Caliza.My heart panged.
My hand closed around Ericen’s. “It’s your call,” I said. “I trust you.”
His fingers tightened on mine, and his gaze lifted to Res. “Let’s go.”
* * *
We sent word to the others of our departure and orders to accept Shearen’s and any other willing Illucian’s surrender rather than kill them. Then Ericen climbed onto Res’s back behind me, and we took off.
What boost of energy Res had gotten from the storm, he funneled into the wind, propelling us even faster across valleys and forests, rolling hills and lakes dark with the setting sun. The prince held fast to me, his arms around my waist as we soared along the racing current.
Every second felt a lifetime long, every minute an eternity. Even with the boost of the wind, Aris felt so far away.
When at last we sailed over the Kessel Woods and Aris rose before us in the night’s distance, I knew immediately that we were too late.
The castle was on fire.
Thirty-Two
It was Ronoch all over again.
Flames ate their way through the gardens. They climbed over stone and tore through trees. Smoke cloaked the grounds, obscuring the movement of shadowy dueling figures. I caught glimpses of Vykryn dueling Rhodairen soldiers guarding the main gate and outside the abandoned rookery.
“Saints,” I breathed.
“The landing platforms,” Ericen said over my shoulder. “We can assess everything safely from there.”
I nudged Res, and we alighted upon the nearest platform a moment later. Up here, the sky was clear, the air free of cloying smoke.
Below, a battle raged.
Soldiers emerged from the mausoleum beside the one to Trendell. Their progress was slow due to the narrow confines of the road, but enough had gotten through to give our castle guard a fight.
“We have to put the flames out first,” I said. “Then destroy the road.”
Ericen slid off Res’s back. “You deal with the fire, I’ll make sure the castle is secure and pass on the message about the road.”
I leaned down, kissing him swiftly. “Be careful.”
His hand squeezed mine. “You too.”
Then he was gone, and Res and I were airborne again, circling the grounds. Magic snapped between us along the cord, wild and rich with the need to be used, even as I felt it scraping at the last of his strength. The safe flight had rejuvenated his magic, but he still wasn’t at full strength.
Res’s eyes began to glow. Clouds gathered, slowly darkening as the storm grew until the sky was black with shadows. The wind rose, howling past my ears and tearing at my braid.
Thanks to the smoke cover below, no one would see the storm coming.
Rain, I told Res.
Thunder boomed, the only warning of what was coming before the storm broke and flooded the world below.
Rain fell so thick, it drenched me almost instantly, blurring my vision. The fire below flickered and waned, spots of it dying in a snap of light as the downpour continued.
We circled lower, targeting the more resilient patches with Res’s fire magic until the last of them had withered and died.
We have to blow away the smoke.Once it was clear, our forces would be able to mount a counterattack to reach the Sella road and collapse the mausoleum.
The bond pulsed again as the wind began to gather.Push it down and away.
