She laughs and unhooks herself. “Right. Sorry about that. But I didn’t have time to explain.”
I glance down at my chest. Wiping away the blood reveals the cut completely healed.
“Looks like the rune works, then.”
I nod in quiet appreciation. “Looks like.”
Zyphoro groans to her feet, brushing dirt from her leather trousers. “I guess he’s not thrilled about becoming a daddy?”
I shake my head, my gaze drifting into the distance. “No. It doesn’t seem that way. But what do I do now?”
“About the baby?” Zyphoro asks.
“About everything. Before he turned, I told him I wanted to return to Baev’kalath. I wanted him to be king so we could usethe Mordorin armies to destroy The Golden Son once and for all.”
Zyphoro nods, pursing her lips. “That’s a sound plan, and we have a ship. So what’s changed?”
I gesture to my husband, crumpled unconscious at the foot of a tree. “How can I trust anything about him, knowing he could fall under the control of the void at any moment?”
Zyphoro grins. “You know what the difference is between Daed and me? Aside from the fact that I’m prettier?”
I’m weary of getting tangled in Zyphoro’s web, but I proceed nonetheless. “What?”
“The void holds no sway over me, and it’s not just a Mordorin king who can command our armies. A Fae queen will do just fine as well.”
“You?” I ask, and Zyphoro drops into a mock bow.
“I would look wonderful in a crown,” she says. “When do we leave?”
Chapter 37
When I tell Keeper Enaria I am leaving, she threatens to lock me in the very shelter we built to protect our people. Even as I explain my reasoning—that The Grove will never truly be safe until The Golden Son is destroyed—she begs me not to return to Baev’kalath. But there is no other choice. All Fae have fled, only the Mordorin remains, and the humans of the Sundered Kingdoms either join the ranks of the Legion or die at the edge of their swords. I could never muster a human army strong enough to challenge him.
This is the only path forward, but it is fraught with challenges.
To take control of the houses, Kaelus and Lanneth must be dethroned, and an heir must ascend. I had hoped it would be Daedalus, but once again, I find myself torn between my love for him and the knowledge that he is a volatile weapon, one that could turn on me at any moment. But the thought of Zyphoro as queen gives me pause.
Convincing Solena is nearly as difficult as persuading Keeper Enaria.
“I thought you would want to return to see Orios,” I say, sitting across from her in my room while Ashen weaves between her legs.
“I do,” she replies quickly, as if uttering anything else would be blasphemous. “But I’m scared, Amara. What if it doesn’t go as planned? What if Lanneth captures us?” Her voice trembles. “I do not want to die.”
Her words strike me hard, pure and heavy, making me question whether I’m doing the right thing. Solena told me that Fae are not immortal. That they die quite well, and I have seen that. Souls have I seen that, and so has she. That is when I truly understand the difference, that immortality and invincibility are two different things.
“Do you want to stay here? In The Grove?” I ask. “You’re welcome to. The Tenders will gladly take you in.”
She shakes her head abruptly. “No. I can’t stay. I am Fae. I don’t belong here. Not really. I’m just scared.”
I reach out and grip her hand. “So am I. But I can’t let that stop me. If anything is going to change in this world, I need to be the one to change it.”
Solena exhales wearily. “How can you be so brave?”
I shrug and offer her a comforting smile, hoping to ease her worries. “I never had a choice when I was named Jewel of the Tenders, or when I became a Sister of the Vine, or when Keeper Tovar sent me away to marry a Fae prince. Even now, I still don’t have a choice. I have to be brave. Otherwise, all is lost.”
“Aren’t you tired, though?” Solena asks. “Tired of having to be?”
My smile falters, but I force it to remain. “I’m exhausted. But I can rest when it’s over.”
