Page 32

Chapter 31

Talwyn

A brax snorted a huff of dismay when she stepped from the air. It was the middle of the night, but it was the ?rst time she had been able to get away from Tarek.

Someone was with her at all times now, likely Alaric’s doing, she assumed. He hadn’t drained power from her since the ?rst time she had been brought to the Southern Islands, probably because he hadn’t had to use his power. No need to top off something that wasn’t being used regularly.

They had searched the jungle of this island for hours that day before Lord Tyndell had ?nally Traveled them all back to Baylorin. Talwyn hadn’t been able to Travel back to the White Halls for nearly two days. It had been another two days before she’d had enough power to make it here, but she’d been pretending otherwise. She’d been pretending her power was taking far longer to re?ll, not leaving her bed and asking Tarek for help with stupid things she absolutely did not need help with.

There had been one time when Nuri had stayed with her while Tarek had gone to report to Alaric. The look Nuri had given her told Talwyn the Night Child knew she was putting on a show, but she had been the one to tell her to “play the game” so she was going to godsdamn play it.

She had seen the small opening in the cliffs the moment they had set foot on the island four days ago. She had seen the way the vines that covered it moved unnaturally along the cliff wall, just the smallest amount, in a breeze that did not seem to touch anything else. Ashtine would not be in the middle of a godsdamn jungle. She would stay near the water where Abrax could help her escape if needed.

So she’d followed the others deep into the trees and swampy waters, looking for clues of this mysterious source of power, and played the game. “I am here to help her,” Talwyn said to the spirit animal, raising her palms placatingly. “I only want to help.”

“Let her pass, Abrax.”

The water horse stomped a hoof but moved to the side to reveal Ashtine standing barefoot in the rolling waves washing onto shore. She wore a pale blue, sleeveless gown that stopped at her ankles, and it was ?tted enough to show the tiny bump that had formed at the bottom of her abdomen. Her long, silver hair ?owed down her back, and in the moonlight, she looked like a goddess, even if she looked exhausted.

“Ashtine.” That was all Talwyn could think to say at ?nally laying eyes on her friend, seeing she was truly all right.

The princess’s head tilted. “I have no news, no insights, and the winds still do not speak to me. I still refuse to aid you unless you tell me what you require in the prison, and Nasima has not returned.”

“I did not come for any of that,” Talwyn said, taking a small step towards her.

“Those are the questions you have asked the last several times we have spoken. I simply desired to get them out of the way.”

Ashtine turned away from her, moving among the water. Her ?ngers moved lightly at her sides, and the water danced below them. Siphoning off extra power, Talwyn realized. She was already feeling the effects of the small life growing inside of her.

“I came to help you,” she said, and gods, did it sound pathetic coming from her mouth. Offering to help her when she was the reason Ashtine was doing this herself.

“You cannot help me,” Ashtine lilted, not bothering to look at her.

“I can,” Talwyn insisted. “I can... bring you clothing, food. I can come check in as often as I can. What do you need, Ashtine?”

This time, Ashtine did turn back to her, and Talwyn wished she hadn’t. Her face was blank and eerie in the night, her sky-blue eyes narrowed on her. “What I need, Talwyn, you cannot give me. Please leave.”

“Are you eating enough? Have you been sick?” Talwyn asked instead, taking a few more steps towards her.

“Go home, Talwyn,” Ashtine replied, turning away from her once more.

“Please, Ashtine. Let me do something to help,” Talwyn all but begged.

Ashtine whirled back around, her gown swirling around her legs. “It is not required of me to give you some task to help assuage your guilt.”

Then one hand was on her stomach while her other covered her mouth, before she dropped to her knees and vomited into the water. Abrax moved closer, lowering his head and nuzzling at her shoulder, and Talwyn took the opportunity to move closer too.

She lowered to her knees in the waves, her pants soaking through instantly as she gathered Ashtine’s long hair in a hand. Ashtine wiped at her mouth, two tears slowly rolling down her face.

“I am not here to assuage any guilt. I deserve to feel it for the rest of my days. I am not here to ask for forgiveness. I do not deserve such a thing. I am here to take care of you because Briar is not here. And while that is my fault, I would like to think I would be here either way, Ashtine,” Talwyn said, pulling a leather strip from her pocket and tying it around Ashtine’s hair to keep it back.

Ashtine leaned her head against Talwyn’s shoulder, both of her palms resting on her stomach. “I would like to think that too,” she said hoarsely.

The two knelt in the water for a long stretch of time, the only sound the gentle roll of the waves.

“There are two,” Ashtine said quietly into the night.

“Two what?” Talwyn asked.

“Two babes.”

Talwyn twisted to see her face. “You are carrying twins?”

Ashtine nodded, moving to stand. Talwyn quickly got to her feet to help her up.

“I have to ask, Ashtine,” she said when they were both standing. “Does Briar have any idea?”

“No, and it must stay that way. If he knew, he would do whatever possible to return to my side.”

“But he would come here. Be with you. Be here for you. You know he would do everything in his power to keep you safe,” Talwyn argued.

“I do know this. As much as I desire his presence and comfort, he needs to be there right now. He needs to aid in this war,” -Ashtine answered, and Talwyn could hear the pain in her voice.

“You are more important to him than this war.”

“I know this, Talwyn. I also know that these babes deserve to grow up in a world free of war and strife, but will likely be born into one full of those things all the same,” she replied. “But I will dowhat I can and sacri?ce what I must to give them every chance at something different.”

Something twisted in Talwyn’s chest at her words. “You cannot do this on your own, Ashtine. One babe is hard enough, but two?”

“This conversation means nothing. We cannot reach them,” Ashtine said.

“But Abrax could.”

“Abrax does not leave me unprotected, and I would not ask him to.”

“If I ?nd a way to reach him, do you want him to know?” Talwyn asked. When Ashtine did not immediately reply, she added tentatively, “He deserves to know, Ashtine. If something happens before you can tell him... He deserves to know.”

“Just because we deserve something does not mean it is handed to us,” Ashtine replied, turning and beginning to walk back up the beach towards the cliffs.

“I know that,” Talwyn retorted. She knew that all too well. She deserved to no longer be living, but the Fates wouldn’t simply hand her death. It was being drawn out, to make her suffer as long as possible before Scarlett came for her. She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. “They are looking for you, Ashtine. Alaric can sense power, and between you and the babes, he can apparently feel it from Baylorin at times. They think there is something powerful here they can use since they cannot reach Scarlett. I am doing what I can to keep them occupied, but Ashtine, you will need him.”

“And when that time comes, I trust the Fates will bring him to me,” Ashtine replied. She was at the base of the cliffs now, Abrax beside her. She reached out, laying a palm against the rocky side. Water swirled up around her, winds ?owing from beneath her palm, and an archway appeared behind her. Before she disappeared into the darkness of the cliffs, she added, “But when that time comes, tell him to ask the Ash Riders how to ?nd me.”

Ask the Ash Riders.

Talwyn only knew of Rayner. What if more than one was needed? She supposed she could spend time searching for another, if it would help Ashtine.

That was what consumed her thoughts as she stepped into her rooms at the White Halls. A quick glance at the bed found it empty, and she scanned the room for Tarek.

But a hand clamped around her throat ?rst, a dagger poised at her side, digging in between her ribs.

“Foolish queen,” a voice hissed. “I thought you were going to play the game?”

Talwyn would never understand how she always knew where to be and when.

“I am playing the game,” Talwyn rasped out around the nails digging into her windpipe.

“Then you have lost.”

Nuri stepped back suddenly, hands dropping to her side, as Tarek appeared in the room. He was fully dressed despite it being the early morning hours before the sun had risen. He leaned against the doorframe, trying to appear relaxed and casual, but Talwyn could see the tenseness in his muscles.

“Talwyn. Where have you been?”

“I was unaware I answered to you,” she replied coldly, moving towards her closet. Her pants were still wet from kneeling in the surf on the beach.

“He felt your magic leave this continent,” Tarek said. Talwyn paused the act of removing her boots. Shit.

“It is why one of his Wraiths is now waiting to help escort you to Baylorin.”

“Neither of you can Travel,” she said, resuming her movements. “I do not think either of you will be escorting me anywhere.”

“No. That is why I am here.” That voice made her blood freeze.

“You know, Scarlett made me come collect her myself a few times.” Alaric appeared in the doorway of the dressing room, trapping her inside it. “Her recovery times from those encounters varied.”

“Depending on how much power you drained from her,” Talwyn sneered, standing upright to face him.

An indulgent smile appeared on his face. “That did play a role. Did you wish to continue changing, or shall we go?”

Talwyn gritted her teeth. “Get out while I change.”

Alaric scoffed, turning to face the bedroom but remaining in the doorway. “I drove such propriety out of my Wraiths. Flesh is ?esh.”

While Talwyn agreed with that statement, the thought of Alaric seeing her in a state of undress had her feeling even weaker in his presence. She quickly slipped into new pants and a fresh tunic, not wanting to use any part of her magic right now. She needed to save all of it. Every drop. She did not know what to expect, but she was going to make sure she had every advantage available to her.

Until she stepped from the dressing room and found Nuri holding a set of shirastone shackles in her hand. She held them up, her maniacal smile in place. “New leash,” she hummed, moving forward.

“You cannot be serious,” Talwyn said, her ?sts clenching at her sides.

Two vines appeared in them, sharp thorns along the lengths.

“That is precisely why,” Alaric said. “Fae tend to be so temperamental. I would not want you to do something you would regret.”

Nuri was suddenly behind her, a manacle snapping closed around one wrist and then the other, the vines dropping to the ?oor. Tarek stepped forward then, a hand clamping gently around her upper arm, as if he actually cared. Neither of them had brought up what she said on the beach, and that was ?ne. There wasn’t anything left to say on the matter.

A moment later, they were stepping from the air, but they were not at the Windonelle Castle. They were outside the Black Halls. Speci?cally, they were directly above the Underwater Prison.

“Queen Talwyn?”

Her head whipped to the side at the shaky voice. There were four Fae lined up, each with shirastone on their wrists. They wereall on their knees, and the female who had spoken was trembling.

“What is the meaning of this?” Talwyn demanded.

“We are exploring all possible work-arounds,” Alaric said simply, striding away from her to where Mordecai stood.

“With my people?” She moved to stalk after him, but Tarek’s grip tightened on her arm. “When I let you into my Courts it was with the understanding that my people would not be harmed.”

“When you let me into your Courts, it was with the understanding I would help you and you would help me,” Alaric replied, his tone going cold. “I would have entered the Courts with or without you. You simply chose wisely that day.”

“I will help you,” Talwyn said. “Let my people go, and I will help you.”

“You already have, your Majesty. You re?lled my power to make this possible.”

Mordecai handed Alaric a book already opened to a speci?c page. The Maraan Prince ran a ?nger along some text before glancing up at the Fae on their knees. “One of each element, yes, Mordecai?”

“As you commanded, my Lord,” the seraph answered.

“Good.” He snapped the book shut, handing it back to him. He strode purposefully towards the Fae, back straight, and in the faint coming light of day, Talwyn could see the coldness of his features. “The Fae Queens control the ins and outs of the prison. Perhaps blood of each element will grant me the same.”

“This will not work,” Talwyn said, panic rising. “The wards and spells around the prison are too strong for something so simple to overcome them. And even if it does, it still will not get you inside.”

“I agree,” Alaric said, head tilting as he studied the Fae on their knees before him. “But I do like to make sure I have tried every possible solution, even the ones that seem futile.”

Before she could make another argument, Alaric’s ?st was closing, the four Fae gasping in unison before they slumped forward, the light gone from vacant eyes that stared up at the lightening sky.

“Spill it all,” Alaric said, stepping back so Mordecai could move in front of him. A sword went across throats, blood soon pooling on the ground in puddles. No one spoke while the blood continued to slowly creep along the dirt, eventually covering the space Talwyn stood on.

She was standing in the blood of her people.

Alaric hummed in disappointment. “Perhaps it needed to be done at dusk and not dawn.”

“What?” Talwyn balked, tearing her gaze from the dead Fae to stare at him.

“Perhaps I got the timing wrong. We can try again this evening.” He had moved far enough away that his own boots were still clean, free of blood and dirt.

“This will not work,” Talwyn spat. “I told you I would help you. Leave them alone. Tell me what you need, and I will do what I can.”

“I am done asking, your Majesty. Now I just take.” He jerked his chin, and Tarek was forcing her to her knees before the Maraan Prince. Alaric moved slowly toward her, his boots splashing softly in the blood she knelt in. He reached out, running his ?ngers along her jaw. She held his gaze the entire time, refusing to look away. “Such strength and power,” he tsked. “You would have been sought after in my world. So many would have fought for the opportunity to take your life and, thus, your gifts.”

“Your world sounds dreadful,” she sneered.

“Oh, it is,” he agreed. “It is why I desire this one so ?ercely. This world is my prize when I complete the task he gave me. I thought we had the same goals, wanted the same things.”

“I wanted my people safe. You have sacri?ced them.”

“You would know about necessary sacri?ces, wouldn’t you, your Majesty?” he said mockingly. His ?ngers drifted into her hair before he gripped it tightly, yanking her head back farther, and she bit down on the grunt of pain. He would not get that satisfaction from her.

Alaric smiled as if he could see her resolve, and he leaned down so he could speak into her ear. “I have broken spirits stronger than yours, Talwyn. You will be easy to sway, easy to break. You have already proven such. Proved it years ago when you believed you could be worthy of a twin ?ame.” She pressed her lips together, refusing to give him any reaction, but his words did what they intended. His cheek pressed to hers as he continued to whisper to her. “I have been taking what I needed from you for years, Talwyn, and you have been happy to hand it over so long as your revenge was promised. Too young and na?ve to see the bigger picture.” His hand loosened some, ?ngers spreading to gently cup the back of her head. “You were never meant to be a queen, Talwyn. Surely you know that by now?”

She did know that, didn’t she? She had been coming to realize she had just been a place-holder all this time. Maybe Sorin had known all along that she would not remain in her position. That was why he had cared more about Eliné than her when her aunt had disappeared. Maybe her aunt and Sorin had prepared her just enough until someone better came along. They had seen she would never be what her mother had been, would never be good enough for this, no matter how much she tried and devoted herself to her people. She only wanted what was best for them, and it was becoming clear that was not her.

“I will still obtain that revenge for you, Talwyn,” he said, moving back slightly. His ?ngers were still wrapped in her hair. “But only because it serves my own purposes at this point. You, however, will continue to give me what I need.”

She felt the shirastone leave her wrists the second before she felt Alaric’s power latch onto hers again, yanking it from her very soul.

She cried out, falling forward and barely catching herself with her hands, blood splashing up her arms. “It is not fully replenished,” she gasped. “Not even close.”

“I am well aware, Child,” Alaric said, smiling down at her, his hand slipping from her hair. “But it is full enough to top off my magic for tonight, and I will take enough to ensure you stay where you are supposed to.”

“Please don’t,” she rasped, nails cracking as they scraped along the ground in the blood. “They are innocent people.”

“Remember that blood is on your hands,” Alaric said coldly. “And when more is spilled tonight and tomorrow and the following day, they are all on your hands too. Until you give me what I need, Talwyn.”

There was another solid yank on her magic, and it had her arms giving out. She felt the blood on her face, still warm, before he dug his power in even deeper. Then she felt nothing at all as darkness enveloped her.