She heard Cahir’s gasp, and her eyes met his. Pain filled her heart for her friend. He just discovered the terrible truth about his mother, and she…she wasn’t who he thought she was.
“You need to send a message back, Seda,” Roya said as Seda stood once more. “They need to hear from you.”
“I don’t remember how,” she replied with a strained sob.
“Close your eyes and remove one of the bricks you just placed. Only one is needed. Call out to them. Let them feel you, my queen. Let themhearyou.”
She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, mentally removing one of the bricks once more. Whispers began to filter through her, but she blocked their messages out.
She hurled her words into the void, channeling her anguish into each syllable, igniting her inner fire of revenge.
“I am Seda, the Guardian Angel of the Celestial Vault, Bearer of Moonlight, Arbiter of Eternal Justice, the Corvid Queen—and I have returned with vengeance.”
Chapter 45
Ael
Ael hated needing Kalon’s help to transport, and hated the feeling that something had shifted in Seda after she awoke in the cavern. She didn’t tell them what she learned and what she remembered.
He ground his teeth together. He wanted to talk to her, but they had now left his mother’s catacomb—that was an entirely different set of emotions he couldn’t process right now—and entered the Amanita Copse.
It was a place he never thought he would see in person. He only knew of this from whispers and rumors before seeing Seda here on her voyage north through the clear stone Tahti gave him.
Seda had insisted they come here before pushing forward into Joro. Why? He wasn’t sure.
It felt like too much was happening all at once.
Roya said the Jotnar were encroaching on Umbrea, that the Lycanthropes had murdered Benny, Ojore, and Sephyr, and that Askold was fleeing with Vira. He felt torn between stayingwith Seda or leaving to protect his realm, but he couldn’t be in two places at once. The fucking Lycanthropes. Benny was his friend, and he felt immense sadness for his loss alongside Sephyr and Ojore. He also knew Seda was taking it hard. She had fallen to her knees when she found out and cried to the heavens, electrifying the sky so brightly it lit up like an explosion. Roya wasn’t faring much better, but her pain seemed more reserved, as she hadn’t said much since the news.
He made a promise to Seda, and he couldn’t break it. He had to stay by her side, no matter what. He would help her find the stones and tear the fucking world apart if that’s what she needed.
She meant everything to him.
Seda fluttered her starlight wings behind her. She was getting better at moving them. He saw her look up at the darkened sky, further shaded by the massive mushrooms that blocked the moonlight and the stars beyond.
“Don’t touch them,” she said in a monotone voice about the mushrooms. “The Vatte are this way.”
She took the lead and led them through the forest of giants. He noticed Kalon’s gaze flicking to her often and bit his cheek, refraining from arguing with the man.
As he glared at Kalon, he noticed the man silently hiss in pain and grab his neck.
“What the fuck is wrong with you?” Ael asked him.
Kalon’s gaze shifted to him, and he dropped his hand, revealing a red mark on his neck over his stupid tattoo. Kalon pursed his lips in response and kept walking.
In the distance, small twinkling lights and cheerful music echoed through the vast forest. He could smell roasting meats and the smoke of veilroot, and hear children playing and singing along to stringed instruments.
He had never met a Vatte before. They were a powerful species of being, relying on their earthen magic to navigate this world. They remained hidden deep within the Amanita Copse for athousand years, sheltering themselves from the chaos outside amongst the poisonous fungi.
The merry sounds of the Vatte grew louder as they walked closer to the twinkling lights. He heard Elco whimper a sound and lunge forward as a tiny boy came into view.
“Elco!” the little boy shouted, running up to him and hugging him tightly. “You’re finally back!”
“It’s nice to see you again, Orion,” Seda said to the little boy as she bent down to hug him as well. Ael could see the pain on her face through her smile. “Are your mother and grandfather around? We need to talk to them.”
“Oh, yes, pretty lady!Wow!” He paused, staring up at her wings with awe. “You grew sparkly wings! Do you think I might grow some someday? Also, did you notice the sun didn’t come up? Soweird.”
Seda smiled again in response. “I did notice. As for the wings, nothing is impossible in this world, little guy. Can you please take us to them? This is very important.”
