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The flap of her wings every so often became a song in the wild night.

I looked closely at those new extremities. The way the feathers had a faint golden sheen when the moonlight hit them just right. How they layered over each other in a seamless pattern. I couldn’t wait to spend days exploring these new traits, counting the streaks of gold and memorizing them like I had each deep-blue speck in her crystal eyes. The thought sent a thrill through me.

Tolek’s arms squeezed around my waist, but he didn’t need to say anything. A silent agreement sealed between us that this experience was beyond our wildest dreams, so full of magic that words didn’t fit it.

And that stitched a sense of untethered freedom inside of me. One I had not known I was searching for amid the decisions I’d been forced into recently. One that had me clenching my knees against Sapphire and stretching an arm to the heavens. One that had a wild cry pouring from my lips, given to the stars.

At the sound, Tolek whooped over my shoulder.

As we coasted toward our mountains, I knew, no matter what waited, I was precisely where I belonged. And this new freedom was one I would nurture.

Chapter Seventy-Five

Malakai

Lyria had called us to her cabin upon Ophelia and her party’s immediate return to the mountains for a debrief from both sides. I’d be lying if I said my heart hadn’t pounded in my chest until I saw everyone was safe. Everyone but Dax—but he was healing, thanks to the fae.

Ophelia had spoken with Ricordan and let him leave with his son and wife. Trevaneth may have set us up, but he had not understood what he was doing. She wouldn’t punish a child.

We’d won—at least for now. The surviving Engrossians disappeared in the chaos. With their queen in our custody, we didn’t know what their next actions would be. They needed a leader. Would they accept their exiled prince back? Or would war continue to rage?

Regardless, those who had been under Kakias’s control were free. Mindshaper rebels and Bodymelders were gathering the ones who were not injured in battle and assessing their faculties. No doubt some had been in that army willingly and would be a problem to deal with.

My chest tightened at the thought. Beside me on the couch in the commander’s cabin, as if sensing my discomfort, Mila placed a hand on my knee. I gave her a small smile in return.

Everyone had disbanded—the Bodymelders and Rina to the infirmary, Lyria and the minor clan generals making rounds—but Jezebel and Erista had asked Ophelia, Tolek, Mila, and me to stay.

“According to Mora, they’re called khrysaor,” Jez explained of the winged creatures she and Erista had flown off on and returned with after the battle.

“And they haven’t been seen in thousands of years,” Erista added.

“Mora said she saw one,” Tolek interjected.

“One,” Jezebel confirmed, taking a seat on the ledge of the fireplace and brushing her hands down her thighs. “A rogue one. Herdless. A few centuries back in Vercuella. We don’t know how or why.”

So, one of these stray beasts had been on the fae continent. I wasn’t sure what to make of that. It didn’t seem like anyone knew.

“Where did you find it, Jez?” Ophelia asked, leaning forward. She and her sister both seemed different since the battle, more so now that everyone else’s adrenaline was settling. They seemed to have ignited in a way I couldn’t explain.

“I didn’t find them,” Jezebel said, twisting her fingers. Behind her, the fire flickered, casting dancing shadows across her frame. “Once we got back to the mountains, they found me.”

“That’s where you’d been disappearing to,” I said, and Jezebel nodded. She and Erista had been gone for long stretches of the days after Ophelia left. The khrysaor had called to her.

“I can communicate with them instinctually.”

“I thought the one we saw months ago spoke to you?” Tolek asked. He crossed one ankle over his knee, sitting back to take in all of this information.

“He did, but the connection is frayed. I think I only heard him then because he was frantic and had recently woken. He hasn’t been able to tell me anything, yet.”

“And that’s all we know?” Mila asked.

“It is,” Jezebel said, nodding.

“Well, that,” Ophelia began, “and we saw them flying on the plane.” She explained how she used the poison from Kakias’s scar to traverse her spiritual form to a different plane. How she had somehow called Jezebel there, too, and that was where Jez had been when she’d fallen unconscious. “The pegasus were there and some other creatures, I believe.” Her lips pursed as she considered it, and Tolek whispered something in her ear that soothed her.

I dragged my hand down my face, taking in all of these unfathomable developments and trying to make sense of them. There were so many unknowns on top of everything still left untied with the Angelcurse. Stress writhed in my chest. Spirits, the Alabath sisters would kill me, wouldn’t they?

“I suppose we have some digging to do,” Erista said.