Page 39

CHAPTER 39

SERENNA

A geyser of lava burst through the portal in a volcanic torrent, spilling molten rock across the frozen lake. The air shimmered with waves of blistering heat as fire melted ice. Deep cracks splintered across the frozen surface before crumbling into the void below.

Lykor warped to Serenna and Jassyn’s side. “If we live through this,” he panted, his barked laughter half-hysterical, “I’m promoting Fenn above Kal.”

A grin spread across Serenna’s face as hope ignited. A realm away, Fenn’s presence flickered like a faint thread, but he’d managed to bridge the distance, stringing enough portals together to deliver the fire—a gift from the heart of the volcano itself.

She reached for the inferno, wrenching every scrap of flame under her control just as the portal cut the deluge off. An extension of her will, the fire obeyed, a wave surging up off the ground. But she’d have to be careful with the prince still trapped inside the beast.

Throwing out her hands, Serenna whipped the flames into a churning storm. The vortex roared to life, spiraling upward in a blazing cyclone before she hurled it straight at the Starshard.

Halfway across the lake, the behemoth didn’t waver. Didn’t veer from its rampaging charge, following the trail of Essence radiating from Lykor.

Dropping back to his knees, Jassyn shoved his palms against the frozen earth, forcing the splintering surface in the golem’s path to hold.

The torrent slammed into the creature’s face with cataclysmic force, the collision booming across the valley. Billows of steam erupted in violent clouds, hissing as the fire seared deep into frozen armor. Ice shrieked under the assault, fractures snaking across its neck and skull.

Faltering, the beast’s limbs shuddered as it nearly ground to a halt. Sparks and embers whirled where flames met frost. Every step became a battle, the massive bulk trembling as it fought through the raging torrent.

Serenna’s hands shook, her breath coming in ragged gasps. Sweat streaked her face, stinging her eyes as she funneled all of her power into the inferno.

Fire devoured ice.

The creature’s eyeless face began melting into a shapeless lump. Thick rivulets of water poured down its crumbing frame as its head caved in, disintegrating under the blaze. Dislodging at last, the Starshard slipped free, tumbling end over end before striking the ground.

Serenna yanked the fire back, hurling the tide across the valley—as far as her strength allowed.

The golem swayed, then crashed to the earth in a smoldering heap. A blinding cloud of snow burst into the air, the ground convulsing under the impact of its fall.

Serenna staggered as the tremor rattled through her legs, colliding with Lykor. With a rough push, he shoved her back upright. Cracks spiderwebbed beneath their feet, the ice groaning. But Jassyn’s power surged, fusing the fractured sheets back together.

Before the quaking subsided, a portal opened next to them.

Clutching ice-coated swords, Vesryn stumbled forward, sheathed in frost, blood trickling from dozens of wounds. His legs buckled almost immediately and he collapsed into the snow, the weapons slipping from his grasp.

Serenna’s heart slammed against her ribs, tangled in a clash of relief and fear. “Vesryn—” More emotion than sound, his name escaped her as she dropped to her knees beside him.

On his other side, Jassyn’s hands were already ablaze, glowing with mending light. Essence unfurled quickly, lattices of magic weaving through the prince’s battered body.

Frost clung to Vesryn’s hair and lashes, his breath coming shallow and fast. Serenna slid an arm under his shoulder, helping him upright.

“Did you get the Starshard?” Vesryn rasped, his cracked lips pale. Though his eyes were half-lidded and unfocused, they locked onto hers with a desperate intensity, searching for the answer.

Serenna tightened her fingers around him, but Lykor was already sheathing the glaives on his spine and warping. In the distance, he stooped to retrieve the crystal from the snow.

“Yes, you reckless idiot,” Serenna hissed, though concern softened her scorn. Torn between shaking some sense into the prince and kissing him senseless, she cupped Vesryn’s face, her thumb brushing over the ice-scraped ridges of his cheekbones. “What were you thinking?”

“He wasn’t,” Jassyn grumbled, continuing to spiral healing light.

Serenna’s fingers trembled as she pushed frozen strands of hair away from the prince’s eyes. A rush of overwhelming emotions spilling over, she couldn’t stop herself—she didn’t even care that Jassyn was next to them. Leaning in, she crushed her lips into the prince’s, the kiss an unspoken release, carrying the relief she couldn’t voice.

Vesryn’s chilled hands cradled her face as he pressed closer. Serenna gasped at the icy touch and he seized the opening, his tongue sweeping into her mouth.

Before they lost themselves in the kiss, Serenna pulled back and cleared her throat, the heat in her cheeks burning away the cold.

Vesryn sagged against her, flashing a crooked grin. “If being reckless earns me that,” he said, voice still hoarse, “I might start doing it more often.”

Serenna rolled her eyes and Jassyn released an explosive sigh.

The prince’s focus shifted to his cousin. “Just like old times,” he said, reaching out to pat Jassyn’s cheek, the gesture more brotherly than the condescending ones of the past.

Shoving windblown curls out of his face, Jassyn pursed his lips. “This whole nearly dying thing is a habit we really need to break.”

Serenna huffed in agreement as shadows coalesced near Vesryn’s boots.

Lykor materialized, his scowl more frigid than the air. He inspected the Starshard, turning it over in his gauntlet.

“Hope it was worth the trouble,” he muttered, lobbing it at the prince.

The Starshard spun, catching sunlight in a brief, dazzling arc. Vesryn’s hand shot out, snatching the crystal before it collided with his head, fingers curling protectively around it. Without waiting for a response, Lykor turned on his heel and stalked back toward the corpse.

The prince traced the crystal’s edge, brows bunching while he studied the surface. A flicker of doubt drifted down the bond. Shaking his head, he pocketed it before glancing around.

“Where’s Fenn?” he asked, though the question sounded forced. “Did he run away from the fight?”

“Fenn sent the lava that saved your life—because you ran toward the fight,” Serenna snapped. “So you owe him your thanks. Whether you like it or not.”

Vesryn’s jaw tightened and Serenna reined in her irritation. Fenn would be safe—he could cloak himself until nightfall and regenerate before traveling back to them. But the stronghold was surely still crawling with humans and elves.

The prince’s hand landed on hers. “Fine,” he mumbled, begrudging but not defiant.

The soft ruby glow faded from Jassyn’s palms as he finished sealing the prince’s wounds. Together, they helped Vesryn to his feet and joined Lykor, who stood with his arms crossed, gaze locked on the smoking remains.

Steam curled over the shattered ice, twisting upward before dissolving into the sky. Vesryn crouched beside the corpse, fingers skimming across the jagged fragments dispersed across the ground. With a thoughtful frown, he picked up a brittle piece of ice. At his touch, the edges crumbled, slick with melting frost.

“I don’t think this golem was…alive,” Jassyn murmured, more to himself than anyone else. “At least, maybe not in the way we’d understand.” His brows drew together, emphasizing the scar that cut across his brow. “I tried to delve into its mind, but there was nothing. I assumed the Starshard was to blame since it was siphoning my magic, but now…” He shifted his weight and wrapped his cloak tighter around himself. “Someone must’ve made it. How else could it have a Starshard embedded in its skull?”

“Like a construct?” Serenna asked, shivering as she studied the strewn wreckage. A warmer wind stirred, the earth’s exhale weaving around them, scattering faint embers across the snow. “You think someone created it using these frozen elements? Who?”

“I’d rather know why it was guarding this pass,” Lykor muttered, his expression harder than stone, eyes fixed on the horizon.

Serenna followed his line of sight, squinting at the distant mountains. The skyline shimmered with a golden color, the white peaks dissolving at the edges. Probably just a trick of the light. But maybe—

Lykor abruptly pivoted, cutting her musings short. “Fenn can catch up.” He lashed out with a whip of force, gathering their discarded packs. “We can still make a few jumps before nightfall.”