And what would that be, my lady?I asked a little desperately. I didn’t know how much time she had. I didn’t want to keep going from room to room as each person died, like Wyatt and I were some fucked up reapers.
He was not the Key to his Chain,she said.He hid us away to try and find the Key, but another Sensor believed the Key had already passed. Rogelio was never meant to be the king. Only a Key can hold the throne.
For the second time tonight, I felt as if the ground fell out from under me. I strode away from her, resting my forehead against the dingy, damp wall for a moment while I considered what I’d just learned.
It all made sense, somehow. Every Rogelio that’d existed had beena giant asshole at best and downright sadistic at worst, which was probably why my mother had deviated in naming me something else.
My king, I cannot leave this bed.
I turned back to face her. Wyatt sat at her bedside, holding her frail hand, giving me a look that said there was no way he was sleeping tonight, or maybe ever again.
My Link-mate is a Healer, Josefa. We can bring you with us once he helps you.
Wyatt pursed his lips, but didn’t speak, and a guilty pain flared in my chest.
I was lying to her. Even if I was trying to be optimistic, it was a lie. It didn’t feel right, lying to this poor woman who’d laid here, year after year, waiting on her king to save her.
I cannot leave this bed. I am too old, too weak.
I know another Healer,I said, instinctively knowing Zephyr would never turn this down.The brother to my Key.
I know,Josefa replied a little weakly.The specter and the phantom. I can sense them.
My hair stood on end.
I was simply floating through the universe at this point. I couldn’t feel my legs. Couldn’t feel if I was standing on the stone floors or not.
I’d never seen Wyatt look so afraid.
Interesting choice in nickname,I said lightly.
There’s something else,she said, then let out an ominous wheeze.These affinities are genetic.
Wyatt are I stared at each other as Josefa began to wheeze more, her breathing weakening by the second.
A man comes here, a false prophet. He searches for them. He searches for your Key. I thought–
She cut off abruptly, then coughed a very wet cough that didn’t sound good at all.
I thought it was Rogelio’s Key he searched for…I could never see them clearly…I was confused. But now that you are here, my king…Rafael…I can see her clear as day. I see her, her Chain of five…her brother and his Chain of four. All strong. All powerful.
Wyatt made a strangled noise at that, and my mind replayed herwords over and over so many times, I almost convinced myself I’d imagined them.
She’s confused,I said to Wyatt.
My time has come,Josefa said.Now that I know the truth, I am weakening. Now that I have fulfilled my purpose…
Josefa. How many others are there?I took her other hand, holding it gently, since it was so frail I thought it’d break off.
I’m no longer sure,she coughed,but they are my age or older. They will not survive long.
Was it better to leave them here, in this godforsaken place? If they would die as soon as I tried to free them…which was a crueler fate?
They will want to see you,Josefa went on.They will want to see the king who saved them.
I’m not the king, Josefa.And if I’d learned anything in this conversation, it was that I would actually never be the king, since I wasn’t a Key.
You are to us,Josefa’s voice weakened.We waited for you. I would wait all over again for this moment. Thank you for coming for me.
