The tavern door swings shut behind them, and I turn back to our group, and throw an arm around their shoulders, “Well, I guess it’s just us again. Let's eat!”
“And Ireallyneed a drink,” Seren says, a bashful smile tugging at her lips.
Seren’s admission earns a mock gasp from Ronyn, who clutches his chest like she’s confessed to treason. “Our little Seren, taking her first steps into debauchery!” he teases, and her blush deepens. I laugh, the sound startling even me. For a moment, the weight of the prophecy feels lighter.
We’ve never seen her have a drink in all our years together, and Seren hastily adds, “I mean, it’s not like I’ve ever had one, but I feellike this is the perfect chain of events where onewouldstart drinking... right?”
“Right!” Ronyn and I say, laughing bubbling up, in unison.
We make our way back to the barkeep, and order enough food to keep us full for days, and enough honey-brewed ale to forget the weight of the realms that feel like it’s sitting firmly on my shoulders.
As we settle at the table, mugs in hand, the warmth of the tavern seeps into my bones. For a moment, I let myself forget the prophecy, the temple, and the storm. I allow myself the luxury of laughter, the rare comfort of Ronyn’s teasing, and Seren’s bashful grin. But peace like this is fragile, I remind myself—easily shattered. The cracks are there, waiting to break. And when they do, I wonder which side of them I’ll find myself on.
CHAPTER THIRTY
ELYSSARA
We aredeep in our cups, having laughed, danced, and filled our bellies for hours. I can’t remember a time when I’ve felt this... full. Rich with the sort of happiness that doesn’t come with a catch. For once, I’m not bracing for the next blow or measuring every word to survive another day. It feels fragile, fleeting. But gods, do I want to hold on to it for just a little longer. The ale cloaks me in a layer of warmth, its golden haze softening the edges of the world.
“So, El... Kael is a mighty fine-looking lad, is he not?” Ronyn’s face is already split into that lopsided grin. “Very symmetrical,” he adds, his voice dripping with mock innocence.
I groan, covering my face with my hands. “Oh gods, I’m never going to be allowed to forget that, am I?”
“Nope,” Ronyn quips, his laugh spilling out with reckless abandon.
“Definitely not,” Seren confirms, her grin stretching wide enough to light up the room.
“Can I at least get a free pass, considering I had both Lunabark root and duskprowler venom in my veins?” I grimace, already knowing there’s no chance of escape.
“I’d allow it—if you hadn’t also guessed he had a really bigcock,” Seren blurts. Then freezes. Her hands slap over her mouth, her eyes wide with horror. “Oh gods, I just said that out loud, didn’t I?”
We all explode into laughter, the kind that shakes your ribs and makes your cheeks ache. I can barely breathe, tears forming at the corners of my eyes. For once, there’s nothing else—no prophecy, no fear, just us.
The warmth of the room tilts suddenly, a chill slipping down my spine even as laughter spills from my lips. Kael’s shadow falls over the table, broad and imposing, before he slides in beside me with a casual grace that makes my pulse quicken. He doesn’t ask for permission; he never does. Instead, he picks up my mug, takes a sip, and looks around the table, his smirk firmly in place.
“So, what are we laughing at?” His voice is low, smooth, and entirely too self-assured.
I bury my head in my hands, wishing I could disappear into the floorboards. The heat in my cheeks spreads to my neck, and I’m certain Kael’s smirk is aimed directly at me. He leans closer, his shoulder brushing mine, and the warmth I’d been reveling in turns into a blaze I can’t escape. “Something you wanna tell me, Duskae?” Kael asks, his voice rich with teasing, his eyes gleaming with far too much satisfaction.
All I can manage is a vehement shake of my head, my hands still plastered over my face as if that will stop the inferno that’s erupted under my skin.
Our laughter rises again, louder and more chaotic, but my heart pounds in my chest, a frantic beat that has nothing to do with the ale.
Between bursts of laughter, Seren asks, “Where’s Therion? He’s been gone a while.”
Kael leans back, the corner of his mouth twitching upward in that infuriating way of his. “He’s coming in a moment, with a couple of our... friends.” The pause in his sentence alerts my instincts, but he doesn’t give me time to question it. “We’ve secured a couple of rooms that should suffice for a night or two, depending on when we’re ready to leave for the next relic.”
Friends? The word sinks in slowly. I’ve spent too many years looking for hidden meanings in the simplest words, and Kael’s casual delivery only sharpens my suspicion. I force a sip of my drink, letting the warmth spread through me as I fight to settle the gnawing feeling that something—or someone—is about to disrupt the fragile peace we’ve found here.
And then, as if summoned by my thoughts, the tavern door creaks open. The warmth of the hearth spills out to greet three shadowed figures who step into the room with an ease that makes my pulse spike.
The first is a woman—tall, confident, and strikingly beautiful. She removes her hood with a flourish, revealing long, raven-black hair that falls in a smooth cascade over her shoulders. Her deep brown eyes gleam with intelligence and a hint of mischief, and her lips curve into a knowing smile as she spots Kael. Everything about her exudes power and familiarity, as if she belongs here in a way I never will.
The second figure is an older man, his grizzled beard streaked with silver and his eyes as sharp as a blade. He carries himself like a warrior, his movements steady and deliberate, yet there’s a warmth to the way he surveys the room, as if taking stock of every detail but judging none.
Kael stands, the smirk on his face softening into something warmer, something...personal. He clasps the man’s forearm in a warrior’s greeting, then turns to the woman, who pulls him into a tight embrace. Too tight, if you ask me.
“Well, if it isn’t Jax and Merrik,” Kael says, his voice tinged with a rare affection that makes my chest tighten. “Took you long enough.”
