Page 54

-KADIAN-

“What do you think is happening up there?” I whispered to Oz, squinting at the front of the room where a piece of paper seemed to be passed from hand to hand.

At least, I thought it was a piece of paper from what I could make out.

Lil looked fucking beautiful.

My eyes kept drifting toward her, unable to focus on anything else.

“Maybe someone forgot to order a shrimp cocktail for the reception,” Oz said, leaning back in his chair, craning his neck for a better view.

“I’d be pissed too if people forgot one of the best food items.”

“That’s not a menu.” I scowled at him as he shrugged.

Oz could always make light of anything, but something about this didn’t feel right.

I scanned the room, trying to spot Bri.

Normally, she was easy to find, but the crowd was thick today, making it nearly impossible to see her.

“It can be undone; it says so right here.”

Had I heard that right?

Did they mean the wedding?

“Hey, do you?—”

“Shh.” I swatted at Oz, needing to hear more of what was being said up there.

If this wasn’t happening, maybe…

A strange pull tugged at my chest, not quite there but not absent either.

They’d been giving me tea for weeks now—something to "relax" me, they’d said—but I wasn’t sure that was all it was doing.

Lil had moved away from her uncle and Rai, heading toward a scribe.

Addie? Is that Addie up there?

It was impossible to see anything clearly from where I sat.

Then the screaming started.

“Holy shit,” Oz muttered beside me.

“What the fuck is happening?” My eyes darted between the dais and the crowd, searching for Lil.

Chaos erupted, figures moving in all directions, and Asana’s piercing scream echoed through the room.

Like a violent windstorm, a sudden force pressed us into our seats.

No one could move. Figures in purple cloaks emerged from the shadows, and my heart sank.

Wind Walkers? What in the gods' name is going on?

Someone stood in the aisle now.

Brida.

Why is Brida here, and why the fuck was she involved?

“Is that Brida?” Oz shouted over the roaring wind. I could barely hear him.

How is she even standing right now?

Where is Lil?

I forced myself to stand, battling the invisible tempest holding me down.

Lil was next to Addie, and her uncle was making a move to grab her. Get to Lil —that was all I could think. I had to reach her.

“Holy fuck,” Oz whispered as I saw Thalius slice Addie’s throat.

Gods. Brida.

My eyes found her again, but before I could react, a Walker appeared behind her.

Marsh. I’m going to fucking kill him. If he hurts her, I’ll kill him.

I glanced back at the dais and saw what had caused the initial screams. Alvar lay dead, Asana cradling his body. What is happening…

Where did Brida go? She’d been there, but now she was gone. And Dainan was standing in front of them.

In a blink, Dainan shadow-stepped to Lil, and they vanished.

Lil…

The wind died down, and Oz tugged at my sleeve. “Sit down,” he whispered. I collapsed onto the bench, my mind spinning. Where are they?

“What in the gods' name just happened?” Oz asked, his face pale.

“Alvar’s dead,” I muttered. “And Addie.”

“Brida’s aunt?” Oz raised an eyebrow.

I nodded. I had no idea why she was involved or if Brida even knew.

“All hail your new king!” A voice boomed from the dais, and Rai’s arm was thrust into the air, supported by Thalius.

The crowd buzzed with murmurs, but I could only think of the mark. Alvar had been marked. Didn’t a king need the mark? Maybe it didn’t matter if the throne was taken by conquest, but the story of King Elidas and the mark had always been clear. There had to be one.

A gentle wind brushed against my cheek, whispering into my ear, “Do not fear what you’ve seen today. Everything is as it was meant to be.”

I glanced around, seeing others nodding, eyes glazing over as they accepted the words.

“They can’t believe this,” I said to Oz, whose eyes had the same dazed look.

What is happening?

Asana rose to her feet, her voice dripping with rage. “You have no idea what you’ve done!”

Walkers moved toward her, but before they could reach her, she collapsed. A shadow engulfed her and Alvar, and they vanished.

The palace was no longer safe for Asana. Everyone had suspected something deeper going on between Alvar and the Speaker of the Court of Shadows. This confirmed it.

The wind’s voice returned. “Refreshments will be served in the dining hall. Please enjoy tonight’s festivities.”

As if nothing had happened, the crowd stood and began to file out.

“Good thing this is over; I’m starving,” Oz said casually.

“Oz…” I began, but the flow of people was already sweeping us along.

“What just happened?” I asked, unsure what answer I’d get.

“Rai was named king, man. Were you not watching?” Oz gestured toward the dais, now blocked off by Walkers.

“Yeah, but what about everything before that?”

“What are you talking about?” He clapped a hand on my shoulder. “Let’s get some food into you, Kad. It’s coronation day.”

Coronation day. What the actual fuck.

“I wonder if the food will be as good as the ball. Brida did amazing work with that one. They should’ve asked her to plan this, too.”

Brida. Lil. Where are they?

“Whoa, look at me, Kad,” Oz said, his voice cutting through my fog.

“What?” I snapped, blood humming through my veins, the pulse of it drowning out all other sounds.

“Your eyes are really intense right now. Let’s go get food. Maybe Tamra and Amera are there.” He added with a laugh, steering me toward the door.

As we walked, the halls buzzed with chatter, everyone seemingly forgetting the two murders we’d just witnessed.

“I think Rai will make a fine king,” someone said.

“He was always the right choice,” another murmured.

Except the mark didn’t appear on him .

The dining hall was decorated in an awful mix of blues, reds, blacks, and whites— symbolic of the Courts of Reflection and Shadows and the unification of two courts, not of a coronation day.

I rubbed my chest. The sensation that had been tugging at me earlier was back, stronger now.

Guests mingled, piling their plates with food as if nothing had happened. How can everyone just stand around like this? How does no one see through this facade?

Oz returned with a plate for me, snapping me out of my thoughts. “Got you a plate.”

“Thanks,” I muttered, barely noticing the rain outside. It had only rained a few times since we’d arrived in Azmeer, the last time being the day we’d looked into the Mirrors of Reflection. When I’d seen Lil…

“You think we should bring a plate to Brida?” Oz asked between bites.

Gods, he really didn’t remember.

“She’ll be fine,” I said, forcing a smile. Will she? Will Lil? I have no idea where either of them are.

I wanted to leave, to figure out some kind of plan, but Walkers guarded the door, watching our every move.

Rai and Thalius eventually made their rounds, shaking hands with officials. Rai didn’t even wear the crown. How were people falling for this?

After hours of parading through the crowd, the Walkers finally eased up, allowing people to leave.

“You look like shit,” Oz said as we reached our floor.

“I’m just tired.” The tea—over a day without it now—had left my head pounding.

“Well, get some sleep. Maybe tomorrow I’ll finally beat you at the rock wall,” Oz laughed, slapping my shoulder.

“Night, Oz.” I fumbled with my door handle, pushing into the darkness of my room.

I lit a candle, and my heart stopped.

A wall of living shadows stood before me, hissing as they swirled downward, revealing the shape of a woman.

“We need to talk.”