“It’ll take time,” Sive had assured. “Just as Ellie was trapped within her own mind, your memories are locked behind doors you’ve been convinced are unsafe to open. But this should make it tolerable once you finally do.”
Zylah knitted her brow. “It won’t take the pain away?”
“Not entirely, but it won’t be crippling like it was before.”
Arianna sighed. She’d been hoping Sive could alleviate the pain altogether, but she supposed nothing about the mind was simple. And given that hers had been tampered with by a ten thousand-year-old Fae, she should be thankful she was still sane. Ellie wasn’t as fortunate.
Those in charge, herself included, met every morning, discussing the amassing reports regarding the growing number of Dark Fae. An alarming amount of rogue factions had also flocked to Vairik’s cause under the guise of bringing down the false queen.
Fools, the lot of them.
During her free time, Arianna paced the halls, scanning the old architecture as if it might hold some forgotten secrets from their past. She ventured into the library, scanning theshelves and inquired about their oldest volumes. All had been tainted by Vairik. Every single tome. They’d be better off burning them and starting over again. Maybe that’s exactly what the previous Divine had tried to do. Maybe she’d realized what Vairik had been plotting and was trying to put an end to it all.
Lines of warriors left day by day, and even fewer returned. Alec had set up barricades along the mountain pass that led into Móirín’s territory. Avalon sent others to watch the forest created from Eimear’s magic. Thankfully, both still stood strong. For now, at least.
The rogue factions were causing problems with smaller villages, taking over and demanding the residents swear fealty to Vairik or die. They rescued those they were able to. Most tended to arrive in the dead of night, injured, weak, and with stories that made everyone’s blood run cold.
Vairik’s forces were spreading and growing bolder by the minute.
None that crossed over the mountain pass ever returned. The Weavers tried to put tracking runes on them, but the magic always faded. Which meant the warriors had either died or been captured. After seeing what Vairik did with his captives, Arianna wished them all a swift death.
Arianna wandered out a side door, drawn by the laughter of several younglings who played in the garden mazes, chasing one another with fake swords. Some had magic of their own, using the branches or water to capture their friends before declaring victory and releasing them.
She leaned against the wall and hugged one elbow, watching and wondering if she’d ever get to be so carefree again.
If they failed, that laugher would disappear forever. They’d lose everything. Their home. Their legacy. Everything the original Divine had worked so hard to build and protect. Itwould be wiped from the face of the continent, just like Vairik wanted.
“Are you okay?” Arianna’s heart jolted at the sound of Rion’s voice. She turned slightly to glance at him. He stood several feet away, staring at her with a level of concern that had only grown over the last several days. He was impossible to escape, not just because of the meetings, but because something in her body ached for him. Ached for things she couldn’t remember and didn’t know how to approach.
Eimear’s words floated back. She gripped her arm tighter.
He’d been right behind every step she took, like a shadow, a permanent extension of herself. Arianna could feel his longing every time their eyes locked. She could sense his heartache whenever she walked away.
Arianna opened her mouth. She had so many things to say. Maybe if she just … gave him a chance, sat down with him like Eimear suggested, then her memories would surface. She’d been able to think clearly without the headaches, but she wasn’t any closer to opening the doors Sive had mentioned. They just kept … slipping away. Maybe she was slipping away, too.
Instead Arianna asked. “Is there any news?”
“They want us in the throne room.”
Arianna stood straighter and dropped her arms. “They found something?”
He nodded. The two stared at one another for a long moment. He usually moved first, stepped aside to allow her to pass. Instead, Rion remained in the center of the veranda. She swallowed hard, her heart suddenly beating too fast.
Rion’s jaw worked. “I’d—” He blew out a breath. “Do you think we could talk? Later, of course,” he added, as if sensing her urgency.
She could say no. Judging from the way Rion was staring at her, he half expected it. But war was coming. If she keptavoiding him, she might never get another chance. Every day was a countdown. Every moment unpromised. If he died and she lived to regret it—
“Sure.”
“Really?” The hopeful gleam in his eyes was so child-like that a shy smile rose to her face.
“Later,” she clarified, taking a single step forward. He moved aside, but something about the way his heart was galloping had her own matching its tempo. Arianna inhaled his scent as she passed and a shiver ran down her spine.
She moved down the halls, trying to ignore all the questions bouncing around in her mind. Where would they meet? In public or in one of their rooms? What would they talk about? What would they do?
He’d told her she was in control. Those words felt like a memory. She reached for it, wrestling to find the images attached. Nothing surfaced.
Arianna entered the throne room and all thoughts of forgotten memories vanished as she took in the people standing in the center of the room, Liam among them. Arianna scanned his body. He didn’t look injured at least, though judging from the dirt and dark circles under his eyes, he hadn’t slept much either.
