Ailan had been their greatest hope in defeating Darius, and she was gone. Darius was coming for Mareleau and Noah next. Would they die just as easily? Would everything she and her friends and allies had fought for come to nothing?
A tremor ran through her, but it wasn’t one of fear. Instead, fury burned her blood, weighing down her feet with every inch she closed toward the caves. The fire blossomed and grew into a wrath so hungry it begged her to fight.Fight, not hide.
But what the hell could she do? She wasn’t a warrior. She couldn’t even weave a damn protection ward. She was a selfish beast, born and raised, and now she was paying the price. There was only one thing she excelled at, and that was looking out for herself. Hiding was all she could do.
If only she weren’t a narcuss. If only her magic were better, stronger. If onlyshewere better and stronger.
No matter what you find in those shadows, came a voice from memory,it is important that you love yourself.
Salinda had said those words when Mareleau had sunk into self-hatred after discovering what she was. Well, a lot of good that did her now. She needed to protect others, not herself. What didshematter when she had someone so important to protect?
Is it easy to be selfish?This time it was Ailan’s voice that rang in her head.To me, it looks like your resistance to focusing on yourself is stronger.
Yes, well…she’d been right.
Mareleau hadn’t been able to shift her attention to her own well-being. Every time she’d practiced warding on herself or on her and Noah together, she’d burn with impatience. It had seemed like such a waste of time and magic when she’d rather grow her abilities for others. She needed to overcome her insipid magic challenge already so she could…
Her mind emptied.
Again, Ailan’s voice spoke from memory.
You can’t challenge your magic; you must wait for it to challenge you.
Calm knowing settled over her as a new awareness began to bloom, rising alongside the furious fire that still burned within. She didn’t fully understand it yet, but something was starting to take shape.
The mouth of the cave came into view at last, the afternoon sun dimmed by the towering heights of the palace above. Ferrah was just outside the cave, slithering in anxious circles, then shifting from foot to foot, her feathered wings bristled. As soon as they approached the cave mouth, Ferrah slithered inside. The guards fanned out, creating a half circle around the entrance. Garot gestured for Mareleau to follow the dragon. Just as she was about to enter the dark maw, wingbeats sounded overhead.
The guards’ hands flew to the hilts of their swords, but they didn’t draw them. For the creature that descended was a familiar one. Uziel landed just beyond the ring of guards, bellowing a string of high-pitched chirps, too eerie to be sounds of joy. No, they were sounds of lament.
If that was the case, who was the rider on his—
Her heart nearly tumbled from her chest as the figure all but leaped off the beast’s shoulders and raced for her. A sob broke out of her throat as his arms went around her from the side, careful of their son between them.
“Thank the gods,” Larylis whispered into her hair. “You’re here. You’re safe.”
She pulled back and assessed her husband through glazed eyes. His dark copper-tinged hair was mussed, his face splattered with dirt and blood. His armor was dented in places, his padded leather jacket ripped open and dripping blood. But he was alive. He was here and alive and that was all that mattered.
“You must be our Morkara’s father,” Etrix said, his tone flat. Worry and grief still dominated his expression.
“We can’t dally,” Garot said, his eyes on his petal-map. Where before only one red light flashed, now there were two.
Some small part of her had hoped Larylis’ sudden arrival meant he’d been the one to trigger the alert, but that had been too much to wish for.
Garot spoke again. “We must get inside. Darius is moving from cave to cave, starting with those surrounding the Blight. We built Alles’Taria Palace over an existing cave system. He may not know the palace exists, but he may remember these caves. Even if he doesn’t, he could find other fae to torture information from. If he comes across any Faeryn…with the discord between our two races, they may not hesitate to share intel.”
Larylis angled slightly away from Mareleau and reached for something tucked under his jacket. He withdrew the two-taloned collar. “I’ll fight him. I have this.”
Etrix’ eyes widened. “If you have that, then Ailan truly is…”
“I’m sorry,” Larylis said. He may not have met Etrix before but even he could tell Ailan had been important to him. Now whatever frail hope Etrix had clung to was gone.
Gods, Mareleau couldn’t imagine the depths of his grief.
“Fanon urged Uziel to take me here,” Larylis said, “and for me to bring the collar.”
“What of the soldiers inside the tear?” Garot asked. “The wardweavers?”
Larylis’ face paled. “All I saw upon entering were bodies.”
