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THE JESTER AND THE MOON

GAVREL

K aden stuffed his face with all the courtyard feast had to offer. Mostly, he was acting like himself, but his gaze—his tone—had an edge to it. He was currently gulping down a goblet of honey wine.

“Doing all right, brother?” I asked, chewing on some type of berry.

He shrugged. “Don’t worry yourself on my account. Thank you for coming for me, though.”

“Always.” I thumped my hand on his shoulder twice. “I’m glad you’re safe. You had me worried.”

Staring off into the distance, his head bobbed, and he took another sip. “You think Ma is here?”

My brows furrowed, and I shook my head. “I honestly don’t have faith that she is. Culling doesn’t seem …”

“I know, but there’s always a chance.” He sighed, glancing at me. “What’s our next step? I know you’ve got some sort of plan. Don’t deny it.”

With a heavy exhale, I briefed him on what we’d gone through during our time in the Perilous Bogs and the prophecies leading the Korax’s cause.

“Seryn’s work with the Augur—Phantasos—was invaluable. She’s stronger than she knows.” I scrubbed my fingers over the stubble lining my jaw. “And now, learning of her lineage and newfound family, I have no doubt she’ll conquer any obstacle in her path. I suppose we’re all ravens now.”

One of my brother’s eyebrows quirked. “Damn. How’s she taking it? Not being a rebel. Ancients know she was born for it. A Nightshade, though? That must’ve been a shock, and that Marek fellow, he seems like a good time.”

I grunted.

“That fun, eh?” He chuckled, and the sound made my lips lift along the seams.

“She stopped at nothing to find you, you know. I … I’m grateful you’re here … with us.”

My brother’s head bowed, and he rubbed his palm along his nape.

Kaden puffed his cheeks out. “I suppose the next step is to figure out a way into that dungeon. Since you’ve gone and become a right rebel.

” He wiggled his fingers at me. “So, we destroy this rock. Then what? There has to be a backup plan. I mean, you can’t tell me this entire thing rests on the back of some prophecy.

Depends on the word of an Ancient. What have they ever done for us? Bloody fuck all is what.”

“You’re not wrong.”

“So, we make some plans. We take the offensive. We fight.” His eyes lit from within. Just a flicker. But it was more than I’d seen since we’d rescued him.

“Then we fight, but we do it with strategy. Without impulse,” I conceded.

“We discussed missions with Neoma and Marek, tactics that would take us to the Pneumalian deserts, Ourea Peaks, and Pyria Island. All the least inhabited areas are where the Korax has its strongholds. Where they recruit and make headway. If we can gather our forces, we can decide where to strike first. Where it makes the most sense.”

His shoulders slumped. “Fine. Dungeon first. Stratagems next. Destroying the Elders last. I know you’re right, but it doesn’t mean I have to like it.”

Shifting my baldric, I rolled my eyes, and he snorted, staring at his feet.

He pushed his shoulders back, chewing slowly. “Something going on with you and Seryn?”

My chin pushed upward, jaw ticking at the swift change in topic.

“You can tell me, you know.”

My heart knocked against my chest, and my jaw tightened. “Kaden?—”

“Sure, she ripped my heart out. But she never promised she wouldn’t.” With a sardonic chuckle, he rubbed his palm against his collarbone.

“Mind your tongue when you speak of her,” I warned, eyes narrowing.

His expression pinched with a look somewhere between guilt and pigheadedness. “I often suspected there was something between you. Two summers ago, especially. I was bloody sure of it. But then … nothing. I’m not as oblivious as you think, Gav.”

“I don’t think?—”

He interrupted, his words rising with the color of his cheeks.

“I know what you think. What you all think. Kaden, the jester.” He tossed the bread he’d been eating on the table.

“Well, I’m finished being everyone’s joke.

Let’s figure out how to destroy the bloody Elders.

” He drank from his cup and then pointed it at me.

“And then you and my best friend can ride off into the sunset.”

His goblet clinked against the metal table as he strode away.

Confusion and frustration rippled over me.

Seryn had ended things with Kaden. That much, I was sure. But seeing them together again. Did she have second thoughts? Was she questioning our relationship?

She sure as void would when she finally learned everything.

But this wasn’t the time or place.

And I … I couldn’t tell her even if I wanted to.

You damned failure .

My fists clamped around the leather strap on my chest.

I couldn’t bring myself to regret what Seryn and I had done. I wouldn’t apologize for any of it. What we had … it was everything.

Yet, his reaction wasn’t my brother’s typical outburst. It lacked heat. It was more … subtle. Laced in regret and despondency.

Kaden had gone into that glass prison as himself. But now, something had finally splintered within him. Or maybe he’d come out more himself than he’d ever been.

Frustrated, I shoved my hands in my pockets, looking up at the cerulean sky. Cool stone met my fingers.

A spark lit within me, trying to carve through the murky shadows. A faraway smile curving across my mouth.

Seryn’s talisman .

Later that day, we gathered together for dinner and then wandered the streets toward the citadel. Twilight painted the sky in shades of cerise and electric orange. Kaden was to my left, and Seryn on my right. Her shiny curls cascaded down her back, reflecting the burnished copper of her dress.

My fingers itched to burrow within the fiery strands and then glide over her curves to check if the dress was made of liquid, since it looked like it had been poured over her. Instead, I offered her my elbow, the silvery sheen of my overcoat shifting over my joints.

We all wore borrowed clothing in varying metallic shades as if we were a collection of precious metals.

The astrals seemed content. Chatting, wandering, living their eternal dream. Something stirred within me, seeing that such peace could follow a life well-lived.

“If the Elders live in Morpheus’ palace through the turn, then they likely have some Order unit or perhaps their most trusted Akridais guarding it,” I noted.

In front of us, Breena flipped a small dagger in the air, catching it by the hilt as it twirled. I raised a brow at the rough, healing wounds on her shoulders—cleaned but still inflamed. She wore them with quiet pride, a sharp contrast to her usual brashness.

“What if we find a way from below? Like we did during the trials? There were plenty of underground tunnels under the training field.” she offered.

Seryn’s eyes lit up. “You beautiful genius, Bree.”

Next to Seryn, Rhaegar’s lips pursed. “But how do we get to the other side without being seen? We can’t very well march over the bridge and start climbing down the cliff face. Trying to enter by the sea is surely asking for Poseidon to claim us.”

“At least we’ll already be in Surrelia then,” Kaden muttered. He’d been quiet since we reconvened, his fingers kneading his temples. I studied him from the corner of my eye, concern etched between my brows.

I leaned toward him. “You all right?” I whispered.

“Took the bloody tonic.”

Across my chest, Seryn reached for him. My brother waved her away. “I’ll be fine. Don’t fret.”

Her arm dropped, along with her smile. I shot a frown in my brother’s direction, irritation churning in my chest, but he didn’t notice. I kept my thoughts sealed behind the tight line of my mouth.

“What if we flew?” Marek muttered from behind us.

“What are you on about? Did you eat the ambrosia? I told you all not to eat the ambrosia. It makes mortals lose their fecking senses,” Breena scolded.

No one bothered asking how she knew that. The woman was a wellspring of random bits of information.

Marek closed his eyes, nostrils flaring.

He’d left his quarterstaff in his room and donned a platinum-colored tunic and gray breeches.

Evidently, he didn’t find this place to be a threat, and he was being respectful of the impending ceremony.

“Earlier, I saw a man flying on a Pegasus. This place isn’t in short supply of winged creatures. ”

I cupped my jaw. “We’ve had more impractical ideas. I suppose it’s something. ”

“Indeed.” Marek scoffed.

“Indeed,” I echoed in the same tone, hoping it was like a splinter under his skin.

Kaden and Seryn shared a wry look, and that annoyed me even further. When did I get so damned petulant?

Huffing, I seized Seryn’s hand in mine and pushed ahead, marching up the twisting stairwell leading to the citadel. Kaden’s glare dug into our backs.

“Gavrel,” she groused. She sounded tired. “What’s gotten into you?”

My pace slowed, and we let the others pass us on their way up. “I’m sorry. It’s … it’s difficult seeing you with my brother. I’m relieved that he’s safe, but something is off. And I don’t know what to do about it.”

“I’m not sure there is anything we can do. But he knows we’re more than friends. Yes?” She cupped my cheek.

My eyes searched hers. “He mentioned something along those lines earlier.”

“Well then, it would seem the hard part is done. I’ll talk with him.”

I glanced up the stairs at my brother’s slumped form as he climbed. It was as if he carried a heavy weight on his back.

What I wouldn’t give to carry some of his burden.

If only he’d let me.

I shook my head and ran my fingers through my hair as we continued.

At last, we entered the citadel. By the looks of its wide expanse and the ten colossal pillars marking the vertices at the edges, I was sure it was shaped like a sacred decagon from above. Citizens poured in from every side, slipping between the columns in steady waves.