Page 63

Draevyn

D raevyn watched as Esmyra left with Syrena willingly, but even he knew she didn’t have a choice in the matter.

She likely felt just as much a prisoner down here as he did.

Draevyn couldn’t shake the feeling that the queen of the depths wanted Esmyra for something.

He didn’t entirely buy the “lost sister” nonsense she fed them, and he hoped to find an answer somewhere in the castle.

Once he noticed he was alone, curiosity and suspicion drove him to wander about the castle, searching for anything that might help him find an escape. Each corridor of the fortress led to another twist, another turn, until he finally faced a pair of elaborate double doors.

Draevyn glanced down both ends of the hall, realizing he hadn’t seen a single guard. He found it odd, but he wasn’t accustomed to the life down here. It was likely normal considering Maerinys was so small, doubting anyone ever dared defy their queen.

The doors were heavy, reinforced with gilded coral and seashells, and with a hard push, they creaked open. His eyes widened as he stepped into an enormous library that could rival that of any other kingdom—even his own.

The room stretched endlessly, shelves climbing high along the walls in perfectly organized rows, filled with scrolls, leather-bound books, and strange artifacts that shimmered in the low merlight filtering in from stained glass windows.

“Holy Irah,” Draevyn breathed, his steps echoing in the vast chamber.

A strange stillness filled the room, and it seemed as if no one had set foot in it for years—centuries even. He wondered how much information was hidden down here, lost to the kingdoms above.

Trailing a finger along a dusty shelf, his eyes caught on a book placed on a podium beneath a far window.

His brows furrowed as he made his way to it.

The book was thick and ancient-looking—its binding as smooth as polished stone.

The title was written in a language he didn’t recognize, and yet he felt an eerie familiarity with it.

Runes , he realized. Everything down here led back to the markings on her flesh.

Draevyn picked up the book and walked to the nearest table, taking a seat at its head before carefully flipping through the pages. The parchment was delicate, covered in diagrams and script detailing rituals, ancient stories, and the history of a place lost long ago.

Maerinys . He traced his fingers over an intricate drawing of the kingdom as it had been, standing proudly above the water, just south of Lephyrin.

There were pages with ink so faded he couldn’t make out the words, though the drawings accompanying them appeared to picture the kingdom’s descent into the sea.

The further he flipped through the book, the darker the ink became, as if it were new.

As he skimmed, he realized the pages described the gradual transformation of its people—mortals who now had fins protruding from their flesh.

Turning the page, he came across a section devoted to ancient rulers—kings and queens of Maerinys’ past. And there, sketched with careful detail, was the unmistakable face of the woman who haunted both his sleeping and waking dreams.

She looked ageless, her piercing gaze haunting even on paper—and on the next page was one to match.

Esmyra and Syrena.

His jaw tightened, suspicion deepening. She hadn’t told him everything.

How would they have a portrait of her in a library long forgotten?

Esmyra had been here—she must’ve been. Though her lies were very convincing.

However, this book was essentially useless to him if he couldn’t fucking read it, and he didn’t trust anyone enough to ask to translate.

Draevyn slammed the book shut in frustration.

A faint tremor ran through the floor, making the library’s silence feel suddenly ominous.

His head snapped up, glancing around the room.

At first, he thought it might be his imagination, but then the shelves began to rattle, scrolls slipping off in waves, tumbling onto the floor.

The chandeliers overhead swayed, their jewels chiming together as they collided.

What in all gods?! His neck craned as he glanced in all directions, watching the room come undone by forces unseen.

The tremor grew stronger, rolling through the walls and floors as if something vast and ancient were stirring awake. He stood, steadying himself against a nearby shelf, but his instincts screamed this was no simple earthquake.

His eyes flew to the doors, where the symbols etched into its wood seemed to glow faintly, reacting to the pulse of energy that filled the air.

An uneasy feeling clawed at his mind. “Fuck. Esmyra!”

He didn’t know where she was, but he knew something had to have happened to her. This felt similar to what happened in the cave, and he knew how helpless she had been when the power took over her body—she was nothing but a vessel to the magic she held.

Draevyn ran toward the doors to find her.

Then, just as suddenly as it began, the tremor slowed, fading until the library returned to its eerie stillness, making his steps falter.

Dust floated in the air, and scattered books lay strewn about the floor.

He stayed tense, his hand still gripping the book he had pulled off the podium, heart racing as he glanced around.

Voices sounded in the hall, snapping his attention back to the door he was mere feet from now. He ran to the nearest aisle of shelves and hid, sweat slicking down his back at the undeniable sensation that he was in a place they wouldn’t want him to be.

The door creaked open, and Draevyn peered around the shelves to get a better look. He watched as Azarian and another guard stormed through the doors. They were looking for something—or someone.

“He doesn’t seem to be in here,” the guard said. “The tremors caused a mess, though.”

Azarian let out a huff. “Find him. Now that we know everything will work, I don’t want him wandering about unsupervised.

He vanished from the great hall before we could watch where he went.

He’s to believe he has free rein to go wherever he pleases, so we must be discreet.

We don’t need anything getting in Syrena’s way. This is vital.”

A low growl brewed in Draevyn’s chest as he listened. He knew the queen lied, and now he had the proof. What he needed to figure out next was whether or not Esmyra was in on it with her.

Azarian scanned the room once more. “And get someone in here to clean this up once you find him. I want every tome and book accounted for.”

And with those words, he turned on his heel and stormed out of the library, the guard following behind.

Draevyn glanced down at the book in his arms, thinking the knowledge he’d stumbled upon was dangerous, perhaps even deadly. He stalked back across the room and placed the book back on the podium, praying it was still there once he returned with Esmyra.

He slipped from the library into the corridor, keeping his steps light as he listened for anyone near. But just as he rounded a corner, the two guards appeared, blocking his path.

“Ah, there you are,” Azarian said, his voice edged with a false cheeriness. “You must return to your quarters at once.”

Feigning surprise, Draevyn raised a brow, the heat of his flames dancing at the edge of his fingertips, begging to be used. “Is there an issue?”

The second guard’s face tightened, but he forced a polite nod. “It’s for your safety. We’ve experienced…structural tremors in this part of the castle. They’ve happened from time to time since the sinking. We’re investigating to make sure the halls are secure.”

He held their gazes, keeping his sense of confusion and casual interest. “So it wasn’t my imagination then.”

The first guard’s eyes flickered, and he gave a stiff, guarded smile. “I assure you everything is under control, but for your safety, it would be best to return to your chambers until the events have ceased.”

“Events?” Draevyn echoed, letting just the faintest hint of curiosity slip into his voice.

“Nothing you need to worry about.” Azarian’s face remained impassive. “As he said, it’s for your safety.”

The unnamed guard aggressively grabbed Draevyn by the arm and pulled, working to guide him back to his quarters.

Absolutely fucking not. Draevyn shoved out of his hold, but a small flame burst to life in his palm the moment it touched the man’s flesh.

“Fuck!” the guard bellowed in pain.

Draevyn squeezed his eyes shut, cursing himself as his heart raced rapidly. When he opened his eyes, his stare fell to the bubbling, burned skin on the male’s forearm—an imprint of Draevyn’s hand.

Fuck was right.

The two guards drew their weapons instantaneously, their eyes darting back and forth between Draevyn and the burn.

“Show me your hands!” Azarian barked. “Now!”

Draevyn held his palms out before him. He was the only known fire-wielder in all of Rymelle, so he prayed to Irah himself that the males would disregard his burning touch as something else.

Azarian grabbed Draevyn’s wrist, turning it over and inspecting it, running the pads of his fingers along his palm. “It’s not hot.” Their stares met, and he took a step back, pointing to his soldier’s arm. “Why did that just happen?!”

“I don’t know,” Draevyn lied through clenched teeth, fists shaking at his sides as his temper continued to slip.

“You possess magic!” the guard yelled.

“I do not ,” Draevyn snapped, lip curling back as he considered turning them both to ash .

But then he would need to run. And he didn’t know where Esmyra was or if she would be punished for his actions.

“I’m not going anywhere until you tell me where she is.”

“Our queens’ whereabouts are not your business,” Azarian snapped as he pressed the tip of his spear to Draevyn’s chest.

Draevyn lifted his arms in a mock surrender. “I don’t give a damn where Syrena is. I want to make sure the woman I arrived with is safe. Where is Esmyra ?”