Page 47

The Ceremony

I t was a long three days holed up in our little run down home.

Having Sky there made things a little easier for me, especially at night.

But the others… well, they were going stir crazy.

Kuro most of all seemed to be getting twitchy.

He spent most of his days out in the small yard, practicing his swordsmanship by hacking at a tree and bugging the guards when he was bored of that.

Rhia practiced her fighting forms as well while Mira watched.

None of us talked much, worried about being overheard.

Kai was especially silent. He was the one I was most concerned about.

In the past, our fearless leader was always the one to bring us together, to tell us to look on the bright side. He had faith in each one of us that we could overcome anything in Cindersea. But now, after everything that had happened, he was little more than a shell of his former self.

I found him sitting alone on the back steps one evening, staring out at nothing in particular. The sun was setting, casting long shadows across our small yard. His shoulders were slumped, defeated in a way I’d never seen before.

“Hey,” I said softly, settling beside him.

Kai didn’t look up. “Hey.”

“Do you want to talk about it?” I asked, keeping my voice low enough that the guards wouldn’t hear.

He was quiet for so long I thought he might not answer. When he finally did, his voice was hollow.

“I believed in this,” he whispered. “In the RSB, in what we were doing. I thought we were making a difference, helping people. But it was all a lie.”

I nodded, unable to argue. The betrayal cut deep for all of us, but especially for Kai. He’d been our moral compass, the one who reminded us that our work mattered.

“I led you all into this,” he continued. “If I’d been smarter, more cautious?—”

“Stop,” I interrupted. “None of us saw this coming. Not even Sky, and he’s been here longer than any of us.”

Kai’s eyes finally met mine, filled with a sadness that made my chest ache. “What’s the point of any of it, Oliver? We’re just pawns. Expendable. Why would we have chosen to come to Cindersea if this is how we’re treated?”

I thought about what to say, how to offer comfort when everything he said was true. Before I could respond, the gate to our yard creaked open. We both tensed, turning to see who was entering.

It was Jeremy, the soldier who’d escorted me back from the dungeon. He glanced nervously over his shoulder before approaching us.

“The captain’s returning tomorrow,” he said without preamble, his voice barely audible. “Just thought you should know.”

Kai straightened. “Why are you telling us this?”

Jeremy shifted uncomfortably. “Because it was an order. And if I don’t want to end up like you lot, I have to follow them.” He paused, staring down at the ground. “I’m not supposed to tell you this but… there’s some sort of ceremony planned. For you.”

“A ceremony? Like what?” I asked skeptically.

“I don’t know,” he replied, already backing toward the gate. “Do with that information what you will. You didn’t hear it from me.” He stopped only for a second or two, glancing back at us. Then, shaking his head, disappeared beyond the gate.

After he left, Kai and I exchanged looks.

“What was that all about?” Kai asked.

“I don’t know. He said something odd in the dungeon, almost like he didn’t agree with the captain. But he’s… scared. We’re all scared,” I muttered, staring at the gate where Jeremy had disappeared. “But at least he’s warning us.”

Kai ran a hand through his hair, his eyes suddenly more alert than I’d seen in days. “A ceremony... that can’t be good.”

“No,” I agreed, lowering my voice further. “I think we need to tell the others. Prepare somehow. ”

We headed inside, finding everyone gathered in the main room. Sky was leaning against the wall, his arms crossed, while Rhia and Mira sat huddled together on one of the worn chairs. Kuro paced restlessly, his fingers drumming against his thigh where his sword would normally hang.

“We need to talk,” Kai announced, his voice stronger than it had been in days. “All of us. Now.”

Everyone looked up, surprised by the sudden authority in his tone. I felt a flutter of relief seeing a spark of the old Kai returning, even under these circumstances.

“The captain returns tomorrow,” I explained, keeping my voice low. “And apparently there’s some kind of ceremony planned.”

“What kind of ceremony?” Mira asked, her blue hair falling across her face as she leaned forward.

Sky pushed off from the wall, his ears twitching alertly. “Nothing good, I’d wager. Public executions aren’t uncommon for those who cross the RSB.”

“Don’t say that,” Rhia snapped, her arm tightening protectively around Mira’s shoulders.

“We need to face reality,” Sky growled back. “Boromia isn’t bringing us out for a feast and celebration.”

“Actually,” I said slowly, a chill running down my spine as pieces clicked together, “he might be doing exactly that.”

All eyes turned to me.

“Think about it. If he wanted us dead, he could have killed us in the ruins. Or had the guards do it here, quietly. But a public ceremony? That’s about something else.”

Kai nodded, understanding dawning on his face. “Control. Image.”

“Exactly,” I agreed. “The RSB needs to maintain their reputation. If they just made us disappear after we dropped all that gold, questions might be asked. But if they make a show of it?—”

“They control the narrative,” Sky finished, his blue eyes meeting mine. “Make themselves look good while ensuring we never talk out against them.”

Kuro stopped pacing, his face contorted with anger. “So what, we’re supposed to smile and wave while they take credit for our work? After they nearly killed us?”

“I think that’s exactly what they expect,” Kai said grimly. “They’ll spin some tale about how they guided us to success, how we’re examples of the RSB system working perfectly.”

I thought of the skill books in the dungeon, the necromancy spell I’d accidentally learned, and the orb that had marked me as the Twilight’s champion. None of those things could ever be mentioned again if we wanted to stay alive.

“All the while holding the threat of execution over our heads if we step out of line,” Sky added, his tail swishing agitatedly. “It’s a perfect setup. We play along or we die.”

“That’s not right,” Mira whispered, her eyes wide with fear. “They can’t just... use us like that.”

“They can and they will,” Rhia said quietly, her strong hands clenched into fists. “The question is… what are we going to do about it?”

The room fell silent as the weight of our situation settled over us. I glanced at Sky, finding his intense blue eyes already on me. Something unspoken passed between us… a shared understanding that we were truly trapped. As far as I could see, there was no way out.

“We could run,” Kuro suggested, his voice uncharacteristically serious. “Tonight, before the captain returns. There must be a way past the guards.”

Sky shook his head. “And go where? The wildlands? We wouldn’t last a week. And any other settlement would just send us back to Selas or kill us themselves.”

“So, we just surrender?” Kuro snapped, his face flushing with anger. “Let them parade us around like trophies?”

“For now,” Kai said, his voice cutting through the tension. Everyone turned to look at him, surprised by the sudden authority in his tone. “We play their game. We smile. We nod. We act grateful. And we survive.”

“And then what?” I asked.

Kai’s eyes hardened, a determination I hadn’t seen since before the dungeon lighting them from within. “And then we find a way to expose them. Not immediately, not rashly. But eventually.”

“That’s suicide,” Sky muttered.

“Maybe,” Kai acknowledged. “But it’s better than living as puppets for the rest of our lives. Which, if the captain has his way, won’t be very long, anyway.” He paused for a moment, his gaze locked on Sky. “And it’s the right thing to do.”

I considered Kai’s words, feeling a strange mix of fear and conviction rising within me.

The Twilight god had chosen me for a reason.

To restore balance. Perhaps this was part of what needed balancing in Cindersea.

The corruption and exploitation at the heart of the RSB was clearly out of control.

Maybe it was time for us to set it right.

“I’m with Kai,” I said finally. “We play along for now, gather information, build our strength. And when the time is right... ”

“We strike,” Rhia finished, nodding firmly.

“This is insane,” Sky growled, but I could see the resignation in his eyes. He knew as well as any of us that there were no good options left.

“Maybe,” I admitted, moving to stand beside him. “But it’s our only chance.”

Morning came too soon, the early light filtering through our dirty windows as I stirred from sleep. Sky’s warmth was pressed against my back, his arm draped protectively around my waist. For a brief moment, I allowed myself to savor the feeling before reality crashed back.

Today was the day.

I gently extricated myself from Sky’s embrace, watching as his wolf ears twitched in his sleep.

Even unconscious, he seemed alert, ready to spring into action at the slightest threat.

My chest tightened with a mixture of affection and fear.

Not for myself, but for him. He’d already lost one party to the dangers of Cindersea.

I couldn’t bear the thought of him losing another.

A soft knock on the main room door startled me. Kai poked his head in, his expression grim.

“They’re here,” he whispered.

Sky’s eyes snapped open immediately, alert and focused. He sat up, running a hand through his disheveled hair.

“How many?” he asked, already reaching for his clothes.

“A full escort,” Kai replied. “Captain Boromia is leading them personally.”