It’s so earlythe sun has yet to crest the waves. Not that we would necessarily be able to see it when it does from our nest of roots. Ilryth and I are side by side, lounging in each other’s arms. Sure enough, we have yet to find a way to escape. We chose the guaranteed delight of each other’s bodies, rather than the uncertain possibility ofmaybefinding a way out of our predicament.
“Are you afraid?” he whispers, fingertips gliding over my arm draped over half his body as we laze on the root that’s been our support for the past few hours.
“Not really,” I admit. “Are you?”
“A little, if I’m being honest.” A soft chuckle. “I wish I had your will of steel.”
“You do. You’ve already been to the Abyss,” I remind him. “You’ve stood before an old god and lived to tell the tale. What more could mere mortals do to us? What should strike fear into us when we have the strength of the hymns of the old ones?”
“You have a good point. But there’s still an instinct for fear in me.”
“There are worse things than retaining your mortality.” I wonder if, somehow, I’ve lost parts of mine along the way. Even though—thanks to the duet of Lellia and Krokan’s songs, and their blessings—I have my memories returned to me. My flesh is still woven magic, shimmering like starlight along the gold and silver lines that have been etched into my body among swirls of color. My mind has been pushed beyond its limits and stretched to accommodate the shape.
Shifting sand distracts us. “It is time for your anointing,” an unfamiliar and gruff voice resonates in our minds. We sit, pulling ourselves into order not a moment too soon, as none other than Lucia rounds the corner.
“Lucia!” Ilryth is on his feet instantly and I am immediately grateful that we had time to sort ourselves. He rushes over and yanks his sister into a tight embrace. All I can hope is that she can’t smell me on his skin. But, thankfully, Lucia has other priorities.
“There’s not much time,” she says hastily. “Fenny and I have arranged a changing of the guard—our own men will be taking over right before the chorus and others will arrive for the sacrifice. It should give enough time for the two of you to slip away.”
“Slip away?” Ilryth frowns. “Where would we go?”
“Go to a traveler’s pool. Head to the southwest seas by the lykin. Goanywhere else,” Lucia pleads with her brother. Ilryth presents reasonable objections.
Meanwhile, my mind is elsewhere.A changing of the guard…a narrow window… If we could create enough of a distraction—enough chaos. With the extra manpower… My thoughts speed a dozen a second. A wild idea forms, probably insanity, but it might work.
“That’s it,” I say, startling them both.
“What is?” Ilryth asks as he and Lucia shift to face me, confusion apparent in both of their expressions.
“How we’re going to get the door open.” I stand as well. Lucia moves to object, but I speak first. “There is nowhere to run. We free Lady Lellia, or it’s all over. And this is how we’re going to do it…”
* * *
Our windowof opportunity is small. The warriors from the Duchy of Spears are arriving not long before the chorus. Originally, there was some debate over waiting for the changing of the guards to completely take place. But it was decided that wouldn’t leave us enough time.
Ilryth and I stand side by side at the tunnel out of our small prison.
“Are you ready?” I whisper.
“As I’ll ever be.”
I wish he sounded more certain. But I can’t blame him for his hesitation. Even if he knows what’s at stake. Even if he heard the words of Lord Krokan. This goes against all his upbringing—his whole world, before me.
My hand slips into his and I hold his stare with confidence. “It’ll be all right,” I vow to him, to the whole world. “We’ll see this through to the end.”
“I believe you.” He nods.
“Then here goes nothing.” I close my eyes and my brow furrows with focus as I reach out with my mind. There’s a single face in the forefront of my thoughts—one I know as well as my own flesh and blood father. From the salt in his hair to the stubble on his chin. “Kevhan?”
“Victoria?” Surprise is apparent in his voice.
I squeeze Ilryth’s hand with anticipation and anxiousness. “Focus only on me, all right? And don’t speak more than you need to.” A stretch of silence. I take it as a good sign. “I’m going to need you to do something: be a distraction.”
Another second of silence that, this time, I read as hesitation. Then, “What do you need me to do?”
I tell Kevhan about the island. How to swim around the far side, weaving between the roots and rot to stay out of sight of the upcoming warriors and any gathering chorus. I trust that, under the current circumstances, there aren’t any sirens on their beaches of passion to scandalize him as he navigates through the maze formed by the Lifetree. Given his silence, I trust he finds his way onto the beach and into the root tunnel without issue.
“Now, Kevhan…” My thoughts sputter a moment, knowing the danger I will be putting him in. One jab from the spears of the warriors and, as a spirit, he will be ended. “Youmustrun. The second the warriors come for you, run like your life depends on it. Return to the water and hide as you had. Go deeper into the rot where they won’t follow. No matter what, don’t let them catch you.”
