Page 50 of Return of the Darkness (The Lost Kingdom Saga #3)
“Actually,” Sadira interjected, “Would you mind if we spoke to you first about something, Nyzaia?” Sadira offered Larelle an apologetic smile, but the Queen of Nerida took no offence.
She trusted there was a reason Nyzaia deserved to hear it first. As Farid and Jabir guided Soren ahead, she glanced back at her sister and Nyzaia.
Larelle followed as soon as Zarya grabbed her and Alvan’s hands, swinging in between the two of them after waving goodbye to Lillian and Olden on the boat.
When Sadira, Caellum, and Nyzaia caught up, Larelle explained everything about Osiris, and the maps and books they found in the church.
With Vivian’s permission, not that a queen needed it, they took the books.
The acolyte had not noticed when Alvan successfully slid the notes about Zarya into their pile.
Currently, the books resided on the ship, ready for reading on the way back to land.
Nyzaia revealed more about the cult in Keres, how they had tried to sacrifice her and Farid before seeing Farid’s wings and believing him to be the living embodiment of a different god, Nefere.
Intrigued at first, Larelle’s fascination soon turned to frustration as she struggled to piece it all together—memories had been hidden, but why?
Other lands existed, but their whereabouts remained unknown, while the truth about their ancestors and Ithyion remained a mystery.
If the priest was correct, at least two curses plagued Novisia or all lands, but the rulers decided to focus on the curse preventing Osiris from revealing more information, a curse no one knew how to reverse.
The Wiccan were at play—potentially shapeshifters, too, whatever that meant—and a third faction related to Garridon, all of which were linked to the prophecy they had now heard from Osiris, Athena, and Father Zoro.
To add to it all, they still had no idea about Caligh’s whereabouts, despite his huge risk to Novisia and other lands.
It was exhausting for Larelle to think about, especially while grappling to understand her daughter’s power.
Eventually, Zarya grew tired, and Alvan carried the princess on his back, allowing Sadira to fall into step beside Larelle.
“I’m sorry. I spoke with Nyzaia first as it was directly related to Soren,” Sadira murmured, using her powers to clear their path of tree branches, scattering red leaves on the ground.
“Do not apologise,” Larelle said. “Is everything okay?”
Sadira shrugged. “I do not know. We found Caellum’s father and grandfather’s journals, which details the moments Caligh entered their minds and seized control.
” Sadira stared at Soren’s back, who seemed to turn her head before thinking better of it and slumping her shoulders.
“It shows them slowly losing their minds as a result.” Larelle nodded.
“Did that align with Nyzaia’s depiction of how Soren has been in Keres?” Larelle asked, and Sadira nodded. “How does that make you feel?”
Chewing on her bottom lip, Sadira twisted a curl around her fingertip as if coming to terms with her thoughts.
“I do not know. I hate her for what she did by betraying us all and assisting in Kazaar’s murder.
But now, knowing it was not entirely her free will, and that his control had been taking root for who knows how long… ”
“Did Nyzaia give a reason as to why she believed this?” Larelle asked, surprised that Nyzaia, out of everyone, had been so lenient with Soren, having always been the most on edge in her presence.
“She saw into a memory of Soren’s, though that in itself remains a mystery; perhaps it’s some dormant part of Soren’s Wiccan bloodline.
” Sadira sighed. “But Nyzaia was reluctant to give me any details and said it should come from Soren.” Walking alongside Soren and her two guards, Nyzaia’s behaviour was much changed from before.
Every so often, Nyzaia leaned towards Soren and murmured something, though Larelle could not discern their words or if Soren replied.
“Will you speak with her?” Larelle asked. Sadira frowned, contemplating it.
“I will think about it.”
“For now, that’s all you can do.”
Nyzaia dropped back, and the three queens continued to share everything they had learned.
By the time they reached the lake in the centre of the isle, they had told each other everything—everything except for the gold wedding band on Sadira’s finger beneath her engagement ring, and the matching one on the king’s.
Larelle smiled and kept it to herself. They would announce it when they were ready, when good news could finally be celebrated.
“Wow! It looks like my drawings!” Zarya exclaimed, surveying the glistening turquoise lake.
Larelle thought the same. The lake sparkled beautifully under the rising sun, peeking above the trees and shining a light on the mountain in the centre, carved by nature.
Larelle waved a hand, and the lake separated into two towering walls of water, forming a path to what Larelle knew lay within.
Zarya’s mouth fell open in awe as she squealed and clapped her hands.
It did not take the group long to cross, and the water crashed behind them once they were inside.
Larelle glanced back for a moment, surprised by the water’s unexpected roughness, seemingly defying her gentle guidance.
A scream from within the cave stopped her contemplation, making her stiffen.
The group exchanged a glance before Vlad ran into the darkness.
“Eli!” he shouted, and Nyzaia followed. Larelle turned to ask Alvan to watch Zarya, but he assured her before she could speak.
“Go! She is fine.”
Jabir held Soren, who stepped forward briefly, watching Nyzaia and Farid. Her green eyes glowed for a second, and her bottom lip trembled as they ran ahead.
“The guards will stay with you,” Larelle called back, running forward with Sadira and Caellum.
A pained scream echoed again as they ran through the darkness.
Farid spanned his wings to light the way as they dodged a hole in the floor before reaching the top of a staircase.
As she looked down below at Vlad and Nyzaia, trying to push through the army of shadows, Larelle’s hand flew to her mouth.
There in the centre of the room, Elisara knelt in a pool of her own blood, with lines down her back as threads of shadow whipped her skin.