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“You sent the rogue Night Folk to free me,” Ari said, voice low.

Calista nodded. “We did. It was the final death before I ended up in the cells of Castle Ravenspire, restored to my true name.”

Ari dragged a hand through his hair. “I always wondered how they found me in the damn nick of time.” He gave Calista a small grin. “Now, I know.”

Saga sat beside her husband again, gently twirling his hair around her fingers until the tension seemed to fade from his shoulders.

“To find my way back,” Calista said, hugging her middle, “the gifts of fate needed to be restored to the new paths Silas and I sang on that horrid night we found Saga. The ones you all saw that have brought us together.”

“All right,” the Shadow King said. “Well, now what? What happens now that we are back to the beginning?”

Calista slipped her fingers into my hand. “The curse is done, the tale is ended. Now . . . we face this end at the mercy of new fates, new paths.”

“So should you fall in battle . . .” Sol began.

“I wake in the Otherworld, Lump,” Calista admitted. “The same as all of you, so don’t bleeding fall.”

“Maj will want to know this,” Valen said, looking at his brother and sister. “She began our tale, she was the one who arranged for Etta to sleep under our curses.”

The Shadow Queen rose. “May we see it, Cal?”

“Take it.” Calista tapped her head. “But then we all must rest. We won’t have peace for long, and we all know it.”

As if summoned, one of the fae warriors entered the hall while the queen took hold of Calista’s memories. They gave the report. Sea fae were claiming the shores, led by the darkness of the battle lord. He told the royals it would be a matter of time before they attempted to take Hus Rose once the pyre burned out between us.

“Their Rave are still in position,” said the warrior. “Archers are trained on their rising camps. There are two Western spell casters securing the wards around the gates. Should we do the same with Elixists and any fae from the isles?”

“Hells, why are you all looking at me?” Calista said when those at the long table faced her.

Elise grinned. “You are queen here, Calista. We all have a say now. So what say you?”

Calista gave me a strained look. “I say we’d be wise to protect our gates. For now, we keep Davorin out, but we find a way to sneak up behind him. There is a tale here. A way to end this, I can feel it. We simply need to find the path.”

Chapter34

The Storyteller

Let the dream descend,Silas.

“Silas.” His name was soft on my tongue. My lashes fluttered. Pitch coated the room where there had been a sliver of light when my eyes closed.

I propped onto one elbow, a heavy weight around my middle. The smile came at the sight of his strong arm still draped over me like a new growth on my own body.

I peered over my shoulder. Silas slept, the mask removed, his chest bare. Gods, he was a bit of a delicious marvel. One worthy of stone, no mistake. One I ought to commission that bleeding earth bender of mine to design into a statue.

I bit back a laugh. I was certain Valen would not agree to any commission of the kind, but it would be entertaining to detail, in every salacious term, how I wanted the chiseled edges of Silas’s muscle to shape.

Then, between his legs, Valen, it must be made to size for it’s magnificent.

I could imagine the horror on my Cursed King’s face, an image which promptly drew out a chortle that fashioned more into a wet gurgling noise in my throat. Silas shifted in his sleep, then settled again with a sigh.

With care, I shifted so I was facing him. He looked so peaceful during sleep.

Let the dream descend, Silas.

My brows furrowed as I lifted one fingertip and traced the edges of his jaw, the curve of his lips. I must’ve been dreaming of him, and it was sticking with me.

The other royals had witnessed Silas unraveling the memories of the lifetimes, sat still and stoic for a time, then we all scuttled away to find a bit of rest before blood and death found us once again. I hadn’t expected to sleep so long.