"Hold tight," Arielle called out, as the bow pierced the first trailing edge of starlight.
Everything went white. Pure, brilliant light enveloped us as we sailed through the cascade. I felt each falling star brush against my skin like warm rain, washing away the last traces of death's chill. And then?—
Sunlight.
Realsunlight, golden and warm and alive, burst over us as we emerged on the other side. The familiar blue sky stretched endlessly above—with one sun—and my heart stuttered back to life as the land of the living welcomed us home.
Arielle and I looked back at the waterfall of stars, but there was nothing there.
It was gone. As if we’d just emerged from a dream.
“We’re back,” Arielle muttered.
I looked at her. “We are.”
Real air filled my lungs with life instead of the emptiness of the underworld. Then, through the golden haze of sunlight, I saw it.
Land.
Land in the distance adorned with rolling hills and shimmer blue-leafed trees that soared toward the heavens.
Magic hummed in the air, wild and alive and different from the death magic we'd left behind. The ship glided toward shoreas if the land itself was drawing us in, welcoming us to this realm where beauty and danger walked hand in hand.
"Gods, we’re not just back. We’re in Galaythia’s harbor,” Arielle breathed. The relief in her voice was unmistakable.
“Did my best to get you as close as possible to home,” Kaem’s hearty voice rumbled from behind us, thick with satisfaction and something that might have been affection.
“Oh, Kaem, thank you so much.” Arielle left my side and threw her arms around him.
He held her tightly. When he released her, he pat the top of her head the way a father would. The waymy fatherused to with me.
A tug of sadness coursed through me, but I shoved it away. Better not to think of such things.
Kaem looked at me next. I schooled my expression, hoping he couldn’t see through me. Throughout this voyage, I’d pasted on a smile whenever he was around and did my best to act like I knew him.
According to my journal, I’d met him at the luminaire festival—my first outing with Wolfe. The closest thing we’d had to a date. There, Kaem gifted me a notebook from the Ravenwood realm.
“My Lady.” He gave me a gentle bow. “It was a real pleasure seeing you again.”
“And you, my Lord.”
He chuckled. “It’s been quite some time since anyone called me lord. Nice to hear it, though.”
“I’d like to thank you, too. For rescuing us.”
“You are most welcome, my Lady.”
“Are Wolfe and the guys up?” Arielle asked, glancing over his shoulder.
“Yes, they’ve actually made their way back to Vyrenth Hollow. Wolfe gave instructions for you two to portal back there and go straight to the meeting room.”
That sounded kind of…odd.
Why didn’t we all leave together?
And we were to go to the meeting room?
Arielle looked a little thrown, too, but she seemed to be doing her best not to show it.
