He searched his chest for an ounce of sympathy to offer Mireille. And maybe it was even there. But if it was, it was buried beneath volcanic layers of rage and pain.
The centerpiece of his broken fucking heart.
She couldrotfor all he cared.
He knew he’d spend the rest of his life wishing he actually believed that.
“Still,” he ground out, “why would I rejoin the fuckingEmpirefor you and your zealots?”
“Because it’s the right thing to do,” Selene piped up. “Because this world cannot continue on in this way. Even if we could stomach the hierarchies, these separations between species and sub-species, it is not Adelphinae’s will. And she will destroy us if we don’t find a way to fix it.”
Ronin remembered that meeting he’d had with the chronomancer, what felt like years ago. What that voice had said about him still having a role to play. He’d thought she’d been talking about the assignment with Otto. But perhaps his path was quite a bit longer than that.
Selene sat down next to him, placing a hand on his thigh. “Ro,please. I’ve never asked you for anything in my life, but I know… We need to do this. Together. Or else this world is not going to survive. Please.”
Selene—twin sister and master manipulator.
He bowed his head in his hands. Whatelsewas he going to do with the rest of his immortality? He was finding it hard to give a shit about anything at the moment. But the thought of remaining here in Denevrae, in this claustrophobic cottage with Selene, doing… what exactly? Chopping wood? Gardening? Playing chess?
Harboring rebels?
When Skanisse had first approached him, he thought he’d have a chance to regain some of his lost glory. Maybe what Selene and the Teles Chrysos were offering would allow him to do that after all.
He shuffled over to his closet, then pulled on a shirt. “So what’s the plan then? I just waltz back into Delos and what? Fall to my knees before Leonin Erabis? Beg forgiveness for mysins?”
“Something like that.” Layla winked, then sashayed out of the room. When she returned, she was holding a familiar object in her hand.
Nostrata’s cane.
“You’ll arrive bearing a gift,” Layla smirked, holding it out to him. “A genuine relic of the Fallen Goddess.”
He took the cane, examining the carved snake head on top, the fire opal held between its fangs glistening in the early morning light. “Why would you surrender this to them?”
“It wasn’t an easy decision,” Layla admitted. “The Teles Chrysos leadership had many long, heated debates about it. In the end, it was decided that the information we could gain by having someone on the inside was worth the sacrifice. The Empire won’t be able to do much with the cane—it can only be wielded by a chronomancer and even then, all it can do is allow them to visit the Halfway. Besides, offering it up will distract them from searching for the flute, which is far more powerful. And integral to our long-term plans.”
Ronin blew out a long breath. “Alright.” He turned to his sister. “But I’m only doing this for you, Leenie.”
Selene winked. “Checkmate, big bro.” She brought her hand to his face, running her thumb across his cheekbone just under his bandages. “Come on, let’s get you ready for your Imperial visit.
“I’ve made you a new accessory.”
EPILOGUE
“Andthat’show I got the scar.”
Ronin rubbed at his eye patch. A throbbing ache had gathered behind it as he’d recounted his sad, sorry tale.
A much sharper ache needled through his chest. The ache he’d tried—and failed—to soothe for two-hundred-and-six years. Not that he was keeping count.
Seated on the rough, black boulders next to him, Reena and Cassandra gaped, the former looking like she’d just swallowed her tongue and the latter…
He was still adjusting to seeing her with those incredible, iridescent white wings, her human features sharpened into something new and painfully beautiful. SomethingFae.
And she was clearly still adjusting to the wings. They cascaded through the slats in her gray prison shirt, drooping down her back and resting upon the charcoal dirt.
No Windrider he kneweverlet their wings drag upon the ground. She’d need to work on building up those muscles, would need to learn how to carry them properly. Not to mention figure out a way to hide the fucking things before the Emperor journeyed to the prison to deliver their sentences. Before EamonErabis found out what his brother Tristan had done.Again. Turned a human woman.
Creator save themall.
