Chapter 61
The clash of steel on steel sent a jolt through my arms, rattling my bones as I blocked the Tyrian’s strike. I smiled through the pain, knowing he could see the blood on my teeth—the same blood I could taste, sharp and metallic, from where his elbow had split the inside of my mouth.
We broke apart for a breath, blades high, then surged forward again.
At the last second, I slipped a hand through the narrow gap between his arms, gripping the pommel of his sword to wrench it away.
I folded into him, turned the momentum in my favor, and drove the dagger from my thigh up into the soft flesh beneath his chin.
His blood gushed out like a torrent as he collapsed at my feet.
I pivoted sharply, arching my back midair to twist away from the next blow—just in time to catch the Tyrian sneaking in from my blind spot.
I landed with precision, drove two quick jabs into his jaw.
Bone cracked under my knuckles. A third strike broke his nose with a wet snap, and he reeled just enough for me to plunge my dagger straight into his heart.
The two men closing in on Shayde dropped at the same time as mine, their heads severed cleanly by a single, fluid arc of his blade. Shayde turned, breathing hard, his eyes catching on me—and lighting up despite the chaos.
But a fresh gash sliced down from his hairline by his left eye, trailing jaggedly to the bridge of his nose. Blood streamed down his cheek, mixing with sweat and grime, but he didn’t seem to notice. Or didn’t care. His gaze slid over every inch of my body, searching for wounds.
“She’s on her way,” I said, relaying Scarlet’s update through the marekem as I vaulted over the fallen bodies and rounded the corner at a sprint. Shayde was right behind me, his footsteps heavy but steady as we pressed forward.
We reached the entrance to the Eternal Tomb without encountering more Tyrians.
Both of us were winded, our chests rising and falling as we kept scanning the corridor for any sign of movement.
I rested my palms on top of my head, leaning my back against the cool stone wall, trying to catch my breath.
When I opened my eyes, Shayde was already at the bookshelf—the Tomb’s arcane gatekeeper—his fingers brushing over the spines like he was searching for a secret tucked in the pages.
I exhaled. “I didn’t have the chance to thank you.”
“For what?” Shayde asked, his back still to me.
“For the bow. And my mask.”
His hand paused mid-reach along the spines. He turned his head slightly, speaking over his shoulder. “Those were my form of a thank-you.”
“For what?” I asked softly.
He hesitated, then slowly pushed the spine he’d tugged forward back into place. His shoulders tensed, a quiet weight settling into the space between us. “For giving me something to fight for.”
The sound of quick-approaching footsteps snapped us back into position. We raised our weapons side by side, ready.
Rhodes slid to a stop, eyes wide and frantic as they landed on us. Shayde immediately lowered his sword and wrapped his arms around his brother in a tight embrace.
“Where is she?” I didn’t care to wait for pleasantries.
“She’s coming,” Rhodes said, slightly breathless.
I closed the distance as the brothers let each other go. “You two split up?” My tone was sharp, accusatory.
Rhodes’s nostrils flared. His jaw clenched.
Shayde stepped between us, palms out like a barrier. “We can’t do this right now,” he said firmly.
I rolled my eyes and turned back to the bookshelf. “Rhodes. Considering you’re wrapped up in this twisted prophecy too, have you tested if it lets you in?”
Without another word, they stepped forward and pressed their palms to the books. Shayde’s hand met physical resistance, but Rhodes’s slid through the magical barrier with ease.
“Hm,” I scoffed. “Guess you really are a part of it.”
“What part of being cursed did you not understand?” Rhodes deadpanned.
I narrowed my eyes at him, a sharp retort already forming on my tongue—
“Go ahead and enter,” Shayde cut in, his voice firm, stepping between us again. “I’ll keep a scan on the hall. Tell Scarlet you two are behind the barrier already.”
“Be careful, brother,” Rhodes said to Shayde, speaking over my head.
I glanced between them. Shayde’s lips pressed into a line as he gave a small nod. From the corner of my eye, I saw Rhodes step through the barrier and disappear into the Eternal Tomb—but I couldn’t look away from Shayde.
He stared after his brother for a beat before his warm brown eyes shifted down to meet mine. The tension in his jaw eased. I opened my mouth, but nothing came out. My heart ached to tell him the truth, but my fucked-up mind couldn’t even figure out what that truth was.
“You can hate me later,” Shayde said, jerking his head. “Go.”
I swallowed hard, my heart pounding like it was trying to tear its way out of my chest. I gave him one last look before pushing my hand through the shelf, the magic parting around my skin like mist.
Once my feet were inside the hidden corridor, I turned back toward Shayde. His eyes searched the space, darting around as if trying to find us, but they never landed. He ran a bloody hand along his jaw and sighed before jogging away.
The trepidation of what was coming clenched around my throat like a vise.
I shook it off and jogged toward the domed chamber where the Mareki rests.
Rhodes was already inside, slowly turning as he took in the space.
The magical barrier surrounding the Eternal Tomb sealed off all noise from the outside world.
In the circular room, only our breathing and the soft scuff of boots against stone could be heard.
He circled the pedestal at the center, running his fingers over the runes etched into the obsidian surface. I watched as he studied the markings beneath each one, curiosity pulling at his features.
“I wonder how many versions of us have come before,” he murmured, tapping his knuckles lightly against the stone. “The ones who failed to fulfill the prophecy. Who knows how many years it’s been—tens, hundreds, maybe even thousands. We’ll never know.”
He glanced up at me.
“It seems the ones who record our history keep rewriting it into the story they want told… not the one that actually happened.”
I nodded. “And it seems to me the Mareki doesn’t like its story being rewritten.”
I stepped closer to the pedestal, examining the large rune etched in its center. “The prophecy mentions the ancient trials—maybe that’s this endless cycle of chosen ones, trying and failing to prove themselves worthy. But instead, it’s like they’ve become…” I trailed off, the thought unraveling.
“Corrupted,” Rhodes breathed.
My eyes snapped to him. Something clicked—like a missing piece sliding into place.
The memory of my father’s words rushed back.
He’d mentioned that part of Kalluri’s soul seemed corrupted.
I thought of the gray dragons of Tyria—their bodies decaying from the inside out, as if something had hollowed them. And none of them had riders.
Not one.
As if the bond between Tyria’s fire elementals and their dragons had broken—too weak, too corrupted to allow that sacred connection.
A silent explosion rattled the foundation, forcing us to grip the pedestal for balance. A surge of arcane energy burst through the chamber, stealing the breath from my lungs. The central rune began to glow, its light flickering like a dying star.
Beneath my palms, the earth and water runes pulsed steadily, their light unwavering. Opposite me, the runes of air and fire ignited—white and red radiance casting sharp shadows across Rhodes’s face. The air around us thickened, whipping into a cyclone of magic that churned like a brewing storm.
I met Rhodes’s gaze across the pedestal—his expression mirrored my unease.
Then a brilliant glow lit up behind me, reflected in his wide eyes. I reached back, grabbing the piece of Mareki’s Key hidden within my quiver. Its pages blazed with the same intensity as the first tome had, back when Scarlet and I unlocked it.
“I’m almost there!” Scarlet’s voice rang through the marekem.
The Mareki Gem burst into view in a sudden flare of light.
It spun wildly, its crystal edges scattering beams across the chamber like a prism.
The light intensified, blinding—so bright I could no longer see Rhodes across the pedestal.
Heat prickled across my skin. Sweat beaded along my forehead as the gem’s brilliance grew unbearable.
I threw my arms up to shield my eyes.
“Fallon!” Rhodes shouted.
And then—everything vanished into white.