Page 140 of Quicksilver

and bidden, he died.

The Ajun were safe.

The horde abandoned the gate.

And thus ends the ballad

of the king and his eight.

When the song finally came to an aching, bittersweet end, Lorreth panted, his eyes full of stars as he watched the aurora dance in the sky.

“It's fuckingoutrageousthat he can sing, too.” Carrion had woken up and was stood to my right, arms folded across his chest, balefully regarding Lorreth. “Thatwasnice, though. Messed up, but nice.”

Fisher shifted his weight, standing up a touch straighter, lifting his head. “Do you think it'll be enough?”

“I don't know. I suppose we'd better go and get Danya.” I'd known she'd have to be called to the forge at some point. After all that we’d accomplished and all that we’d done, I wasn't thrilled at the prospect of her coming here and ruining this special moment, but—

We have made a decision.

Fisher's spine straightened. Lorreth's too. Had theybothjust heard the quicksilver speak? Fisher must have heard it thanks to the quicksilver inside his own body, but Lorreth shouldn't have been able to.

“Why do you all look like you've collectively shit yourselves?” Carrion demanded.

We accept the song as tribute. The bargain is fulfilled. An accord is struck.

“But...you said you'd consider the blood of the one who would wield you!” My heart sank in my chest. “Danya—”

We have considered, the quicksilver intoned,the first to bleed upon our blade.

“But...”

Lorreth leaped up. He held the sword out like it was a snake, reeling back to strike him. “Shit. I'm an idiot! I'm sorry!” he cried. “Here! Take it!” he held out the sword to Fisher, but there was a delighted spark in the other male's eyes.

“Hell no. I'm not touching that thing. It has your name written all over it.”

“Would someone mind telling me what the fuck's going on?” Carrion's ultra-polite tone promised violence if someone didn't explain and quickly.

“You only need to look at the damned thing and it cuts,” I whispered. The words Lorreth had said, right after he'd run his fingers along the sword and cut himself on it.Hehad been the first to bleed on the newly forged weapon. The sword had judgedhisblood.

Lorreth's face went ash white. “I didn't mean to,” he said. “I'm happy with my daggers, I swear. I didnotmean to claim Danya's sword.”

NotDanya'ssword,the quicksilver hissed.We are reforged. New unto this place.Youdo not claim us, Lorreth of the Broken Spires.Weclaimyou.

“This is going to be hilarious,” Fisher said. But he wasn't laughing.

Neither was Lorreth. “Danya's going to lose her mind.”

“She'll have to get over it. She doesn't have a choice. You've been a member of the Lupo Proelia without a god sword for four hundred years. It'll be her turn for a while.”

Doubt was sketched in every line of Lorreth’s features, but his hand closed possessively around the hilt of the sword all the same. It lookedrightin his hand. As far as I was concerned, itwashis sword. “You deserve it, Lorreth. You carved the wolf for the pommel. You helped to cast it. And it was your song that sealed the bargain with the quicksilver.”

A flicker of confusion chased across Lorreth's face. Kingfisher and Carrion looked equally as non-plussed by what I'd said. “Mysong?” Lorreth said. “What do you mean, my song?”

“The song you just sang. About the Ajun Gate? About the drake, Omnamshacry? How Fisher stabbed the dragon down its throat? Not…ringing any bells?”

Fisher, Lorreth, and Carrion all looked at me like I was mad. “I always meant to write a song about Ajun Gate, but I've never gotten around to it,” Lorreth said.

“Don’t you dare,” Fisher growled. “It's in the past. Leave it there, where it belongs.”