Safiya had dark circles beneath her eyes. Her warm brown skin was duller than usual. I wondered if she had slept at all since that night in the ballroom.
When she did not respond, Théo stepped in. “Itisworth trying. Happiness is always worth trying for. And as to how you atone? Action, effort. That you are helping deliver Ayla and Seren to the Sárkhona Draum now is a step in the right direction. If all goes to plan, they will become the most powerful Rázuri of our lifetime. They will save our kingdom.”
Safiya nodded, only half convinced. She slowed her horse as she settled to the back of the group once more, leaving me to consider Théo’s words and the ritual that was to be done.
I understood that my power would be bolstered, but I had never considered that I would become one of the most powerful Rázuri alive. Once, I would have abhorred the thought. I would have been terrified by it. Now, with my family and friends beside me, I felt only calm.
I would use my power for good. We would defeat evil together, and I would lead Acsilla to an era of peace and prosperity. I wouldfoster goodwill between Acsilla and Ordelés. We would not allow civil war to reign any longer.
Our horses carried us long into the night. The sun had fallen beneath the tree line hours past by the time we stopped to make camp.
My friends settled into their tasks easily.
Safiya pressed her hand flat against the earth. It rumbled beneath our feet as the ground trembled, leveling itself. Rocks rolled away from our camp, leaving the surface smooth and comfortable. Ayla conjured a roaring fire in the center as Théo gathered wood to keep the flames lit through the night. I helped Harkin pitch our tents.
When we had traveled before, we slept beneath the stars, but it was far colder in the north—on the approach of the winter solstice—and we gathered around the fire to share a meal before heading to our respective tents.
“Seren, I have been thinking about your dream mágik. We will need some purpose, something to lure our villain in when we return on the solstice. Even more so, we will need a way to contact her so she knows where we will be. A trap of sorts,” Théo explained. “I would suggest you begin honing your abilities so that you might contact her through your dreams. It will be safer for you and far more efficient.”
I nodded in agreement, looking at each of them. “I can do that. In all of the dreams I have had, I have been an unseen presence in your waking world, but I will continue to practice.”
“And for the distraction?” Théo asked.
I hummed contemplatively. “I’ll think of something.”
We broke for the night, Ayla, Théo, and Safiya going into their individual tents as Harkin and I walked hand in hand to the tent we were sharing.
I collapsed onto the blankets, pulling Harkin down with me. He leaned over me, pressing a slow kiss to my lips. I pushed my body against his, and he groaned.
“Ren.”
“We haven’t talked about last night—what it means.” I ghosted my breath along his throat. He swallowed hard.
“I still don’t see how this works,” he admitted, voice wavering.
“But you want it to?”
“Yes.” His voice was firm. Harkin tugged at my hair with his hands.
I kissed him deeply. “Do you want to be selfish with me?”
“Goddesses, yes,” Harkin growled, pulling me on top of him.
My thighs bracketed his hips, and I leaned over, settling my head on his chest. My arms wrapped around his neck as we held on to each other.
“I want that too,” I whispered, stroking his hair softly.
Harkin made a contented noise, already drifting to sleep beneath the warmth of my body. I waited for his breathing to even out before attempting to slip inside his mind.
I was met with only glaring, dimming silence.
Chapter fifty-one
Seren
Breakfast was an abbreviated, stilted affair. The scrape of utensils over stone was the only sound to be heard save for the rustling of wildlife around us—wind in brittle leaves and birdsong on the air.
I was quiet, stewing on my failure at dreamwalking the night before. The rest of my companions were suffering from their own thoughts—tiredness and tensions weighing us down.
