The words shot out of me, and the air started swirling, snatching up sand, forming a storm unleashed by my fury. This gale would take an imperfectly perfect woman and transform her into something that could help restore the balance.
I still hadn’t figured out a few lines of the riddle, but I suspected I’d soon understand.
Everything I needed was here in the ether. I just had to find it.
And I knew how.
“Gaineos?” I roared, my words echoing, shooting across this land without dreams and ricochetting back at me. “I need a favor.”
67
TEMPEST
Alow shuffle slid across the plain, the only sound I heard in this hollow land other than the rapid thrum of my heart.
Even Vexxion could no longer reach me.
Had I made a mistake? I may have cursed myself by allowing the king to drain me enough to be allowed access to the ether. But I hadn’t fought when he bound me with vines despite proving I could make them release me. I’d sat passively as he stalked over to me and slammed his thumb into my forehead. I’d fed him my power as he drained it, depleting my well so low, I could see the rocky bottom.
I’d sensed my sacrifice must play a role in this. I was nature, and I needed to bend.
“Your path will ssssplit ssssoon,” Iasar had hissed. “It issss not here or there or in the worldssssbeyond. Find it.”
Vexxion’s vision showed a world like this. Reyla confirmed the image.Thiswas the path I needed to follow.
A shimmering figure appeared on the plain, galloping quickly over to stand in front of me.
Gaineos dipped his head forward. “Have you come for your favor, High Lady?”
“Can you take me to the Blade of Alessa?”
His head tilted and he scrutinized my face. “Why do you seek the blade?”
“To kill—” Actually it was so much more than that. “I will use the blade to right the balance.”
He released a grim smile. “If you sought it only to kill, I would leave you here despite owing you this journey.”
“I have to free the powerless and Nullens from the entrapment placed upon them long ago.”
“Doing this will break the treaty. Do you know what will happen after that? The veil will fall.” He snarled, his hooves sinking into the sand as he paced. “The high fae will overrun those you call Nullens.”
“The Nullens have been bound by the fae since the treaty was formed.”
He huffed, his breath blasting across my face. Everything was amplified and muted here, all at the same time. “This wastheirdecision.”
“Things have changed. The magical suppression has to end. Those Nullens who want to use the power they were born with must be free to make that choice, not have it stolen from them. The Claiming must end. No one should be forced to serveothers as wells of power to be drained or as servants subject to the will of the wicked.”
“And what of the powerless?” His gaze locked on mine. “What will happen to them once you end the treaty?”
“I can’t believe they agreed to be turned into dregs. The Lieges . . .” I frowned, thinking. “They’ve always been in control of the dregs, yet they have some power as well. I gave them hearts. Aunt Vera, Vexxion, and I gave them blood.”
“You did what?” he roared.
I would not defend myself for taking the only path that held a scrap of hope for something better.
And then it hit me.
Sucking in a deep breath, I watched his face cratered with anger. Yet his eyes . . .
