I turn my head toward Rose, who lies still on the ground, now surrounded by three healers. Maines offers me a small smile, as if to reassure me that Rose will be okay. I sink into the chair, resting my head against the firm leather. I drift off to sleep, the darkness following me wherever I go.
Chapter 30
Nothing stands in Daramveer but ruin and the now-familiar figures before me—always bloody and beaten by my hands. Barlowe lies at my feet, a brutal slash from my axe across his body, the wound split wide and deep. Thatcher stands beside me with a twisted grin on his face. He’s celebrating the fall of the kingdom and what’s to come as we rebuild together in a world that we rule. I try to move, try to scream, but my movements are sluggish, like I’m trapped somewhere deep in my body. My hands raise in the direction of the figures, black veins now covering my arms completely. I watch the tattoo-like lines creep toward the center of my body, fully taking control. I am not in control, and for the first time, I know who drives my body—Kalix.
Someone screams my name in the distance, the voice sounding more familiar than before. I try to listen, to respond, but my hearing is muffled like I’m floating underwater. I feel trapped and completely submerged. Thatcher ushers me forward—toward the fallen kingdom and the still-standing castle—where we will rebuild a world created in fear, darkness, and chaos.
Briar!
The voice sounds like it’s right in front of my face—a voice I now know.
Briar!
I open my eyes to see Silas standing before me in the House of Hedro. Still heavy-eyed, I rise from the bed.
“What the hell were you thinking?” he snaps, anger fueling his shadows. He wraps his strong body around mine. “You’ve been out for twenty-four hours. Maines let us know where you were. I went to your room and found it empty. I almost ripped the town apart trying to find you.”
I nearly burst out of bed. “Rose! Where is she?”
“She’s okay. She lost a lot of blood and has a long road ahead of her, but she’s going to be okay.” I nod, trying to understand through my intense mind fog. “Briar,” he cups my face. “I thought something happened to you. I was ready to burn this kingdom to the ground to find you.”
His lips brush against mine, and my body instantly relaxes as I kiss him deeper, wrapping my arms around his neck and pulling his body closer. He pulls back, a hungry smirk forming at the corner of his mouth. “You need to rest. And before you decide to run off again, please think of the people who care for you next time. Times are too dangerous right now for you to be doing shit like that, Briar.” He grabs my hand.
I rest my head against his chest and relish the feeling of being surrounded by him. Guilt rushes through me. He's right, but I did that because I was thinking about them.
The healers bustle around the rooms, treating each patient like they never tire. The House of Hedro has a light about it—a feeling of rebirth—even with the death that unfortunately looms here. The white, airy rooms counter the darkness from the streets, and you almost forget that you’re in the heart of Daramveer.
“You’re awake!” Maines shuffles into the room, not an ounce of exhaustion weighing on her. “Rose is going to be okay. She is lucky you found her when you did. She wouldn’t have made it much longer.”
My blank stare is answer enough that I’m not interested in speaking.
“Briar, the healers won’t ask questions outside of those necessary for recovery—everything here is confidential. We take a vow of secrecy, so don’t worry. Whatever happened between you and her is safe here. Since Lang thinks she’s traveling, I also think it’s best that it remains a secret she’s here. Your father can’t know.”
I nod my head. “I agree,” I whisper. As much as I want to feel relieved, the weight of what Rose disclosed to me hangs heavy on my shoulders.
“We need to get back to the castle and find Oak,” I stand, barely keeping my legs from buckling.
“He knows we found you. He was almost as concerned as Silas. Ready to take down the castle if he needed to find you quickly. They were quite the team,” Maines nods in Silas’ direction.
I’ve never seen Silas look so tired, but his eyes are drained and worried, and I can’t help but feel bad knowing I caused it.
A few silent moments pass, and finally, I reveal, “I know what my father is planning, and we need to find a way to stop it.”
They exchange weary looks, nodding in agreement.
“Okay, we can pack up and head back. Rose is going to be fine here. I have my top healer, Eden, watching over her. I’ll come back and check on her in a few days when she’ll likely have regained consciousness.”
Silas grabs my arm, keeping me steady. Shifting would be the fastest way back to the castle, but there is no way my body can handle that right now.
Maines takes off her jacket, placing it over the back of a chair. “I’m going to go ahead and shift to find Oak. Can you two make it back in one piece?”
Silas flashes a smile. “Don’t worry, I’ve got her.” Maines shifts, leaving Silas and me alone once more—the silence driving me wild. “Let’s get going.”
As we leave the House, I glance behind me. The brilliance of the structure takes my breath away. The tower itself looks as if it’s growing toward the sun like a flower, desperate to reach the warmth above and escape the bleak kingdom below. After being in the darkness of my father’s study and then the House, the fresh air tickles my nose. Silas grabs my hand and pulls me forward through the gates.
“I have a surprise for you,” he smiles.
Two horses wait for us at the gates—the strong, beautiful creatures similar to those I once loved as a child. Silas cuts his eyes to mine as my mouth opens wide, thrilled to ride again. Daramveer used to have many horses, but years ago, my father sold most of them to surrounding kingdoms with open terrains to gather more riches.
