I sighed. He reached for my hand and I took it, letting him guide me through the throng of people.
He led me to an area removed from the main bustle of Aphellion. It was near the path to the lagoon Gemma had taken me on so many days ago, but veered closer to the Auren Mountains.
We approached a two-story home, thoughtfully designed from wood and limestone. A porch accented the front door, disappearing around the side of the home. Black metal, the same as the rings on Dom’s fingers, reinforced the structure, making it both masculine and easily weaponized.
Beyond it, and slightly offset, rested a small building, almost like a storage shed but slightly larger. The roof was covered in rippling gold, reflecting the sunlight that shone through the leaves of a towering ash tree. A solid-gold Indigo Eagle, wings spread wide, peered over the entrance. The massive bird was the animal affiliated with the old rituals, with one of the gods.
Dom noted my wayward gaze, gesturing in its direction. “It’s a private place of worship I built. To the Great One, Elyon. Took me a while to carve the eagle, but I think it turned out well.” He released a spark of his magic and the outstretched wings flapped.
I gasped in delight. A soft chuckle escaped his lips. “I’ve always held a deep connection to Elyon. I’m attuned to him in ways even I don’t understand.” A shade of embarrassment colored his expression.
“How did you even learn of him? No one prays to the gods anymore. They have been silent for so long,” I mused.
He softly exhaled, staring out toward the mountains, majestically keeping watch over Aphellion, his beautifully hidden stronghold. “I have no other explanation than I justalways have prayed to him. I have had dreams of him. And I believe he watches out for me. Hasn’t steered me wrong yet.” He shrugged a shoulder, glancing down at me in amusement.
Dom was a man of deep intellect and purposeful confidence. Limp conviction didn’t fit with his profile, and who was I to challenge his personal experience with a god who supposedly had long abandoned this creation? I never would have guessed the rebel general harbored a respectful devotion to the Great One.
I met those fathomless amber eyes, a grin fighting its way out of me as I delightfully collected new discoveries of this multi-faceted man.
He guided me back toward the entrance of his home. The dark wood of the front door swung open to a first floor sitting area replete with a welcoming hearth. Ornate art adorned the walls as if he were a collector. I peered closely at the different landscape depictions. Their shared style indicated the same artist. The kitchen sat back further in the home and the curved stairs presumably led to bedrooms.
“Make yourself comfortable. There is food in the kitchen if you want any. I’m going to change upstairs. There’s a bathroom down the hall if you need it.”
I padded to the first floor bathroom and washed my face. I used a rag to wipe off my arms and legs, but didn’t have enough energy to completely bathe. I unwound my wind-tossed braid, combing my fingers through the traitorous lilac locks.
The coracite was nearly washed out and it was imperative I eliminate the pinky-purple color before returning to Haluma. My mother’s words echoed in my mind, her warnings about my hair color impressed like a blacksmith engraving in my memory. And with the threat of Nokts in Maripol, and the connection between my hair color and a supposed Astral heritage, I didn’twant to take any chances. Add it to my list of things to do. I massaged my scalp from the release of my tight plait.
I returned to the sitting area, nestling into a soft leather chair with a navy wool blanket draped across its back. The place was clean, but clearly lived-in. I closed my eyes, my body grateful to not be on a galloping horse. But my mind whirred on.
Ruin, the spy, took over and I entered task mode—forming lists, calculating risks, and mapping out routes. My exhaustion wore down my shields against anxiety and I struggled to rein it in.
Thinking wasn’t distracting enough. Leaning forward, I channeled both my focus and my magic into one frozen dagger after another. Ice bent into filigreed detail on the hilt. Ancient symbols carved down the blades. My concentration distracted me from my tumultuous thoughts and feelings enough that I missed the sounds of Dom descending the stairs.
I startled when he placed a hand on my shoulder, breaking the silence of the space. “Those are amazing,” he commented.
I looked up at him, noticing his hair still dripped. The scent of horse had been thoroughly replaced with warm leather and the freshness of the sea. “Are you ready?” he asked as he studied me.
I stood to face him, taking care to not knock the wool blanket on the floor. “Yes. We need to strategize, and we need to move quickly.” His topaz irises glowed in the dimness of his home, emotions I couldn’t name flashing across his features.
“Then, let’s go.”
The building was a three-story behemoth,constructed with very few windows and several tons of granite. Dom explainedthe layout as we passed through multiple wards at the building’s entrance. Polished granite floors greeted our entry along with two staircases that led to numerous offices and rooms. One staircase led to underground rooms several feet beneath the surface, meant for detaining criminals and presumably a few torture chambers.
We went up two flights, entering a large room with a circular table in the center, easily able to accommodate twelve people. It was a massive slab of black metal, one only a proficient metal wielder could have formed. My gaze instinctively veered to Dom. He locked in on me and heat warmed my chest.
Seated in several of the chairs already were Finn, Bowen, Xuri, Sieren, Xuri’s apprentice Oralia, and several others, presumably higher-ranking soldiers and men in the rebellion. I took a seat between Dom and Xuri, despite my antsiness.
The door opened and Korin strode in, holding a large platter of food. Xuri narrowed her eyes at the young girl but didn’t ask her to leave. She flashed a bright smile at me, and I responded with a quick wink.
Xuri gathered a few papers into organized stacks, then addressed our group. “We have a tentative plan for the extraction of Delah from the castle in Maripol. Bowen has offered his services in wielding sound tonics to use as a distraction when you enter the castle. For years, Sieren has attempted to mimic my ability to speak into others’ minds.” She gestured in Sieren’s direction, respect tinged with amusement in the flex of her fingers. “She has succeeded in the last few months with an elixir that allows all who drink it to communicate by mind-walking.” Gasps whooshed down the table.
“This elixir only lasts for a few hours at most, and works only when you’re in close proximity as others. I brewed a small batch this morning. You ought to be able to focus your thoughts on particular people, and they will be able to hear and respond.I’ve gathered enough of it to send out with the lot of you,” Sieren concluded.
I spoke up, “They could have Delah in the dungeons or the Vestal tower. Though I am inclined to believe they have her in the tower, I don’t think it’s wise to focus only on it.” The thought of the Vestal deception stoked my rage. “We should split up to make this efficient.”
Finn, feet propped lazily on the metal table, his support rock clutched in his fingers, interjected, “Bowen and I can take the dungeons. You and Dom head to the tower. I’ve retrieved several of our own from within the castle’s walls. I know where I’m going.” His crooked grin reflected his giddy excitement and unhinged idea of a good time.
“I can rearrange the castle grounds. To disorient and sow confusion.” The soft voice gained strength. All eyes turned to Korin.
