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Rayal’s citrine eyes met mine and her blade fell to her side. “By the spirits. How?” she asked, her voice filled with relief and utter shock.

Dyani released a breath and stumbled away, rubbing her throat. With shocked eyes, she looked Rayal up and down, her chest heaving. “You are exceptionally quiet,” Dyani said, sounding impressed. “And fast. For a princess.”

“You think princesses don’t train?” she asked, bringing the tip of her makeshift blade back to Dyani’s throat. Her warm brown skin, similar to Thaydril’s, gleamed in the moonlight. Despite being barefoot in a silk crop top and pants, she stood like a princess—like a warrior.

“Maybe,” Dyani admitted, her eyes never wavering from Rayal as she brought her finger to the edge of the letter opener and slowly pushed it away. “But you’ve certainly changed my mind. Though if you want to skewer me, you should use something a little sharper.”

Rayal was as strong as the stone used to build her city, but still, she allowed her hand to be guided to her side by Dyani. She twirled the letter opener and tucked it into her pajama pants, their eye contact painfully intimate. “All my weapons have been taken from me. This is all I could find.”

I cleared my throat, and both of their eyes shot to me as if they suddenly remembered my presence.

“I found the Eye of the Sun, and Thaydril told us what room was yours,” I said as we steered ourselves deeper into the shadows.

“I have only seen my cousin a few times by the way of the staircase,” Rayal said softly. “We’ve been kept apart, both of us heavily guarded.”

Since I’d seen her, she’d pierced the center of her bottom lip with a delicate golden hoop. Her dark hair was lighter, streaked with caramel highlights from the sun.

As I studied her, she studied me. “You are changed. Last I saw you, you were human, and now you resemble the Ancients,” she said at last, reaching up to tuck my hair behind my ear. “I told you your power could be changed and altered but never taken. How did this happen?”

“Erovos,” I answered, though the name left a rancid taste in my mouth. “He broke me down until I was nothing but the Alcreon Light, and the Elder Spirits built me back up in an elven body. It was the only way I could . . . come back.”

“The Dark Spirit?” Rayal confirmed, her eyes going wide. “I heard whisperings of his name in the Crystal Crypts. The False Queen mimicked his power by siphoning energy from life. It is he who is?—”

“Who is destroying Luneth,” I finished, my voice steady yet urgent.

“He is amassing an army of astral demons,” Dyani said, squaring her shoulders to the princess. “I have seen and battled them myself. They are waging war on Luneth, and I have pledged my blades to the Synodic Daughter.”

I’d never heard her call me that, and the changed title struck me. It carried a weight of purpose to reclaim and heal what had been lost. It made this mission all the more dire.

“That is fortunate for her. I saw you in the Crypts when you were battling the false queen’s men. You are quite a skilled fighter,” Rayal said.

I could have sworn Dyani’s cheeks flushed. “Will you pledge yours?” she asked, gesturing to the letter opener in her pocket.

“If only it were up to me,” she responded, downtrodden. “I’ve barely been outside my room and balcony since I returned. You helped me escape one prison only to return to another.”

“You said we would be amongst friends?” I asked in confusion.

“It was true at the time,” she replied as tears filled her lower lash line. “Or would be true if my father was still alive. When we were saved from the Crystal Crypts, I came home to find he had returned to the Eternal Sun Stone. He died of a broken heart when I never returned.”

“I’m so sorry,” I said as her loss pinched my heart. It was hard losing a parent, no matter the circumstances.

“Thank you. My father was frail and old. He lasted longer than he should have. But I couldn’t wait around for him to die, leaving no hope or future for his people.

Lake Imperial was drying up faster than the rains could fill it.

He didn’t want to alarm his subjects and cause pandemonium.

So, I left quietly to find hope. The throne was mine to inherit.

I had a legacy to protect. I never thought I would be gone for nearly a sun’s turn. ”

Urgency burned me from the inside out. “What do you mean had a legacy? What happened?”

Her nostrils flared. “While I was imprisoned in the Crypts, my step-uncle Aedris claimed the throne. ”

The loss of her father saddened me, but the loss of her throne and her ability to provide for her people enraged me. “But you’re back now. Can’t you claim it?”

“Aedris is ruling with fear and an iron fist. I’m afraid there isn’t much more I can do,” she said, her eyes boring into me. “I left to find hope. And I did. I found you. You can heal this earth and, in turn, my people. Their safety is more important than any title.”

“Tell me how to help,” I beseeched.

She grabbed my hand and held it in hers. “You must convince them of what I already know. You must bleed for them.”

My heart thumped against my chest, and I glanced at Dyani. “W-what?”

“The blood-soaked soles of your feet brought the dying land back to life. I heard your Elven-head speak of it after she blasted open the Crypts. How the plant life led her to you—to all of us trapped beneath the ground. As everyone escaped, word spread of what you had done. The world is waiting for you.”

“I will find a way to tell them,” I said, willing to scream it from the canyon tops if I had to.

“No,” she replied, shaking her head. “You mustn’t tell them. You must show them.”

“My powers don’t work here,” I confessed, gripping her hand in mine.

Rayal’s eyes were knowing. “The charms my uncle has on the city are strong. But nothing is stronger than blood. I know you have already bled so much, but I must humbly ask you to bleed once more. Open your veins for my people.”

Before I could react, she pulled her letter opener and sliced it across my palm. “Ow,” I cried, trying to pull my hand away.

“Princess?” we heard a voice call out from beyond her door. “Are you well? ”

“I am well, thank you!” she called back as she held my hand firmly and pressed it to a nearby plant. Silver light bloomed in the darkness and illuminated our faces. The wilted edges of her succulent sprang to life. “Your blood is your power,” she whispered in awe, letting me go.

“Good to know,” I said, clutching my closed fist to my body. Dyani’s eyes widened in shock. She had only ever heard of my power, and seen its aftermath, but never witnessed it in action.

“Princess?” the voice called again, shaking us out of our stupor.

“You must go,” Rayal urged, pure terror in her eyes. “I can speak with my uncle. Because Thaydril led you to me, I might be able to help. Otherwise, Aedris would have kept me in the dark. Wait for him to summon you.”

“What should I say to him?”

“If you don’t open the door, we will bust it down,” another voice boomed.

“I’m coming!” she yelled over her shoulder before meeting my gaze. “My uncle will be intrigued with you. He enjoys shiny things. Keep him interested. He loves a challenge, but only if he knows he can win. Now, you must go!”

I couldn’t help it. I threw my arms around the princess and hugged her. “You came to me and brought me hope when I thought there was none. Your kindness saved me. I’ll do whatever I can to help you now.”

Her arms gripped me tight before we both let go.

I wished I could talk to her all night. We still had so much to discuss, but our time had been cut short once again.

Dyani and I quickly left the princess’s chambers and hurried down the staircase precariously hanging off the palace walls.

I quickly turned back and whispered the secret word to the stones. The rock pushed back into the wall with barely a sound .

And just like the disappearing steps, we vanished into the night like we had never been there at all.

By the time we arrived back at our quarters, Rowen was waiting on the balcony, and my heart burst with relief. As soon as he spotted us, he lowered the rope.

“You go first,” I said to Dyani, helping her climb into the harness. Rowen pulled her up as the sun began to rise, gently blushing the day with its fire.

My foot tapped impatiently. The sun grew brighter and brighter. Finally, the harness was lowered to me. As I slipped into the straps, Dyani hopped over to her balcony, and with a flash of her ponytail, she disappeared into her room.

The second my feet landed on the balcony, Rowen pulled me into a fierce embrace.

I remained in his hold as I told him everything.

His fingers dug into my arms. “Our suspicions are correct. It is not safe here.”

“Did you see something while you were out?” I asked, my gaze dancing across his face.

He nodded. “There is much unrest. A skirmish broke out while I was scoping the city.”

I clutched him tighter. “Are you all right?”

“Don’t worry, I stuck to the shadows. No one saw me.”

“What happened?”

He sighed. “Several elves tried stealing water from the oasis. They managed to fill several canteens before they were caught. Keira, the guards executed them on the spot. We need to be careful. We are in extremely dangerous territory.”

My stomach dropped. It was so much worse than I thought. “ Soldiers guarded the palace, but they left their stations. The skirmish must have been the reason they abandoned their post.”

Suddenly, a knock sounded at the door.

“Go,” I urged Rowen as he tried to help me out of the harness. “I got it,” I said, quickly untangling the rope from myself and the railing.

Before Rowen opened the door, he turned to me to make sure I was ready.

I nodded and slowed my breathing.

Rowen pushed open the double doors, and standing in our doorway was an entourage of desert elves.