Page 47

“Welcome to Hara’dune, friend,” came the rich, deep voice of the man who held my hand. “My name is Thaydril, Keeper of the Eye of the Sun. And who might you be?”

I blinked several times as a large man appeared through the bright sun flares.

I could barely see a thing, but even on this side of the arch, it looked like we were in the middle of nowhere.

“My name is Keira,” I said, straightening my shoulders.

“I come on behalf of Nepta, the Elven-head of the Wyn village. We all do.”

I waited for the others to introduce themselves, but my heart dropped into my stomach when no one spoke. I spun around, hoping to see familiar faces, but through the archway, there was only shimmering dust.

I tensed, concerned for their safety but also my sudden vulnerability.

I was alone.

The Keeper came into focus, his warm, brown skin radiant against the white fabric sweeping around his frame.

His head was completely shaved, accentuating the sharp peaks of his ears that dripped with gold jewelry.

Chains cascaded from his lobes to his body, wrapping around his bare shoulders like decorative armor

He looked me up and down, his eyes landing on my ears. “How very interesting.”

“Where are they?” I demanded, ripping my hand away.

“Only your shadow spoke to mine,” he replied, sounding slightly intrigued. Two guards in gold breastplates were behind him, their curved swords at the ready. “One immediately jumped in after you. The other two followed after that. I do believe they are now wandering in an infinite desert storm.”

“No!” I cried, darting towards him, but the guards grabbed me by my arms.

“You know the sacred laws. Release her,” Thaydril said, and the guards shot each other questioning stares. “She greeted us as a friend. She is to be treated as such.”

The guards released me reluctantly but stayed nearby.

“My offer of friendship was an extension of theirs as well; they seek the same,” I pleaded, meeting the Keeper’s eyes, which shimmered under golden eyeshadow. “Please. Let them through.”

“Very well.” Thaydril sighed and shoved his arm into the veil. He seemed to rummage around for a moment before he pulled Rowen through the curtain of dust. My soul flame was coughing and covered in sand. Unlike me, he hadn’t been given the courtesy of a smooth crossing.

We scanned each other worriedly before our eyes met in relief, and I quickly tipped my eyes to the guards. Rowen shook his hair, dust flying from his loose curls as he followed my gesture, quickly noting the armed soldiers as well.

“Rayal invited us here,” I explained, returning my attention back to Thaydril. I hoped the elves recognized the name and, more importantly, that the woman who had snuck food into my cell, made it home safely. “The people behind me helped rescue her from the Crypts.”

Thaydril’s eyes lingered on Rowen, his lips curling into a mischievous grin. “My apologies, beautiful,” he purred, his eyes practically undressing my soul flame. “Allow me to welcome you to Hara’dune. And perhaps a private greeting later in my chambers?”

“I am honored,” Rowen said, placing his hand on the small of my back. “But I must decline.”

I pulled Rowen closer; the need to claim my soul flame was a physical force I couldn’t ignore. “He’s mine .”

“Ah, my apologies. I see now that he is spoken for,” Thaydril said, his amber eyes sparkling. “All the beautiful ones always are.”

“Your warm welcome into Hara’dune is much appreciated,” Rowen replied, his courtly demeanor radiating off him in full force.

Thaydril sighed and cupped his cheek with his palm. “And so polite. What a shame.”

His admiring stare never left Rowen, and despite the need to play nice, a low growl rumbled from my chest; my elven body vibrating in a way I’d never felt.

“You can retract your claws, little lioness. I won’t take him from you.”

My retort was on the tip of my tongue, but Rowen rubbed my back. It was a gentle reminder that we didn’t know this man and were at his mercy.

“There are two more,” I ground out, my tone laced with agitation.

“Yes. Yes,” the Keeper said impatiently and dove his arm back into the veil.

He pulled Dyani through the gate in a burst of sand. “What the spirits’ was that?” She coughed, placing her hands on her knees.

Maddock was pulled through immediately after. “Well, that was awful,” he choked out, shaking out his clothes and hair. “What took so long?”

Thaydril’s gaze immediately snapped to Maddock, scanning him with the same appreciative stare as Rowen. “Hello, gorgeous?—”

“He’s spoken for, too,” I said, the protective growl making its way up my throat again.

The guardian chuckled and shook his head. “My, don’t you have all the pretty ones,” he replied, his eyes darting between Rowen and Maddock. He stared longingly as if savoring a delicacy just out of reach. “Aren’t you lucky.”

Maddock looked at me with a confused smile that I brushed off with a shrug. He and Dyani were at my sides, and I released a small breath of relief that they were safe.

“What business have you with the princess?” Thaydril asked, inspecting the gold polish on his nails.

My heart hiccupped. “The princess?”

Rayal was royalty? She’d never told me, but then again, I guess she’d never had the chance.

During our first and only encounter, we’d been prisoners together in the Crystal Crypts.

The few moments we’d shared were under duress, with guards threatening our every move.

“Y-yes,” I said, quickly changing my tone to an authoritative one, standing straighter despite my dirt and sweat-slicked appearance. “She is expecting us.”

“We have no news of this,” the blond guard with pale skin said, tightening his grip on his scimitar.

“We can’t just allow them into the city,” the other replied, his hazel eyes peeking through the cloth around his head and mouth.

“That’s precisely the point of the secret greeting,” Thaydril replied, rolling his eyes. “What would the king say if he knew you spurned his niece’s guests?”

The guards relaxed their shoulders but only slightly. “Very well, but we will report this to King Aedris immediately.”

“Now that that’s dealt with. Let us be on our way, shall we?

” He turned his sleek head, sweeping his robe around him in a grand flourish.

The two guards marched to our flank, their eyes narrowing in suspicion.

Even though we were allowed entrance, my nerves were taut and on edge.

It appeared Thaydril didn’t appreciate the hovering soldiers.

“How well do you know Rayal?” I asked, trudging after our guide, who seemed to glide above the sand.

“Quite well, I would say,” he replied without breaking his stride. “For she is my cousin.”

“Your cousin?” I repeated in surprise.

“Indeed,” he said, glancing over his decorated shoulder.

“Though leaving Hara’dune has been forbidden for some time now, my cousin left to find the false queen.

Tales of her supposed benevolence and how she helped struggling villages reached us even behind our protection wards.

Now that Rayal has returned, we have learned the truth of the queen’s deceit.

It was a lie to trap villages within her crypts and use their energy, siphoning their life force in a daily offering hour.

And from what I hear, Aliphoura’s body was never found. ”

Rowen tensed beside me at the mention of his former lover’s name.

I knew Rowen had attended mind-mending sessions to heal from the torment Aliphoura had caused him. My heart crushed in on itself to see how her shadow still lingered over him. “How long have you been the Keeper of the Eye of the Sun?” I asked, steering the conversation into safer territory.

“It has been my life’s work,” he said before languidly motioning to the guards trailing behind us. “Though only recently have I acquired such . . . dedicated chaperones.”

“What happened?” Maddock asked, struggling to keep up through the shifting sands.

“The new king is paranoid and has forbidden guests. I’m to report any suspicious activity, but you know the ancient greeting—it’s a law the king himself cannot override.

We are never to turn away a friend, no matter the circumstances.

Not even these two could argue with that,” he said, his eyes glinting with satisfaction as they flicked towards the guards.

“I would say it’s a punishment having to watch over me.

Not a very riveting position as you might imagine.

Though, it was quite entertaining watching you try to remember the greeting. ”

“You saw us struggling at the gate and did nothing?” Dyani asked, her hands resting on her sheathed blades.

“I’m under very strict rules not to interfere.

Punishable by death. I trust you understand,” Thaydril replied smoothly, nodding to her blades.

“The ancient laws that allowed you entry are the same ones that are preventing us from searching your bags and confiscating your weapons. A friendship’s greeting is not to be met with bad faith. ”

“Thank you for honoring the sacred greeting,” I said quickly, sensing he was choosing his words carefully in front of the guards who followed us with stony expressions.

“Of course,” he said with a flourish of his arm. “And welcome to the oasis of Hara’dune.”

As we followed him into the light, it took my eyes a moment to adjust, but as my vision focused, the sight left me speechless.

A city emerged from the sides of a colossal slot canyon.

The walls towered in layers of red, pink, and orange rock that curved in unbelievable patterns against the bright blue sky.

The cliffs, buttes, and mesas weren’t just natural formations, they were the foundations of homes, buildings, and grand halls .

The mountainside was alive with the architecture of the desert elves.

My eyes opened wide, taking it all in. The whole city stood stock-still in an undulating swirl of red rock.