Liam glanced toward the Wall.
The windhaddied down, and his voice carried as he yelled, “Archers load!”
For a brief moment, he wondered if any remained. But then, one by one, they raced forward from where they’d retreated, the Wall now steady beneath their feet. They nocked their arrows, the Caeli doing what they could to assist as Liam called for their release.
The sky above them flashed with brilliant light, and still, they persisted, pushing the Kakos troops back toward the town. A new group of soldiers had joined the fight—Trahirians, if their flag was any indication—and they pinned the Kakos soldiers between their unit and Liam’s.
“It’s healing!” someone shouted. Liam’s gaze darted up toward the sky.
Those webs of light…they were closing.
“She did it,” he breathed, pride swelling in his chest. Pride, and fear, because he did not knowhowshe had done it, and gods, he hoped it had not been at the cost of her life, too.
Liam shoved his fear aside, his focus narrowing in on the task at hand.
“Advance!” he yelled, his sword flashing in the light of the veil. “Advance for Eteryium!”
The soldiers met his command with a roar, a great wave of momentum moving them forward as they slammed into the Kakos lines.
Slowly, they moved forward as one army—one realm—against one enemy.
“We have them on the retreat!” Liam called. “Advance!”
Step by step, they did, backing the Kakos soldiers toward the Trahirians fighting at their flank.
And they kept going, kept fighting, until every last Kakos soldier still standing laid down their sword.
74
Will didn’t know at first how they had made it to the palace infirmary. He’d simply awoken in a bed, the first word out of his mouth Aya’s name. Suja had been there, pouring some sort of tonic down his throat, but he’d thrashed against her hold, a mantra falling from his lips.
Aya. Aya. Aya.
It wasn’t until Aidon had appeared at his side that he’d finally calmed.
He was more conscious the next time he awoke, his mind clearer. Aidon was still there, Dauphine leaning against his shoulder, her eyes haunted as Aidon explained how they’d come for him and Aya.
“Aster led us to you,” Aidon explained with a nod toward the wolf. She was curled up at his feet, as if she was content to stay there forever. “We saw the veil shatter and thought you could use some backup. But by the time we got there…” Aidon swallowed roughly. “I thought you both were dead.”
“I want to see her,” Will said, his voice a broken rasp in his throat. “I need to see her.”
Aidon didn’t argue. He merely nodded and helped Will from the bed, his grip firm as he led him to Aya’s room. Galdawas already in there, standing guard at Aya’s bed. Akeeta and Tyr lay at the base of it, their heads intertwined as they slept.
Will lowered himself into a chair with Aidon’s help, taking up Aya’s hand immediately. Her skin was scratched and bruised, and there was blood streaked in her hair, but she was breathing, and that’s all Will cared about.
“What has Suja said?” Will asked Galda without taking his eyes off the rise and fall of Aya’s chest.
The trainer sighed heavily. “She said we simply must wait.” Galda placed a hand on Will’s shoulder and squeezed. “Perhaps say a prayer to the gods.”
Will shook his head, his jaw tight. “My god doesn’t exist,” he said quietly. “Not anymore.”
There would be time to tell them all what had transpired. But for now, he pressed his lips to Aya’s hand.
And he waited.
***
The end of the world felt more like the beginning: blinding light and warmth and the steady stroke of a thumb against the back of her hand.
