Oro’s brow furrowed. “No, I haven’t.”
“Where did you think the island disappeared to during the curses?”
“The storms—”
“Were part of that world.”
Oro shook his head. “No. We could see the storms engulf the island. We could see the frozen shards of them off the coast during the Centennial.”
The silver-haired king simply shrugged a shoulder. “Worlds oftentimes bleed into each other. Especially when they’re portaled in and out of one another. That’s what we should all fear...” He peered at Grim and Oro. “Go to the cursed world, where the victims of the curses live, and find the knowledge that was lost. All the realms must play their role in this war,” he said. He exhaled deeply. “I have lived...a thousand lives. Right here.” Grim didn’t know what he meant. He trulydid not care. “And it has all led to this.” He considered them for a long moment before continuing. “History repeats itself, again and again. Break the cycle. Be strong enough to make theright choice.” With those words, he beckoned for Oro to come closer and searched the Sunling’s face. Grim’s impatience was about to break when the lost king finally blinked, his previously wary expression now confident. Whatever he had found in Oro’s expression had seemed to allow him to make a decision.
The lost king reached out his palm. And gold rose from deep within his skin until it broke free to rest in his hand. A pile of golden, thickly woven, glimmering threads that looked almost like sand, fused together.
“One of the last remaining pieces Cronan needs to take over the universe,” he said. “The Threads of Time. It must not fall into his hands.” His silver eyes glimmered. “This is the key to breaking the universe...and to saving it. You must find a way to get it to her. It is the only thing that can help her right everything.”
Grim reached for the threads....but the lost king seemed to hesitate.
“She becomes the villain of this world just as many times as she becomes its hero,” he said.
“No,” Oro said fiercely. “She is not a villain.” He looked pointedly at Grim. “She’s just a ruler who has been given too much power, too quickly. Any wrong she has done was done by accident.”
The lost king’s look was almost pitying. “And Cronan was once just a boy who killed his parents.”
Grim swallowed. Just like Isla. Just likehewas once a boy who killed his sister.
And this pain...this rage...this regret...He knew what it was like to be consumed by it, to search relentlessly for a cure to undo what had been done.
Was that what Cronan was after?
He remembered Oro’s words. About how his love had corrupted Isla further...
“Who are you?” Oro asked the lost king.
He smiled weakly. “I am but a prisoner from another world, just like the others. But I chose this sentence.”
“Why?” the Sunling said, clearly shocked.
The lost king gazed at the threads in his hand. “I wanted to live a thousand lives.”
Grim reached for the threads at the same time Oro did. And as both their fingers locked around them—
The man vanished, leaving only a pile of chains behind.
Grim didn’t know how these threads would help him get his wife back. The lost king had said they needed to get them to her—but he hadn’t told themhow.
The sea-swept walls around them began to tremble, as if the ocean was fighting its restraint. As if Cleo was losing her hold.
“We need to get out of here,” Oro said.
Grim agreed.
Neither released their grip on the threads.
Oro scowled. “I want the same thing you do. If we’re going to find her, we have to trust each other.”
“I do trust that you love her,” Grim said. “But I also know you love your people. Your friends. I would choose her over the world. Can you say the same?”
They glared at each other. Oro opened his mouth, then seemed to change his mind about whatever he was going to say. He let go. “She would never forgive you, you know,” he said. “If you destroyed the world for her.”
