Page 28

W hen I woke the next morning, there was a chill across my skin.

My body had curled in on itself against the chill of the morning air.

My hair was wet, plastered to the side of my face from the morning dew.

I squinted my eyes against the rising sun and startled when a figure came into focus before me.

She stood tall, her arms crossed over her chest, her raven black hair falling down her back. She crooked a brow at me as I pushed my back against the tree I had fallen asleep beneath the night before.

“Seriously?” Kenna asked, reaching down to offer me her hand.

I gratefully took it, standing to brush the pine bristles off my clothing.

My entire body ached. From running from Nikolai, from pulling on my magic, from breaking my own heart. I stretched, the muscles complaining as I raised my arms towards the sky with a groan.

“I couldn’t make it any further last night,” I explained, stifling a yawn. “I was utterly exhausted. I can’t tell you how thankful I am to see a friendly face.”

Kenna nodded, a smile lifting the corner of her lips.

“And you thought nobody would find you here?” she asked, glancing around.

All that surrounded us was the forest floor, the clearing visible ahead that would lead to the first river crossing towards the cabin.

I nodded. “Not many other options, I’m afraid.”

Kenna’s smile fell, her expression turning grim. “I take it things didn’t… go well? When you escaped?”

I shook my head, my gaze falling to my worn boots. That was an understatement. I bit my lip, holding back the swell of emotion that threatened to spill forward. I wasn’t ready to unleash all of that yet. I needed to get back to the cabin first.

Back to Tess.

“You can tell me all about it on the way back. The others are waiting.” She nodded her head towards the clearing before taking off, not glancing back to ensure I followed.

Kenna had always had a brusque nature, but I enjoyed that about her. She was all business, no fluff. I inhaled deeply to steel myself before I trailed after her.

“Were you on patrol?” I asked, raising my hand to shield my eyes from the sun as we entered the clearing. The sun beat down mercilessly overhead, but I welcomed the warmth as it pooled against my skin. Last night on the forest floor had been so cold.

“I was on the night patrol, almost packed it in and headed back before I spotted you,” Kenna explained.

“We’ve all been taking turns—we haven’t stopped searching for you since the moment you were captured.

The resistance has been out in full force, too.

Though I’ll happily report to Zion, they can return to hiding. ”

“We all?” I asked, a morsel of hope growing in my chest that Tess and Puck were back at the cabin, too. That it would only be a few more hours before I would see them.

Kenna nodded. “Tess and Puck returned about two and a half weeks ago. They explained that the Noctani had taken you. I have to be honest… we weren’t sure we were going to find you, Diana.”

A humorless laugh escaped my lips. “I wasn’t sure I was going to be able to escape.”

“And all in one piece?” she asked, slowing her pace to walk by my side. She raised her brow at me in question.

“Yes, all in one piece. My unruly and unpredictable magic remains intact, thankfully.”

Kenna’s lip turned up in a half smile. “Good.”

“When did you and Saanvi return from The Shadow?” I asked, lowering my hand once we had walked under the cover of trees in the forest beyond the clearing.

“When you didn’t return with the Dragon’s breath, we went searching for you,” she replied, glancing at me out of the corner of her eye .

My gaze remained fixed on my boots, watching the path before me.

“And did you find Tess and Puck?” I asked.

She nodded. “We did. We caught up with them, then returned to the cabin to let Zion and Annelise know what had happened. Then we sent patrols out immediately. Tess wanted to go after you herself, but we didn’t know where to begin searching.

We thought to use a locator spell, but all your things remain back at the underground in Siraleth.

You hadn’t left anything behind in the cabin that we could use to track you.

The grimoire itself wouldn’t work for such a spell, not truly belonging to anyone. ”

I nodded in understanding.

“I wouldn’t have wanted you to come after me without reinforcements, anyway. They took the three of us down as if we were nothing . As if we were merely toy soldiers. Knocked Puck out, and Tess too, before taking me.”

“Where did they bring you?” she asked.

I thought for a moment. “I’m not exactly sure.

It was a remote location in the northwest corner of Akra, in a home taken over by the Noctani.

I’m not sure what happened to the previous owners, but it was outfitted with a dungeon in the basement.

There were cells.” A chill crept over my skin at the thought of the cold, damp concrete I had slept on those first few nights.

“It appeared they had been there for some time.”

“Would you be able to lead us back there? To the house?” Kenna asked .

I shook my head. “I don’t think so. I left in a… hurry. I wasn’t thinking those first few miles. I’m not sure I’d be able to find it again even if I tried.”

I never wanted to return there, not even to find Nik. After everything that had happened, it felt as if leaving him was a betrayal in and of itself. The guilt of that and everything that we had done while I was captive sat heavy in my gut.

“And… you’re ok?” Kenna asked, her eyes on the marks at my neck. My wrist.

I pulled the tunic up around me, covering the bite marks that were surely bruising by now.

“I am,” I assured her, my smile tight.

“You have nothing to be ashamed about. Nothing to hide from us. You are a fighter, Diana. A survivor. Whatever you had to do to survive, it doesn’t matter now. You’re here. You’re safe. And you still have your magic.”

I nodded tightly in agreement, though I wasn’t ready to believe the words quite yet. I hoped I felt that way someday… but guilt and shame stirred heavily in my core.

“Saanvi is ok?” I asked, my gaze meeting hers once more, changing the subject.

“She is. She’s a fighter, that one. Just like you,” Kenna replied with a wistful smile.

“I’m happy for you two. I didn’t know—” but Kenna cut my words off as she raised her hand.

“Nobody knew,” she said. “We didn’t want to tell anyone. But seeing her there, the throwing knife so close to taking her life, I didn’t care in that moment who knew about us. Only that I needed her to be ok. ”

“I’m happy for you. The both of you.” I smiled, relieved I could find something genuine to be happy about among this mess of a situation we had found ourselves in.

“Thank you.” She smiled, a dimple popping on her left cheek.

We had reached the river crossing and while I was filthy beyond belief, we didn’t stop to bathe. I was anxious to get back to Tess and Puck. I was still weak, and Kenna helped me across the water, the tide pulling against me and threatening to sweep me downstream.

My pants were soaked through, my boots squeaking with each step I took.

The second river crossing couldn’t come soon enough.

The sun was high above us now, the birds chirping as we delved deeper and deeper into the forest. Kenna’s eyes watched the sky, and I knew she wanted to take her raven form, craved taking to the skies to glare down from above.

But she remained beside me to guide me back.

“Did you… ” I started—not sure I wanted the answer to the question I was about to ask. “Did you return to Alastir after you found Puck and Tess? Did you finish the antidote?”

The ghost of a smile crossed Kenna’s expression. “We did.” Her words were tight.

I cocked my head to the side in confusion as a swell of emotion burst in my chest. “That’s great news, so why does it sound as if you aren’t too happy about that?”

“You’ll see. I’ll let Tess explain.” She averted her gaze and my stomach dropped.

“What is it?” I asked, grabbing her arm to stop her .

I couldn’t wait until we got back to the cabin. I had never been a patient person, and news like this would eat me alive inside. If something was wrong, I needed to know.

Now .

She scooted out of my reach. “I don’t know all the details.” She motioned for us to continue. “We are almost there—I promise Tess will explain.”

I nodded skeptically, eyes narrowing. “They brought the Dragon’s breath back to Alastir?”

“They did,” Kenna replied. “Puck thought Tess was insane that she stopped to collect even more of it before returning. All he could think about was notifying the others that you had been captured. But Tess insisted you would never forgive any of us if you didn’t complete the spell and bring enough of the ingredient back to Alastir to complete the spell. ”

A single laugh escaped my lips. “She was right. This can’t all be for nothing. We need to save Nik and Isaac. That is the priority right now. Has there been any sightings of Donika or her men?”

Kenna shook her head. “We had assumed she had sent the Noctani force after you and withdrew the other soldiers once news got to her that you had been successfully captured. But they never brought you to her?”

I shook my head, my brow furrowed. “No. It’s… complicated.”

Her eyes traveled to the marks on my neck once more. “I can only imagine.”

Her gaze wasn’t judgmental, it was understanding. As if she would have made similar choices had she been in the same situation. I was thankful that Kenna had been the one to find me.

I had left the seaside cabin with such haste, and on bad terms with my mother. I was anxious to see her again, too. I wanted to ask her about the bar maid I ran into who knew her and Amiyah. I had enjoyed a rare bit of hospitality in Akra, and I wondered at the connection between the two of them.

The soft breeze mussed my hair as the sounds of the ocean crashing against the rocks filled my ears. We were close now.

My muscles were so sore I couldn’t wait to take a long, hot bath in the little tub at Amiyah’s house. I knew we would be calling a council meeting right away, but I hoped I had at least a few moments of rest to clean up before we did.

As we neared the clearing and the trees grew sparser, we were spotted.

Puck shouted to the others something I couldn’t quite make out from this distance.

A figure was running through the sand, barreling straight towards us.

Tess reached me and practically crashed into me, knocking the air from my lungs as her body slammed against mine, holding me tight to her chest.

“Diana. Thank the Mother you’re ok,” she breathed, squeezing me as tightly as her arms would allow.

“Can’t. Breathe.” I bit out between staggering breaths.

She laughed, releasing me only enough to gaze into my face.

“Diana, you had us so scared. You have no idea how happy I am to see you.” Tears filled Tess’s eyes as she pulled me to her once more .

“You have no idea how happy I am to see you ,” I told her, squeezing her back.

The tears that I had held back since leaving Nik spilled forth now, soaking through the material at Tess’s shoulder and leaving behind stains of dirt and salt. A sob racked my body as she held me tightly.

Kenna left us, allowing us a moment alone at the forest’s edge.

Tess held me there for a long time while we cried. I let everything out until there was nothing left, and I was dry and empty once more.

I wasn’t sure how many more times I could do this.

My heart was fragile beyond reason. My emotional cup was pretty empty right about now.

Donika would pay for this. She would pay for almost breaking me. She would pay for the torment she put me through. Her reckoning was coming, and it would come at the end of my blade.

I pulled away only enough to see into Tess’s eyes once more.

“Please tell me you have it,” I croaked. My words were fragile. Brittle.

Tess’s expression turned downcast, and my heart threatened to stop beating in my chest.

“Tess? Kenna said you had it… ” My words were a plea. A prayer.

Please have it. Please. I can’t take any more disappointment.

She nodded solemnly. “We have it. ”

My brows knitted together in confusion. “Then what’s wrong? Why doesn’t anyone sound happy about that?”

Tess took a steadying breath, her grip tight on my shoulder as her gaze roamed over my face, taking in my appearance. The dirt on my clothes. The stains on my pants. The ill-fitted clothing I had stolen from Nikolai. The marks on my neck. The purple bruises that had begun to fade on my face.

“We have the antidote, but there’s a catch. And you’re not going to like it.”