I give them a comforting smile while I swallow down my own unease, and then we start to make our way down. There’s only a splintered wooden rail that’s more rickety than secure, so I keep my hands at my sides and stay with the inmates who have a harder time walking, just in case one of them slips.
We’re somewhat exposed here against the cliffside, but I can’t help but appreciate the view. There’s a large, beautiful city down there in the valley, amongst the tall trees that must be at least a hundred feet high. Their deep green leaves offset the lavender sky, and their branches and trunks twist like plaited hair.
Orbs of light glitter from the trees, casting a glow below of purples, blues, and yellows that must look beautiful at night. The white stone buildings themselves have swooping architecture and intricate designs with arches and steeples, glass atriums and draping eaves.
From here, I can see glimpses of covered stone roads and half-moon bridges that arc over crystalline canals fed fromthe waterfall. The river branches off into different directions, feeding both forest and city.
“What is that place called?” I ask.
“Lydia,” a fae female answers. It’s the first sound I’ve heard her make. “Annwyn’s capital city.” She says nothing more, though she eyes it with distrust.
When we get to the bottom, I think everyone breathes out a sigh of relief. The road isn’t far from the river that churns out from the falls, and down here, beneath the canopy of the branches, the air is brisk and fresh. We go beneath the thick trees to get out of the open. By the angle of the sun in the sky, I think it’s nearly midday.
Everyone is antsy to keep going. The question is, which way?
“That road’ll take you right to the city, but you’re mad if you go anywhere near there,” the male fae says before pointing at the collar that rings his neck. “Stone Swords are everywhere in the city, and they’ll take one look at you all and toss you right back in a cell. I’m headingawayfrom Lydia, and you all should too if you have half a brain.”
He glances at the Oreans. “And cover those ears of yours. Oreans aren’t welcome in this part of the kingdom.” He turns and hurries away, heading deeper into the trees. Most of the other prisoners do the same, swiftly disappearing from sight.
“He’s right,” the Orean woman tells me. “We should go.”
A distant swell of cheering comes from somewhere in the city then, making me stop and turn. I try to look through the thick trees, but I can’t see any of the buildings from here.
Another burst of noise rises from Lydia, and I frown, feeling something in my gut wedging its way in. I understand that everyone else wants to move in the opposite direction as fast as they can, but…I can’t seem to force my feet away. Something is telling me not to.
“Lady Auren? Are we going?”
Without my memories, I don’t have a lot to go on, so I can’t ignore my intuition. Something is screaming at me to go toward the city instead, and I have to pay attention to that.
I turn back toward the woman and glance at the other Oreans. “You all stay hidden here,” I say. “I’m going to check the city.”
Her eyes widen. “But it’s dangerous.”
“It’s okay,” I tell her with a smile. “I’m dangerous too.”
CHAPTER 25
COMMANDER RYATT
At the top of Cliffhelm’sdefensive wall, I stand here at Fourth’s outpost with all of my soldiers as we overlook the icy land of Fifth Kingdom below.
Far off to the right, I can barely spot the familiar shadows making up the serrated mountains of Deadwell. Those lone peaks in the distance seem just as bare and inhospitable as ever.
Except this time, they reallyareinhospitable. No one’s left in Drollard Village. The rip’s closed and everyone’s been ripped away right along with it.
But straight ahead, the landscape is far bleaker.
Ribbons of darkness cut through the snowy ground like an open gash sliced through fair skin. The fae army travels forward like a spreading infection, ready to make the land bleed. Ready to makeeveryonebleed.
There are thousands of them. My pulse hasn’t stopped racing since they first appeared on the horizon.
I don’t know what’s happened at Breakwater Port on Fifth’s shore. But with these numbers, it seems that Judd and King Thold were successful in cutting them off and not allowing access to any Orean ships.
But that means that the entire fae army might be heading here, toward Fourth’s border instead.
Considering how much distance they’ve already traveled, they’re moving fast. But it makes sense. This is a complete invasion. We were expecting them to behave as Oreans would and secure their newly won kingdoms. But it’s clear that’s not what they’re here for.
The last thing the fae are going to do is slow down and fortify, since that would only give us more time to fight back and defend our world. They don’t care about holding Highbell and Ranhold. They want total control overallOrean land. They want to eradicate us.
