A loud laugh bursts from me before I can contain it. Zadyn’s head tips toward me. Probably out of deep concern for my mental health.
“This is crazy,” I say.
“What is?”
“This world. Everything. Everything from the moment I arrived here has been too unbelievable. I’m still half-convinced that this is a fever dream and one of these days I’m going to wake up in my one-bedroom apartment to a mountain of debt.”
“It does feel like a dream.” He threads our fingers, planting our joined hands over his chest. And I get the impression he’s not talking about the same thing I am. “But this is real.”
His eyes rake over my face.
“What?” I beam at him.
“I just love seeing this world through your eyes.”
I roll onto my side to plant a slow, lingering kiss on his lips. Which leads to another. And then another.
And as bad as things are, as bleak as they might get in the next few days, one thing is certain. Zadyn is my guiding light. And if anyone is going to get me through this, it will be him.
I don’t know what time it is when we stop, but I know that we’ve missed most of the eclipse.
And I couldn’t care less.
We’ve got more than enough magic right here.
93
SERENA
3 DAYS
“If we limit our stops, we should make it back in time for the coronation,” Zadyn says as we head toward the antsy purple giant nestled inside the forest.
From the corner of my eye, I spot the Blueblood witchlings ogling Kai for a third time. Only now, they look sad. Kai glances over his shoulder as the huddle spits out a witch from the center. She stumbles and locks up as if she’s just been tossed out to the wolves—blue eyes wide and terrified as Kai’s gaze lands on her.
“I’ll catch up,” he mutters.
None of us moves. We can’t help but watch as he walks up to the girl, who has now certainly stopped breathing.
He tucks a rogue strand of blonde hair behind her pointed ear and leans in. I don’t know what he whispers to her, but her entire face transforms into something bright and beautiful as he bends to plant a kiss on her cheek. Tipping her chin up a degree higher, he stuffs his hands into his pockets and saunters back to us, smirking down at his own footsteps.
“You know you just made that witch’s life right?” I ask, watching her friends swarm her with a rush of excited squeals.
“I know.” Kai’s tone holds no arrogance as he waves at them one last time.
They shouldn’t have to live this way. They shouldn’t have to hide. To be confined to this place, deprived of adventure, love, life. They shouldn’t have to choose between their homes, their magic, and the outside world.
It isn’t fair.
“Marideth?” We turn to see Calliope jogging toward us. She stops before her daughter. “A word before you go?”
Mar’s feet remain planted, Dover quietly snarling beside her. Calliope’s stern mask softens a fraction. “Please.”
Mar waits one more moment before stepping away with her.
I reach up to pat Furi’s side, and her tail goes wild, its spikes kicking up dirt as it thumps against the ground.
“I’ve never seen one in the flesh,” the Matron murmurs, awe coloring her voice. She peers up at Furi, whose leg alone is twice her size. Furi’s head swings down, her green eyes slowly blinking, as if bestowing her gratitude on the Matron for her help.
