Page 161 of Where Darkness Falls

The creaking noise carries over the breeze as the gates slowly close of their own volition.

No! No! No!

Perhaps I can hold them open long enough for the others to make it through. Even in the unending darkness, I hold on to any semblanceof hope—even as my body feels like it’s going nowhere. I’m within arms reach of the gates as the final millimeters are closing in. I reach out, catching one of the doors, only for the metal frame to slip from my grasp.

The door shuts with a resounding click.

I slam my fists into the bars. “No!” I yell. I pull on them, but they don’t budge. Maeva and the others help me, but our efforts are for nothing.

So close.

We were so close to the end, but I allowed my pride and fear to cloud my judgment, despite Laisren’s best efforts. I wanted to be far gone from this place before nightfall. The anxiety of being here to see the Blue Lady drove me to this madness because I don’t wish to face her.

Too late. You’re going to see her, anyway.

Taunting whispers slowly surround us. We turn to find the faces of men and women all dressed in noble clothing or armor. They watch us, looming closer and closer, as if trying to intimidate us. I ready myself for a possible attack, even though I have no idea how to fight a translucent spirit. I’d rather die trying to figure it out than not at all.

A small hand squeezes mine in rapid succession. I don’t even have to look to know that it’s Maeva. “I’m with you until the end, Emyr,” she says. I squeeze her hand back, then release it, preparing for whatever is about to happen.

“I’m sorry for putting everyone in this situation,” I say to the group. “I should’ve taken your council into consideration.”

“Indeed,” Laisren smirks. “But where would the adventure be in that?”

Riordan smacks me on the back. “Until Eternity, High General,” he says.

The spirits, by the hundreds, are upon us now. Their appearance is similar to a dimly glowing candle. One could easily be hypnotized by their subtle beauty, were it not for their scowling and distorted faces. Twirling my sword, I prepare to advance when a horrific, grief-riddledwail pierces the misty plane. We cover our ears as the spirits scurry about, disappearing behind trees. Then the wailing stops, and all is silent.

The graveyard has fallen into a somber state, causing my hackles to rise.

She’s coming.

“Holy Celestae,” Maeva breathes. Her horrified expression is illuminated as a light roams over the planes of her face.

Floating gracefully toward us—glowing with a blue iridescent light—is a beautiful woman dressed in a long silk gown with glowing red eyes and black hair that floats behind her. She’s just as beautiful as I remember her, yet everything about her is harsh and cruel in contrast to who she was. “Emyreus,” her otherworldly voice croons.

I dip my head in a bow. “Hello, Blue Lady,” I say.

Seeing the confusion on my companions’ faces, I mouth the word, “bow,” to which they hesitantly do. As she floats in front of us, she laughs in a way that sounds more like sob.

“Blue Lady?” she tsks, tilting my chin up with one of her cold fingers. “Is that any way to greet your mother?”

“The benevolent queenthat perished years ago was my mother,” Emyr says, tone void of emotion. “The creature father made you into hasn’t been my mother for a long time, Blue Lady.” Her calculating gaze flinches for a moment before returning to its original state.

If my mouth wasn’t already gaping, I’m sure it would now.

Mother.

The Blue Lady ishismother?!

The husband that cursed his wife is King Tiernan in a distorted attempt to keep her alive?

I’m not sure which piece of information that I’ve learned in the last several months is the most shocking: that Tiernan is Emyr’s father, Emyr is actually the Prince of Zulgalros, or that the feared banshee is his mother. My brain swirls at how dysfunctional his family is because ofhis father’s ambition. It’s a wonder that Emyr didn’t go mad years ago. Regardless, it would’ve been insightful for him to mention the fact that she’s his mother during the weeks we’ve been riding on Danté’s back.

The Blue Lady wails as tears slip down her cheeks, forcing us to cover our ears. “Yet, it’s you and your father that abandoned me here,” she cries. “I’ve become what I must to survive this existence, just as you have. We’ve both become monsters, but the Na Fíréin will save us from this fate.”

When Emyr doesn’t respond, her eyes slowly roam over the group, until her gaze lands on me with sudden focus. She tilts her head to the side as an unsettling smile creeps along her beautiful features. “My, my,” she croons. “How lovely it is to see the child of stars and shadows.” Her comment stuns me momentarily, as I’ve never heard anyone refer to me as such. Is it possible that she believes me to be someone else? “How long I’ve waited for the appearance of the one to awaken the Na Fíréin, and now here she is… in my presence. It’s a shame Siorai chose you, and not someone more worthy.” Her eyes cut over to Emyr as she finishes her last statement.

I wish he’d chosen someone else too, Lady,I think.