Hollow—only to stop short.
Rhodes stood in front of me, something cradled carefully in one hand, the other tucked behind his back. “I didn’t know which one you’d stopped on,” he said softly. “So I grabbed the last four in the series. The others are in my pack.”
I looked down, and my heart stuttered. Throne of Steel. The series Laney had introduced me to. The fantasy world I clung to when reality threatened to drown me. The heroine whose courage had helped shape my own.
I reached out with trembling hands and gently took the book from his grasp. I never imagined I’d see these pages again, let alone have the chance to finish the story that had once given me strength when I had none.
Tears stung my eyes. I squeezed them shut, fighting the swell in my chest.
“These are my own copies,” he said softly. “I marked some of my favorite parts. I’ll leave them at your hut, okay?”
I tucked my chin to the side to avoid his gaze, but he tilted his head, trying to catch my attention, to steady me with that unwavering look of his.
And elements, this—this—wasn’t helping. This gentle, thoughtful side of him. The way he remembered the smallest pieces of me. The way he gave without asking for anything in return.
It was not helping me untangle the complicated, undeniably powerful feelings I had for him.
“Whoa. This place is fucking cool,” Davis’s voice stole the moment as he gaped at the view of the Hollow behind me.
“Yeah—yeah,” I cleared my throat. “Let me show you around.”
I feinted left, then hooked right—clipping Fallon’s jaw with my fist.
Her head snapped to the side, but she only grinned and rubbed her chin. “Damn, I’m a good teacher,” she laughed.
I shook out my knuckles and dropped back into position, circling her in the training ring. The sun was sinking behind the mountains, stretching long shadows across the Hollow. I hadn’t seen Lakota since morning—he’d spent the entire day soaring through the peaks, stopping only to eat.
There’d been no warm welcome when we returned. Just one of Arrow’s guards at the entry bridge, delivering a curt message: Arrow expected our full report by this evening.
We spent most of the day settling in. I’d given the newcomers a tour of the Hollow, answering what I could and leaving the rest to Fallon, who—surprisingly—was in a decent mood and didn’t seem to mind their questions.
We found unclaimed huts for Davis and Pehper, while Cleo and Tatum bunked with me.
I requested a larger bed to fit the three of us.
It took up nearly every inch of floor space in my hut, but I couldn’t care less.
Their presence was the only thing keeping the hole in my chest from swallowing me whole. The space Laney once filled still ached—but she would’ve been happy to see the three of us together again.
Fallon swiped low with her foot, trying to knock me off balance as she charged forward with a flurry of punches. I sidestepped, letting her kick slice through the air, dodging every strike. We squared off again, circling in the ring, breath steady, eyes locked.
Cleo and Tatum cheered from the sidelines, earning an exaggerated eye roll from Fallon.
After settling in, we still had some time before Arrow was ready for our report. I didn’t hesitate to squeeze in practice—and Fallon didn’t either.
We’d been going at it for almost an hour, and my sister still hadn’t knocked me on my ass.
I’d let myself be smug about it later—for now, I had to stay sharp.
“Fitz,” a familiar, deep voice called from outside the ring.
Fallon’s hazel eyes flicked from mine. Her features brightened instantly with a smile. I turned just in time to see Doryan leaning against the railing, arms crossed over his chest. He gave a nod, and I was about to return it—when Fallon shoved me hard enough to knock the wind from my lungs.
I hit the dirt with a thud, wheezing and laughing all at once. “Cheap shot.”
Fallon stepped over my sprawled legs, smirking. “Never take your eyes off your opponent, sis.”
Doryan chuckled. “She’s not wrong. He’s ready for you. Salvitto and Wylder will meet us there. Let’s move.” He nodded toward the far path and vaulted over the fence with effortless ease.
Just before Fallon followed, a sudden jolt of hesitation pulsed through our marekem. I frowned, confused by the unexpected flicker of emotion, but didn’t get the chance to ask. She cleared the railing, and I was close behind. I agreed with my friends to meet them later.
I trailed behind Doryan and Fallon. River emerged from between two huts and fell into step beside my sister.
Fallon’s shoulders looked more at ease, her head turning toward Doryan, then forward again, as if they were mid-conversation.
When he glanced at her and laughed, his smile was unguarded—bright in a way I hadn’t seen from him before.
From what I’d gathered, Doryan was a high-ranking soldier of the Hollow, all discipline and duty. He rarely spoke unless it was to instruct or inform. But he was also the only person I had ever seen Fallon let her guard down around.
Her friend.
Maybe… her only friend.
As we rounded the corner, I spotted a tall, broad-shouldered figure with dark hair, deep in conversation with a guard on the steps of the station hut. As if sensing us, he lifted a hand, pausing the conversation and turning to meet my gaze.
My heart fluttered.
He smiled softly, revealing a dimple.
My heart launched straight up my throat, stealing my breath.
As Doryan, Fallon, and River ascended the steps and disappeared inside, Rhodes lingered.
I took one more step, just enough to fall into his orbit.
He towered over me, dipping his chin to search my eyes.
The familiar warmth of cashmere sandalwood and vanilla wrapped around me, coaxing a part of me that longed to curl up in his arms and lose myself in the fictional story that had once kept me awake at night—right where I had left off.
He must have felt my hesitation. His gaze flicked toward the door, then back to mine.
He sighed. “Ready?”
The low timbre of his voice sounded like a promise: if I said no, he’d walk away with me—no questions asked.
But I lied. “Yes.”
His eyes narrowed, as if he wanted to call my bluff. But he didn’t. He simply placed a warm hand on my back, steady and grounding, giving me the courage to keep climbing the steps toward the man who sired me.
The man my trauma still hadn’t decided whether to blame. The man my mind knew didn’t put me in that shed or fasten the shackles around my wrists and ankles—but whose choices set off the chain reaction that nearly killed me.
Nearly made me want to kill myself.
Panic laced down my spine at that thought. My boot scuffed the step, and I faltered. Rhodes’s hands shot out reflexively, but they hovered in the space between us. There if I needed them. Somehow, he knew I’d catch myself before I fell.
I sucked in a shaky breath. The loose hairs around my face danced in the breeze. The cool air kissed my cheeks, and I could feel the connection to my air element. Either I was channeling it unintentionally, or the element was channeling me.
Whether it was the Mareki Gem, the Mareki Essences, or something ancient beyond name—
The Mareki had chosen me.
Because I was meant for more.
And no man, no woman, no twist of fate could shackle me.
Not again.
I lifted my chin, squared my shoulders, and picked up my pace. Rhodes kept stride beside me without question. Together, we stepped into the station of Arrow Fitzroy.