“What on Liraen is going on here?” thundered the man.
Amira would recognise his cold tone anywhere and she wasn’t surprised when the man removed the hood of his cloak. Karwyn turned to the guards stationed behind him.
“Seize him,” he ordered with his finger pointed at the drunk fae. The crowd immediately scattered as they recognised the guards’ uniforms. Some ran away to the nearby streets while others, probably too inebriated to function, went back inside the bar, their drinks still in hand.
The air wielder tried to run away, but Karwyn grabbed her by the arm. “Where do you think you are going?” he said with a sadistic grin. He twisted her arm with so much strength that Amira heard the fae’s bones crack from where she was standing. The woman yelped, the pain too intense to even let out a proper scream.
Now that the crowd had finally parted, Amira ran up to Rhay, who was still on the ground. She caressed his damp forehead. “Rhay, can you hear me?” she whispered.
Rhay coughed and opened his eyes. He looked more shocked than truly hurt. “I’m fine, but I can’t stand up.”
“Did you hurt your back?”
“No, but I’m pretty sure I ripped my trousers when I landed on the ground and I’m not wearing any underwear.” They both let out a relieved laugh that drew Karwyn’s attention. Amira saw his eyes going from a concerned look when facing Rhay to a profoundly angry one when he noticed Amira holding his uninjured hand.
“You have made quite a mess,” Karwyn said. Amira didn’t know if he was talking to her or Rhay, but she wanted to say that Karwyn was at fault too. If he hadn’t assaulted her earlier, Rhay wouldn’t have found her in such disarray.
Karwyn walked towards them, avoiding the whimpering drunkard held by the guards. He lowered himself and discreetly pushed Amira aside, making her fall on her behind. “I am glad I came just in time. I knew if Amira was involved, only trouble could await. Do not worry, I will make them pay heavily for what they have done to you.” Rhay’s face dropped, but Karwyn didn’t seem to notice.
With one flick of his hand, Karwyn gestured to the guards to move away from the assailant before sending a gust of air that crushed the man to the ground with an intense force. The interim high king stood up and put his boot on the fae’s face.
“You see, Amira,” Karwyn said, “I do have air powers. I just do not like to waste them.” His boot pressed harder on the skull of the now powerless fae while Amira watched in horror.
Chapter43
Lora
As Lora crossed the woods the next day, she couldn’t help but take note of the portal shimmering through the trees to their left. The tear was at the edge of Chrysa. It didn’t only serve as a magical border to Earth, it was also very close to the border to Rubien. The fae they were tracking had a headstart on them; he had left Turosian late the night before. Eyden had been right in his assumption that the fae would be leading them to Rubien. They were surer than ever that the other humans were held at the Void, waiting to be sold.
History books said that there used to be a large temple on the border between Turosian and Rubien. It was there that the Dark King had decided to rip a tear in the fae’s universe to find willing slaves, leading them to Earth.
Lora held onto her phone with one hand and shielded her face from the low-hanging branches with the other. Walking through the woods was less than ideal, but it was the only way to discreetly enter Rubien, avoiding the run-down roads that traders could be using. It didn’t help that after a few hours, the pleasantly warm Turosian weather turned uncomfortably hot.
Nearing Rubien, the trees became scarcer, the ground drier. Soon enough, Lora’s feet were kicking dust and sand. They made their own path through land lined with trees and plants or hidden by stone structures. Lora wondered how the lush green trees survived in this heat. Then again, they looked different than what she was familiar with. She was glad for the cover from the unrelenting sun—and potential danger.
Lora glanced behind her where Elyssa and Jaspen were talking before shifting her attention to Eyden. He was keeping close to her, helping her guide them forward safely. His eyes were focused on the desert stretching before them. They hadn’t talked about what happened last night. Lora wasn’t sure what the kiss meant to him. The only thing she was sure of was that for her, there was no going back to who they were before. They’d stepped over an invisible line and Lora couldn’t imagine taking it back. The memory of his lips on hers, his hands drawing her closer, was still burning in her mind.
As if reading her thoughts, Eyden turned his head, his eyes meeting hers. A slow grin spread across his face. His brown skin gleamed in the sun and the pale blue in his eyes sparkled. It was a sight Lora would have tattooed in her mind for quite some time.
She bit her lip to hold back the goofy grin that was surely breaking free. Eyden noticed and his grin became daring, as if he wished they were in a different kind of situation. Alone. Not walking through a forgotten, lawless country.
Thinking of what they could do if it was only the two of them, what they could’ve done if Elyssa hadn’t returned with a deck of cards last night, Lora blushed and broke their stare. It probably had been for the best. It had been a fun night after all, laughing with Elyssa as Eyden lost the first round, out of practice, it seemed.
Lora forced her attention to the digital map in her hand, hoping her tracker was leading them in the right direction. It seemed the fae was now keeping close to an area some hours away from Rubien’s capital, Cinnite.
Just as the thought left her, buildings became visible in the distance.
“It’s Cinnite, isn’t it?” Eyden asked, peeking at her phone screen.
“I think so,” Lora answered.
The closer they got, the clearer it became that the city was abandoned. Collapsed buildings and ruins were all that was left. The desert was quiet, as if every soul had fled, which was probably true for the most part. After the battle in Cinnite that ended the Dark King’s reign of terror, fae and humans alike quickly sought refuge in their neighbouring country, Turosian.
Lora wondered how the city had looked before the battle. Judging from what was left, it had been a grand city, shining bright with potential before it was all torn down. She glanced at her shoes, covered in copper sand. It had a uniqueness to it, the shade of red fitting for the Ruby Kingdom as it glistened in the warm sunlight.
Elyssa appeared at her left, snapping her out of her thoughts. “Cinnite?” When Lora nodded, the other girl continued. “Never thought I’d see it for myself. What a fucking mess. No wonder people say it’s haunted.”
“Haunted, really?” Lora turned to the shorter girl. Her auburn hair, gathered in a high ponytail, appeared lighter in the sun, and her few freckles were more prominent. She hoped Elyssa’s fair skin wouldn’t get sunburned.
