He splashed into the water, skin stinging at the heat of it.
“Savine, I don’t know if this pool is made for two grown Latian warriors.”
“Then move over, brother. My bones are chilled and my heart is heavy.”
Garnel sat up, moving to the opposite side of the pool from Savine. “Neither of us should have heavy hearts now. We ended the war. We stopped our enemy, and yet, I’ve never felt so empty.”
“You still can’t shift?” Savine asked, already knowing his answer. He’d avoided asking all these weeks, knowing that if Garnel could shift he or Kyla would tell him.
Garnel tugged on his red beard. “The feeling of my other half is fading slowly. It may be too late.”
Savine noticed how Garnel’s essence had faded to fine, dusky lines. If his essence was depleted, he would not be able to survive for long.
“We now know of three relics. We’ll find the remaining two and Althea will restore your essence.”
Garnel’s face looked like it would crack, anguish cut through his voice. “What if we don’t? What if my essence drains from me and I never meet my child? All because of one foolish mistake.”
“Brother, I’ll pull you from the goddess-damned Abyss myself before I let that happen,” Savine muttered.
They sat in silence, the steaming water boiling their skin as dusk swept across the steep mountainous canyon walls.
The spiny branches of the nearest coniferous tree began to shake, and the forest came alive with movement, stirrings in the branches.
“The trees have an answer,” Savine said, sliding out of the water. He walked barefoot through the snow to his clothing, letting his heated skin melt the snow underfoot. As he tugged on his furs over his slick skin, he heard the trees calling for him.
“Prince of Chaos.”
“What is the news?” Savine asked.
“The armies are at the southern reaches of the Towers. They call for revenge against what was stolen. They want the witches of the north.”
Savine cursed under his breath as dread built in his chest.“Avery as well as Morgan?”
The tree shook in the icy wind. “They will stop at nothing to claim the witches marked by the Premier Goddess. They come north with a darkness that will overpower and destroy.”
A chill ran through Savine as Garnel came over to Savine’s side, dressed in his furs. “What was their reply?”
“We must prepare the warriors. We march for war.”
Chapter 52
Rylo
The view out Rylo’s balcony chilled his essence to ice. Maglar’s troops had crested the southern mountain range separating his nation from the Wastewaters and ensconced themselves near the Tower of Stars.
It had been a week.
A week since Morgan and Susan returned with hopes of an alliance between Latiah and Nephel.
A week since he’d been certain he had an alliance on its way.
And yet, there had been no word. Selene still hadn’t returned from abandoning her post in the name of her young soulmate.Her desertion could very well cause the Towers to fallin a single day. He could possibly succeed in holding off the waves of warriors with Selene, but he was a lost cause without her, even with the two witches and the deep magic on his side. They were both untested in battle, and after Morgan shared how the deep magic had ripped through them, causing her to burn out with startling speed, Rylo was hesitant to allow her to use deep magic for his sake.
Rylo turned and looked at the empty space where Morgan had been. She’d come to him last night, and despite the hurt she’d caused him, he couldn’t regret spending what could be his last night with her in his arms. His need for her was like his need for the sun. Life wasn’t worth surviving without her in it. He only wished he hadn’t waited so long to have her. At least he had one night. That would have to be enough.
The beat of the drums was incessant. A constant pulsing in Rylo’s ears as he prepared to meet Maglar and Mara. He would follow the protocol of war—a cordial meeting before blood was shed.
As he prepared to fly to his generals he heard a knock on his door.
