But I can’t stop now. I’ve come this far. Therion sucks in a breath, already aware of what I’m about to say.
“Threvenar,” I say.
Here eyes snap to mine. “Threvenar?”
“It’s a plant. Native to The Wastes. It’s used in a complicated memory suppressant,” I say.
Her breath hitches, realization beginning to strike.
“Have you ever wondered why no one can remember who camebefore Thalmyr? What Dravara was like before his tyranny?” I press, my voice strong and unyielding.
“We can’t remember,” she breathes, eyes wide.
“No one in Dravara can remember, Elyssara. All it would take is a single withheld shipment of threvenar. And the entire kingdom would remember what it was forced to forget,” the heavy implication falls from my lips. I know I’ve said too much, but I don’t regret it.
“What the fuck?” Ronyn asks, and for once, he’s serious.
“It’s in the water supply,” Therion clarifies.
“Our memories are being stolen? Our history rewritten?” Elyssara clenches her fists, knuckles turning white.
“We don’t know how it works. Not entirely. We know it’s selective to specific time periods and memories, but nothing more. It’s complex magic. Old magic. That’s what we’re trying to figure out,” Therion explains.
Elyssara is reeling. Pacing, panting, unstable.
“So, why doyoucare about Dravara?” She spits the words like accusation.
I pause, selecting my words carefully. “The true King of The Wastes—Aurius, the King usurped by Maldrak—was on peaceful terms with Dravara. We want to get back to that. Return Aevryn to peace.”
Truth. That’s the truth.
She stares off into nothingness, piecing information together, joining dots, making sense of it all.
Her eyes snap to mine. Her voice is low, breathless. “You want the throne.”
I swallow thickly—there is no coming back from this.
“The Shadow Wastes are not what you’ve been led to believe. There is more to the story. To its history. King Maldrak killed King Aurius and usurped the throne ten years ago. He has murdered, captured, and raped his way to power,” my voice rises in volume, stronger and more vicious. “He has plunged The Shadow Wastes into further decay and degradation.Heis the man who has my sister.Heis the man that took everything we all love,” I throw my arms out, gesturing to the people—my people—around the room.
“The Shadow Wastes are your home,” Elyssara whispers again, and I can sense the thoughts rushing through her mind, trying to make sense of everything.
“Yes, we are from The Shadow Wastes. But our rebellion is continent-wide. Every single town and village has our rebels in it. We are growing, and we are becoming powerful, and wewillget what we want,” menace slips into my tone, and I can feel Therion’s stare burning into me.
“I thought everyone in The Wastes was deranged. Distorted and cursed,” Elyssara shakes her head, trying to reconcile what she has always known with the new information.
“The Wastes have been cursed for as long as anyone can remember. Our capital, Kryntar, and all its surroundings are shrouded in The Decay—a blighted barrier that has cast it into death and darkness. Morrathys cursed our lands after the century-long war between Starborn and Earthbound. Our mission is to take the throne from King Maldrak, and restore The Wastes to what they once were.”
“Kael,” Therion warns in a low growl. “Enough.”
Elyssara’s face is blank, devoid of emotion and expression. “So, what do you want with me? I’m assuming it’s more than the compass?”
I clench my jaw. Steeling myself. What I’m about to say will make or break this alliance... or whatever this is.
“Yes,” I say with more confidence than I feel. My gut roils, and I can hear my pulse pumping in my ears. “Wedoneed the compass. And… we want you to help us take down The Decay,” I pause briefly, weighing my words. “The Shadow Wastes is my home.Ourhome. The Decay keeps our people cursed, and the entire continent locked in the trade agreement that’s killing us.”
“Hmm,” Elyssara’s non-committal response sets me on edge, like a predator about to strike. “When were you going to tell me this?”
“When you started to trust us... perhaps even started believing in our mission.” The words feel empty and feeble on my tongue.
