He still wasn’t sure how she’d manipulated the crystals to send him something when that wasn’t their intended purpose, but the blatant malevolence in her words had piqued his interest.
The Onyx Mountains marked the border between the Court of Emerald and the Court of Garnet, but the actual boundary line was on Emerald's side.
As he approached the foot of the mountains, Caius summoned the wintery air around him and moved within it until his feet touched down just outside of Emerald territory. Darkness clung to the area like a heavy blanket, making it hard to make out one shape from another, but the distinct smell of charred flesh filled his nostrils and churned his stomach.
Begrudgingly, he followed the foul smell until he came upon a person-sized roll of fabric dusted in a light layer of snow.
Squatting next to the emerald-toned wrapping, Caius carefully pulled back one of the loose ends. The stench hit him with full force, and he had to turn away as his dinner threatened to reappear.
What the fuck?
Swallowing down the bile that had risen in his throat, Caius turned back around to examine what appeared to be a body. The skin was black in some places, the lips cracked and bloody, but there was no mistaking the blonde hair that peeked through the grime and glimmered beneath the moonlight.
Kyra.
Shock rattled through him as he stared down at the lifeless corpse. He’d seen what Auraelia had done to Davina and had felt it to an extent on his own body. He’d heard what she and Daemon had done to the Court of Pearl’s assassins.
But this?
This was an entirely new level that he’d never expected Auraelia to surpass. In the few conversations he’d had with her and from the observation missions that Davina had sent him on over the years, never in his wildest dreams had he thought that Auraelia held this level of viciousness within her.
But as he looked over Kyra’s body, he knew, without a doubt, that Auraelia now held a darkness within her—one that could rival Davina’s if she gave herself over to it.
Slowly, his shock turned to excitement, and a smile pulled up the corners of his lips.
Maybe she actuallycoulddo this.
Perhaps Davina would actually fall.
Clinging to that thought with everything he had, Caius placed the fabric back over Kyra’s face and brought her back to Garnet.
Chapter Thirty-Two
Daemon
The sun’s rays beat down on the Court of Opal, the heat seeping through Daemon’s clothes and causing a pool of sweat to form at the base of his spine. The only saving grace was the cool breeze that blew in from off the water. Stripping off his leather jacket, Daemon closed his eyes and took a steadying breath as the wind cooled his skin, and Raneese guided the Nevermore into the harbor.
It had taken two days to get to Opal’s main city—Lilura—from Kalmeera, meaning there were only three days until the new moon.
Three days until the realm fell into chaos and Auraelia met her cousin on the battlefield.
And it would take two of those days for the return trip to Lyndaria.
Daemon’s grip tightened on the railing, his magic raging against the hold he kept on it. He needed to meet with Lady Aesira as soon as possible so that they could be on their way. Time was precious, and it seemed to slip through his fingers like the sand reaching as far as the eye could see.
The sound of Raneese calling out orders to their men pulled Daemon from the spiral his mind was attempting to dive into, and he scrubbed a hand down his face before running his fingers through his hair.
“Neese,” he called out. Her gaze swung away from the bustle on deck to meet his, and she closed the distance within a few strides, coming to stand by his side with an expectant look on her face. “I need to see Aesira, but I need you to make sure that the crew is ready to go as soon as Xander and I get back.” She huffed out a sardonic laugh, curls bouncing around her as she lightly shook her head from side to side, eyes surely kissing the back of her skull with how hard she’d rolled them. “I mean it, Neese. No one leaves the ship.”
Raneese rubbed her forefinger and thumb across her brows and released an exasperated breath, her annoyance as clear as the sky above them. They’d had this conversation countless times over the last two days, but the pit in Daemon’s stomach was growing by the second. He needed confirmation one more time. Needed to hear her relay it back, if only to soothe the nerves that pricked down his spine.
Letting out a resigned sigh, she said, “I know, D. As soon as I see you, we’ll pull the lines, then shove off as soon as your boots hit the deck. I’ve got this.” Her gaze was stern, locking onto his,daringhim to question her again. When he finally let out a breath and nodded, the corner of her lips tilted upward. “Now, go do what you need to do so that we can get you back to your girl so you can quit bugging me.”
Daemon let out an amused scoff and matched her grin with one of his own. “Bugging you,huh?”
“Absolutely. You’ve been a walking storm cloud ever since we left Lyndaria ten days ago. And have been up my ass, reminding me over andover againhow today needs to go over the last two.”
“Sorry, Neese,” he said with a chuckle.
