Orios removes his helmet, revealing a hard, rugged jaw and long black hair knotted into a bun at the back of his head. “Thank you for bringing Solena. But know that my duty is to protect you and the prince, and she will not distract me.”
“That’s a lie,” I sigh, watching as his chin drops. “But I won’t be watching you, so whatever you and Solena choose to do—or not do—in Pariseth is your business.”
Orios lifts his chin, his eyes brightening as a smile blooms on his face. “Yes, Your Highness.”
I take another step forward, but Orios coughs, halting me once more.
“Yes?”
His smile fades, replaced by a seriousness. “I also want you to know, Princess, that I meant what I said in the throne roomtoday. I had no knowledge of Frane’s intentions. If I had, I would have stopped her myself.”
I take a deep breath, a frown creasing my brow. “Another lie?”
“No,” he replies sharply, the bite in his tone startling me. “There may be centuries of history between our kinds, but Prince Daedalus has made it clear that you are his wife, and that commands the respect of all Mordorin.”
It is crucial for my self-preservation that I show no weakness or vulnerability to the Fae; they will use it against me if I do. I keep my lips pressed into a straight line and nod my head.
“Is there anything else, Orios?”
“No, Your Highness,” he replies, dragging his helmet back over his head. “Shall we depart?”
I nod and continue down the halls, weaving through flickering torchlight until we arrive at the courtyard. The waves surge below us, crashing against the rocks in their relentless dance of strength. Daed stands at the edge, arms stretched wide as the rain pours down and sea foam splashes against the wall at his feet. He turns to me, a crack of lightning illuminating his figure as his wings burst from his back.
“Wife,” Daed calls, extending his arm toward me. I find myself moving to him instinctively, unable to resist the pull he exerts.
His hand envelops mine, lifting me effortlessly to the edge as his wing curves protectively over my head, sheltering me from the rain.
“I will carry you all the way there,” he says, his voice a deep, warm sound that caresses my senses. “You will be in my arms as we cross the storm, and you will be in my arms if we fall to it. Do you understand?”
His words reverberate through me, igniting a fluttering warmth in my chest. I look into the depths of the storm swirling in his eyes, my gaze drawn to his mouth as he exhales, his chest heaving with intensity.
“Yes. I understand,” I manage to say.
With that, Daed sweeps me up, and that’s when he notices the serpentine vine cradled in my arms.
He cocks an eyebrow. “You’re bringing that?”
I shrug. “I can’t leave her here alone.”
Daed shakes his head, a bemused smile tugging at his lips. “Fascinating.”
Chapter 19
The night is bleak and endless as we fly over the vast black expanse of the Untold Sea. The rain lashes at us, cold and unforgiving, the wind howling through Daed’s wings as he cuts through the storm. Beneath us, the waves churn violently, an endless, merciless dance of fury that makes me feel small and alone out here, far from the shore, far from anything but him. His arms are strong and steady as they hold me close, shielding me from the worst of the storm, and though I should be afraid, I find myself sinking into the warmth of his embrace.
I glance up at Daed’s face, watching the way the rain clings to his sharp features, the soft glow of his eyes that never waver, even as the storm batters us from every direction. His gaze shifts to me, and in that moment, the world falls away. My breath catches in my throat as I hold his gaze, my heart pounding against my ribs as though it might break free and reach for him. But I stay silent, torn between the storm outside and the one brewing between us.
As we push further across the endless stretch of black water, the storm intensifies. It’s as if the sky itself is unraveling, theclouds thickening into a dark, swirling vortex that looms ahead, waiting to swallow us whole. Jagged forks of lightning crack across the heavens, illuminating the angry sky in bursts of white and purple, their light reflecting off the ocean’s roiling surface. The wind howls in wild fury, lashing at us as if trying to force us back, but Daed presses on, his wings straining against the storm’s relentless pull.
Ahead, the storm’s heart churns in a violent spiral, its clouds twisting into a massive wall of darkness, as if the very ocean has risen to meet the sky. The storm pulses, almost alive, its thunderous roar shaking the air around us, daring us to cross its threshold. And at its core—though I can barely see it—there’s a glimpse of something strange and beautiful. An island, shrouded in mist and bathed in an ethereal light, sits quietly within the eye of the storm, as if untouched by the chaos that surrounds it.
But between us and that sanctuary lies a tempest like no other, its winds howling with enough force to tear apart the strongest ships. Waves rise and crash against each other, the sea itself buckling and thrashing beneath the storm’s wrath. The clouds above swirl faster, converging into a single, monstrous cyclone that guards the island fiercely, as if no one should reach it without proving their worth. The closer we get, the more the air hums with energy, and I feel the charge of it crawling over my skin.
“We’re almost there,” Daed says, his voice steady despite the storm raging around us. He grips me tighter, his wings adjusting for the sudden gusts of wind that slam into us like fists.
Out of the corner of my eye, I catch glimpses of Orios and Solena, fighting their own battle against the storm. Orios soars just ahead, his wings thrashing against the gale, his face set in a grim mask of focus. Solena flies beside him, her small frame barely visible in the sheets of rain, but her wings cut through the storm with surprising grace. They, too, are struggling, the windpushing them off course every now and then, but they never falter. They are just as determined, just as relentless, to reach Pariseth.
A sudden gust of wind hits us, stronger than before, and Daed’s body jerks violently. My grip slips, and for one horrifying second, I feel myself sliding out of his arms, the storm ready to claim me. Panic seizes my chest as I gasp, my fingers scrambling for purchase, but Daed’s grip tightens instantly, his arms locking around me like iron. His wings beat harder, his face strained with the effort of keeping us in the air.
