Page 21

Kiara

Rae was more than she seemed, more than we could’ve imagined. I’m sorry I never told you the truth. Hopefully, you’ll forgive us both.

Letter from Aurora Adair to Juniper Marchant, year 32 of the curse

Jude stared back at me with a look I’d never seen before.

Utter and complete ruin.

He’d kissed my lips and professed his love, and the sun entered the s ky. Those seconds after, my blood had begun to boil so fiercely, I felt dipped in flames. My shadows recoiled, hissing in my ears as they skittered back to their hiding place, escaping Jude’s power.

His touch scorched the darkness thriving inside, sending me to my knees.

Unlike last time, we weren’t in some dream world.

Our bodies were connected, and skin to skin, our magics fought. I didn’t know if it was our words or our powers that battled, or if our declaration had somehow set a misguided prophecy into motion.

“Kiara…” Jude took a step closer, anguish creasing the corners of his eyes. I wanted to rush to him and tell him it wasn’t his fault, but after Arlo’s warning in the void of darkness, I was hesitant to endure his caress.

Our love made our magic sing—but only the pieces of Raina. Not my shadows. And they were as much a part of me as the light. If not more so now that I’d embraced them fully.

What Arlo had insinuated…that I only loved him because of our shared power. That thought was a plague. It did its best to poison the affection swimming in my soul, and for once, I hesitated to shove it aside. Old fears reared their heads, arguing that I didn’t deserve to be happy, that our connection was too good to be true. But I did shove it aside. At least, I tried to.

“What was that, Emelia?” Finn asked, running a nervous hand over his shaved head. “That was—he was—”

“He’s carrying Raina’s magic,” she said coldly. “Or most of it, from what I’m assuming.” She glanced in my direction. “That’s why this mission is so hazardous.”

“Gods, woman. You should’ve told me!” he argued back, but she silenced him with a withering look. “I knew about your mother, but your son carrying her power… How could you not share that? After all we’ve been through together?”

The thief’s lips thinned. “I’ve kept my past a secret for a reason.”

As Emelia continued to argue with Finn, I took stock of the commander. He stood frozen, his fists clenched, the muscles in his neck taut.

“It’s all right, Jude,” I promised, raising my voice so he could hear. “I’m fine.” He merely gave me his back, unwilling or unable to look at my face.

I couldn’t bear the thought of him blaming himself. He’d carried an abundance of shame and guilt, and finally, finally , when he let it all go and did something for himself, he was rewarded with more suffering.

Liam snatched my hand in his, hissing at the warmth I exuded, yet he didn’t let go.

My body burned even as I shivered from the cold. I wouldn’t last long in this state. Jude must’ve told him of our time in the Mist because he hardly appeared surprised. I was grateful I wouldn’t be forced to explain.

“We need to get going.” Emelia leapt in front of Jude as if protecting him from me . “The quicker we retrieve this talisman, the better. If the Moon God is truly after you both, then we won’t have much time. Especially if the king is hot on our trails , too.” To Finn, she added, “I’ll explain everything. I only hid my past to protect you.”

Finn’s hands were balled tight, the muscles in his jaw feathering. He was hurt, and I couldn’t blame him.

Before the Fox made for the horses, Arlo’s unexpected appearance returned to my thoughts.

“When I was…unconscious, I was visited by Arlo,” I said, knowing I needed to share, but having to force the words out regardless. “He claimed I Traveled . And maybe I did. I was soaring, flying in the form of a starwing over a ruined temple.”

Dimitri, who’d been a silent observer this entire time, sprang to life. He sighed, giving his disorderly bright orange hair a tug as he paced. “Traveled, you say?” he asked, whipping my way. I nodded , and he resumed his relentless pace. “I’ve heard that word before…something about shadow beasts. My village was closer to the border, and the elders claimed they’d seen the beasts before. A few of our young even went missing, vanishing in the night. No one could catch the beasts in the act , though. They moved without detection. I’ve always wondered how they did it…”

Meaning I’d been correct. I could shift, change my form , and push the natural order of things. I glanced away, finding Emelia’s eyes locked on me. No fear or anger radiated from her, and I was swept away by an odd sort of acceptance when she bit her tongue and faced a seething Finn. He had yet to come to terms with our situation.

I grimaced, hating to add to my companions’ fears. “He also said our enemy was near.”

Dimitri’s nerves were wearing on my own, and I wished he’d stand still. He didn’t. He huffed in annoyance and waved his hands around as if to say , Of course.

“Then you have to use that cursed blade on him.” Emelia’s attention landed on my sheath.

Protectiveness had me squaring my shoulders. “What are you talking—”

“Oh, as if I didn’t suspect what that dagger was immediately,” she cut me off and shrugged a shoulder, earning another groan of annoyance from Finn. “I’ve heard far too many tales of its strength against immortals. You were hardly stealthy concealing it. Besides, what’s the use of this talisman if we can’t release the god’s powers?”

“What did you get us into, Mistress?” Dimitri groaned, blessedly coming to a halt.

She knew. I wasn’t fooling anyone with wide eyes and weak deceptions.

“I have the blade that was used to steal Raina’s power,” I admitted for all to hear. “And Maliah and Lorian warned me that the Moon God wants to claim what lies within Jude and me. He’s set on destroying the possibility of bringing back the sun, which is why we need to use this blade on him first.”

It was a risk, divulging our secrets to the most famous thieves of the realm, but they had the right to know. Emelia took it all in without an ounce of emotion. I envied her for that.

“It has to be done , then,” she said to Jude. “My mother didn’t speak highly of the Moon God. I doubt much love was lost. But if he’s after you, he’s gonna try to catch you unawares. Meaning, we stick to the plan.”

“I agree,” Jake said, squaring his shoulders. “It’s time to gain the upper hand. For once.”

Emelia’s gaze never strayed from Jude. “Until then, we can’t have any repeats of…whatever this was.”

I looked out to the smoldering fields, to the still - burning trees. Jude was capable of unimaginable destruction. In the span of a minute, he’d demolished over half a dozen acres of woods.

“Jude,” I called out, demanding his attention.

Reluctantly, he turned, grimacing as though it physically pained him to do so. I doubted he’d been listening all that intently, his eyes glazed, his thoughts lost to the turmoil of his fears.

I wished I’d said the damned words back to him. That I admitted what grew inside of me every second I spent in his presence. But I hadn’t, and the time had passed, and Arlo’s words were a tumor growing inside of me, planting the seeds of doubt.

“We’re going to figure this out. And we aren’t separating. Not again.” I held his stare until he was forced to nod.

He didn’t like it, but he didn’t have to.

Jude might believe we were already doomed, but I maintained hope—however small—and I had to believe it would be stronger than the uncertainties I battled in my head.

The commander wasn’t my poison—

He was my cure.

…

We stayed off the main roads, which made the journey twice as long.

Throughout, my scar ached, but it didn’t warm as it once had. I attributed it to Jude keeping his distance.

Whenever I sought him, I’d find his head bowed, the hood of his cloak shielding his face.

On the rare times he did speak, it was with the Fox or her men. Dimitri whistled while he rode beside the commander. On any other occasion, Jude would’ve slapped the man off his horse.

Dimitri had stuck to his side shortly after we left the razed woods. His smiles were as genuine as before, if not brighter.

I realized why Emelia had brought him—he was the much-needed calm in their trio. That was, aside from his momentary panic in the clearing, which , to be fair, was expected.

Liam had briefly filled me in on all the chaos happening back home. I was stunned to hear how worried my parents were about my well-being. Maybe my shock was due to the assumption that they’d rather be free of me and my curse. They hadn’t exactly been…warm.

Once this was all over, I knew I’d seek them out. Maybe our relationship wasn’t beyond repair. The possibility added to the weak flames of my hope, its warmth just enough to keep me pressing onward.

I wasn’t afforded the time to ruminate over my parents for long. Finn kept me company, probably due to Emelia wanting to keep a close eye on us. Or he was still upset she’d kept secrets.

I found I didn’t mind his attention. He had a deep voice that worked to soothe, and he spoke more than any of us, including Jake, who’d been nudged up front, right next to the thief. She scowled at him whenever he attempted to open his mouth.

On the third day after encountering Jude and Liam, Finn told me the story of how he met Emelia.

“She was supposed to cut my finger off,” he said with a dreamy smile, staring farther up the path where the Fox led us. “I’d broken into her office and she caught me trying to steal some silly bauble that wasn’t worth the fuss, and instead of taking my finger like she was lawfully permitted, she slapped me on the back and said, ‘Your lockpicking skills could use some work.’ She laughed in my face before ordering me to take a seat.”

“She doesn’t seem to be the forgiving type.”

“Ah, that she is not,” he assented. “But only if you screw her twice. The Fox may be a notorious criminal rumored to lack a heart, but that woman has a soft spot for strays, and before I knew it, I was part of her pack. Though, if I had known she was Raina’s daughter, I might not have tried to steal from her in the first place.”

Finn barked out a laugh but carried on speaking of their ensuing adventures.

The robbery of the Parin armory in the south. The Conchetta ruby ring, which was supposedly crafted over a thousand years ago. The time they snuck into Lord Delonor’s fortress and stole the man’s golden timepiece right from his pocket, just for the hells of it.

Many of these tales began with boredom, the thief not easily kept still.

Only once did Emelia curve in her saddle and return his smile, brief as it was.

Like every evening since we reunited, Jude settled down as far from me as possible, facing the trees, giving me his back. I watched over the flames while everyone slept, unable to sleep until his breathing evened out.

Not once did he ever turn back.

“He’s trying to protect you,” Jake said the following day, nudging me with his knee as we sat beside the fire after everyone had gone to bed.

Another ten hours of travel had passed , and we were all worn to the bone.

“Same old story , then,” I huffed, crossing my arms and giving Jake a knowing look.

“I’ll kill him myself if he hurts you.” Liam plopped beside us, his pale blue eyes venomous. Jake’s lips curled up as he assessed the newest arrival, his eyes glittering.

“You used to be so very peaceful, Liam,” I said, shaking my head. “Did you really miss me that much?”

He scoffed. “You still have the largest ego I’ve ever known.”

“And yet you didn’t deny you missed me.” I slung an arm around my brother’s shoulder, tugging him close. He felt like a piece of home.

My other arm reached out and snagged Jake’s cloak, and I yanked him to my side. Whereas Liam groused, poking me in the ribs to free himself, Jake tightened his fingers and laughed, the sound deep and comforting and so pure, it nearly broke my heart.

Tomorrow we’d reach the temple, and I couldn’t fathom what we’d find.

Even as I studied Jude’s sleeping form, curled alone and away from the others beneath a low-hanging branch, I couldn’t shake the feeling that there’d be no happy ending for me.

I had always been a warrior, and warriors were born to die.