“No word yet.” Eryx shook his head. “Arien likely hasn’t had the time to get everyone in place yet. Try not to worry.”
I rolled my eyes, muttering, “Easier said than done.”
A knock sounded on the door, and we all looked at one another for a moment before Eryx shifted back into a hawk and flew out to the lagoon. Calix went to open the door, and I lounged back on the sofa as if we’d just been relaxing.
I sprang up when I heard the voices, though, and turned to find Altan and Idalia entering.
“Gravadain has decided to hear Cyrus out.” Idalia scoffed, shaking her head. “The foolish man,” she said it like a curse, and I couldn’t blame her, shaking my own head and momentarily closing my eyes.
We expected it, but it was still a blow when I considered what could have been.
“Of course.” Calix sarcastically intoned as he ran a hand through his hair as Altan stepped forward.
“Izzy went to inform your guards, but it’s best if we leave now before he can stop me from going,” Altan recommended, a spark of something deviously joyful in his eyes. “My personal guards insisted on coming as well, but they’re aware they’ll have to get themselves to Night. I was sure you wouldn’t want them on your back.”
He raised a brow at Calix, who grunted in agreement, but his eyes rolled around in thought for a moment.
“Fuck,” he spat, and Eryx flew back in, quickly shifting and ignoring Altan’s curse of surprise and Idalia’s laugh.
Eryx raised a brow right back at Calix, and the two seemed to communicate without a word before finally Calix turned to Altan. “I’ll take them. It’s best if we stick together until we get back to Night.”
Altan nodded, deeply. “I appreciate it, King Calix. My guards aren’t just guards to me, but dear friends.”
Calix nodded back in acknowledgment before turning to me, grabbing my hand, and kissing it. “Let’s get our things together, and then we’ll go meet the guards.”
I nodded nervously, looking around to take it in one last time. I may never see Sunrise again, and despite Gravadain and Dagur—who made my blood boil and had my claws digging into the bottom of the dining table to stop my power from exploding out of me—I’d enjoyed my time here thoroughly.
It was strange to think I’d grown up in this kingdom. Panchaia was so disconnected from the small vineyard and the tiny huts I associated with Sunrise. I hoped my parents were doing okay there. They may not be my blood, but they were my parents in every other sense of the word.
We gathered our things quickly, and Calix, sensing my nerves about leaving Sunrise and going to Sunset both, brought me into his arms. I buried my face in his chest and hugged him tightly.
As much as I looked forward to freeing the humans and getting revenge on Cyrus so I could sleep peacefully at night, I found myself equally looking forward to it being over. I wanted Calix and I to be able to justlive. I wanted to spend time going out dancing and swimming at Nova Falls, flying through the skies together, and partying in the Hedone room.
I wanted to fuck him in every room of the Starlight Palace—a name that actually made me wonder now—and then in every inch of Avalon’s palace, a place I hadn’t even seen yet!
I wanted to be able to love him without time constraints. I wanted to have the time to learn to love him without the fear of him being ripped away from me.
I’d spent my whole life thinking the gods had abandoned me, only to findthey’dbeen waiting forme. I wanted to believe they wouldn’t take Calix away now.
But I’d never had anything good before, let alone something of this magnitude.
And Cyrus would do everything he could to ensure I was chained to the foot of his throne. I’d rather die than end up back with him. My mind still swirled with ways things could blow up on me.
Freedom was more than a state of being, I was realizing. It was a state ofmind. I had to wonder if anyone who’d been freed ever truly escaped mentally.
Would I evernotfear going back?
“Look at me,” Calix murmured, cupping my cheeks to lift my head up. I swallowed hard, trying to contain the million negative thoughts and feelings that ran rampant. “He isn’t going to get his hands on you again. Not while I live.”
My eyes began to water without my permission. “That’s the problem, Calix. He’ll be going straight for you. He knows if he takes you out, it’ll be much easier to take me.”
“Okay, first of all, that’s not even remotely true,” he said fiercely, shaking his head as his face set into a scowl. “If something ever did happen to me, you would fight like Tartarus and kill Cyrus with your bare hands if you had to.” I scoffed, going to move my head, but he tightened his fingers just slightly.
“Youwill. Are you telling me if you saw him kill me, you wouldn’t fly off the handle?” He smirked, and it widened as my starlight rushed out, filling the space around us. He nodded. “That's what I thought. But I am not leaving you, my réalta. Not now I’ve found you. The gods would have to come drag me to the Otherworld kicking and screaming.”
I smiled slightly. “You promise?”
His forehead landed on mine, and his breath hit my lips as his lips lightly brushed mine. “I promise.”
