“You understand then.”
He hesitated but finally promised, “Together, my love.”
The memory cleared, but he was still there, holding her as tears slipped down her cheeks. She wiped them away with one hand, cupping his cheek with the other. Her mind was set. They had made mistakes before, but they knew Kronos better now. This had to end.
“Together,” she breathed, her gaze locking on to his. “We do this together.”
“Sora—”
Ether flooded her, and his lips parted as she cut in, “You promised me. Does that vow no longer hold?”
He let out a breath. “Things changed. I brokemy end of the promise when I sat by and watched him do things to you that will never leave me, not until I draw my last breath.”
“You didn’t have a choice?—”
“I was weak!” he said, voice on edge as it rose. A hot wind disturbed the loose leaves of a Balor tree and the surface of the stream. He tilted his head back and laughed hoarsely at the night sky. “I thought I was ready to face him, but you were right—I was powerless and pathetic.”
“Vane,” she whispered, her eyes burning with tears she no longer wanted to shed. The sorrow building in her was too much, overwhelming her like a raging summer storm in Mise. The kind that would flood entire villages, the kind that left destruction in its wake.
On his knees, Vane lowered his chin from the heavens. Faint streaks of ether, gifts from a father he had never met, swirled in his eyes, rising to the surface with his rage.
“I am not powerless any longer,” he said, his voice a deadly timbre of softness. “This will end—on our terms.”
The wind quieted, though Thessa and Heles were still restless.
Soren glanced back at them.What is it?
Then, for the first time in this lifetime, Heles’ rasp filled her mind.Riders. We can sense the dragons approaching.
Vane must have heard the warning too, because he took Soren’s face in both his hands and said firmly, “They will want to interrogate us—separately. Insist on the interrogation being done with us together.”
“Why?” She could hear it now, the dragon’s screeched calls echoing in the distance.
“Trust me,” Vane said. “Threaten them if you must, give a show of your magic. I am sure Johannas suspects both of us now, but I’ve been questioned by him before. Leave this first step to me.”
She hesitated. An hour ago, she was unsure if she could ever trust Vane again. But everything he had told her was true, she was sure of it, which meant he’d had as little choice in this life as she had.
“Alright,” she said.
Vane searched her gaze for a moment then kissed her hard. Even now, even with the riders looming larger on the horizon,she melted under his touch, chasing him back when he pulled away.
“I know, my love,” he whispered, reading her mind. “I want more time too.”
Time had never been on their side. They both knew that.
The hand of fate was coming.
Chapter 28
Princess Cion wasthe first of the two riders. Soren stood just ahead of Vane as she slid off her dragon and strode towards them.
“Soren. Vane Evva.” Cion spoke crisply, like the leader she had not yet become—like the master who would someday hold the key to Vane’s chains.
“Princess,” Vane answered flatly.
Soren glanced back at him to find his gaze hard. He was standing tall, despite the still-healing wounds.
Cion swallowed, her throat bobbing as he stared at her. “Who saw you without your mask?” she finally asked him. “If anyone in the training camp is aware, it would be prudent to keep you separate from Soren.”
