Page 73 of Of Stars and Lightning (Sun and Shadows #1)

WEEKS PASSED AND SOL slept for days. The grief came and went in waves, like the tide at the beaches she once loved.

It would sweep over her, leaving her breathless, then recede, leaving her cold and lonely.

She didn’t eat or leave her bed. Nina had brought her pastries, stews, teas, anything she could think of to get Sol to at least seem interested in existing.

Initially, none of it worked.

Slowly, though, after a week of Sol being in bed like an earthworm, Sawyer dragged her out to the stables to help her with duties there.

The rest of her Court was horrified when they found them covered in dirt and manure, but Sol began to feel better that day.

She brushed Kahaida until the beast tried to maul her hand, and helped Sawyer chase the smaller mares around the gardens.

Nina joined them at some point and took Sol on rides around the human sections.

Alix hunted down all sorts of comfort books for Sol, leaving a new one each night on her nightstand.

Sawyer and Nina also settled into her room after Sol kept having nightmares and begged them to stay.

The women didn’t argue, and though they slept in the living area at first, after a couple of nights, Nina sleepily migrated to the bed next to Sol.

Sawyer held out a few days longer before complaining about the awful couches and eventually took up the left edge of Sol’s king-sized bed.

After a week of that, Sol felt the most rested she had in years.

In between bouts of numbness, she was thankful for them.

Out of the four of them, the only one who had maintained a noticeable distance had been Cas.

Emotionally distant, because physically he had been closer than ever.

When Gaven returned to provide additional protection, at King Semmena’s orders, Cas gave him a nasty stare and shooed him away instead.

Which was fine. Sol felt safer with Cas anyway.

But she was disappointed that the comfort they reached through the literal death games they had survived together seemed to recede.

Perhaps it was because she grew so used to speaking to him daily.

Or because after the final duel, something changed between them, and she knew he felt it as well.

Ultimately, though, he was meant to protect her.

Feelings other than that were likely brought on by the stress of the weeks.

Still, Sol missed him.

Finally, after two weeks, Sol felt normal. As normal as she could with the new information, she supposed. Which meant it was time for the one thing they had put on hold to take place: her Awakening.

Sol and her Court stood by the stables as the keepers readied their horses.

After almost an hour of arguing with Nina, it was decided Sol would ride with Cas.

Her Royal Hand wouldn’t risk her wandering so far into the depths of Rimemere without her personal Warden, especially since what happened.

A Lower Jinn invading the castle was alarming, but having both a Lower and a Mind Slayer?

Semmena had been insane with soldiers around the grounds, moving the students to the Gods’ Villa to diminish traffic within the castle. Curfew was set and Sol wasn’t allowed outside unless she had a small army of kingsmen with her. She hadn’t bothered to exit much because of that.

For the Awakening ritual, they had to ride all the way to Emberdon’s temple. It was to be performed by a family member, and as Sawyer was her final blood relative, the burden became hers to carry. So, the ritual had to be performed on her turf.

And Sol was condemned to be Warded the whole way. Even so, she didn’t mind. She looked up at the sun as the stable hands situated their saddles, soaking up the wondrous, gentle heat.

Lilah sniffed her hand as she stroked her snout. “Do you want to ride on the front or back?” She swirled, startled.

Cas wore his usual black tactical suit, with a subtle violet band around his waist holding a set of iron daggers. It was a relief to see his face was nearly free of scars and bruises.

He inclined his head. “I’ll choose a position for you if you don’t pick one, Princess.”

Sol cleared her throat. “I’ll ride behind.”

At least he wouldn’t be able to see her face burn that way.

Without further conversation, Cas mounted Lilah and outstretched a hand to her.

She hadn’t dreamt of him since the bizarre vision after the final duel. She settled for replaying the moments in her mind, while he maintained the gods’ awful distance when all she wanted was the opposite.

Focus.

“We will take the forest route,” Sawyer announced as she stirred Fey to the castle gates.

Nina nodded. “At your lead.”

Taking Cas's hand, Sol swung a leg over Lilah and settled into the saddle.

Although the Summer Solstice was still a few days away, the heat was relentless and at full force. Sol opted for her green tactical suit to match her Court, a choice she was quickly regretting as they started a soft canter behind Sawyer.

They passed the gates quickly and steered into the forest.

The trees had become full and luscious, though rather parched at the lack of rainwater. As the humid wind flowed all around them, cooling Sol’s hot skin, she traced the swollen clouds with her eyes. In the distance, rolling thunderclouds blanketed the sky above them with a hazy shade of gray.

Next to them, Nina and Alix suddenly exploded into a full-on gallop, the hooves of their mares tearing up the grass as they raced behind one another. Her cousin propelled forward faster, her laugh echoing through the forest.

Sol smiled slightly and shook her head.

Through the sound of hooves and laughter, Cas's Ward materialized around them in a soft shimmer of light, encompassing them like a protective bubble. He sighed from in front of her. “They do this every time.”

“Who usually wins?” Sol asked with an amused smirk.

“Sawyer.” Fitting.

Sol laughed softly and took the conversation as a good sign. “I figured Kahaida would.”

“She often stops to chew on the weeds, to Nina’s dismay.”

Also fitting.

Silence fell, and Sol tried desperately to think of something, anything, to continue the conversation. “Cas, are we okay?”

His Ward flickered. “Yes.”

“You’re a terrible liar.”

“So are you.”

Her arms tensed around him ever so slightly. “I’m not lying about anything.”

“You lie every time someone asks you if you’re okay.” He peered back at her, his silver eyes shining. “I know you aren’t.”

Sol gaped at him, her breath hitching. She truly was feeling better, at least better than a few weeks ago. Was she perfect, though? Of course not. She tore her gaze from his. “I will be. Eventually.”

Once again, silence fell.

As Lilah came to a stop and the ground beneath them turned into a brown, dehydrated crunch, Sol sighed.

Swiftly, Cas dismounted Lilah, his boots sending the brown leaves adrift around them. He held out his hand to Sol. “We’re here.”

She took his help and landed beside him, the Ward still rippling and sizzling. Gently, Cas dropped her hand as it dissipated, floating into specks of starlight that scattered into the wind just as he released her.

Nina signaled them over from within the cover of trees. “Are you both ready?”

Without so much as a glance, Cas led her into the Fire God’s temple.

Sol hadn’t visited a temple before, and she wondered if they were all as somber.

Emberdon’s temple was all shades of gray and black, open to the elements with only the crackling of torches and the groan of the wind as its soundtrack.

The trees and foliage around it seemed burned and dull, though Sol supposed it was fitting for the Fire God.

The temple itself was made of obsidian, brittle and crystalline, with thin, crimson ripples of color along the crackling walls.

The stone almost pulsed like a beating heart as Sol stepped into the grounds.

A statue of the God towered at the end, flanked by pews and benches.

In front of the deity was a rectangular stone table with a carved chalice at its center.

She approached the chalice and leaned to look inside it. It was empty, but the darkness inside it seemed endless.

“This temple gives me the creeps,” Nina whispered as she strode beside her. “Flora’s at least has plants. Live ones.” Sol grimaced. “Let’s never talk about that temple.” Beside her, Cas chuckled.

“Emberdon prefers dead things, Nins,” Sawyer shared as she sat on a bench. She let out a long exhale and ran her hands along her face. “He especially loves animal sacrifices."

With a disgusted groan, Nina leaned closer to Sol.

The clouds seemed to darken further as Cas and Alix took a stance next to Emberdon. Reluctantly, Sawyer stood and walked their way. “It’s quite simple, Sol.”

She turned and stretched a hand to Sol, who took it despite the rising nerves enveloping her body. Though she was cautiously excited, she was also nervous to release this final part of herself.

Once she Settled, it would be as if her entire life began anew.

“I will utter the ceremonial scriptures and prompt you to say your name when needed. Then, we will join our blood into the chalice, and wait.”

Sol focused on her breathing. “Wait?”

“To see which god blesses you,” Nina offered, taking her spot on the other side of the stone table. She also seemed slightly nervous.

“Warren is usually quick,” Cas said. “It shouldn’t take long.”

“Or maybe you’ll Settle as your paternal line, like Sawyer.” Alix cast a taunting glance toward her.

Sawyer rolled her eyes. “Don’t even say that or we’re back to square one. We need a Yarrow Warden.”

The whole thing was making Sol nervous, though she knew she couldn’t control any of it. She didn’t know what the other side of her blood held, her mother never spoke of her father.

As if sensing her anxiety, Nina gave her a small smile. “It’ll be okay, Sol.”