“We need to go.” Draven’s words roll over my thoughts
My mother glowers at Draven. “If you hurt her—”
“You’re one to fucking talk,” he snarls back.
“She has nothing to do with this.” My mom’s tone turns pleading. Desperate.
“I would never hurt Rune,” Draven swears, his eyes flashing a toxic orange, as if he could incinerate her with a look. “I made a vow. I will find a way to protect you. For her. Nothing more.”
She nods to me. “Go with him, Rune. I’ll be all right.” Even with all my rage I still hesitate, the bonds that tie us strung so tightly they’re shredding. “You have no choice. I’m bound here.”
Anger boils in me as I look at her. She’s the reason that thousands of families have been torn apart. The reason for all of this. The root to the thorns. Between love and fury … my anger wins.
I stalk to Draven. He summons the Hermit and it takes nothing for me to do the same. I give my mother one last look as the invisibility washes over me.
Tears line her eyes, and I hate that all I can think is,How could you?
Draven leads me back through the house, his hand an insistent pressure. We spool onto the front lawns, the cool air hitting me, but I can’t seem to get a solid breath.
Draven draws Death and the shadows blare into us so hard I nearly stagger off my feet. We step into the portal, and once again I have to turn my back on my mother, leaving her behind.
28The Hollow Canyon
More than any of the Major Arcana, the Star reminds us not to give up. No matter how hopeless the outlook, we must hold strong, for light will always follow the darkness.
WHEN WE REACH OUR QUARTERS,they’re empty. No one’s back yet. I’m not sure if I’m happy about that or not. I don’t know how much of this I want to deal with.
Draven paces away from me, hands on his hips as he stares through the expansive windows at the hollow citadel laid out before us. The moonlight barely touches it now, clouds obscuring the sky beyond the canyon opening above. Instead, the kingdom twinkles with zenith and lantern lights. I stay still, and he doesn’t turn around.
He’s the son of the uprising leader and a demigod? Why would they let him live?
“I didn’t—”
“Know. Yeah, you say that a lot.” His tone is frostbitten.
“What do you expect from me? An apology? What my mother has done isn’t my fault.” Anger heats my words. I’m already struggling with the horrific things I’ve learned. Every mortalenslaved, or beaten, every death tallied, she had her hands in it the same as the immortals she fought against. The immortals Draven’srealfather fought against. “And youliedto me.”
“I told you my father was a rebel.” He clears his throat, unbuttoning the top of his shirt. I kick off my shoes. “I didn’t want to risk getting either of us killed with the truth of who he was. Gods Below, I wish your mother was anyone else.”
“How are you going to get her out of there?” I demand.
“What makes you think I can?” His wings fold around his shoulders. “We don’t have good options here. King Altair is clearly already looking for her. If I show too much interest in freeing her to Eldarion, then we’ll be pointing him her way, too. He’ll put it together, hand her over to Altair or keep her himself, torture her for a cure. Whoever reverses the Curse will have all the power in the immortal world, as they could lord it over the others, demand fealty or anything they want in return. If Altair gets it first, he would demand we all join his war against the mortals. Eldarion would do so in a heartbeat, as would my father despite his resistance to it so far. Without the Curse, my father could replace me with an heir of his own, all changelings would be at risk, and the mortals would be annihilated should immortals think we don’t need them—”
“I’m hearing a lot of excuses,” I spit, “but this was our deal. Or did you forget? It doesn’t end because you don’tlikeher. Use your station to end the binding!”
“She was right in that I have little choice. And we made that deal before I knew who you were, whoshewas. I can’t just go and steal her in the night, it could start a war with the elves—”
“You can’t take my father back because he’s part of Altair’s court. Now you can’t save my mother because she belongs to some little lord? You’re the Blood Prince of Sedah! And apparently the son of the Bastard King of Mortals! A half god!”
“Yes, and you’re the daughter of Reina the Ravager!” he snarls back. Draven searches his pockets, finding a tin, and pulls out something to smoke. Fire flashes right out of his hand, the World tattoo alighting for a wild moment. He takes a deep inhale. He rubs his forehead with the heel of his palm, smoke curling around him.
“Draven, I didn’t know who my mother was, I thought I was a nobody! That I came from nobodies!” Why can’t he see how hard this was for me tonight? Why can’t he look past himself?
“You’ve never been a nobody. Neither have I.”
The coldness in his voice makes me hurl my words. “How did you not recognizemyfather? You knew my mother, but if my father was some general—”
“I’d barely been around Riordan; he was off fighting. Your mom was with the families and my father. I didn’t even know hisname.” He takes a puff. “But Altair knows who you are. Who your mom was. Depending on what your father’s told him.”
