I thought I could run to the ends of the earth to find a world without pain, but I have learned better. Pain exists in every world. The agony of the mainland had been empty madness, butthispain—the weight of my kingdom pressing against my bones, the blade of my love running through my heart, the ice of my power in my blood—it is entirely full.
I have always existed on the fringe of dreams and nightmares. In the shadows of the intangible, the ethereal. And now, I am at home there again.
A gasp sounds from beside me. I turn to find Wendy’s wide-eyed gaze fixed in horror on the undulating movement of my ribbons. Fear has drained the color from her face, a noise of disgust on her lips.
If I had any energy, I’d laugh. I’d tell her,I tried to warn you of who I truly am.A monster of death. A king of carrion and rot.
But exhaustion and pain have scattered my thoughts, so there is nothing to say as she shakes her head in frantic terror and scrambles away from me to bolt into the forest. Leaving me alone with only the sound of the waves and the scrape of my death.
Good riddance.
I turn away from where Wendy’s disappeared to watch my ribbons frenetic movement above me for a few long moments. I breathe against the sharp pull of them, until the fragments of my thoughts slowly begin to reorder themselves. It’s then I remember I’m lying prostrate on an open beach, completely vulnerable to anyone who happens by.
The idea of moving even an inch feels impossible with the wasted state of my body. But the thought of dying on my knees at the Everlasting’s hand has me wrenching my arms beneath me despite my exhaustion. I’ll endure ten thousand lifetimes of torture before I ever get on my knees for him again.
The world sways viciously as I sit up. My vision swims and bile fills my mouth and I collapse back to the ground with a strangle sound that could be a sob if I allowed it.Fuck.Dying may be a very real possibility, and soon, as there’s no way my legs will hold me.
My head lolls to the side, and I am just considering rolling myself into the purple surf to take my chances with the whims of the sirens, when a small pair of hands appear above me.
What the hell are you doing?
I squint, still trying to focus on the blur of fingers as Marina’s face comes into view.
The Everlasting has eyes everywhere and they’ve probably already reported your arrival,she signs furiously.And here you are, lazing about on the beach!
“Well, who doesn’t enjoy sunning themselves in the sand?” I warble at her, feeling half out of my mind as another sharp wave of pain lances through me.
I cough out a pathetically weak laugh at the way Marina’s nostrils flare in fury.Should I leave you to it then?she demands.
My head rolls, the movement of my muscles now entirely beyond my control. “I don’t see as you have much choice,” Ireply, squinting at the surrounding beach to determine where, exactly, I’ve landed. “As I can’t move and you can’t touch me.”
The little pixie’s mouth flattens, and she makes a noise in the back of her throat I’m certain would be a curse if she still had use of her voice.You’re too pale to leave out here. You’d fry to a crisp.
I laugh again, squeezing my eyes shut against the resulting tremor of agony. “Would you be so kind as to tell me where I’ve landed?” I ask weakly.
The north side, about a mile from the Grove.She shakes her head in admonishment.And you should be thanking the star above you did.
I furrow my brows. “Why’s that?”
I don’t miss Marina’s hesitation.The Aeternalis is distracted in Caelum.
My hands fingers begin to jerk on my chest, a tight spasm rolling through my muscles like spikes of iron. “I’m not entirely sure he’s my most pertinent threat at the moment.”
Marina stares at me for a protracted moment.You mean Willa?
I hum, feeling increasingly unmoored as my death slices over my stomach to wrap around my ribs like a vise. I’m about to squeeze my eyes closed once more, when Marina signs,She’s also in Caelum.
My eyes snap open at that, sudden dread sluicing down my spine like ice water. “What’s happened?”
If the Aeternalis has already goaded Willa into losing her humanity, I’ll tear him apart. Her penance, her punishment—it ismine.
We have to move, Niko,Marina gestures angrily, ignoring my question.Now.
“Do you think I’m just laying here of my own accord enjoying the sights?” I grit out sardonically. “I implored Wendy to directus somewhere far less exposed, but Darlings rarely listen, as you well know.”
At the mention of Wendy, Marina stiffens.Wendy’s here?The sign is sharp, and if it were a spoken word, it would be twisted with disgust.
“Mmhmm,” I hum, clenching my fingers tightly into fists at my chest to keep them from spasming. “Desperate times and all.”
