ã€ŠAs The World Catches Fireã€‹


 Chapter 1: The Teeth

    My horse¡¯s nostrils spilled steam in the glacial air of the Teeth. Beside me, seven more riders trudged their way through the heavy snow, clustered together in a defensive pact, laden with enough supplies to last us more than a week in these godforsaken mountains.

    From out of the fir trees, our scout Yulia rode up to me. Under her frost-stuck red scarf, her eyes matched the pale clouds. ¡°We¡¯re taking the pass!¡± she shouted over the howling wind. Her words hit me like a club to the stomach.

    I yanked my reins, my horse snorting angrily to a stop. ¡°What? With only one bonder?¡±

    ¡°That pass is the only way we bond a new daemon before that storm sweeps us away. We take it or go home empty handed.¡±

    ¡°But¡ª¡±

    ¡°Those are the Captain¡¯s orders, Kain. He has faith in you.¡±

    I nodded stiffly. So be it.

    ¡°Have a fetter ready,¡± warned Yulia.

    We wound our way down the path, my hands frozen to the reins.  We¡¯d been in the Teymur?in Mountains¡ªthe Teeth, most called them¡ªfor a little over three days, and we had yet to see any daemons. The pass to Tahir Vos would bring us a daemon with absolute certainty, but it wasn¡¯t the sort of path one took unless they were desperate. Too much could go wrong.

    I fell to the back of the pack. Captain Shokarov led us, a red plume in his helmet. Behind him rode six soldiers, clad in the grey-and-black uniform of the Canavar Archon¡¯s military. Some trained their hands on the pommels of their runic swords, some kept their ironbows at the ready.

    Three of our squad, like Yulia, were masters. Behind their horses, robed and hooded in black, their daemons followed: two humanoids, the third a hunched figure with six scaled limbs. Even trained properly, the horses snorted in fear whenever the daemons came too close. Like us, they knew the daemons were savage, dangerous things. Every creature alive could feel it.

    The mountain path wound down sharply. Near the bottom, it vanished between two cliffs, the space between them trapped in blizzard. I gathered myself. We wouldn¡¯t get through that pass without a fight.

    ¡°Kain!¡± Captain Shokarov shouted. ¡°Where¡¯s that fetter?¡±

    ¡°In progress, sir.¡± I patted my horse¡¯s neck and leaned in to whisper ¡°Vorsa.¡± Walk.

    I closed my eyes and released my reins. I needed to concentrate.

    From the place I locked my memories, caging them in unyielding iron, I drew a bond.

    Sage Jawahir¡¯s tutelage hummed within me, filling my blood like a bottle of liquor. My head spun, my tongue felt packed down with cotton balls. The roar of the wind dampened to a gentle rush; if I listened close enough, I could hear the snowflakes in the air, the slight crackling of frozen earth, the heartbeats of voles buried deep below.

    With a strangled gasp, I tore off my glove. Searing through my skin, a fetter glowed on my palm: a scarlet circle rimmed with ancient glyphs, spinning slowly. White-hot pain shot from the fetter up my arm, threatening to black out my vision, but I bit back the void. I had a responsibility first. Without me, my fellows might not make it through that pass.

    Few had my gift. Few hated the daemons enough to desire it.

    The pass squeezed us tight. Yulia rode beside me, her daemon not four feet away from my leg. He was a unique sort, his appearance almost disarming. Artem was a being of fire, but his outer shell was a facsimile of a handsome young man, his skin a pale cornflower blue and his hair in loose black curls around two ram¡¯s horns. It wasn¡¯t until you saw his eyes that you were reminded of the true monster beneath¡ªburning like the pits of hell, flames curling where there should have been an iris and pupil.

    I could feel the bond between Artem and Yulia. Even if it was invisible, only a tether of magic, my fetter screamed against its presence. Artem was already claimed. The fetter did not want him.

    ¡°Is he bothering you?¡± Yulia asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m that obvious?¡± I choked out, trying to hold onto the fetter. It lashed at me, furious for bringing it so close to Artem.

    Yulia looked at me with pity. ¡°Is there anything I can do?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡ª¡± I gritted my teeth against a wave of fire up my arm. ¡°I can hold it for now.¡±

    Yulia reached out and touched my shoulder, and I tried to focus on the gentleness of it, at the way my friend cared for me. The daemons could not feel that. They couldn¡¯t know affection, or joy, or love, or any of the pain that came with them. I had to hold on. Yulia should not be here. None of us should be. The daemons did this to them¡ªto me. They forced us to arm ourselves, to bind monsters to our very souls to keep our home safe.

    ¡°We¡¯re grateful for you, Rozin,¡± Yulia said. Her use of my first name while on duty startled me enough to act as a distraction, even just for a second.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± I gasped.

    Yulia raised her arm, and Artem stumbled. ¡°Away from Kain!¡± Yulia shouted, and with a single leap, Artem was suddenly on the other side of the riders. One of the horses reared in alarm from his appearance, almost bucking its rider.

    The laughter of my squad let me keep my head clear, solidify the burning fetter. Joy. Laughter. Beautiful, human things.

    A new soldier rode up beside Yulia and I. Rafiq was only a few years younger than us, maybe nineteen at the most. He¡¯d joined our squad last week with commendations, and with news that he was to be given a bonded.

    ¡°Captain says I should stick close to you, Kain,¡± said Rafiq. ¡°How far away can you bond from?¡±

    Yulia spoke for me. ¡°Kain is one of the longest shots I¡¯ve worked with. She can get you twenty feet, maybe more if you hold still.¡±

    Rafiq¡¯s face fell. ¡°That¡¯s long?¡±

    ¡°You signed up to bond with a daemon, and you¡¯re afraid of getting near one?¡± I asked.

    ¡°No. I¡¯m afraid of it dicing me.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry yourself too much, qarma.¡± Brother. ¡°I¡¯ve never lost an enlisted before.¡±

    At the word in our shared mother tongue, Azherbali, Rafiq¡¯s shoulders slackened. ¡°Thank you, baszi.¡± Sister.

    His first day in our group, Yulia had heard our exchange and mistaken Rafiq for my true brother. We were similar enough¡ªwe shared the black hair, sandy skin, and long eyes of most Azherbi¡ªeven if where he was boyish and soft, I was sharp. Hardened from years in the military, from travelling over snow and sleet and harsh terrain. Always on alert for what might lurk around the corner. Like a hawk scanning the ground for a mouse, Yulia once told me. Waiting to strike.

    Our group halted.

    ¡°Above!¡± Captain Shokarov shouted. His daemon¡¯s head snapped up, staring at the lip of the canyon.

    My fetter almost purred.

    ¡°Yihasi!¡± shouted one of the enlisted, a Mehraki master.

    ¡°Daemon!¡± shouted Yulia.

    For a second, our group waited motionless. A dark shape paced the edge of the canyon, kicking down shards of sharp grey stone. There was no way to tell what type it was. I squinted against the sun, trying to determine if it had wings, or a tail, maybe the colour of its skin.

    The daemon struck.

    In a blur, it dove the sheer canyon wall and slammed into the powdery snow. I struggled to stay in my saddle as my horse screamed and bucked, backing away from the monster before us.

    The daemon pushed to its feet. In some ways, he might have been a man¡ªhad it not been for his grey skin and pitiless black eyes, filling his sclera. From his back, two leathery wings stirred up flurries, pumping up a hoarfrost wind.

    ¡°Elemental!¡± Captain Shokarov shouted. And just the type we needed¡ªwinged, tall stature¡ªfodder for the archon¡¯s personal protectors. ¡°Ice! Kain, get that fucking fetter on it!¡±

    But our group was already in disarray. The daemon¡¯s wind was so cold it sucked the breath right out of me, every drag a squeeze of pain. I struggled to move, but my clothes felt frozen solid. Useless. I was useless.

    Horses screamed. Someone shouted.

    Distantly, I saw Yulia drop from her horse, a flash of blonde hair and Canavar grey, rolling as she hit the ground. She whipped her arm in an arc, hand curled like a claw.

    Artem slammed into the daemon.

    Yulia¡¯s eyes were all I could focus on, tracking Artem in hasty flicks and spins. Artem spun with the daemon in the snow, hissing and spitting, vanishing in a cloud of white and churning wind.

    The cold broke. I fell forward in my saddle, gasping. The fetter no longer hurt. It sang and hummed, pulling towards the un-bonded daemon. I dug my heels into my horse, but it wouldn¡¯t move any closer. Despite its training, the poor animal was too afraid. Nothing we did could ever overpower its instincts.

    My feet sank into the snow.

    ¡°Kain!¡± Rafiq said, taking my wrist. His kind eyes were wide, frightened, but he smiled like a madman. If this worked, his lot in life would take a sharp upturn.

    The fetter hummed. Not long now.

    Our four masters and the soldiers stood as one, ironbows aimed at the daemon, blocking one side of the canyon. On the other side, their bonded choked the way through the pass. Artem still grappled with the daemon, lost in their contained blizzard. The daemon could free itself from Artem, if it were strong enough. But now it had nowhere to go. Our arrows were faster than its wings.

    ¡°Kain!¡± Captain Shokarov shouted. ¡°Get out of range!¡±

    I pulled Rafiq with me and made it clear just as Yulia screamed ¡°Burn!¡±

    Artem burst into flame.

    The canyon blazed with heat so fierce I had to shield my eyes with my arm. Rafiq clutched my hand for dear life. The fire grew hotter and hotter, spinning with the daemon¡¯s wind, until an inferno rose in a tight spiral, spitting out the top of the canyon. I began to sweat in my coat, the air so dry and hot I smelled burning hair¡ªthen it stopped.

    The inferno fizzled, and we found Artem pinned down by the daemon, its claws sunk deep in his back. I dared a look at Yulia. Her knees were in the snow, her face contorted in agony.

    ¡°Back!¡± the daemon snarled, the Novoski language like a bark from his black tongue. His void eyes slid over our coats¡ªover the emblem of the Canavar Archon, a white enamel wolf pinned to our chests. ¡°Don¡¯t move.¡±

    This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

    Our group froze. All I could hear was the rush of wind above the canyon and Yulia¡¯s horrible whimpering. We couldn¡¯t do anything. If the daemon pushed too hard, Artem would die. And so would Yulia.

    ¡°Wolves,¡± the daemon hissed. ¡°Hunted in a pack.¡±

    Captain Shokarov pulled his bow taut. ¡°You mean hunting.¡±

    The daemon pressed his foot down. Black blood seeped out of Artem¡¯s robes, and Yulia shrieked in agony, tumbling face-first into the snow. ¡°No,¡± the daemon hissed. ¡°I don¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°Now?¡± Rafiq whispered, trembling against my side.

    Our captain couldn¡¯t help Yulia, and neither could the soldiers. Only I could do something to save her. If we moved fast enough, we could separate that daemon from Artem.

    I nodded. My breath came in billowing clouds. ¡°Now.¡±

    Rafiq charged for the daemon.

    Those few seconds stretched an age: Rafiq¡¯s boots kicking up snow, the daemon¡¯s bemusement at a soldier charging for him empty handed, then seeing my hand and realising what I was about to do, his claws sharpening into ice, reaching for Artem¡¯s neck to finish him off ¡­

    And the fetter bursting from my hand in a flash of yearning light.

    A black chain, pulled from some ethereal plane, unspooled from within my palm and shot to the daemon; the fetter at the end of the chain screamed as it went, hungry, delighted, aching to snap up its prey.

    The daemon was a second too late. He tried to jump back, take flight with his black wings, but he was one foot too close to me. ¡°Andiya!¡± the daemon screamed, some language I didn¡¯t know, then the fetter closed around his neck.

    As soon as the fetter took the daemon, I felt him.

    Fear ran up the fetter, then confusion, then desperation. The senses of a caged, trapped animal, knowing it could not escape.

    I gripped the black chain, digging in my feet as the daemon bucked and pulled. He pumped his wings, trying to take off, but I held him to earth. The fetter put him at my mercy.

    But I couldn¡¯t delay. The chain was hardening, digging itself deeper into my soul. I didn¡¯t want a daemon. If I didn¡¯t give him to Rafiq soon, I¡¯d have one, and the emotions I felt from that daemon would be less of a trickle, more of a flood.

    ¡°Ready anytime, Kain!¡± Rafiq called to me, dancing in a wary ring around the daemon. The daemon lunged for me, his terror almost blinding me in white.

    I let the fetter rush through me, up my arm and across my chest, and a second black chain flew from my other hand.

    As it closed around Rafiq¡¯s wrist, I felt him too: his excitement, his barely contained panic, and something greater than the daemon¡¯s base instinct. Something human.

    For a brief moment, I experienced Rafiq through his eyes: I loved his mother, and his sister, and his lakeside house in Ardila Vos; I wanted to send money home, I wanted tell Fatimah that I loved her, but I never would, because she was married and nothing I could ever say would change that ¡­

    Then the two souls joined at my heart, and they snapped away from me.

    Rafiq and the daemon left my mind.

    All went still; the canyon seemed to pause, the wind falling to a gentle breeze, our group frozen as statues.

    ¡°Rafiq,¡± I said. ¡°Get your daemon off of Artem.¡±

    He didn¡¯t need me to tell him how. Rafiq could feel the daemon as an extension of himself now, vicious and wild, bonded by the fetter.

    His lanky body shaking like a dead leaf on a branch, Rafiq jerked his hand. The daemon, his face now blank and stupefied with the shock of his master¡¯s human emotions, leaped from Artem¡ªor rather, tripped from him.

    As soon as Artem was free, he sprung up and snapped back to Yulia.

    It always unsettled me, watching how bonded interacted with their masters. A daemon was a wild, sadistic thing. But a bonded was tamed, gentle. They became a part of the master they served, body and soul. People trusted the bonded, relied on them. I couldn¡¯t feel the same way. I could not forgive.

    Artem nestled Yulia against his shoulder, supporting her. Yulia¡¯s face was pinched in pain, but she fought against it. Artem would heal in a matter of hours, as all daemons did. Until then, she¡¯d feel his injury as a mirror.

    ¡°Everyone back on your horses,¡± Captain Shokarov said, breaking the unnatural silence. ¡°The longer we stay here, the longer we give another one of those bastards to find us.¡± He looked directly at me, that craggy, gruff face stern. ¡°And I¡¯ve never seen Kain manage more than two fetters in a day. The next time we¡¯re attacked better be our last, or we¡¯re gonna have a hell of a time getting through to Tahir Vos.¡±

    As my group mounted back up, and Artem helped Yulia into her saddle, I approached Rafiq. He hadn¡¯t moved from his spot.

    ¡°You all right?¡± I asked, a hand on his shoulder.

    ¡°He¡¯s so angry,¡± Rafiq whispered.

    He trembled under my hand. It would be a week or more before Rafiq learned to separate his mind from his daemon, and far longer before his daemon¡¯s emotions faded completely. A daemon¡¯s anger was a terrible thing to behold. I hoped Rafiq was strong enough to fight through it.

    I led Rafiq to his horse, waiting patiently as he struggled onto it, stiff like he was made of wood. As these things went, Rafiq was handling it well. Some new masters burst into tears, some gripped their hair and screamed, some fainted outright. Rafiq dealt with it the same way I¡¯d seen many others do: complete silence.

    As we rode through the pass, we all kept our eyes trained on the tops of the cliffs. One more daemon, and that was all I could manage. A third fight would be to the death.

    I drew another fetter, grinding my teeth against it.

    The pass widened. Deep cold had settled into my bones; the skin on my cheeks felt like it would crack from the frost burn.

    Rafiq pulled off his glove and pushed up his sleeve. His fetter was gone. Instead, along his arm, in shimmering black, a tattoo had wound its way up from his palm to the elbow. For every daemon, the design was different. Perhaps it said something about their origin or their abilities, or their names. I didn¡¯t know.

    Rafiq¡¯s tattoo was of clouds and sunbeams, a low castle rising from a sea cliff on his wrist. Blades rained down from the sky, piercing the palace, the sun and clouds, and the silhouettes of birds in flight. He turned his hand. On his knuckles were the outlines of black claws, their tips ending just below his fingernails. Tattooed outlines of dripping blood smeared his palm.

    ¡°You¡¯ll get used to it,¡± I said.

    Rafiq only nodded and tugged his glove back on, looking as though he might be sick. His new daemon trailed behind him, dazed. A tattoo had formed on him as well¡ªa black collar around his neck of ancient runes pressed between two thick lines.

    My horse¡¯s hooves crunched on dry dirt. I began to sweat in my coat. All around me, I saw my riders pulling at their scarves. One unbuttoned their coat.

    Where had the cold gone?

    Captain Shokarov held up his arm, and we halted.

    The bonded stirred. They turned in place, eyes seeking something, scanning the upper walls of the pass and the thin cracks in the rocks that broke off to other paths. Something was following us.

    After a quick whistle, we pressed onwards, this time at a faster pace. Around a corner, the pass ended.

    The wide expanse of the Teeth spread out below us, miles of snow capped mountains and sharp grey stone. Just at the edge of the range, a dark spot marked where the city of Tahir Vos lay, nestled in a valley. Only two days¡¯ ride, and in relative safety. Daemons were rare in the open mountains.

    We took one of the serpentine, winding paths that led down the mountain. The cold had all but dissipated. Unusual, for mid spring, especially in Azherbal. It was not until at least a month from now that spring would come to the mountains.

    My fetter purred.

    My heart skipped.

    ¡°Daemon!¡± I screamed, but too late.

    The snow melted all around us, hissing steam, as though poured over with boiling water. But where there should have been puddles, there was only dry stone, cracks opening under our feet as though the mountain was crumbling apart.

    Two soldiers jumped from their horses. Wind blasted over the mountains, hot and dry and stinging. An orange glow rumbled beneath the rock, peeking through the cracks, and the heat rose to a blister.

    ¡°Hold!¡± shouted Captain Shokarov. ¡°Stay together!¡±

    I threw my arm over my eyes.

    A blast of molten stone shot up from the ground, hissing through the cracks in a burning fan. Searing wind howled through me, sucking away the frenzied voices of my friends. My horse screamed and bucked. I held on, desperate, kicking its haunches.

    A flash of blonde hair galloped past me. Vents of molten stone hissed open everywhere, pouring steam and impossible heat, blinding me.

    ¡°Yulia!¡± I screamed, but she and her daemon were nowhere to be found. My sweaty fingers slipped on the buttons of my coat. I would faint in so much clothing. How was this possible? Where had this heat¡ªthis volcano come from? What manner of magic could do this?

    A dark shape stepped through a wall of lava.

    My horse reared, and I fell.

    I scraped my fingers on the rocks, pushing back as fast as I could, slipping on the ever-moving surface of the cracking mountain. A figure floated towards me through the orange-bright steam, a curtain of hair flowing behind her, whipping in the wind.

    ¡°Daemon,¡± I rasped, my throat dry with heat.

    ¡°Says you,¡± she spat.

    The world seemed to tilt on its axis as the realization hit me. She had made this lava, and this storm, and this searing heat. Whatever this daemon was, it was no lesser creature. She was something humans had not seen in our lands in decades; something that laced our history books with blood.

    But how? Why was a High Order in the Teeth?

    Run. Our only option was run.

    But she emerged from the steam, and I went loose.

    So close, I could see the rage on her features: the crinkle to her straight nose, her furrowed, sharp brows, her bared teeth behind dark painted lips. Over my fear, a curtain of magic clouded my senses. My panic died. My breathing stilled. Somehow, the daemon was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen.

    In a trance, I sat motionless on the ground. Her skin was a soft brown, and she dripped gold¡ªher thighs and stomach painted with shimmering outlines of leaves and tiny blossoms, her wrists and ankles and horns and ears adorned with bands and jewellery and rubies. Thin black horns twisted upwards from her head, ending in a point. Her bare feet did not touch the ground¡ªinstead, she floated just above it. A dark red panel of diaphanous fabric hung at her waist, a simple band of embroidered silk crossed on her chest, looped around her back and neck.

    My eyes lingered, caught by her hair: an impossible, dark crimson, so long it flowed to her waist in rolling waves. It was like a spell, drawing me in. I forgot where I was, what I had been.

    ¡°Where is he?¡± the daemon spat. ¡°I can smell his magic on you.¡±

    The harshness of her voice cut through the trance. I stayed silent, pulling my hand into my stomach. One shot. I only had one shot to make it out alive.

    ¡°Where is Khalid?¡±

    The daemon curled near. So close, I saw her irises were the same colour as her hair, her ears slightly tapered. ¡°I cannot feel Khalid. What have you done with Khalid?¡±

    ¡°I bound him,¡± I forced through my teeth.

    The daemon appeared confused, head cocked to the side. She glanced behind her, through the steam, where somewhere my group shouted and scrambled for order. Her lips partly slightly, curling breathlessly around the word bound. Then she understood¡ªher eyes snapped wider, a wave of devastation curling her shoulders down, tightening her hands into fists.

    ¡°Then you have killed him,¡± the daemon growled, and I knew that something had snapped. I scrambled away, finally struggling to my feet.

    A burst of lava erupted beside me, and I dodged, crashing back to the ground.

    ¡°My friend,¡± the daemon screamed. ¡°You killed my friend!¡±

    The mountain trembled, the ground hot to the touch.

    I pushed to my feet again and ran. It didn¡¯t matter what direction. Only away.

    The ground crumbled under my foot. I fell again and hit stone. My shoulder pulsed from the impact. A ring cracked the earth around me, trapping me in a burning cage.

    ¡°Did you enjoy it?¡± the daemon screeched. ¡°Were you proud to damn Khalid to hell?¡±

    The fetter threatened to jump from my palm. It seared, yearning to serve its purpose. ¡°Yes,¡± I said, and as the daemon lunged for me in a fit of rage, I let the fetter go.

    We had never been able to bind a High Order. That sort of power, that magic, could not be controlled. But I did not have a choice, if I wanted to live.

    The fetter closed around her neck, and a bellow of anger ripped from her throat.

    The daemon¡¯s consciousness hit me. Where Khalid had been flashes, only primal instinct, the High Order was an inferno. Her consciousness reared against the fetter, lashing out with tooth and claw and indignation. My hand burned red-hot. Fire laced my veins, burning through my skin, my mind, my mouth. Heated steel stabbed at my gut, molten rock poured down my throat.

    Fury. Righteous, untethered fury.

    I felt certain I would die from the pain. All I could do was hold on, keep my hand clenched around the black chain between us, ride out the bond.

    The daemons had taken everything from me. They would not take my life.

    Images flew behind my eyes. A hall of azure tiles. A verdant forest, teeming with fireflies. A pleasure tent filled with incense, blurred figures laying on pillows. A procession of lanterns dancing in a dark sky. A garden of pink blossoms, their petals puckered like lips. A gold-painted hand resting on marble, motionless, grey smoke pouring around the fingers.

    ¡°No!¡± the daemon screeched, and a burning wall slammed into my mind, shoving me back. I felt it pushing forward, trying to shove my thoughts from my mind, my being out from my own skin.

    My own memories came surging back. A village in chaos. My sister¡¯s face. Blood. Kamala¡¯s chestnut eyes, puffed from crying.

    I forced her out with my own wall of iron. This daemon would not know me. She would never know Kamala.

    There was no one around to pass this daemon to. No one to take the burden that I had never wanted. The fetter sank into my skin, tightening until flush. Part of me thought of cutting the hand off, of keeping that creature out of my head, my heart. But if attempting this meant that I might live, and I could continue to keep the innocent safe, I would bear it.

    With one last, furious blow, the wind abated. Steam wisped away. The stone cooled, the glow fading. A cool mountain breeze washed over me.

    The bond crawled up my arm, inking my skin: golden floral patterns, like those painted on the High Order¡¯s body, spring blossoms and rose bushes sharp with thorns, red berries that glittered like the ruby around her neck, a buck¡¯s head, a leaping tiger, vines twisted around curved daggers.

    A black collar inked the daemon¡¯s neck.

    She collapsed to the ground, writhing, clawing at it. Her sharp nails left deep scratches in her skin, grey smoke spilling from the wounds.

    The fetter held.

    Agony hit me so fast I could not hold myself against it. A spike sank into my heart, furious and lonely, so lonely that blackness filled my vision. A pitiful wail came from the High Order.

    You killed my friend, she had told me. And now I had killed her too.

    The burning cage broke, but I was too weak to move, to separate which limbs were mine and which belonged to her. I wished for home. I wished for Barje Vos, the small town I had grown up in, nestled against a sparkling lake. I wished for the clean, bitter-orange smell of my mother¡¯s room. I wished for the black bluffs of Kaelta, the salty ocean spray as winter waves licked the shore.

    I bit my tongue, and the twinge of pain shoved that memory back. Her memory. Not mine. I had never been to Kaelta, that brutal country owned by the daemons.

    When I could hardly remember my own name, I blacked out.

 Chapter 2: Tahir Vos

    Wood grated against my cheek as I came to. Shivering, I opened my eyes, only to slam them shut at the brightness of a midday sun.

    ¡°Rozin?¡± asked Yulia¡¯s worried voice. ¡°Rozin, are you awake?¡±

    The grating stopped.

    Feet crunched in snow, then gloved hands cupped my cheeks. Metal forced between my teeth and water filled my mouth, sweet and fresh and so welcome that I pushed up on my elbow and wrenched the bottle away from Yulia.

    ¡°You¡¯re alive!¡± she said, and when my eyes finally opened, I saw my entire squad surrounding me, mounted in a messy pack. They had tied me to a makeshift sledge, a wide board of rough wood lashed behind a horse with leather straps. Breaths curled in bitter wind. No one smiled but Yulia.

    I tore back my sleeve, exposing my right arm. Golden tattoos. It hadn¡¯t been a dream.

    ¡°Where is it?¡± I asked, because I could feel the daemon, somewhere deep in the back of my brain, like someone had lodged a stone in my neck. Cold. Hard. Unreadable, but ever present.

    Yulia looked to my left.

    Captain Shokarov¡¯s horse pulled a second sledge. The daemon lay on it, tightly bound in thin iron chains, her eyes closed. Her skirt, now torn along the hem, trailed behind the sledge, and her bare stomach flexed and twitched every so often from discomfort.

    They had not given her a coat, nor covered her in furs.

    Yulia must have seen my confusion. ¡°She¡¯s hot to the touch. We tried to put a coat on her, but she threw some kind of fit. Not awake, mind you. Just thrashing around. We didn¡¯t know what else to do.¡±

    I watched the daemon. Her chest rose and fell rapidly, her brow drawn, enraged even unconscious. She reminded me of when a wolf had once snared its paw in one of our traps, and once exhausted, how it had huffed into the snow, just waiting for prey to get close enough for a snap of its jaws.

    ¡°She hasn¡¯t woken at all?¡± I asked.

    ¡°No. I don¡¯t know why¡ªit¡¯s been two days. We¡¯re nearly at Tahir Vos.¡±

    I sat up sharply. ¡°Two days?¡± I croaked. I rubbed the back of my neck, expecting a protrusion, or even something hard under the skin. But I only found my spine.

    ¡°What do you feel?¡± Yulia asked.

    ¡°Nothing. I got flashes when we bonded, but none since. But she¡¯s there.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no connection between you? Can you feel her magic?¡±

    I shook my head. ¡°I haven¡¯t felt any magic. Wherever it is, I can¡¯t find it.¡±

    ¡°Can you determine her name?¡±

    I closed my eyes. At the back of my mind, that cold spot waited, immobile, impossible to crack. I pushed against it, trying to get something, anything, a memory or an image or a sound. Nothing.

    Yulia helped me to a stand, her concern badly hidden. I didn¡¯t have the courage to ask her what she thought.

    A High Order was new territory. The last humans who had tried to bind one ¡­

    I shivered. To most people, High Orders were only legends. They were the masters of the daemons, those who ruled in their savage countries. There hadn¡¯t been a High Order sighted in human lands in decades, and it had been even longer since we¡¯d tried to bond one. Their magic could not be tamed; it burned so bright and strong that it burned away any human that came too close.

    ¡°If you feel her taking over,¡± Yulia said, ¡°I need you to scream. Maybe ¡­ maybe Artem can weaken her in some way. Just enough to keep her out.¡±

    We began the trudge to Tahir Vos. Yulia offered me her horse¡ªthey hadn¡¯t found mine¡ªbut I refused. There was a restlessness in my bones that refused to abate. I didn¡¯t know if it was mine or the daemon¡¯s. I did, however, inhale every piece of dried meat and hard cheese they gave me. I was ravenous, more than I¡¯d ever been in my life.

    As we walked, I watched her. She stayed unconscious, twitching from some nightmare. The gold painted on her stomach had smudged from the iron chains, obscuring the patterns of vines and thorns. Still, as much as my stomach turned to admit it, she was beautiful. She had the softness only a life of comfort could give, the curves of a dancer. I wondered what she had been¡ªwhether she was from Kaelta, like the flash in her memory.

    Her hair had fallen from the sledge, dragging on the snow. Cautiously, I bent down and picked it up. It was so fine, falling through my fingers like silk, and warm¡ªYulia was right. Heat radiated from the daemon like a summer sun. I dropped the hair back onto her and moved away quickly, heart thudding. This daemon would be bonded with me for my entire life. Every day I would be forced to watch her, feel her in the back of my mind. I could not lose my focus, even if I felt her drawing my gaze.

    Yulia came to my side. ¡°I can¡¯t take my eyes off her,¡± she said. ¡°She¡¯s a bit ¡­ unexpected, don¡¯t you think? When I think High Order, I think ¡­ teeth. Horns, fur. Something more horrific. From the way people have described them, I never thought they could be so pretty.¡±

    ¡°Still a monster.¡±

    ¡°I guess.¡± She gave me a pitying look. ¡°We¡¯ve sent word ahead to the archon. The Korongorod will meet us at Tahir Vos.¡±

    Korongorod. Crown City.

    The blood drained from my face, leaving in its wake a terrible cold. ¡°And what will they do with me?¡±

    Yulia rubbed her thumb on my shoulder and shook her head. She didn¡¯t know.

    By mid-afternoon, we came to Tahir Vos. The small town was surrounded by thick, tall stone walls, around which was a crowd of grey tents flying the Canavar pennant. Due to its proximity to the Teeth, Tahir Vos had long been used as a rest-stop for several neighbouring nations. Traders from Etvia, Bel Arben, Novosk, and Mehrak all participated in pilgrimages here several times a year, finding deep-pocketed customers among the travelling Canavar soldiers. Most soldiers, however, were never allowed to pass through the town gates. There had been enough incidents with the locals that only officers and the like could expect to find a place within the walls.

    We paused at the edge of the tents, and one of our riders left to send word to the town council.

    ¡°Cover it,¡± the Captain said, and our riders pulled the High Order from her sledge. She slumped between them, still limp. They wrapped her in thick woollen blankets, covering her head, and carried her like a log between three of them. The Captain glanced at me. ¡°We don¡¯t need another archon getting word of this until we¡¯ve seen ours. He can decide our next steps.¡±

    ¡°So it¡¯s confirmed?¡± I asked. ¡°We¡¯re to meet the archon?¡±

    He nodded. ¡°Answer everything truthfully. He wants to know why you¡¯re alive.¡±

    I nodded respectfully, but a little voice in the back of my mind whispered so do I.

    We marched through the maze of tents. Among the grey and wolves of the Canavar pennants, I glimpsed a few dots of colour. Emerald and dragons for the Drahko Archon, dark orange and hawks for the Vizi Archon, and even the navy and white tigers of Seo Jie Go, the only independent nation that remained.

    Once, they had all been independent, but we were forced to change. To band together in defence of a common enemy¡ªthe daemons. We had suffered too long, grown too weak. And so the great nations of Itrera made a choice. We would no longer have kings and queens, nor would we stand alone against the daemon threat. Allies fused their armies, formed coalitions. They elected archons to act as their figureheads. And the new coalitions of Itrera declared that there was to be peace among all of humankind, and there would be peace as long as we lived.

    Near the gates of Tahir Vos, I felt heat prickle the back of my neck. My head snapped to the High Order. I saw her wriggling under the cover of blankets, and a hint of smoke forcing through the fabric.

    ¡°Hurry!¡± I shouted. We broke into a run, aware of the many eyes following us as we did. Panic wafted from us¡ªfrom our wide eyes, from our hushed but frantic voices. The gates swung open, and a middle-aged woman in simple civilian robes ushered us inside.

    ¡°We have a house ready for you,¡± she said. She rushed us through the back roads as smoke began to billow from the fabric wrapped around the High Order, holes burning their way through. We broke into a sprint. Tahir Vos was Azherbali in architecture¡ªmeaning everything we passed was built of a beautiful, if extremely flammable, pale wood.

    We burst into a small townhouse. It was sparsely furnished for temporary guests, only a small dining area near an open-hearth kitchen. The second the door closed behind us, my squad dropped the High Order unceremoniously to the floor. They gasped and panted in pain, their forearms raw with burns.

    As Yulia had told me, she was in some kind of fit¡ªclawing at the fabric, her fingers burning the wool, but her eyes still closed. I approached carefully and gripped the fabric, attempting to pull it away.

    The High Order¡¯s hand snapped around my wrist, and I was hit not with fire, but fury.

    The same anger I¡¯d felt when binding her ripped through me so fast I dropped to my knees. My lungs filled with lava, unable to draw breath. Molten iron poured over my skin, searing, reducing it to ash, forcing down my throat straight through to my heart ¡­

    I heard Yulia screaming my name, felt someone grip me around the stomach and pull.

    The fury vanished the second the High Order¡¯s hand opened.

    We fell back in a heap of limbs. The High Order had gone slack again, freed from the fabric. Yulia gripped my shoulders and forced me to look at her, her grey eyes searching my face.

    ¡°Rozin,¡± she rasped, ¡°Rozin, did she force in? Did you feel her trying to control you?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± I mumbled, gathering my scattered senses. ¡°Nothing like that. She only hates me.¡±

    Yulia pulled me to my feet. Silently, Artem came inside and handed me a flask of water. He bobbed his head in respect as I took it, then went to stand guard outside with the other bonded, where he would remain until Yulia called for him.

    The gravity of what I had done hit me like a brick to the temple. The High Order was mine. I would never be rid of her, never feel safe again. I would spend every moment of my life wondering if this was the day she took my mind, burned away my sense of self, and left me a smoking husk as she killed us both to end her suffering.

    Yulia could see the terror on my face. I thought I had managed to keep it flat, but she had always been able to tell.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take Rozin upstairs,¡± she said. ¡°She should rest.¡±

    Shokarov nodded. ¡°The High Order stays with me. I¡¯ll watch her.¡±

    Yulia took my arm and led me away, and I glanced over my shoulder. Our squad carefully pushed the High Order onto the stone outer hearth with fireplace pokers. Shokarov sent soldiers to fetch stronger iron chains. Nothing else would help, if a High Order woke up.

    We settled in a small room with a wide bed, and Yulia helped me unlace my uniform and boots. I curled under the heavy blankets, exhausted to the bone.

    Yulia lay beside me and twined her hand in mine. I squeezed back.

    ¡°You¡¯ll get through this,¡± Yulia whispered.

    ¡°And if I don¡¯t?¡±

    ¡°You will.¡±

    I pulled her hand, and Yulia met my eyes. ¡°I need you to promise me. Swear. If I lose my mind, I need you to ¡­ If I can¡¯t stop her, you have to.¡±

    Yulia¡¯s eyes hardened. She was a soldier. She was likely expecting this question, and she already knew her answer.

    ¡°If your mind is gone, then you are gone. I won¡¯t hesitate, you have my word.¡±

    *

    Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    Cold waves crashed against the black cliffs, the winter air smelling of salt and night-blooming flowers. It was quiet, for El-by-Sea, the palace glowing against the darkness like a den of fireflies. I opened my hand, and a ball of bright flame flickered in my palm, washing heat over me.

    A familiar voice spoke. I turned, and Khalid was frowning, his wings twitching in irritation. He began to admonish me for something¡ªbut for what, I didn¡¯t know, because I didn¡¯t know his words, this tongue. I shouted back. Words I never learned tumbled from my lips, raged like fire from between my teeth. My hand curled into a fist. Delicate, red-painted fingers. A wrist painted with gold.

    Not my hand. Not me. Her.

    I shot awake, gasping for breath. Yulia¡¯s hand wrapped my wrist, sleepily pulling me in. So I curled into her chest, trembling in my skin. I refused to fall asleep again.

    *

    In the morning, the High Order hadn¡¯t moved. Our squad sat around her, bleary-eyed from lack of sleep. They¡¯d watched her all night, and apart from a few random twitches, there was no sign at all that she¡¯d be waking up. Part of me would feel relieved if she never did.

    Tired to our cores, we bathed and changed into our dress uniforms. Mine was too tight around my arms and thighs, meant more for the slim, soft palace guards of the Korongorod. They didn¡¯t have the build of the field forces, the hardness that went with sparring and trudging through mountains. It wasn¡¯t by merit that one earned a place near the archon, but by birth. The children of lords considered it a great honour to serve where no real danger existed.

    I buttoned on a grey wool coat, tying a pale blue sash around the waist. The coat¡¯s sleeves and hem flared like a bell, ending just past my knees. I slid into slim black pants and polished, tall boots. As a bonder, I pinned a silver brooch of a chained wolf on my chest.

    ¡°Come here,¡± said Yulia, and I sat down as she fixed up my hair. She braided the upper edge of the shaved side of my head, and with a dash of fragrant oil, worked through the length down the other side. I closed my eyes as she carefully trimmed the shave, the familiar motion more comfort than I could tell her. When she finished, I did her long, single braid, cutting the ends that had become frayed and wind-cracked in the mountain cold.

    ¡°We¡¯re meeting the Korongorod beyond the city¡¯s edge,¡± Yulia murmured. ¡°The captain¡¯s clearing the way for us now.¡± She stood, her hands braced on my shoulders. ¡°No matter what happens, Rozin. I¡¯m here.¡±

    I nodded, unable to offer her any words of comfort in return. Field soldiers did not meet the archon. None of us knew what to expect.

    We approached the High Order. She lay on the hearth, just as motionless as when I¡¯d left her there the night before. Iron chains held her wrists, her ankles. My fingers prodded gently at the hard knot at the back of my neck. It was her, I knew. But how could I use it? How could I control her, as Yulia did Artem? How could I ensure she never broke me?

    I bent down, reaching out carefully. Power seemed to hum from her skin, the air thicker around my fingertips. The High Order didn¡¯t react when my hand rested on her shoulder.

    ¡°I kept watch,¡± said Rafiq. He looked ashen, his eyes drooping from exhaustion. Behind him, Khalid waited obediently, his expression vacant. The bond was holding him well. ¡°She doesn¡¯t seem any different ¡­ but we¡¯re not sure how to get her out of here. Not after she set herself on fire yesterday. Tahir Vos is ¡­ well, it¡¯s wood.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡±

    My squad watched tensely, hands on the pommels of their blades. But even as I slid my arms under her, and lifted her off the floor, the High Order remained unconscious. Her head lolled, warm scarlet hair spilling down my chest.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± I ground out.

    My squad surrounded me, weapons at the ready. We exited the small house to find the road completely clear, soldiers all along the edges. Captain Shokarov waited just outside the door, mounted on his black horse.

    ¡°After me, Kain.¡±

    My squad tightened around me, obscuring me from the townspeople¡¯s sight. Their eyes shifted nervously from each other to the High Order. None of us knew what she would do when she finally woke.

    We exited the town through the back gates. Soldiers had cleared a path through the merchant tents, giving us a clear way to the wheat fields and pastures beyond. Citizens gathered just along the path, peering curiously at our approach.

    A shout erupted from one of the merchants. We stopped in our tracks, my heart hammering. I turned.

    The Teeth rose behind Tahir Vos as a wall of grey and white, cutting into the wide blue sky. And from behind them, a massive shape soared out from the clouds, blotting out the sun. The Korongorod, capitol of the Canavar Coalition.

    It was as though someone has torn a chunk from the earth and hurled it into the air, where it had since remained. White towers pierced out from the rock, their balconies dripping with icicles. Shining walls rose in a spiral, growing taller the closer they reached the centre. Between them were all manner of impressive structures: guard spires, daemon eyries, great manor houses, temple steeples, guild halls, and pleasure houses for only the favoured among the Canavar elite. And around the main walls, lush strolling gardens and sparring fields perched along jagged cliff edges. A river poured from a garden¡¯s edge, its water vanishing into mist and dispersing into the air.

    At the Korongorod¡¯s peak rose the Frozen Keep, seat of the Canavar Archon. It was a ring of spires of carved white stone, cutting into the sky like ragged icicles. Its frost glittered in the sun, shards of ice clinging to its pale blue windows.

    Shouts of alarm rose from the camp. Merchants scrambled to shove customers from their stalls, soldiers rushed to fix their armour, civilians clustered together in open-mouthed wonder. I¡¯d glimpsed the Korongorod from afar several times in my life, but I never thought I¡¯d ever be this close. I could barely comprehend the size of it, the impossibility. Each of the archons had a city in the air, constantly roaming their lands to keep them safe from any daemon threat. But we had not built these cities. We¡¯d simply found them. They were remnants of a time before humankind; a time where the Creators walked Itrera.

    The Korongorod halted just at the edge of the tents, its shadow covering the fields below. Captain Shokarov whistled us forward, and we approached.

    Winged daemons leapt from the Korongorod¡¯s cliffs and dragged cables behind them, anchoring the city to the land below. Rock shot up from the earth, the magic of bonded drawing it forth, and gripped the cables, holding them down. From the belly of the Korongorod, a wide cavern set deep in the rock base, an odd shape came flying towards us. When it got closer, I could make out what it was: a metal platform with a guard rail, cables tying it to four winged daemons. They flapped their wings in unison, their masters standing in each of the platform¡¯s corners.

    The platform touched down before us, and we followed Shokarov onto it. The masters followed the High Order with their eyes, but they kept their mouths shut. Someone important must have ordered them to.

    ¡°Hold the rail,¡± said the captain. The masters raised their hands, and the platform took off.

    I stumbled in shock, but Yulia caught my shoulders. I could barely feel the wind, barely feel the motion of the platform as we sailed upwards towards the Korongorod. The High Order was still in my arms, the wind taking her hair like breath on flame. I couldn¡¯t feel her thoughts, anything but that hard spot at the back of my mind.

    The platform slid gracefully into a wide dock built into the Korongorod¡¯s base. We followed the masters up a winding tunnel, finally emerging onto a wide, open square. Palace soldiers lined it, weapons at the ready. Waiting in the centre was a trio of Eon guards.

    My heart skipped. If the palace guards were mice, the Eons were wolves. They were the personal guards of the archon and their family, and they followed orders from no one else. Thick grey pelts sat on their shoulders, their bodies encased in a tight uniform of black leather and elegant wool. Under their eyes, they bore the mark of Eons: two maroon spots, each said to be hand-pressed by the archon themselves.

    ¡°This way, Rozin Kain,¡± growled one of the Eons, a massive woman with a long braid of orange hair. A thick scar carved her face in two, giving her lip a half-raised snarl. A bonded daemon followed at her heels: a furred Bestial that hulked like a bear, its head and limbs fronted by shifting plates of dark bone.

    The guards parted for the Eons, and we passed through the Korongorod¡¯s hulking main gate. Icicles clung to every overhang, sharp enough to tear into anyone who dared get too close. Statues glittered with coatings of frost. Fountains were still, the water from their spouts frozen in glittering cascades. But it wasn¡¯t cold¡ªthe wind was a barely a light, warm breeze. That was no natural ice.

    A staircase cut straight up through the spiral wall, passing under archway after archway until it hit the Frozen Keep. As we walked, I felt eyes on me. Behind the rows of palace guards, wealthy guests peered at us. They all wore colours to impress the archon: pale greys or deep blacks, accents of dark leather, rough furs, gowns edged in silver piping. True patriots, if the eyes were to be believed. Come to see what their darling archon was making such a fuss about.

    I ignored the curious whispering and chatter. With the High Order unconscious, she easily passed for any common Elemental. I could already feel the speculation starting.

    My thighs burned by the time we reached the Frozen Keep. The gates opened, and I took a sharp breath.

    It was a massive receiving hall, but it seemed carved completely from ice. Intricate patterns of wolves, winter-blooming flowers, and mountains wrapped the pillars and vaulted ceiling, the lanterns casting everything in a cold blue. Chandeliers hung above me, ice dripping down from their arms, pale greenish flames flickering from their candles like trapped spirits. And at the end of the hall was a throne of what looked like bone¡ªmassive tusks protruded from its back, the seat draped with a pile of luxurious furs.

    I dropped to my knees, and I heard my squad do the same behind me.

    Archon Volkov stared imperiously from his seat. He was an older, strong-jawed man with silvering hair and small, hard eyes. A full wolf pelt sat on his shoulders, its head open-jawed on his chest. When he stood, layers of silver and grey followed him; embroidery told tales of conquest across his body, thin plates of leather armour shifted on his arms. But my eyes fell to the White Crown, the thing I had only heard of in legend. It was a ring of sharp icicles, fused together in an uncanny resemblance to the keep, each point a needle. It glittered as he moved, catching the light like the clearest diamond.

    ¡°This is the High Order?¡± Archon Volkov rumbled, and the Eons parted with a bow.

    ¡°Rozin Kain and her bonded High Order, Your Eminence,¡± said an Eon.

    The archon looked me up and down, slowly, a low sort of hatred in his eyes. I forced myself to stay completely still, rigid. My heart slammed. One wrong move, and the archon could order my death. He would be smart to do it.

    ¡°On the table,¡± he said dismissively, and a pair of bonded rushed a slab of marble in front of me. I lowered the High Order onto it, and the Eons motioned for me to step back.

    ¡°Remove your coat.¡±

    I took a steadying breath, and did as I was told. My gold and ruby tattoo shone against the lights, and the archon stopped in his tracks.

    ¡°It gave that to you?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Yes,¡± I croaked. ¡°Yes, Your Eminence.¡±

    ¡°How.¡±

    ¡°When I bound her, Your Eminence. I do not know ¡­ what it means. She has not woken since.¡±

    ¡°Curious.¡±

    Archon Volkov walked in a slow circle around me, transfixed on my tattoo.

    ¡°Your captain told me of your bravery, Bonder Kain. How you chose to risk your life to save those of your comrades, in spite of the overwhelming odds against your survival. You have the gratitude of your coalition.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Your Eminence.¡±

    ¡°It is my understanding that you are not able to see any of this daemon¡¯s memories. Is this still true?¡±

    ¡°It is. I have ¡­ felt some visions, Your Eminence. I cannot determine their meaning, however.¡±

    ¡°Then you shall work with our scholars to determine their meaning. This is an opportunity that will not be wasted.¡±

    Something shifted in the balcony to my right. A young, striking woman leaned against the railing, flanked on either side by a pair of Eon guards. A diadem of white ice rested on her long, silken black hair. Her gaze was the coldest thing in the room, backed by a pair of eyes so blue they seemed carved from the sky. The princess, if I had a guess. Irina Volkov.

    ¡°Why was it in Canavar lands?¡± said the archon.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, Your Eminence. I can¡¯t see her mind.¡±

    ¡°Not even its name?¡±

    A flare of heat spiked in that hard knot dug into my skull. I flinched. I could feel the indignation in that spike¡ªher indignation, not mine. It didn¡¯t appreciate being called so. I glanced at my daemon, but she hadn¡¯t even stirred. Could she really hear us?

    ¡°No, Your Eminence. She hasn¡¯t woken since the bonding.¡±

    ¡°So I¡¯m told.¡± The archon jerked a finger, and I extended my arm for him to examine. I kept my face flat as his fingers trailed along the golden tattoo, tracing the ruby-red berries and miniscule blossoms. He paused at the stag, brow curling. The archon went still. He barked at a bespectacled man across the room to come closer. ¡°Lionel! What do you see?¡±

    The thin, reedy man leaned close to my arm. He focused on a spot between the stag¡¯s horns, and I noticed something I hadn¡¯t before¡ªa tiny flame above the stag¡¯s head, disguised by the horns¡¯ pattern.

    ¡°Kaelta,¡± said the bespectacled man.

    ¡°Not just Kaelta!¡± the archon growled, low enough that the rest of the room couldn¡¯t hear.

    ¡°I¡¯m aware of that, sir, but the audience ¡­¡± He looked at me.

    ¡°Do you realise what we could do with this? The leverage it gives us, Lionel, if we were to¡ª¡±

    Like a coiled serpent, my daemon struck.

    One moment, she¡¯d been lying fast asleep on the marble slab, the next, leaping from it with her fingers extended as claws and her lips curled back to reveal a set of sharp canines. I could only watch as her nails sunk into the archon¡¯s chest.

    The hall erupted into pandemonium. Guards swarmed us, their winged daemons swirling around like a cloud of bats. Flames burst from the High Order, blasting Lionel and I back, shielding the archon from the guards. Iron arrows sunk into my daemon¡¯s back, but she didn¡¯t even flinch. Grey smoke poured from her wounds.

    It felt as though I watched it all through glass. I stood silently, struck dumb. Something held my thoughts back, kept me placid like a dog being patted on the head. Why did the guards have such a problem with this? The archon was an enemy to all daemon-kind. His soldiers had enslaved countless of us. He deserved to die.

    No.

    A glimmer of myself protested. Not us. Them.

    The daemon had forced her way into my mind. I¡¯d been too distracted by the archon to feel her burrowing through. She¡¯d made this calm, this glass. I had to break it. I didn¡¯t know how, didn¡¯t know what might free me¡ªso like I promised Yulia I would, I screamed.

    The high note became an anchor¡ªI latched my sense of self onto it, pulling. That was me. My voice. My terror, fury. Get out. Get out. Get out. Get out, get out, get out get out get out get out get out¡ª

    The daemon¡¯s concentration flicked to me for a moment, enough for her toss the archon to the ground, watching me like a predator over prey. Her nails were tipped with blood. I felt the small heat behind my head explode into fire. It burned down my spine, sending me to my knees.

    Searing heat blasted through the hall. Flames took the banners, the chandeliers, the furs on the throne. The High Order stepped towards me, and a wave of fire exploded from her step. It struck the guards and their bonded, threw the Eons against the walls. The guards¡¯ daemons seemed turned to stone. They dropped from the sky, one by one, and collapsed on the icy floor. A tendril of flame snatched my boot and dragged me towards the High Order.

    My daemon stood alone in the hall, the archon beside me.

    ¡°Stop,¡± I forced out.

    Blood seeped from the archon¡¯s chest, staining his front in red. He tried to crawl away, but his train was trapped under my daemon¡¯s step. She raised her arm. Fire burst from her palm, and it tightened, twisting and writhing, to form a single spike of white-hot flame.

    She drove it through the archon¡¯s gut.

    A wave of alien glee shot through my body. I felt the archon¡¯s heartbeat through the flames, flowing up to my hand¡ªno, damn it, her hand. Slowing, slowing. Stopped. Dead, dead. The bastard was stone, cold, dead.

    My daemon straightened, letting her head fall back and her eyes stare up at the icy ceiling. A small smile wound up her mouth, her arm slack at her side. The fire raged around her, waves of heat blowing on her scarlet hair. Guards bellowed, knocked their ironbows. My demon¡¯s eyes slid coolly at them. She flicked her finger. A spike of razor sharp fire impaled a soldier through the heart. Yulia stepped forward with her ironbow. Artem was unconscious by her boots.

    My panic exploded through the fire that held me down.

    I felt my voice ring through our bond like the thunderous rumble of an earthquake. ¡°Not her.¡±

    My daemon froze, her finger halfway risen to kill Yulia. Her jaw clenched, her face flushed. But she couldn¡¯t call her magic, because I held it in my grip.

    The word forced through my bared teeth. ¡°Stop.¡±

    The bond tautened and I pulled it with all my might, heaving her power towards me, digging myself deep in my mind where she couldn¡¯t pull it away. The heat wavered. My daemon¡¯s fire raged against me, burning up my spine and in my eyes, but I forced it back with a wall of cold, unforgiving black.

    My daemon¡¯s eyes twitched. She gripped her hair as though to pull me out through her scalp. Her arms jerked violently. Then, as the bond turned to an iron cage, she collapsed to her knees. A savage cry tore from her throat.

    The wind died. The fire winked out like a mirage.

    Black clapped my vision shut.

 Chapter 3: The Wolfs Den

    I was in the mountains, my magic carrying me through mile after mile of dreadful snow. The sun shone bright above me in a cloudless sky, stretching over endless, jagged grey and white. The wind tore at my hair, at Khalid¡¯s wings. Nothing could fly in this.

    Khalid stopped in his step. We listened. Humans, lots of them. Khalid leaned over a sharp cliff, and there they were. Soldiers in grey, mounted on horseback. Bonded followed in black cloaks. At the sight of a man with a plumed helmet, Khalid stiffened.

    We argued in a foreign tongue. The humans vanished down a tight pass. Anger clouded Khalid¡¯s eyes, his words. Venom spat from my lips, and I grabbed his arm. But Khalid flared his wings, and he yanked himself away, vanishing into the blizzard.

    I screamed after him, but I was alone in the snow. Fire burned over my skin in a wave. Snow hissed to steam around me. I followed blindly.

    Snow. A world in white, a world alone. Khalid screamed my name somewhere far away, lost to the mountains, to the cold.

    I snapped awake.

    My mind, my real name, returned to me. Rozin Kain. Soldier of the Canavar. Not a daemon. Not her.

    I was in some small, comfortably appointed bedroom of rich furs and dark wood furniture. Stone, frosted walls, ice along the windowsill. So I was still in the Frozen Keep.

    ¡°Rozin? Can you hear me?¡±

    I nodded, forcing myself to sit up. My head felt like it was splitting in two, that hard spot in my brain burning like a fireplace iron.

    Yulia gripped my shoulder. Artem pushed a glass of water to my lips. ¡°Drink. Eat. You need strength.¡±

    I did as she said, eating mouthfuls of rich pastry and cheeses as Artem handed them to me. I could barely keep them down. My head spun. My tongue felt like cotton.

    ¡°What happened?¡± I rasped.

    ¡°The archon is dead,¡± Yulia whispered. ¡°The High Order killed him.¡±

    I exhaled slowly. I¡¯d felt the archon die, felt the High Order¡¯s glee, shared it.

    ¡°Princess Irina has been named the new archon. I¡¯m told she will be officially crowned once the arrangements have been made.¡±

    ¡°Already?¡± I rasped. ¡°How long have I been out?¡±

    ¡°Only a few hours. It seems that Irina was already being groomed to rule, so the council decided to install her immediately.¡±

    My stomach flipped, and I leaned my forehead on my knees. I peered at Yulia through a gap in my hair.

    ¡°Where is she?¡±

    Yulia didn¡¯t need to ask who I meant. She bit her lip. ¡°After you both collapsed, the Eons chained her. The interrogators have her now. The High Order is ¡­ awake, Rozin. But not just awake. She can talk. Remember. It¡¯s like nothing we¡¯ve ever seen before. If not for the tattoo, I wouldn¡¯t think she were bonded at all.¡±

    ¡°What has she said?¡±

    ¡°Apart from a few choice curse words and promises to kill us, nothing much. But I¡¯ve seen her eyes. They are there, like yours or mine. I can see her thinking, hating us, plotting her escape. I¡¯ve never known a bonded who could do that.¡±

    I looked at Artem. He was a proper bonded¡ªhis eyes were glass, placid. Behind them was nothing more than the strings Yulia used to control him. So what was a bonded, without those strings?

    ¡°Great,¡± I grumbled, holding my head. If only it would stop throbbing. ¡°Have the interrogators gotten anything?¡±

    ¡°No. They can¡¯t torture your bonded without it torturing you. The head interrogator assured me that it would not come to that unless all else failed.¡±

    My blood ran cold. ¡°Head interrogator?¡±

    ¡°He said he was on order from the archon¡ªprevious archon, now, I suppose.¡±

    ¡°What was his name?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t remember. Sellis?¡±

    ¡°Seylas,¡± I said quietly. If I had been able, I would have run from that name, run as far and fast as I could. But how could I, bound to a monster, and floating in this city in the air?

    ¡°You¡¯ve met him?¡±

    ¡°Once. I hoped I wouldn¡¯t meet him again.¡±

    Yulia paused. When I didn¡¯t offer more about how I knew Seylas, she stroked my hand. ¡°Perhaps you can try and break her before they do. The Eons said that whatever you did, it¡¯s held true. The High Order has no magic. When she tried to use it, nothing happened. I¡¯m told her fury was terrible.¡±

    Pain tore through my chest.

    I felt sharpness sinking in, white hot, carving around my collarbone. I screamed and collapsed forward, clutching at it.

    Yulia gripped my shoulder. ¡°Rozin! Rozin, what is it?¡±

    I didn¡¯t need anyone to tell me what was happening. I had witnessed it in others enough.

    ¡°They¡¯re hurting the daemon,¡± I gasped. ¡°This is her pain.¡±

    Yulia froze. ¡°Shit. Shit, that lying¡ª¡° Yulia held my shoulder tighter. ¡°Block it out as much as you can. Throw her back, lock her down. Stay awake.¡± Then Yulia bolted from the room, shouting for the guard to take her to the interrogation room.

    Artem still knelt at my bedside. As he was still in the Korongorod, Yulia hadn¡¯t let his hood fall since arriving. The law would not allow it.

    ¡°What did you see?¡± he asked. ¡°When you slept.¡±

    The question numbed my pain for a precious few seconds. Bound daemons did not ask questions.

    ¡°Yulia?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    A new wave of pain tore down my back. I cried out, my muscles so tight it came as a croak. I wanted Yulia here, not her words echoed through a daemon¡¯s voice. I collapsed forward on the bed, gritting my teeth against it, only to feel Artem prop me back up.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Artem whispered. ¡°I¡¯d hoped it wouldn¡¯t come to this.¡±

    ¡°I know.¡±

    I wished I could see Yulia¡¯s face. A hot knife sank deep into my palm. Another in my thigh. An impact slammed into my gut, winding me.

    Another blow, another. I was close to blacking out again. What were they doing to her?

    ¡°Take me to the High Order,¡± I panted. I tried to pry myself from the bed, but my limbs felt like rubber.

    ¡°You should stay here. Shokarov is going to talk to Seylas. Make him call off his interrogators.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t care. Pick me up.¡±

    Artem didn¡¯t respond, and I knew arguing with a puppet was fruitless. If it was Yulia¡¯s will that I remain here, then Artem would ensure it.

    Pain rocked me over and over. I couldn¡¯t tell how much time passed. All I knew was my sweat, my torture. The sun began to set.

    Artem pushed a glass of water beside my hand. I downed it in a few gulps and curled up foetal.

    I needed something to distract me. ¡°I saw Kaelta,¡± I ground out. Artem straightened, but his face remained a flat mask. ¡°I didn¡¯t understand most of it. Just some pictures ¡­ feelings. Has Artem ever been to Kaelta?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Artem remembers little before our bond.¡±

    Flashes of my daemon¡¯s fury formed my next question. ¡°And how does he ¡­ feel about that?¡±

    Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.

    ¡°He doesn¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°Right.¡± I bit back another wave of pain. ¡°I didn¡¯t ¡­¡± They stabbed my daemon through the thigh. ¡°Get much. She saw us in the mountains. With ¡­ a friend of hers, I think. A lot of anger. A name.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve learned your bonded¡¯s name?¡±

    I nodded, my cheek against the pillow.

    Artem was silent for a few seconds, then nodded. ¡°I¡¯ve informed the interrogators of your breakthrough.¡±

    Pain blinded me.

    I couldn¡¯t stop the screaming. It was everywhere. Sharp and cold, like metal. Cuts. Slashes. Blows.

    Artem snapped to a stand. ¡°The interrogators took your revelation as a sign that their methods are working. They¡¯re doubling their efforts. I can¡¯t call them off.¡±

    He grabbed me from the bed and lifted me from it like a paper doll. I barely felt him. We whipped through the halls with unnatural daemon speed. Artem crashed me through a set of double doors and released me into a wide anteroom and into Yulia¡¯s arms.

    I heard her bellowing at the guards. The interrogators were hurting Rozin. She was human. She had committed no crime. The pain could kill her.

    ¡°Not if her daemon¡¯s alive,¡± replied one of the guards.

    Limp against Yulia¡¯s shoulder, I fought to keep my grip on my consciousness. I heard muffled cries from beyond the next room¡¯s door. My bonding tattoo seemed to pull my arm towards the sound. My daemon. That was her.

    The Canavar wouldn¡¯t stop, even if they were hurting one of their soldiers. The information was too valuable. A High Order, alive, awake, with her powers bound. It had never happened, and might never again. Any moment, I could fall prey to the High Order and we would burn away to ash. We had a chance to learn about the daemons. We could find their weaknesses. Humanity could not risk wasting this.

    I was fading. My vision was blurred, white.

    In the void, I felt that hard stone at the back of my head. I didn¡¯t force against it; I lacked the strength. I pressed against it, begging it to listen. The stone remained impassive. Even under torture, the daemon would not lower her guard.

    There was one thing of her I knew; the word Khalid had screamed as the bonding collar closed around his throat.

    Andiya, I whispered.

    The stone wavered.

    I didn¡¯t know how to control a daemon. I didn¡¯t know how to release her powers, or shape them, or stop her from going too far. I begged the stone again. Listen. Please.

    Something ancient, wrapped in heat and dense smoke, met my mind. I didn¡¯t push away. I shouted into it. I could not stop the pain. She could. The smoke seemed to rumble like a great beast¡¯s chest, some orange light burning deep within. Fire. That was all she knew; all I knew.

    A single prayer tumbled from my lips. ¡°Burn.¡±

    The interrogation room¡¯s door exploded into smithereens. A torrent of fire burst towards us, and Artem snatched Yulia and I out of the way with a hair¡¯s breadth to spare. The door guards met the full weight of the flying shrapnel, hitting the ground motionless.

    In the fire¡¯s wake, I glimpsed the interrogation room. My daemon was strapped down to an iron table, bolted down with chains. If daemons bled, the room would be covered in it¡ªinstead, a thousand miniscule cuts laced her body, spilling wisps of thin grey smoke. They¡¯d taken her jewels, changed her into prison clothing of loose black cloth, shaved her head down to the scalp. Welts mottled every inch of exposed skin. Her bottom lip had split.

    Still¡ªthe interrogators had not fared as well as her. I wasn¡¯t sure exactly what they¡¯d looked like in life, but in death they both resembled charred tree stumps. I should have felt something for them, but I found that nothing came. I had no love for their kind; those who profited from pain. Any sympathy I might have had died long ago.

    My daemon fixed on me. We locked eyes.

    Though her body was broken, her fury was not. She pushed up as far as she could go, straining against the chains. The metal groaned, but held, and she faced me with her hatred.

    ¡°Rozin Kain,¡± she growled, her canines too-sharp. Her voice was hoarse from screaming. ¡°My new master. If that is the word.¡±

    I crossed my arms, refusing to show any fear, any give. And I could not, for the rest of my life.

    ¡°It is. You are now the property of the Canavar Archon, and shall be until my dying day.¡±

    ¡°Is this, then, how you treat your property? You beat it, cut it, bleed it dry?¡±

    ¡°I did not choose torture.¡±

    ¡°No. You chose to serve those who do.¡±

    I felt her magic then. It hummed around her, buzzing against my skin like a pressure. The pressure rose, and Andiya¡¯s mouth split in a razor sharp smile. Fire flared at her fingertips. But something was wrong. The magic felt collared, as she was. As if I held its chain. Andiya blinked in frustration.

    ¡°Give it back,¡± she growled.

    ¡°No,¡± I said simply, and the chain seemed to rattle at my word. The bond tautened, and Andiya¡¯s face twisted in effort, but I knew what to do now¡ªI would not let her in again. Her magic was a part of me now; I heaved it in, caged it. Andiya fell forward as her grip on the bond slipped, and her magic fell away from her.

    ¡°You ¡­¡± she growled, ¡°you bitch¡ª¡±

    ¡°Andiya of Kaelta,¡± I said. She froze at the mention of her name. ¡°You understand that you killed the Canavar Archon. The only punishment suitable is death.¡±

    ¡°And you are here to deliver it?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not up to me. Only the new archon can decide that now.¡±

    Andiya glared defiantly back at me, her chin raised.

    ¡°When did you really wake up after the bonding?¡± I continued. ¡°For how long have you been planning to kill the archon?¡±

    ¡°How long?¡± Andiya spat. ¡°As if I gave a shit about some stupid king. I planned to kill him when I awoke alone in the mountains, bound to vermin. I planned to kill him when I heard your friends telling you that you were to meet. So I kept my eyes shut. I listened. I waited until I could get close enough to take something from you, Rozin Kain, as you have taken everything from me.¡±

    ¡°Why were you in the mountains?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not telling you,¡± Andiya said. ¡°As I did not tell those sadists you serve. Go on, Kain. Try and force the answer out, just as they did.¡±

    I kept my face flat, but inside my stomach twisted in guilt. I wasn¡¯t an evil person. No matter that she was a daemon, no matter that her kind fed on fear and pain and misery¡ªright now she looked like any woman who had been put through hell. No more fire, no more jewels, no more mane of scarlet hair. Only bruises and cuts, exhaustion and agony. She was at my mercy, and would be the rest of her life. I never wanted this. I did not ask for this blood on my hands.

    ¡°I have no intention of hurting you,¡± I said, and it was the truth.

    ¡°Then what do you intend to do with me? Leave me here to rot? Force me to burn your enemies?¡± I took too long to reply, and Andiya¡¯s head cocked, her smile twisted to a cut. ¡°Ah. You don¡¯t know.¡±

    No, I didn¡¯t. I had no idea what would come next. If the new archon would even let us live.

    ¡°It may be a mercy if she does not,¡± said Andiya.

    I took an involuntary step back. Could she hear¡ª

    ¡°I can. I can feel that fear, Kain, and I can feel that guilt, that awful conscience. I can feel that you find me to be the most beautiful thing you¡¯ve ever seen, and I can feel that for it you hate me with every inch of your shattered soul.¡±

    My heart squeezed painfully in panic. ¡°Get out.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t. You pulled me in. You asked me to see.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t shut her out. I didn¡¯t know how. Panic rattled my thoughts. And she knew all of them, every shame and fear and hatred¡ª

    ¡°Relax, Rozin,¡± Yulia whispered beside me. ¡°Breathe deep. Let go.¡± Her hand took my forearm. She stepped between me and the daemon, blocking my sight. ¡°You know who you are. Find what doesn¡¯t belong.¡±

    I closed my eyes and let Yulia coach me through it. I opened my palms, counted the time between breaths. Her voice was like a lullaby, soft and sweet, her thumbs on my forearms stroking in a slow rhythm.

    And I found it. That dense, ancient smoke. That orange glow. That was Andiya. Something too powerful and complex to understand. I pushed it away, slammed it back with that black wall.

    ¡°Ah,¡± Andiya sighed. ¡°Silence.¡±

    With my mind closed, I could feel the difference between us. I could feel Andiya, there but away, as if separated by a sheet of silk. I knew which pain was which; each bruise, each cut, each burn. A fresh sting grew on my skin, insistent. It crossed my body in thin bands: one across my shoulders, one my stomach, two across my thighs and shins. Slowly, I opened my eyes and realised what it was¡ªthe iron chains, forcing my bonded to the chair. They were burning her.

    I stepped away from Yulia and approached Andiya. Her eyes tracked me like a scorpion¡¯s tail, just waiting for me to be close enough to strike.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to remove the chains,¡± I told her.

    ¡°Rozin, I don¡¯t think that¡¯s safe,¡± said Yulia from behind.

    I took another step closer. ¡°I can handle her. If she attacks anyone again the archon will retaliate in turn. Neither of us want that.¡±

    ¡°I would be glad to bear pain if it meant you shared it,¡± Andiya snarled.

    My voice turned to steel. I knew that Andiya could feel my words were truth; I knew that if she lied, I would feel it too. We were one. She knew I would mean every word.

    ¡°In that case, let me make this clear. I will not allow you to hurt anyone else. There will be no interrogation next time. If you step out of line, I will kill us. No mercy, no hesitation.¡± I forced the next words like a punch. ¡°I have nothing to lose. I expect you do.¡±

    Andiya¡¯s eyes widened, and a flash of fear shot up the bond. Rage burned it quickly away.

    I leaned over her, meeting her deep red eyes head on. ¡°I¡¯ll do it,¡± I whispered. ¡°Don¡¯t ever doubt that.¡±

    Andiya¡¯s breathing came a bit faster.

    ¡°Yulia,¡± I said. ¡°Get her a cloak.¡±

    Yulia nodded, and Artem vanished out the door.

    I reached under the iron table and released the latches on the chains. One by one, I pulled them away from Andiya. Carefully, she slid herself to a sit. Her arms were half curled as it to block. A flash of trepidation shivered down the bond before the daemon gripped it back. Was she waiting for me to hit her?

    I reached for the bond between us, lacing it with my words. Feel the truth.

    ¡°I offer you a bargain, Andiya. I will never hurt you unless you force my hand. Are we understood?¡±

    "You will not hurt me, even if I give you reason. I''ve seen your mind. I know who you are. You are weak, Kain, weaker than anyone knows."

    I faced her defiantly, refusing the rise to the slight. "You will harm no one. You will follow our laws. Know where you stand. Do you accept?"

    She snorted in derision. ¡°Be your pet, and you won¡¯t beat me?¡±

    ¡°Take it or leave it.¡±

    ¡°Do your laws allow me to say that you are an iron bitch, Rozin Kain? Or shall you strike me down for it?¡± She leaned closer, and I knit my brow in confusion. Her emotions flickered by so quickly I couldn¡¯t understand them. Anger, loss, anticipation, curiosity, fury. Her tone lowered almost to a purr. ¡°Or shall I fill you with compliments, to stay your hand? Shall I tell you how strong you are, how domineering?¡± Her feet swept off the table, and she crossed a leg slowly over the other in a manner that couldn¡¯t be mistaken. ¡°Shall I tell you how soft your bed looks, or how cold? We both know what I can do for that.¡±

    Revulsion twisted my face. I knew what she was doing. Her beaten face and soft words were a horrifying, stomach churning combination. Why did she have to look so human? So vulnerable?

    ¡°Why the fuck would I want that?¡± I snarled.

    Andiya¡¯s eyes narrowed at my reaction, confused. The bond fluttered with her surprise.

    Andiya¡¯s gaze slid over to Yulia. ¡°Shall we ask your friend?¡± Yulia held her breath. ¡°Shall we ask her what her little daemon does, when she¡¯s feeling lonely and unwanted?¡±

    ¡°Shut up.¡±

    ¡°Is that an order, master?¡±

    ¡°It is.¡±

    ¡°Pity that your word is not a law,¡± Andiya said with a sneer. ¡°Or I might have been honour bound to heed it. But as I am not, I say this; you have my body, Kain, but not my mind. And I shall speak it until my dying day.¡±

    Artem returned with the cloak.

    ¡°Put that on,¡± I ground at Andiya. ¡°Cover your head.¡±

    She did as I said, and her deep red eyes peered out from underneath the hood.

    ¡°The Eons are waiting for us,¡± Artem said.

    Through their bond, Yulia continued for him. ¡°They¡¯re going to want to know¡ªdo they need to contain her?¡±

    I glared Andiya down. I let my words drip with warning. ¡°Do they, Andiya?¡±

    For a moment, I thought she was going to challenge me. But she shook her head, never letting me free of her eyes.

    ¡°I accept your bargain, Rozin Kain,¡± she said dangerously. ¡°And if you break it, there will be hell to pay.¡±

 Chapter 4: New Management

    Andiya could hardly stand. Yulia and I kept our distance as she wobbled on her feet, her face pulled with strain. I didn¡¯t ask if she needed help. Her fury already told me she wouldn¡¯t accept it.

    Andiya staggered after us as we left the interrogation room. Just outside, a line of Eons blocked our way.

    ¡°Her Majesty requires your presence,¡± said the Eon with the orange braid and bear-like Bestial. Unlike the other Eons, I realized that she had two maroon dots under each eye, rather than one. So she was the Eon commander. Hadrion, if I remembered correctly. Chains clinked in her hand. ¡°Restrain your daemon.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not necessary,¡± I replied.

    ¡°I did not ask your opinion on the matter.¡± Hadrion swept past me and clamped the irons around Andiya¡¯s wrists. Andiya swayed on her feet, and a low burn stung my own skin.

    ¡°Follow.¡±

    The Eons led us down a central hall towards the new archon¡¯s quarters. We arrived at a set of silver doors etched with the Canavar history: a longship heralding when humans arrived on the continent, scenes of righteous conquest over the daemons, and new human cities built from felled greatwood trees.

    ¡°Her Majesty is waiting,¡± said Hadrion. As Yulia tried to enter, Hadrion grabbed her arm. ¡°Rozin Kain and the High Order only.¡± The door slammed behind me.

    I hung at the entrance. I had never been somewhere so wealthy in my life. The first room had walls of white stone and floors of dark wood, silvery silk curtains hanging from the windows. A great fire roared in an iron brazier, surrounded by seats of blown glass. In a lavish octagon sitting area, furs were thrown over sofas and living chairs, and behind them, tall shelves held thousands of leather-bound books. But the real centrepiece of the room was the ceiling: made completely of pale blue ice, and carved with life-size wolves that seemed to run across it as though they were real. The cut mountains behind them wavered like a mirage, lit by green and blue streaks of light that wove between them in an aurora.

    ¡°Take a seat,¡± called a cold voice from one of the connected archways.

    We took places on the sofas, Andiya beside me. She seemed to wilt with exhaustion as she sat, her wounds still weeping grey smoke.

    I kept on my guard. No one entered the archon¡¯s chambers but their most trusted. Why would the princess call a High Order here, when it had murdered father not hours ago?

    ¡°A true High Order, they say,¡± said the voice again, and Princess Irina Volkov stepped into the room. ¡°I had to see it for myself.¡±

    Up close, her beauty was heart-stopping. But it was not a kind, soft beauty¡ªbut razor sharp, stretched tight over high cheekbones and an angled jaw. She was in white furs and a long samite gown, the jewels on her diadem, ears, and hands glittering against the fire. Princess Irina seemed barely older than Yulia and I, but her eyes were lit with a cunning that spoke of someone twice her age.

    ¡°The daemon is looking worse for wear,¡± Irina said. ¡°Seylas¡¯s work, was it? He never did know when to stop.¡±

    Andiya¡¯s disgust rattled the bond. I looked at her in warning. ¡°Remember what I promised you,¡± I whispered. Her nostrils flared in anger, but she didn¡¯t make any move to lunge.

    ¡°I bid you welcome, Rozin Kain,¡± said Irina. She took a seat across from me, crossing her legs casually. She smiled without a hint of warmth.

    ¡°Thank you, Your Majesty,¡± I managed to croak.

    Irina¡¯s icy blue eyes examined Andiya head to toe. I waited in terse silence, Irina¡¯s fingers tapping on her thigh.

    My throat went dry. ¡°Your Majesty,¡± I blurted. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I failed your father. I failed you, Your Majesty. I will take whatever punishment¡ª¡±

    ¡°You will not be punished for hastening my ascent to the throne.¡±

    My mouth snapped shut. Andiya¡¯s lips curled back in revulsion. But Irina only kept smiling. It never reached her eyes.

    ¡°The High Order doesn¡¯t seem to appreciate my callousness. I can understand your protest, daemon. The death of a royal. Nasty business, it is not? For a great life to be ended in such a brutal way. Strange, however, that you dare to show hypocrisy in my own house, as my father¡¯s murderer. I thought you would be above such behaviour, Andiya of the Kaeltan Royal Guard.¡±

    Andiya went still. I felt a surge of terror scream up the bond, so quickly Andiya couldn¡¯t reign it in.

    ¡°I¡¯m not a guard,¡± she spat.

    Something about her words was strange. It was like a small squeeze of guilt in my chest¡ªthe same one that I felt when I lied.

    Irina slid her cold eyes at me.

    ¡°She¡¯s lying,¡± I said. Andiya¡¯s muscles tensed, as if to lunge. ¡°But don¡¯t worry, your majesty. Lying is the most Andiya will do to you, if she wants to live.¡±

    Andiya shot me a hateful look.

    ¡°My coronation, as is customary, is set for six months¡¯ time,¡± said Irina. ¡°Between now and then, the law requires me to take a bonded for my own protection. But this practice ultimately failed my father. His feeble daemon was as useful to him against a High Order as a wooden stick. I plan to ignore the law of bonding, as it is of no use to me.¡± She stood and held out a palm to Andiya, who reluctantly surrendered her wrist. ¡°Your bonded, according to my father¡¯s advisor, bears the flame-and-antler seal of Kaelta¡¯s Royal Guard. Unseen thus far in the flesh, but known well enough in manuscripts and hearsay. Tell me, daemon. Have you ever met Kaelta¡¯s ruling family?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Andiya answered too quickly. I recognized the small emotional flash that pulled the bond.

    ¡°Lie,¡± I said.

    Irina¡¯s grip tightened on Andiya¡¯s wrist. ¡°Did you ever guard the ruling family?¡±

    ¡°No!¡±

    ¡°Lie.¡±

    Andiya¡¯s eyes snapped to me, and for the first time, the terror was evident on her face. ¡°Stop that.¡±

    ¡°If you were ever to stand against Kaelta by our side, do you believe the ruling family would hesitate to put you down?¡±

    ¡°They¡¯d see me as dead. I¡¯m just a bonded, now¡ª¡±

    The flash again. ¡°They wouldn¡¯t kill her.¡±

    White terror blinded me. ¡°Please,¡± gasped Andiya. ¡°Please, don¡¯t tell her¡ª¡±

    Irina yanked Andiya closer. A dangerous quality coloured Irina¡¯s tone. Her gaze ate Andiya head to toe. ¡°Her mental faculties are remarkable, after bonding. The likes of which I have never seen ¡­¡± Andiya shrunk back. ¡°My final question. Is it possible for a human to enter the daemon lands?¡±

    Andiya only fixed me with a pleading gaze. ¡°Don¡¯t tell her anything, please, I can¡¯t betray them¡ª¡±

    ¡°Humans can enter their world,¡± I breathed. No one had ever known that. We¡¯d never found a way in.

    Something thin between Andiya and I shattered. She seemed to shut down, staring at the floor, eyes wide with panic. I couldn¡¯t tell what she was thinking, but I could feel her galloping heartbeat.

    ¡°Thank you for your service, Kain. Ask my guard to show you to quarters better suited to your new station.¡±

    I rose and bowed deeply. ¡°My new station, Your Majesty?¡±

    Irina¡¯s smile was like the glint of a knife. ¡°As my personal guard. Forget the law of bonding. I can think of nothing better suited to defending against a High Order than my own.¡±

    Andiya¡¯s revulsion pulsed the bond, but she didn¡¯t move. She seemed resigned to silence. That suited me just fine.

    Irina saw us to the door. ¡°I look forward to our partnership, Eon Kain.¡±

    *

    Once in the hallway, Hadrion removed Andiya¡¯s shackles. Andiya¡¯s walking seemed even worse. She gripped Artem¡¯s shoulder for support, but she could barely hold her weight.

    ¡°What did they do to your ankles?¡± I asked, but Andiya looked pointedly away from me.

    ¡°Andiya has no access to her own magic, given that it is in your control,¡± Artem answered. ¡°She is not accustomed to walking on physical strength alone.¡±

    I remembered Andiya in the Teeth, floating towards me through hissing steam.

    ¡°And how can I give her the strength to walk?¡±

    ¡°A daemon shapes their magic by rigorous control. You would simply need to regulate the flow of energy between you. Give her just enough to walk, not enough for more.¡±

    That kind of mastery was beyond me at the moment. All I had so far figured out how to do was throttle Andiya¡¯s magic with the finesse of a child¡¯s fist. If I tried to give her any power, I didn¡¯t think I could say how much.

    Yulia stepped in front of Artem, halting him. ¡°Artem. Release Rozin¡¯s bonded.¡±

    There was a single breath where I saw Artem hesitate. But he couldn¡¯t. Bonded never hesitated.

    Andiya stumbled as Artem relinquished her.

    ¡°Thank you for your escort,¡± said Yulia to the Eons shortly. ¡°I must deliver our report to Shokarov.¡± Her gaze followed Artem carefully. ¡°I¡¯ll see you later, Rozin.¡±

    The Eons led us away, and Yulia stared at us going with a harsh frown, her hand claw-like on Artem¡¯s shoulder.

    Andiya and I came to my new chambers. The heavy door locked behind us again. So we were not to have free reign of the Korongorod, were we?

    These chambers were fit for a dignitary, not a guard. Several wide rooms branched off from a main entertaining area of low sofas and a crackling central hearth, the windows etched with winter-blooming roses. Handsome instruments leaned against the wall, and a harp waited beside a balcony with a gurgling fountain. Servants had left us food on the dining table, the kind that would cost a month¡¯s pay for a single plate: delicate pastries, tropical fruit and steamed vegetables from the Korongorod¡¯s greenhouses, entire legs of lamb, and plates of nut-crusted chocolates.

    Just off the dining area was a bedroom with single, enormous bed, and beside it was a small, curtained alcove with a sleeping area for a bonded. Andiya leaned against the wall. Arduously, she staggered into the bedroom and collapsed onto the main bed.

    With a sigh, I sat on the couch. I didn¡¯t feel like fighting her on the sleeping arrangements, not when a small knot of guilt wound in my stomach. Andiya was in pain, she could sleep wherever she wanted.

    But I shouldn¡¯t feel guilty. I had to remember what the daemons truly were. Beasts. Killers. Monsters the elvhen had freed from hell, that had ravaged the continent and left it a waste of ash and salt.

    But why Andiya feel so human?

    ¡°I had to tell the princess everything,¡± I said, loud enough to be heard in the next room. ¡°She is my regent. You would have done the same.¡±

    In response, Andiya pulled a tasselled pillow over her head.

    I gritted my teeth. ¡°I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m about to have this conversation.¡± Bonded never disobeyed, never questioned, never expressed opinions. They didn¡¯t have any. They were beasts with a collar, and little more. Andiya¡¯s response, her impossible autonomy, her sentience, were unexplored territory. ¡°But you should spend some time accepting your new position. You belong to the archon, just as I do.¡±

    The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    Andiya said nothing.

    ¡°Whatever you were before means nothing now. What I was before joining the military means nothing now. Together, we serve one purpose: that which the archon requires. Nothing more, but also nothing less.¡±

    Silence.

    ¡°Your silent treatment changes nothing. When you wake in the morning, you¡¯ll still be bonded.¡±

    I felt along the bond, trying to feel her emotions. Instead, I met an impenetrable wall between us.

    There would be no point in continuing. Andiya could pout all she liked.

    ¡°You could at least be grateful to the princess for sparing you. She would have been perfectly justified in sentencing her father¡¯s murderer to death.¡±

    And she might have, if she didn¡¯t have better use for Andiya.

    I decided to take care of myself while I had the chance. I wolfed down some of the lavish spread in the dining area, filling my gnawing stomach. The bath was practically large enough to swim in. I sank my head into the hot water, hushing the Korongorod to slow, liquid thuds.

    The reality of my new situation was hard to clear from my mind. An Eon. I¡¯d never seen myself as one of them. I¡¯d told Andiya to accept her new position, but I would have trouble doing the same.

    Sage Jawahir had trained me for three years. He¡¯d said there was a determination in me that overshadowed all his previous pupils. I needed to prove myself, he said. Everyone else merely wanted to.

    Now all my training to produce fetters was useless. I couldn¡¯t create a new bond, now that I had a bonded myself. Three years wasted. If Irina hadn¡¯t taken me on as an Eon, I don¡¯t know what might have become of me. How many torture sessions I would have had to endure as the Korongorod tore Andiya apart for information.

    I wrapped myself in a plush robe and made a hot cup of siteria, a tea from Bel Arben with strong calming qualities. On a lounge chair by the balcony¡¯s cacophonous fountain, I let myself relax for the first time since leaving for the Teeth.

    Andiya was still only a wall. She¡¯d likely not notice if I just ¡­

    ¡°Rozin.¡±

    My eyes creaked open. The sun was much farther along in the sky than I¡¯d last seen it. How long did I sleep for?

    I squinted blearily at Yulia. She looked worried.

    ¡°I¡¯m all right,¡± I said to assuage any fear of Andiya taking over. ¡°Haven¡¯t slept much lately.¡±

    ¡°Then I won¡¯t keep you too long.¡±

    ¡°Where¡¯s Artem?¡±

    Yulia¡¯s eyes shifted nervously. ¡°Guarding the door. I don¡¯t want him to listen in.¡±

    I sat up straighter. ¡°What could Artem hearing possibly matter?¡±

    Yulia dashed about and did a quick sweep of my chambers. ¡°Seems safe to talk here, the fountain¡¯s loud. Can Andiya hear your thoughts?¡±

    ¡°Not right now. She¡¯s ignoring me.¡±

    Yulia drew me to the edge of the balcony, almost close enough to the fountain to get splashed. She held her arms against her stomach.

    ¡°I couldn¡¯t feel Artem,¡± she whispered shakily.

    ¡°What? What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°When he was walking Andiya back. The bond just ¡­ vanished. I was alone. Then he answered your question, and it felt like it came from a different person. Not¡ªnot from me, like it should, with a bond. Artem answered you by himself. I didn¡¯t know why Andiya couldn¡¯t walk. Artem did.¡±

    I wanted the fountain to drown her words.

    ¡°I think ¡­¡± Yulia continued. ¡°Remember what Andiya did to the archon¡¯s guard? They all just fell from the air like she¡¯d paralyzed them. What if she can destroy the bond?¡±

    I shook my head. ¡°If that were the case, those bonded would be freed right now. But we saw Hadrion¡¯s Bestial earlier, and it¡¯s still hers.¡±

    ¡°So if she can¡¯t ¡­ a High Order can control the lesser. And that control is enough to override their loyalty to the bond.¡± Yulia was pale. ¡°How many do you think Andiya can control? She took out all of the archon¡¯s guard in seconds. What if she can control more than that? Hundreds, maybe thousands ¡­¡±

    ¡°An army,¡± I breathed. ¡°If I lose control of Andiya, she could take control of the Korongorod.¡±

    ¡°Or march on the entire continent.¡±

    Yulia sat heavily on the fountain ledge, her hand clenched in her hair.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think she knows about Artem,¡± I assured her. ¡°I felt nothing in the bond. It might be unconscious.¡±

    ¡°Then you need to find out how much she does know. Because if Andiya finds out she can threaten the Korongorod ¡­¡±

    ¡°I can hold her now.¡±

    ¡°No. I mean that if she uses her ability and and others figure out she can take over bonds, then they¡¯ll kill her. Even if Princess Irina wants Andiya, she¡¯ll be overruled. The Canavar councillors won¡¯t let her keep a national threat as a toy.¡±

    ¡°We figured it out. Other people can too.¡±

    ¡°I talked to Shokarov. All they think is that Andiya used some kind of petrifying magic on the other bonded. They don¡¯t know about Artem. To them, Andiya is just powerful and that¡¯s all.¡±

    ¡°Will you say anything?¡±

    ¡°No. No, Rozin. Never. I don¡¯t care about the Korongorod¡¯s politics or what they want. You are my friend. This secret will die with me.¡±

    I sat beside Yulia on the fountain and leaned my cheek on her shoulder. I knew I should have been concerned, or felt more about this newest revelation. But so much had happened in the past few days that I had no feeling left. I wasn¡¯t the Rozin that had left for the Teeth with Shokarov¡¯s riders. I was someone new. An Eon. Potential terror of the Canavar Coalition. And I was just so tired.

    ¡°We¡¯re all looking out for you, Rozin,¡± Yulia whispered. ¡°We¡¯ll keep an eye on your bonded every second we can. Shokarov told me to remind you who your friends are.¡±

    I stared out over the balcony. The Korongorod sailed over sunset fields of cattle and wheat, a lazy river cleaving the land in two.

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    ¡°And ¡­ how do you feel?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t just be fine. We can talk about it. What it means to have a bonded. I¡¯m sort of an expert at that, you know.¡±

    ¡°If it¡¯s all the same ¡­ I¡¯d love to sleep. Really, Yulia, I¡¯m all right. Takes more than this to take me out.¡±

    Yulia didn¡¯t seem convinced. She wrapped her arm around my shoulders and squeezed once. ¡°I¡¯m always here if you have anything to say. Good night, Rozin. Chin up.¡±

    And so I was alone, staring at the endless fields with a familiar emptiness to my heart.

    *

    I woke to the gentle notes of a harp.

    I uncurled from the couch and crept to the entertaining area, careful not to make a sound.

    Andiya was playing.

    Her fingers slid deftly on the strings, drawing gentle notes. Every pluck was a blur. The song was slow and sombre, echoing through our chambers like a lament.

    I moved to listen closer, and Andiya slammed her palms to the strings, silencing them.

    ¡°Going to tell me to stop?¡± Andiya growled without looking at me. Her bruises were darkening now, mottling every inch of exposed skin.

    ¡°No. You¡¯re free to entertain yourself, there¡¯s no harm in it. You can continue.¡±

    ¡°Lost the moment.¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t interrupt.¡±

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you order me to play, master?¡±

    ¡°Rozin.¡±

    Andiya faced me for the first time since meeting the princess.

    ¡°Rozin is fine,¡± I said. ¡°Is there a name you prefer?¡±

    Her eyes narrowed. ¡°Andiya is fine. No surname for you to tell your princess.¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t plan on it.¡± At least not right away. ¡°How are you healing?¡±

    Andiya snorted. ¡°Slowly. I don¡¯t know how slowly, if you must know. I¡¯ve never had anyone throttling my magic before. I don¡¯t get bruises, if I have my magic.¡±

    I sat across from her. ¡°So. How long have you been playing?¡±

    ¡°Twenty minutes.¡±

    ¡°I mean generally. A few years?¡±

    A small, cruel smile pulled Andiya¡¯s lip crooked. ¡°Surely the humans are aware of High Order immortality. We find ways to pass the time.¡±

    ¡°More than a few years, then.¡±

    ¡°Enough.¡±

    ¡°And how old are you?¡±

    ¡°Hard to say. I don¡¯t know your calendar.¡±

    There were several well-known legends of the High Orders. Some were said to be thousands of years old, some older¡ªsince before the conquering of the elvhen, before humans had even arrived on the continent. The queen of Quar¡¯ma Vak, a northern daemon country just west of the Canavar Coalition, was known to be in her third millennium. How many years did it take a daemon to be trusted enough to become a royal guard? From the way Andiya smirked at me, a lot longer than I thought.

    ¡°How many centuries?¡±

    ¡°And why do you need to know? Are you concerned about what ancient magic you have bound to your soul?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve slept on it. And I think I should take my own advice. You¡¯re my bonded, as much as I don¡¯t like it. I should get used to that. Or, at least, find some way for us to live with this.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d prefer if you kept your distance, if it¡¯s all the same.¡±

    ¡°Unfortunately, this is not a choice.¡±

    ¡°It is.¡±

    ¡°You will speak with me, Andiya.¡±

    Andiya snapped up and swiped her hand across the harp. The strings broke as though cut by a burning knife. Andiya¡¯s fingertips were red hot. I felt her magic pulling towards her, gathering strength.

    ¡°That¡¯s right, master. I almost forgot. I have no choice. You took that away.¡±

    ¡°When you tried to kill me.¡±

    ¡°For Khalid!¡± Andiya screamed. Steam curled from her hands. ¡°If I had put your precious Yulia in chains, if I¡¯d carved out her mind and stuffed her hollowed husk in a cloak, what would you have done? Would you have let me go?¡±

    ¡°I would have killed you,¡± I admitted plainly.

    ¡°Then don¡¯t you dare justify what you did. I did not deserve this punishment. You, and this entire vermin-run palace, do.¡±

    Her hand went dangerously close to the flammable divan. ¡°Stop the magic, or I will.¡±

    ¡°If you can,¡± Andiya snarled.

    In reply, I tightened the bond. Andiya¡¯s magic stopped trickling through, and she collapsed on her hands and knees.

    Andiya¡¯s voice shook. ¡°I know what you call me. I heard you say it. Monster. We¡¯re all monsters.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    ¡°But who are our monsters, Rozin Kain? What do daemon parents warn their children of, by the bedside?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t care.¡±

    Andiya¡¯s fingers curled like claws. ¡°Then we¡¯re done here. I will not bother you with morality again, master.¡±

    ¡°Rozin.¡±

    ¡°No. No pretence, no respect. You said it yourself. I am a bonded. I should act like this.¡±

    I crossed my arms. That knot of guilt grew colder. Andiya could playing me, manipulating me into a false sense of security. So why did it feel so real? Why did the word ¡°master¡± suddenly make me feel like a slaver¡ª¡ªwhen no one else seemed to? Our sureness that the daemons were evil, that their instinct was kill-or-be-killed, was what gave us the certainty that they needed to be tamed. But the way Andiya had said ¡°Khalid¡± ¡­ in such pain. The kind that came from love. Something I had always known¡ª¡ªstill knew¡ª¡ªdaemons couldn¡¯t feel.

    ¡°I won¡¯t apologise.¡±

    ¡°I know,¡± Andiya spat.

    Someone knocked on the door.

    ¡°Yeah?¡± I called.

    A small group entered: a short, bald man in embroidered silver, a pair of women holding heavy leather cases, and an older woman with a tight bun and severe lips.

    ¡°I am Her Majesty¡¯s clothier,¡± said the severe woman. ¡°I am to fit your uniform.¡±

    I look at Andiya. ¡°You¡¯ll need to prop her up to do it.¡±

    Andiya glared back at me, hating me, that fire burning up the bond. In defiance, she pushed herself to a wobbly stand. I expected her to fall, but she held herself with defiant strain.

    In no time at all, Andiya and I were fitted in the notorious garb of the Eon Guard. A wolf fur sat on my shoulders over a heavy black cloak, bound at my neck by a silver chain. Under it, I wore a close-fitted suit of black, supple leather boots, and silver bracers etched with the Canavar wolf. The clothier pressed a finger beneath each of my eyes, leaving two dots of dark maroon ink. My face could be mistaken for nothing else, now.

    They¡¯d put Andiya in matching colours and fur. But her ink was a red slash through the centre of her lips, and the clothier drew Andiya¡¯s hood over her shaved head. In its shadow, all we saw were those infernal scarlet eyes.

    A group of palace guard led us through the Korongorod, but this time they bowed and deferred to someone of a higher rank. Me. I could feel the soldier that had been Rozin slip further away. This was the respect due to Eon Kain.

    We took winding stairs down, down, deep into the Korongorod¡¯s bedrock. We found Irina in the council chambers.

    It was a smaller room than I expected, and seemed to have been carved straight from out of the stone. The walls bore depictions of the ancient greatwoods, the eyes of the slaughtered elvhen peering at us from between the branches. The back of the chamber was no wall at all¡ª¡ªit was open to the world, a waterfall pouring over it in a roaring sheet.

    A long stone table sat in the centre of the room, surrounded by twelve dark wood chairs. Each seat bore the iconography and colours of its respective state, and in them, councillors in their traditional dress sat. Most of the seats were empty. Only the Canavar Coalition, and our ally Seo Jie Go, were in attendance. Irina was at the place of honour at the table¡¯s head.

    ¡°Behind me, Kain,¡± Irina said.

    I took my place with my back to the waterfall. No one in the room even bothered to look at something as lowly as a guard. All but one. Lying behind a red-and-green seat representing Seo Jie Go, a bonded glowered at Andiya. It was a Bestial, as hulking as a lion but black scaled and golden maned, its eyes like scorching lanterns. A single horn curled back from its head, fangs protruding below its lips. A low growl began in its throat.

    ¡°Hush, Hae,¡± said its master, the councillor. ¡°Remember. We are among friends.¡±

    Those seated around the table did not seem to agree. I appeared to have entered amidst a heated argument, and it was clear who was the centre of it.

    ¡°The Empress can spare no more than her originally proposed amount,¡± said the councillor in Seo Jie Go¡¯s seat. She was a young woman, as all of Seo Jie Go¡¯s empress¡¯s trusted were. Her long black hair was tied high on her head, her round features painted in deep red. A bonding tattoo ran the length of her arm, but it was almost lost amongst the hundred other tattoos that wrapped around her neck, stomach, and hands. She wore the cropped coat and thin blade of Seo Jie Go¡¯s infamous Shadows, sworn swords of the empress. ¡°We do not have the resources to involve ourselves further.¡±

    ¡°A thousand sovereigns is an insult,¡± said the diplomat from Azherbal. ¡°If I were Ustaad, I would refuse it on principle.¡±

    Ustaad was a small nation that lay nestled between Alta and Sabatah. Their economy had been weakened in the past year or so by a constant flooding of their twin grand rivers. I looked around the table, and I didn¡¯t see a Ustaadian representative.

    ¡°I was not aware Ustaad was in a position to refuse aid,¡± the Seo Jie Go diplomat replied coolly. ¡°If that is the case, I shall inform my empress that none is needed, after all.¡±

    A vein stuck out in the Mehraki councillor¡¯s forehead. ¡°Then the next time your empress requires assistance from the coalitions, she will be refused.¡±

    ¡°Ah. A dire threat, dear Onyekachi, as you all have been so helpful in the past. How jealous we are of your precious coalitions.¡±

    The Azherbali councillor opened his mouth to protest, but Irina raised a silencing hand.

    ¡°Ten thousand sovereigns,¡± she said. ¡°Seo Jie Go will provide the manpower necessary to repair the eastern levees. In return, I shall look over your empress¡¯s revisions to the Canavar Tax Treaty. Look over, Jiyi. I sign nothing yet.¡±

    ¡°The Empress accepts,¡± said Jiyi with a small nod.

    ¡°I thought you lacked the resources,¡± growled the Azherbali councillor.

    ¡°We do, where you are concerned. But a deal with the Novoski is never wasted.¡±

    ¡°There is no difference between a deal with the princess and a deal with us. Her Majesty is Canavar, she speaks for us all.¡±

    ¡°Certainly. She is so impartial, as you say, that the Novoski felt no need to send an independent representative for this meeting. I admire the trust you place in your ruler, honoured ones.¡±

    An uncomfortable glance passed between some of the councillors, but that didn¡¯t concern me right now. Jiyi¡¯s bonded still hadn¡¯t looked away from Andiya.

    ¡°Saleem,¡± Irina said to the Azherbali councillor. ¡°You wished to discuss a Sabatan import of ¡­¡± She consulted a finely written itinerary. ¡°Cotton?¡±

    The meeting continued dryly. The councillors haggled over the price of goods, shifted patrol positions around certain borders, and discussed attendance lists for Irina¡¯s coronation.

    And that bonded never looked away from Andiya.

    ¡°Your bonded has a pointed interest in my Eon, Jiyi,¡± said Irina. ¡°One might think he had never seen a High Order before.¡±

    The waterfall roared. No one spoke.

    ¡°Kain, return me to my chambers. I would like to take my lunch now.¡±

    I shifted to stand in front of Irina as an escort. But as I began to lead her out, Jiyi¡¯s leonine bonded blocked my path.

    ¡°You¡¯ve really tamed a High Order,¡± Jiyi said with amused curiosity, dark eyes cutting through Andiya. ¡°Fascinating.¡±

    Saleem chuckled. ¡°Your Majesty,¡± he said, ¡°forgive me. But a High Order cannot take a bond. My experts can examine it for you, if you¡¯d allow. Surely you¡¯ve acquired some unique style of Elemental we haven¡¯t yet identified.¡±

    Irina smiled gently. As all her smiles, it held no hint of kindness. ¡°Thank you, Saleem, but I must decline. This High Order has already slain an archon. I do not wish to put you or your servants in danger. Kain, lead on.¡±

    The bodies parted as Irina exited, her chin high. A tense silence followed our wake.

    Alone in the hallway, Irina gave me a satisfied look. ¡°And my father said the councillors were difficult to manage.¡±

 Chapter 5: Six Years Ago, Pt. I

    Six Years Ago

    <hr>

    Built along the Lake of Glass and far from the shadow of the Teeth was the sleepy town of Barje Vos, hidden gem of Azherbal. It was a town so old that the earth crawled up the sides of its pale wooden houses, flowery vines blanketing the roofs and even the tower of the town hall. Barje Vos was a town of colour. Lanterns made of crushed-petal paper glowed on every awning, residents laid handmade carpets on their doorsteps, and children learned from a young age how to embroider their woollen clothes with all the brightness of a summer field. The colour spread from Barje Vos over rolling hills, covered for half the year by sugary blossoms of every shade. The people of Barje Vos had harvested the spices from these blossoms for centuries, and their scent filled the air with a sweetness that clung to their skin and hair well into winter. The hills reached from the lake almost to the mountains, home to fat bees and butterflies as large as a baby¡¯s head. And just beyond those hills was an alder glade where Kamala hid whenever she was upset.

    I rode my mother¡¯s mare over the well-worn path, careful not to crush any of the blossoms underfoot. Kamala¡¯s mother had told me that her ungrateful daughter hadn¡¯t shown up to mind the smithy that morning, and wondered aloud where that layabout saw her future going with such poor work ethic. I¡¯d told her I had no idea where Kamala could have gone and promptly set off for the glade.

    I found her pacing the edge of a stream, hurling pebbles into the water with some murmured rant under her breath. When she saw me approaching, she called ¡°I¡¯m staying with you tonight!¡±

    With a small laugh, I tied up my horse and joined her by the stream. ¡°I was going to say the same thing. My sister¡¯s cooking tonight.¡±

    She grimaced. ¡°Woods it is.¡±

    I gave her a tight hug, and she squeezed back. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± I asked.

    ¡°My parents are trying to set me up with Lyn.¡±

    I pulled back and raised a brow. ¡°Wait. Lyn as in I¡¯ll-Have-You-Know-My-Family-Owns-Four-Wineries Lyn?¡±

    ¡°Stop smiling, it¡¯s not funny.¡±

    ¡°No, no. This is serious. So why are they trying to get you two lovebirds together? They want a few free bottles, that it?¡±

    ¡°They want us to marry.¡±

    My smile stuck. My hands dropped from Kamala.

    ¡°Lyn¡¯s family has money, connections ¡­ Lyn¡¯s father promises to use his contacts with House Shrike to land a weapons contract. Then I wouldn¡¯t need to take over the smithy. We¡¯d have the money to open more shops and hire our own craftsmen. It¡¯s a smart match.¡± She crossed her arms over her stomach like she was about to throw up.

    I could feel my world crashing in on itself. Kamala and I were a unit. We¡¯d been friends since we could walk. And I¡¯d loved her since I¡¯d learned what the word meant.

    She turned away and stared into the stream. I wanted to freeze time, give myself all the seconds in eternity to memorize every inch of her. She¡¯d left her hair down, and it curled down her back in messy black waves. As her mother often did, she¡¯d applied a shimmering oil to her lids and arms in the custom from Mehrak, leaving a subtle glow on her sun-browned skin. She wore the wool vest she¡¯d made me a matching twin of¡ªa long panel of periwinkle brocade embroidered with Barje Vos¡¯s flowers. But I lingered on her eyes. Normally so bright with laughter, now sunk into the depths of fear and sadness.

    ¡°When are you to be married?¡± I mumbled.

    ¡°Lyn¡¯s parents are to sign the betrothal contract in a few days. The wedding will be set for after are both of legal age.¡±

    Kamala would be married in four years, at twenty. But that contract was binding. In a few days, the world would know that Kamala and Lyn were bound together. They would sing songs, toast to their health, throw parties and light the lanterns of Barje Vos in celebration of new love.

    Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

    ¡°Do you want to marry Lyn?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Kamala gasped instantly. I noticed her trembling. ¡°And Lyn doesn¡¯t want me either. Our parents are making a business decision. They don¡¯t give a shit about either of us.¡±

    I grasped desperately at that small glimmer of hope. ¡°Say no.¡±

    ¡°And then what? My parents are depending on me for this. If I refuse, do you think I could still live with them? Could I watch them work themselves to the bone into their old age when I could have stopped that from happening?¡±

    A harsh whine blotted out my common sense. All I could see was a future without Kamala. One where she was the lovely lady of Lyn¡¯s wineries, so far away. One where I couldn¡¯t hold her, comfort her, tell her how I felt without it being a betrayal.

    ¡°Then marry me.¡±

    She turned to look at me slowly, eyes wide with shock. ¡°What?¡± she squeaked, like her lungs had dried up.

    ¡°We can leave for Ardila Vos right now and sign a contract of intent. Lyn¡¯s family won¡¯t be able to do anything about it.¡± My voice came rushed, manic. I let it all spill out. ¡°We¡¯ll support your parents. I¡¯ll find work, I¡¯ll find some other way to get the contracts, they can retire and you¡¯ll never have to sacrifice your happiness for them¡ª¡±

    ¡°But what about your happiness, Rozin?¡± Her tone was so low, defeated. ¡°I can¡¯t ask you to give up your future for me. What you¡¯re offering ¡­ you are the kindest person I have ever met. But you deserve to marry for love. Not to save me.¡±

    ¡°But I love you.¡±

    Kamala barely breathed.

    ¡°I¡¯ve loved you my entire life, Kamala. It¡¯s always been you. I didn¡¯t turn down everyone else because I had no interest in love, as I told you. I had no interest in them. Because I knew there would never be anyone else. Marrying you would be the single greatest happiness I can imagine.¡±

    She stared at me unreadably, her lips parted in shock. I simply stood and waited, face burning, my heart pounding so loud I couldn¡¯t hear anything else. But I felt drunk with risk. I¡¯d said it. How many nights had I lain awake, imagining all the ways I¡¯d do it? How she¡¯d tell me she loved me too, or how she¡¯d turn away, or how she¡¯d ask me never to speak of it again? In my dreams I¡¯d confessed a thousand times. I never seemed to make it to the aftermath.

    ¡°Rozin,¡± she said too gently, and I felt my heart squeeze in pain. ¡°I don¡¯t ¡­¡±

    ¡°Please don¡¯t finish that,¡± I forced out. My vision seemed to wobble. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I understand.¡±

    I began to back away. I could get away from this and cry where she couldn¡¯t see me.

    But Kamala caught my wrist. ¡°Would you let me finish? You can¡¯t drop that on me and run away. It¡¯s not right, Rozin.¡±

    So I stood there, trying desperately to hold onto my composure. Creators, what had I done? Why hadn¡¯t I been content with what I had? I could have been Kamala¡¯s friend for a century and never regretted a single day.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± I blurted. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have ¡­ you have enough to worry about.¡±

    Kamala¡¯s hand wove in mine. ¡°Rozin. Look at me.¡±

    When I didn¡¯t, her fingers brushed my jaw. Feather-light, skipping my heart. Gently, she turned me to face her. I had only a moment to see her gentle smile, to feel her drawing me close, before she kissed me.

    It was a slight thing, barely a press to my lips, but it was enough to scatter my thoughts in every direction. I stood numbly as she drew away and smiled at me again.

    ¡°So you don¡¯t try and run,¡± she whispered.

    My sense of being narrowed to her thumb stroking my hand.

    ¡°I was trying to say that I didn¡¯t know what to say.¡± Kamala squeezed my trembling hand, rock steady. ¡°You surprised me. I didn¡¯t expect to leave the woods with a new betrothed.¡±

    It took me too long to process what she¡¯d said, and Kamala laughed at my stupefied expression. I¡¯d always adored that laugh. Unrestrained, always a bit too loud to be proper.

    ¡°A new betrothed,¡± I said stupidly.

    ¡°That¡¯s right. Unless you rescind your offer?¡±

    ¡°Never.¡±

    ¡°Then, Rozin Kain, daughter of Ahd and Erden, I, Kamala ys Kostya, daughter of Simisola and Farid, accept your proposal of marriage. I ask Love to bless us, Union to guide us, and Night to guard us against ill.¡±

    ¡°Love to bless,¡± I repeated in a trembling voice. ¡°Union to guide, Night to guard.¡±

    ¡°And Time,¡± Kamala added with a radiant smile, ¡°to give us all she has.¡±

    *

    We rode back from Ardila Vos by twilight, a signed letter of betrothal in my pocket. All we needed were the signatures of our parents to make it binding. My family would sign it in an instant. But it might take some convincing to prove to Kamala¡¯s parents that I would be a worthy match.

    Kamala rested her cheek against my back. My heart skipped. It was still sinking in. Kamala would be mine, and I would be hers. I would never need to let her go.

    ¡°I¡¯ve always loved it out here,¡± she murmured against me.

    The Lake of Glass stretched out beside us, the great willow trees that surrounded it rippling in a light breeze. A pale moon reflected against the still water, casting the world in a delicate glow.

    ¡°What if we built a house here?¡± I murmured back. ¡°All to ourselves.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d like that very much.¡±

    ¡°Then you¡¯ll have it.¡±

    Her arms squeezed my waist, and I felt her quiet affection.

    We rode over a wide band of sigils etched into the earth. The ring ward surrounding Barje Vos to ensnare wandering dangers. It hummed purple at our presence but faded as it felt our human souls. We passed through.

    ¡°Rozin. What¡¯s that?¡±

    I squinted into the willows, following the path of the ward. My horse snorted and stamped as I yanked the reins.

    ¡°A daemon.¡±

 Chapter 6: Tea & Tea

    I didn¡¯t hear Andiya speak for a week. Not in the mornings, when she would eat quietly on the balcony and stare out at the passing scenery, nor during our days following Irina as she signed orders and spoke with advisors, nor at night, when she would collapse onto the bed from the strain of holding herself upright all day.

    The Korongorod revolved around us. At first, people had simply bowed to Irina and been on their way as we passed¡ªnow they froze in fear, whispering to each other when they thought us out of earshot. The fear and whispering grew with every passing hour as the rumours spread to every cook, every maid, every letter bearer and scribe and stable keeper. That¡¯s the High Order, they said. She killed the archon. The servants¡¯ eyes only passed over Irina momentarily now. All of them fell right to Andiya, and to the deep hood that kept her face as mystery.

    It had been nearly ten days since I¡¯d woken up bonded to Andiya. Most of it felt like some strange dream. I couldn¡¯t really be here, in the princess¡¯s chambers, guarding her door as she drank a morning coffee.

    ¡°Kain,¡± Irina called.

    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡±

    ¡°What do you think of the view?¡±

    I peered out the balcony. It was like a slap to the face. ¡°Ardila Vos.¡±

    The Korongorod had halted beside a low, sprawling city of pale wood and stained glass. It was built against a sparkling lake ringed with willow trees, the fields around it flush with a rainbow of blossoms. Ardila Vos, capitol of Azherbal. A place I had not been in many years.

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard it called the most beautiful city in all the Canavar lands,¡± said Irina. ¡°Seeing it in this light, I am inclined to agree.¡±

    ¡°It certainly is a sight, Your Majesty,¡± I replied in a forced flat tone. I never thought I would see Ardila Vos again. Right now, I wanted nothing more than to run away from it. From what I had done.

    ¡°You are Azherbali, Kain, are you not?¡±

    ¡°I am, Your Majesty.¡±

    ¡°And yet your captain has consistently requested assignments in Novosk and Os Tjerjik. I¡¯m told your bonding expedition in the Teeth is the first you¡¯d been in Azherbal in nearly a year. Does your captain have some aversion for your home country?¡±

    I kept my face flat. How much had Irina looked into my past? How much did she know of Barje Vos?

    ¡°No, Your Majesty. He put those requests in because I asked him to.¡±

    ¡°So it is you with the aversion to Azherbal?¡±

    ¡°In a way.¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± Irina said with a small pout. ¡°Well. We should be off. I¡¯m expecting a guest.¡± She pulled on a floor-length fur coat and met another Eon at her door. ¡°Come along, Kain.¡±

    But Andiya was staring out the window.

    I leaned over to her and whispered ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    ¡°You lived here.¡±

    Her voice was rough from disuse. I was so surprised by it that I answered without thinking.

    ¡°No. But not far. The other side of the lake.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s nothing on the other side.¡±

    ¡°Not anymore.¡±

    She looked up at me, and I caught her eyes from under her hood, pushed in a confused frown. ¡°I saw something. When you bonded me. A city, just like that one, but burning. Screaming. I heard swords and death and war.¡±

    ¡°You heard daemons.¡±

    I left before she could ask more, but I saw that confused frown loosen with understanding.

    Down the spiral staircase we went, and after a time I heard Andiya behind us, struggling to keep up. We went farther down than the council chamber, farther than the throne room and ballrooms, deep into the belly of the Korongorod¡¯s base. When we emerged we came to a wide open training area for the palace guard: a high-ceilinged complex carved out of the rock, blunted weapons and training swords, targets and mannequin and stores of arrows and throwing blades. In a far corner, pairs of guards sparred hand-to-hand, dripping with sweat.

    One of the guards spotted Irina and appeared to swallow his tongue. He waved for everyone to stop, and we were greeted with a line of deep bows.

    ¡°It is an honour, princess,¡± said a gentle voice behind me. The familiarity of it shot through my heart.

    I turned to see Sage Jawahir in his official red robes, a tender smile on his face.

    ¡°And how happy I am to see you again, young Rozin.¡±

    For a second, I forgot my new station. I crossed the floor and almost swept Jawahir into a tight hug¡ªbut the weight of the wolf pelt on my shoulders reminded me who I was. I slid to a hasty knee in front of him.

    Irina¡¯s hand dropped to my shoulder. ¡°I flew the Korongorod to Ardila Vos in the hopes of meeting your former tutor,¡± she said. ¡°The Canavar need our Eon trained to control her High Order. I thought the process might be faster with a familiar face.¡±

    ¡°We begin today,¡± said Jawahir. ¡°And I will not accept any excuses.¡±

    He never had.

    Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.

    *

    Turan Jawahir did not believe in violence. It was why he had joined the Magi, and why he had spent the better part of thirty years studying to be a sage. The sages took no daemons, held no weapons. They studied magic without ever wielding it; they pored over ancient manuscripts and meditated among the trees, searched the depths of abandoned temples and pondered the mysteries of the universe. The sages traded in knowledge, not in blood.

    Andiya and I sat cross legged on cushions across a low table from Sage Jawahir. We¡¯d been given a private room just off the training hall, and it gave me the impression of an alchemist¡¯s laboratory. It was stuffed with shelves of scrolls and inkwells, instruments for measuring ingredients, a table laid with a map of the coalitions, and all manner of jars and tubs of salves and herbs. Jawahir prepared a teapot on a small burner, humming to himself as we waited in terse silence.

    ¡°Sage Jawahir,¡± I said, and he didn¡¯t look up. ¡°Why are you here?¡±

    ¡°To train you,¡± he replied. ¡°Did you not listen to the princess?¡±

    ¡°Train me in violence? That¡¯s not your way.¡±

    Jawahir crushed tea leaves in a mortar. He hadn¡¯t changed at all since the day we met. The sage was a diminutive figure, drowned in his red robes like a coat on a pole. A black and silver braid fell from his shoulder, into which he¡¯d woven thin strands of leather and glass beads. He still had the same wrinkles in his dark skin, the same way of moving so slowly that the rest of the world seemed too fast.

    ¡°I did not agree to train you to fight,¡± said Jawahir. ¡°I agreed to teach you control.¡±

    ¡°So that I can fight. I don¡¯t think the princess intends for me to suddenly become a pacifist.¡±

    ¡°What you choose to do with your training is up to you.¡±

    ¡°I believe it¡¯s up to the archon.¡±

    Jawahir let out a slow breath, his hand pausing on the pestle. ¡°No, Rozin. It is not.¡± He turned to Andiya, frowning. ¡°Andiya. You may remove your hood. We shall not stand on formality here.¡±

    She did, and Jawahir handed her the first cup of tea.

    We took our tea in complete silence. After he¡¯d drained his last drop, Jawahir stared at Andiya. I felt her disgust rise in the bond.

    ¡°Do you know who I am?¡± Jawahir asked.

    ¡°The man the princess hired to tame me.¡±

    ¡°I am the man who taught Rozin to bond.¡±

    Fury lashed up the bond. Andiya¡¯s teacup shattered in her hand.

    ¡°Then you are just as guilty as she is.¡±

    ¡°More, some might say. But that is a conversation for another time, another drink. If I may, Andiya¡ªyou are injured. What happened?¡±

    Andiya¡¯s teeth clenched as she glared Jawahir down.

    ¡°Seylas,¡± I said. ¡°His interrogators worked on her.¡±

    Jawahir¡¯s eyes tightened in pity. He knew the name Seylas just as well as I did. I didn¡¯t need to tell him anything more.

    ¡°I apologise for your treatment,¡± he said. ¡°Human wickedness is reigned in only by our own will, and some of us have no such will.¡±

    Andiya snorted derisively. ¡°You apologise?¡±

    ¡°For those who will not. There are some for whom admitting fault is anathema.¡±

    Andiya¡¯s eyes flickered to me. I pretended not to notice. ¡°I do not accept your apology,¡± she said. ¡°And I shall not, so long as I remain enslaved to your wicked kind. For that is what I am, Sage Jawahir. Not a bonded, not a monster. A slave. And a slave cannot forgive.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t look at her. She was speaking the words that had run through my head for days. A slave. As much as I tried to think of her as just another bonded, another weapon, she was nothing like them at all.

    ¡°I was hoping, Andiya,¡± Sage Jawahir began carefully, ¡°that we might spend today getting to know one another. I¡¯d like us to establish a sort of trust¡ª¡±

    Andiya shoved away from the table and yanked her hood back up. ¡°I¡¯m not doing this. We¡¯re going, Rozin.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll go when I say we go,¡± I said.

    Andiya¡¯s fists clenched. ¡°We are going now.¡±

    Sage Jawahir stood and offered his hand to Andiya. She glared at it and didn¡¯t move.

    ¡°Until tomorrow then, Andiya,¡± he said pleasantly. And as if he¡¯d only then remembered I was there, he added, ¡°And to you, Rozin.¡±

    His eyes remained in that crinkled smile as we joined an Eon escort and left.

    *

    We guarded Irina the next morning. I was slowly becoming immune to the staring as Andiya and I were paraded like prize horses throughout the palace. We took long, odd routes to reach our destinations. It took me little time to understand why. We took paths that directly crossed those of whatever noble or dignitary was visiting that day. The Canavar had a High Order, and Irina wanted that rumour to spread as far as it could go.

    After Irina dined with a delegation from the Mehraki Merchant Guild of the All-Seeing (who could not stop sneaking glances at a cloaked Andiya) we were again told to join Sage Jawahir in our training room.

    We opened the door to find the sage once more brewing tea. This time, he¡¯d also set out a tower of delicate cakes.

    ¡°I am glad to see you again, Andiya,¡± he said in his hushed tone.

    Andiya took the seat furthest from Jawahir, and so I took the pillow across from him.

    Jawahir pushed a teacup at her. ¡°Elderflower from Alta. Honey?¡±

    Andiya didn¡¯t reply, so he mixed in a spoonful for her anyway.

    Our ¡°training¡± session went similarly to the first. We drank in silence, no one uttering a word until we¡¯d all sipped every last drop.

    But this time, Jawahir didn¡¯t ask any questions. Instead, he launched into a monologue about his own interests; he told us of the artisans he¡¯d met in his travels, of the Creator ruins he¡¯d once spent the night in by the Gold Sea, of the tea terraces in Tianji that glowed with the sunrise, of the noble families in Bel Arben who commissioned enchanted glowing silks from the Magi.

    At this subject, Andiya¡¯s eyes finally looked up at him.

    ¡°Enchanted, you heard right,¡± said Jawahir. ¡°By the bonded of mages.¡±

    ¡°You are of the Magi,¡± said Andiya. ¡°Where is your bonded?¡±

    ¡°I do not have one. The Magi are only our order. Mages study magic within, while sages study magic without. Together, we are able to unravel the mysteries of the arcane.¡±

    When we left, Jawahir once again held out his hand. Andiya glanced at it and stalked out.

    *

    For our sixth session, Sage Jawahir spoke of music.

    He seemed to have exhausted stories of his own travels, and instead spoke of the cultures themselves. We listened to tales of Ustaadian musicians who could play audiences to sleep, of throat singers from Dai Fen whose voices rumbled like thunder, of temple choirs from Etvia that sang for three days and nights without pause. Neither Andiya or I ever offered any stories in return.

    Bored, I felt along the bond. But Andiya¡¯s wall was gone. She was actually paying attention to Jawahir¡¯s every word¡ªand so her consciousness lay unguarded, waiting like an open book. I crept towards it. The secrets she held ¡­ I couldn¡¯t begin to imagine what we could do with the knowledge of a High Order.

    But I hesitated.

    ¡°Do you have any interest in music, Andiya?¡± Jawahir asked.

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Surely you must enjoy a song or two¡ª¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not true,¡± I pushed in. ¡°Andiya plays the harp. I heard her play.¡±

    ¡°He didn¡¯t ask you,¡± Andiya growled, and I decided that the argument wasn¡¯t worth it.

    As Andiya remembered my presence, her mind snapped closed once more. I drew back. It was probably for the best. I might have preferred fighting my way into her mind, where Andiya had a chance to push back. I didn¡¯t like the idea of sneaking in. It felt like a violation.

    When we left the sage, Andiya didn¡¯t even wait for me to stand before breezing out the door.

    As I should have expected, for our seventh session the training room was filled with instruments.

    ¡°I thought we could play together,¡± said Sage Jawahir. ¡°We might prefer it to speaking to one another. I¡¯ve had a harp brought down. Would you care to give us a demonstration, Andiya?¡±

    Andiya gazed longingly at the harp, but I saw her shoulders set. Her eyes flicked back to me with that low burning hatred. ¡°I don¡¯t feel in the mood.¡±

    We left after a perfectly silent cup of tea. Before reaching our rooms, I stopped by the palace artisan¡¯s office and said ¡°There¡¯s a harp in my room I need repaired.¡±

    Later, I tucked myself into my makeshift bed on the couch. From the bedroom, Andiya asked ¡°Why?¡± to my back.

    ¡°For when you do find the mood.¡±

 Chapter 7: Trust

    We arrived at our eighth session with the sage slightly ahead of schedule. We¡¯d had no duties with Irina that morning, and had grown sick of waiting in my chambers.

    Andiya paused with her hand on the door. ¡°It¡¯s the princess.¡± She leaned her ear to the wood. ¡°Can you hear?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Give me some magic. I can¡¯t make it out properly.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not giving you magic to spy on the princess.¡±

    Andiya shot me a spiteful look and slammed open the door.

    Irina and Jawahir halted shouting. They stood like warriors in an arena, ready to strike should the other move.

    ¡°Enjoy your training, Kain,¡± Irina said tactfully. ¡°And don¡¯t forget, Turan. I expect a report in the morning.¡±

    Andiya and I bowed as Irina departed. We joined the sage at a new writing desk set with pens and blank sheet music.

    ¡°What did the princess want?¡± asked Andiya.

    Jawahir¡¯s brow rose. Andiya so rarely spoke during our sessions. ¡°I am not at liberty to say,¡± replied the sage. He leaned in conspiratorially. ¡°But I won¡¯t tell if you don¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°Who do I have to tell?¡±

    ¡°Then we can speak of Irina later,¡± declared the sage. ¡°For now, I thought we might try composing. Can you read music, Andiya?¡±

    ¡°Not like this.¡±

    ¡°Then we shall learn today.¡±

    As Jawahir lectured to a silent Andiya about bars and times, I watched her. Though she seemed to offer just as many words as she had in our first session, there was a small change. She sat straighter, more attentive. Perhaps she didn¡¯t want to speak with Jawahir. But she felt the same effect that his gentle manner had once had on me¡ªit was difficult to stay angry when he did not give you reason. He did not fight, did not argue. There was nothing to fuel the flame, and so it eventually went out. How long would it take Jawahir to wear Andiya down, as he had me?

    Today¡¯s session seemed to be no different than the others, until the sage set down his pen.

    ¡°Forgive me, Andiya. But your bruises have not healed since the day we met. And that cut on your forearm seems to be worse.¡±

    ¡°I have not been given any magic to heal. My master does not trust me with it.¡±

    ¡°Ah. Rozin, release her magic.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± I exclaimed. ¡°No. The last time Andiya had full access to her magic, she murdered the archon. I can¡¯t allow the risk.¡±

    ¡°I see. Andiya, if Rozin were to release your magic, what would you do?¡±

    ¡°Heal.¡±

    ¡°And?¡±

    Andiya fixed me with a furious glare. ¡°Nothing more. Rozin will surely see to that.¡±

    ¡°So there we have it. Rozin, her magic.¡±

    ¡°Did you not hear me? She murdered the archon. She is more powerful than anything we¡¯ve ever encountered. And¡ªand I don¡¯t trust her! Not as you seem to. If I set Andiya loose she could burn the Korongorod right out of the sky.¡±

    The easy expression on Jawahir¡¯s face vanished. ¡°Trust is earned, Rozin. How is Andiya meant to do that, when you treat her as you do? Like a dog that you have beaten and now fear it biting your hand.¡±

    ¡°I haven¡¯t touched her!¡±

    ¡°Yet you allow her to live in pain because of your own prejudices. You watch her wince as she walks and tell yourself that because it was not by your hand, you are absolved of the guilt. But you are worse than them. Andiya is your responsibility, and you have failed her.¡±

    My eyes hit the floor.

    ¡°Forgive me, sage.¡±

    ¡°It is not my forgiveness you need.¡±

    I could feel Andiya¡¯s scepticism through the bond. She was right. I was never going to ask her for that.

    ¡°How do I release the magic, sage,¡± I forced through my teeth.

    He sighed lengthily. ¡°Close your eyes.¡±

    The room went dark.

    ¡°Your fear is a clenched fist,¡± said the sage¡¯s lulling tone. ¡°I want you to imagine loosening it.¡±

    I tried. I really did. But I¡¯d pulled the bond so tight I¡¯d forgotten what it had felt like to free it.

    ¡°Trust, Rozin,¡± said Jawahir.

    I gripped the bond and heaved. Andiya gasped, and I heard her palms hit the floor.

    ¡°Rozin. Rozin, you¡¯re choking her.¡±

    I knew that. I couldn¡¯t breathe either.

    ¡°Release!¡±

    Andiya was coughing. The bond tightened again until it felt like an overdrawn bowstring. Something had to break. And it wasn¡¯t going to be me.

    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    ¡°Damn you!¡± came Andiya¡¯s throttled voice. ¡°You bitch¡ª¡±

    The curse crashed into me, dragging forth a memory I could never seem to be rid of. A burning village. Ash in my mouth. Kamala, screaming as black teeth sank into her father''s neck.

    My grip on the bond slipped, and I felt magic rush into Andiya like the crash of a tidal wave.

    I opened my eyes to see her staring at her own hands. Her bruises faded and vanished. She sat tall. Her ruby eyes lit with a life I¡¯d forgotten they had. And she suddenly seemed real, as if the Andiya I¡¯d seen all this time was this woman¡¯s shadow. Her skin was more vibrant, her outline more in tune with the world around her. She took a heavy breath.

    ¡°Andiya,¡± said Jawahir. ¡°How do you feel?¡±

    ¡°Like ¡­ me,¡± she breathed. ¡°It¡¯s all here.¡±

    She opened a palm before her eyes, and a ball of pale orange flame coalesced from thin air.

    I snatched the magic back. The flame went out. Andiya slumped.

    ¡°Rozin!¡± said the sage. ¡°She did nothing¡ª¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Andiya cut in. ¡°I said I would only heal. Fire was not in the bargain. I ¡­ forgot myself.¡±

    Jawahir frowned, but he didn¡¯t fight her. Andiya stretched her arms like a cat in the sun. Free from ache for the first time in a long while.

    The sage brought out his sheet music pages. ¡°Now, for some relaxing composition¡ª¡±

    ¡°What did the princess want?¡± demanded Andiya. With the pain gone, her voice was sharp as a lash.

    Jawahir blinked in surprise. ¡°You¡¯d rather talk politics?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d rather do more than listen to you speak of composers and cadence. I appreciate your efforts, sage, and I shall not forget the kindness you have shown me this past week¡ªbut by now I think we can discuss the real game you''ve been playing. In the time we¡¯ve been meeting you¡¯ve done nothing to train Rozin and everything to befriend a High Order. Why?¡±

    The sage seemed thrown by Andiya¡¯s outburst. I forced down my smirk. He¡¯d wanted her healed, and he got it.

    ¡°And so I¡¯ve been caught,¡± he said. ¡°Something any other bonded would not have been able to do.¡±

    ¡°You were testing my intelligence.¡±

    ¡°No, Andiya! Your life. Your wit, passion, incredulity. Your ability to question and be questioned. I wanted to speak to a High Order with the same candour that I might any human being.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Discovery. I have dedicated my life to the pursuit of higher knowledge. As far as I know, a human and a High Order have never shared tea, nor played together, nor discussed fine silks. We have an opportunity to learn from each other that no one else does.¡±

    Andiya crossed her arms over her chest, tapping her fingers. ¡°Very well, Turan Jawahir. I can¡¯t fault a scholar for pursuing his studies. If you wish to continue our ¡®sessions,¡¯ as you have named them, I am open to it. Now. What did the princess want? I won¡¯t ask again.¡±

    ¡°A weapon.¡±

    Andiya and I went still.

    ¡°The princess fears invasion like ink fears water. In her eyes, Andiya is the key to shielding the Canavar lands from foreign powers. Our time here was meant for Rozin to learn to wield a High Order. The princess demands to know what progress I¡¯ve made.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve made none,¡± I said. ¡°We¡¯ve done nothing.¡±

    ¡°Nothing to help you wield Andiya, that is true. But these sessions have confirmed my suspicions. That the task the princess asks of me is, undoubtedly, impossible.¡±

    I leaned in. ¡°What you mean is that I will never be able to control Andiya?¡±

    ¡°In my opinion, no.¡±

    Andiya shot me such a satisfied grin that I had the urge to pour a bucket of ice water over her head.

    ¡°Andiya,¡± said Jawahir. ¡°Are you aware of what a human-daemon bond actually is?¡±

    ¡°No. Without magic, I don¡¯t understand how humans can even produce these fetters.¡±

    ¡°The principle is not unlike the magic of your Subjugators. A daemon Subjugator is one that hunts by immobilizing its prey, whether by chain or cage or trap. They use their magic to bind the magic of another daemon so that it cannot fight back. Their methods are only effective if the subject¡¯s strength is less than theirs¡ªwhich is why the less powerful of them tend to hunt in packs. Together, they can overpower their prey. A human bonder uses this method¡ªbut as we lack magic, we use the life force of our bodies.¡±

    ¡°But a human is not more powerful than a daemon.¡±

    ¡°No, it is not. But what does a human possess that a daemon does not¡ªwhat it now seems a High Order does?¡±

    ¡°I have no idea.¡±

    ¡°A soul,¡± I said.

    ¡°You are saying,¡± ground out Andiya, ¡°that daemons don¡¯t possess souls.¡±

    ¡°The lesser orders, no. But let¡¯s think about what that means. Andiya¡¯s mental faculties are equal¡ªif not superior¡ªto our own. After the bond, she has retained her sense of self, her individuality, her morals. Sentience. The bond only works by forcing part of a human¡¯s soul into a daemon shell¡ªthereby splitting the soul into two bodies. But this only works if there is no soul to overpower. It seems that Andiya does, in fact, have a soul to match ours. Rather than replacing a soul, it seems you have blended yours together.¡±

    The bond writhed uncomfortably between us. Neither of us much liked the idea of that.

    ¡°Because of this blend, Andiya is fully present. Rozin can control the flow of her magic, as it is now a part of you as well as her, and I expect that the bond grants some physical connection as well ¡­¡±

    ¡°Like feeling when they tortured me,¡± said Andiya quietly.

    ¡°Ah. Yes. But with a competing soul in Rozin¡¯s way, the bond is less of a puppet string and more of a prison shackle. Thus, there is no true control.¡±

    ¡°And you told the princess this?¡± prompted Andiya.

    ¡°No. Our argument was because I have not told her anything. I did not want to endanger you or Rozin by revealing what I know. There is no telling what Irina will do when she realises that Andiya cannot be the weapon she wanted. Irina has demanded a demonstration of Rozin¡¯s training, and I told her you were not ready. I don¡¯t know how much longer I can stall.¡±

    ¡°But you said yourself it will never be possible,¡± I said. ¡°So all you¡¯ve done is drag out your hours studying Andiya before she sends you away. Irina wanted you to weaponize her High Order, and you treated it to tea.¡±

    ¡°Is that criticism, Rozin?¡±

    ¡°No. I¡¯m grateful for what you¡¯ve done, I really am. But if you don¡¯t produce results, Irina will send you back to Ardila Vos. She doesn¡¯t seem the patient type.¡±

    ¡°Irina has already threatened to remove me several times. My replacement is to be a man she and her father trust¡ªSeylas.¡±

    Suddenly I was on my feet. ¡°You have to change her mind.¡±

    ¡°Who is this Seylas?¡± asked Andiya. ¡°You mentioned him before.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s the archon¡¯s interrogator. I¡¯ve met the man only once. After¡ª¡± My throat stuck. ¡°After a daemon attack in Azherbal. I can¡¯t ¡­ I can¡¯t let him take you. I wouldn¡¯t wish Seylas on my worst enemy.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t reign in the fear in my tone. I didn¡¯t even try. There was something I couldn¡¯t say. That if Andiya¡¯s choice became Seylas or the guillotine, I would cut the rope myself.

    ¡°So ¡­¡± Andiya said. ¡°If Irina wants results, we give her some. How soon can we arrange a demonstration?¡±

    ¡°I could call one for the morning, if the princess accepted it.¡±

    Andiya stretched her lips to a wolfish grin, and I saw hesitation fill Jawahir¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°Then it¡¯s time we showed the princess what her weapon looks like.¡±

    *

    ¡°Question for you,¡± Andiya said as I pulled a blanket onto my couch to sleep.

    ¡°Will it take long?¡± I flopped down and sank into the cushions. Almost as good as a real bed.

    ¡°You said you don¡¯t want me in Seylas¡¯s hands.¡±

    ¡°Trust me. I¡¯ve seen what happens to those he thinks are withholding information. He only gives up when there¡¯s nothing left to interrogate.¡±

    ¡°And I believe you. I felt the truth of that in the bond. But you didn¡¯t want me with Seylas. You didn¡¯t say anything about yourself.¡±

    I thought back. That fear hadn¡¯t been for me at all, I realized. I hadn¡¯t even remembered that I¡¯d feel Andiya¡¯s pain. That concern had been entirely for her.

    Andiya didn¡¯t wait for my reply. She could feel my conflict through the bond.

    ¡°Until tomorrow, Rozin,¡± Andiya said in a kinder voice than I¡¯d thought her capable of.

    It wasn¡¯t until I closed my eyes and began to drift off that I realised she¡¯d used my name.

 Chapter 8: Overdoing It

    Behind the Frozen Keep, and outside the spiral walls that dominated the Korongorod, was a wide expanse of lawn enclosed by a half-circle of white verandas. It was lined in stone walkways, silver planters of blushing roses, and icy fountains of mounted warriors from legend, all lit by massive braziers. But the far side of the lawns held no decorations, no buildings. For the greens were situated right at the Korongorod''s outer border, and so they fell away abruptly to open sky like a cliff''s edge. Perhaps another day, the greens would be hosting lavish garden parties or noble sport. In today¡¯s case, they would demonstrate a bonded¡¯s capabilities.

    Andiya strode onto the field in front of me in full Eon regalia. She found her place in the centre, turned, and bowed low.

    The balcony above the verandas dripped with hulking icicles. Irina stared down at us, her diadem bright like a star. Behind her was a retinue of bored-looking dignitaries. I wondered how many of them believed the rumours of a High Order, and what the deniers thought the archon had really died from. I took my place on the left side of the field, level with Andiya. Across, Jawahir took the right.

    ¡°Set!¡± barked Jawahir, and Andiya and I stood at attention. ¡°Release!¡±

    I raised my hand open palmed to indicate that I was giving my bonded its magic.

    The bond remained tight.

    ¡°Release!¡± Jawahir repeated, more insistent this time.

    I tried. I pulled on the bond, and Andiya¡¯s muscles tautened. Come on. Come on, Rozin. Let go.

    But my neck grew hot from the staring, I¡¯d already taken too long, and I looked up to see Irina white-knuckled on the balcony railing with rage. Her dignitaries tittered amongst themselves.

    A figure waved from the side of the greens. Blonde hair, grey uniform. Yulia.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go, Rozin!¡± she cheered, and I saw more people shoving in behind her. Rafiq, Shokarov, some of our riders. My squad was here to watch me fail.

    ¡°Release!¡±

    Irina began to have an argument with the man beside her, and I almost ditched the field in panic.

    He was a towering, simply-clothed man with narrow, cruel eyes¡ªone of them a solid, unforgiving black. His bald head was shaped like a bird¡¯s skull, papery white and cracked with fine dark lines from some mishandled magic years ago. I didn¡¯t need to be on that balcony to hear the echo of Seylas¡¯s sandpaper rasp.

    ¡°This will end when I say it does.¡±

    My hold slipped, and Andiya¡¯s magic surged into her. Her head dropped back as power swirled between us, thick and head-spinning as liquor.

    ¡°Rozin Kain of the Eon Guard,¡± said Jawahir with relief. ¡°First display of bonded Andiya, High Order, Fire Elemental class.¡±

    I began to motion as I¡¯d seen Yulia do. The Canavar military had a standard set of signals for bonders, so that their comrades knew what the daemon was being ordered to do. The trick was to make Irina believe my signals meant something. Yulia controlled Artem as an extension of herself, but the same was not possible for Andiya and I. So we had to fake it.

    My hand curled into a fist above my head in the battle-ready indicator.

    Andiya planted her feet. She swept her hands open palmed against her shaved head, and a murmur swept through the spectators. Where Andiya¡¯s fingers passed, crimson hair flowed in a shimmering cascade. It tumbled against her back in loose curls, bright against the morning sun like a river of blood. She threw me a grin, and I found myself lingering on the sight. Power hummed from her, buzzing my skin. She was once again so solid, so real, drawing every eye with an electrifying magnetism. This was who Andiya was meant to be. Not some beaten prisoner. But ferocious. Dangerous. Heart-stopping.

    I flicked my wrist out, and a ring of flames swirled about Andiya¡¯s feet. We moved. Andiya¡¯s flames intensified as we advanced on a line of stone dummies on the other side of the field.

    ¡°Animate!¡± called the sage, and two Animator class bonded beside the dummies began to glow with indigo magic. One by one, the dummies cracked to life. The bonded infused them with their own magic, and their masters puppeteered them into a battle formation. The two bonded managed about eight dummies in total before their magic hit its limit. Together, they rushed Andiya.

    She seemed unconcerned. Andiya toyed at a tiny ball of flame, moulding it like clay. The dummies came within striking distance¡ª30 feet, she had told me. I clapped my palms. Andy¡¯s fireball swelled and lengthened, screaming up to the sky in the vague form of a dragon. It had a long serpentine body and a gaping jaw, but its outline was fuzzy, as though squinted at through glass. It twisted in the sky and slammed back down. The dummies disintegrated.

    We bowed to the balcony. The dignitaries had gone still with shock. Only Irina smiled.

    I closed my palm, and I felt Andiya agree through the bond. The dragon lay at my feet, crackling flame as it bowed its blurry head.

    ¡°Set two!¡± shouted Jawahir, and a new cluster of dummies entered the field.

    ¡°More,¡± Andiya¡¯s voice whispered against my mind. I flinched. It felt spoken right into my ear, and I could almost feel her breath on my neck. That was new.

    I cleared my throat and waved to an assistant in the wings. ¡°More targets.¡±

    ¡°Fill the field,¡± said Andiya.

    ¡°Fill the field.¡±

    We waited patiently as more bonded were brought to the green. More, Andiya kept demanding, until the dummies numbered some two hundred. A small army of Animator class bonded hung at the edges of the field. Probably the majority of the Canavar¡¯s reserves. Irina¡¯s hungry smile gave me the chills.

    This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.

    Andiya¡¯s voice purred up the bond. ¡°Let¡¯s have some fun, Rozin.¡±

    The chill melted away, and I felt my face grow hot. Creators save me.

    The bond flicked, and as we¡¯d planned, I moved from my position to stand only a few feet behind Andiya.

    ¡°As an Eon Guard,¡± Jawahir announced to the balcony, ¡°Eon Kain will perform her demonstration as a realistic depiction of her duty to protect the archon.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t burn me,¡± I said up the bond, and smirked when Andiya flinched in surprise.

    ¡°I won¡¯t, if you do as I said.¡±

    Jawahir announced the advance, and two hundred dummies began to cross the field.

    ¡°Raise your hand.¡±

    As I moved, Andiya mirrored me.

    A tiny ball of blame grew in the palm over her head. The dragon flew towards us and absorbed into the ball. It became too bright to look at.

    ¡°Spin your wrist.¡±

    A ring of fire snaked around us, burning as high as my waist.

    The air grew too hot. But it wasn¡¯t just inside the ring. The lawns were yellowing, and up on the balcony, the dignitaries were fanning themselves. Leaves on the decorative hedgerows behind us began to curl.

    ¡°Andiya ¡­¡±

    ¡°Trust me. Isn¡¯t that what your sage told you?¡±

    ¡°This seems more than a demonstration.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve never heard of pageantry?¡±

    I plucked the bond in warning, and without turning, Andiya nodded. Understood.

    The horde of dummies was almost upon us. Lazily, Andiya blew on the little ball of fire, and it floated from her hand like a dandelion seed.

    I could feel the world hold its breath as the ball breezed gently into the horde.

    It exploded.

    Brightness burned my eyes. I threw up my hands to shield myself, just as the ring of fire around us shot upwards into a protective dome. The Korongorod quaked under my feet.

    ¡°The princess!¡± I shouted with my real voice. ¡°What the hell did you¡ª¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s fine, everyone¡¯s fine.¡± Andiya turned to look at me with a sly smirk. ¡°Let¡¯s leave the magic to those trained for an immortal battlefield, hm?¡±

    The fire raged around us. Andiya seemed too drunk on her magic to realise what she¡¯d said. Immortal battlefield. Fighting what, exactly? Other daemons?

    The dome of fire petered out, and I found myself on a field of ashes. The planters and pillars were charred black, all hint of greenery up in smoke. The damage reached up to the balcony, stopping only feet below Irina. And at the far end of the field, where there had once been an army of dummies, was now a hole where an entire chunk of the Korongorod had been blown to oblivion. Andiya had carved through the floor, the stone, anything in the explosion¡¯s path, leaving only a smoking scar.

    Faintly, I heard the dignitaries quarrelling above. Irina never looked away from Andiya with a smile that could freeze the sun.

    ¡°Bow, Rozin.¡±

    My heart slammed as I dipped low. What had we just done? How could one daemon have enough power to level a city?

    I met Jawahir¡¯s gaze when we came up.

    He did not look happy.

    *

    No one called on me for several days. I had no princess to guard, no sage to see, and the last time I¡¯d left my apartment, a wall of Eons said Irina would prefer I didn¡¯t wander. Should she need me on short notice, was the excuse.

    But Andiya and I knew better. Our demonstration had been a success¡ªfar too much of one. We were too dangerous to walk free. Not when Andiya could tear the Korongorod right out of the sky with a single blow.

    Better for us to relax, stay calm.

    I drank tea on the balcony, finding that I did not handle captivity well. I¡¯d been a soldier for so long I¡¯d forgotten what the words ¡°spare time¡± meant. Being bored made my memories far too loud. They leapt back to Kamala, as they always did, and to the redwyr, and to the way Seylas¡¯s voice had echoed through the town hall. The memory quickened my heartbeat, made my ears whine. I had to shove it away, before the panic set in. I wasn¡¯t safe here, I wasn¡¯t safe anywhere ¡­

    A chess set slammed on the table, and Andiya dropped onto the opposite chair.

    ¡°Play with me.¡±

    ¡°Uh. No.¡±

    ¡°Rozin,¡± Andiya ground between her teeth. ¡°Your stupid miserable brain is driving me up the wall. Play, or find some way to shut it up.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but when exactly did we transition from the silent treatment to board games? Because I liked the old arrangement.¡±

    Andiya began to set the chess pieces. I saw her frown at the pawns, which were carved in the shape of cloaked bonded.

    ¡°Seems about right,¡± she grumbled.

    ¡°Where did you even get this?¡±

    ¡°Told one of the maids you wanted it. I am just a faithful bonded serving her beloved master, after all. There. I¡¯ve played. Your turn.¡±

    ¡°I said I¡¯m not¡ª¡±

    ¡°I swear. Is everything always so difficult with you? It¡¯s a damn game. Yes, you hate me, I get it, and yes, I still hate you. Blah blah blah. Get over yourself. I¡¯m bored. You are too, and I¡¯m sick to death of feeling your depression through the bond. Play.¡±

    I scowled at her, and she rolled her eyes mockingly back. I liked Andiya better when she was injured. At least then all she did was sleep. I shoved a pawn forward.

    We played wordlessly. Andiya¡¯s turns took twice as long as mine. And they were terrible.

    ¡°King and Crown,¡± I said, and knocked over her archon piece.

    ¡°How did you¡ªI had a strategy! Two more moves, and I had you. Again.¡±

    I didn¡¯t agree, but when Andiya reset the game, I took my turn after her.

    ¡°King and Crown,¡± I said again after a time.

    Furiously, Andiya set the next game.

    I leaned over the board, tracing paths to victory in my mind. Ah. There it was.

    ¡°King and Crown.¡±

    Andiya¡¯s scarlet eyes flared with magic. I held her power back, finding it easier to control after our demonstration. In defiance, Andiya forced her way through two more games and won neither. A servant brought dinner, and we let it get cold.

    ¡°Why can¡¯t I win?¡± Andiya whispered more to herself than to me.

    ¡°Shokarov carried a set everywhere we went. I was his favourite opponent. I¡¯d like to think I picked up a few of his tricks.¡±

    ¡°Well. You¡¯ve surprised me, Rozin Kain. I didn¡¯t think you had it in you.¡±

    ¡°And why not?¡±

    ¡°Took you for more of the brawn over brain sort of type.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t tell if that¡¯s an insult.¡±

    ¡°Only half of one. It¡¯s because you¡¯re so ¡­¡± She waved at my body vaguely.

    ¡°So?¡±

    Andiya¡¯s eyes flicked to my arms. I¡¯d not bothered with my uniform today. Instead, I¡¯d chosen a simple training shirt and breast band, the shirt¡¯s material baggy enough for movement. But Andiya was looking at the fact that it was both sleeveless and split-sided, exposing my arms and parts of my ribcage. The gold tattoos she had given me wrapped around my arm, glinting subtly when I moved.

    ¡°Brawny,¡± she said with a leer.

    I knew she was only trying to get a rise of me, to have something to entertain herself with. But I really didn¡¯t like the direction this conversation headed towards.

    ¡°This is what it looks like when you spend a few years running through the mountains bonding daemons,¡± I reminded her. ¡°Including your friend Khalid.¡±

    Pain¡ªimpossibly real pain¡ªflashed across her face. ¡°Right.¡± She gazed over the balcony. We were passing over a lush forest. ¡°Where is he?¡±

    ¡°With Rafiq.¡±

    ¡°So out with your captain. Capturing daemons.¡±

    I considered lying to her. I would be easier in the long run, if she never saw Khalid again. One less thing I had to deal with.

    ¡°Here on the Korongorod,¡± I found myself saying instead. ¡°Rafiq watched our demonstration.¡±

    The shocked rolled over Andiya first, and then a sorrowful ache shot up our bond so powerfully that my own eyes pricked. Andiya didn¡¯t even bother to shut it out.

    ¡°Please let me see him.¡±

    I tried to shove my guilt away in favour of what I¡¯d known my entire life. Daemons couldn¡¯t love, didn¡¯t feel real sorrow or pain, they only imitated it¡ªbecause if they could love, then what had I done?

    My thoughts betrayed me. What if it were Yulia?

    ¡°I¡¯ll see what I can do.¡±

    Andiya didn¡¯t need to reply. I felt her gratitude, her relief, her fear of who she would meet when she again saw Khalid.

    There was no reason to let her see him at all. I could have lied and my life would have been easier. But I¡¯d wanted to say yes. Not only from guilt. I¡¯d wanted it for Andiya, because I would have wanted the same for me.

    Our door crashed open, and Yulia came sprinting onto the balcony like a frightened hare.

    ¡°Rozin! Rozin, you need to come with me. The princess is leaving the Korongorod.¡±

 Chapter 9: Into the Trees

    Nearly three hundred years ago, humanity and the daemons were at war.

    It would be the end of the world, many said. The death was so widespread, the destruction so complete, that the war seemed a fire that would burn and burn until all that remained was ash. Great nations collapsed to ruin. Roads were paved in bones. Smoke blurred the sky, fading the sun to a colourless grey. In Azherbal we called it The End. All days after the war were only borrowed time, we said, a small mercy from the Creators. And so we decided that every gifted day would be one of colour. We painted our houses like flowers, sewed rainbows into our clothing, danced under paper lanterns that blinked like fireflies. We would live, because we should not have.

    Scholars differ on what truly ended the war. Some insist that it was by humanity¡¯s own cleverness. The remaining human nations knew that alone, no single country could defend their lands. And so they formed the coalitions, and each coalition decided that there would forever be peace among men. They hid their new archons in the floating, abandoned cities left behind by the Creators¡ªone city for each new coalition. United, their strength was enough to blow the daemons back, secure our borders. But many believe that could not have been it¡ªhow could humanity have ever found such might, even together? How could iron face the magic of the High Orders, of the daemon kings and queens? This was not our doing, some said. The survival of humanity was divine. We survived because the gods decided it would be so.

    Our coalitions had held strong since the war¡¯s end, and the archons had remained hidden away in our floating cities. But Irina was leaving. A reigning archon had not set foot on solid ground since the forming of the coalitions. If archons ever met, the cities flew to meet each other; on land, they were vulnerable. They could be killed.

    I hurried after Yulia down the halls of the Korongorod, but we could only go as fast as Andiya. She was stronger before, but she still stumbled, still ran out of breath too quickly. Yulia led us through the winding servant passages that connected the Frozen Keep with the rest of the city. We went so far that I had to put my shoulder under Andiya¡¯s arm to keep her from collapsing, her chest heaving in exhaustion.

    We emerged into a thin alleyway that ran between cramped servant housing and the Korongorod¡¯s spiral wall. We were somewhere on the outskirts of the city, not far from the cliffs. Money grew thinner the farther one was from the keep¡ªand there was clearly not much to go around here. Short, thin houses pressed together in the shadows of terraced manors, hidden from sight. Yulia pounded on one of their doors.

    A hulking man in rough leather clothes let us in. We stepped inside, and we were surrounded by a hunting party preparing for an expedition¡ªexcept that I knew everyone there. I saw two of the princess¡¯s assistants wearing patched coats, rolling up a tent. Eon Commander Hadrion wore the light clothes of a tracker, her under-eye markings missing. I realised that the man who let us in was one of the Eons who¡¯d initially led us to the archon.

    ¡°Kain!¡± exclaimed Irina. ¡°Thank you for collecting her so quickly, Vankin. Come, come, we¡¯re preparing your bags. I could not leave without my Eon.¡±

    I hardly recognized her. Irina wore a simple leather coat, her hair was bound in a high ponytail, and she wore no makeup or adornment. But I would never have mistaken her for a commoner. No hunter had her perfect skin, nor those sharp manicured brows, and none held themselves so regally¡ªas though everyone else was beneath them. No change of clothing could ever mask that.

    ¡°Seylas, could you outfit Kain? She can¡¯t go into the woods in that. And some gloves, for those tattoos?¡±

    Seylas emerged from the hunting party. ¡°As you wish, Your Majesty.¡±

    My foot shifted back involuntarily. Seylas towered over me, his hands clasped behind his back. He¡¯d chosen a knee length hunting coat and black riding cloak, the clothes tight on his lean muscle. I felt like a mouse under the eyes of a snake.

    ¡°A pleasure to meet you again, Rozin Kain,¡± he rasped, and my heart skipped. My ears began to whine. ¡°You are looking well¡ªfar better than when we first met.¡±

    ¡°The honoured inquisitor be joining us,¡± said Irina. ¡°And your old captain will lead a party following some distance away, to keep our identity hidden. If anything should go wrong, they will escort us safely home.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t speak. Panic flooded everything that I was. Jawahir¡¯s words echoed in my memories, but I could hardly understand them. Breathe. You aren¡¯t there. You are here. Breathe, Rozin.

    ¡°Ask her about Khalid,¡± Andiya sent into my mind. I tried to focus on it, let it ground me. I could manage it. Seylas and Barje Vos were so many years ago. I had to manage it by now. But my chest felt like it was being pressed by a pile of bricks. I couldn¡¯t breathe.

    ¡°And Shokarov¡¯s squad, Your Majesty?¡± I forced out.

    ¡°Some of your squad will be joining us, yes. Those I felt could be trusted, or serve some purpose. Speaking of¡ª¡± Irina turned to Yulia. ¡°Inform your captain that we are to depart via the service tunnels in an hour. He shall follow after us in three.¡±

    ¡°Let go of my magic!¡± Andiya¡¯s voice screamed up the bond.

    My panic was pulling the bond, tightening it like I had in Jawahir¡¯s training room. I was choking her.

    Andiya¡¯s magic writhed against my hold. Her presence enveloped my mind, wrapping it in that ancient fog. I could hear, feel, nothing else. ¡°You¡¯re hurting me. You vowed not to. We had a deal.¡±

    My hold slipped, and I saw Andiya¡¯s shoulders straighten as her magic released. She had her magic, all of it, and we were right beside the future archon.

    ¡°Walk with me, Rozin,¡± said Irina.

    We went up a thin staircase, and Irina closed us in a tiny bedroom. I was going to be sick. Andiya was empowered. Seylas was just downstairs, and he remembered me, remembered what I¡¯d done and what he¡¯d done ¡­

    You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

    ¡°This operation would not have been possible without you, Eon Kain. The entirety of the Canavar Coalition is in your debt.¡±

    I nodded distantly, trying to regulate my breathing. I could hear my heart in my ears, feel it in the tips of my fingers.

    Andiya prodded me through the bond. ¡°Keep your damn head. This is important. Pay attention.¡±

    ¡°I apologise for the secrecy of our operation, but we could not risk word of my departure reaching the wrong ears. I have selected only those I have the utmost confidence in to join us. Apart from myself, only you and Seylas shall be aware of our true goal. As far as the others know, we are attending a clandestine emergency meeting with the Drahko Archon concerning his political unrest.¡±

    ¡°And our true goal?¡±

    Irina¡¯s cold eyes slid to Andiya.

    ¡°We have an unprecedented opportunity that no regent or archon has ever had. The Canavar have acquired a living, sentient High Order with access to a ruling daemon family. The ramifications of this are not lost on me. Andiya is the key to Canavar survival.¡±

    Irina circled Andiya, looking her up and down. Under her hood, Andiya didn¡¯t move.

    ¡°My father was a traditionalist. Under his rule, the Canavar were doomed for stagnation. Meanwhile, the Drahko and Vizi have been growing their forces to numbers that rival those from before the daemon wars. Our spies in Tianji report that the Qi archon has begun to double her defences, and is pulling their nomadic tribes close to cities where they can be protected. Everything waits for the first drawing of a blade. I will not allow my people to suffer as we did before the coalitions. I must act.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± I blurted. ¡°The entire purpose of the coalitions was to shield each other from the daemons. If we wage war on ourselves, we will have nothing to prevent the daemon kingdoms from conquering us again.¡±

    ¡°And so we come to why our people are in your debt. This ¡®hunting¡¯ party will not be visiting the Drahko¡¯s Heaven Garden. I intend to cross the wall into Kaelta.¡±

    Alarm shot up the bond. Magic rose.

    ¡°Easy,¡± I pushed at Andiya.

    ¡°Your Majesty¡ª¡±

    ¡°And Andiya will lead us to her regent.¡±

    I stepped in front of Andiya, putting me between her and Irina. ¡°You¡¯ll be killed. All of us will be killed. They¡¯re not going to hesitate just because we have a bonded. You are the archon¡ª¡±

    ¡°I will be the archon, yes. And my first act will be to offer the regent of Kaelta an alliance.¡±

    I blinked in shock. Andiya¡¯s confusion blurred the bond.

    ¡°Ask your bonded if she believes her former nation would accept.¡±

    ¡°Kaelta has no reason to¡ª¡±

    ¡°They would.¡±

    My mouth snapped shut. I turned to Andiya. ¡°Explain.¡±

    ¡°Not to her.¡±

    ¡°Then say enough. She thinks you¡¯re controlled.¡±

    She pressed her lips in a thin line and blew through her nose. ¡°I believe,¡± she ground out. ¡°That the Kaeltan queens would be open to negotiations, provided we are granted something in return. Among our kind, they are known to favour pragmatism over all else. Including old hatreds.¡±

    ¡°And could you, as a former guard, arrange safe passage to their palace?¡±

    The bond flicked oddly at the world palace, but I didn¡¯t know why.

    ¡°I could. But there is still a risk. No daemon will appreciate that you¡¯ve brought a bonded into their lands.¡±

    ¡°I assume it will be taken as an insult.¡±

    ¡°Yes. I cannot prevent that.¡±

    ¡°Then we shall forge onwards. We cannot afford otherwise.¡±

    Excitement rolled off Andiya in waves.

    ¡°Looking forward to going home?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Not at all. I only feel as though I have misjudged your princess. She seeks power, but not through fear. To lead by tolerance over hatred¡ªit is not something I expected from any human ruler.¡±

    ¡°We would say the same of the daemons.¡±

    ¡°And look where we are now.¡±

    *

    The sun set, and our party blended into a platform bringing travellers to the continent. Amongst the throng of servants, merchants, and messengers, no one paid attention to a ragged band of hunters. As the platform landed, we mounted our horses, lowered our hoods, and slipped away into the dense trees of Novosk¡¯s western woods.

    Behind me in the saddle, Andiya¡¯s hands gripped my waist with a feather-light touch. I tried not to think of how warm she was against my back, even through my cloak. She shifted to get more comfortable, and a shot of amusement travelled through the bond when I tried to put an inch between us.

    ¡°Am I so detestable, Rozin?¡±

    When I didn¡¯t answer, Andiya held a bit tighter.

    ¡°Don¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°I never realised you were so virginal. I could name a dozen people in the Korongorod alone who have dreamt of this.¡±

    ¡°Go back and find them then.¡±

    ¡°And miss this fun?¡±

    Our party sloshed through a low forest stream. I dismounted to lead my horse through the shallows, and Andiya watched curiously from the saddle. Parts of the stream were deeper than I thought. At one point I was up to my knees, splashed everywhere as the horse forded past me. I began to shiver.

    ¡°It¡¯s warm up here.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll walk for now.¡±

    Big words in the middle of the night. It didn¡¯t take long until my fingers and toes went numb. Better than being near Andiya, though.

    Tiny balls of fire began to bob around me. Intense heat wafted from them, soaking me in a midsummer sun. I held out my fingers to thaw.

    ¡°Felt my cold, did you?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Not at all. I don¡¯t get cold. But I¡¯d rather not watch you shivering all night from pride. It¡¯s a dreadful sight.¡±

    ¡°And here I thought you cared,¡± I replied sarcastically.

    ¡°I do.¡±

    I tripped on a root and went tumbling into a dry shrub.

    ¡°My master requests that we make camp,¡± Andiya called to the group. ¡°As poor visibility has made our path too treacherous.¡±

    *

    We settled in a small clearing surrounded by massive pine trees. The tents we¡¯d brought were simple and unassuming, exactly the kind I¡¯d seen in typical civilian hunting parties. Some of our equipment even bore wear and tear from previous owners.

    Irina¡¯s assistants began pitching tents. I halted one of them after she¡¯d set mine and moved on.

    ¡°My bonded¡¯s?¡±

    The assistant looked confused. ¡°She will have a bedroll by the fire, Eon. As ¡­ with all the bonded.¡±

    Andiya had booted me from my own bedroom in the Korongorod. She¡¯d sooner kill us than sleep outside my tent like a dog. No one could know that I couldn¡¯t control her¡ªand if she threw a fit in the middle of camp, it wouldn¡¯t take them long to figure it out.

    ¡°We can¡¯t leave our High Order exposed,¡± I ordered. ¡°She will have a tent to herself.¡±

    The assistant bowed and scuttled away.

    I went back to the others. They sat around a blisteringly hot, vivid fire that rested in a ring of stones. As far as I could tell, there was nothing fuelling it¡ªbut I could guess. Sure enough, when I plucked at the bond, the fire flickered.

    ¡°Rude.¡±

    I took a seat as far from Seylas as possible¡ªbeside Andiya, as she had done the same. Relaxing would have been much easier if Seylas wasn¡¯t staring openly at me through the flames.

    I examined our group. Four had the bulk I¡¯d expect from Eons, and the daemons sitting behind them confirmed it. A heavier-set Mehraki woman with long braids I¡¯d heard referred to as ¡°Doctor Viscara,¡± so that settled her. Lastly, the previous archon¡¯s advisor, Lionel, sat beside Seylas. He was a soft, short man, and he had a quiet way about him that made him vanish into the background. I couldn¡¯t see him being very useful in Kaelta, nor as a guard. Perhaps he was here to draw up a proper treaty?

    Irina took the empty place beside Seylas. ¡°I thank you all for your presence here tonight,¡± she said. ¡°And know that I have complete faith in each and every one of you. Our mission here will be recorded in history as one of the greatest commitments to lasting peace that ever was. Now. We drink, we eat, we sleep as deeply as we can. In the morning, we begin our journey to the Heaven Garden¡ªand to a new alliance that will shake the world to its core.¡±

 Chapter 10: Nightmare

    It would be a month¡¯s journey to the Kaeltan border. Seylas had planned our route to shroud us in secrecy. I hated the idea of doing anything Seylas said, but I didn¡¯t¡¯ argue. He knew better than anyone how to travel the country unseen, and we could not risk the princess being exposed.

    We were to take the Glass Bridge into Andiya¡¯s homeland. It was a remnant of the Creators, one of the few wonders they had left behind when they disappeared from our world. The Glass Bridge ran all the way from Bel Arben to Kaelta, but no human had ever crossed it. Whatever magic guarded the daemon lands kept us all away. Ships hoping to sail for daemon shores quickly found themselves sucked down into maelstroms; those who tried to fly across the sea were struck by lightning, wind, and storm; and any who attempted to walk the Glass Bridge did not make it twenty feet before their hearts simply stopped.

    We picked our way carefully through the woods, Seylas at our front. This part of our journey was to be the easiest. Once we crossed into Etvia, we would be invaders in a hostile land¡ªto reveal ourselves in the Drahko¡¯s land could end with the princess¡¯s head on a pike. The Drahko was not an enemy, yet, but his disdain for the Canavar was not a secret.

    I asked one of the assistants what they¡¯d told everyone else about the princess¡¯s absence.

    ¡°Officially, the princess never left the Korongorod,¡± she said. ¡°We dropped all foreign guests off in Volobirsk and refused any further meetings for the next two months. We¡¯ve informed the public that the princess will remain in her quarters for a period of mourning.¡±

    ¡°Mourning who?¡±

    ¡°The ¡­ the archon, Eon. Her father.¡±

    ¡°Right. Forgot.¡±

    ¡°And how broken up she seems about it,¡± Andiya sniggered.

    I flicked the bond. ¡°You should probably learn to respect your future archon.¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    We woke just before dawn and mounted up. An assistant attached an ironbow to my saddlebag. While we pushed through the thick underbrush, I noticed that Andiya kept her leg curled away from it.

    ¡°Iron didn¡¯t seem to bother you while you murdered my archon.¡±

    ¡°Oh, it did. My magic just shielded from the pain.¡± Her voice came quieter. ¡°But the iron hurt me well enough when you took my magic away.¡±

    While she¡¯d been interrogated. ¡°Well. Maybe that¡¯s why you don¡¯t kill kings.¡±

    ¡°They would have done it regardless,¡± she spat.

    I couldn¡¯t deny that. The interrogation of a High Order would have been by Seylas¡¯s order. Was telling Andiya that her torturer rode just ahead a cruelty or mercy?

    She sighed aloud and rested her chin on my shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m bored. You¡¯d think a clandestine mission would be more interesting. But it¡¯s just sitting on a horse all day.¡±

    Unlike before, I refused to rise to the bait. Let her lean on me if she wanted. She wouldn¡¯t get any entertainment out of it. ¡°Find something to do.¡±

    ¡°There is nothing for me to play with but you, Rozin. What if ¡­ Ah! Question for question. I know your princess is curious about me.¡±

    ¡°And you promise to answer truthfully?¡±

    ¡°I do.¡±

    ¡°All right. Ask.¡±

    ¡°Who is Kamala?¡±

    I went rigid. No one¡ªnot even Yulia¡ªknew that name. I¡¯d worked hard to keep it that way.

    ¡°Pick a different game.¡±

    ¡°Oh, come on. I know you think about her a lot. Especially when you¡¯re asleep. Now¡ªnow, hey! Don¡¯t get all pissy. I¡¯m not rooting around in your head. As if I could, tight as you keep it. But if your mind is shouting something at me, I can¡¯t not hear.¡±

    ¡°Drop it.¡±

    ¡°Sister? Friend?¡± Her hand curled on my shoulder and she spoke right into my ear. ¡°Girlfriend?¡±

    I stopped the horse. ¡°Get off.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not walking.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t give a shit.¡±

    Andiya¡¯s satisfaction rolled up the bond. She¡¯d gotten to me, and she knew it. With a little tap on my shoulder, Andiya slid from the horse.

    The day¡¯s progress through the woods slowed as the underbrush thickened. The assistants dismounted to hack away twisting brambles and drag fallen branches from our path, and Andiya burned away the thicker boughs.

    ¡°Couldn¡¯t have just flown to Bel Arben, could we,¡± she grumbled.

    ¡°Crown cities can¡¯t enter another coalition without invitation.¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t or won¡¯t?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s an act of war. So both, I guess.¡±

    I felt a sharp pain on my shin. I turned to see Andiya holding her leg, a fresh gash through her pant. She¡¯d raked it accidentally across a twisted bush with blood red flowers and black thorns.

    ¡°Shit,¡± I mumbled.

    ¡°I have my magic. It¡¯ll heal in a minute.¡±

    ¡°I hope so, for both of our sakes. That¡¯s scarlet snaplock.¡± I leaned down to see the cut. Sure enough, tiny needles had embedded in her skin. ¡°Also known as Nightmare Rose.¡±

    I whistled to the group and we took a small break. Doctor Viscara inspected Andiya¡¯s leg.

    ¡°It got her good,¡± she decided. ¡°But it shouldn¡¯t have any effect. Snaplock can¡¯t do anything to bonded.¡± She took out a small glass jar from her bag. I recognized it as enchanted healing sealant. She smeared it on Andiya¡¯s thigh with a gloved hand and wrapped it quickly in white bandage. ¡°You¡¯re lucky it was the High Order and not you. Not much for Snaplock to do, without a mind to latch onto.¡±

    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

    ¡°And if you do have a mind?¡± Andiya sent.

    ¡°If you start to feel anything, tell me.¡±

    Lionel came to hand Andiya and I a quick supper of hot soup and dark bread. With a little smile and bow, he let us be. I might have invited him to eat with us, had Seylas not been staring at me from the other side of the group. I suddenly didn¡¯t have the mood for conversation.

    As it was nearly nightfall, we decided to make camp. As we pitched the tents, one of the assistants asked for Andiya to start the fire.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be difficult. It¡¯ll only take a minute.¡±

    But Andiya stalked off right into the trees, and the bond tugged me to follow her.

    ¡°Sorry,¡± I said quickly to the assistant. ¡°But I need Andiya¡¯s magic. We¡¯re hunting tonight. I need something fresher than jerky.¡±

    ¡°As you say, Eon.¡±

    I made a show of following Andiya at a leisurely pace. Nothing to see here. Just an Eon and her wildly obedient High Order, off on a little walk together. No reason to tell Seylas or Irina.

    I found Andiya by a creek, furiously scrubbing at her shin. She¡¯d healed, as she¡¯d predicted, but from the looks of things, not quite right.

    ¡°Feel weird?¡±

    ¡°It itches like crazy, if you must know.¡±

    I started to unlace my boots. ¡°Lucky for me, snaplock is hallucinogenic. Shouldn¡¯t affect me at all.¡± I dipped my feet into the cold creek and laid back, staring through the canopy at the stars.

    ¡°You could help me!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t see how. Looks like you just need to ride it out.¡±

    Furious splashing came from the creek. Andiya had drenched herself completely.

    ¡°Won¡¯t help!¡± I called. ¡°Believe me, I¡¯ve tried.¡±

    Andiya splashed over. I could feel her glowering at me, but I just kept looking up. Which constellation was the wolf, again?

    Steam filled my vision, and my feet grew warm. I rolled my head to see Andiya sunk into the water up to her chin. The seam billowed from her body.

    ¡°How do you stand it?¡± she asked.

    ¡°I mostly just block you out.¡±

    ¡°Ha-ha. I meant being so ¡­ fragile. Mortal. Something like a stupid plant or a bad fall can just end you. How are you not terrified every day of your life?¡±

    ¡°Dunno. Don¡¯t think about it.¡±

    She scratched at her cheek. ¡°Well I think you should be a lot more concerned about it than you are. You only have, what? A hundred, two hundred years left?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m curious as to what you think the human lifespan is. Anyhow, yours is the same as mine now. Let¡¯s hope I don¡¯t get arthritic too quickly.¡±

    The steam stopped.

    ¡°Wait.¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t think about that, did you?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll age.¡±

    ¡°If I¡¯m lucky. But I am a soldier. So probably not.¡±

    Andiya began to hyperventilate. The water shot to a boil, and I lost sight of her in a torrent of steam.

    I decided to take my leave. Andiya should at least be allowed the dignity of riding out snaplock¡¯s paranoia phase in peace. On the way back to camp, I crossed paths with Lionel. I caught his arm. He carried a towel and a bar of floral soap.

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t,¡± I said.

    ¡°S¡ªsorry, Eon?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d recommend bathing a bit further upstream, Lionel. The High Order¡¯s just working through some hallucinogenic.¡±

    His eyes widened beneath his spectacles. ¡°Thank you for the warning, Eon. I will keep my distance.¡±

    I curled up in my tent, trying not to smile at the thought of Andiya¡¯s night. Snaplock was a hell of a thing to go through, if harmless in the long run. A few hours of paranoia and a terrible sleep¡ªNightmare Rose was well deserving of its namesake¡ªmight bring that ego of hers down a notch.

    The sound of the forest lulled me off to sleep.

    What felt like a second later, a hand jerked me awake urgently.

    I rolled over to see a dripping Andiya lying beside me, her eyes manic.

    ¡°Help me. I¡¯m going to die, Rozin, we¡¯re all going to die¡ª¡±

    ¡°What the fuck.¡±

    ¡°¡ªand I can¡¯t stop it. We¡¯ll get old and die and even if we don¡¯t, I¡¯ll definitely die tonight, I can feel it, I know it¡ª¡±

    ¡°Get out. What the hell?¡±

    ¡°¡ªthis feels like dying, so that¡¯s what it must be. I fucked up and got Khalid killed and now I¡¯ve gotten myself killed too and I¡¯m just going to sit here and scream and scream until my heart gives out¡ª¡±

    ¡°Andiya!¡± I hissed. Her voice was loud enough to be heard in the next tent. ¡°Just relax. This is the snaplock talking.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t relax! I¡¯m going to¡ª¡±

    ¡°To die, you said, I heard you. But snaplock can¡¯t kill you. Just breathe, you¡¯ll be perfectly fine.¡±

    ¡°But it feels¡ª¡±

    ¡°Like you can¡¯t breathe, like your heart is going to pop. I know. You¡¯re panicking.¡±

    ¡°Never thought I¡¯d go out this way. So this is really it! Not death by battle, or by choice. I go alone in the woods, chained to you, to some fucking insect, and no one is going to miss me at all.¡±

    I learned on a folded arm. There might be an opportunity here. Andiya¡¯s mental capacity seemed wonderfully sad at the moment. ¡°And what sort of battle did you see yourself dying in?¡±

    She spluttered like I was an idiot. ¡°Wi¡ªwith Qu¡¯arma Vak, obviously. We¡¯ve only been at war a few centuries, Rozin, keep up please.¡±

    ¡°So the daemon kingdoms don¡¯t consider us their primary enemy.¡±

    ¡°Do you consider the fruit flies on your apples to be yours? You give your people far too much credit.¡± She shivered in disgust. ¡°And now I¡¯m bonded with a stupid little fly. Maybe death is a mercy. Then no one in Kaelta will see how far I¡¯ve fallen. Also. I have a question about your friend.¡±

    ¡°No. So if we¡¯re flies, why would Kaelta ally with the Canavar?¡±

    ¡°Call it desperate times. There¡¯s rather more humans than High Orders. Enough that it could make a difference. Now your friend¡ªoh, tut tut, not Kamala. You can bottle up whatever trauma that is for now. I like you a little broody. I¡¯m talking about this Yulia. She doesn¡¯t like me.¡±

    ¡°No one does.¡±

    ¡°Not unique to humans, as a matter of fact. But forget I said that. I¡¯d like you to put in a good word for me. With Yulia. As soon as possible. Ideally before this stupid plant kills me.¡±

    ¡°Again, you¡¯ll be fine. You want Yulia to bring you Khalid, don¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°If he¡¯s in the party following us. I think about him a lot. Whether he¡¯s okay. I¡¯ve not known everyone to be kind to their playthings, even among my people. What if he¡¯s being mistreated, or forced to harm other daemons, or, or¡ª¡±

    ¡°I bonded him to Rafiq. He¡¯s the sort of person who would trip on a cat¡¯s tail and spend the next hour apologising. You don¡¯t need to worry.¡±

    ¡°Well, I will! It was my fault he was even in those mountains, looking after me.¡±

    ¡°And why were you in our lands?¡±

    ¡°Because¡ªbecause I¡ª¡± Andiya began blinking furiously, as if having some internal battle with the snaplock. Then she collapsed.

    Her chest rose and fell in sleep, but her eyes twitched and her nose crinkled. I almost felt sorry for her. The sleeping phase of snaplock was definitely the worst part. I felt a shockwave of panic roll off Andiya, and I threw a wall around my mind. It would be a good hour at least before she made it out the other side.

    I pulled a blanket over her and slipped my pillow under her head. Without her glaring or teasing and with the bond snapped shut, I could almost forget the bond, the situation we were in. And that every day, I felt guiltier about what I¡¯d done to her.

    I pulled up my sleeve and examined my tattoos. They said something about Andiya, but I still didn¡¯t know what. A stag, red berries, vines and thorns curved around scimitars. A sun in the centre of my palm. I resolved to ask her about it, someday.

    I wasn¡¯t sleeping here. I slipped away, careful not to disturb her. Across the camp was Irina¡¯s tent. Subtly, Commander Hadrion sat guard outside. Just enough away from the princess¡¯s tent to mask what she was guarding.

    ¡°I need to speak with Her Majesty,¡± I said, and she nodded.

    The princess was still awake. She pored over a series of sketched maps, her hair down and dressed in nightclothes. ¡°Do sit down, Kain.¡± She pushed some pages aside for me. ¡°I¡¯ve been reviewing Seylas¡¯s notes on our route. We¡¯ve had to revise slightly to avoid some seasonal hazards. Travelling merchants, Canavar supply lines, such things. He assures me we shouldn¡¯t lose more than a few days with the new adjustments.¡±

    ¡°I have some information from Andiya.¡±

    ¡°The sort that couldn¡¯t want until morning?¡±

    ¡°It could have but ¡­ I prefer she be asleep.¡±

    Irina¡¯s eyes narrowed dangerously. ¡°Should I be concerned as to why?¡±

    ¡°No! No, Your Majesty. Only, as you know, while Sage Jawahir was successful in training me to control Andiya¡¯s magic¡ª¡± I silently prayed she couldn¡¯t see the lie. ¡°¡ª her mind remains her own. Her personality is ¡­ difficult. Breaking into her mind to find information is thus far unsuccessful.¡±

    Mercifully, Irina nodded in agreement. ¡°Your sage had explained as much. Go on, Kain.¡±

    ¡°Well, Andiya has decided to tell me about the daemon lands. Briefly.¡± I summarized what Andiya had said about Kaelta and their potential alliance.

    ¡°So we may gain a powerful friend and enemy on the same day,¡± said Irina thoughtfully. She fell silent, thinking. Then, after a time, she seemed to decide something. The princess took my hands and gave me an odd look that I thought was her attempt at a warm smile. ¡°Thank you for bringing this to my attention, Kain. Once again, you have proven that my trust in you is not misplaced.¡±

    My face grew hot. ¡°Thank you, Your Majesty.¡±

    ¡°We are a long way from the palace, Kain. When we are alone, Irina will do just fine.¡±

    Someone shrieked. Hooves thundered outside. As I pulled Irina under me to shield her, the tent burst into flames.

 Chapter 11: Ashes

    Screaming horses pieced the night. Irina and I stumbled out of her tent and into a battlefield. Two of our Eons lay in pools of blood at our feet, arrows in their necks. Their bonded lay beside them, their skin already crumbling away to ash as their magic dissolved. Tents burned. Trees burned. Everything burned. The wood was a massacre of sparks, smoke, and roaring orange. Commander Hadrion¡¯s massive bear-like bonded stood in the centre of the camp, a severed hand crushed in its jaw.

    Irina pressed herself against my back, as she would her normal Eon guard. But I was paralyzed. Because I had been here before, and I could not be here again. My limbs wouldn¡¯t budge.

    From the trees, arrows ringed in pale magic shot through our tents. Where they struck, fire exploded from their tips. One dug into the dirt feet away. Striped fletching, red painted shaft in the style of the hill clans. People that recognized no allegiance to the Canavar.

    A hand pounded my back. Irina screamed at me from miles away. But I wasn¡¯t with her anymore.

    I was in Barje Vos. Heat pricked my skin. My nose filled with smoke. And all around me, while I was powerless to stop it, my friends and family were cut down with black blades.

    And it was all my fault.

    A rider plunged out of the woods. Their coat was a mass of black feathers, a white beaked mask obscuring their features. They loosed a savage war cry and shot an arrow through one of the assistants¡¯ necks as she ran.

    Crows. The most ruthless of all clans. They rarely, if ever, left survivors.

    A grey shape followed the rider from the trees. It slunk on all fours with the crookedness of a hyena, but it was grey and scaled like a reptile. Finger-long fangs protruded from its jaw, dripping saliva. It passed and slowed.

    The daemon looked at me. Its spots glowed yellow in a wave like a shiver running down its back. Second eyelids slicked open and shut. With a step closer, it passed the firelight. On the daemon¡¯s neck was the black collar tattoo of a bonded.

    A small voice reminded me of something. You have a bonded too, Rozin. And it doesn¡¯t feel as though she¡¯s woken up.

    I seized Irina¡¯s arm and dragged her into the darkness of the woods, where we might not be spotted. I sprinted for my tent. We passed the second assistant cowering under a shrub. Irina snatched the assistant¡¯s knife.

    We ducked behind a burning tent as more Crow riders screamed through the camp. They numbered at least six, by the chaos. Once in the trees, their coats made them all but invisible.

    ¡°Kain, behind¡ª!¡±

    Pain tore up my arm as the lizard-like daemon burst from the bushes and slammed into me. Its jaws had clamped on my sleeve, tearing through the thick leather. Blood stained its salt-white teeth. With a cry of agony, I hit the earth. The daemon pressed a massive paw on my chest. Claws raked my coat. Pressure stole my breath, strangling my scream.

    Irina¡¯s knife sank into its neck. Black tar oozed onto my face, and the daemon dropped.

    I dragged myself free. The daemon was still breathing, twitching on the forest floor. The knife protruded at a sloppy angle.

    Shaking, I yanked it free. Iron. The only reason we were still alive.

    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

    But maybe I wouldn¡¯t be for much longer. A steady stream of blood pulsed from a gash in my forearm as wide as my palm. It had hit something important.

    We staggered through the dark trees behind the tents, Irina close behind me. I started coughing. In horror, I saw that my tent was burning. Andiya was suffocating.

    ¡°Where¡¯s the High Order?¡± Irina hissed at me.

    The nightmare rose. Andiya hadn¡¯t come to my rescue because she couldn¡¯t. I kept my mouth shut. A plant had effectively neutralized a High Order. That was dangerous information for anyone to know.

    I sprinted from Irina and crashed through the underbrush. Branches and thorns whipped my face. I knew that I would lose consciousness soon, and when I did, Andiya and I were both dead.

    My hand left streaks of blood on my tent¡¯s canvas. The flames were high enough that the Crows couldn¡¯t see me. I cut through the tent and tumbled inside. Andiya was tossing in a nightmare, almost fully obscured by the acrid smoke filling the tent. I gripped her shoulders.

    ¡°Andiya!¡± I shouted. ¡°Get up! Andiya!¡± I echoed the call in my mind. ¡°Andiya, Andiya, Andiya¨C¡±

    I was too weak right now to carry her. I wrapped my arm around her chest and heaved. Black spun my vision. I couldn¡¯t breathe in here. Andiya hardly budged.

    Then Irina was there. Together, we hauled Andiya into the dark forest behind my tent. In the clear air, Andiya began to hack and cough. Sluggishly, her eyes fluttered open.

    I dropped beside her, spent. ¡°Attacked,¡± I gasped. ¡°Eons dead. Don¡¯t know ¡­ where Hadrion ¡­¡±

    My shoulder hit a tree. No use trying to stand.

    Confusion and alarm trickled down the bond as Andiya¡¯s mental faculties struggled back to life. She pushed up on her elbows, eyes like glass.

    ¡°We have to run,¡± Irina urged. ¡°Now.¡±

    Hooves thundered towards us. One of the Crow riders had spotted Irina¡ªthe only one of us standing so visibly. A wet snarl erupted from the opposite direction. Another lizard-like daemon, speeding silently through the woods. Its eyes flashed in the dark.

    ¡°I said now, Kain!¡± Irina screamed.

    But we couldn¡¯t run. I couldn¡¯t even stand. The Crow¡¯s horse sped closer. The only way out of his alive would be to suddenly sprout wings.

    Andiya snatched my wrist with a steel grip, and heat flashed up my arm like a brand. I smelled burning flesh and hair. I screamed as stars popped in my vision.

    Her magic pulled back. Andiya had burned my wound shut.

    Andiya yanked Irina and I towards her, and her magic burst outwards like a gust of wind. Flames uncurled from her back as two giant wings, each feather a messy lick of fire. They spread to an impossible span, reducing the branches in the way to puffs of smoke. Andiya looked at me. Behind her eyes, the same fire burned.

    Andiya¡¯s wings pushed through a powerful downward stroke, and we were in the air. Irina and I clung to Andiya, my arms around her neck and Irina¡¯s wrapped around her thigh.

    The ground rushed away from us at dizzying speed.

    And rushed back.

    We tumbled back down, my stomach in my throat. But Andiya¡¯s wings flapped again, and we narrowly evaded being skewered by a thin pine.

    Andiya bellowed as an arrow pierced her thigh. We dropped another alarming few feet. I could feel the strain on Andiya¡¯s magic, the fog in her mind. Desperately, I gripped the bond and hauled Andiya¡¯s magic narrower. Too much magic bled from her in a torrent. Define the wings. Sharpen the edges. Come on, come on. Concentrate.

    We climbed jerkily into the sky. Irina pressed her cheek to Andiya¡¯s thigh, her knuckles white. I pulled the bond as taut as it would go.

    Another arrow plunged into Andiya¡¯s stomach. I felt it like a punch to the gut. But we stayed in the air. Her wings jerked irregularly, stuttering every few gut-wrenching feet. For a moment, one of the wings spluttered and winked out. But Andiya¡¯s magic felt my pull, and it returned in a blaze of light. The feathers lengthened, defined. I tightened my control, watching as the wings grew and grew; as their tips fanned out like an eagle.

    We began to gain horizontal speed. Up and down we went in lurches and drops, but Andiya was doing it. We were flying. The war cries of the Crows faded as we sped over the forest canopy. The endless woods blurred, faded under the moonlight. My chest tightened under the strain of Andiya¡¯s breathing. Even if I held her magic¡¯s flow, it still weakened. If it gave out at this height, it wouldn¡¯t matter that we¡¯d escaped the Crows.

    ¡°Land!¡± I shouted in her mind, but the word met a wall. My voice was raw from smoke. ¡°You¡¯re almost out! Get us down!¡± Andiya didn¡¯t seem to hear anything I said. She was concentrating so hard on flying, on staying awake, that she didn¡¯t have the capacity for anything else. She angled sharply, and we soared over a wide, frothing river. One that seemed to end abruptly.

    ¡°No!¡± I gasped. ¡°No, Andiya, don¡¯t¡ª¡±

    Her magic died, and we plunged over the edge of a towering waterfall.

 Chapter 12: Dark Is The Water

    I crashed into the river. Andiya¡¯s grip slipped away, my fingers trailing down her warm skin until the current tore me away, leaving me with nothing but cold. As the world slowed around me, I sank.

    Everything was black. There was a surface somewhere, had to be, but I couldn¡¯t see it. I began to fade. I had nothing left to give, no more energy to keep myself alive. My mind filled with water; dark, impenetrable water, pulling me down into a quiet abyss.

    The bond hummed, looking for me.

    ¡°I¡¯m here,¡± I murmured to the bond. But I couldn¡¯t remember what here was, why it was so important to be found. Alarm thrashed my mind, and a voice screamed at me. The words were drowned, filled with bubbles. But I knew what they were asking me.

    ¡°Where?¡±

    My mind stroked along the bond, pulling it to me. The bond was so warm, as soothing as a campfire in a deep wood. I invited it in. I¡¯m right here.

    A rough hand wound in my hair and dragged me to the surface.

    I broke into the night and dragged in a desperate breath. Instantly, my mind cleared enough to remind me what was going on. I¡¯d almost drowned, and Andiya had saved us. Saved me.

    She helped me to shore, and we collapsed on a small bank of sand and pebbles. Irina sat shivering in her nightdress slightly farther up, dripping, a cold rage in her eyes. I just went limp, struggling to regain my wits.

    Beside me, Andiya lay heaving, her cheek in the sand. An arrow protruded from her stomach, another from her thigh. But I didn¡¯t feel them.

    ¡°Magic,¡± Andiya panted. ¡°I¡¯m ¡­¡± She coughed. ¡°I¡¯m blocking the pain. Can¡¯t much longer.¡±

    Wobbly, I pushed up to a sit. ¡°Your Majesty,¡± I croaked. ¡°You have the knife?¡±

    Irina crawled over and slapped the wet metal into my hand.

    I braced Andiya¡¯s shoulder. Still, her skin was as hot as a summer¡¯s day, even after being soaked in frigid water. The fire within her was stronger than anything nature could throw at us. ¡°Breathe through it,¡± I told her. ¡°Your Majesty, hold her other side.¡±

    I delicately took the head end of the arrow. It was common for Elementals to hit my fellow soldiers with bolts of ice or wood. I¡¯d never had the misfortune of going through it myself, but I¡¯d heard enough screaming to know how this was going to go.

    ¡°We don¡¯t have time to be delicate,¡± I said.

    ¡°Do it,¡± Andiya ground out.

    With the serrated inner edge of the iron knife, I worked through the arrow¡¯s shaft. One of the knife¡¯s teeth caught. A bolt of agony punched me in the gut.

    Andiya let out a small cry into the sand. ¡°Hurry.¡± Her magic trembled, almost spent.

    The one advantage to having a daemon patient was that Andiya could heal herself. I snapped the arrow¡¯s shaft roughly and yanked it from her gut.

    My vision went white as the pain hit us both. I slumped over Andiya, clenching my teeth so hard it felt like they would shatter. Then Andiya¡¯s tired magic rushed to spare us, and the pain was chased away.

    ¡°One more,¡± I gasped.

    Andiya rolled her thigh towards me. She panted against the sand.

    I made short work of the second arrow¡¯s shaft. I leaned on Andiya¡¯s thigh, bracing myself. I tore the arrow out.

    The last of Andiya¡¯s magic went, and the full brunt of her injuries slammed into us.

    There was nothing left in me but pain. I collapsed on the sand, agony ripping through my body from my stomach and my thigh. If I had to run again to save my life, I couldn¡¯t.

    Weak gratitude brushed my mind. Andiya¡¯s head dropped beside mine, her chest heaving. I turned my head to her. The pain dulled as I met her eyes.

    ¡°You saved us,¡± I sent.

    ¡°And now you owe me.¡±

    Irina huffed and sat down heavily beside me. ¡°All right,¡± she huffed. ¡°This is a minor setback.¡±

    *

    Irina helped Andiya and I crawl up the shore and into the tree cover. There was no telling how far we¡¯d strayed from Seylas¡¯s route, nor any way of knowing if the Crows would bother looking for us. I propped myself against a log and fought to maintain consciousness. The powerful throb of my and Andiya¡¯s wounds was the only thing keeping me awake.

    ¡°They must have been tracking us,¡± Irina said, wringing out her hair. ¡°To know exactly who among us controlled our daemons. You were likely on that list, Kain. Had you not been in my tent, you may have suffered the same fate. Did you see where Hadrion went? I didn¡¯t see her among the dead.¡±

    ¡°Bear daemon, right?¡± answered Andiya. ¡°Took a hit to the head and went down hard. Saw it on the way up.¡±

    Irina took a long, steadying breath. ¡°So all our Eons are dead or otherwise incapacitated. Kain is gravely injured. Of our party, I did not see Seylas, Lionel, nor Doctor Viscara. For the moment we may assume they either fled or were captured.¡±

    ¡°And if they were?¡± Andiya asked.

    Quiet fell. If our party had been captured, then there was little we could do about it. We had no idea where they had gone, and no way to get to them even if we did. We had no equipment, no food, no shelter to make it through the night. If Andiya and I were in better condition, it would still be a near impossible undertaking to rescue them on our own. Assuming they were all still alive.

    ¡°First, we survive until morning,¡± said Irina. ¡°Andiya, we require a fire. Kain and I won¡¯t last long in these wet clothes.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t have any magic left. And any that does come back would be better spent making sure Rozin stays with us.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine,¡± I mumbled, though not very convincingly from my position propped on a rotten log. My heart was firing abnormally fast from the blood loss, and Andiya would know that.

    ¡°You will, thanks to me.¡±

    ¡°If I¡¯ve heard right, Andiya,¡± said Irina. ¡°You mean to say your magic has the power to heal?¡±

    ¡°Not in the sense you¡¯re thinking of. I¡¯d just be giving Rozin¡¯s body the strength to bounce back faster. She¡¯d be doing the healing. I don¡¯t have the precision necessary for restoration.¡±

    The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°But as a High Order, you have access to magic beyond a single element.¡±

    I had to admire Irina¡¯s sharpness in our situation. Freezing, half drowned, lost in the woods, and still paying attention. Though, she wasn¡¯t the one with a bottle¡¯s worth of blood missing. My contribution to the conversation would have to remain the occasional nod to show I was not dead yet.

    ¡°I can do more than make a few fires,¡± Andiya replied, but gave us nothing more.

    Irina pulled a cord necklace from her collar. At the end dangled a survivor¡¯s ring: a loop of leather threaded through miniature tools. She slipped off a small flint and striker and prepared dry twigs and a ring of stones.

    It was when the fire¡¯s warmth washed over me that I realised that even though I was freezing, I hadn¡¯t been shivering. Maybe my body simply hadn¡¯t seen the point.

    ¡°We can thank Seylas, wherever he is,¡± Irina said. ¡°He was the one who forced me to wear the ring. In case of the worst, he told me.¡±

    ¡°You really trust him?¡± said Andiya.

    ¡°I do. Seylas had been in my father¡¯s service for nearly thirty years. I grew up with him in the palace; he was there when my mother died, he taught me about daemons, he was the first person to teach me how to hold a blade. While my father was busy leading the Canavar, oftentimes Seylas was the closest thing I had to parent.¡±

    ¡°And you don¡¯t have an issue with his being a torturer.¡±

    I was too exhausted to stop Andiya¡¯s question, too drained to step in.

    ¡°I do not. I only regret that such actions are necessary, to keep my kingdom safe.¡±

    ¡°Was my torture for the good of the kingdom, then?¡±

    ¡°It was. You were an unknown; and you remain one now. We cannot have the unknown threatening the peace we have held for hundreds of years. If your pain was all that stood between my people and war, then I would choose it every time.¡±

    ¡°I disagree. Savagery only leads to more¡ª¡±

    ¡°I disagree, Your Majesty. Do not forget who you are speaking with, Andiya. I will not accept this tone.¡±

    Andiya¡¯s fist tightened. I felt a small sting where her nails dug into her palm.

    ¡°Rozin needs to sleep, Your Majesty,¡± Andiya said through her teeth. ¡°I¡¯ll keep watch. In the morning, we should retrace our steps to the Korongorod.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s long gone by now.¡±

    ¡°Gone? You didn¡¯t make it wait for us?¡±

    ¡°It should be near the Canine Sea by now. That was our scheduled route¡ªand I¡¯m supposed to be in my rooms, remember. They aren¡¯t coming back for us. Only my brother even knows I¡¯m gone. He is keeping up the illusion for us.¡±

    ¡°And you have no way of getting him a message?¡±

    ¡°Short of revealing myself and attracting every opportunistic assassin on the continent? No.¡±

    Speaking was too much effort. ¡°Rafiq.¡±

    Andiya¡¯s head whipped to me. ¡°What about Rafiq?¡±

    ¡°He has Khalid. He can fly. They can get a message to Prince Maxsim.¡±

    ¡°But we don¡¯t know if he was even with Shokarov¡¯s group. Or what the hell even happened to them, for us to be wide open for an attack.¡±

    ¡°Worth a try. Better than starving in the woods.¡±

    ¡°You raise a fair point.¡±

    Irina waved. ¡°Bother to fill me in?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re going after Shokarov¡¯s group,¡± Andiya replied.

    ¡°And that¡¯s the official decision, then? Minus the approval of your regent?¡±

    ¡°It is.¡±

    Irina raised a brow, but didn¡¯t seem upset. ¡°Some bonded you¡¯ve got, Kain.¡±

    ¡°Lucky me,¡± I mumbled.

    Andiya turned to me, hiding her face from the princess, and gave me a coy wink. My poor heart shuddered.

    *

    I woke to a paling sky, the first signs of approaching dawn. A sharp pain in my stomach and thighs had dragged me back from oblivion.

    ¡°My fault.¡± Andiya was sat beside a sleeping Irina, my jacket laid out by the fire beside her. I couldn¡¯t remember taking it off. ¡°I overstretched. Fire was dying, and the log was heavy. Arrow holes didn¡¯t like it.¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡± I squeezed my eyes shut, desperate for more sleep. Losing that much blood would put me out of commission for weeks¡ªassuming I even had the strength to make it back to civilization. My head spun like I was drunk, my thoughts swirling around no matter how still I kept.

    But the pain was too great. Bitterly, I resigned myself to staring into the fire, hoping its motion could lull me. When it didn¡¯t, and I had to clench my teeth against waves of pain, I decided to distract myself.

    ¡°You can fly?¡±

    ¡°Nope. Never tried it before, and don¡¯t think I will again. It cleaned my magic out completely.¡± She scooted to sit beside me. ¡°How did you do it?¡±

    ¡°Do what?¡±

    ¡°It was your idea, you know. You thought the only escape was to sprout wings.¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t mean it literally.¡±

    ¡°Well, I wasn¡¯t in any place to come up with anything else. That nightmare plant is powerful stuff.¡±

    ¡°What did you dream about?¡±

    I felt a flash of discomfort before Andiya slammed the bond shut. ¡°Not important. We both have some things we¡¯d rather not discuss.¡±

    ¡°This is where I¡¯m expected to force it out of you.¡±

    ¡°So try, drowned little rat,¡± Andiya bit.

    ¡°I won¡¯t. That¡¯s what I meant to say. I should, but I won¡¯t.¡± I opened my eyes to see her watching me intently. I wished she wouldn¡¯t. My mind was wide open, my thoughts too muddled to filter from her hearing. ¡°It would feel ¡­¡± I forced myself to tell her. She deserved that, after what she¡¯d done today. ¡°Wrong.¡±

    Her eyes crinkled slightly into a gentle, true smile. I had never seen her smile before, never expected to. It lightened her face, softened her in a way that made me linger; I was reminded again of the first thought I had of Andiya. That she was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. And this beauty had a kindness that stole the air from my lungs.

    Andiya glanced at the sleeping princess. ¡°It¡¯s supposed to feel wrong,¡± she murmured. ¡°I would not have rescued someone who had a taste for injustice. You once asked me when we¡¯d become familiar enough to play chess. It was when I heard your guilt. I thought if such a thing were possible, then we might be able to live with each other after all.¡±

    ¡°Technically, you also rescued yourself.¡±

    ¡°I would not have, if you were someone else. If you were Seylas, or even Irina. They would not have seen the smile that just dazed you.¡±

    I made a wearied huff that barely passed for a laugh. I didn¡¯t have the energy to close my mind. Andiya could read whatever she liked. ¡°You seem to know a lot about me.¡±

    ¡°I know enough that I am willing to try.¡±

    My gaze lifted to Andiya. The firelight flickered off her eyes, warming her, warming my face. ¡°What if I wasn¡¯t?¡±

    ¡°Oh, I could always wear you down. You know, I could make your life very difficult if I chose, Rozin.¡± At my incredulous squint, she amended, ¡°More difficult.¡±

    ¡°Seems a bit impossible, from my correct position. Or did you mean worse than dying of blood loss in wet socks?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s got a sense of humour.¡±

    ¡°No. My socks are very wet.¡±

    Andiya stood and limped over to my boots. She pulled them off and angled my feet towards the fire. She pulled a face at my soaked socks.

    ¡°I¡¯m not touching those.¡±

    Andiya worked on the fire, and I watched her. There was little otherworldly about her in that moment. She dropped a log into the flames and watched the sparks fly up to the darkness above, like I¡¯d watched so many humans do before her.

    ¡°When I asked you how you did it,¡± Andiya said into my mind, where the princess could not overhear, ¡°I meant how you controlled my magic.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve never been good at precision. Healing, summoning, alteration ¡­ all of them require a delicate hand. My father said I was closer to a fist. Strong but brutal. But you shaped those wings. You kept us in the air. Normally if I try summoning I just burn off all my magic trying to sustain the image.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what I felt happening. But Jawahir taught me control. It¡¯s how you create a bond. We use our own life force to draw it out, in absence of magic. But if you don¡¯t tighten the flow, you exhaust yourself. With you ¡­ I only did the same thing I used to capture you¡ªbond you.¡±

    Andiya stiffened at my misstep. ¡°Do not correct yourself. You captured me.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not the word I am meant to use. We do not see bonding as a capture¡ªbut as a mercy.¡±

    ¡°And was it a mercy in my case, Rozin?¡±

    My heart ached. Andiya¡¯s eyes closed slowly, feeling it. ¡°No,¡± I whispered aloud.

    ¡°I thought not. Now¡ªeven if you employed your training, how were you able to override me? Jawahir was explicit in that not being possible.¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t feel present. I think the nightmare rose dampened you enough for me to take control.¡±

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s a problem.¡± Andiya consciousness swelled, filling the bond and pushing against my mind. I felt a sudden hostility colouring her temper. ¡°Rest assured, Rozin. The first time you decide to drug me to take control will also be your last.¡±

    Her hostility didn¡¯t waver even at my surprise. My first thought hadn¡¯t been that I might have a way to tame Andiya¡ªit was that others might realise what I had. That they could effectively neutralize the Canavar¡¯s High Order with a few springs of a rare plant. We¡¯d been at the Crows¡¯ mercy tonight. For all her power, Andiya was vulnerable, and if the knowledge got out, I wouldn¡¯t be able to stop anyone from hurting her.

    But instead of admitting all this to Andiya, instead of admitting that I was afraid for her, that I cared if someone hurt her, I decided to push her away. I needed to. I didn¡¯t trust myself.

    ¡°Don¡¯t give me a reason to do it, then,¡± I bit. Brief hurt flashed across her face before I closed my eyes and turned my back.

    ¡°That I can feel your conscience does not absolve you of being a bitch, Rozin.¡±

 Chapter 13: Six Years Ago, Pt. II

    Six Years Ago

    <hr>

    ¡°A daemon,¡± I said, and Kamala¡¯s arms tightened around my waist.

    A ring ward surrounded Barje Vos. Mages had etched it into earth many years ago, where it had sunk into place and remained flawless despite any rain, any storm. The ward was glowing fiercely, cracks of magic flaring from where it had snared a passing evil.

    The daemon struggled against the pull of magic, digging its long nails into the dirt. It looked like some sort of Elemental, as it was vaguely humanoid in shape, but it seemed to have sprung straight from the wood of a tree. Its skin was like birch bark, its hair made of layers of orange and red autumn leaves, and two horns grew from its head like gnarled branches.

    I turned the horse closer, and Kalama tugged my sleeve.

    ¡°Rozin, we should go. It could attack us.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s trapped and tired. I don¡¯t think it can do anything.¡± I slid from the horse and approached. The daemon fixed me with unsettling orange eyes with yellow sclera. It stilled, coiled like a cat waiting to pounce, its movements jerky and wooden.

    ¡°Rozin, please. Let¡¯s go.¡±

    ¡°I think it¡¯s hurt.¡±

    The daemon cocked its head as I knelt just out of reach. Its back leg was twisted at a severe angle.

    ¡°Can you understand me?¡± I said.

    After a cautious pause, the daemon nodded.

    ¡°Can you speak?¡±

    The daemon shook its head. It opened its mouth, and out came a few tuned whistles like the notes of a reed flute. Its voice was music.

    Kamala pulled the horse back a few steps. She clutched the reins, face taut with fear. ¡°Leave it be! What is wrong with you? That¡¯s a daemon!¡±

    ¡°I feel bad for it. Don¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°What? No, I don¡¯t! It got stuck in a ward designed to trap evil. Evil, Rozin. Get on the horse, or I¡¯m leaving you here.¡±

    I shot her a smirk. ¡°You¡¯d never abandon me with a daemon.¡±

    ¡°First time for everything.¡±

    ¡°I love you too.¡±

    ¡°Rozin, I swear to the Creators¡ª¡±

    Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

    ¡°Just trust me, all right? We¡¯ll be fine.¡±

    She did, but I could see her knuckles turn white on the reins.

    I turned back to the daemon, who seemed to have watched the exchange with interest. How much did it understand?

    ¡°If you can think of a way to tell me¡ªwhy were you trying to cross the ward?¡±

    The daemon plucked a leaf from its head. Orange magic glowed in its palm, and the leaf crumpled into the perfect image of a bouncing rabbit. The daemon pointed to the rabbit, then to its stomach.

    ¡°Hungry. You were hunting and got snared?¡±

    The daemon nodded.

    ¡°And why are you near a human settlement?¡±

    The daemon pointed at its stomach again, more insistently this time.

    ¡°It¡¯s just hungry, that¡¯s all.¡±

    ¡°Good,¡± hissed Kamala. ¡°Then it won¡¯t take long to die.¡±

    ¡°How can you think so cruelly?¡±

    ¡°Me? That thing is playing you. Don¡¯t you remember everything we¡¯ve ever learned about daemons? They pretend. They lie. They kill and destroy and enjoy every second of it.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think I believe that. Your uncle says the same thing about people from Bel Arben.¡±

    ¡°My uncle is a bigot.¡±

    ¡°But that¡¯s my point. I¡¯ve thought a lot about it, actually. We don¡¯t know that much about the daemons at all, do we? All we see is the bad. But they have countries, Kamala. Kings and queens, just like us. There must be families in their countries, and children, and something that holds them all together. I don¡¯t believe that all of them are evil by default.¡±

    ¡°They are, Rozin, and every damn person alive knows it. You sound as if you¡¯ve lost all sense! Get back on the horse.¡±

    ¡°We could be wrong about some of them. Look at this one. It doesn¡¯t seem much different than a fox.¡±

    Kamala gasped sharply. ¡°Oh no you don¡¯t. I haven¡¯t forgotten that fox you found in your trap a few weeks ago that you¡ª¡±

    ¡°Set free.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t do it. I¡¯m going to beg you for this, Rozin. Please just leave it be. I applaud your gentle heart, I really do, and in any other situation I would be proud my future wife is capable of such kindness, but not right now. Get away from it, I¡¯m begging you. Let¡¯s go home and pretend we never found it.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t do that. You know I can¡¯t. That¡¯s not me.¡± I moved closer to the daemon. ¡°I¡¯m going to let you out. But you can¡¯t go near the cities. They¡¯ll kill you.¡± I pointed north-west. ¡°Go that way. There¡¯s woods in Novosk with plenty to eat. And no people to trap you.¡±

    It nodded and whistled a low note.

    I reached for the daemon¡¯s foot, and its leaves rose like the fur of a cat.

    ¡°It¡¯s all right. I just need the ward.¡±

    The ward¡¯s magic hummed brightly near my hand, sensing my soul. All the struggling the daemon had done in the dirt hadn¡¯t damaged the sigils. Only I could do that.

    ¡°Rozin, I¡¯m begging you, don¡¯t¡ª¡±

    I swept a finger across the ward lines, smudging them. The magic crackled and died, unlocking at the request of a human soul. A five-foot section of the ward went dark.

    Our horse spluttered and stamped in fear as the daemon stood.

    It was taller than I¡¯d thought, long and lean like the boughs of a willow, twice me at full height. The daemon smiled slowly, and from its grey gums extended rows of needle-like teeth. It took a step towards me. It didn¡¯t have a limp. The daemon lowered its head level with mine, and that smile turned hungry.

    ¡°Thanks,¡± the daemon said in a voice like a stone grinder. It could talk. The daemon dragged a sharp nail along my jaw, and I realised I had a great deal more meat than a rabbit.

    Kamala charged. Several hundred pounds of horse went hurtling towards the daemon, who hissed and leapt away from me.

    ¡°Get away!¡± Kamala bellowed. ¡°We helped you, now be on your way! We have iron, daemon.¡±

    We didn¡¯t, but the daemon flinched at the word. It slunk down on all fours, hackles raised.

    ¡°Very well,¡± the daemon rasped, and it launched into a dead sprint to the Novoski woods.

    Kamala turned her furious face to me. ¡°Get on the horse. And start grovelling.¡±

 Chapter 14: Hand & Sword

    We set out just after dawn. The morning air was still frigid, and so Irina wore my coat. All she¡¯d escaped in was her nightdress and soft slippers, so she had greater need of a coat than I did. Even so, I shivered as I walked. I didn¡¯t know if it was from the cold or my body trembling in exhaustion.

    As we¡¯d flown over the river in our escape, we decided to follow it back to our camp. My biggest problem was making it up the waterfall. There was a climbable slope beside it, but one needed the strength to do so. My heart fluttered like a bird¡¯s wings, my body felt heavy as lead. The blood-loss had claimed all of my energy. I was already breathing hard from the walk. Short of being carried, I wasn¡¯t making it even a tenth of the way up the slope.

    The bond wavered, and I felt a trickle of Andiya¡¯s magic flow into me. When I turned towards her with a wordless question, she sent, ¡°Don¡¯t slow us down.¡±

    With Andiya¡¯s magic, my strength returned. I used tree trunks to support myself and heaved my way up the slope. At the top, Andiya patted me on the shoulder mockingly as I panted.

    ¡°Don¡¯t give me reason to take it away,¡± she shot in an echo of my words from last night.

    It was easier to find the camp than we thought it would be. A trail of smoke curled up above the treeline leading us right to it. The Crows had picked everything clean, leaving only husks and ash. All our food, our tools, our maps and our clothing were gone. What remained was singed, unusable. We combed through for anything that might help. Andiya managed to find a pair of too-big boots for Irina buried under a collapsed tent, and I found a pair of leather gloves. Irina uncovered a metal canteen, and we quickly downed the water that remained. With soot-blackened fingers and heavy souls, we sat down to rest.

    Irina detailed what she remembered from Seylas¡¯s route. There was a town called Zhyla we¡¯d been meant to pass and re-supply at, just north against the main branch of the river. With any luck, we could follow the planned route and regroup with any of our party who might have done the same. Even if we didn¡¯t have any money, there might be those in the town willing to help us. Not a guaranteed success, but the best chance we had.

    A strange pattern on a nearby tree caught my eye. It was a handprint burned into the bark then slashed through the centre with a rough cut.

    ¡°Yulia,¡± I gasped, and sprinted over to it. I touched the bark. Cold. ¡°She left this for me. It¡¯s Artem¡¯s hand and her sword. It¡¯s a signal we came up with years ago in case we were ever separated. Yulia left this to tell me she¡¯s alive.¡±

    ¡°A note and location would have been better,¡± said Andiya.

    ¡°Yulia and I are soldiers. We¡¯d never leave anything that could be understood by a potential threat. But now we know that at least one person on our side escaped the attack. It¡¯s even more likely now that Shokarov¡¯s group is unharmed somewhere out there.¡±

    ¡°Shokarov¡¯s team was following Seylas¡¯s original route,¡± said Irina. ¡°They may have already reached Zhyla.¡±

    ¡°Then we¡¯re wasting time.¡± I nodded towards the river. ¡°Daylight won¡¯t last forever.¡±

    That tiny sign had slapped me awake. Yulia. I could find her, if we moved fast enough. I wouldn¡¯t lose my best friend to this madness.

    We made decent time along the river. Every so often, Andiya¡¯s magic trickled into me. I couldn¡¯t believe how normal I already felt. Healing so fast felt almost perverse. Even my forearm had the dark scabs of a week old wound, and not the dampness of an open sore. I peeked at Andiya¡¯s wounds, and hers had barely closed. She was splitting her magic between us, and I was getting the lion¡¯s share.

    Andiya snatched Irina and I and shoved us under a cover of thick shrubs. We knew better than to voice a complaint.

    A minute later, a mounted Crow rode by. She dropped from her horse not a few feet away. I held my breath. Crows never travelled alone. Where was her pack?

    The Crow sipped from the river, her back to us. The princes drew her knife, and I grasped her wrist in a warning. The Crow didn¡¯t know we were here. Just wait. She would move on.

    ¡°There shouldn¡¯t be Crows this far west,¡± I sent Andiya. ¡°Especially in crown-owned woods. Their appearance isn¡¯t good. It might mean they¡¯re testing the boundaries of the archon. We leave their lands alone because so far we¡¯ve been able to coexist peacefully. But if they push too far out ¡­ the crown will be forced to intercede.¡±

    ¡°And that¡¯s bad, I¡¯m assuming.¡±

    ¡°The Novoski have truces with dozens of independent clans, provided they meet certain requirements. Keeping to strict boundaries, for example. If the crown wages war on the Crows, it may end up breaking the peace of other clans. Normally, we¡¯d be able to handle it. But if we are on the verge of a greater conflict, as Irina believes, then we¡¯d be fighting two wars we are ill-prepared for.¡±

    The Crow stretched lazily and hopped back on her horse. We waited for her to put some distance between us before coming out from the bushes.

    ¡°We should pick up our pace,¡± said Irina. ¡°I have a bad feeling.¡±

    Spent to the bone, we reached Zhyla near nightfall, and we stopped just at the edge of town.

    ¡°Creators,¡± I whispered.

    Zhyla was half-torn to shreds. Something had blown through and left devastation in its wake.

    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

    It likely had once been a beautiful old town. What buildings remained were of wattle-and-daub and lattice, slightly wonky from age, bunched together among winding roads of cobblestone. Now, townspeople sorted through fallen buildings and dragged rubble into messy piles. Roughly two thirds of Zhyla¡¯s structures remained standing, most with smashed windows and burn scars on their walls and rooftops. On the nearly-cleared streets, vendors distributed food to exhausted workers.

    No one looked at us as we slid into the bustle. Andiya¡¯s demonic features drew a few passing glances, but the sight of her collar tattoo had gazes moving on quickly with disinterest. Bonded were uncommon among civilians, and exorbitantly expensive, but it wasn¡¯t surprising to see them pass through on occasion. Without our military uniforms, we looked like any anonymous travellers on our way to the seaports.

    ¡°Keep your mouth shut here,¡± I sent Andiya. ¡°We can¡¯t draw any attention.¡±

    She nodded without a hint of argument.

    ¡°Excuse me, stranger,¡± said an older woman with a touch to my hand. Her greying hair was done up in a messy bun, soot covered her apron, and exhaustion pulled at her mouth. ¡°But might we use your bonded to help?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re injured,¡± I replied quickly. ¡°Attacked by Crows on the road. We won¡¯t be of much use.¡±

    The woman¡¯s face fell. ¡°You, as well?¡±

    ¡°When did the Crows attack Zhyla?¡±

    ¡°Three days ago. Scores of them. They ran in, destroyed our lives, and left. Took as much as they could carry with them.¡±

    ¡°Have you informed the crown?¡±

    ¡°We sent riders. They haven¡¯t returned yet.¡±

    ¡°And have you had any travellers since? We were separated from our party during the attack.¡±

    ¡°We have, but they aren¡¯t here anymore. We¡¯ve sent them all down the way to Winterwood Hall. Our lady is offering shelter there.¡± The woman looked mournfully at the sorry state of us. ¡°You may want to take advantage of the lady¡¯s hospitality.¡±

    Andiya nudged my mind, and I caught her staring at a group trying to clear heavy wooden beams from what looked like was once a Follower shrine. ¡°They¡¯re not strong enough. I am. Tell them you¡¯ll help.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t give us away.¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t.¡±

    I relayed Andiya¡¯s message, but omitted whose offer it really was. The woman¡¯s shoulders dropped in relief. She introduced us to some of the townspeople, and I pretended to direct Andiya to the wreckage.

    ¡°Thank you, ¡­?¡± said a young man.

    ¡°Yulia,¡± I replied. ¡°And my bonded, Artem.¡±

    I hoped the name would mean something to him, that he might question two travellers and bonded with the same names, but he accepted the bluff and moved on. My name, officially an Eon with a High Order, was too dangerous right now. I couldn¡¯t afford for the wrong ears to hear it.

    Irina and I rested while Andiya used her strength to lift what the townspeople could not. I would have joined her, if I¡¯d had the energy. The first woman we¡¯d met, who told me her name was Idrizi, brought us a simple meal of bread, salted beef, and pickled vegetables. Idrizi pushed it into my reluctant hands with the words, ¡°Friends do not pay.¡±

    I felt twinges of pain as Andiya exerted herself and pulled at her still-healing wounds. But I never saw her falter or give any sign she could feel it. She pushed aside heavy beams, dragged furniture out from piles of brick, and used small bursts of fire to chop through twisted door frames. She never revealed her true power, nor did anything any Fire Elemental couldn¡¯t do. When she¡¯d cleared several structures, I waved my hand in facsimile of control and spoke to her mind, telling her to come eat. The other townspeople followed the smell of a hard-earned meal and sat with us on makeshift dining tables of salvaged wood and the few unbroken chairs.

    ¡°Thank you for taking the time to help us,¡± a man said to me, and I was puzzled for a brief second. Andiya had worked, not me. But I remembered she was not supposed to have any voice, nor will of her own. A second man thanked me, and then another, and another, and one clapped me on the back like an old friend. I grew increasingly more uncomfortable with each word, even if Andiya gave no reaction. She ate her food in silence behind me, away from the main table, expression impassive.

    ¡°You did a good thing for them,¡± I sent. ¡°They don¡¯t know any different.¡±

    ¡°I know. I didn¡¯t do it for the praise.¡±

    ¡°Then why did you?¡±

    Andiya¡¯s temper flared in insult. ¡°Do I need justification for kindness? It¡¯s not my fault none is shown to me in return.¡±

    I let it drop, and Andiya stabbed at her dinner with a little more force than necessary.

    Idrizi came to take my empty plate. ¡°My son will lead you to Winterwood Hall. He¡¯s over by the horses with your friend.¡±

    Idrizi¡¯s son was a slim teenager with curly dark hair. We rode behind him on borrowed mounts over a wide stone road. Each stone was perfectly shaped like a laurel, each leaf interlocking so intricately they seemed one.

    ¡°Elven road,¡± Idrizi¡¯s son explained. ¡°Runs from the coast to Dirnhall.¡±

    I¡¯d ridden a few elven roads in my lifetime. They spider-webbed across the continent, made before humans had ever settled these lands. This road stretched all the way to Os Tjerjik, and I wouldn¡¯t say it was even among the longest. They never wore down, never chipped or shifted. The elvhen were magical beings, much like the daemons. Some of what they¡¯d built remained.

    ¡°Makes you think, doesn¡¯t it Yulia?¡± asked Irina.

    ¡°About what?¡±

    ¡°Well, whatever the elvhen did for the Creators to destroy them. If it was sin, as the Etvian temples say, or weakness, as they think in Os Tjerjik, or pride, as I¡¯ve heard from Tianji.¡±

    I felt a hint of puzzlement from Andiya before she hid it from me.

    ¡°Many of those in Azherbal say it was the daemons,¡± I said. ¡°We believe that the elvhen freed the daemons from hell to serve them, and that the daemons were too powerful for them to contain. In other words, the Azherbali believe that the elvhen¡¯s end was their greed.¡±

    Irina smiled. ¡°So we all damn the elvhen for what we abhor most. Perhaps a better scholar than I would be able to make truth from our stories.¡±

    Idrizi¡¯s son was watching Irina suspiciously. Her manner of speaking was not something you were likely to come across in distant towns like Zhyla, nor did it match at all with her hunter¡¯s disguise.

    ¡°We may struggle to find a scholar better than a pupil from Academi Volobirsk,¡± I said quickly. I rode closer to Idrizi¡¯s son. ¡°My friend likes to be modest. She studied there for nearly three years!¡±

    And Idrizi¡¯s son did indeed seem impressed, even if Irina looked as though the very thought of stepping into that institution was lunacy. For her, it was. Academi Volobirsk was a university in Novosk¡¯s capitol. It was well known for opening its doors to the public, provided one could pay a small fee. As such, it was exactly the sort of place the nobility avoided at all costs, yet was dream of many common people to attend. No one would suspect a person of rank to have studied there¡ªmuch less a princess.

    ¡°The mayor¡¯s daughter tried to join the Academi last year,¡± said Izridi¡¯s son. ¡°But she came back quick. Turns out you need to be able to read first.¡±

    We exited the trees and turned onto a wide dirt path, at the end of which rose a handsome stone manor wreathed by apple orchards. It looked generations old, the walls coated in creeping ivy. Light spilled from the small lattice windows, casting the grounds in a warm glow.

    ¡°Winterwood Hall,¡± said Idrizi¡¯s son. ¡°Seat of House Ilyin.¡±

    After he¡¯d taken the horses on his way, Irina spat, ¡°Shit.¡±

 Chapter 15: Winterwood Hall

    ¡°I hesitate to ask,¡± said Andiya. ¡°But from your face, Your Majesty, we aren¡¯t going in?¡±

    ¡°We are. We have no other option.¡± Irina huffed. ¡°Ilyin. I forgot they owned these lands. I can never keep the minor houses straight. Why must there be so many?¡± She drew us closer. ¡°I shall warn you outright that every member of House Ilyin is a two-faced bastard. If they discover our identities, I don¡¯t know if they¡¯d sooner help us or throw us back to the Crows. Keep your wits about both of you.¡±

    ¡°And what did the royal family do to them?¡± asked Andiya with a coy grin.

    Irina scoffed in insult. ¡°Nothing at all!¡±

    ¡°That didn¡¯t sound very genuine, Your Majesty.¡±

    ¡°I am nothing but genuine, Andiya. We only demanded of the Ilyins what we would demand of any servant of the crown.¡±

    ¡°Such as?¡±

    ¡°Well. A few years ago, my father might have demanded their heirlooms be donated to the crown as a show of state loyalty.¡±

    ¡°And these heirlooms were more than sentimental.¡±

    ¡°Gems, mostly. Some enchanted trinkets. A pittance, in exchange for the lavish lifestyle they lead under our protection.¡± She cringed. ¡°Though ¡­ I am now recalling that Lady Ilyin¡¯s son lost an arm a few years ago in my father¡¯s service. A skirmish with a Canavar deserter, if I remember correctly. His own fault, but he is doubtlessly still sore about the affair.¡±

    ¡°So they may not be bastards, and only upset at the crown.¡±

    I flicked the bond in warning. ¡°Don¡¯t forget who you¡¯re talking to.¡±

    ¡°I haven¡¯t. I want to see who your princess really is.¡±

    ¡°They are upset at the crown,¡± Irina replied haughtily. ¡°But they were bastards well before that. And I thank you to hold your tongue, Andiya, in front of your regent. Make no mistake. We are not in the palace, but nothing has changed.¡±

    ¡°What shall you do if I do not hold my tongue, Your Majesty? Have Eon Kain arrest me?¡±

    ¡°Do not test what I will do, Andiya. Better than you have tried.¡±

    I stepped between them. Andiya crossed her arms, glaring me down.

    ¡°Enough,¡± I sent.

    ¡°For now.¡±

    ¡°We need a cover story, Your Majesty,¡± I said. ¡°Now, listen closely. I will play a mercenary-for-hire. I bought Andiya from the mercenary company in Hjorgrimm. It¡¯s probably the only way a common Azherbali could find herself an Elemental without joining the military. Your Majesty, you¡¯ll be a mid-born woman from the Novoski capitol. You studied at Academi Volobirsk and hired me to take you safely to the western ports, where you would sail for the university in Os Tjerjik. We joined a travelling party and then were beset on by the Crows.¡±

    Both Irina and Andiya looked at me in mild amusement.

    ¡°How long have you had this story ready?¡± asked Irina.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been putting it together since we got here. Your Majesty, your disguise just isn¡¯t going to cut it. Anyone can that you have all the markings of money and that I don¡¯t. If either of you have a better story, then let¡¯s hear it.¡±

    Irina frowned, her cheeks a bit red. ¡°I would accept your plan, Kain,¡± she said bitterly, ¡°but I am afraid I may give us away. Acting ¡®common¡¯ is not something I know how to do.¡±

    ¡°Mid-born, not common.¡±

    ¡°They are one in the same, to me.¡±

    I realised she was right. To townspeople like Idrizi and her son, anyone with education would seem about the same. But the Titled¡ªthose of the Canavar noble houses¡ªmade their livings picking each other apart. Their world was one of comparing ranks, upbringing, and status. They would know instinctively if someone was playing at nobility, or if they¡¯d truly been born into it. Irina actually thought mid-born was common. She¡¯d never hold her own in a real conversation with Titled.

    ¡°Then,¡± I said, ¡°you¡¯d have to play a Titled.¡±

    Andiya looked confused, but Irina nodded in nervous agreement. It was a gamble. If any member of House Ilyin was too familiar with our chosen house, we¡¯d be caught. The Titled were a tight-knit group.

    ¡°House Shrike,¡± Irina mumbled. ¡°The Iron Lords.¡±

    ¡°We can¡¯t,¡± I spluttered. ¡°They¡¯ll throw us out. Hell, I would.¡±

    ¡°House what?¡± sent Andiya.

    ¡°Shrike. High Lords of Mount Anfang, Ryalgrad, and the surrounding lands.¡±

    I wouldn¡¯t call myself an expert on the noble families, but the Shrikes were infamous. They were one of the five Novoski High Houses, second only in power to Irina¡¯s own house¡ªthe royal Volkovs. Their city, Ryalgrad, was the largest in the entire Canavar Coalition, and was known as the centre of Novosk¡¯s wealth. But it was their iron that earned them their nickname. The mines outside Ryalgrad supplied the entire coalition with the iron they needed to repel daemons, a contract the Shrikes defended to the death. Anyone who even thought of selling iron in Canavar lands did not live to do it.

    And among the common people, there were rumours. That House Shrike had bred with daemons centuries back, and were now not completely human.

    ¡°It¡¯s the perfect disguise, Kain,¡± said Irina. ¡°House Shrike are not what one would call social. The Shrikes do not accept any ball invitations, do not participate in any festivities, nor do they receive any other houses for visits. Even to the crown, House Shrike is aloof. My father received minor Shrike representatives only on a few rare occasions.¡± Irina straightened herself to the noblest stature she could. She deepened her voice, half-closed her lids so she was bored by our presence. ¡°House Shrike does not find necessity in dealing with those of lesser blood.¡±

    I had to admit, it was the best chance we had of Irina not being Irina. Few houses would have the power necessary to cover the superiority of a princess.

    ¡°Their reputation is going to be a problem,¡± I said. ¡°Correct me if I¡¯m wrong¡ªbut I thought most people outside Ryalgrad hated the Shrikes?¡±

    ¡°Oh, they do. As a minor house, House Ilyin doubtlessly has some grievances with their betters. I would not assume the Shrikes treat them particularly well.¡±

    ¡°So if they don¡¯t let a Shrike through the door?¡±

    ¡°Then I threaten to burn that door to the ground.¡±

    Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.

    *

    I rapped on the heavy door of Winterwood Hall with a ram¡¯s head knocker. Andiya stood at my side, Irina behind us with her chin high.

    The door swung open to a stocky, wide-nosed man in housekeeper¡¯s uniform. Before I could even open my mouth, he said ¡°More victims of the Crows? Oh, look at you poor dears. Come in, come in!¡±

    The entrance hall was outfitted in panels of rosewood, paintings of bright landscapes, and pinkish lamps shaped like glass morning glory. The manor had a comfortable feel to it, the soft evening light from the windows falling on a grand staircase of plush carpeting. By every doorway were stone statues with movable joints, just like the training dummies at the Korongorod. I caught the glimpse of a bonding tattoo at the housekeeper¡¯s wrist, peeking just out of his sleeve. It was likely his daemon was an Animator.

    ¡°Please leave your bonded at the door,¡± said the housekeeper. ¡°Lady Ilyin is taking every precaution.¡± He waved us to follow. ¡°I shall introduce you. We¡¯ve had many attacks recently. You must be cleared by Lady Ilyin.¡± He smiled warmly. ¡°But not to worry. We¡¯ve yet to turn away a guest.¡±

    I started to follow, but Irina stood rigid.

    ¡°Kindly inform Lady Ilyin that we will not be separated from our bonded. These are dangerous days, doubly so for those of noble blood.¡±

    The housekeeper took a long look at Irina¡ªat her cold eyes, her stiff bearing, at the air of command that washed off her in waves. We were right. No rough coat or dishevelled hair could mask what Irina was. ¡°Of course. Kindly wait here, honoured Titled.¡±

    He hurried away, and Irina made a good show of looking disgusted with the decorations. Personally, I thought the manor was quite handsome. But Irina swiped a finger along one of the stone statues¡ªsomething that would give most common folk heart palpitations¡ªand made a noise of disgust. She showed me her fingertip. I couldn¡¯t see anything.

    ¡°Can you believe the filth in here, Yulia? The savagery they accept in the minor houses. Whoever allowed such a state of decrepitude should be hung.¡± Her voice carried through the hall. A few servants glared at her, but kept moving. None of them would ever dare tell off a Titled. Not if they valued a back free of lashes.

    The housekeeper returned quickly. ¡°My lady will see you in her library,¡± he said, and ushered us down a hallway lined with lilies and family portraits. A servant handed me a folded black robe. Right. Most common people didn¡¯t care if a bonded was uncovered, but in any proper manor, a bonded would be cloaked.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± I muttered to the servant. Andiya pulled up her hood up without a fight, but I felt her sharp anger up the bond. This time, it didn¡¯t feel directed at me.

    ¡°I can hear you, Rozin,¡± she whispered in my mind. ¡°How does it feel to see me this way?¡±

    I didn¡¯t answer her, but I left my mind open for her to see. Wrong. So many things had started to feel so wrong.

    We entered a quaint library. It was a circular room, half tall windows, half curved bookcases to the high ceiling. Near the windows was a sitting area of striped sofas and tasselled pillows, the side tables covered in potted flowers. A middle-aged woman reposed in an armchair, a book open in her lap. She twinkled gently under her reading lamp, the light catching her silk lounging gown, her lavender hair, and the small jewels in her ears.

    The housekeeper bowed. ¡°I present Galina Ilyin, Lady of Winterwood Hall, Zhyla, and surrounding lands, head of House Ilyin.¡±

    Lady Ilyin smiled warmly, and her eyes crinkled at the corners. I noticed small dots of gold embedded above her brows. The work of an Alteration bonded, as was her hair colour.

    ¡°You are most welcome here, Titled,¡± said Lady Ilyin¡¯s quiet voice. ¡°What names shall I call you?¡±

    Irina stepped forward, her expression cold as winter wind. ¡°You have the honour of receiving Eva Shrike of Mount Anfang, daughter of Kirilov and Hildr, fifth in succession to the High House Shrike.¡± She glanced briefly at me. ¡°And her vassal, Yulia of Azherbal.¡±

    Lady Ilyin stood, her smile unfaltering. She glided across the floor to us, her hands out for Irina to take them. Irina did not.

    ¡°You must be exhausted after such a trying journey, Lady Shrike. Come, rest with me awhile as we prepare your rooms. I am eager to hear of the events that brought you to me.¡±

    Without losing any of her edge, Irina perched herself straight-backed on the edge of a sofa. Andiya and I stood beside her, as any guards would.

    I didn¡¯t trust Lady Ilyin¡¯s non-reaction to the Shrike name. That family¡¯s influence held her in a chokehold. Why was Lady Ilyin¡¯s disposition still so welcoming?

    Servants brought flutes of apple wine. Lady Ilyin waved us to take one first, then selected hers. I thought nothing of it, until Andiya spoke into my mind. ¡°She¡¯s showing you that the drinks are free of poison.¡± And so Lady Ilyin took the first sip. ¡°Now you, as the Shrike¡¯s vassal.¡±

    I did as Andiya directed. Only after I drank did Irina sip her glass. I remembered Andiya was a royal guard in Kaelta. She likely tasted drinks before her queens, as I had just done.

    ¡°Our latest batch,¡± said Lady Ilyin. ¡°I¡¯m told our artisans have infused the apples with lilac, this year. We expect exceptional sales.¡±

    Irina said nothing and sipped again.

    ¡°Ah. So ¡­ Lady Shrike, what brings you to Zhyla at this time of y¡ª¡±

    ¡°I require two horses. Yulia and her bonded were wounded in a Crow attack, and so will need to be seen by a doctor. We will remain in your care as your company searches for our missing comrades. I shall provide physical descriptions for the captain of your guard.¡±

    Lady Ilyin¡¯s mouth parted in small surprise, and I held my breath. So much for asking nicely.

    ¡°Well ¡­¡± Lady Ilyin began. ¡°Am I to send you off with any guard? Depending on the length of your journey, I will need to find soldiers best suited to the open road.¡±

    ¡°When our party is found, no guard will be necessary.¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    ¡°My family will compensate you for any services rendered. Including housing, quality steeds, and supplies for travel of no less than three weeks. I trust this will not be an issue.¡±

    Lady Ilyin was a study in benevolence. ¡°There is no need for payment. Not from you, Lady Shrike.¡±

    Irina watched Lady Ilyin so coldly that hoarfrost seemed to cover the library. ¡°Then none shall be sent.¡±

    ¡°May I ask. Why are you travelling¡ª¡±

    ¡°You may not ask.¡±

    The words were like the lash of a whip. I wanted to grab Irina and run. No one talked to Titled like this.

    ¡°Except other Titled,¡± Andiya sent, and I realised I¡¯d been shouting my concerns down the bond. ¡°Your nobility do not seem any different from ours. They do not beg. I doubt they even know how.¡±

    Lady Ilyin smiled warmly again, even if now it felt a tad forced. ¡°As you wish, Lady Shrike.¡±

    *

    In our provided rooms on the top floor, I collapsed into a plush four-poster bed. Even with Andiya¡¯s magic, I was still human. I needed rest.

    ¡°Andiya, guard me,¡± said Irina. ¡°I wish to speak with the search party. Kain, you are in no state to join us.¡±

    Andiya glanced at me. ¡°I¡¯m pretending to wait for permission.¡±

    ¡°As the princess says.¡± And then I was alone, feeling truly safe for the first time since leaving the Korongorod. I melted into the covers, my body as heavy as lead. Every so often, I felt a small twinge as Andiya tested the limits of the bond. Daemons couldn¡¯t get too far away from their masters before it began to hurt. Elementals normally allowed a distance of a dozen yards or so, but some winged bonded were known to have as much slack as half a league. How far could a High Order get, if it chose to flee?

    More importantly: If Andiya ran, would I stop her?

    I snapped my mind shut, hoping Andiya was too busy to hear that. Of course I¡¯d stop her, I told myself. But I didn¡¯t know if I believed that. It was harder and harder every day to pretend that Andiya was some bestial, unfeeling creature. Because if she wasn¡¯t¡ªthen what of me? I¡¯d bound scores of daemons in my time serving the archon. If Andiya could think, feel, then how many of them could?

    You carved out his mind and left him an empty husk, Andiya said I¡¯d done to Khalid. I hadn¡¯t believed her then, but now I turned her words over and over in my mind.

    All my life, I¡¯d known what I¡¯d been taught, what I had learned by way of blood and pain. That every daemon was a monster. That any semblance of humanity they showed was a ploy to prey on human kindness. That they only knew cruelty. And so we bound them, we tamed those forces of evil for our own noble goals. It wasn¡¯t wrong to turn evil to good. That was Rozin Kain¡¯s purpose, her way to atone for what she¡¯d done to everyone she loved.

    But now?

    Now, I was lost. I was not the same person I was only a few weeks ago. Because Andiya could feel, and she felt as real as any person I¡¯d ever met. I¡¯d doomed a real person to a life of servitude. I¡¯d torn her immortality away and sentenced her to die with me. As I had almost a hundred of her kind.

    I had no direction anymore. Yes, at the moment I was in this mess with Irina. But after? Who was I, now? I¡¯d been working to do good. To be good. But I could no longer believe that anything I¡¯d done for the Canavar was right. I hadn¡¯t become a liberator. I¡¯d become a slaver.

    A maid knocked and delivered a tray of food and a small bottle of pills. There was a note attached.

    Lady Shrike has informed me you are suffering from blood loss. Please take several of these pills every day to regain your strength. I am told they were spelled for good health by a mage in Dai Fen.

    Wishing you a swift recovery.

    ¡ªGalina Ilyin, Lady of Winterwood Hall

    I knocked back a few of the dark red pills and washed them down with a glass of wine. Sick to my stomach, I curled up in my bed and let the tears come. I had not cried in years¡ªbecause for years I had not felt anything at all. Now ¡­ now it was more than I knew how to comprehend.

    I dreamt of Kamala, and of Seylas¡¯s stony rumble.

    ¡°You deserve to suffer as they do.¡±

 Chapter 16: Warm Is The Sunlight

    A splitting headache dragged me awake. I opened my eyes to warm sunlight and Andiya cross-legged at the foot of the bed, staring at me.

    ¡°Creators,¡± I groaned. ¡°That¡¯s unpleasant to wake up to.¡±

    Andiya grinned coyly. ¡°First time I¡¯ve heard that.¡±

    My pounding head took some time to understand her meaning. I pressed my hand over my eyes to block the sun and sighed. ¡°Why do you keep doing that?¡±

    ¡°Doing what, lover?¡± she replied innocently.

    ¡°I¡¯m serious. Stop it.¡±

    ¡°I need to have fun sometimes, don¡¯t I? And it seems to bother you so much.¡± I felt her scoot closer until she was right against my thigh. ¡°Why is that?¡±

    ¡°Because you¡¯re a daemon.¡±

    ¡°Oh, yes. Nearly forgot about that. It must be your personal hang-ups regarding my kind, and not that you can¡¯t keep your eyes off me.¡± She lay down beside me, propping her head on her arm.

    I removed my hand and stared pointedly at the ceiling. ¡°Sorry for the ego blow,¡± I growled, ¡°but it really is the daemon thing.¡±

    She tapped me on the nose. ¡°Someone¡¯s forgetting that we share a mind. You¡¯re not the only one who can feel lies.¡±

    Too late, I snapped my mind shut. I¡¯d been sleeping, and she¡¯d caught me unawares, and I hadn¡¯t remembered to close myself off.

    ¡°No, no. Leave your mind open. I will do the same with mine. Answer a question for me, Rozin, and I will answer something for you. No falsehood.¡±

    I stayed perfectly still. She was too close. Warmth radiated from her onto my thigh. Andiya must have been fresh from a bath¡ªsweet soap wafted from her slightly damp hair.

    ¡°You first,¡± Andiya prodded.

    I didn¡¯t open my mind, and Andiya sighed in resignation.

    ¡°Just while I think,¡± I said.

    Andiya made herself comfortable¡ªby leaning her cheek on my stomach, curling close. I forced my breathing steady, forced myself not to make this any fun for her. I would not react.

    There were a thousand questions I had for her. What I knew about Andiya could be written on my palm. Did she know of her control over lesser orders? What was her life like in Kaelta? For that matter, what was anything like in Kaelta? Her knowledge could bring war to the Canavar. It could destroy nations, topple temples. But right now, I didn¡¯t want to know any of that. It mattered to everyone else except me, whose eyes still burned from crying myself to sleep the night before.

    ¡°Do you hate me for it?¡±

    I felt Andiya¡¯s emotions waver, and I opened my mind. Let her feel my regret, my turmoil. She deserved it. The impenetrable fog still surrounded her thoughts. None of them made any sense, even if she was letting me read them.

    ¡°I ¡­ do,¡± she replied slowly on my stomach. ¡°I hate you so much I can barely speak. You took everything from me.¡±

    ¡°I know,¡± I whispered.

    ¡°But ¡­ I don¡¯t know if I hate you, Rozin, or what you have done. The two almost feel distinct.¡±

    That, I couldn¡¯t understand. In her position, I would never forgive me. I would fight and rage and burn until the day I died.

    ¡°I thought about doing that,¡± Andiya mumbled. ¡°But it gets so tiring. And nothing gets better. I thought I might try and learn who I was bonded to, and what kind of person would be so cruel as to do this to me.¡±

    Andiya¡¯s consciousness sifted through my mind, through the regret that filled every corner of it. But she didn¡¯t go into my memories. She¡¯d not steal the thoughts I still wanted to be mine.

    ¡°What I found was someone scared. You hadn¡¯t wanted me. And you were not cruel. My captor genuinely believed she was doing good. Protecting those she loved. And I realised that what you¡¯d done to me was what your people told you was right. You were fighting evil, and to you, that was us.¡±

    Not that it made a difference. It didn¡¯t change what I¡¯d done. I could have lived my entire life thinking daemons were monsters and I would have been happier.

    ¡°You probably would have been. But if the Rozin of today met the Rozin of last year, who would you prefer to be? The girl in fear, or the woman who knows the truth?¡±

    ¡°Fear.¡±

    She laughed once against my stomach. ¡°Liar.¡± Andiya turned, rolling over to face me. Damn that fog covering her thoughts. Too alien, too seeped in an ancient magic I couldn¡¯t understand. I longed to hear her thoughts as clearly as she heard mine. Would I ever be able to make sense of that fog?

    Sunlight fell on her face, and I snapped my mind shut like a steel trap. Because Andiya was something from a dream, and I would never wake from it. The sun warmed her hair to burning rubies, brightened her shocking eyes to something so ethereal that I couldn¡¯t look away. I wanted to run my hands through her hair, brush my fingers against her cheek. But I didn¡¯t move.

    It bothered me when Andiya teased me because she was right. As revolting as it made me feel, I lingered on her when she spoke, felt my heartbeat quicken when she came too close. Had we not been who we were, I would have been struck dumb at her every word; in another world, my days would be spent pining after Andiya, working up the courage to take her in my arms.

    But we were in this world, and all of those thoughts were repellent. I¡¯d bound her. I¡¯d taken away her life, her choice. I would never take advantage of her, of my crime. I wouldn¡¯t even entertain the idea. Just imagining the possibility made my stomach turn, even telling Andiya why I was so bothered by her teasing was a violation. And so I would shut it away forever.

    ¡°So, my question,¡± Andiya said. ¡°Let¡¯s hear it. Why does it bother you?¡± Her consciousness prodded at mine, but there was no longer a way in. ¡°Hey! Open up, we had a deal.¡±

    I slid out from underneath her, forcing my eyes away. ¡°You¡¯re a daemon,¡± I repeated flatly, and I didn¡¯t care that she could feel the lie. I pulled a robe from the closet and made for the door. Andiya¡¯s indignation lashed at my mind.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare,¡± she hissed.

    I turned the doorknob. ¡°Get dressed. We should find the princess.¡±

    ¡°Answer me!¡±

    I swept into the hall, where Andiya could not follow me and risk revealing her sentience. I felt her frustration, and it hurt me more than it should. But this small betrayal was better than the truth.

    Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

    ¡°I did.¡±

    *

    The servants led us to the garden, where Irina and Lady Ilyin were taking a morning stroll. Irina now wore a rich gown of deep blue, her hair done in an intricate pattern of braids. Her face was still a mask of Shrike haughtiness, but this time with a midnight shadow painted on her lids. Servants followed behind her holding paper parasols.

    Lady Ilyin smiled warmly as I approached. ¡°I hope we find you in better health this morning, dearest Yulia.¡±

    ¡°Much better, Lady Ilyin. I have you to thank for that.¡±

    Irina stepped in front of Lady Ilyin, blocking whatever she was about to say.

    ¡°Are you well enough to resume your duties?¡±

    No warmth, no concern. Irina didn¡¯t need to act very hard to be a Shrike, did she?

    ¡°Always, Lady Shrike.¡±

    ¡°Good. Shadow me.¡±

    Andiya and I fell into step behind the servants as they continued their walk.

    ¡°As I was saying,¡± said Lady Ilyin. ¡°I¡¯m curious what your family will do for the Day of Rains, and whether you would do us the pleasure of attending our celebrations tomorrow instead. Even in these troubled times, we shall forge onwards. We cannot let the Crows stop us from honouring the Creators.¡±

    I hadn¡¯t properly celebrated the Day of Rains in a very long time. Most years, I¡¯d been somewhere with Shokarov¡¯s squad on the road, and so our celebrations were limited to a few drinks around a campfire. The Day of Rains was sacred in every country of Itrera. For a single day, all conflict ceased. All old strife was forgotten. The world embraced as we honoured the day that the Creators brought rain to a fallow world, filling it with the first life. Most cities threw a party of some kind¡ªin Barje Vos, families spent months embroidering gowns and slippers to wear to the dances. From sunrise to sunrise, Barje Vos honoured Spring; we filled the town square with drums and strings as every citizen spun in delicate circles, their skirts flaring out like petals.

    ¡°I shall attend,¡± said Irina. ¡°The Creators deserve honour, even here.¡±

    Lady Ilyin must have practiced her smile in the mirror this morning, because her smile didn¡¯t flinch. ¡°Wonderful. Is there anything you wish for us to prepare for your chosen Creator? The Ilyins shall honour Gold.¡±

    Irina scoffed mockingly ¡°Gold, you said?¡± The servants flinched. Even Lady Ilyin blinked in surprise. Surely Irina wasn¡¯t trying to insult a Creator.

    ¡°I did, Lady Shrike.¡±

    ¡°Gold,¡± Irina repeated mockingly. ¡°Your prayer will drown in the millions. Everyone prays for wealth, for fortune. Why should Gold favour the Ilyins over the rest?¡±

    ¡°They have in the past.¡±

    Irina raised a sceptical brow at the gardens and manor, and I saw Lady Ilyin¡¯s practiced smile crack. I felt bad for her. She had welcomed a Shrike into her home, and was now suffering the consequences.

    ¡°It is a weak mind that asks the Creators for fortune,¡± said Irina. ¡°Why should a god care about the money in your pocket? What does it matter to Sea or Storm if a farmer is fed? The Creators chose this day to raise our world from the earth. They did not do it so that we could mint coins and beg the sky to drop them in our laps. This day is to honour the Creators¡¯ grand design, not insult them. And so the Shrikes dedicate our prayers to Balance. For everything and everyone to know its place.¡±

    Lady Ilyin took a deep breath, her eyes closed. I could see the tension in her neck. ¡°You are absolutely correct, Lady Shrike. As always.¡±

    A servant ran to us with a letter. Lady Ilyin read it quickly.

    ¡°Word from my search party. My son¡¯s Sensor has picked up signs of several skirmishes in the woods. One, I assume was yours. Another involves several daemons and iron weaponry. Belonging to whom, we are not certain. Perhaps the Lady Shrike could identify the iron?¡±

    Irina nodded curtly. ¡°Have it brought to me.¡±

    Shokarov¡¯s squad would have carried iron, and they had bonded. Was it them? What had happened? Was Yulia safe?

    ¡°You¡¯re not listening,¡± sent Andiya. ¡°Her son has a Sensor.¡±

    ¡°Do you think we could speak to him, then? Find out more.¡±

    ¡°We need to keep as far away from him as possible. Do you remember the first meeting we held with the princess? That representative from Seo Jie Go¡ªJiyi¡ªknew what I was. Her daemon was a Sensor, too. He could feel my power.¡±

    I hadn¡¯t realised. Jiyi¡¯s daemon had meant so little to me amongst all this mess, I hadn¡¯t bothered to think about how he had discovered Andiya¡¯s true nature when no one else could. Sensors were normally small, used more for espionage and tracking than anything else. Most were meant for detecting specific things¡ªtemperature fluctuations, changes in heart-rate, magic, a scent. Sensors were also extremely rare, and therefore exceedingly expensive. I hadn¡¯t even considered the possibility.

    We walked along the garden¡¯s outer edge. Outside the garden, we saw bunches of small stone houses surrounded by green tents. In front of those, groups in rough dress washed clothes and relaxed in the bright sun. None of them crossed the delicate iron fence that marked the pleasure gardens. As we passed, the people smiled and bowed at Lady Ilyin. She waved gently back.

    ¡°We¡¯ve been flooded with victims of Crow attacks, as of late,¡± said Lady Ilyin. ¡°Our guest houses are full, and now even our lawns. We¡¯ve begun pitching tents in the orchards.¡±

    There hadn¡¯t been any other guests in the main house. The generosity of Titled had a limit when it came to common people, clearly.

    ¡°Have you contacted the crown?¡± Irina asked.

    ¡°We have, but we¡¯ve not received any reply. Rumour says the princess is not taking audiences at the moment.¡±

    Irina did not react. ¡°In mourning, I¡¯ve heard.¡±

    Lady Ilyin bark-laughed, the first rude thing she¡¯d done yet. ¡°Mourning. She felt well enough to increase our taxes the moment her father killed himself. Whatever that bitch is doing now, she¡¯s not crying in her bed.¡±

    My muscled stiffened. Ready to jump in the middle if Irina started a fight.

    ¡°Killed himself, is that so?¡± Irina said with mild disinterest.

    ¡°It was only a matter of time. The old fool must have known his people wouldn¡¯t let him reign much longer. So he took the easy way out.¡±

    ¡°The crown released a statement that it was a daemon attack.¡±

    ¡°Which sounds like a more dignified way to go, doesn¡¯t it? But think, Lady Shrike. A daemon attack on the Korongorod? They¡¯ll likely use the same pathetic lie when his daughter drinks poison.¡±

    ¡°Your words constitute treason, Lady Ilyin.¡±

    ¡°And I shall deny them if the Crown should ever bother to remember the Ilyins exist. When they are not robbing us blind or maiming my son, of course.¡±

    *

    I didn¡¯t have a second alone with Irina all day. We dined with Lady Ilyin that night, servants bringing us plate after plate of expensive cuts of beef and venison, spring greens, thick squash soup, and endless glasses of apple wine.

    One of Lady Ilyin¡¯s scouts returned with a canvas bag slung over his shoulder.

    ¡°For your guest¡¯s inspection, my lady.¡± Servants pushed aside our dishes and helped him lay out the bag¡¯s contents.

    First, several iron knives. I recognized those¡ªI¡¯d had one myself. Standard issue for Canavar soldiers.

    ¡°From the unknown battle,¡± said the scout.

    Next, an ironbow with a snapped string. Standard again. Then a canteen. A boot. A glove. My skin went colder with every item.

    ¡°What do you think, Lady Shrike?¡± asked Lady Ilyin.

    ¡°Canavar soldiers. The iron weapons are under one of our sub-contracts.¡±

    As Irina should know. She¡¯d probably helped pick the standards herself.

    The scout tossed a few arrowheads on the table. ¡°Crow-made. Same as the rest of the attacks.¡±

    Then he took out a torn shred of a red scarf, and it took everything in my power not to gasp.

    Yulia.

    ¡°Some personal effects. A scarf maybe, a hat, a few underclothes. Not much to go on.¡±

    It was Yulia¡¯s. Bright red, the rest of the scarf so long it could wrap around her head five times. I knew it was hers because I¡¯d given it to her, and I¡¯d watched it fly in the icy wind of the Teeth just weeks ago.

    ¡°Calm down,¡± Andiya sent.

    ¡°I can¡¯t. That¡¯s Yulia¡¯s¡ª¡±

    ¡°I know. You¡¯re screaming that at me right now. But your eyes are screaming it to the rest of the table. We¡¯re not soldiers. We can¡¯t give them the connection. Why would Lady Shrike know these people? Why would you?¡±

    ¡°We have to go after them.¡±

    ¡°And abandon Irina?¡±

    My thoughts scattered. Treason. It was treason. I was an Eon. If I left the princess here and went after Yulia, I would be put to the sword. They might do the same to Yulia, for good measure. What I needed was a plan. There had to be a way.

    ¡°Tonight. Go find what you can. Please, Andiya. Find her.¡±

    ¡°On my own?¡±

    I didn¡¯t care about the risk. I didn¡¯t care that Andiya might not come back, that I would be forced to track her down and drag her back by the bond. This was my only chance, and I¡¯d slow her down.

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    There was silence in my head as she thought. Everyone around the table was discussing what might have happened, where the soldiers might have gone. I couldn¡¯t focus on them.

    ¡°I heard you, before,¡± said Andiya. ¡°You weren¡¯t certain what you¡¯d do if I ran.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m still not.¡±

    ¡°I think you¡¯d chase me. You¡¯d drag me back with everything you had. Because you need me, Rozin. Just as you need me to save your friend.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll do it?¡±

    ¡°In exchange for one thing.¡±

    ¡°Yes. Whatever it is, yes.¡±

    ¡°You answer one question truthfully. Not now, maybe not even tomorrow. But when I ask it, you must answer, no matter the pain it might cause you or me.¡±

    My consciousness and hers met openly, showing each other the earnestness of our promises. Andiya was telling me the truth.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± I said, because they were the only words to express to what her promise meant to me.

    ¡°Not yet.¡±

 Chapter 17: A Mind Divided

    I waited anxiously in our room for Andiya, pacing back and forth. The moon was high above, bright enough to illuminate the meticulously maintained orchards beside the manor. With how empty the main house was, no one had noticed Andiya vanishing into the rows of apple and pear trees. Now all I could do was wait.

    The bond felt strained, like an elastic being stretched the further Andiya went. ¡°Where are you now?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Outskirts of town. No one¡¯s seen me yet.¡±

    Her voice carried, as though she shouted it at me from across a road.

    ¡°You move fast.¡±

    ¡°Almost like magic,¡± she replied dryly.

    I curled up in my bed, the covers over my shoulder. I hated being so weak. I should have gone with Andiya. What if she missed something I might have caught? What if that was the difference between Yulia being saved and Yulia¡ª

    I shut out the alternative. But it wouldn¡¯t go.

    ¡°You said you worry for Khalid. How do you get your mind off of it?¡±

    At the flash of pain that roared up the bond, I knew I¡¯d asked the wrong question.

    ¡°I do not.¡± Her voice was a low burn of fury, and it reminded me of when we¡¯d first met. ¡°But you do not talk of Khalid. Not you, who damned us. My bonding is one thing, but Khalid¡¯s is a different beast. I am chained; he is dead. I will not discuss my friend with his murderer.¡±

    ¡°I hoped ¡­ he would be wherever Yulia is. So you could see him again, as you wanted.¡±

    ¡°Why do you think I agreed to this fool¡¯s errand?¡± Her mind thrust me back like a shove. ¡°Now. Enough of him unless it is to tell me where he went.¡±

    Andiya went silent for far too long. I was anxious for an update, but I didn¡¯t want to press her. Instead, I edged my mind closer and closer to hers in the hopes of catching some stray thought.

    What I found were flashes, images. A dark forest. Moss-covered rocks. Scarlet hair on my arm as I pulled myself up a low crag. The soft, whispered sounds of my clothing as I drifted silently between the trees.

    The world through Andiya¡¯s eyes.

    I leapt closer, and found my mind in her body. I could feel the bark under my fingers, smell the earthy woods; I felt myself¡ªAndiya¡ªsigh against a cool night breeze.

    I¡ªshe¡ªreached the camp. The sign Yulia had left us was right there. I¡ªAndiya, I had to keep our minds apart¡ªplaced her own hand on Artem¡¯s print.

    Magic hummed under her skin. I felt a tug, like a string tied to my stomach, turning Andiya southeast.

    ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± demanded Andiya.

    ¡°Just waiting in my room,¡± I replied, then tried not to curse when I realised she¡¯d said that aloud.

    Displeasure rolled through her, and I backed away. Once I was out of her mind, Andiya snapped my access shut.

    ¡°Never do that without my permission.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to¡ª¡±

    ¡°Never, Rozin. You will swear it right now or I turn around.¡±

    ¡°Fine. I swear. I really do. I just wanted to help.¡±

    ¡°Then get a map and show me what lies southeast of this camp.¡±

    I quickly pulled on a coat and snuck out of my room. The manor was eerily still at this hour, far emptier than any house I¡¯d seen. There were no servants about, no guards patrolling the halls, no children sleepily wandering to the kitchen for a snack. Winterwood was lonely but for me and the statues by the stairs, their limbs cast in deep shadow. I slipped into the library and shut the door behind me, careful not to make a sound.

    ¡°Any reason you didn¡¯t track Artem with that trick when we first found the camp?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Because you''d have stupidly decided to go after them.¡±

    ¡°Of course I would have!¡±

    ¡°While I understand your dedication to your Yulia, we would have perished in the woods in our state. We needed rest, supplies. More than half of our damn blood.¡±

    ¡°Had more than half,¡± I grumbled. I found a map rolled up in a tall shelf. I lit a lantern and unfurled it, poring over the area around Zhyla. ¡°There¡¯s a lot to the southeast. Some small villages, crown woods, the hill clan lands ¡­ Mount Anfang, the borders with Etvia and Azherbal. How far should I be looking?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t tell. I¡¯m not a trained tracker. A general direction is the best I can determine.¡±

    ¡°You seem trained in very little, for a royal guard.¡±

    This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    ¡°Look who¡¯s talking.¡±

    I thought the logical paths through as Andiya searched the camp for anything we might have missed before. ¡°They couldn¡¯t have reached Etvia or Azherbal yet. They¡¯d need winged mounts to get that far so quickly. Yulia has no reason to head for Mount Anfang. She knows the Shrikes are more likely to work Artem in the mines than they are to provide any aid. So she¡¯s either in a nearby town, the woods, or the Crows took her to their lands. Which, given the scarf, seems the most likely. If she¡¯s there, we¡¯re going to get her back.¡±

    ¡°So you¡¯re going to unleash a High Order on this unsuspecting hill tribe, is that right?¡±

    ¡°If they don¡¯t give her back, then yes.¡±

    ¡°You should be concerned that I approve wholeheartedly of this plan.¡± With a teasing tone, she added ¡°You may not have made a bad malikh.¡±

    ¡°Malikh?¡±

    ¡°What we call ourselves, what you call a daemon. Or did you think we referred to ourselves with the same insult your people so unimaginatively bestowed upon us? Daemon. ¡®Spawn of hell,¡¯ really?¡±

    ¡°So you aren¡¯t?¡±

    Her snicker rang in my head. ¡°I can think of a few of my friends who deserve the title, but no. We are children born of this earth, as you are.¡±

    This was the information that Irina and the Canavar sought so desperately. To peer behind the veil; to discover the secrets of our history that only the daemons remembered. And here Andiya was, joking about world-turning revelations as though they were common knowledge.

    ¡°So what do you call a High Order?¡± I asked.

    ¡°We recognize only three divisions among our people. Humans like to classify us: Bestial, Sensor, Animator, Brute, High Order, Elemental of Ice, Fire, Earth, Wind, Wood ¡­ the list goes on for a mile. We view each other only by the strength of our connection with nature¡¯s magic. We are all malikh, the ¡®magic born,¡¯ but some among us are more. I am malikhari, a ¡®magic blessed.¡¯ And there are the most powerful of us all, those we call malikhaten, the ¡®magic crowned.¡¯ Our royalty, those who rule by might.¡±

    ¡°So, for example, the Kaeltan queens are stronger than you?¡±

    ¡°Not necessarily. If I were to challenge a queen for the throne and win, then I would be a malikhaten as well. The divisions among my people are far more blurred than the royalty like to admit.¡±

    ¡°And what determines a daemon¡¯s¡ªa malikh¡¯s¡ªpower?¡±

    ¡°Blood, mostly. But it is possible for a malikh¡¯s power to grow or wane over time. Some have been known to lose their power completely.¡±

    ¡°How?¡±

    ¡°Oh, Rozin. We both know I¡¯m not telling you that.¡±

    ¡°Fair. I wouldn¡¯t either.¡± Andiya went quiet, but I didn¡¯t have any patience. The quieter she was, the more I thought of Yulia¡¯s fate. ¡°Hold on. You called me malikh. The lowest of the three.¡±

    ¡°I did. Am I sensing insult, Rozin? Not that I called you a daemon, but that I called you weak?¡±

    ¡°You might be.¡±

    ¡°Wait. Look at this.¡±

    Her mind opened, and I looked through her eyes. They were tracks in the forest floor. Heavy boots, and from the tread pattern, military. I¡¯d had the same boots. Two tracks, from the looks of it.

    ¡°Follow,¡± I said.

    She flicked her hand, and a tiny ball of flame bobbed over the tracks. As she walked, more sprung up to light her path.

    Faraway voices echoed. I strained to make them out.

    ¡°What are they saying?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Who?¡±

    ¡°The voices. You can¡¯t hear?¡±

    Andiya stood silent and listened to the woods. The voices were definitely there.

    ¡°Nothing.¡±

    I understood just in time. I extinguished my lamp and dropped down behind a heavy desk just as two people entered the library. The voices hadn¡¯t been in Andiya¡¯s ears. They¡¯d been in mine.

    I split my consciousness between the library and Andiya¡¯s mind. An icy headache instantly began behind my eyes.

    ¡°Seal the door,¡± said an unfamiliar male voice. I peeked carefully around the corner. In the moonlight through the window stood a tall, handsome young man with half-tied gold hair. He wore fine leather armour and a riding cloak washed like a grey and pink sunrise, and from under it peeked a wyrwood prosthetic hand that glowed faintly with constellations of runes. On his shoulder perched a cat-like daemon. It was beige and white, four-pawed and tailed, but with the face and wings of a barn owl. I knew exactly who the man was. Lady Ilyin¡¯s son, the one who had a Sensor¡ªand who had lost an arm in service to the Canavar.

    ¡°What news?¡± asked the second person. Lady Ilyin. She pressed her hand to a round porcelain tile beside the door, and a flash of magic pulsed from it. I cringed. A soul-lock. It would only open for whoever had sealed it, meaning I was trapped in the library until Lady Ilyin unlocked the door.

    ¡°It should reach the common people by tomorrow evening, the next day at the latest. We must brace ourselves for the inevitable outcome.¡±

    ¡°Out with it, Damian. What is so important that you felt the need to drag me out of bed?¡±

    Andiya slid silently through the trees. The bond felt so taut that I couldn¡¯t see how she could possibly go any further. Pain blossomed in my chest as the bond fought back.

    Damian took his mother¡¯s hands. ¡°How ready are the soldiers?¡±

    ¡°Sufficiently, if need be. We are still gathering banners. But we have the forces to defend Winterwood.¡±

    ¡°And to attack?¡±

    Andiya paused, feeling the wind. ¡°A daemon,¡± she sent. Her voice was near impossible to hear. ¡°There¡¯s one nearby.¡±

    ¡°What kind?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t know.¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t have the support to attack the Canavar,¡± said Lady Ilyin. ¡°Maybe if I can win over the Shrike girl, we might have the numbers. But we¡¯d be crushed in a month¡¯s time without them.¡±

    I didn¡¯t even dare to breathe. Attack the Canavar.

    ¡°Are you hearing this?¡± I shot at Andiya.

    The forest floor dropped off to a sharp hill. Andiya picked her way down, feet hardly on the ground. She gathered her magic in anticipation.

    ¡°I think it¡¯s a bonded.¡±

    ¡°Forget about that for a second! Get in my mind, you need to hear this too¡ª¡±

    ¡°The time is now, mother. The princess is dead.¡±

    My heart skipped. But I¡¯d seen Irina not hours ago, when I¡¯d bid her goodnight. What had Damian done? How could I have left her alone¡ª

    ¡°She fell from her chambers, straight off the Korongorod. Prince Maxsim saw it.¡±

    Lady Ilyin gaped in shock, then let out a massive ¡°Ha!¡± She smacked Damian playfully on the shoulder. ¡°Fell, they think? Jumped, more like! I even told that Shrike the princess would follow in her father¡¯s footsteps. Though I did not expect to be proven right so quickly.¡±

    I shouted at Andiya with all my strength. ¡°Listen! Something¡¯s wrong on the Korongorod. They¡¯re saying the princess killed herself!¡±

    But Andiya was too far, concentrated too hard on forcing onwards against the bond. Not paying attention.

    A blaze of agony shot through my heart. Andiya stood motionless in a small clearing, the moon brightening the waving grass. At the other side was a young, terrified Canavar soldier and an uncloaked bonded. They were both ratty, their clothes torn and stained with old blood, but I recognized them instantly. As did Andiya.

    Rafiq and Khalid.

    ¡°Andiya, listen to¡ª¡±

    She slammed me out of her mind with brutal force, splitting open my headache like a knife through my eyes. I saw white and gasped. My palms smacked on the floor.

    ¡°Andiya! Andiya! LISTEN TO ME!¡±

    The library was too quiet again. My vision cleared, and I came face to face with Lady Ilyin and her son.

    Damian lowered to one knee, fixing me with a look that did not need words to be a threat. His owl-cat daemon screeched.

    ¡°Sarangerel tells me you have a bonded. Where is it?¡±

 Chapter 18: No Lies

    Damian snatched my wrist and dragged me out from behind the desk. I feigned cluelessness, my mouth slightly agape.

    ¡°A Titled has asked you a question, girl.¡±

    His grip tightened. The bonded on his shoulder fixed me with its black owlish eyes, it¡¯s tail curling. There was nowhere to run. My only hope was a window. The chairs looked heavy enough to smash through, if I ever got the time to do it.

    ¡°My bonded is patrolling around the manor,¡± I said quickly. ¡°Keeping watch for threats to Lady Shrike. As is my duty.¡±

    Damian¡¯s bonded shrieked, and Damian and Lady Ilyin exchanged a knowing look.

    Lady Ilyin glared down at the maps I¡¯d spread on the table. ¡°And what might you be doing in my library at such an hour?¡±

    ¡°Examining the area, Lady Ilyin. I wish to familiarize myself with our surroundings, so I might be more useful in finding our missing party.¡±

    It was always easier to mask lies in truth. Lady Ilyin could not yet accuse me of anything except being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

    ¡°You felt the need to serve Lady Shrike gone midnight?¡±

    ¡°Time is of the upmost importance, Lady Ilyin.¡±

    Lady Ilyin nodded at Damian. He released my wrist.

    ¡°Dearest Yulia,¡± said Lady Ilyin. ¡°I must ask you what you heard of our conversation.¡±

    ¡°I heard it all, Lady Ilyin.¡±

    ¡°And what did you think of it?¡±

    ¡°I understood only some, Lady Ilyin. But most of what I heard does not pertain to me, so it is of no consequence.¡±

    Damian¡¯s bonded shrieked again and flexed tiny claws.

    ¡°I assume you will inform Lady Shrike of what you heard here.¡±

    ¡°Yes. It is my duty.¡±

    I clung to the persona Lady Ilyin knew. I was only the vassal. I had no reason to expose her. That was up to the Titled I served.

    ¡°I want to believe you, Yulia,¡± said Lady Ilyin. ¡°I have enjoyed your company, and I bear you no ill will. But I do not appreciate being lied to in my own house.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve told you nothing but the truth, Lady Ilyin.¡±

    Damian¡¯s daemon shrieked.

    Lady Ilyin sighed, and Damian nodded at her. I understood. The daemon sensor¡ªthis one wasn¡¯t just for tracking or stealth. Sarangerel could feel lies.

    ¡°What is your true purpose here?¡± demanded Damian. ¡°Are you a spy for the Canavar?¡±

    I kept my mouth shut. The sensor couldn¡¯t detect a lie if I never said one.

    Damian¡¯s eyes narrowed, and Sarangerel hissed impatiently. The two were perfect mirrors of each other. When Damian breathed, so did Sarangerel. Damian¡¯s frustration reflected in his bonded¡¯s own eyes, his consciousness filling them both.

    ¡°She¡¯s smart,¡± said Damian. ¡°And familiar with bonded.¡±

    I glanced at the window. I could make a run for it.

    Damian pushed aside his riding cloak, revealing the pommel of a sword. If he was a Titled, he¡¯d definitely had expensive blade tutors. I would be hard-pressed to fight my way past him, even if I were armed.

    Lady Ilyin crossed her arms over her chest. ¡°The question becomes what to tell Lady Shrike what became of her vassal in the morning.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re certain her lady is a Shrike?¡±

    ¡°Positive. You have your beast; I have my intuition. That girl¡¯s insufferable attitude is exactly the sort they only breed on Mount Anfang. In all likelihood, this Yulia is duping her for something. My guess would be information. The Canavar would pay dearly for reports on the major houses.¡±

    ¡°But the Canavar would be more careful in choosing spies,¡± said Damian. ¡°The ones we¡¯ve encountered in the past were trained to resist a sensor¡¯s abilities. This one, clearly, was not. So either the Canavar are getting sloppy, or she works for someone else.¡± Damian leaned close. He looked very much like his mother. Sharp eyes, lightly tanned, soft features. ¡°Tell me. To whom are you loyal?¡±

    Keeping my mouth shut would only make things worse. I chose my words carefully. I could only tell the truth. ¡°I am loyal to the common people. To the innocent who need my protection. I serve them.¡±

    Sarangerel glared at me, but stayed silent.

    ¡°But no name in particular, I assume.¡±

    ¡°I serve who I believe serves and protects the people. I am not a spy, I did not come to Winterwood with any motive but shelter, nor do I mean you any harm.¡±

    Lady Ilyin appraised me with a raised chin. I couldn¡¯t tell if it was approval or distaste. One could never tell with Titled. ¡°I serve the people, as well,¡± she replied in a grave tone. ¡°If I told you that my son and I¡¯s conversation was in service of the common good, could we trust you not to speak of it?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± I answered truthfully. ¡°I am honour bound to inform my lady of what I heard. What we do with the information is up to her.¡±

    Damian shared a curious look with Lady Ilyin. I could feel them trying to piece my words together. Loyal to the people, but loyal to a Shrike. Then question was: what did Lady Shrike serve?

    ¡°Come with me, Yulia,¡± said Lady Ilyin. ¡°And have no fear.¡±

    *

    Damian stood at the door of my room, his hands clasped behind his back. Sarangerel¡¯s gaze followed my every move.

    ¡°Wait here,¡± said Damian. ¡°When your bonded returns, you are to leave it outside the main doors. It does not move unless I allow it. Understood?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Lord Ilyin.¡±

    ¡°I should not need to remind you who should suffer the consequences should you break your word.¡±

    ¡°I would never bring harm to my lady.¡±

    The door slammed and locked. I couldn¡¯t believe what I¡¯d managed to get away with, but it couldn¡¯t last. If Damian talked to Irina, he¡¯d know she wasn¡¯t a Shrike. The Ilyins would want to know who she really was. When they learned she was the late princess, I had no doubt they would kill her. After all, I¡¯d discovered their plot against the crown. At this point, all I could think to do was grab Irina and run. But how far could we get? Thanks to Lady Ilyin¡¯s medicine and Andiya¡¯s magic, I felt almost myself again. We could run for a few hours, maybe, before Damian and the Ilyin soldiers rode us down. And if we managed to evade them? We had no money, no horses, no supplies. We¡¯d be dead in days in the wilds, if Crows didn¡¯t slaughter us first.

    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

    ¡°I could really use some help right now, Andiya.¡±

    No reply. I felt carefully along the bond. It seemed to stretch on forever. Where was she?

    She¡¯d seen Rafiq and Khalid. They might have all the answers we¡¯d been searching for. I needed Andiya here to protect Irina, but I couldn¡¯t drag her back now. Not if Rafiq could lead us to Yulia.

    Treason. What I was doing was treason. I should have pulled the bond, taken away Andiya¡¯s magic so she was forced to speak with me. I should have dragged a knife down my hand to shock her with pain. But I didn¡¯t. Not if it meant losing Yulia¡¯s trail.

    So I paced, mumbling to the wall that was Andiya¡¯s mind. I repeated Lady Ilyin¡¯s words over and over until they were memorized. I took some of the small red pills to fortify myself. I turned over every option. Alone in that tiny room, I felt the full weight of my responsibility. I might be the only thing that stood between the Canavar and an open rebellion. They needed warning. They needed to know their princess still lived.

    So I thought of a plan.

    *

    Mid-morning sun flooded my room. Damian stood in the doorway, Sarangerel on his shoulder, flanked by a pair of Ilyin soldiers in green and brown. The Ilyin crest¡ªan apple tree¡ªwas pinned on their chests.

    ¡°Lady Ilyin requests your presence at today¡¯s festivities.¡±

    He led me to the upper chambers, where a group of servants cleaned me up, gave me more medication, and dressed me in fine clothes. I refused all but the most functional pieces. They finally let me go with a heavy, long coat with traditional Novoski embellishments¡ªgold on black embroidery of mountains and branches, fur cuffs and edges¡ªhigh leather boots, and fitted pants of maroon velvet. All pieces that would not get in my way should I need to run. I forced the servants to let me dress myself, so none of them might catch the accidental glimpse of my golden bonding tattoos. I made certain my glove was firmly in place before following the servants downstairs.

    When I met Damian again, he noted my choices. ¡°Practical, for the Day of Rains.¡±

    ¡°I would be a poor guard to my lady in silk and crinoline.¡±

    ¡°You would. Come. We are expected.¡±

    We made our way down the halls. Winterwood was a flurry of activity. Servants rushed around with plates of rich foods and chilled wine bottles, bundles of silverware and gift boxes for visitors. Every room smelled of fresh bread and sweet spices. Flower were garlands strung up from every chandelier and lamp. Drapes of pale green silk hung in swaths from the ceilings, embroidered with the Creators laying in the heavens. Even Damian looked the part. He¡¯d changed his riding clothes for a luxurious woollen coat in his family¡¯s colours, the cut fitted to his lean physique. A slight gold sparkle lined his eyes, the edges dashed with smoky kohl. Sarangerel wore a simple apple pendant on a green silk collar, her nails painted to match Damian¡¯s hair.

    ¡°I haven¡¯t seen your bonded yet, Yulia,¡± Damian said.

    ¡°She is still far from Winterwood Hall.¡±

    ¡°And you¡¯ve told her to return?¡±

    ¡°I have.¡±

    The words were enough truth that Sarangerel seemed unbothered. I had told Andiya to return. Damian did not ask if she¡¯d listened.

    The pleasure gardens were filled with guests. They wore their best, outfitted in pale gowns, weighty jewels, and intricate hairstyles that would have taken hours to perfect. Groups of guests clustered at tables drinking and laughing. Servants followed their masters with parasols. Peppered among them, robed bonded shadowed the occasional guest with black bonding tattoos. I clenched and unclenched my gloved hand. Thankfully, it was common enough for the conservative to cover bonding tattoos that no one questioned my choice.

    ¡°Damian!¡± an older, stout man called. He wore a voluminous robe of pale blue silk, small diamonds pressed above his bushy brows. Even with his chin up, he barely reached my shoulders. ¡°There you are, boy! I thought your mother had you somewhere squirrelled away.¡±

    ¡°Lord Oster,¡± Damian said with a real smile. He gave the man a rough hug. ¡°I couldn¡¯t resist a good feast. By that gut, I assume the same for you.¡±

    Lord Oster laughed, a hand on his great belly. ¡°One day I shall challenge you to a duel over your little jibes¡ªbut not today. Today, we pretend we did not hear a word.¡±

    ¡°I look forward to winning that duel, Lord Oster.¡±

    ¡°And I pity the merchants who hope to deal with the future lord of Winterwood Hall. They may find themselves with no coin and no confidence to boot.¡± Lord Oster bowed his head at me by no more than a few degrees. The polite greeting of a Titled to lesser names. ¡°A pleasure to meet your guest.¡±

    ¡°Yulia Vankin. Vassal to our dear friend, Lady Eva Shrike.¡±

    Lord Oster¡¯s smile melted off his face like Damian had thrown mud on him. ¡°That Shrike is something, isn¡¯t she? Cannot remember the last time someone looked down on me like that.¡±

    ¡°Not since you began wearing heels, Lord Oster.¡±

    Lord Oster¡¯s moustache shook with his great guffaw. ¡°A duel someday boy, don¡¯t you forget it!¡±

    ¡°Never. Play nicely with Lady Shrike, Lord Oster. My mother intends to extend her family a hand in friendship.¡±

    Damian smiled sidelong at me, and I could feel the meaning behind it. So Lord Oster was with them, too. How many more at this gathering were planning an attack on the Canavar? There were a hundred or more guests in the gardens. Any of them could be conspirators hiding blades under their skirts. I couldn¡¯t rely on any of them helping Irina, if she were revealed.

    I spotted Irina at the edge of the gardens. She wore the Shrike colours¡ªa deep sapphire gown with maroon panels, the accents all solid black. The servants had done her hair, leaving it free down her back but for thin decorative braids woven through the length. A group of nobles surrounded her, chatting amicably. But even from so far away I could tell their efforts were in vain. Our Lady Shrike¡¯s eyes passed through all of them as though they were furniture. A cold air exuded from her, daring anyone to challenge her rudeness. As if anyone could challenge a Shrike.

    ¡°We have not harmed Lady Shrike,¡± said Damian. ¡°As a gesture of good faith. You have lied to us, taken advantage of our hospitality. To make it right, we ask for your assistance. If it is provided, we may consider our strife at an end.¡±

    A servant handed us both glasses of apple wine. Damian thanked him kindly, and the servant returned his smile with a blush.

    ¡°What would you have me do?¡±

    ¡°Help me in gaining your lady¡¯s support.¡±

    I took a slow sip of my wine. Enough so Damian would see me accepting his drink, not enough that I would ever feel its effects. ¡°What will you do with the support of the Shrikes?¡±

    ¡°Aid the common people that you are so dedicated to protecting.¡± He¡¯d said it without inflection, embellishment. It didn¡¯t feel like a lie.

    ¡°I applaud that goal, Damian.¡±

    ¡°Lord Ilyin.¡±

    I blinked in surprise. I shouldn¡¯t make mistakes like that, as a vassal to a Titled. ¡°Lord Ilyin. I apologise. But from what I heard, opposing the Canavar will not protect anyone. Strife among the human nations¡ªeven from within¡ªleaves us vulnerable to the daemons. You invite a slaughter.¡±

    ¡°A threat the archons have held over our heads for centuries. All while the common people struggle to eat, to survive, as the Titled and the Korongorod bathe in gemstones and feast on what their suffering people bought them. We cannot let it stand any longer.¡±

    ¡°And was it the cruelty of the archon that came to Barje Vos?¡±

    Anger twisted Damian¡¯s mouth down. ¡°My mother and I wept when we heard of such tragedy. The archon is as much to blame as the daemons. Where were the soldiers, in Barje Vos? Where were they in Os Voyk, when the daemons slaughtered them? In Seta? In Os Milna, Canbirsk, Lanbridge? I will tell you where. Hiding on the Korongorod. In the walled cities, pressuring merchants. In the slums, collecting meagre taxes. At the ports, relieving unsuspecting sailors of their imports. The Canavar soldiers do not serve the people anymore. Only the archon¡¯s greed.¡±

    ¡°Yet you live in this house and throw this party. If you have such disdain for Titled, why not renounce yours?¡±

    Damian smirked. I knew before he spoke I¡¯d made a misstep. ¡°I could take you and your lady beyond the gardens, if you like. There you will find all our other guests, enjoying good food and drink at our expense. We could walk the camps, where we shelter victims of the Crows. Or we could take a tour of Zhyla, where our hired artisans rebuild what was lost. Our Title allows us to do these things for our people when the archon will not. Winterwood Hall has still not yet received any reply from the Korongorod. They may feel their people warrant no effort, when they have yet another funeral to plan for their precious monarchs.¡±

    ¡°A shame no common people were allowed in the main house.¡±

    ¡°As you can attest to, Yulia, our conversations are of a sensitive nature. We had hoped to avoid unfriendly ears.¡±

    I avoided eye contact and took another careful sip of my wine. Not too much. Not yet.

    When I tried to move towards Irina, Damian stepped in front of me. He bowed.

    ¡°A dance?¡±

    A few guests glanced excitedly at his outstretched hand. As though it were a signal, several of them paired off and waited for music.

    I took Damian¡¯s hand. Gentle strings began to play. I¡¯d never learned to dance. Kamala had taught me some steps when we were children, but I¡¯d forgotten them the same day.

    ¡°I apologise for my brutishness when we met, Yulia. You caught me unawares, and I was afraid. But you must understand now why. The Canavar would have mine and my mother¡¯s heads if they heard such a conversation.¡±

    ¡°Or they''d simply turn you over to the inquisitor.¡±

    His hand tightened on mine. ¡°It will not come to that. We shall die first.¡±

    At a quick change of beat, Damian spun me. He was a phenomenal dancer. I could feel the eyes of several young lords and ladies trailing him. I could understand. Damian was what they all should want. Handsome, wealthy, bright-smiled. If I had any interest, I would be jealous too.

    We twirled past a seated Lady Ilyin, who chatted and drank with a group of resplendent nobles. Her eye followed us carefully for a moment. Watching for any trouble.

    ¡°I ask you again, Yulia. My mother and I¡¯s cause relies on the noble families of our coalition banding together. Will you aid us?¡±

    We turned, following the melody. I replayed my words in my head before I spoke. No lies. Only truth.

    ¡°A brief conversation, no matter if I like you or not, can''t change the convictions I¡¯ve held my entire life. I still believe the daemons are our greatest threat. But my convictions are my own. I will introduce you to my lady as a friend, but I won''t help you convince her. Let your character speak for itself.¡±

    Damian spun me close. ¡°See that you don¡¯t go back on your word, and I accept. No harm will come to you or your lady if you remain true.¡±

    The dance ended. Damian and I bowed at each other, mirroring the other dancers. We were the picture of pleasure, not politics.

    ¡°Your lady awaits,¡± Damian said, and we walked arm in arm towards the false Lady Shrike.

 Chapter 19: The Day of Rains

    The Creators themselves couldn¡¯t have picked a better day for a garden party. The sun was high, the clouds nowhere to be seen, and it was just hot enough to wear whatever one liked. It was the sort of day that a temple-goer might describe as auspicious, or perhaps proof of divine intervention; this was a day to honour the Creators, and they had given us the weather to do it.

    Several guests stopped us on our way to Irina. They showered Damian with praises and kisses to his hand, small bows and good tidings. Several young women eyed me on his arm, diverting Damian¡¯s attentions to the way they touched their hair or batted their eyes. A pretty young lord touched Damian¡¯s shoulder delicately, bidding him a blessed day.

    ¡°Popular, aren¡¯t you?¡± I said.

    ¡°There are worse things to be,¡± Damian replied with a flash of a white-toothed smile that would make anyone¡¯s heart flutter. ¡°I see no harm in a well-placed compliment or affection. Are the lords not, after all, meant to please their people?¡±

    Damian and I wove through the guests and servants, relaxed expressions pasted on our faces. I swiped a glass of wine from a waiter and downed it in a few gulps. Damian raised a brow at it.

    ¡°Best I¡¯ve had in years,¡± I said. ¡°Can¡¯t drink much on the road.¡±

    He frowned slightly when I waved over a servant and took another glass.

    Irina saw us coming, and her icy glare turned absolutely arctic. She whirled to face us, chin high in contempt.

    ¡°There you are, Yulia! Where have you been? I had half a mind to set Lady Ilyin¡¯s hounds on you.¡±

    Sarangerel didn¡¯t react. I cringed appropriately. That really did feel like the truth.

    ¡°I apologise, my lady, I¡ª¡±

    ¡°We can discuss a suitable punishment at a later time. Who is your escort?¡±

    Damian jumped in before I could get a word out. ¡°Lord Damian Ilyin, first in succession to the noble house of Ilyin. Lady Shrike, it is an honour to meet¡ª¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m certain it is. With me, Yulia. I wish to walk the grounds. These sycophants are trying my patience.¡±

    Damian glanced meaningfully at me. I had to play my part until my opportunity arose. I only had once chance.

    ¡°Perhaps we could walk with Lord Ilyin. He was hoping to speak with you.¡±

    ¡°Everyone in this Creator-damned garden is.¡± Irina curled her nose is disgust at Damian, a move the other guests would gasp at. ¡°But very well. If the lord¡¯s pleasure is to walk, then he shall walk.¡±

    And so she went without waiting to see if we would follow.

    We made a leisurely circle around the party-goers. My stomach started to squirm nervously. I took a deep breath to steady it. Not yet.

    Damian leaned towards Irina. ¡°I had hoped to discuss a rather grave affair with you, Lady of Mount Anfang.¡±

    I took in a sharp breath. A stupid mistake. There was no way Damian said that by accident.

    ¡°My lady is not the first of House Shrike. She is no Lady of Mount Anfang,¡± I said forcefully. A truth, but perilously close to our react secret. Irina was no fool. She¡¯d been raised on politics and wordplay and deceit. She¡¯d see Sarangerel, and she¡¯d pick her way around our lies like an expert courtier.

    ¡°Not yet,¡± Irina said. ¡°Which I would have expected your mother to educate you on, Lord Ilyin.¡±

    ¡°I did not think, Lady Shrike.¡±

    ¡°You did not. To whom do you think you speak? I am a Shrike, not an Ademar or Esterfell. We do not deal with small minds, nor do we tolerate their stupidity.¡±

    I struggled not to outwardly jump between Irina and Damian. I am a Shrike. Unequivocally a lie. Was Irina really so careless?

    Damian¡¯s shoulders slackened, and his good-mannered smile no longer seemed forced. ¡°I beg your forgiveness, Lady Shrike. May we start again?¡±

    ¡°No. State your business and be gone.¡±

    I tensed. Why had Sarangerel not reacted? Why did Damian suddenly seem so relaxed?

    ¡°My mother and I have a rather sensitive political matter to discuss with you and your family¡¯s first. I had hoped you could arrange a meeting between us.¡±

    Irina scoffed. ¡°My aunt does not involve herself in the politics of the minor houses. I doubt she would change her stance for the likes of the Ilyins.¡±

    ¡°It involves the archon.¡±

    ¡°And? Did you turn deaf? I said no.¡± Irina turned her back to Damian. ¡°Yulia, kindly inform the Lord Ilyin that he is not to bother me with this matter again. I wish to enjoy the Day of Rains in solitude.¡±

    I wished I could capture Damian¡¯s stupefied face in a painting. I doubted anyone had ever spoken to him that way in his life.

    ¡°The princess is dead,¡± Damian said in hushed tones.

    Irina stood motionless. ¡°Excuse me?¡±

    ¡°The council has chosen her younger brother to take the throne. But he is weak. The Ilyins, and several prominent families I shall not yet name, wish to use this opportunity to oppose the monarchy.¡±

    One of Irina¡¯s hands closed in a fist. I felt sick. Very sick. I pressed a hand to my churning stomach.

    ¡°What you suggest is treason, Lord Ilyin,¡± Irina pushed through her clenched teeth. ¡°Treason in the shape of a noose.¡±

    A chill racked me. Even Damian seemed to second guess himself.

    ¡°The archons have all been tyrants. We ask that your family support the liberation of the people¡ª¡±

    ¡°No.¡± Irina turned around slowly, her delicate features contorted in rage.

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid I must insist on meeting with your aunt about this matter. You said yourself, Lady Shrike. You are not the Shrike first.¡±

    ¡°I am enough Shrike to tell you that Lady Ilyin will face the gallows before my aunt faces the Canavar.¡±

    Her voice carried through the garden. Several guests tuned around. Damian¡¯s hand went to his pommel.

    ¡°Is that a threat?¡±

    ¡°It is. And you shall weather my threats with as much silence as your precious apple trees weather storms, or face the headman¡¯s axe.¡±

    Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.

    Damian¡¯s hand tightened on his pommel. Somehow, he believed Irina really was a Shrike¡ªbut now that Shrike threatened to brand his family as traitors to the crown. There was no way he was going to let us simply walk out of Winterwood Hall. We had to get out of here.

    So I threw up.

    Damian and Irina jumped back from the horrific apple-wine spray I hurled onto the ground between them. The shock seemed to have broken Irina¡¯s rage. She pulled a face, aghast.

    ¡°What in the hells is the matter with you, Yulia?¡±

    I let myself fall onto my knee. I groaned. ¡°I don¡¯t feel well.¡± Sarangerel would feel the truth of it. This illness was no fake.

    ¡°What have you done to my vassal, Ilyin?¡±

    Damian gaped. ¡°I¡ªnothing, Lady Shrike.¡±

    I clutched my stomach dramatically. ¡°I took Lady Ilyin¡¯s pills this morning.¡± Truth again.

    Irina gripped my arm to haul me up. ¡°Your mother has poisoned my vassal! Is this what the noble houses can expect, should they refuse you?¡±

    We¡¯d made quite the spectacle. Lady Ilyin came rushing over, eyes wide with worry.

    ¡°Help her walk, Damian. Get her inside. I¡¯ll get the doctor.¡±

    I tugged on Irina¡¯s sleeve. Come with me.

    The three of us stumbled into the house. Servants guided us to a sitting room on the ground floor. Irina propped me up on a plush sofa among overflowing vases of sweet flowers, and with her back turned, gave me the most imperceptible of nods.

    Irina wheeled on Damian. ¡°Get out.¡±

    ¡°I should not leave you here alone.¡±

    ¡°I will not ask again. Get out, or I scream from here to the Korongorod that the traitorous Ilyins have attempted to murder my vassal.¡±

    Damian glanced at me. He found a sweating, gaunt mess. Clearly, I wasn¡¯t going anywhere. ¡°I will see where the doctor is,¡± he said, and bowed quickly before rushing off.

    The second the door snapped shut, I sprung up. ¡°You need to head for the stables. There are nearly a hundred guests here. There must be spare horses, some riding supplies. Grab whatever you can find. I¡¯ll meet you at the front door.¡±

    ¡°All right. What will you do?¡±

    I snatched a letter opener from a nearby writing desk. ¡°Call Andiya,¡± I said, and stabbed my palm.

    I gritted my teeth through the pain and twisted. Distantly, I felt a glimmer of Andiya¡¯s consciousness.

    I pushed the letter opener deeper.

    A snarl erupted in my mind. ¡°What the fuck are you doing?¡±

    The letter opener clattered bloody on the floor.

    ¡°Go,¡± I told Irina. She picked up her skirt and ran.

    ¡°Never thought I¡¯d be so happy to hear your voice,¡± I sent.

    ¡°The reason you¡¯re stabbing yourself?¡±

    ¡°To get your attention. We need you here, now. The Ilyins are one word from ordering the guard to slaughter us.¡±

    ¡°They figured out Irina isn¡¯t a Shrike?¡±

    ¡°No. She fooled their sensor somehow.¡±

    ¡°So they¡¯re not fans of her sterling personality? Can¡¯t say I blame them, to be honest with you.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure you can relate.¡± I opened my mind. ¡°Look at everything that¡¯s happened since last night. We need to get out of here.¡±

    Footsteps approached. I tossed myself down on the couch just as the Ilyins and a man in pale grey doctor robes ran in.

    Damian tensed immediately at Irina¡¯s absence. ¡°Where is Lady Shrike?¡±

    I looked past him to the doctor. ¡°It¡¯s my stomach.¡±

    The doctor swept by Damian to me. He pressed a hand to my forehead. I let him examine me slowly, answered his questions with as few words as possible. I could see a muscle threading in Damian¡¯s jaw as he waited. All I had to do was delay them as long as possible.

    ¡°Can you recall anything in the last few days that could have triggered this?¡± the doctor asked.

    ¡°Lady Ilyin has been giving me a medication I am unfamiliar with.¡±

    ¡°For good health!¡± Lady Ilyin protested. ¡°I have taken them myself. They are perfectly safe.¡±

    Damian¡¯s tone was steel. ¡°Unless mixed with wine,¡± he growled. ¡°But you knew that, didn¡¯t you Yulia?¡±

    I faced his glare dead on. ¡°I did.¡±

    I¡¯d discovered it that first night, where I¡¯d cried myself out on my pillow. After downing the wine and medicine so closely together, I¡¯d spent nearly a half hour on the floor of the bathroom, my stomach flipping every which way.

    Damian took a step towards me. ¡°Where is Lady Shrike?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± I spat, and as Sarangerel shrieked, I bolted.

    Staying at Winterwood Hall had made me intimately familiar with its hallways. I tore down them, pushing through my nausea. It was, after all, only a stomachache.

    I had to buy Irina time. I made for the library, Damian¡¯s heavy footfalls just behind. Sarangerel screeched close to my ear. I turned just in time to see the daemon¡¯s claws swooping at my face. I dove. Sarangerel missed, and I tumbled into Lady Ilyin¡¯s library.

    ¡°Don¡¯t!¡± bellowed Damian as I slammed my hand on the soul lock. The library door sealed in a flash of white light.

    I leaned against the wall and retched. Damian pounded on the door. But I was safe for a few minutes. The lock would only open for me.

    ¡°Well, this doesn¡¯t look good,¡± Andiya said from within my mind. It was like I could feel her under my skin, her magic buzzing in my head as she stared through my eyes. A shiver shot down my spine.

    ¡°So get over here and help me!¡± I hissed.

    ¡°It looks like you have things well in hand.¡±

    Lady Ilyin¡¯s voice shouted from beyond the door. ¡°Out of my way, out of my way. Ophale¡ªanimate!¡±

    ¡°Yes, my lady,¡± said the voice of the housekeeper.

    A subtle violet glow blossomed in the corner of my vision, humming with magic. The stone statue beside me creaked to life, flexing its stiff limbs, and stepped from its pedestal with a heavy footfall. On my other side, a second statue began to glow. I backed away.

    ¡°Andiya ¡­ ¡±

    I snatched a candelabra and lowered it like a pike. Not that it would do much good against stone, but I had to try. Better to go down fighting.

    The statues drew metal swords from stone sheaths.

    ¡°Of course you have swords,¡± I grumbled.

    Damian shouted through the door. ¡°Surrender and you shall not be harmed!¡±

    ¡°Tell Sarangerel to shriek for me, would you?¡± I called back.

    The statues advanced. One swung its sword lethargically in warning. I parried with the candelabra, and the blade bit into the floor.

    ¡°We don¡¯t want to shed friendly blood, Yulia!¡± said Lady Ilyin. ¡°We can still work together to serve the people.¡±

    ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m going to pass on that, thanks!¡±

    The statues advanced in earnest. The next swing was real. I barely dodged in time.

    ¡°Do not make us kill you!¡± called Lady Ilyin.

    ¡°Not making you. No reason you can¡¯t just let me walk.¡±

    ¡°We have every reason! Your lady has threatened to expose us. We have little other option.¡±

    One of the statues charged. It swung its blade viciously. I dropped low, and the sword cut into a bookshelf like a whip through air. The shelf toppled to the ground, perfectly split, books spilling on the floor. No resistance. That blade was some kind of sharp.

    Rather than test my parrying skills, I opted for simply running away. I danced around the library, only a few steps ahead of every strike. But I couldn¡¯t go on forever. I would tire. The statues would not.

    A sword sliced through the sofa just as I hopped over it. I stumbled, and a stone hand caught my hair. Like a child¡¯s doll, the statue dragged me across the floor and pulled me into the air. The statue held me fast as the other approached.

    ¡°This is your last warning!¡± shouted Damian. ¡°Surrender!¡±

    ¡°Fuck you!¡±

    The statue raised his sword. I closed my eyes. At least Irina might have made it out. I¡¯d done my duty. I could do no more.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Andiya. For everything.¡± She deserved that final truth, if this was to be our end.

    The library windows exploded in a wave of searing heat.

    My eyes flew open. Torrents of bright flame shredded the manor roof, swallowed the bookshelves, and blasted the walls to smithereens. The statues collapsed, inanimate. From within the inferno, a figure with waves of scarlet hair stepped through the smoke. Andiya.

    I sprinted to her. Rubble fell all around me. Andiya flicked her wrist, and a great tongue of flame curled over my head, shielding me from the chunks of wood and stone that rained down.

    Andiya grinned when I reached her. ¡°Your cavalry is here, master.¡±

    I snatched her hand and pulled her to a dead sprint. The flames parted before my feet. We hit the front lawn just as the entire east wing came down, collapsing inwards on itself in a wave of fire and smoke. Ash and charcoal spewed out of the wreckage in a wave.

    I coughed through the smoke. As it cleared, I saw Damian, Lady Ilyin, and the housekeeper also on the lawns. Fire ate the parts of the manor still standing, chewing its way through to the entrance hall and western wing. Damian dropped to his knees. Lady Ilyin seemed numb, her face slack in shock.

    Guests were screaming from the gardens. A great pillar of black smoke rose into the blue sky.

    Sarangerel shrieked, her fur and wings standing up. Damian¡¯s gaze snapped to me.

    Andiya grinned at him. She held a palm open, and flames began to coalesce in a tight ball.

    ¡°Don¡¯t hurt him!¡± I shouted.

    ¡°Why not? He seemed perfectly happy to kill us.¡±

    ¡°Damian is a good person. Don¡¯t hurt him¡ªthat¡¯s an order!¡±

    ¡°Tough.¡±

    Andiya raised her arm to release the flames. So I yanked her magic away.

    Andiya gasped and gripped my arm for support. The little ball of flame winked out. She shot me a petulant scowl. ¡°I¡¯m getting very tired of that little trick.¡±

    Damian didn¡¯t chase us. He only stared at me, unbridled hatred in his eyes. I¡¯d made a powerful enemy today. Damian would never forget who had destroyed his home. I was glad he didn¡¯t have our real names.

    Hooves clopped towards us. Irina came galloping on a spotted grey destrier across the lawns, a second white horse in tow.

    I gripped the saddle and hauled myself up. Andiya slid herself behind me.

    I took one last look at Damian. He was motionless as servants scrambled about, trying to clear the guests from the path of the rising flames. His fierce eyes never left me.

    I dug my heels into my horse, and we fled Winterwood Hall with a chorus of panic at our backs.

 Chapter 20: Six Years Ago, Pt. III

    Six Years Ago

    <hr>

    Kamala¡¯s house was one of my favourite places on earth. It always smelled of cinnamon and clove, evidence of the treats her father baked that kept Kamala and I a bit pudgy in the cheeks. Herbs grew on the sills, all in pots made by Kamala as she grew up¡ªwonky clay squashed by little fingers and haphazard splashes of clashing paints. In the summer, we¡¯d hide from the sun by lying on bright rugs in her main room, the tall windows open to let the breeze through sheer curtains. Floor cushions surrounded a low round table where Kamala¡¯s mother made coffee in a glossy earthenware set she¡¯d brought with her from Mehrak. On the wall hung a beaten sitar that Kamala¡¯s father tried to teach me to play. By the kitchen was a little door that their cat would shove himself through until he got too round to fit.

    In that wonderful house, Kamala and I stood hand-in-hand before her parents. The night was waiting patiently for their reply, and so were we.

    Her father crossed his arms. He was a hulking, imposing figure, his body thick and tough from years wielding a hammer. Beside him, Kamala¡¯s mother was an equal force, her hair wrapped in long locs atop her head, her dark hands roughened by working the forge. Neither of them looked particularly pleased with us.

    ¡°And this is what you have chosen for yourself, Kamala?¡± said her father.

    Kamala¡¯s hand tightened in mine. She trembled in my grip. I let my stroking thumb say what I couldn¡¯t in front of her parents. I¡¯m here. I¡¯ll always protect you. No matter what.

    ¡°It is.¡±

    Her parents shared a look of concern. ¡°You shall go to Lyn¡¯s parents¡ª¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t marry Lyn. Rozin and I already went to Ardila Vos¡ª¡±

    ¡°Nuofa wonya, Kamala,¡± her mother swore. I recognized the Mehraki words Kamala had taught me before. Stupid ass. ¡°You will go to Lyn¡¯s parents and express your regret that you and Lyn won¡¯t be wed. This is your mess. Your father and I won¡¯t clean it up.¡±

    Kamala gasped softly. ¡°You mean you approve?¡±

    Her father rolled his eyes. ¡°I fail to see what we could do if we didn¡¯t. We only want what¡¯s best for you, darling. It was why your mother thought of Lyn in the first place.¡±

    Kamala¡¯s hand left me as she launched herself at her parents. They wrapped her in a tight embrace.

    ¡°I hope Rozin knows how much work a smithy is,¡± said her mother. She smiled warmly and waved me over, and so we all stood together as Kamala sobbed happy tears into her father¡¯s stomach.

    I memorized every little detail of this moment. I would keep it close, for a day when I felt too dark. For what could darkness hope to do, against so much light?

    I left Kamala¡¯s late that night, and quietly slid into the window of my house next door. I laid on my bed and stared at the ceiling with a delirious gin. None of it felt real. I felt like dancing, singing, knocking on every door and telling them Kamala was a gift from the Creators themselves.

    I¡¯d visit the town council tomorrow, I told myself, and warn them about the break in the ring ward. It could wait.

    But then the next days were a blur of parties and traditions. Kamala and I visited Lyn¡¯s manor, and then sprinted out their front door giggling as Lyn¡¯s mother threatened to have us thrown in the lake with rocks in our pockets. We accepted betrothal gifts of candied fruits and homespun fabrics and held gatherings for friends and neighbours. One went so late into the night that Kamala fell asleep on my shoulder during a performance of flutes and drums.

    On the fourth day, the entire town of Barje Vos gathered to wish us good fortune.

    According to tradition, the main square was hung with hundreds of floral glass lanterns. Kamala and I stood on the centre stage, an embroidered shawl draped over our connected shoulders as our guests threw flower petals and held toasts in our honour. We drank spiced wine and sang in the old Azherbali tongue, took advice from the elders, listened to our parents tell stories of the Creators, and smiled through speeches of well-wishes.

    As Kamala¡¯s cousin toasted to our health, Kamala leaned in to whisper ¡°Do you hear that?¡±

    ¡°No. What is it?¡±

    ¡°Rumbling. Drums, maybe.¡± She frowned. ¡°Or riders.¡±

    ¡°How much wine did you have?¡±

    She bumped my shoulder playfully, and her frown vanished. ¡°Less than you. Watch out. I¡¯m not strong enough to carry you home.¡±

    Too full of wine, I leaned into her ear. ¡°We don¡¯t need to go home right away.¡±

    ¡°Yes, we do. My parents won¡¯t like it if I¡¯m back late.¡±

    ¡°No, I meant¡ª¡±

    ¡°I know what you meant. And I don¡¯t want to.¡±

    ¡°I never meant to upset you, Kamala, of course we don¡¯t need to¡ª¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s enough. We won¡¯t be discussing that tonight.¡±

    I swallowed my apologies and tried to pay attention to the toast. But Kamala was angry with me, and so I couldn¡¯t. I began writing my forgiveness speech in my head.

    There were too many drums. The ground trembled. The guests began to notice, murmuring in confusion, looking around for the source of the disturbance. Wine glasses clinked on the tables, some shattering as they tumbled to the ground.

    A distant light caught my eye. It grew closer, arcing over the town like a falling star.

    ¡°What is that?¡± Kamala mumbled, her hand taking mine nervously.

    The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    The star didn¡¯t stop growing. The air felt warm. I took a step back.

    My older sister rushed for the stage and grabbed us, tossing us off of it. Kamala and I stumbled between two small houses just as the star hit.

    Heat blasted over us in a gust of searing wind, kicking up dust that stung our eyes and skin. My sister leaned over us, shielding us from the brunt of it. Splinters rained down on us, shards of glass pelting my hair.

    The blast fizzled out. Coughing, we struggled to see through the clouds of dust and smoke. Outlines of nearby figures hacked and cried out for each other in panic.

    ¡°Are you both all right?¡± my sister asked.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± I managed to reply, my throat dry. ¡°What was that?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± my sister said, ¡°but we shouldn¡¯t linger. It might not be safe.¡±

    We followed her back to the square. The dust was clearing, and with the new clarity, we saw blurred silhouettes of the destruction left in the star¡¯s wake. Several houses on the other side of the square had been reduced to rubble, the only evidence of their existence a gnarled pile of shattered tiles and supports. Behind us, someone screamed¡ªonly for the scream to cut off in a sharp, bloody gurgle.

    They came in a wave.

    Riders charged through the dust, blowing through the square. They were a blur of smoke and limbs. The first thing I saw of them was a curved blade of black obsidian, cutting through the air beside me. I heard the next scream from nearby, heard the blood-chilling sound of a knife through flesh and bone.

    ¡°Get to Town Hall, now!¡± my sister bellowed. Town Hall was warded and fortified. We¡¯d be safer there than anywhere else in Barje Vos. ¡°I¡¯ll find Mom and Dad!¡± When I tried to follow her, my sister pushed me away. A rider charged between us, and I fell to the floor. Metal tore flesh. Blood hit my delicate slippers.

    I stumbled as I stood, my foot catching on something. Kamala helped me up. With ice in my veins, I saw what I had tripped on: a severed arm. It still wore my sister¡¯s embroidered sleeve of irises and sunbeams. My feet wouldn¡¯t move. I couldn¡¯t look away. It wasn¡¯t¡ªcouldn¡¯t be¡ªreal.

    ¡°Rozin,¡± Kamala rasped. ¡°Rozin, I¡¯m so sorry, we can¡¯t help her, we need to go ¡­¡±

    Her voice pulled my gaze up. I saw Kamala¡¯s terrified, wide eyes, saw the ash crusted in her hair. Then I saw what came behind her. With the dust blown away, I came face-to-face with a daemon horde.

    The riders were too numerous to count. They were daemons of all orders¡ªsome looked to be made of ice, some of stone, others of flames trapped below paper skin. Some were beasts, and some mounted on beasts: emaciated horses with fiery feathering, griffons with hooked beaks, massive lizards with snapping frills and long serpentine tongues, drooling red creatures like skinned bears with finger-long teeth. Hulking, shaggy monsters three times as tall as a man lumbered among the horde, their backs hunched and horns twisted like a ram. I watched one of them snag the baker with a curled talon and gut him with one lazy wrench.

    The people of Barje Vos fled in a panic. All around me, I saw friends and family falling. Houses crumbled into ash. Glass lanterns fell from their hooks and shattered on the cobbles. The tavern was a skeleton. Kamala¡¯s smithy belched choking smoke into the sky. There would be no Barje Vos after this. There would be nothing left.

    A snarl erupted beside me. A daemon dropped from the sky, landing on all fours. I recognized it from a book I¡¯d once read¡ªit was a hasra, a winged direwolf with reptilian orange eyes. It took a step closer, its lips pulled back to reveal obsidian teeth. I pushed Kamala behind me and backed away. We hit a wall, and Kamala shrunk down, her cheek pressed between my shoulder blades. I wanted a weapon. I wanted the strength to fight. But I knew nothing of war, of battle, and I was just so, so scared, and so all I could do was whisper a prayer to the heavens.

    A hammer slammed into the hasra¡¯s ribcage, and it bellowed in anger. Kamala¡¯s father charged the white hasra, his hammer raised to hit it again. The second the hasra¡¯s eyes left me, I grabbed Kamala¡¯s hand and we broke into a dead sprint.

    We hit the mouth of an alley and slipped through it. At the other side, a grey lizard blew past us. Its spiked tail lashed out, striking me square across the face. Blood spurted from my lip as it split. I hit the alley wall and fell.

    ¡°Get up!¡± Kamala gasped, and dragged me to a stand by my wrist. Dizzy, I wobbled back up and kept moving.

    Heaving, we made it down the main road. The Town Hall was so close. People rushed desperately for the doors, but few made it across the open road. Hasra dove from the air and plucked children into the sky. Daemons dragged people away by their hair. Spikes of ice protruded from piles of bodies.

    If we were fast enough, we might make it through. It was our only chance.

    ¡°Stay behind me,¡± I told Kamala. I would rather it be me than her. She nodded without hesitation. I took a single step forward and stopped.

    A daemon was watching us: an elemental with hair of autumn leaves and skin like birch bark. It grinned at me from astride a rust-red hasra. I was paralyzed in terror. The daemon urged its hasra forward, stepping around mangled bodies with faces I recognized. The hasra pulled back its lips, its black fangs dripping with fresh human blood.

    The daemon with the musical voice. I¡¯d set it free. I¡¯d opened the ring ward. And in all the excitement since, I¡¯d forgotten to tell anyone to close it.

    A group of riders approached the leaf-haired daemon. They asked a question in a harsh, guttural language, and the daemon barked orders, pointing them away. Who was this daemon? Was it leading this horde¡ªthis destruction?

    The fire burned my eyes. The smell of bodies, blood, and smoke choked me.

    Screaming.

    Crying.

    Everything burning.

    All my fault.

    Kamala gripped the back of my shirt, sobbing into it. I couldn¡¯t move, but I didn¡¯t want to die. Not yet.

    Kamala¡¯s father appeared from behind us. Claw-marks raked his body, covering him in blood. Limping, he charged the rust-red hasra.

    ¡°Run!¡± he roared, and we did.

    The birch-bark daemon swiped the hammer away with its sword, and the hasra closed its teeth around Kamala¡¯s father¡¯s throat.

    We hit the Town Hall. A line of sigils glowed as we crossed a ward. Kamala tripped on her dress on the stone steps, falling to her knees. I reached back for her just in time to see the hasra tear Kamala¡¯s father¡¯s tongue out through his neck.

    Kamala screamed and she tried to run to her father. I grabbed her by the waist and hauled her into the Town Hall as she fought and bit and begged me to let her go. Kamala spat curses, flailed with all her might, dug her nails into my arm and left bloody dents. But I couldn¡¯t let her die too.

    The entrance of the Town Hall was filled with clustered groups of families¡ªtoo few. Far too few. They clutched at each other, weeping, numb, staring a thousand miles away. An old woman eased the door closed. I released Kamala.

    My body felt leagues away. I¡¯d done this. I¡¯d let them all in.

    Kamala wheeled around to face me, fists curled. Tears streaked down her cheeks. I only stood silently, the truth held between us like a knife to my throat. She knew why the daemons were here, and who was to blame.

    ¡°Are you hurt?¡± she asked, her voice forced through her teeth.

    My split lip throbbed fiercely. ¡°No,¡± I mumbled.

    Kamala took a long, steadying breath. ¡°Good,¡± she spat, and punched me in the jaw with all her strength.

    I took the blow. My ears rang.

    ¡°This is because of you!¡± Kamala shrieked. ¡°I begged you. I begged you, Rozin, and now¡ª¡± Tears dripped from her chin. Everyone watched us with lifeless expressions. ¡°They¡¯re dead. They¡¯re dead and you¡¯ve killed them all!¡±

    I couldn¡¯t say anything. She was right. I deserved her pain, her anger. There were no words I could present in my defence, no excuses that would bring Barje Vos back to life.

    Kamala threw herself at me and shoved me back. I let her do it. She shoved again, gasping through a massive sob. Kamala kept shoving until I was backed against the wall. I felt empty, hollow. There was nothing of Rozin left. I watched from the heavens as Kamala collapsed, weeping.

    Her crying echoed.

    After a time, she looked up from her hands, wild with grief. She faced the families behind us, her eyes puffy and red. ¡°Rozin let the daemons in. She freed their leader from the ring ward and left us all defenceless.¡±

    I let her accuse me. The townspeople could do with me what they wanted. Whatever their decision, it would be justice.

    ¡°This is Rozin¡¯s fault,¡± Kamala forced through her teeth. ¡°And she must pay.¡±

 Chapter 21: You

    We rode hard through the thick woods surrounding Winterwood Hall, a plume of smoke rising in the sky behind us. There wasn¡¯t time to stop and collect ourselves. All that mattered was putting as much distance as possible between us and the Ilyins, and that hard look in Damian¡¯s eyes. I did not want to wake up with a knife to my throat.

    Our horses charged over the landscape, weaving between trees that grew sparser as we went. I remembered the map. Before long we¡¯d be approaching the flatlands that spanned the distance from the woods to Ryalgrad. We¡¯d not have much cover tonight.

    ¡°What happened with Rafiq and Khalid?¡± I sent Andiya. ¡°Do they know where Yulia is?¡±

    Her arms tightened around my waist. Her mind was sealed shut, as it had been since she¡¯d seen Khalid in the clearing. ¡°Later.¡±

    ¡°Is she alive?¡±

    ¡°Just ride.¡±

    ¡°No. Tell me right now, Andiya. I¡¯ll wait for the rest, but I need to know. Yulia is my best friend. My only family. You can¡¯t keep it from me for one more second.¡±

    A wave of discomfort rolled through Andiya. ¡°She¡¯s alive.¡±

    The knot in my stomach loosened. Alive. Whatever came next, we could make it through. I hadn¡¯t lost her.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± I sent Andiya, but she didn¡¯t reply.

    As the light faded, continuing on through the brush and uneven, increasingly rocky ground became impossible. We found a flat, gravelly spot between two large boulders and tied up the horses. All we could do was hope we¡¯d gone far enough we wouldn¡¯t be run down in the night.

    Irina emptied the saddlebags. I noticed hers were monogrammed with the initials W.L.O and a small white rose. She unhooked a similarly monogrammed blade and scabbard from the saddle and tossed them to me. I strapped the blade around my waist, a soldier once more. ¡°I took what I could,¡± Irina said. ¡°There wasn¡¯t much of use in the stables. Only trinkets, really. Extra kerchiefs, a water canteen, riding clothes, a few meagre coins. Lucky for us, Lord Oster packed himself some snacks for the road.¡±

    Irina laid out the food. A few paper-wrapped cakes, some sweetened dried fruit, and a few strips of dried meat over fine cheese. It would last us the night, but not longer.

    ¡°How much money, exactly?¡± I asked Irina, and she pressed a handful of coins into my palm. I struggled not to raise my brow. A few meagre coins, she thought? These were gold sovereigns. Anyone flashing this much money in a small town would be inviting every vagrant for miles to cut their purse.

    Damian¡¯s voice echoed. The Canavar soldiers do not serve the people anymore. Only the archon¡¯s greed.

    ¡°It¡¯s enough,¡± I said. ¡°We need to buy as much as we can in the next town. I¡¯ll go alone. Her Majesty attracts too much attention.¡±

    ¡°You will. But before I stay with you any longer, Eon Kain, I must ask why you deserted your regent.¡±

    My mouth opened to give her the truth, but nothing came out. What could I say? That I¡¯d risked Irina¡¯s life by sending Andiya to find my friend, and very nearly gotten us both killed?

    ¡°I sent Andiya to search for Seylas.¡±

    Andiya¡¯s approval purred up the bond. ¡°Careful, Rozin. Treachery gets easier and easier.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t trust the Ilyins. I thought if Andiya could find Seylas, he could help us escape to somewhere you would be safe.¡±

    Irina appraised me carefully. ¡°I cannot fault your ambition, Kain, but you chose a poor time to leave us without a bonded.¡±

    ¡°I did, Your Majesty. I will not make the same mistake again.¡± Quickly, I told Irina about what had happened in the library, and what Damian had said to me after.

    ¡°So,¡± Irina said slowly. ¡°The noble houses have finally found the mettle to oppose to Canavar. Very well. Let them. Our forces are strong. We will destroy these traitors root and branch and replace them with families loyal to the crown. My great-grandfather accomplished this twice in his reign. I see no reason why we cannot do it again. Andiya, fire.¡±

    Andiya waved her hand, and a hovering flame sparked to life between us. I wanted to extinguish it and keep our location hidden, but then I remembered it didn¡¯t matter anyways. Damian¡¯s Sensor could find us anywhere on earth, fire or not.

    Irina began to shed the layers of silk and brocade the Ilyins had put her in. ¡°What concerns me more,¡± Irina continued, and tossed her bodice into the dirt, ¡°is my supposed demise. Such rumours complicate our already tenuous situation. If the common people believe their monarch is dead, their faith in the coalition will weaken. Small minds are fickle. If their leaders begin dropping like flies, they will not see the crown as the eternal, unshakable thing that it is. We will have peasants questioning a monarch¡¯s right to rule, if we are so weak.¡±

    ¡°What can we do against rumours?¡± I asked.

    ¡°We can show the Korongorod that I am alive, and that I am still their regent. Tell me. Did Andiya find any sign of our party?¡±

    ¡°Tell her no.¡±

    ¡°No. She stretched the bond as far as it would go. When she had exhausted all possible ways to track Seylas, she returned to us.¡±

    ¡°When you stabbed your hand.¡±

    ¡°Distance makes words faint through the bond, but pain comes through well enough. When Andiya realised we were in danger, she hastened her return.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll talk later,¡± I sent. ¡°I lied to the princess for you. You¡¯re going to tell me why.¡±

    ¡°Even better. I¡¯ll show you.¡±

    Irina unfolded a map from her saddlebag. By the firelight, she examined our surroundings. ¡°There should be a small village not far from us. We can re-supply there and find a messenger to contact the Korongorod.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re abandoning the search for our party? For Seylas?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t imagine we¡¯d be of any use to them as we are. And with their princess supposedly dead, they won¡¯t be looking for us either. We must put our faith in the Korongorod. My soldiers can mount a proper search.¡±

    But who knew how long that would take? Even if we managed to send a message, would the Korongorod even reply to a claim of royalty from the middle of nowhere? And if they did, how many more days would it take them to put together a search party? Every hour we wasted it felt like Yulia got further and further away from me. By the time the Korongorod acted, she could be dead.

    ¡°She won¡¯t be. She¡¯s safe.¡±

    My heart skipped. Andiya couldn¡¯t lie to me. ¡°How do you know?¡±

    ¡°Later.¡±

    We ate quietly by the fire. Andiya felt distant, like she wasn¡¯t really there with us. Her mind was sealed so tight that her emotions felt separated from mine by a glass wall. But even through it, I knew she was in pain. I handed her one of the cakes, and she didn¡¯t even look at me.

    ¡°What is it?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Tell the princess to sleep.¡±

    ¡°I will take first watch, Your Majesty. Andiya will patrol for any sign of Ilyin soldiers.¡±

    Irina rose and placed her hands gently on my shoulders. The small smile she gave me was the closest thing to a warm expression I¡¯d ever seen her make.

    ¡°I will never forget your service, Kain. You have proven yourself a true friend, and I am in your debt. And must I order you to call me Irina?¡±

    ¡°I apologise, Your¡ªIrina. A difficult habit to break.¡±

    ¡°I should hope so.¡±

    Andiya kept the fire dim as Irina slept. It still wasn¡¯t the best idea to have a fire at all, but the other option was shivering all night. Something a princess was not accustomed to doing, as I was.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± sent Andiya.

    ¡°You patrol north and east,¡± I said aloud, in case Irina wasn¡¯t fully asleep. We needed a reason to leave her unprotected. ¡°I¡¯ll take south and west.¡±

    Andiya nodded. ¡°Yes, master.¡±

    ¡°Well let¡¯s not overdo it.¡±

    We split off and met far from the camp, hidden under a rock outcrop jutting from a hill. A wide, flat river split the woods, the water nearly motionless. Andiya listened for a minute. Satisfied that we were alone, she reached into her coat and produced a scrap of brown cloth¡ªlining from her coat, torn off. She gingerly peeled back the fabric to reveal an iron dagger. Military issue.

    Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.

    ¡°From your friend Rafiq.¡±

    ¡°What happened? All I saw was him and Khalid.¡±

    Andiya tapped her temple. ¡°Wandering ears.¡±

    ¡°Talking like that is exhausting. Get on with it. What are you afraid to tell me?¡±

    ¡°I am afraid that you¡¯ll do something stupid. Now, open your mind.¡± At my trepidation, Andiya rolled her eyes. ¡°Enough with that. Just do it. You know I won¡¯t root around where you don¡¯t want me to.¡±

    That didn¡¯t mean I should let my guard down completely. But my need to find Yulia won out. I lowered my barriers.

    Andiya took my jaw gently in her hands.

    I jerked away, face burning. ¡°What the hell?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m trying to show you something. Don¡¯t be such a child. You won¡¯t die from letting me touch you.¡±

    I tried not to squirm as she replaced her hands. Andiya smirked.

    ¡°So dramatic.¡±

    I shoved my thoughts back away from her, but my mind was wide open. She knew how soft her hands were, how warm. How it did not feel as terrible as I knew it truly was, and that though I tried to hate it, I didn¡¯t.

    Andiya rested her forehead on mine. I struggled to keep my breathing even, my thoughts on something, anything else. This was humiliating. Andiya saw it all, and I had nowhere to hide.

    Her foreign magic pushed into my mind like a cloud of deep fog. It bid me to enter. Nervous, I pulled back.

    ¡°Afraid of me, my darling Eon?¡±

    In defiance, I dove into the fog.

    And found myself in the clearing, facing Rafiq and Khalid. I tried to turn my head, but I couldn¡¯t. Because I wasn¡¯t myself anymore, but Andiya, reliving her memory.

    ¡°Khalid,¡± Andiya breathed, numb with shock. After all this chaos, all this pain, there he was. Her best friend. The man who¡¯d comforted her, taken her in, called her his family. The man who had stood by her when she¡¯d left Kaelta, and who had lost his life for it. ¡°Khalid, what have they done to you? Are you well? Safe?¡±

    Khalid didn¡¯t react. He stared blankly, as any bonded would, awaiting his master¡¯s order. Until now, I hadn¡¯t realised how unsettling that vacant look was. Like his soul had been quieted, and all that remained was a shell of grey marble. Before I¡¯d met Andiya, that look had never bothered me.

    ¡°Do you recognize me, Khalid? They can¡¯t have erased me. Not after all this.¡±

    Rafiq was trembling. He kept half-behind Khalid, eyes wide. ¡°You¡¯re Rozin¡¯s daemon. The High Order. I really found you.¡±

    ¡°You can come with me, Khalid. Leave this boy. He is not worthy of you.¡±

    ¡°Do you speak Novoski?¡± Rafiq asked. ¡°You must, right? From Rozin.¡±

    ¡°I speak it, boy,¡± Andiya snarled, and the words tasted different on her tongue. ¡°But I have nothing to say to you. Not to my friend¡¯s captor.¡± When she next spoke, I could hear the daemon language from her lips. Being in Andiya¡¯s mind let me understand. ¡°We have shelter and food. I can protect you this time.¡±

    ¡°Stop that!¡± Rafiq shouted. ¡°Where is Rozin? What have you done with her, monster?¡±

    ¡°Please say you know me, Khalid, please Khalid, I love you, you can¡¯t be gone¡ª¡±

    ¡°I ordered you to stop!¡± screamed Rafiq, his voice cracking. Andiya noticed the dagger in his hand. ¡°You broke her, didn¡¯t you? Like Yulia said you would.¡±

    Andiya¡¯s gaze never left Khalid. I could barely remember who I was, so drowned in her sorrow. Was Khalid only a memory now? Was his corpse all that was left? I felt her trying to shut the pain away, gather herself. This boy would never know how much pain she was in. She would never allow it.

    Andiya shifted to Novoski. ¡°Yulia, you said? And where is she now?¡± Khalid¡¯s empty eyes were a lead weight. Andiya wanted to run to him, wrap him in her arms, weep until he came back to her. But she was better than these people, than Rozin. She was not weak. She had survived the bonding, and she would survive this.

    ¡°Safe and far from here. You can¡¯t hurt her. She asked me to stay behind and find Rozin.¡±

    ¡°Pity. I know Rozin was so hoping for a reunion, as well.¡±

    Rafiq raised the dagger. Iron, from the blade¡¯s colour. ¡°You will tell me where she is.¡±

    ¡°Oh, will I? You give a lot of orders for someone I have no reason to obey.¡± She sneered. ¡°But follow me if you like, Rafiq of Azherbal. I will take you to her.¡±

    Rafiq didn¡¯t move. The dagger trembled in his grip. Andiya took a step forward. She was baiting him towards her, waiting for the moment he was close enough to grab. Rafiq looked manic. He would never calm down enough to listen to a daemon. But if she got a hand on him before it came to a fight, Andiya was strong enough to safely subdue him and drag him back to Winterwood Hall.

    ¡°You¡¯re lying.¡±

    ¡°Perhaps, perhaps not. No way to tell unless you come back with me.¡±

    ¡°So you can kill me!¡±

    ¡°I might. But am I in the mood for a slaughter tonight? I have been so busy these past days.¡± She took another step forward. Rafiq and Khalid backed away in tandem. ¡°If you don¡¯t come with me, then none of your friends will ever find what¡¯s left of Rozin. I have her well hidden.¡±

    Rafiq was blinking a hundred times a minute. Andiya sneered, inching ever closer.

    ¡°But they¡¯re not looking!¡± he blurted, and Andiya stopped.

    ¡°Rozin and your princess meant so little to them?¡±

    ¡°They meant everything! And you took them from us!¡±

    ¡°I did, now?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t laugh at me, daemon. Seylas saw you burn Irina to ashes and drag Rozin away.¡±

    Andiya flashed her teeth. ¡°I did more than drag her away.¡±

    Rafiq leapt back and put a knee to the ground. He raised his arm in the Canavar battle-ready signal. Andiya realised her misstep, and her magic rose. Rafiq would never charge her on his own. She¡¯d need to take Khalid down first.

    ¡°Kill the High Order!¡± Rafiq screeched, and Khalid rushed forward with a powerful flap of his wings. His hand shot out, coated in claws of razor-sharp ice.

    But Andiya only sidestepped Khalid and snapped her fingers around his neck, holding him aloft.

    ¡°I should slit his throat,¡± Andiya snarled. ¡°It would be a mercy.¡±

    Rafiq stood frozen, agape. Khalid went limp. I knew what Rafiq was thinking. He couldn¡¯t feel the bond. Not while Andiya held Khalid.

    ¡°Let him go!¡± Rafiq rasped as Andiya¡¯s hand tightened on Khalid¡¯s throat. ¡°I order you in the name of the Canavar Archon. Release my bonded.¡±

    ¡°Seems you¡¯re running low on archons at the moment. Come take him from me, boy.¡±

    Rafiq¡¯s knife trembled. He was scared, not stupid. He¡¯d never last a second against a High Order on his own. But as long as Andiya held Khalid, Rafiq would have no choice but to follow her Winterwood.

    Andiya raised her voice. ¡°I will give you to the count of five to decide, and then I will kill the both of you. Come with me, or die. Five. Four. Three. Two¡ª¡±

    ¡°Andiya?¡±

    The entire forest seemed to fall silent¡ªor perhaps Andiya had been struck dumb in shock. Because Khalid had said her name, and he was staring at her with the light of life behind his eyes.

    Andiya dropped him. As soon as he was free of her grasp, the light in Khalid winked out, and he blew back to Rafiq with a quick flap of his wings. He moved in front of Rafiq, who put a hand on Khalid¡¯s forearm.

    ¡°You¡ªyou tricked me!¡± snarled Andiya. ¡°You cruel, pathetic child¡ª¡±

    Khalid swept Rafiq into his arms and spread his wings.

    ¡°No!¡± Andiya shrieked. A circle of flame blazed around her. Leaves curled on the trees.

    Khalid leapt into the sky. He was out of reach in a second, as sure in the air as an eagle. Flaming wings burst from Andiya¡¯s back¡ªbut they were wrong, weak. She made it a few laborious feet upwards before she crashed back down. She tried again. Her wings shuddered, and she raked her back against a pine tree on the way down, branches snapping from her weight. Her wrist broke on a rock. The wounds healed; her bones popped back into place. Andiya sprang up. Again. Again. Magic bled from her in torrents as she fluttered desperately into the sky like a bird with a shattered wing. In mid-air, her magic gave out, and Andiya crumpled onto the forest floor. Scrapes tore her shins, not healing. She gazed mournfully at the stars, but Khalid was long gone.

    Rafiq¡¯s iron dagger lay at her feet.

    A fog lifted me gently from the memory. I was once again with Andiya under a rocky outcrop, the night after she¡¯d seen Khalid.

    ¡°I tried walking to Winterwood Hall,¡± said Andiya. ¡°But I¡¯d used all my magic trying to chase Khalid. I was too weak. All I could do was wait for morning and hope I had enough magic to find my way back.¡±

    ¡°You certainly had enough magic to burn down Winterwood.¡±

    ¡°Is that criticism on how I saved your life?¡±

    ¡°It is. You destroyed the Ilyins¡¯ home¡ªfor what? To make a statement? There¡¯s no way they¡¯ll ever give up chasing us now. Even if we escape them this time, we¡¯ve made an enemy for life.¡±

    ¡°Then you should have let me kill them.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not a murder, and I don¡¯t think you are either. At least I hope not.¡±

    ¡°Fine. Whatever.¡±

    I waited for her to argue more, to come back with a bite to her words. But Andiya didn¡¯t seem to have it in her. All that fight, that spirit, was blunted by the pain in her heart.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you talk to me?¡± I asked. ¡°Tell me where you were, at least?¡±

    ¡°I ¡­ didn¡¯t want to.¡±

    ¡°The princess and I were almost killed. That was not the time to be childish¡ª¡±

    ¡°I wanted to be alone. Khalid is dead, Rozin. I knew it before, but seeing it was ¡­¡±

    There were no words for the sorrow I felt in her. Just like that, my frustration fizzled out. How could it not? I knew what it felt like to lose someone I loved. And I¡¯d done this to her.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t want to talk to his murderer.¡±

    ¡°Can you blame me?¡±

    ¡°No. I wouldn''t talk to me either.¡±

    I exhaled slowly and leaned against the rock. This was a mess. With my mind closed, I mulled over what I¡¯d seen. Everyone thought the princess was dead, that Andiya had killed her, that my mind was broken. And the crown inquisitor¡ªSeylas¡ªhad been Andiya¡¯s accuser. What the hell was going on?

    At least Yulia was alive. Safe. Rafiq had seemed sincere in that, at least.

    ¡°You¡¯ve lost people,¡± said Andiya.

    ¡°I have.¡±

    ¡°Kamala?¡±

    I stayed silent.

    But Andiya didn¡¯t care. She sat with her knees to her chest, staring out over the wide river beyond the rocks. ¡°How did you accept it? That she was gone?¡±

    I stood at a crossroads. Andiya thought Rafiq tricked her¡ªbut I knew the truth. Andiya had broken the bond. That was Khalid¡¯s real self, real sentience. He wasn¡¯t fully gone. Some part of him remained, and Andiya might be the key to unlocking it. But that knowledge was so, so dangerous. A High Order with the power to command bonded was not one I would ever be able to control. I could comfort Andiya, and damn the world.

    ¡°I never accepted anything,¡± I said. It was the right thing to do, it had to be. I feared she would hear my guilt through the bond, but she only nodded sympathetically.

    ¡°You blame yourself for what happened to her. I can feel it.¡±

    The guilt rose like a crushing fist on my heart. I did. I blamed myself for Kamala, for Barje Vos, for Andiya, for hurting everyone I ever loved. And tonight that guilt would be my shield.

    ¡°I joined the Canavar forces to atone for what I did. I trained with Jawahir to protect those who could not protect themselves. So that we would never be left defenceless against the daemons. And I bound Khalid because I thought he was evil. That you were. I will never accept what has become of my life. I can¡¯t. I will never accept what I have lost and what might be lost should I fail here today. It would overwhelm me, and I¡¯m not strong enough to shoulder it.¡±

    ¡°You could choose to think about what could be gained. You could choose to hope.¡±

    ¡°Hope is weak.¡±

    ¡°Despair is weak. And so are you if you believe that.¡± Andiya frowned at the horizon. ¡°It¡¯s the easiest thing in the world to give up. I can say nothing will ever be better and lie down and accept my fate, and it will cost me nothing. The world will turn and I will fade away. Or I can get up. I can fight. Things will get better because I will make them better. I choose to hope even when it seems pointless to, even when you have given up.¡±

    ¡°What do you hope for?¡±

    ¡°Empathy for my enemy. Empathy for you, Rozin. To understand the one who has taken my life¡ªand for the life I make with her to be more than one of despair. It has been the greatest challenge of my life. I could have accepted my fate. Become like Artem, like the legions of bonded your princess holds in her grip. But I will not. I never will. I will fight you tooth and claw and one day we will be better. Because I am not weak, and neither are you.¡±

    I watched her, skin outlined silver in the starlight. There was such a sudden ferocity to her eyes, her voice. Cut out of the dark night, she seemed to hover between this world and the next. Andiya was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen, and there was no amount of denial in existence to pretend she wasn¡¯t.

    ¡°Yes,¡± I breathed. ¡°I am.¡±

    She turned to me, and my breathing stopped. Her hair slid from her shoulder, gentle and bright like rubies against the moon. Her mind pressed against mine, asking to be let in.

    ¡°What are you thinking about, Rozin?¡±

    ¡°You.¡±

    Andiya stopped pressing. She stared at me so gently that I knew I never should have said it. Should have never admitted what so plainly held my heart.

    So before she could say anything, I left Andiya alone by the river, where she could be beautiful where I could not see.

 Chapter 22: The Chase

    I bought supplies in the next town by myself. In an hour my horse¡¯s saddlebags were laden with enough food to last weeks, if we were careful about it. But the townspeople¡¯s eyes lingered on me too long, narrowed too far. It could have only been my fine clothes, almost alien so far from any major city, but I doubted that. Word of Winterwood Hall must have already reached them, perhaps by messenger. And the only reason that they did not arrest me was that they had no bonded¡ªand so they likely waited for someone who did.

    Still early in the morning, I rode out of the town and took the main road, thinking it would be the fastest. A dark blur caught my eye. On the horizon, crossing a dry wheat field, was a massive horde of riders in green and gold. The colours of House Ilyin.

    I rode hard for our camp. Irina approached as she saw me.

    ¡°About time. Tell me¡ªdid you ask about the location of the nearest messenger?¡±

    ¡°Load up your horse! Ilyin forces are heading our way.¡±

    ¡°How long?¡± asked Andiya.

    ¡°Does it matter?¡± scoffed Irina. ¡°We have a High Order. If they wish to kill us, they shall find themselves wholly unprepared to do so.¡±

    ¡°You want Andiya to kill them?¡±

    ¡°I do. I have taken the night to think on it, and I¡¯ve decided that it is best not to leave an enemy alive when they would not do the same for us. You have my leave to dispose of them without fear of persecution, dear Kain.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t speak. Andiya could kill them all, I knew she could. But I couldn¡¯t give her that order. I couldn¡¯t murder all those people, no matter by whose decree. I opened my mouth to refuse.

    ¡°Your Majesty,¡± said Andiya. ¡°Master Kain has shown me her memory of the Ilyin soldiers. The Ilyin host contains several daemons know to me as rakharii. Subjugators, you call them. Those with the ability to subdue other daemons. No lesser or higher being can escape their chains, regardless of strength.¡± She scowled appropriately. ¡°I¡¯m afraid if we face them, I alone will not be enough.¡±

    Andiya was lying. I¡¯d shown her nothing, and I hadn¡¯t been close enough to see any Subjugators. And even if I had, they could never withstand Andiya.

    Irina grit her teeth. ¡°Very well. Load the horse, Andiya.¡±

    We plunged into a tall wheat field. On the other side, we trotted through a ravine, then through a sparse wood, then found ourselves facing the rocky hills and crags that made up the land from the woods to Etvia.

    ¡°Nowhere to hide,¡± I said.

    Irina scanned the hills. ¡°So our decision becomes to trap ourselves at the Etvian border, or attempt to find shelter at Mount Anfang. I shouldn¡¯t need to tell you which I¡¯d prefer.¡±

    Both were a risk, but the insular Etvia was a fool¡¯s bargain. Their high-walled borders were sealed tight to the Canavar. The Drahko Archon tolerated the Canavar at best, openly reviled them at worst. We would exchange the enemies pursuing us for ones on all sides.

    On the other hand, the Shrikes were still loyal to the crown. There was a small chance that they would turn us over to the Ilyins, but a much larger one that they would shelter a royal in exchange for the Korongorod¡¯s favour. They had no reason to risk their position and power on a rebellion.

    ¡°To Mount Anfang,¡± I agreed, and we set off. I checked behind us. A long way off, a tiny black spot circled in the blue sky. I would bet anything that it was Sarangerel, watching us change course. I picked up our pace.

    We made good time on the hills. They were dark stone covered in short verdant grasses, stretched from the coast to the inner sea. The hill clans occupied a section far to the east of here, where we were unlikely to encounter them. We¡¯d encounter precious few people this close to Etvia, save for maybe exiles or brigands.

    ¡°You¡¯re welcome, by the way,¡± grumbled Andiya. She sat behind me on the saddle, her thighs pressed against the back of mine. I kept my mind locked tight.

    ¡°Why did you lie? I¡¯d have thought you¡¯d enjoy killing Damian.¡±

    ¡°I enjoy a good fight, that¡¯s true, but you were practically screaming my head off when Irina gave you that order. I thought I¡¯d help you.¡±

    ¡°I expected you to call me foolish instead, for the risk.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Andiya,¡± she teased.

    My mouth twitched in a small smile. ¡°Fine. Thank you, Andiya, for not massacring Damian¡¯s forces.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s all I wanted to hear.¡±

    She leaned her chin on my shoulder, chest to my back. Andiya sighed contentedly. And I kept riding without a single complaint.

    ¡°You have an oddly pacifistic outlook, you know, for a soldier,¡± said Andiya.

    ¡°I agreed to join the Canavar to capture daemons, not kill people.¡±

    ¡°Right. Because we are not people.¡±

    ¡°I ¡­ did not believe you were.¡±

    ¡°And now?¡±

    ¡°Now, I don¡¯t know what to think. You are a person, and you are alive, and you are as real as anyone else I¡¯ve ever met. I have no more doubt about that. But ¡­ not all daemons I¡¯ve met have been like you.¡±

    ¡°So I¡¯ve been told. It certainly helps keep the ego inflated. But you¡¯re dodging the question. Surely, considering your line of work, you must have been forced to kill another person? I say this with my limited knowledge of the human lands, but thus far they¡¯ve been quite dog-eat-dog.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not like this everywhere. Most people never see a real fight a day in their lives. But ¡­ yes, I¡¯ve killed before. Three times. Desperate people do desperate things. I¡¯ve come across plenty of brigands in my years travelling the coalition with the Canavar. Sometimes all it takes is the flash of a sword to chase them off. Sometimes, they have nothing left to lose but their lives.¡±

    ¡°And do you regret killing them?¡±

    ¡°Every day. I know I had no choice¡ªbut that doesn¡¯t seem to matter what I¡¯m trying to sleep.¡±

    ¡°Three times? Is that all?¡±

    My heart squeezed painfully as her question brought my memories forward. Fire. Blood. Kamala¡¯s furious, devastated eyes. Seylas. A death toll that could not be counted, and no matter how much good I tried to put into the world, could never be erased.

    The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°That¡¯s all.¡±

    And she didn¡¯t ask anything more.

    After another few miles, Irina said, ¡°I see them.¡±

    I did too. Still a blur on the horizon, but a bigger one. The Ilyins were gaining on us. That black dot continued to circle above. We¡¯d never throw them off our trail, so long as they had Sarangerel. She could scout faster routes, see obstacles. We¡¯d always be just a bit slower.

    ¡°I could roast the little bird, if you like.¡±

    ¡°That would kill Damian, too.¡±

    ¡°And I assume our morals are against this?¡±

    ¡°Yep.¡±

    ¡°Good. From your memories, I like this Damian. I would regret killing him, I think.¡±

    ¡°Because you think he¡¯s handsome.¡±

    Andiya¡¯s laugh carried over the hills¡ªsurprised, bright. I failed to stop my slight smile in reply.

    ¡°I do hate spoiling pretty things. I might enjoy playing with this Damian, instead.¡±

    ¡°Somehow I doubt he¡¯d let you.¡±

    ¡°And why ever not? I¡¯ve yet to meet anyone who has not wanted me to.¡±

    ¡°Present company excluded.¡±

    Andiya¡¯s chest pressed closer, warm on my back. ¡°I thought we were done with the lies, Rozin,¡± she said into my ear.

    Creators save me.

    *

    By the next morning, the Ilyin host had crept closer. We couldn¡¯t go any faster than we were. Far in the distance, Mount Anfang rose like an odd thorn from the horizon. Salvation, still so far away. If it were even salvation at all.

    ¡°You¡¯ve said little about your Yulia as of late,¡± sent Andiya as we rode. ¡°Makes me wonder if you¡¯ve given up on her.¡±

    ¡°Rafiq said she sent him. He said she¡¯s safe. I need to trust that.¡±

    ¡°And you don¡¯t want to confirm this yourself?¡±

    ¡°Of course I do. But let¡¯s think of a way I can do that. I could plough through the Ilyin forces, killing them all, then retrace our steps all the way to the camp and have you track her again. Oh, and I¡¯d need to abandon the princess¡ªmeaning when I did find Yulia, we¡¯d be killed for treason.¡±

    ¡°You could send me.¡±

    ¡°The Ilyins almost killed me the last time I did that. They¡¯ll succeed the next time.¡± I glanced back at the green and gold riders. ¡°Yulia is a better soldier than I ever was, and she has Artem. I have to believe she can take care of herself. I can¡¯t do anything for her right now except hope.¡±

    ¡°Still. I¡¯m dying to know what became of our party. Something about our situation doesn¡¯t feel right.¡±

    ¡°Being hunted down gave you that clue, did it?¡±

    ¡°Funny. I know brains aren¡¯t your specialty, but think for a moment. Too many movements are happening at once. The supposed death of the princess, attacks from a rogue clan, a clandestine rebellion. I don¡¯t believe so many troubles arise on their own so quickly together. It feels like someone is pulling the strings.¡±

    ¡°Any idea who?¡±

    ¡°Someone who is no friend to the Canavar.¡±

    I sighed. ¡°So most of the world.¡±

    ¡°Perhaps your princess should have spent more time making friends on Itrera, and not in the daemon lands.¡±

    ¡°Our princess. And you seem very entertained by all this.¡±

    ¡°I am. I¡¯ve always loved a good mystery. And should I not be interested in the well-being of our princess, as you are so quick to remind me? I seem to recall you telling me to accept my new position.¡±

    We stopped at a small creek to let the horses drink. The Ilyin soldiers were too close for comfort. We couldn¡¯t stop tonight. I was afraid they¡¯d grab us in the dark.

    ¡°We should send Andiya to them as they sleep,¡± said Irina. ¡°She can burn the Subjugators before they have a chance to chain her.¡±

    ¡°I am not suited for stealth, Your Majesty,¡± Andiya said quickly. ¡°The risk is great.¡±

    ¡°These are beginning to feel like excuses.¡±

    ¡°We only give you our council,¡± I said, ¡°Irina.¡±

    ¡°I did not ask for council, Kain. Perhaps you are forgetting what you are. I am your regent, and you are my Eon. You were not selected for your strategic abilities, but for your utility. I expect you to do your duty.¡±

    I lowered my gaze. ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡±

    ¡°Kneel.¡±

    I did as I was told. Irina stared down at me imperiously, no hint of mercy in those ice-chip eyes. She¡¯d been raised to rule. And she would do it, no matter who got in her way.

    ¡°I like you, Kain. See that this does not change.¡±

    *

    Mount Anfang grew with every hour. The buildings of Ryalgrad clung to the side of the mountain, the rest spread out around it in a city of unfathomable size. Except it was not the colossal Ryalgrad that held my gaze, but Anfang itself. I¡¯d never seen a mountain shaped like that. If it wasn¡¯t before my very eyes, I¡¯d say it was impossible: the mountain¡¯s peak was somehow inverted, curling around like a hook. Or, I realised, like the talon of the butcherbird¡ªotherwise known as the shrike.

    ¡°Legends say that Wind bowed the mountain with a mighty blow,¡± said Irina when she caught my staring. ¡°There should be no way for the mountain to exist, and yet it does. My father once visited Ryalgrad in his childhood. He told me it was the first time in his young life that he believed the Creators were truly real.¡±

    ¡°Do you believe?¡± Andiya asked.

    Irina raised a brow at the question. ¡°Certainly. I rule by divine right. I would be a fool not to thank those who gave it to me.¡±

    We pushed forward at as fast a pace as we dared, but after a hard night of riding our horses were faltering. All of us were deprived of much-needed rest. Oddly, the Ilyin host had stopped gaining on us, as though they held back. But why? Once we reached Ryalgrad, we might be lost to them forever. Damian thought Irina was a Shrike. Why was he willing to let her make her way home?

    Andiya clicked her tongue, jaw on my shoulder. ¡°Do you think his sensor told him I¡¯m a High Order?¡±

    ¡°Definitely. That explosion you made was too strong for a regular Fire Elemental.¡±

    ¡°So he knows we¡¯re dangerous. He may be waiting for some opportunity.¡±

    Exactly what I¡¯d been thinking. Damian seemed too shrewd to let us slip by so easily. He wouldn¡¯t charge a High Order without knowing he¡¯d win. And what if he¡¯d heard the rumours Irina had worked so hard to spread during our time on the Korongorod? That the Canavar had a High Order. He would know who I really served.

    ¡°Your Majesty¡ªIrina¡ªwhy does Damian believe you¡¯re a Shrike? How did you lie to a sensor?¡±

    Irina smirked at me proudly. ¡°I am the heir to the Canavar throne. I was trained in my childhood to resist sensors, as our spies are. All archons are trained this way, so we do not divulge any of our secrets. Damian believed every word out of my mouth, because his sensor believed them as well.¡±

    ¡°Could I learn this ability?¡±

    ¡°If we had many months to spare, yes. But you couldn¡¯t fool Damian¡¯s sensor tomorrow, nor the day after. I will do the talking, Kain, should that be necessary.¡±

    As we forded onwards, the terrain began to soften. Before long, we trudged through muck, dried grass, and dead weeds, stopping more and more often for breath. A great stink clogged the air. Between the hills were pools of tepid water and diseased lily pads.

    ¡°I thought it was just hills until Anfang,¡± I said.

    Irina frowned at her map. ¡°So did I.¡±

    A small grey line dotted a patch of hills between the farmlands and Mount Anfang. Turning the map over, we read the seasonal notes written along the bottom.

    ¡°Spring and early summer,¡± read Irina. ¡°Fallow hill lands become a toxic mire. Travellers be aware that breathable air may be in short supply if the ground is agitated.¡±

    I looked off in the distance. We were one swift day¡¯s ride to Ryalgrad, three or more at this pace.

    ¡°Damian chased us into this,¡± said Andiya. ¡°Though I¡¯m not certain why. He could have caught up a long time ago. We didn¡¯t need to be slowed.¡±

    I frowned at the deep muck. Damian had a plan, and I didn¡¯t want to wait around for it.

    ¡°Do you remember when I captured you?¡±

    ¡°Vividly,¡± grumbled Andiya.

    ¡°You dried the mountaintop. Could you dry the mire?¡±

    ¡°Embarrassing confession: I almost drained myself completely with that show. Call it stupidity in anger. By the time I realised how little magic I had left, you bonded me. It might be why it was possible for you to capture me in the first place.¡±

    I looked at her in shock. That was a dangerous piece of information for me to have.

    ¡°Am I wrong for trusting you with it?¡±

    ¡°I ¡­ don¡¯t know.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think I am.¡±

    We kept moving. Irina was right there. I should tell her. The Canavar could capture more High Orders. We could make ourselves so powerful no daemon or archon would dare challenge us in a war. We could protect our people.

    On the backs of slaves.

    There was no other word for it. We would take slaves to keep our people safe, and I could give my princess the shackles.

    But I wouldn¡¯t.

    I let Andiya see my decision. Her lip twitched in a smirk.

    By midday, the sky had gone deep grey. We could no longer ride at all, the muck was so deep. We pulled the horses behind us, our pace terrifyingly slow. The sun faded. The air stilled, waiting for the black clouds that crawled across the horizon. It was the sort of storm that would wash us away, fill the mire with waves of swallowing water. Not a place where you¡¯d find a being of fire. I paused, glancing at Andiya.

    ¡°What is it?¡± Andiya asked.

    ¡°Damian is going to catch us.¡±

    She gazed over at the storm. Cold air caught her hair, waving scarlet before a wall of grey and distant lightning. A lick of dying flame against an oncoming storm. ¡°And the princess will have me kill them.¡±

    I felt the idea form like a spark catching oil. ¡°Not if your magic doesn¡¯t work.¡±

 Chapter 23: Blood & Thunder

    The storm hit us at sunset. Clouds rolled over the sky, blacking out the sun, cooling the air. All at once, water crashed down in a windless torrent. It soaked me through, chilling my bones. Still we pushed through the deepening muck. We had no other option.

    I pulled my horse through a thick, knee-deep pool. Thunder clapped across the sky. In the darkness, the world narrowed to the few feet around me, the rest of the mire swallowed in water and shadow. From within the black, a flash of white streaked by¡ªSarangerel, swooping in and out of my vision as she kept her sharp eyes on us. Beside me, Andiya flared a ball of fire in her palm. It fizzled and died. She made another. It died too.

    ¡°There¡¯s nothing to burn!¡± she complained loudly. ¡°Everything is too wet. Even the air.¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t do anything at all?¡±

    ¡°I can burn magic alone¡ªbut it won¡¯t last long!¡±

    The Ilyin host was invisible in the rain. Damian could find us, but we couldn¡¯t find him. He had Sarangerel. The Ilyins could catch us a league under the ocean.

    ¡°My lady!¡± I shouted, knowing Sarangerel could hear. ¡°If it comes down to it, you leave us behind. We will hold off the Ilyins.¡±

    Irina, trudging beside her horse, gave me a short nod. No thank you, no protest. Not from a royal. I was expected to die for her, if need be.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to see Damian dead any more than you do,¡± sent Andiya. ¡°But if this doesn¡¯t work, I will do what I must.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯ll work. It has to.¡±

    ¡°For their sakes, I hope it does.¡±

    It got darker and darker. There was no horizon but obstreperous clouds. My muscles screamed in protest as we slipped and trudged through now shin-deep mud.

    Something shiny flashed by in the dark, lit by a bolt of lightning. It sank into the muck.

    I leaned down and felt around. I gripped a thin, fletched shaft. An arrow.

    I drew the sword Irina had stolen from the Ilyins. I let the tip rest on the ground, already breathing hard. The mire had exhausted me, just as Damian must have planned.

    Andiya lurched to my side. She tore off a strip from her shirt and blasted it with fire. It caught weakly, and with a flick of her finger, the fire whipped towards where the arrow had come from.

    In its light we saw the edge of armour, then that fire died too.

    Andiya helped me over to Irina. Her Majesty looked half-wild, her raven hair stuck to her face, her gown plastered to her body, her cheeks pink from exertion.

    ¡°They¡¯re here!¡± I shouted over the rain. ¡°Go ahead of us. We will buy you time to reach Ryalgrad.¡±

    Irina clasped my arm. ¡°I acknowledge your loyalty, dear friend. It shall never be forgotten.¡±

    Arrows sank into the mud by my feet. Getting closer. If the Ilyin soldiers were not firing blind, we would be dead.

    ¡°Go!¡± I shouted, and Irina scrambled forward, pulling the horses with her.

    ¡°They¡¯ll catch her!¡± Andiya bellowed. ¡°What do we do?¡±

    ¡°We stop them!¡±

    ¡°Right! But just in case you haven¡¯t noticed, I¡¯m a bit short on magic tricks at the moment!¡±

    ¡°There must be something that you¡ª¡±

    A sword from the darkness sliced at my side, and I barely parried in time. The ring of metal vibrated down my arm as I wrenched myself from the muck and faced an Ilyin soldier.

    ¡°Iron!¡± I shouted in Andiya¡¯s mind. ¡°Get behind me!¡±

    ¡°You can handle him?¡±

    ¡°I hope so.¡±

    The armoured soldier struck again. I struggled to set my feet in the shifting mud, parrying with a wonky slash. Our swords pierced the muck as one. I managed to find a solid patch of ground, and I struck back.

    We began a rough back and forth dance, soaked and nearly blind and lashing hardest in the brightness of lightning. I fell into my military training, dodging and stabbing in the liquid fashion of Azherbal. But we were both drained from battling the mud and elements. This fight couldn¡¯t last more than a minute.

    My foot stuck in the mud, and as I wrestled to free myself, the soldier kicked me square in the stomach. I took the blow, winded, and clutched my sword tight like a rope hanging me over a cliff. If I dropped it, this would be over. I scrambled to right myself and deflect his next strike.

    But the soldier turned, raising his blade¡ªnot at me, but at Andiya, who was rushing to my side.

    ¡°Get back!¡± I screamed, but the roar of thunder drowned my voice. Something in me snapped¡ªI surged upwards, leaping between the soldier and Andiya, shoving her aside. I threw my sword over my head.

    The soldier¡¯s blade clashed with mine. They pressed between us in a desperate contest of strength, and then Andiya was there.

    Her hand pressed the soldiers helmet, and it blossomed orange under her touch. The soldier dropped his blade as his helmet turned red hot, boiling his head like an egg. He screamed. I drove my sword through his neck, and he fell.

    ¡°Not so pacifistic now, are we?¡± Andiya sent.

    ¡°He was going to kill you.¡±

    ¡°And? So was Damian.¡±

    I met her eyes. Instead of finding the words, I let her see my mind¡ªhow when the soldier¡¯s blade had come for Andiya, nothing mattered but her. I did not think of the toll, of the burden of taking yet another soul. Andiya was in danger, and I would protect her. Bury the cost.

    ¡°You were right,¡± I said. ¡°It¡¯s us or them.¡±

    Another sword appeared in the inky black. I was ready this time. I blew him back with a savage strike, and he stumbled in the mud. A well placed kick sent him crashing down. Andiya gripped his visor, blasting flame through the grille. Inside the helmet, her magic found something to burn.

    A third soldier found us, a fourth, a fifth. Andiya leapt on one like a wildcat, blasting fire into his helmet. I managed to shove one back, but he gripped me as he fell, and I tumbled into a pool of water. My face went under, and for a few terrifying seconds I couldn¡¯t breathe, couldn¡¯t see, could only drown¡ªuntil I found my footing and dragged myself from the silt with a desperate gasp. The soldier grappled me, and I drove my sword through the gap between his chest plate and helmet. Warm blood poured down my front.

    His life joined my rising toll.

    Andiya grabbed my arm and hauled me out of the mud and onto a hard-packed patch of dirt and stone. I spat thick, silty water and braced myself for the next attack.

    They kept coming, drawn to us by the sound of screaming and ringing steel. I was spent. A soldier managed to pin me, and she raised her blade to drive it through my chest. Andiya tackled her with a fierce cry, setting the soldier aflame like a low meteor. But there were just too many. Soldiers surrounded us, hanging back with their shields raised. Even with Andiya¡¯s powers muted, they were still in the presence of a High Order. But their hesitation could not last forever.

    Sarangerel swooped down.

    ¡°Now!¡± I shouted into Andiya¡¯s mind.

    Andiya dove to the ground just as Sarangerel¡¯s claws snatched the air where her head once was. She opened her palm to blast fire back, and it caught with a massive blaze, lighting the mire and storm with intense orange heat. Andiya¡¯s eyes popped in shock. She frowned at her hand, where a small snake of fire did somersaults around her fingers. She lowered her hand near the muck, and the snake tripled in size. A disturbing grin spread on her lips.

    The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    ¡°Sarangerel!¡± she shouted to the sky. ¡°Bring us Damian. Tell him to leave us be, or I burn his men alive.¡±

    ¡°In this rain?¡± I asked. ¡°What about your magic?¡±

    Her voice was a velvet purr. ¡°You trust me, don¡¯t you Rozin?¡±

    ¡°I do,¡± I answered without hesitation.

    The soldiers pressed closer, their shields edge to edge in a ring.

    ¡°Do what she says!¡± I shouted. ¡°Bring us Damian!¡±

    The soldiers¡¯ approach halted. More men joined them, surrounding us in a thick knot of iron and steel.

    From the ranks stepped a golden-haired man with a sunset cloak. Mud covered his body to the waist, more flecked on his face. Damian seethed with a quiet wrath as Sarangerel landed on his wyrwood wrist.

    ¡°I accept your surrender,¡± Damian growled. ¡°And that of your Shrike, when my soldiers catch her. She will not reach Ryalgrad. You are not the first enemies we have hunted in the mire.¡±

    ¡°But I may be the first High Order,¡± said Andiya, and the soldiers shifted nervously, readying an attack.

    ¡°So it¡¯s true. Then I must have the pleasure of meeting the dead princess¡¯s pets¡ªEon Kain, and Andiya the Crownkiller.¡±

    Small pleasure flicked up the bond. So she liked her new title.

    ¡°You do,¡± I said. ¡°And Andiya has promised she will burn your men to charcoal unless you turn back to Winterwood Hall and leave us be.¡±

    ¡°There is no Winterwood Hall!¡± Damian spat. ¡°Nothing we did could put out your daemon¡¯s fire. All we have left is ash.¡±

    ¡°Well. You were trying to kill us,¡± Andiya said with a cool shrug.

    ¡°And we should have. Now hundreds will starve without our protection. Is that what you serve, Rozin Kain?¡±

    I grit my teeth. I¡¯d been so focused on escaping that I¡¯d forgotten all about Winterwood Hall¡¯s refugees. They¡¯d lost what little they had, because I had taken it from them.

    ¡°Who cares what Rozin serves?¡± Andiya drawled. ¡°I serve myself. And I say that you have ten seconds.¡±

    ¡°Stop bluffing. Sarangerel listened to your helpless words, watched your magic fail. It is Rozin who has ten seconds to pray for her soul. The Creators will not be kind to it.¡±

    ¡°Pray?¡± Andiya asked with a sneer. ¡°What good would that do?¡±

    ¡°None, for a monster.¡±

    ¡°Then your precious Creators can go fuck themselves,¡± Andiya spat, ¡°and so can you.¡± The rain lashed at us, thunder rolling across the sky, but all of us focused on that high, cruel voice. Mocking the gods themselves. There was not a human on earth that would dare; even the nonbelievers knew to hold their tongues lest they be proven wrong. ¡°Five seconds, Damian. Ask your sensor if I¡¯m bluffing.¡± When Damian¡¯s scowl deepened, Andiya fixed him with a taunting smile. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Can¡¯t tell when a High Order is lying?¡±

    ¡°Soldiers!¡± Damian barked, and feet shifted into battle-ready stances.

    ¡°Sword,¡± Andiya sent.

    ¡°Make it quick,¡± growled Damian.

    I tossed Andiya the sword and she stabbed it into the mire. Soldiers charged. Andiya withdrew the blade, releasing a horrendous stink. She knelt in the mud and snapped her fingers.

    A blossom of flame flashed up from where she¡¯d stabbed the mire. It snaked around Andiya wonkily, as though she had trouble controlling it. The soldiers halted, boots squelching and sticking in the mud.

    ¡°You ever wonder what makes this place smell so bad?¡± said Andiya. ¡°I took you for a man of education, Damian.¡±

    Understanding curled Damian¡¯s lips into a snarl. ¡°Gas.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. Guess you aren¡¯t as smart as thought you were, chasing a High Order into the rain. A lesser creature would not have put it together. But I am not lesser.¡±

    The ring of fire flashed and burst as though it hit stray wisps of gas. Licks of flame slammed into shields, blasting soldiers back. I could feel the strain on Andiya¡¯s magic as she controlled the bursts, carved them into tight licks, kept them in her grasp.

    ¡°Tut tut. So many feet, beating down the mud, releasing so much gas ¡­¡±

    Damian glared at Andiya with a hatred that made my blood run cold. Then his eyes found the bodies sunk half in the muck, their armour shining against Andiya¡¯s fire. Pain flinched his features, then was pressed down by chilling calm.

    ¡°Akh neri mai,¡± Damian began in the elven tongue, and I stopped breathing. No. ¡°Il hayr raas kha, Ilyin ys Zhyla, sanri Kain ys Azherbal. Redwyr kal.¡±

    I knew those words. Humanity remembered little of the dead elven language, but for the phrases we found in ancient texts and tombs. That was a redwyr kal¡ªa blood feud. For ours and every following generation, we would be enemies of the highest order.

    Some of Damian¡¯s soldiers looked at each other nervously. A redwyr kal was illegal in Novosk. The soldiers were bound by law to report it¡ªbut I doubted the law would ever hear of this.

    ¡°Go,¡± Damian growled. ¡°And keep your life. I will have it someday.¡±

    He waved, and the soldiers lowered their weapons. We had won¡ªhadn¡¯t we?

    Andiya smirked at Damian like a taunt. I pushed her behind me.

    ¡°Damian,¡± I said. ¡°Listen to my truth. I will serve the people, and I will protect them with all I have. And someday, I will end our feud.¡±

    Damian¡¯s fury remained unchanged. He waited, and said nothing in return. So I led Andiya away into the pounding rain.

    *

    We stumbled blindly through the storm. A ball of fire whipped about ahead of us, lighting the way. It was the only light left anymore, with the moon shrouded in clouds, the world around beaten down by rain and soggy air.

    It got colder. Night fell deeply, and still the storm raged on. I shivered so hard my vision trembled. But there would be no respite, no shelter, until we made it through.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know you could strategize like that,¡± said Andiya. She walked just beside me so that we didn¡¯t lose each other in the darkness.

    ¡°I¡¯m a soldier.¡±

    ¡°Do you think every soldier would have thought to bluff Damian away? Gas, you really told him. As if a bit of rain would stop a High Order.¡±

    It was the only way I could think of to get us out of there without a slaughter. Irina had ordered Damian¡¯s death, and unless we killed him, we¡¯d be branded as traitors. All we could do was lie.

    Andiya couldn¡¯t kill the Ilyins without her magic, but it was not as simple as pretending the rain had incapacitated her. We¡¯d never escape Damian without her power. Andiya had acted her part well. The desperate shouts through the rain when her magic had supposedly failed, the false surprise when she¡¯d found the life-saving ¡°gas.¡± Neither Damian nor Irina had any reason to suspect duplicity. What I¡¯d done was only treason if anyone knew the truth.

    ¡°You can thank Shokarov. He taught me not to play chess, but to play my opponent.¡±

    ¡°Or I can thank you, and you can take the compliment. Unless you still have a problem with who it comes from.¡±

    ¡°Sorry. Thank you, Andiya. For trusting me.¡±

    ¡°There we go.¡± She leaned close. Precious heat radiated from her like metal out of a forge. I didn¡¯t pull away. ¡°You said sorry before, too.¡±

    ¡°I did.¡±

    ¡°And you meant it?¡±

    I¡¯d thought the Ilyin statues were going to kill me. In my last moments, all I could think to say was my regret¡ªhow wrong I had been. I took a deep breath, opening my mind to her. Andiya needed the feel the truth in my words.

    ¡°I meant it. I¡¯m sorry, Andiya, for bonding you. Capturing you. Everything I have done to hurt you. You did not deserve any of it.¡±

    ¡°And?¡±

    ¡°And what?¡± I slipped in the mud, but Andiya caught me by the wrist. She pulled me up effortlessly, holding me barely a few inches from her body.

    ¡°And because I am so very sorry, Andiya, I will never take away your magic again.¡± Her eyes burned through the rain, glowing faintly in the night. Her hair stuck to her skin, dripping down her neck and arms. But her ferocity had never dimmed.

    ¡°I can¡¯t promise that.¡±

    Her hand tightened. ¡°Why.¡±

    ¡°The future is uncertain. There could be a day when anger trumps reason, when either one of us snaps. You can hold me back, save me from myself¡ªbut I can¡¯t do the same for you. So if taking your magic is the only way, I¡¯ll do it.¡±

    Her brow furrowed dangerously, but she let me go. ¡°Very well,¡± she said, deathly flat.

    The rain never let up. Andiya summoned flame around us, calming my shivers. I kept pushing onward, but my legs wobbled, my strength flagged. I hadn¡¯t slept properly in days, my body ached from the fight, and all of our supplies¡ªlike food, mainly¡ªwere with Irina. In the darkness, I didn¡¯t even know if I was still heading in the right direction.

    Hours passed. The storm raged, the night deepened. Still I trudged.

    ¡°You¡¯ll make it, Rozin.¡±

    The voice could have been Andiya¡¯s or mine. I felt her magic trickle into me, but she couldn¡¯t keep it going forever¡ªespecially if she wanted to sustain the flames. Someone had to give.

    My knees hit the mud.

    ¡°Get up. You¡¯re not giving up here.¡±

    I didn¡¯t move.

    ¡°Move, Rozin.¡± Fury laced her words. ¡°I will never forgive you if you don¡¯t.¡±

    My muscles screamed as I stood. I kept walking, distant from my body. When I fell again, I told myself I had one minute. One minute, then on your feet.

    A crushing grip hauled me from the mud, and suddenly I was pressed against warmth. Andiya carried me on her back. I would have protested, would have told her to put me down, but I couldn¡¯t bring myself to do it. Not when she was so warm, and I could go no farther.

    She walked.

    And walked.

    And walked.

    Through the rain, a pair of feline yellow eyes blinked at me.

    ¡°Did you see that?¡± I mumbled near Andiya¡¯s neck.

    Andiya straightened and looked around. She went stiff and tightened her grip on me. The eyes appeared again, and then another pair beside them. Dozens of identical eyes opened all around us in a wide ring.

    ¡°Are you lost, little bird?¡± said a sing-song voice. It came from everywhere at once.

    Andiya drew herself to her full height. The eyes shifted closer, blinking curiously at me.

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t you like your human to have a warm place to sleep?¡± asked the eyes. ¡°We have room to spare.¡±

    ¡°Back off.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s a delicious thing, isn¡¯t she?¡±

    Andiya bared her teeth. ¡°She is mine.¡±

    The eyes inched nearer. They seemed to hover in mid-air. Where was their body?

    The sing-song voice asked a question in the daemon tongue, and Andiya¡¯s voice went harsher in reply. The eyes flinched. What followed was what seemed like a short argument, ending with the sing-song voice¡¯s wary submission.

    Andiya slid me from her back, a crushing grip on my arm. ¡°Stay close.¡±

    As if I had a choice. The eyes closed, and a second later, the warm glow of a fire-lit window appeared before us, materializing from the darkness. As we walked towards it, the mud flattened to a flagstone path, then to short wooden steps. Andiya paused on the dry deck of a rickety inn, the sounds of laughter and clinking glasses and conversation wafting from behind the walls. She pressed her hand to a dark green door, and it swung open.

    We stepped into a small tavern. Floating lanterns bobbed near the ceiling, casting rows of benches and tables and pewter dishes in pale yellow. Silence fell as the patrons turned to stare¡ªbecause I was human, and this was a place for daemons.

 Chapter 24: The Inn at The Edge of the World

    I dripped rain and mud on the floor. The tavern had gone deathly quiet, every drink set upon its table, every pair of inhuman eyes trained on me. The patrons were all manner of creature: Elementals with volcanic skin or hair like evening fog, Subjugators with black-filled eyes and chains wrapped around their arms, Brutes with bulging muscles and heavy jaws, and daemons I had no names for, humanoid things with long limbs and spines and scales and long teeth. Exhausted, I struggled to keep my back straight, my chin high. I couldn¡¯t show any fear here. Not when I might be surrounded by enemies. Strength was my only defence.

    ¡°Do not smile,¡± Andiya sent. ¡°We are above them.¡±

    Andiya moved us between the tables. Her consciousness seeped into my mind, surrounding my hearing, my vision. With her magic within me, I felt connected the power in this place, heard the whispers of shock and anger from the daemonic patrons. Their words were not ones I knew, but with Andiya¡¯s magic, I understood their meaning.

    A human? Who are they? What is a malikhari doing in the human lands?

    A rainbow of eyes followed our path towards the bar. A wolfish daemon with sleek brown fur growled as we came too close. Andiya stopped.

    ¡°What was that?¡± she snarled in the daemon tongue. Her magic rose, filling the air with a pressure. Flames curled at her fingertips.

    The daemon looked away.

    ¡°I thought so.¡±

    At the bar was a daemon with pure black skin and hair, her ears long and pointed. She smiled. Her teeth and gums were black too, as if she ate shadows. I caught her eyes. Yellow, slit-pupils, like the ones outside.

    ¡°I welcome you, traveller,¡± she said in her sing-song voice. She grinned at Andiya. ¡°And your pet.¡±

    Andiya was deathly flat. ¡°Where is our room?¡±

    ¡°My payment?¡±

    ¡°You live.¡±

    ¡°Oh, but I had that before I let you in here. And I will still have it when I throw you out.¡±

    I heard shuffling behind. The daemons at the tables had all turned to face us. It was clear what awaited should we cause trouble.

    ¡°Very well,¡± Andiya growled. ¡°Essa, was it?¡±

    ¡°Essael.¡±

    Andiya pinched a lock of hair between her fingers and burned it off. She handed it to Essael, who went wide-eyed with desire. Essael snatched the hair away into the folds of her dress. The patrons followed the movement with intent.

    ¡°Attic,¡± Essael said quickly. ¡°On the left. Come down when you¡¯re hungry. I¡¯ll have something prepared for you.¡±

    So, pulled along by Andiya¡¯s vice-grip, I went up the stairs. The attic was the ninth floor, perched atop a set of rickety steps that threatened to snap under my feet.

    A pair of what looked like maids¡ªtwo goblin daemons who were fluffing the pillows¡ªscuttled away as we entered. Andiya slammed the door.

    ¡°What is this place?¡± I asked.

    ¡°You can talk. All the rooms are silenced with magic.¡±

    ¡°So where are we?¡±

    ¡°The Inn at the Edge of the World. One of many. They appear when daemons need them¡ªif they want to. Essael was very curious about the High Order with a human in tow. I assume that¡¯s the only reason she showed up. I¡¯m not very popular otherwise.¡±

    Andiya glanced at the hearth, and it burst to life. It washed the small, simple room with heat. It was all a uniform, grey-painted wood, a faded rug in the centre, a full bath pushed up against one wall and a single wide bed against the other. That meant I¡¯d be sleeping by the fire on the floor, but it was miles better than in the mud.

    Andiya plunged her hand in the bath, and the water shot to a boil. The small window fogged from the steam.

    ¡°Give me your clothes. Essael will have them washed.¡±

    My face heated. ¡°I don¡¯t need them washed,¡± I protested weakly.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous. You¡¯re filthy.¡±

    ¡°So are you.¡±

    ¡°You will give your disgusting clothes to Essael, you will bathe, and then you will go downstairs and eat what she has prepared for you. All of it.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll do nothing, with that tone.¡±

    Andiya took a deep inhale. I tried to feel along her mental barrier, but she batted me away. Her body was tense as a wire, ready to snap. I didn¡¯t need to see her mind to know she was terrified.

    ¡°We are not in your world anymore, Rozin. We are in mine.¡±

    ¡°All I want is a please.¡±

    Andiya forced her words through her teeth. ¡°Please give me your clothes.¡±

    ¡°Turn around.¡±

    With an absolutely scathing look, she did. She crossed her arms, fingers digging into her skin. Tension pulled her muscles taut. I stared at her a moment. I had seen Andiya angry, and I had seen her sad, but this was entirely new. I wanted to ask her why¡ªand what I could do, if anything, to help.

    This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    I peeled off clothes cakes in mud. Everything was soaked through, sucked against my bloated, clammy skin. I was tempted to toss my boots into the fire. They were completely ruined. But I would need them to leave this place.

    ¡°Are you about done?¡± Andiya snapped.

    I sank into the bath. Mud dissolved into the water and vanished, swallowed away by some magic. ¡°You can turn around now.¡±

    Andiya¡¯s stern expression flinched as she took me in, her eyes travelling low. I curled my legs to my chest, the water up to my shoulders. She didn¡¯t look away.

    ¡°What?¡± I asked too defensively.

    ¡°What happened to your collar?¡±

    My hand instinctively went to the wide, pale scar that ran from my collarbone to my back.

    ¡°Bestial. Bit me.¡±

    ¡°And then you bound it?¡±

    ¡°I did.¡±

    She nodded steadily. ¡°Right.¡± Andiya reached to remove her shirt, and I looked away quickly. ¡°I don¡¯t care what you see,¡± she said.

    ¡°I do.¡±

    The bath water splashed, and I stiffened. But I refused to say anything. Andiya was in a mood, and I doubted she would hear any protest of mine.

    ¡°Look at me.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±

    ¡°Damn it, Rozin, just do it.¡±

    I slid my eyes over to her. Andiya sat mirroring me against the tub¡¯s other side, the water just above her chest. She reached for a bar of soap, and I kept my gaze firmly on her face. ¡°Here.¡±

    Her hand brushed mine as I took it. I had to remind myself to breathe, to pretend nothing was amiss.

    ¡°Tell me about the scar.¡±

    I ran my thumb along it. Andiya followed the movement closely.

    ¡°It was my third time out. We were near the eastern coast, just by those Creator ruins. I was placed with a senior bonder¡ªRigur, his name was¡ªto learn from. I thought I was being babied. So when we found a daemon, I ran at it alone.¡±

    Andiya focused on me so hard it was hard to remember my words.

    ¡°It happened how you¡¯d expect. I missed the shot, and the Bestial pinned me. Got a good bite, too, before it took an arrow in the gut. Gave me opportunity to get a proper shot off and pass it to our recruit. Rigur wanted me killed for insolence.¡±

    ¡°As you clearly weren¡¯t, you were punished some other way?¡±

    ¡°Jawahir talked my superiors down. I was flogged the moment I was well enough to survive it.¡±

    Her lip curled. ¡°Humans are savages.¡±

    ¡°But here you are, in one¡¯s bathtub.¡± I said it as a question, a challenge. Andiya sat a little higher¡ªhigher than me.

    ¡°Would you prefer I left?¡±

    ¡°Yes, actually.¡±

    The frown she¡¯d worn since entering the inn curled into a twisted smirk. Fear could wait, when she found something to play with. ¡°Lying. Always lying, Rozin.¡±

    ¡°And what if I am? Do my words being lies change what they are? Is a lie an invitation, to you?¡±

    ¡°Oh, not at all. I will wait for your invitation, dear Rozin. I will wait for you to beg me.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re never going to hear it.¡±

    Her smirk widened, and heat rushed to my face. Because I wasn¡¯t certain if that was the truth or a lie.

    I untwisted the braid along the side of my head and began washing the mud away. I had to pretend Andiya wasn¡¯t watching, wasn¡¯t paying such close attention that I could hardly breathe.

    ¡°Why are you scared of this place?¡± I asked, to break the heated silence.

    ¡°I¡¯d rather talk about something else.¡± I felt the small plea in those words. There was no game in them, no enticement for me to argue. Her tone asked me to just let it go, to distract her from her fear.

    So I turned and showed her my shoulder blade. Another scar twisted and branched across it like a crack in stone. ¡°From another Bestial. A nasty bird with claws the length of my hand. Got me when I shoved a soldier out of the way.¡±

    ¡°To save them. Because that¡¯s what you do.¡±

    I nodded, then extended my knee to show her where a scar ran along the top of the kneecap. ¡°Elemental. Cut me with a big shard of ice. Nearly lost the leg.¡± With my arm over my chest, I lifted myself out of the water to show her a puckered patch of skin on my left ribcage. ¡°Fire elemental, like you. Burned me so badly I was on bed rest for three weeks.¡±

    Andiya shifted closer, and I stopped breathing. I slid back down, but her body was in the way. My legs brushed against her side, and I heard something that scattered my thoughts all across the room¡ªher breathing had hitched. I waited, motionless, as her hand brushed along my old burn.

    ¡°How did it get you?¡± she murmured, eyes half-lidded, searching my body up and down.

    ¡°Yulia,¡± I managed to say, breathless. ¡°It was our first day together on Shokarov¡¯s squad. We were ¡­¡± Her hand flattened against my scar, and I shivered. Andiya felt it all. ¡°We were in the wastes to bond a daemon for her.¡±

    Her hand paused mercifully. ¡°Artem.¡±

    ¡°He put up a fight. Burned an archer alive. Blasted me, too, but I managed to collar him before he got Yulia. When I woke up, she was there, Artem behind. She stayed until I was better.¡±

    ¡°You protected her. Because you believed Artem was evil, and it was right.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°And is he evil, now? After you¡¯ve changed him?¡±

    I swallowed hard. She was so close, pressed against my bare side. It was a battle not to imagine, to return her gentle touch.

    ¡°He¡¯s nothing now,¡± I whispered, ¡°because I killed him.¡±

    ¡°You did,¡± Andiya murmured, the hand on my ribs moving down, sliding to my hip. She lifted herself half from the water, sliding her other hand over my knee, up my thigh. Without thinking, my legs parted, inviting her to me. She drew up, watching me from above, tipping my head back against the rim of the tub.

    Her nail pulled my bottom lip, traced down the white scar that had come from a daemon rider. I felt her breath on my face, and my eyes closed.

    ¡°And this one?¡± she asked, her voice in that gentle purr.

    I tensed, brow pulling. I slammed back to reality, to where I really was, who I was with. The ferocity of my memory was like a cold bucket of water over my head. I was a soldier, an Eon. I was in a den of daemons. I was entangled with a woman whose life I had stolen, destroyed. And I was enjoying it.

    Andiya removed her hands.

    ¡°I¡¯d rather talk about something else,¡± I said quietly.

    Her mind probed, feeling the ache in my heart. I opened my mind to let her see it, let her feel the pain that scar caused me. Let her understand why my years before the military were locked away, drowned out by work and danger. Because if I thought too long, felt too deeply, I would crumble. I would fall back to the hollow place Jawahir had found me in.

    Andiya pulled away, settling again on her side of the tub. ¡°I am scared here,¡± she admitted. ¡°But not for myself.¡±

    ¡°For me,¡± I whispered.

    ¡°I left my kind. I never wanted to end up in a place like this, let alone with someone so breakable at my side.¡± She sighed deeply. ¡°Being here reminds me of who I was. What I left behind. I was a royal guard, Rozin. Was. Even with my rank, I was never well-liked. And now any respect I once had is gone. Every second I am here is a second any of these daemons could decide to pick a fight. A fight that ends with you torn to shreds, if I am not strong enough.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll fight for you, too.¡±

    Her eyes softened, and she looked truly drained. ¡°I know you will,¡± she said gently. I saw her thinking, but her mind was still firmly shut. ¡°We should head down. Essael is waiting.¡±

    ¡°All right.¡±

    She stepped from the tub, and this time I just watched her. Not with any heat, any need, only for what she was. Andiya had shown me more of herself in those few seconds than I¡¯d seen in weeks. And I was glad she had.

    So I stepped from the bath, this time in full view. I began to towel my hair, and I caught Andiya watching. She handed me back my clothes, somehow clean and dry and folded. Magic.

    ¡°Be careful down there,¡± she said, her gaze flicking to my collar. ¡°It¡¯s not going to be just a scar, someday.¡±

    The words hung between us, their meaning unsaid. Andiya cared. Not just for herself, but for me.

    Where did that leave us?

 Chapter 25: Mine

    Essael met us at the bottom of the stairs. Andiya gripped my arm, holding me against her side, and we followed Essael to a small dining table with two stools pushed against a far wall, well away from the rest of the daemonic patrons. A stone Elemental, its skin like polished granite, cocked its head curiously at me. The rest of the daemons averted their gaze as Andiya¡¯s furious eyes passed over.

    The moment we sat down, the pair of goblin daemons laid heavy plates of food. It was shockingly normal tavern fare¡ªstew, bread, little cubes of cheese and even a bottle of ale. Not what I would expect daemons to eat.

    ¡°Not all of us eat this,¡± Andiya cautioned, and I spotted a dragon-like daemon licking its lips at me. I shifted to show it the sword at my waist. The daemon laughed.

    ¡°You can¡¯t threaten them,¡± said Andiya. ¡°They¡¯re all well aware they could take you in a fight. Just eat.¡±

    We dug into our plates in silence. Andiya remained a coil of tension, glaring at the daemons around us to back them down. But it didn¡¯t seem necessary. Essael patrolled among the patrons, and they gave her respectful nods as she passed. We were under her protection.

    A few tables down, two daemons played chess with an enraptured audience. The audience bickered at each turn. I noticed two things; first, that our novelty was wearing off quickly in favour of the game; second, that both players were not very good at the game at all.

    The normalcy of what I saw struck me in a way that even Andiya¡¯s sentience hadn¡¯t. Save for the colourful appearance of the patrons, or the inn¡¯s magical touches, this place was no different from its human counterpart. These weren¡¯t monsters, or conquerors, but people. As real as Yulia and Rafiq, as real as me. They laughed, shoved at each other teasingly, talked quietly over their food. In the corner, a twiggy daemon with spiked green hair napped in his chair, wrapped in a knit shawl.

    I stood.

    Andiya caught my wrist. ¡°Where are you going?¡±

    I gently peeled her hand away. ¡°To make friends.¡±

    I approached the chess players. They paused, watching me curiously¡ªbut not with hostility. I pointed at the black castle. ¡°Move it here.¡±

    The player might not have understood Novoski, but he followed where I pointed. The audience murmured, enraptured. I glanced back. Andiya lingered at our table, tense like a serpent waiting to strike.

    The white player moved. Badly.

    The black player followed my direction. We went back and forth, until the black player understood how close we were to winning. He reached for me, and Andiya snapped out from her seat, speeding towards us.

    He patted me gently on the back.

    Andiya halted as though slapped.

    In one more move, it was over. The black player said what sounded like the winning phrase.

    ¡°King and Crown,¡± I said. The small audience howled with laughter. Again, they motioned, and I repeated it.

    ¡°King and Crown!¡± several imitated in mangled accents.

    The players stood, and I was ushered into a seat at the board. A short argument broke out before an Ice Elemental sat across from me.

    ¡°They said she¡¯s their best player,¡± said Andiya from beside me. Her arms were locked against her chest. She looked ready to burn them all just for speaking to me. ¡°Call sword or eye.¡±

    ¡°Eye?¡±

    Andiya told them my choice, and they flipped a heavy copper coin. Sword.

    The Elemental moved the black piece, and I began to formulate a strategy. I grinned and moved.

    The Ice Elemental was better than Andiya, but not by much. The game was over in minutes.

    The entire inn had gathered in a crowd. A flagon of wine slammed down beside me, but Andiya snatched it away before I could reach it. She took a long drink.

    I beat two more daemons in quick succession. More drinks appeared on my table. I only managed to snag one before Andiya got to them. Her mood soured every minute, but I kept playing. Despite the weight on my shoulders, I was enjoying myself. I hadn¡¯t in a very long time. When the daemons laughed, I found myself joining them. When they smiled, I did too.

    A new challenger sat down. She was tall, well over six feet, and blue-skinned like Artem. Her black horns twisted upwards like a gazelle¡¯s, her eyes glowed the subtle white of a Subjugator, and she was nearly naked save for silver chains wrapped around her arms and a few scraps of pearlescent fabric at her waist.

    ¡°I¡¯ll let you go first,¡± she said with a deep, snarling accent. Her teeth were long, sharp.

    ¡°Then this will go quick,¡± I said with a playful smirk. I moved, and she pushed her pawn forward seemingly at random.

    During our game, she hardly paid attention to the board. Her eyes ate me head to toe, lingering in places that made my face hot. I crossed my legs, and her sharp smile widened.

    Andiya¡¯s hand fell to my shoulder and squeezed in warning. I brushed her hand off. I could handle this.

    ¡°Do you like games, lovely thing?¡± asked the Subjugator.

    ¡°Depends on the game.¡±

    She laughed, her voice deep in her chest. ¡°I have one you¡¯ll enjoy. But I wonder if you are strong enough for it.¡±

    ¡°Is it fun, or is it only new?¡± I challenged. The audience looked between us, but there didn¡¯t seem to be much confusion. Our tone made sense in any language.

    ¡°It can be both,¡± the Subjugator growled. ¡°I have more than one use for my chains.¡±

    One second, I was opening my mouth to toy with the Subjugator, the next, Andiya had yanked my chair back and stepped in front of me.

    ¡°She¡¯s mine,¡± she snarled.

    The audience backed up. Flames flickered at Andiya¡¯s fingertips.

    This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    ¡°And?¡± the Subjugator said, unconcerned. ¡°Have I laid any claim to her?¡±

    Andiya¡¯s hands curled into fists. ¡°Go curl back into whatever hole you crawled out of, bitch.¡±

    ¡°Only if that delicious human comes with me,¡± replied the Subjugator with a satisfied smile. She leaned around Andiya and winked at me. ¡°Room three. Pay me a visit¡ªbut leave your dog at home.¡±

    Andiya¡¯s fist crashed into her face.

    The chess board went flying. A silver chain shot from the Subjugator and wrapped Andiya¡¯s wrist, but Andiya snapped it like a sewing thread.

    ¡°Andiya!¡± I shouted. ¡°Andiya, stop!¡±

    She lunged for the Subjugator, who kicked her off. Andiya rolled and sprang up. She clashed with the Subjugator in a flurry of blows.

    ¡°Stop it!¡± I bellowed. ¡°Listen to me! STOP!¡±

    Flames grew around Andiya¡¯s arm, white-hot. She rushed the Subjugator.

    I stepped between them.

    Andiya¡¯s meteoric blow stopped inches from my nose. She trembled with rage.

    ¡°Step aside,¡± she snarled. ¡°Stop getting in my way. This one deserves it.¡±

    ¡°No. What is the matter with you? You¡¯re going to kill her? Because she invited me to her room?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Is that what you¡¯ll do, now? Kill anyone with an interest in me?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    I believed her. Her eyes were wild, scarlet flickering against her fire.

    ¡°Go,¡± I said to the Subjugator.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting,¡± the Subjugator replied in a taunting tone. Andiya tried to follow her, but I moved to block the way. I held my ground until the Subjugator was well out of sight.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to our room,¡± I said firmly. ¡°You can join me once you¡¯ve calmed down.¡±

    So I turned and left her, not once looking back. I only got one floor up before footsteps hurried to follow me.

    Andiya blocked the door as I tried to slam it in her face. I was furious. I¡¯d had fun for the first time in ¡­ I couldn¡¯t even remember. And it had ended in the same bullshit that everything seemed to.

    ¡°Are you proud of yourself?¡± I shot at Andiya. ¡°You got what you wanted.¡±

    She snapped the door closed. ¡°They fucking love you. How did you make them all love you?¡±

    ¡°Maybe because I¡¯m not trying to set them on fire.¡±

    ¡°I warned her.¡±

    I faced her like a brick wall. ¡°I didn¡¯t need you to.¡±

    ¡°Oh, no, you were doing just fine on your own. Smiling for them. Smiling for her. You have never smiled for me like that. Never.¡±

    ¡°Jealousy doesn¡¯t become you.¡± I wouldn¡¯t back down just because Andiya was angry. She wasn¡¯t the only one, this time. ¡°And don¡¯t deny that childish jealousy is what¡¯s happening here.¡±

    ¡°Fine. Yes, I¡¯m jealous. Of more than you could ever understand. You just ¡­ Gods, you just fit in. Those malikh respected you! I could hear them talking. They all wanted a turn. A piece of this new toy. They wanted to know you. None of those simpletons have ever wanted to know me.¡±

    ¡°Oh, and I wonder why that is.¡±

    ¡°Shut it. You know nothing of the daemon lands. I won¡¯t hear criticism of how I¡¯ve navigated them.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know anything because you¡¯ve never told me. Or do you not trust me enough to even try and explain? Haven¡¯t I proven myself, by now?¡±

    ¡°You want to speak about trust? Fine. You took a risk down there that you knew terrified me, and you did it anyways. For what? A game? I told you I was scared for you. I trusted you. You ignored it.¡±

    ¡°No. I took that to heart. If I thought I¡¯d put myself in harm¡¯s way, I wouldn¡¯t have done it.¡±

    ¡°Harm¡¯s way. Tell me you didn¡¯t consider going to that bitch¡¯s room. Let me hear you lie.¡±

    ¡°I considered it,¡± I said. Andiya flinched at the truth. ¡°And it would have been none of your business if I did.¡±

    ¡°I told her you were mine. That is no small thing, to us. Just as you claimed me, I¡¯ve claimed you. She chose to violate one of our most ancient customs. Better daemons than me have killed for far less.¡±

    ¡°So that¡¯s it? I¡¯m to spend my life alone, because Andiya doesn¡¯t want anyone touching her playthings?¡±

    ¡°Correct.¡±

    ¡°And that¡¯s healthy, to you. That¡¯s going to work.¡±

    ¡°We are bound, you and I, by far more than magic.¡± Fire erupted in her clenched fists. ¡°So if you¡¯re going to anyone¡¯s room, it will be mine.¡±

    ¡°Because this is such a pleasant time,¡± I bit.

    Andiya crossed the floor. I expected her to yell, hit me, set something on fire¡ªbut she yanked me by the small of my back and tripped me onto the bed.

    She pulled herself astride me, sitting at my waist. Her hands pinned me down.

    ¡°Andiya,¡± I warned.

    She lowered herself, chest just brushing mine. Heat radiated from her, soaking through my clothes. I could have pushed her away, told her off, but all I could do was draw a ragged breath as her lips brushed against my throat.

    ¡°Tell me to stop,¡± she breathed against me.

    I didn¡¯t. Because Andiya¡¯s mind was wide open, pushing towards mine, bidding me in. And pulsing from her in waves was that burning jealousy, that fury¡ªbut all of it was trampled under a powerful desire. It pinned me down in shock. She¡¯d always teased me, flirting with me to get a rise. But Andiya wanted me, in the realest sense.

    She kissed a line down my neck, taking her time with each one.

    ¡°She¡¯s mine,¡± she¡¯d told the daemons. Mine. Her hand travelled down my pinned arm, drawing a shiver. Her next kiss felt taut, and I imagined that cruel smile, drinking in my response. It was all I could do to keep my thoughts locked tight, but it didn¡¯t matter. My body language was clear enough.

    ¡°I¡¯m right here, Rozin,¡± she said, teeth grazing my earlobe. She drew my hand with hers, running along her stomach. She slid my fingers under her loose shirt, breath hitching again when I touched skin. ¡°Does it scare you?¡±

    When I said nothing, she ground her hips slowly. Her desire washed over me, clouding my mind with thoughts of only one thing. In those seconds I wanted her so badly I couldn¡¯t even meet her eyes. Mine would give me away.

    ¡°You could have me,¡± she murmured. ¡°Any way you wanted. Or shall you still pretend not to want me, after all this?¡±

    My hands slid up her thighs. So warm, so soft, from a life of luxury.

    ¡°Shall I tell you all the ways you could have me, while you stare with determination at the ceiling?¡± She gasped softly as my hand hardened their grip. ¡°Or shall you leave me here, so alone, so cold, so I can do to myself what you would not do to me?¡±

    She brought her mouth just near mine and gently pulled my bottom lip with her teeth. My breathing was tight like a rope bound my chest, everything else in the world dulled but for the feeling of her on top of me, touching me, smelling of rain and soap and wine ¡­

    ¡°Open your mind, Rozin. When you touch me, I want you to feel it, too.¡±

    The memory of the bond was like a slap to the face.

    I surged up and rolled her from me, sending us both crashing to the carpet. I pinned her down before she could tease me and slammed her hands together above her head.

    ¡°Stop,¡± I gasped. I gripped tighter. ¡°I need you to stop.¡±

    ¡°Careful, Rozin.¡± She looked so proud of herself, like she¡¯d been hoping for this. ¡°I bruise easy.¡±

    ¡°Shut up. Enough, Andiya. I¡¯m sick of playing this game with you.¡±

    ¡°As am I. But it wouldn¡¯t be a game anymore if you just admitted you want me.¡± She writhed underneath me, rolling her stomach. Pleasure melted down her back at my staring at it. ¡°Touch me, Rozin. I promise I¡¯ll enjoy it.¡±

    I came close, so close that it would be nothing at all to give in like she wanted, to kiss her, to run my hands down her body, to hear her cry out.

    ¡°I want you,¡± I whispered against her lips, and she took in a rough breath. I wanted Andiya. I wanted to stay here, to never leave this room. But I could never live with myself if I did.

    I pulled away and lifted off of her. She scowled darkly as I stood.

    ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± she bit.

    ¡°That¡¯s it.¡±

    I made for the door, but Andiya was up before I could. Her desire had flashed, sudden and hot, back to fury. She flattened her back the door.

    ¡°What the fuck is your problem?¡± she spat in my face. ¡°You want me¡ªthen what?¡±

    ¡°Then nothing. It changes nothing.¡±

    ¡°Bullshit. Why are you always pushing me away? Do you still hate what I am that much?¡±

    Pain laced those words. Her pride stung like a stab wound to the heart.

    ¡°You¡¯re still not over it, are you? That I¡¯m a daemon. You still somehow think I¡¯m some evil thing that you could never care about, should never want.¡±

    ¡°No. I do care. I don¡¯t hate you at all.¡±

    Thoughts flew from her, bursting through that unknowable fog. I felt them so clear, ringing in my ears for the first time. She wanted to hit me. She wanted to kiss me until I finally let her in. She wanted to control me like I controlled her. She wanted me to pin her against the wall and make her forget. She wanted to claw the reason out of my mind whether I allowed it or not.

    ¡°Then why not?¡± she asked, and the real hurt in her tone finally broke me.

    I opened my mind, and she stiffened at what she felt. Shame. Guilt. Gut-wrenching, crushing remorse. Sadness that lived on my shoulders, day in and day out, that would never go away.

    ¡°I killed Artem,¡± I murmured. I brushed a lock of scarlet hair from her furious face, from the face I already cared about so, so much. ¡°And I killed you, too.¡±

    When I reached for the door, Andiya moved out of the way.

    She watched me go, some unasked question on her tongue.

 Chapter 26: Ryalgrad

    Essael put me up in another room, no questions asked. When Andiya¡¯s mind reached for me, I sent a quick flash to show her I was safe and slammed her out. I couldn¡¯t talk to her right now. Fully spent, I hit my bed and slept deeply.

    Regret filled my dreams. I shouldn¡¯t have left things the way I had¡ªwithout reaching an understanding. In the morning, I would not let anger cloud me.

    I woke to a gentle knocking on my door and Essael¡¯s voice calling me downstairs. I quietly dressed and came to the tavern, where I saw Andiya waiting by the door. There was an apology in her eyes, and she found one in mine. Our consciousnesses brushed, and there was no will to fight, no fury. A small lightness lifted her expression.

    Essael ushered me over to the door. ¡°Should be fairly busy at this hour. No one should notice you.¡±

    Andiya swept a black cloak over her shoulders and raised the hood. Essael must have given it to her for when we eventually reached Ryalgrad.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go, Rozin,¡± Andiya said. Her tone was gentle, testing the waters. She wouldn¡¯t push the subject. ¡°Our lady awaits.¡±

    We stepped out the door, and we were in a city.

    People in fine clothes rushed past us, too occupied to notice two new strangers on the street. The buildings were of a handsome grey stone and mortar, their roof tiles all a scalloped slate. Everything was neat, well kept, from the trimmed bushes in front of houses, to the flat cobbles polished clean, to the massive Shrike banners that flew from a guard post down the street. The banners were a deep red edged in black, a navy shrike bird open winged on their faces.

    I looked behind me, but there was only an open alleyway, the inn nowhere to be found.

    I didn¡¯t need to ask where we were. Curling like a claw above the city, Mount Anfang loomed over us. It stood alone, the lands around it nothing but flatlands, hills, and mire. The city crawled up the mountain¡¯s base, buildings stuck to it like barnacles on a sea cliff, daunting staircases wound up its inner face. Near Anfang¡¯s inverted peak, hundreds of balconies and spike-like towers rose out of the stone, carved from the mountain itself. Finally, clinging to the peak like a water droplet, was a massive construct of glass. It shone against the sun as a diamond would, hanging from the mountaintop as if lording over the world below. The Creator¡¯s Eye. Home of House Shrike.

    Winged bonded flew around Mount Anfang, lifting riders and heavy slings up the mountain. We set off to where many of them seemed to launch from, at the mountain¡¯s eastern base.

    I felt uneasy as we made our way through Ryalgrad. It was grander, more densely populated than any place I¡¯d ever been. There seemed to be more people in this single city than in several of the Novoski provinces combined. And everywhere I looked, I saw Shrike soldiers. Just watching, chatting, patrolling. Making their presence known. There were far more of them than in any other private command. I understood why the Ilyins wanted the Shrikes. They wouldn¡¯t need any more allies than this.

    We passed handsome parks, glass-roofed markets, sparkling temples, and thousands upon thousands of clipped shrubberies, blooming flower pots, and bubbling fountains. The wealth made my head spin. It was little wonder the Korongorod left the Shrikes largely to their own devices. The fact of it was, I doubted they could control the Shrikes if they tried.

    We wove through a music festival in full-swing. Children danced in circles, giggling, as crowds watched on with bright smiles. Wealthy citizens stood with bonded behind them, but few bonded were covered, and few were common Bestials. Rather than black cloaks, humanoid bonded wore vivid robes in the Shrike colours, their faces obscured with delicate veils. Nowhere else had I seen a place with enough wealth to purchase so many Elementals. A Bestial was easy enough to trap and sell to a wealthy merchant. All one really needed was a big enough iron cage. But an Elemental was intelligent, powerful. Very few bonders outside the military were skilled enough to capture them, and so their price was astronomical.

    The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

    The soldier presence thickened as we neared the mountain¡¯s base. We followed the flying daemons and came to an open square filled with shipping boxes and workers loading slings. Bonded landed within, their masters on their backs. They waited as attendants loaded supplies into saddlebags or slings, then launched back in the air. The daemons were all Bestials of the same variety: hulking, four-legged, spiral horned, and shaggy like bison in winter. Their wings were membranous, hairy along the shafts, so wide the daemons tucked them close before they even touched down, instead landing on canine paws after a short drop. One of the daemons let out a disgruntled snort. It had the face a mountain lion, if said mountain lion had flat, dull teeth and droopy eyes.

    ¡°Tiraar,¡± sent Andiya. ¡°Big, stupid things, but durable as they come. Popular as beasts of burden in our lands.¡±

    I frowned at the tiraar. Catching daemons was luck. You grabbed whatever you could find. How had the Shrikes managed to bond so many of one type? Had they found some sort of herd?

    We were halted by a guard as we tried to enter the square. ¡°Business?¡± he asked, bored.

    ¡°We¡¯re looking to get up the mountain.¡±

    He squinted at my fine clothes, and at the humanoid bonded behind me. He likely I assumed I was from some wealthy family. ¡°Right. Which port?¡±

    ¡°Er ¡­¡±

    ¡°University, Merchant Guild, Courthouse, Winter Prison, Hallowed Bank ¡­¡± he drawled, as if he repeated it several times a day.

    ¡°The Creator¡¯s Eye.¡±

    The guard snorted. ¡°If you have a complaint, you¡¯re better off stuffing it.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not here to complain. I have business with House Shrike.¡±

    ¡°Merchant Guild, then.¡±

    ¡°Not that kind of¡ªlook. I need to speak with any member of House Shrike immediately. It¡¯s of national importance.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no port for that, ma¡¯am.¡±

    ¡°Then how would one meet them?¡±

    ¡°One wouldn¡¯t.¡±

    I wanted to grab the guard by the lapels and toss him aside. But I had to tell myself that it wasn¡¯t this man¡¯s fault. He¡¯d have no way of knowing what I¡¯d been thought in the past weeks.

    ¡°My name is Eon Kain, bound in service to the blood of the Canavar. I demand to to be taken to meet with the Shrikes, as my regent commands.¡±

    The guard leaned in, curious. ¡°Eon, was it? Where¡¯s your ¡­¡± He gestured to his eyes, where I once wore spots of maroon paint.

    ¡°I am travelling anonymously,¡± I grit through my teeth.

    The guard sighed. ¡°This one for the Merchant Guild!¡± he called to a worker behind him. ¡°Dunno how to get you to the Shrikes. But money¡¯s got a better chance than anyone.¡±

    A shipyard worker led us over to a tiraar lying by a tall mounting block. On its back was a platform-like contraption with low rails. At the worker¡¯s order, we climbed the stairs and stepped onto the tiraar¡¯s saddle, then strapped our legs in with leather belts. I watched carefully, but the bonded tiraar had no reaction to Andiya¡¯s presence. The worker whistled, and we leapt into the air.

    It was like being tossed about in a tiny ship. We bounced in the air like we crested and crashed on waves as the tiraar¡¯s powerful wings pumped higher. The city dropped from under us. I clenched my stomach so I wouldn¡¯t lose what was left of my dinner. Soon we levelled out, and the tiraar soared along the mountain in a path it had clearly taken before. From above, I saw the true scope of House Shrike¡¯s reach. Ryalgrad dwarfed even the Korongorod, its perfect roads and towering temples spread out in a ring around Mount Anfang. A great river carved through it. The Blackstar, for the iron dust that mixed in the waters.

    And just beyond the city limits, great smoking mines scarred the land like the claw marks of a Creator. They were the source of the Shrikes¡¯ power, so vast and rich that all of Itrera depended on their iron. Thousands toiled in those mines, worker and crown prisoner alike. The scale was barely comprehensible. Those mines could have swallowed Barje Vos a hundred times over.

    About two thirds of the way up the mountain, the tiraar landed heavily. We were in front of a manor house, alike in design to those of the lower city, but far larger. A familiar symbol graced the circular window above the door: an open eye surrounded by sunbeams. The Guild of the All-Seeing. They had branches in every major city on the continent, controlling the flow of wealth between coalitions by way of contracts and exclusive deals. You did not do business on Itrera without consulting the Guild first.

    I recited my words over and over under my breath as I entered the manor. I had to stress my position first, so they would listen to me. I would press my urgency, my duty to the crown they also served. They had to help me. If they didn¡¯t, I had no idea how I¡¯d find Irina.

    But when I entered a handsome parlour, and found a familiar face seated among a table of merchants, my words fizzled away.

    ¡°Why, Eon Kain,¡± said Jiyi, envoy of the Empress of Seo Jie Go. ¡°What might you be doing here?¡±

 Chapter 27: In the Eye of Gods

    As I crossed the floor towards Jiyi, her lion-like bonded leapt between us, teeth bared. Standing at full height, it was as tall as a draft horse, its golden mane and black scales shimmering with waves of iridescent magic as it snarled through two huge sabres. When I didn¡¯t back down, a thunderous rumble rose in its chest. The merchants around the table had the good sense to look nervous, the few veiled bonded in the room remaining firmly in their places against the walls.

    ¡°We need your help,¡± I called to Jiyi. ¡°Can you get me an audience with the Shrikes?¡±

    ¡°What could you possibly want with the Shrikes?¡± Jiyi replied from behind her bonded. ¡°I do everything in my power to avoid them. A shame my empress likes their money so much.¡±

    I didn¡¯t say anything. Jiyi cocked her head curiously at my silence. She must have heard the rumours, the news of the princess¡¯s death. I¡¯d vanished just after Irina died¡ªwhat did the world think happened to me? Did Seylas spread the word of Andiya¡¯s treachery, of my break?

    ¡°You know who I am,¡± I said. ¡°And that I would not ask if there was not good reason.¡±

    A delegation from Seo Jie Go waited against the wall behind Jiyi. She said something to her people in their tongue.

    ¡°She¡¯s informing her delegation that you are to accompany them to the Creator¡¯s Eye,¡± sent Andiya. ¡°And that they are to keep a safe distance from me. She worries I am controlling you.¡±

    ¡°You speak Go-ah?¡±

    ¡°I speak what I wish to.¡±

    Jiyi turned her gaze to the merchants. ¡°I believe this concludes our business, good people. I will relay your offers to the empress upon my return to Seo Jie Go.¡±

    Chairs groaned as merchants vacated the room. In moments we were alone with Jiyi and her delegation.

    ¡°Now then,¡± said Jiyi. ¡°Hae, stand down.¡± Her bonded lowered his head and lay on the floor, as he had back at the Korongorod. ¡°Speak freely, honoured Eon. My people will hold their tongues. You have our confidence.¡±

    ¡°I should start by saying the High Order isn¡¯t controlling me, nor did she break me in any way. If that was any concern of yours.¡±

    Jiyi nodded slowly. ¡°It was.¡±

    ¡°But I must meet with the Shrikes.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°If you aid us, the crown will forever be in your debt.¡±

    ¡°Creators. I did not ask what was in it for me. I couldn¡¯t give a damn about that. I¡¯m more interested in why a dead princess¡¯s Eon¡ªan Eon that owns the same High Order who murdered your archon¡ªis wandering Ryalgrad, trying to speak with a great house.¡±

    ¡°I am under the orders of the princess.¡±

    ¡°The dead princess.¡±

    I glanced at Hae. I wondered if he could feel lies, like Sarangerel.

    ¡°That is what rumours say,¡± I told Jiyi. Her eyes bored into me with an amused intelligence that made me swallow hard.

    ¡°The rumours do say that,¡± she agreed jovially. ¡°Do you agree with them?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t believe rumour is truth.¡±

    Jiyi smiled like a fox. ¡°I look forward to hearing your plea to the Shrikes, Eon.¡±

    *

    We followed Jiyi and her delegation through the Merchant Guild. As a Shadow of Seo Jie Go, Jiyi¡¯s position was not unlike mine, but her uniform was far more delicate. She wore a black, loose-sleeve jacket that was cropped just above her waist, the fabric printed with subtly shimmering magpies that would be invisible in low light. Servants of the Go-ah royals received tattoos in recognition of their service, and Jiyi''s body was covered in her accomplishments. Chrysanthemum flowers, the emblem of her empress, ran up her side, and on every bit of exposed skin I saw her devotion: white tigers, storm clouds, mountains, ribbons of celadon green, the branches of pines. Only her face remained untouched. Her flowing pants were belted with a crimson wrap, and slung on her hip was a blade with a scabbard that gave me pause. I couldn¡¯t read the vertical Go-Ah script along its face, but I knew that teal glow. A sealing charm to contain magic. That was no ordinary blade. It did not seem, on Jiyi, to just be for show.

    ¡°Are you here on business for the Empress?¡± I asked.

    ¡°We¡¯re buying weapons from the Shrikes. We¡¯ve decided that if everyone is going to arm themselves, we should too.¡± Jiyi grinned at my raised brow. ¡°What? We are allies, you and I. Should my empress shroud our every movement in secrecy?¡±

    ¡°Some might call it shrewd to.¡±

    Jiyi laughed, and some of her delegation chuckled along with her. ¡°Yes, yes, shrewd indeed. Creators, but you Novoski are grim. War this, secrecy that. And you all wonder why we dread dealing with you?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t see any Novoski here,¡± I said testily.

    ¡°Canavar, then. They¡¯re the same thing, anyway.¡±

    We exited the back of the manor and began down a gentle path carved into the mountain. Hae bounded easily along the rocks beside us.

    ¡°You implied that before,¡± I said. ¡°When you visited the Korongorod. You mentioned how telling it was that the Novoski didn¡¯t send a representative.¡±

    ¡°The Canavar always get snippy with me when I mention that. But tell me, Eon. What language are we speaking now?¡±

    ¡°Novoski¡ªbut that doesn¡¯t mean anything. I could just as easily change to Azherbali, if you had the ability.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t. Because, quite frankly, all business with the Canavar is conducted in Novoski. Funny how that is, wouldn¡¯t you say? Almost as if it¡¯s the most important of your languages. And answer this: have there ever been any Canavar Archons that have not been of Novosk?¡±

    ¡°No, but that¡¯s because it¡¯s a bloodline. It¡¯s always been a Volkov. They happen to be Novoski.¡±

    ¡°But then they must marry from elsewhere, surely. To keep things balanced. There has been a monarch who is half Mehraki, or half Azherbali, perhaps even just a little bit Tjerja?¡± She nodded at my grumpy silence. ¡°As I said. Same thing.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s easy for you to criticize. You don¡¯t belong to any coalition. Your empress doesn¡¯t have the difficulty of balancing the power of several countries.¡±

    ¡°And we¡¯re glad for it. What a mess of politics that turned out to be. Makes you wonder if it wasn¡¯t easier to just fight daemons all the time.¡±

    Jiyi stopped at the mouth of an entrance into the mountain. It was a tunnel only about ten feet tall and wide, swallowed by darkness farther in.

    Jiyi said something to her delegation, and several of them waved her away with rolled eyes. She winked back.

    ¡°She said ¡®Enjoy the walk, suckers.¡¯ Well. I don¡¯t think that word exactly translates, but that¡¯s the spirit of it.¡±

    Jiyi hopped onto Hae. ¡°Kain. Let¡¯s go.¡±

    She watched with amusement as I pulled myself up awkwardly onto Hae¡¯s back. Of course, once I was in place, Andiya simply leapt up and landed gently on her toes, like a falling feather. As with the tiraar, Hae didn¡¯t react. Why not? Was Andiya¡¯s control limited, in some way? What made Hae¡¯s bond different from Artem¡¯s?

    ¡°Show off,¡± I sent.

    ¡°Always for you, my darling.¡±

    I ignored her, cheeks warm.

    Jiyi waited until her delegation was fully into the tunnel, then said over her shoulder, ¡°Grab onto something. Anything.¡±

    I had barely closed a fist in Hae¡¯s golden mane when he shot forward like an arrow. The mountain blurred. Hae ran faster than anything had a right to, slamming my insides against my spine. I clung for dear life as we flew over the rocks at dizzying speed. The mountain curved. We were going to slip right off the damn thing if Jiyi didn¡¯t¡ª

    Hae flashed along the curve, and suddenly we were sideways, somehow still riding along the mountain as if on flat ground. Behind me, Andiya let out an exhilarated laugh. The city distorted below as wind tore at my eyes.

    ¡°Faster!¡± Andiya shouted.

    ¡°You got it!¡± Jiyi said with a cackle. Because Andiya was a bonded, so of course it was Rozin who wanted to go faster, and it was not Rozin who was going to faint.

    My knuckles turned white as Hae pushed faster. Creators, I was going to faint, I was going lose my grip and tumble into the open air¡ª

    We neared the sharpest part of the curve, where the upside-down peak of Mount Anfang dripped a glass castle. Up close, it was like a beautiful quartz, its turrets like crystal offshoots from the heart. Gardens and walkways and verandas wove within the glass.

    ¡°Rozin,¡± came Andiya¡¯s exhilarated voice. ¡°Rozin¡ªwe¡¯re not taking a tunnel!¡±

    My soul left my body. ¡°No. No, shit, Jiyi we¡¯re not¡ª¡±

    Hae jumped.

    The twisting fall ate my scream. My throat let out a pathetic squeak as we plunged down, down, so fast¡ªbut slowing, we were falling, how we were slowing?¡ªdown, down, the Creator¡¯s Eye rushing to meet us, but it didn¡¯t, because we were drifting now, barely at a running pace.

    Hae touched down with the grace of a butterfly landing on a flower.

    I scrambled off of him and melted on the glass floor. I couldn¡¯t be sick. Not here. Not here.

    Jiyi was chuckling to herself as she slid down. ¡°You did say faster. Colour me impressed. Never had someone request that on the first go.¡±

    Heavy footsteps approached. We were in a small courtyard surrounded by arches and halls of pale blue glass, long vines dripping down from lamp posts and balconies above. A sparkling fountain bubbled beside me. I gaped at it. Its centre statue, pouring water from a held pitcher, was of a horned daemon man. Crushed under his clawed foot was a human, face down in the water.

    ¡°Like I said.¡± Jiyi grimaced at the statue. ¡°I try to avoid the Shrikes wherever possible.¡± The footsteps stopped, and Jiyi spun on her heel. She bowed quickly. ¡°Captain. So nice to see you. How do I find you on this fine morning?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re late,¡± grumbled an older man with silver-tasselled lapels. His guards wore tunics in the Shrike colours of maroon and dark blue, not at all armoured save for the swords on their belts. I doubted they needed more than that, in a place few could ever threaten.

    Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

    ¡°I¡¯m always late,¡± said Jiyi. ¡°Are they ready for me?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Lady Shrike will meet you in the eyrie.¡±

    Jiyi¡¯s face soured. ¡°Right. Hope you like stairs, Kain.¡±

    Hae lay down, and the captain eyed him warily. But Jiyi only set off as though she lived there, winding down a vaulted glass hallway. We took a thin staircase, then a slender, rail-less walkway that one could easily slip right off of. The Creator¡¯s Eye was a dream of frosted blue glass and ivy, the structures that formed it built in defiance of possibility. Staircases spiralled into the air with no supports to speak of, towers stuck together like reed flutes, slowly rising up off the floors. Heavy gazebos sat upon thin pillars, vines looped over incredible distances like the wires of a tent. The Creator¡¯s Eye was like the Korongorod¡ªa relic of magic long since lost to Itrera. And it was eerily, coldly silent. There were no servants, no more guards. All I heard were those pristine fountains, bubbling in lonely courtyards and alcoves.

    Jiyi¡¯s path took us continuously upwards until we were out of breath. We walked the outer edge of the Creator¡¯s Eye, low glass walls the only thing between us and the sheer drop to Ryalgrad below. I kept my vision firmly at the lone tower coiling up from the corner. At the top, we paused to regain our breath¡ªand pride.

    ¡°She knows I hate doing this,¡± Jiyi grumbled. ¡°It¡¯s exactly why she does it. Should have told her I hate drinking contests instead.¡±

    We entered the eyrie. It was a wide, circular room whose walls spanned the tower itself. Open-air windows left it exposed to the wind and elements, giving its inhabitants complete freedom.

    Because the eyrie was filled with daemons: all were tiny, winged Bestials no bigger than cats, some like spiny dragons and some like bats or wyverns, some like six-winged birds or giant-eared sugar gliders. Some were tiraar, but babies, all fat and round and puffy. Several daemons sat on the arms and shoulders of a young woman who was feeding them dried meat.

    ¡°Eva,¡± said Jiyi, and I stiffened. The Shrike whose identity the princes has used.

    Eva smiled gently at a baby tiraar and did not look up at Jiyi. She had sweet, rounded features and slightly curled brown hair that sat just above her shoulders, her arms slim and pale. Unlike Jiyi and I, Eva Shrike looked as gentle as her watery grey gown.

    And I would have assumed she was, save for the daemons on her shoulders. None of them had a bonding tattoo. They were all free.

    ¡°The empress would like to double our previous iron order,¡± Jiyi said plainly.

    Eva fed a chestnut to a wyvern daemon. It cheeped in delight, and Eva beamed. ¡°Very well. We shall have a contract drawn up within the week.¡± Her quiet voice was as restrained as a spring breeze, a blend of the rush between new petals and the last, vindictive breath of winter¡¯s chill.

    We waited. Eva continued playing with her daemons as if we didn¡¯t exist.

    ¡°Then ¡­ I¡¯m dismissed?¡± asked Jiyi.

    ¡°If you like. Leave your friend.¡±

    ¡°My friend here requests an audience with your family. As she is here under my invitation, she is my responsibility. I shouldn¡¯t let her out of my sight¡ª¡±

    ¡°I grant her an audience,¡± Eva said airily. Jiyi¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°You may leave her with me.¡±

    Jiyi¡¯s hand brushed her blade¡¯s pommel. Eva¡¯s demeanour, her tone, had not changed. But the daemons had gone predator still, fixed on Jiyi.

    ¡°I will wait for the contract,¡± Jiyi hissed through her teeth. She bowed, as politeness dictated, and stalked out of the eyrie. The gaze of every daemon followed her.

    ¡°Andiya need not hold her tongue,¡± said Eva. I wondered why she didn¡¯t look at us. She stroked a cat-owl daemon like Sarangerel, her manner perfectly serene. ¡°We have been aware of her abilities for some time.¡±

    Andiya lowered her hood. She was watching the baby daemons with keen interest.

    ¡°Please be polite,¡± I begged her.

    ¡°This is a nursery, isn¡¯t it?¡± said Andiya instead. ¡°Are you actually breeding them?¡±

    Eva scratched at a tiny tiraar¡¯s chin. ¡°Of course. It¡¯s a far more effective method than capturing them. We can breed for the characteristics we like¡ªspeed, size, colour. The adults are difficult to manage, so we bond them once they start getting unruly.¡±

    Andiya¡¯s voice was flat. Too flat. ¡°And you only breed Bestials.¡±

    Eva smiled sweetly, and my stomach turned in horror. No¡ªthey couldn¡¯t be¡ª

    ¡°We have tried Elementals in the past,¡± said Eva. ¡°But they were more trouble than they were worth. Too smart. And bonding them in childhood seems to stunt their growth.¡± She laughed gently as a wyvern licked her hand. ¡°But a beast doesn¡¯t ask where it¡¯s mother is.¡±

    I felt nauseous. Andiya¡¯s temper bubbled up, and I didn¡¯t ask her to control it. The Shrikes were breeding bonded. I didn¡¯t have the stomach to ask how.

    Eva whistled, and the baby daemons hopped off her. ¡°Until tonight, my children,¡± she crooned. ¡°Mother was expecting these guests.¡± Eva breezed out the door. I took that to mean go with her.

    We went back down the stairs and across a courtyard, the halls of the Creator¡¯s Eye impossible to navigate alone. I didn¡¯t even remember where we¡¯d landed.

    ¡°My aunt, the Lady of Ryalgrad, sent soldiers into the mire to search for you,¡± said Eva. ¡°Your princess said you were likely entangled with the Ilyin forces. Such a pity you weren¡¯t. Our captain was so embarrassed to come home empty-handed.¡±

    ¡°So she¡¯s here. Irina Volkov is here.¡±

    ¡°Safe and well. Our patrols found a rather snippy Titled flailing about in the mire who claimed to be me. The fools actually brought her here, after testing her with a Sensor. But my aunt knew exactly who she was when she saw the princess. There is no mistaking her father¡¯s eyes, nor that Volkov temper. Your princess wasted no time in making demands of us: the first that we search for her missing Eon.¡±

    I breathed a heavy sigh of relief. We were finally somewhere safe. The Shrikes could contact the Korongorod, confirm Irina¡¯s identity, and help us sort out this mess.

    ¡°Did ¡­ your captain encounter the Ilyins?¡±

    ¡°Oh, yes. Even if you were not their captive, we could not allow a hostile force so close to our city. The captain eliminated them.¡±

    My throat caught. ¡°All of them?¡±

    ¡°He left a handful, I was told. To carry word back home. I doubt any of the Ilyin allies will retaliate. They know our numbers.¡±

    Somehow I knew Damian would be among the living. My blood feud could not be ended so easily.

    Eva stopped at a pale blue curtain. ¡°Through here.¡± And she left me there, her light dress rippling in the placid wind.

    We entered a flowery patio arranged with clusters of glass dining tables. Guests milled about for lunch, eating plates of fruit and tarts; talking, laughing, relaxing.

    I recognized all of them. Doctor Viscara, Lionel, Irina¡¯s assistant, members of Shokarov¡¯s squad. Finally, standing together: Shokarov himself, sharing a drink with Irina and Rafiq. Khalid¡¯s head turned to face us, and a second later, so did Rafiq¡¯s.

    ¡°Rozin!¡± he shouted, and the patio fell silent. There was a flurry of movement as everyone stood, rushed to me, cried out in relief. Hands took mine. Fingers stroked my shoulders. Eyes watered.

    But I was looking for Yulia.

    Everyone was here, safe, happy. I cared about that, somewhere below. But I saw no high-tied golden hair, no grey eyes, no torn red scarf; I felt no warmth from where she would have crashed into my arms.

    My companions were asking a million questions, but all I said was ¡°Where is Yulia?¡±

    The group shouted to someone at the far end of the garden, and there she was.

    She¡¯d been curled in a tight alcove, tucked away. Yulia wore a breezy civilian dress, held a book in her hand. She went wide-eyed at the sight of me. The book fell to the floor.

    I was running at her, and she at me. We slammed together in a clinging, desperate hug, and sank to the ground. Yulia was here. I hadn¡¯t lost her, hadn¡¯t failed her. I pressed my face into her shoulder as she stroked my hair.

    ¡°I searched for you,¡± she croaked. Yulia was trembling. ¡°I went back to the camp, but¡ªbut you weren¡¯t there, and it was crawling with Crows, and then Rafiq found Andiya ¡­¡±

    Her words broke into a racking sob. Then Rafiq had found Andiya, and Yulia thought my mind was broken. That I was dead.

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand,¡± she gasped into my hair. ¡°Seylas saw it happen. But then the princess arrived, and she said you brought her here, and I thought ¡­ I thought ¡­ that some Creator must be watching over you, keeping you safe. I finally had hope that you ¡­¡± She clutched me tighter. Hope that I might be alive, too.

    ¡°Seylas was mistaken. Or lying. I don¡¯t know. Andiya saved us. She got us away from the Crows, and she brought us safely here.¡±

    Yulia dragged her face from my hair and looked up at Andiya. ¡°Thank you. For saving her. For bringing Rozin back to me. I owe you everything.¡±

    Andiya nodded slowly, her face a forced mask. ¡°You¡¯re welcome,¡± she muttered, and I felt the surprise in her, the confusion.

    I pulled Yulia to a stand and brought her to Andiya. I cleared my throat. ¡°Andiya saved our princess,¡± I told everyone, my hand on the small of Andiya¡¯s back. ¡°She saved me, and she worked tirelessly to find a way back to you. Whatever you have heard about her is false. Andiya is a friend to the crown, and to all of us.¡±

    Irina approached, and everyone parted, breath held. She nodded at me once, then took Andiya¡¯s hand. ¡°I am glad to see the both of you well.¡±

    A true smile began in Andiya¡¯s eyes. My breath left me. Because she was happy, she was proud¡ªand her happiness was so beautiful. My heart ached. I felt something shift in me that I had not felt in years. I did not just want Andiya. I wanted to be with her¡ªhear her laugh, hear her voice, fall asleep at her side. I wanted to know her hopes, her dreams, her fears, what made her eyes light up with joy. It was a feeling that I had thought dead with Barje Vos. And it absolutely terrified me.

    *

    Yulia sat us down at one of the tables. She refused to let go of my hand, as though I would blow away with the wind.

    ¡°We were attacked at the same time you were,¡± she said. ¡°They went right for our Masters. They must have been scouting us in the days before the attack. A few of us managed to get away. But by the time we reached your camp, it was in ruins. Seylas was hiding up a tree. He told us that while the Crows took down your camp, Andiya dragged you and the princess just beyond the tents and¡ª¡± She glanced apologetically at Andiya. ¡°¡ªburned the princess alive. He said Andiya flew away with Rozin dangling like a limp doll.¡±

    Andiya¡¯s wings. Seylas must have been them as a fireball, swallowing Irina from his line of vision. Could he not have seen Irina, when we took flight, and instead only saw me?

    ¡°Seylas is here?¡±

    ¡°Around somewhere. The inquisitor is not very sociable.¡± Yulia kissed my knuckles. ¡°I¡¯m so glad he was wrong. I didn¡¯t know what to do. I searched everywhere for you. But we got all turned around in the woods, and with the Crows still out there, we had to move so slowly. We never found any sign of you. I had to accept that you were ¡­ were gone.¡±

    I squeezed her hand.

    ¡°Then those damned Crows found us again. They managed to kill more of us, even one of our bonded. One of their daemons tore up Artem¡¯s arm. I couldn¡¯t fight back. I thought we were dead. But the Shrikes showed up. When word had reached them a few weeks before that the Crows began getting unruly, the Shrikes had dispatched soldiers to help. They saved us, and they escorted us back here on those big flying daemons of theirs. Rafiq stayed behind to keep looking for you, because I asked him to. When he found Andiya ¡­ he thought there was no reason to look anymore, and came here.¡±

    ¡°Would have been nice to fly to Bel Arben, wouldn¡¯t it?¡± grumbled Andiya.

    ¡°I considered it,¡± said Irina. ¡°But I had to choose our party carefully. Only those I could trust completely. Do you see many wings here, Andiya?¡±

    Andiya¡¯s eyes fell to Khalid. Her shoulders tightened, and she looked quickly away.

    ¡°Furthermore,¡± said Irina, ¡°I was trying to be subtle. A big fleet of flying bonded couldn¡¯t exactly cross into Bel Arben without anyone knowing. I thought walking in anonymously would be stealthier.¡± She crossed her arms. ¡°I admit I was wrong. Go on.¡±

    ¡°The Shrikes patched us up,¡± continued Yulia, ¡°sheltered us. The Lady of Ryalgrad sent word to the Korongorod, but the crown told us to remain here and await further orders.¡± Her voice went quiet. ¡°The new archon doesn¡¯t want those loyal to his sister among his ranks.¡±

    ¡°Maxsim will not be on the throne for long,¡± Irina said coldly. ¡°I will gather my allies here and peel my idiot brother off my throne.¡±

    ¡°And we will help you, Your Majesty,¡± said Yulia. ¡°But what happened to you, Rozin? The princess said you were left behind in the mire. How did you get here?¡±

    Omitting the involvement of a vanishing daemon inn (which I explained away with a simple I walked), I told them of Jiyi¡¯s assistance.

    ¡°Our second ally, I hope,¡± said Irina. ¡°Her empress will see the value in a close relationship with the rightful archon. One who would be economically grateful in the future.¡±

    The Shrikes, Seo Jie Go. It might not be enough, even with Andiya¡¯s power. The violence it would take to crush Maxim and the Korongorod wouldn¡¯t win us the support of the coalition. We would be branded as usurpers even if we won.

    ¡°Kain,¡± said Irina. ¡°Andiya.¡± Her tone went hard. ¡°It appears our mission has not changed. We have a greater need for allies than ever before.¡±

    Andiya¡¯s expression went grave.

    ¡°I need you to bring allies back to me. I am trusting you with the life and safety of your people.¡± Her gaze fell to Andiya. ¡°Can you do this for me?¡±

    We knew what the question really was: Can you bring me Kaelta?

    ¡°I can,¡± Andiya said. She stood tall, proud.

    ¡°I can,¡± I agreed.

    *

    Yulia and I talked well into the night. She brought Andiya and I into her room¡ªrichly appointed in scarlet and dark blue¡ªand lay beside me on the bed. It felt like the weight on my shoulders had lessened.

    Andiya sat by the window, one leg against her chest. She stared out at the city below; the city that chattered with the noises of life, wealth, and serenity, untouched by the chaos we had experienced all around it.

    ¡°Andiya?¡± Yulia said carefully. ¡°Won¡¯t you join us?¡±

    Andiya smiled at her sadly. Her mind was locked tight when I reached for it. ¡°I appreciate the invitation, Yulia. But I am perfectly content to listen.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d like to get to know you better. A friend of Rozin¡¯s is a friend of mine.¡±

    I shifted to make room on the bed.

    But Andiya shook her head. ¡°If it¡¯s all the same, I¡¯m not in the mood today. I really do welcome what you¡¯re trying to do, Yulia. And had we all been alone in this place, I would have joined you with an open heart.¡± She stood, glancing once at the spot I¡¯d made on the bed. ¡°I¡¯ll try and sleep. Goodnight, Yulia, Rozin. Pleasant dreams.¡±

    And then she was gone.

    ¡°Did I do something wrong?¡± asked Yulia.

    I felt along the bond. Andiya was far enough away that she wouldn¡¯t be able to hear.

    ¡°I think ¡­ seeing Khalid shook her.¡± I told Yulia of their history, about the incident with Rafiq. ¡°It pains her that she was not able to save him. That it was her fault he¡¯s bonded to Rafiq.¡±

    ¡°How will you tell her?¡±

    ¡°Should I?¡±

    ¡°Andiya is bound to figure it out. She¡¯ll know you kept this from her¡ªthat you allowed her to suffer this way.¡± Yulia bit her lip. ¡°But I am frightened of what she might do with the knowledge. What would happen to Rafiq.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll find the right time. Just ¡­ just not yet. Things are finally fine between us. I need this to last just a little longer.¡±

    ¡°You mean when you return from this mission the princess is sending you on. The mission you cannot tell me about.¡±

    ¡°Things will be settled, then. We can figure things out.¡±

    Yulia cuddled into my side. ¡°And when this is settled ¡­ what will you do?¡±

    I pulled her tight, closing my eyes. I hadn¡¯t been able to think about that in weeks. It had always been about surviving to the next day.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± I whispered.

    We talked and talked until we couldn¡¯t stay awake any longer, until we slept so soundly we never heard Andiya return.

 Chapter 28: In the Shadow of Death

    The next three days, I barely saw Andiya. She kept me locked out of her mind. When I whispered words down the bond, I encountered only cold silence. But I still saw her in small, distant moments; watching her meander aimlessly down the halls, sit quietly along the outer walls and stare over the city, pick at her food in the courtyard with a knee to her chest, vanish like smoke whenever Rafiq and Khalid entered the room.

    Irina spent her days locked in meetings with the Lady of Ryalgrad, a woman the rest of us only knew by name. None of us, naturally, were of enough importance to warrant her attention. So she remained beyond the heavy doors of the private wing, locked tightly away. Every so often, I would catch glimpses of Eva going about her business in her dreamlike way, breezing about the Creator¡¯s Eye in loose gowns. Apart from her, I saw no other Shrikes at all.

    At dinner, I sat at one of the courtyard¡¯s iron tables with Rafiq. As always, Khalid stood dutifully behind him, eyes as lifeless as polished obsidian. Andiya was nowhere in sight. I shut my thoughts behind an iron wall.

    ¡°I need to talk to you about Khalid,¡± I told Rafiq.

    He set down his fork. ¡°Yeah. I know. Is it safe?¡±

    ¡°She can¡¯t hear.¡±

    ¡°Okay. Listen, Rozin. I don¡¯t really understand what happened when I went looking for you, but Andiya ¡­ tried to talk to him.¡±

    ¡°They were friends.¡± I glanced sidelong at Khalid. He hadn¡¯t reacted to Andiya¡¯s name. ¡°What can you get from Khalid about his life before being bonded?¡±

    Rafiq frowned. ¡°Not much. Yulia says that¡¯s normal.¡±

    ¡°It is. But ¡®not much¡¯ is better than nothing.¡±

    ¡°Well ¡­ he remembers a palace. Couldn¡¯t get much of a look at it. Like looking at something underwater. And I saw ¡­ a war, I think. Battles. Mostly shadows and eyes and swords. I saw his hands covered in blood. Khalid remembers killing a lot of people.¡±

    ¡°What else?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s about it, really. I get the impression he was a monster. If the bodies in his memory are any indication.¡±

    ¡°Human or daemon?¡±

    ¡°Both, I think? Most looked human enough¡ªbut so do Andiya and Artem, honestly. So it could go either way.¡±

    I moved to stand, but Rafiq grabbed my wrist.

    ¡°Rozin, listen. About what happened in the woods¡ª¡±

    ¡°I know. Andiya showed me.¡±

    ¡°No, you don¡¯t understand. I lost control¡ª¡±

    ¡°I know,¡± I snapped quickly. ¡°I know what you felt. And you can never mention it again. It¡¯s not safe.¡±

    Rafiq went wide-eyed, but he nodded.

    ¡°Just keep him away from her,¡± I said, feeling my heart squeeze painfully at the order.

    Andiya deserved to know. But I couldn¡¯t tell her without knowing that I could shield the world from the fallout.

    After a long search, I finally found Andiya in the eyrie. She was curled against the wall, a wyvern in her lap, stroking at it mindlessly. She barely looked up when I sat down beside her.

    ¡°So,¡± I began. ¡°I just spoke with Rafiq.¡±

    Andiya¡¯s hand stopped.

    ¡°I asked him if there was anything Khalid remembers.¡±

    ¡°Why would you do that?¡±

    ¡°So I could tell you. I thought you might want to know.¡± When she didn¡¯t reply, I continued. ¡°He said Khalid remembers a palace. Was he a royal guard, with you?¡±

    ¡°His brother was,¡± she murmured. ¡°Khalid was a courtier. He lived there. Khalid claimed me for his own household after my parents¡ª¡± Andiya inhaled deeply. ¡°after my parents died.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I had no idea.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. It¡¯s been a long time.¡±

    ¡°How long?¡±

    ¡°Seventeen years.¡±

    Who knew how long that was, to an immortal. How distant that really felt, when you remembered centuries, millennia.

    ¡°Rafiq also said ¡­ Khalid remembers killing people. A lot of people. Is that true?¡±

    Andiya¡¯s face hardened. ¡°It is.¡±

    ¡°Do you think they deserved it?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know if they did. Some of them, maybe. Probably not all.¡± She glared at me coldly. ¡°You¡¯ve killed too. I¡¯ve watched you do it. So don¡¯t you dare judge someone you know nothing about.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m only trying to to understand. I¡¯m trying to ¡­ know you. I feel like I know so much about you, but nothing at all. Who you were before I met you is only fog. You said Khalid claimed you. Can you tell me about that?¡±

    Her eyes softened again, the flash of anger passed. Andiya continued stroking the wyvern, as if she needed something to do with her hands. ¡°None of this gets to Irina.¡±

    ¡°I tell the princess precious little these days. Least of all about you.¡±

    Andiya¡¯s gaze went distant, remembering. ¡°Some years ago there was a ¡­ schism, you could say, in the Kaeltan court. Those who followed the word of the Creators, and those who would not. The Righteous and the Faithless. The Faithless intended to reign supreme over magic and mundane. In other words, they intended to expand the Kaeltan lands into the human continent.¡±

    ¡°Which side were you on?¡±

    ¡°I, as with my parents and my siblings, was among the Faithless. We saw the domination of the Creators as unjust, unwanted. Kaelta was our country, not theirs. Who are they to have a say in how we govern ourselves?¡±

    ¡°But what you¡¯re talking about is just conjecture. The Creators have no laws, no set scripture. We have myths of the what the Creators want¡ªbut that¡¯s all they are. Myths. We honour the Creators because we decided they deserve that honour. Who¡¯s to say what the word of a Creator even is?¡±

    Andiya faced me, her eyes telling me to think, to understand.

    It felt like being drenched in ice water. ¡°The daemons ¡­ really know the will of the Creators?¡±

    Andiya snorted. ¡°We know their will, and we know what happens when we go against it.¡±

    ¡°But¡ªbut how? A book, a sign? Something in the ruins?¡±

    ¡°No. They told us.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t wrap my head around what she was saying. The daemons spoke to Creators. To gods.

    ¡°How?¡±

    ¡°They stop by every now and then. At least, they used to. Centuries back, they visited the daemon courts on every winter solstice. Now ¡­ only one of them speaks to us anymore. And she has not spoken in a very long time.¡±

    ¡°Have you ever heard a Creator speak?¡±

    ¡°I have. Only once. As did all the Faithless.¡±

    Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    ¡°What happened?¡±

    ¡°We were warned, first. The woods began to die. The rivers dried to dust. The king¡¯s crown turned to ash on his head. The Righteous begged the king and queen to end their heresy. But the king pushed his campaign harder. He ordered attacks on the human lands, claiming that strip of land above your Etvia. The Creators sent tidal waves, monsters in the night. But the king was stronger than anything the Creators sent. The Faithless were incensed. How dare the Creators do this to us, they said. Still, the Righteous begged the king to stop. But he cast them out of the palace. Traitors, he called them. No better than humanity.¡±

    She closed her eyes, gathering herself.

    ¡°Those are some of the battles Khalid remembers. He was, and still is, one of the Righteous. The blood he spilled in those years haunts him to this day.¡± Her jaw tightened. ¡°Though, I suppose, not anymore.¡±

    ¡°What about your family? What did they do, as the Faithless?¡±

    ¡°My parents hated humanity more than anyone I¡¯ve ever known. They blamed you for holding our kind back, for burning us with iron, for destroying precious land with your cities and mines and fields. They believed that if Kaelta ruled Itrera, we could grow it into an empire that would make even the gods tremble. My mother was the one who captured your coastal land. She razed towns, slaughtered you ¡­ all while Kaelta slowly choked on the Creators¡¯ magic. We were starving. Dying. So the king called to the Creator themselves. Face us, he said. If you are our lords, then face what suffering you have wrought.¡±

    Her voice trembled.

    ¡°Death came.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t breathe. What she was saying ¡­ it couldn¡¯t be true. Andiya wasn¡¯t lying, so it had to be true, but no one had ever seen, met, a Creator. They were gods, spirits. As unknowable as the wind and sky. You could not meet a god.

    ¡°We were gathered in the throne room to discuss our next steps. It was midday¡ªand then in a moment, it wasn¡¯t. The sun just stopped. There was no moon, no stars. Only darkness. Death stepped from the shadows and approached the throne. The king began to taunt, laugh. But Death only stood before him and said that the Faithless had been judged, and Judgement had found them guilty. So Death killed them all.¡±

    Ice raced down my spine. Judgement. Lover of Wrath, father of Death. The Creator whose blade was said to have cleaved the continents apart. Not a story. He was real.

    ¡°Death took the Faithless. Every single one. I am the last of them. To this day, I don¡¯t know why I was spared. It felt like a sick joke. Leave the memory alive, and she can tell future generations about what happened to those who dare face the Creators. Leave Andiya, so she can warn others to remain righteous.¡± The wind seemed to have left Andiya. She slumped against the wall. ¡°Death declared that her father chose the most faithful of us to lead Kaelta. So our queens were crowned, and they made me a member of their guard. As penance. As an example of their benevolence; that from evil, there can be atonement by their hand. Khalid was the only one who treated me with kindness, after my parents died. He was the only person in that whole damned palace who saw me as lost¡ªand not, as the Righteous did, as a reminder of the bloodshed the traitors had caused.¡±

    Words failed me. My world flipped on its head, making me dizzy. Andiya spoke of the Creators as actors in her life. It felt like being thrown into the open ocean during a storm. There was nothing I could do, say, except crash with the waves.

    So I took her hand. ¡°That¡¯s why you left?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d finally had enough. I¡¯d intended to set sail once I reached the eastern coast. Go wherever might be waiting out there. Anywhere but Kaelta.¡±

    ¡°But we¡¯re returning there in days. You told the princess you¡¯d get us Kaelta¡¯s support.¡±

    ¡°And I will. The Kaeltan queens adore the Creators. They would do anything to garner favour. Helping humans¡ªthe very people the Creators killed the Faithless over¡ªis exactly what they would do. They won¡¯t do it for you, or for your princess. They will do it because they are a court of sycophants who will stop at nothing to prove themselves worthy of the Creators.¡±

    ¡°But you are doing this for us. For humanity. Did you agree with the Faithless? If you were one of them, did you really believe daemons should rule over us all?¡±

    ¡°I did,¡± she said plainly. ¡°I believed humans to be cruel, senseless vermin. Because that is what my family believed.¡±

    ¡°And you didn¡¯t consider that they were wrong? Cruel, even, for slaughtering us?¡±

    ¡°I was a child,¡± she spat. ¡°I thought whatever my parents told me.¡±

    I blinked in shock. ¡°Wait. Seventeen years ago you were a child?¡±

    Andiya grimaced. ¡°Damn it.¡±

    ¡°Andiya, how old are you?¡±

    She mumbled.

    ¡°Andiya¡ª¡±

    ¡°Twenty-six.¡±

    ¡°But you made me think¡ªyou implied you were centuries old!¡±

    ¡°I never told you how old I was. I let you come up with whatever you wanted.¡± She huffed. ¡°I could hardly strike fear into a mortal with the number twenty-six. Better for you to fear what you¡¯d captured, understand that you¡¯d bonded yourself to a true immortal.¡±

    I felt myself grinning. ¡°You¡¯re barely older than I am.¡±

    ¡°Shut up.¡±

    ¡°You wanted to impress me.¡±

    ¡°I wanted you to fuck off.¡±

    ¡°Seems like you still want that.¡±

    That managed to earn me a lopsided, tiny smile. ¡°It is my first thought every morning. How shall I tell Rozin to fuck off today?¡±

    ¡°You always do well enough.¡±

    She chuckled ruefully. We sat in comfortable silence, content in each other¡¯s company. Andiya watched the baby daemons flitting about above us, but I only watched her. There was a downturn to Andiya¡¯s mouth, a deep colour under her eyes. It looked like she hadn¡¯t slept properly since we arrived here. Since she saw Khalid.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± she said quietly. ¡°For coming to find me today. For worrying.¡± Andiya looked properly chagrin. ¡°I may have listened when your mind was open. You worried about me. If I would be all right.¡±

    My face heated.

    ¡°That wasn¡¯t to embarrass you. Like I said, Khalid was the only person who really cared about me. It was nice to hear that someone else thought I was worth worrying about.¡±

    I was dangerously close to telling her how much I worried. What I had realised, that day in the courtyard. It felt like I was hurtling inevitably at giving in.

    ¡°I¡¯ll always worry,¡± I said gently.

    Her sad smile was heart-breaking. ¡°Telling the truth for once, Rozin.¡±

    She pulled my hand to rest it in her lap, toying with my fingers.

    ¡°I want to apologise for my behaviour at the inn,¡± she said to my hand. ¡°I was jealous. Because you were happy. You were smiling. And I was furious that it wasn¡¯t for me¡ªthat it was never for me. So I needed some way to take back control.¡± She sighed slowly. ¡°It was an awful way to do it. It won¡¯t happen again.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s all right. This is all ¡­ uncharted territory. I wasn¡¯t thinking of you. I hadn¡¯t realised that how I was acting would hurt you. I¡¯m sorry for that.¡±

    Her thumb stroked down my wrist. ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking about what you told me, before you left. You said you¡¯d killed me, too. Is that really what you think?¡±

    ¡°It is.¡±

    ¡°Then I will say this, and I will say this only once.¡± She gripped my jaw so I was forced to look her in the eyes. Her hand burned my skin. ¡°I am not Artem, Khalid; I am not dead. I am not your prisoner, nor your slave. We are bound to each other. Partners in this chaos. Your decisions are your own, and mine are my own. I choose to help you, as I choose to think of you as a friend. You have no control over me, and you never have.¡±

    I so badly wanted to believe her. But my life had been turned upside down so many times in the past few weeks that I didn¡¯t know what to think anymore. On one hand, she was right. My bond was so weak that all I could really do was hold her magic. I couldn¡¯t influence her thoughts, her actions. I couldn¡¯t even see her mind.

    But I had still stolen her life. I had taken away any choice she had in deciding her future-and I had cut her immortal years short. I had taken things from Andiya that could never be replaced, repaid.

    She felt my tumultuous emotions, even if I kept the thoughts hidden away. Andiya sighed in resignation. I wished I could feel differently. That I could feel however she wanted me to, however would make her happy.

    Andiya kissed my cheek.

    ¡°Think it over,¡± she said into my ear. Then she stood, giving me a small smile that was like a punch to the gut, winding me. ¡°I look forward to hearing what you decide.¡±

    I did think. All day, hidden in the eyrie. And I was no closer to anything.

    *

    At breakfast the next morning, Irina slapped a letter on the table beside me. It bore the seal of the Korongorod: a wolf leaping over a crown.

    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± I asked.

    ¡°It arrived this morning for the Lady of Ryalgrad,¡± Irina said irritably. ¡°She, without my approval, informed the archon of your arrival at the Creator¡¯s Eye. That is an order for you to stay put until further notice. Until they send someone to collect you, I¡¯d imagine. Maxsim will want the High Order for himself.¡±

    Andiya put her tea down slowly.

    ¡°So ¡­¡± I began carefully. ¡°What shall I do, Your Majesty?¡±

    ¡°This letter complicates our situation. The Lady of Ryalgrad is loath to become my first and only ally, and so tells me she must comply with the Korongorod¡¯s orders. Until the matter of the Canavar throne has been settled, the Shrikes remain neutral. They won¡¯t risk their position with the crown, should my claim fail. The Lady of Ryalgrad has implied that should more support come my way, she is inclined to change her position.¡±

    ¡°So the Shrikes will stop me if I try to go anywhere. And I¡¯m still, at this moment, an Eon of the Canavar. I serve the archon, whoever that might be. Leaving the Creator¡¯s Eye is then a direct violation of my oath.¡±

    ¡°Correct. Maxsim¡¯s court has rejected my claim to the throne. It seems, at this moment, our only option is to provide a challenge that forces the Korongorod to face me. If you leave for Kaelta, it will be as a traitor. But only to Maxsim.¡±

    ¡°You are my archon. Not Maxsim.¡±

    Irina nodded. ¡°Thank you, Kain. I realise the task I demand of you. What it will cost you should we fail.¡±

    I sat at my full height. ¡°You are here, you lost your throne, because you desired peace with the daemons. Because you envisioned a better world where we were no longer afraid. That is the world I want¡ªthat I would be a traitor for.¡±

    ¡°And together, we will make it.¡± Irina looked at Andiya. ¡°I can likely delay the Korongorod, hold our position here, for about three weeks. You need to get to Kaelta and back in time. Is it possible?¡±

    ¡°The Kaeltans have hasra. We can return in days. But we can¡¯t walk to Kaelta in two weeks, even with horses. It would take at least twice as long.¡±

    ¡°As I thought.¡± Irina called over her shoulder. ¡°My friend! Your services will be needed after all.¡±

    And in strode Jiyi, her scabbard glowing faintly at her hip. She crossed her arms and gave us a mischievous smirk. ¡°Your undead princess has told me of your situation,¡± she said. Behind her, Hae¡¯s chest rumbled in anticipation. ¡°I can get you through to the Glass Bridge in under a week. My empress has business to settle at the Grand Temple of M¨¦dine, so we¡¯ll need to stop in Etvia first. It¡¯ll be risky, travelling with us, but it¡¯s certainly faster than walking.¡±

    Andiya tapped her nails on the table, thinking. ¡°If Jiyi gets us that far, we can do it.¡±

    ¡°Then you leave tonight. When the moon rises, you shall turn your back on the crown you swore to serve. May Wind grant you swift feet, Rozin Kain. Traitor to the Canavar¡ªand friend of the true archon.¡±

 Chapter 29: Better

    With the moon high in the clear night sky, the gloomy courtyard of the Creator¡¯s Eye was quiet but for the slight gurgle of its fountain. Jiyi sat on the fountain¡¯s edge, tapping her foot impatiently at us as approached.

    Andiya and I melted into Jiyi¡¯s delegation. Over tough riding clothes, we wore bright scarlet robes with silken belts of celadon green, our sleeves embroidered with magpies in flight. To any passers-by, we looked no different than anyone else under the Go-ah empress¡¯s employ.

    ¡°When we hit Etvia,¡± said Jiyi, ¡°Andiya¡¯s cloak stays on. The Novoski are far more relaxed than the Etvians are about covering daemons.¡± A delegation member tossed a raw steak on the ground for Hae, who lay down at Jiyi¡¯s feet and picked at it daintily. ¡°She is not to speak, nor may she look humans in the eye. When meeting any Etvians of rank, Andiya is required to bow her head to the floor. Under no circumstances can she used magic.¡±

    To my surprise, Andiya only ground out ¡°Fine.¡±

    ¡°If the Etvians realise you are a High Order, they will kill Rozin. No questions asked. The Etvians believe that magic is an unforgivable sin. They bond daemons to purge them of the sin they bear; sin that can be cleansed with contact from a pure human soul. The High Orders are, to them, the apotheosis of all they fear.¡±

    ¡°Fantastic,¡± I grumbled.

    ¡°That¡¯s the spirit. They¡¯re insufferable bastards, Etvians. You¡¯ll be wishing for the Shrikes after a day with them.¡±

    We mounted Hae. With any luck, it would be hours before the Shrikes realised we were gone. Andiya patted Hae¡¯s black-scaled side, and I again wondered why she didn¡¯t seem to effect Hae¡¯s bond to Jiyi. Was it because Hae was a Bestial, not sentient? Or was it that Andiya was relaxed, her magic fast asleep?

    Jiyi spoke to her delegation.

    Andiya listened carefully. ¡°She¡¯s telling them when the morning comes, they are to answer the Shrikes truthfully. Jiyi took the High Order. As her subordinates, they could not stop her.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s right to tell them that. The last thing we need is her delegation getting hurt because Jiyi helped us.¡±

    ¡°I doubt the Shrikes would harm an official delegation anyways. They seem primarily concerned with their own position. Making an enemy of an empress is a stupid move.¡±

    ¡°What I don¡¯t understand is why Jiyi is helping us at all. Taking us from the Creator¡¯s Eye puts Seo Jie Go against Maxsim. She doesn¡¯t need to run that by her empress first?¡±

    ¡°Maybe she knows what her empress would want.¡±

    ¡°But what could the empress have to gain from joining a dispute of succession?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Politics are a mess of back-deals and machinations. There may be some benefit to Jiyi¡¯s regent that we could never fathom.¡±

    Jiyi nodded her head to her delegation, and they bowed deeply back. We set off. Hae leapt up the labyrinthine archways and towers of the Creator¡¯s Eye, pausing on the edge of the outer wall.

    ¡°No screaming,¡± Jiyi whispered. ¡°We¡¯re trying to be discreet.¡±

    Hae stepped off the edge.

    We free-fell from the Creator¡¯s Eye, wind tearing at my eyes, lungs. The city rushed to meet us as a sea of glittering lights and blocks of darkness. I gripped Hae¡¯s mane, white-knuckled. I lifted from his back, my hold slipping. But Andiya¡¯s arm clamped around my stomach, drawing me close. She held me fast as the world blurred.

    Our fall slowed, and Hae touched down lightly in a quiet, sleeping street.

    ¡°It¡¯s about two hours to Etvia,¡± said Jiyi. ¡°So settle in.¡±

    I knew for a fact it was a hell of a lot longer than two hours on horseback. I prepared myself for a stomach-turning ride.

    Hae plodded happily through Ryalgrad. Unlike any other city I¡¯d been to, its night was just as alive as its day. Coffeeshops flooded light into the roads, their patrons seated at iron tables as they chatted and smoked and laughed. Couples danced on a corner to a pair of violins. We wove through a night market in full swing, Hae¡¯s nose flaring at the smell of cured meat and succulent skewers. We attracted little attention. Just the average travellers on their way.

    Hae stepped outside the city limits, and he took off. The landscape distorted. We raced over grassland and low hills, Hae¡¯s paws so silent that all I heard was wind. We leapt over farmland fences, whipped around small cottages. We skirted the edge of the mines, our hands over our mouths to block out the horrible smoke. With the sky so dark, the mines were a chasm of black, the bottom of the pit so far down that it was only a flicker of firelight. The mines stretched an age. I couldn¡¯t see where they ended; from so close, they shredded the entirety of the horizon.

    On flat ground, Hae¡¯s stride was so smooth that I relaxed. Andiya kept her arm around my stomach, reassuring me that I could slacken my grip and simply watch the world fly by. We seemed separate from the land we ran on. I felt free, floating. Is this how Jiyi felt all the time?

    For two hours, I let the gentle wind fill my heart. I was safe, here, moving so quickly that the world couldn¡¯t keep up. It just had to wait.

    Hae slowed, and we approached a towering wall of perfectly-cut stones.

    The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    The Curtain surrounded the entirety of Etvia, shielding it from the world beyond. It was another remnant of the elvhen; the early Etvian monarchs had simply built their country within the walls. Now, the Curtain sealed the hermit kingdom away. Few ever got in¡ªor out.

    Hae plodded happily to an enormous gate, its braziers pouring light out to the field beyond. Guards waited at the mouth.

    Jiyi slid from Hae and waved amicably. From her pockets, she handed the guards a set of papers stamped with tiger seals. The first guard glanced at me and asked Jiyi a question in a language I didn¡¯t understand. She laughed and replied.

    ¡°He asked who we were,¡± said Andiya. ¡°Jiyi told them you were her new assistant, but she might replace you soon. Not too bright.¡±

    Jiyi chatted with the guards in the way that only old friends did, and soon we were waved on through. She gave them a lazy salute as we left, and we went at a leisurely pace down a countryside road. Jiyi stretched her arms and yawned.

    ¡°That gate doesn¡¯t have a sensor,¡± she said. ¡°It¡¯s too far from anything important for anyone to use it. I normally pass this way if I¡¯m bringing an unwelcome guest.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve done this a lot?¡±

    ¡°Sure. Some people would pay anything to disappear into Etvia.¡±

    ¡°Your empress allows that?¡±

    Jiyi chuckled. ¡°My empress gives me the passengers.¡±

    We stopped for the night at a patch of oak trees surrounded by whispering fields of wheat. Distant farmhouses dotted the countryside, glowing warmly under a starry sky. Jiyi lit a campfire in a well-worn pit of bricks, then relaxed against a felled log. Hae settled into a bare path of soil beside her, his head on his paws. I wondered how often Jiyi had used this camp, and how often she¡¯d secreted passengers through Etvia¡¯s gates.

    Jiyi shrugged off her blade and coat, letting her head roll back and rest on the log. ¡°So, Kain,¡± she began. ¡°Tell me about yourself. Azherbali, you said. From anywhere I¡¯d know?¡±

    I looked her plain in the eyes. ¡°Barje Vos.¡±

    Her easy expression froze on her face. Andiya¡¯s interest flickered the bond.

    ¡°Heard about that,¡± said Jiyi. ¡°Heard there was nothing left.¡±

    ¡°Not much but trees and ruins. Those who survived never went back. What¡¯s dead is dead, so our saying goes.¡±

    ¡°That why you joined the military?¡±

    I nodded. ¡°Didn¡¯t have anywhere else.¡± I lounged beside Jiyi, and Andiya sat beside me with her knees to her chest. ¡°Left after the attack, like everyone else. Spent a few months feeling sorry for myself and drinking anything I could get my hands on, then I met a sage who trained bonders for the Canavar. He told me I had potential. So I listened to him. Been a soldier ever since.¡±

    ¡°So you owe everything to the Canavar.¡±

    ¡°I do. Without them, I¡¯d be dead. And so would many of our people.¡±

    ¡°And that¡¯s it?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s it.¡±

    Jiyi clicked her tongue. ¡°Huh. You know, since I met you I¡¯ve been trying to figure out why you could bond a High Order. Been what¡ªfifty, sixty years since anyone¡¯s even tried? Because we all know how the previous attempts turned out. Humans burnt up to ash, brains exploding, all that. Why you, is what I want to know.¡±

    ¡°Couldn¡¯t tell you.¡±

    ¡°But you have theories.¡±

    ¡°No way to prove any of them even if I wanted to, which I don¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°All right. Good enough for me.¡± Jiyi took a swig from a flask and handed it to me. She glanced at Hae, who rumbled contentedly and stretched his paws. ¡°You can relax too, Andiya. Hae doesn¡¯t feel anyone nearby.¡±

    Andiya removed her hood, taking a deep breath of open air. Firelight flickered on her face; on her thin daemonic horns, on her half-closed, tranquil eyes. ¡°Tell us about yourself, Jiyi. This conversation is too one sided.¡±

    ¡°Fairly put. What did you want to know?¡±

    Andiya¡¯s smile was like a cut. ¡°Why don¡¯t you start by telling us why Hae isn¡¯t bonded?¡±

    The field echoed with Jiyi¡¯s laugh. ¡°Well! Aren¡¯t we observant?¡± She patted Hae¡¯s massive paw. ¡°Seems we¡¯ve been caught, my darling.¡±

    I looked harder at Hae¡¯s black bonding collar. It was hardly visible against his scales, but seemed as real as any I¡¯d ever seen. Was it painted on?

    ¡°My sister found a litter of Hae¡¯s kind in the woods after a particularly early frost. The mother was dead beside them, as though she¡¯d used her last body heat to keep her pups alive. So, being about eight and a complete fool, my sister brought the pups home with her. I expected my parents to throw the daemons back into the cold, but my mother was always very religious. She told us that these daemons might be a gift from the Creators. So we raised them. Two of the pups left when they were grown¡ªthe other three stayed with my brother, sister, and I. We didn¡¯t bond them because we didn¡¯t want to.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of this happening,¡± I said. ¡°The Shrikes raise daemons too, and Eva said they bond the daemons once they get old enough. Too feral.¡±

    ¡°The Shrikes are heartless. They lock their dogs in cages and have the audacity to feel wronged when the dog bites them. Let me be clear on one thing. Hae is my partner, not my slave. Should he want to leave, I would not stop him.¡±

    Hae¡¯s chest rumbled, and he pressed his nose tenderly against Jiyi¡¯s side. Seeing it now, it was obvious that Hae was different than other bonded. His eyes were bright, clear. He lounged and yawned and licked his paws. Like a beast, and not a mindless puppet. Andiya couldn¡¯t affect his bond, because there wasn¡¯t one to begin with.

    ¡°How many know?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Very few. The empress, my family, trusted friends. You, now. Hae allowed the tattoo so we¡¯d be safe. The empress¡¯s sorcerer spelled it on. Not everyone would allow a ¡®wild¡¯ daemon in their lands, and many would demand Hae be properly bonded so he would no longer be a threat. I can¡¯t do that to him.¡±

    Andiya said something to Hae in the daemon tongue. Hae only cocked his head.

    ¡°He doesn¡¯t speak our language?¡± asked Andiya.

    ¡°He has a pretty good grasp on Go-ah, but he doesn¡¯t pick words up too quickly. I don¡¯t think his species uses languages, so to speak, but it¡¯s all just guesswork. I have no idea what kind of daemon he is, and neither does he.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s from Ifri¡± Andiya said. Jiyi¡¯s head snapped up.

    ¡°How do you know?¡±

    ¡°His kind are fairly rare, but well known¡ªthey live in the cities, mostly. Ifri¡¯s courts use them to test someone¡¯s character. The Ki, as they¡¯re called in Ifri, can tell if someone is of strong or weak moral fibre. That¡¯s likely why Hae and his siblings stayed with your family. They judged you well.¡±

    Jiyi stroked Hae¡¯s golden mane with wonder. ¡°Ki,¡± she repeated. She smiled warmly at Andiya. ¡°Thank you. I can¡¯t tell you what knowing that will mean to him.¡±

    Andiya shook her head. ¡°No. Thank you, Jiyi, for being exactly what Hae believes you are.¡±

    As the fire burned down, I lay on my bedroll and watched the stars. So much rode on me, on this mission, but I was perfectly at peace. With the border behind us, and with the sleeping countryside all around, I could breathe. All the burdens we¡¯d left behind felt eased, held back by that stone wall.

    I rolled to my side to find Andiya watching me. She was stretched out on her own bed, nestled under the blanket. Sleepily, she smiled.

    ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± she whispered into my mind.

    ¡°I¡¯m thinking that ¡­ I like it here. That I have been miserable for too long.¡±

    She frowned gently.

    ¡°I was thinking,¡± I continued, ¡°that Jiyi asked me about Barje Vos, and I was able to answer. Because I¡¯m ¡­ not healed, not free of it. But I¡¯m better than I was before I met you. I have not been better in many years.¡±

    Andiya¡¯s voice was barely a murmur when she said, ¡°I¡¯m better, too.¡±

 Chapter 30: Six Years Ago, Pt. 4

    We listened to the horror that seeped through the doors of the Town Hall.

    Clustered together, the few survivors of Barje Vos held each other, numb, whispering small comforts that could do nothing against what we had just lived through. Though no one said it aloud, we all somehow agreed that quiet was all we could do. We could not save Barje Vos; at the very least, we could listen to her die.

    I sat alone, far away, leaned against the wall by the front doors. Watching, waiting for any more survivors. But as night fell, and the screams and shrieks of pain subsided, no one else came. Not my parents, not Kamala¡¯s mother, not even Lyn.

    As the sun rose, still we were silent. I watched as Kamala went to each person in turn, knelt at their side with a hand on their shoulder, and spoke in a hush. When she was finished, she glanced back at me, just once¡ªbut the agony I found in her gaze made me wish she had never glanced at all.

    Well into the afternoon, the front doors of the Town Hall slammed open.

    Canavar soldiers poured inside, a wave of grey uniforms and iron blades filling the entrance. At the sight of them, the survivors cried out in alarm and relief. We were saved. Creators, we were saved.

    The soldiers fanned out, and a man meandered slowly into the Town Hall, his hands clasped behind his back. The short-lived celebrations hushed in an instant.

    The sight of him made me press my back flat into the wall. He towered over us, his broad shoulders roped with lean muscle, his chin angled down as he took us all in like a hawk scans the ground for mice. On his papery-white, bald head, fine dark lines like forked lightning ran along his skin, evidence of some magical injury from many years ago. He glanced at me. His eyes were narrow, cruel, piercing¡ªand one was a solid, impenetrable black from edge to edge.

    ¡°Peace, Barje Vos,¡± the man said. His voice was quiet, so horribly quiet. It rasped like sandpaper against wood, as though his throat was torn. ¡°We have come to deliver you.¡±

    He walked in a circle around the room, everyone so silent that all we heard was the slow shuffle of his boots on the stone floor.

    ¡°My name, dear citizens of Barje Vos, is Seylas. Be thankful that thus far, you have been fortunate enough to not recognize it.¡± He paused in front of me, the only person separated from the group. ¡°I am Inquisitor of the great Korongorod. Your archon has sent me, and his exalted military, to resolve the tragedy that has happened here.¡±

    No one breathed. No one moved.

    ¡°Is there anyone here who might tell me how this attack could have taken place? If the daemons have found a way to break our ring wards, the archon must know.¡±

    Someone shuffled to a stand. My heart sank as Kamala took a deep breath and faced Seylas.

    ¡°I know how, Inquisitor.¡±

    Seylas turned his gaze to Kamala. A shiver racked her as that black eye fixed on hers.

    ¡°It was Rozin,¡± Kamala forced out, her words hard as steel. ¡°We were returning from Ardila Vos, and we found a daemon trapped in the ring ward. Rozin decided to free it.¡±

    ¡°And you did not stop her?¡±

    ¡°I tried. I couldn¡¯t.¡±

    Seylas nodded slowly. ¡°Thank you, my dear,¡± he said, but there was no kindness in the words. He turned back to me, staring down at me on the floor. ¡°Rozin, is it?¡± He came close, leaning in. ¡°Why did you let it go?¡±

    My throat stuck. ¡°I¡ªI didn¡¯t mean to, I just¡ª¡±

    ¡°Liar.¡±

    The voice boomed through the hall, and Seylas glanced back. Kamala stood tall, her fists curled. ¡°Liar,¡± she repeated. ¡°You meant to let it out. I watched you.¡±

    Seylas¡¯s gaze slid slowly to me. I went cold.

    ¡°I¡¯d like you to come with me, Rozin,¡± he said. ¡°We can sort out your lies together.¡±

    ¡°It was a slip of the tongue. I only mean that I wanted none of this to happen¡ª¡±

    ¡°Indeed. Come. We will escort you.¡±

    ¡°Wait,¡± said Kamala. She stepped out of the group of survivors towards Seylas, her chin high. Hope flared in my chest. Kamala wouldn¡¯t let this man take me. She glanced back once at the people of Barje Vos. Several nodded in encouragement. ¡°We have one last thing to say to Rozin.¡±

    Seylas¡¯s brow rose slightly. ¡°And it is?¡±

    Kamala faced me, meeting my eyes. My heart ached as though she¡¯d gripped it in her fist. Because I loved her so much, but there was nothing in those beautiful brown eyes but hatred. It would take me a hundred years to earn back their warmth, but I would. I swore it to myself right then that I would.

    ¡°I invoke redwyr mas,¡± Kamala spat. ¡°Cast your votes.¡±

    I snapped back to myself as though I¡¯d been struck by lightning. Redwyr mas. The ancient elven order of exile. I was to be cast out in the most permanent of ways¡ªdenied existence by my family, forgotten by all who¡¯d ever known me. There was no return from a redwyr. If any citizen of Barje Vos saw me again, they would not look at me, not say my name. Because you cannot acknowledge what does not exist.

    ¡°Kamala, please¡ª¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare beg me. I begged and you did not listen. And now I have lost everything.¡±

    The families held each other in defiance, their decisions already clear. But I had no more pain left to feel. I knew what they would do.

    ¡°All in favour,¡± growled Kamala.

    Hands rose in a slow-moving wave. All from faces I had known my entire life. From the baker, the cobbler, the mayor¡¯s husband, from my school friends, the street cleaner. And this would be the last time I¡¯d see any of them.

    I turned to Kamala. She was a wall of loathing, eyes scarlet with tears. I loved her so, so much. And I had lost her forever.

    Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.

    ¡°In the eyes of the Creators, we of Barje Vos do hereby declare that Rozin Kain, daughter of Ahd and Erden, is to be exiled in accordance with the redwyr order.¡± She spoke the words that were to be my sentence. ¡°Akh hari ys redwyr mas, et sana lyr sheherezaan.¡±

    The families repeated her.

    ¡°It is done. She¡¯s all yours, Inquisitor.¡±

    Seylas¡¯s hand wrapped my arm, his touch almost sickeningly light. He did not need force. I was no more¡ªI would go without a fight.

    ¡°Goodbye, Kamala,¡± I croaked. But her eyes passed over me as though I were a phantom, as though I was not even there. Kamala turned, my words falling on deaf ears. And Seylas guided me out the door, and to the soldiers waiting outside.

    *

    SEVEN MONTHS LATER

    I threw up on the sidewalk. One would think I¡¯d be able to hold my liquor at this point. But I always overdid it.

    In the thin alley beside the Weeping Willow, I slumped against the wall. My vision tilted dangerously. I wouldn¡¯t be walking home anytime soon.

    I spat the acidic taste from my mouth. Home. A crowded boarding house that reeked of mould and unwashed bodies. Hot and humid and foul.

    My stomach flipped, and I threw up again.

    Probably couldn¡¯t return to the boarding house anyhow. I hadn¡¯t paid my fee this morning, and the mistress had warned me several times this past week. As if that mattered. I could just sleep right here. I¡¯d at least paid the bar tab.

    I curled my knees in, trying to ground a world that was determined to keep spinning. In the morning, I¡¯d look for work. Again. Couldn¡¯t make myself stay at any place longer than a week. I¡¯d loaded sacks of flour, helped cart bricks, coal, or lumber, mucked stables, even plucked chickens. But I always drank too much, hated the work too much, and simply stopped showing up. If the people of Ardila Vos didn¡¯t pity me so much, I might not have lasted this long.

    ¡°That¡¯s the redwyr girl,¡± I¡¯d heard people whisper. They¡¯d seen Barje Vos burn from afar, heard that some stupid girl was responsible. It hadn¡¯t taken them long to notice that the refugees from Barje Vos treated me as though I didn¡¯t exist. That they looked through me as if I were made of glass.

    Footsteps rounded the mouth of the alley, and I heard the barman¡¯s voice say ¡°That one there. That¡¯s her.¡±

    A man¡¯s soft voice thanked him, and someone shifted near me. Brown feet in sandals stopped next to my side.

    ¡°You¡¯re Rozin Kain, is that right?¡± asked he asked calmly.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± I mumbled.

    ¡°My name is Turan Jawahir. Sage of the First Tower.¡±

    Laboriously, I lifted my head to squint at him. He was a small, wrinkled man with kind, dark eyes and a neat silver-shot braid. He wore the simple red robes of his station, the fabric loose and flowing on his slim frame. I¡¯d seen his kind briefly before, walking quietly down the roads, observing the world without a word. A sage sought the truths of the earth. What did one want with me?

    ¡°Would you like to join me inside?¡± he asked. ¡°It¡¯s a lot more comfortable.¡±

    I shrugged, and he helped me to my feet. He helped me stumble back into the Weeping Willow, and set me down at the corner booth. Warm and comfortable, I promptly shut my eyes and passed out.

    When I came to, early morning filtered through the windows. I was still in the Weeping Willow, and that strange sage was still there, reading a book in Sabatan.

    When I stirred, he set down the book deliberately. His smile was warm. ¡°How are you feeling?¡±

    ¡°Shit.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d think so. The barman says you drank on an empty stomach.¡±

    ¡°Works faster.¡±

    The sage left for a moment. I squinted at his book. The open pages showed a diagram¡ªone side an Ice Elemental labelled with old runes, the other a spiral to represent the flow of natural magic. The sage returned with a plate of bread and water. Easy fare after a night of drinking. He saw me trying to make out the book¡¯s runes.

    ¡°The Anatomy of the Arcane,¡± he said. ¡°If we are to share the world with the daemons, we must know how they work. Do you agree?¡±

    I shrugged and began to eat. Food was food, and this odd sage had clearly paid to keep the bar open all night. Whatever he wanted with me, I would at least take the free meal and bed. I was not above charity.

    ¡°The daemons draw magic from nature,¡± the sage continued. ¡°How much energy they can draw seems to depend on their form. We know the Bestials are able to draw only their power from life¡ªnamely the plants and animals they consume, as humans do. The reigning theory is that stronger daemons, such as Elementals, are also able to tap into obscurer aspects of the natural world. They can mimic the powers that create storms, and snow, and flame.¡±

    I nodded dismissively, not listening much.

    ¡°But we can discuss the daemons later, I suppose. I came looking for you, Rozin, because I¡¯d gotten word that you were lost. The townsfolk have expressed concern that you may take your own life.¡±

    I snorted through my food.

    ¡°That is funny, to you? Then I may assume that they are wrong?¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s just say I¡¯m not going to drive a dagger through my heart, sage. But it¡¯s looking like I¡¯ll just end up in the same place than if I did.¡±

    ¡°So you will passively kill yourself, rather than actively.¡±

    ¡°Sounds about right.¡± I tore off another chunk of bread. ¡°What¡¯s it to you?¡±

    ¡°I would like to train you. I believe, given your history, that you have potential.¡±

    I looked down at my filthy, sick-splatted clothes. ¡°You need your eyes checked.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t believe I do. Tell me, Rozin. Do you know what a bonder is?¡±

    I nodded, uninterested.

    ¡°Now, not everyone can be a bonder. It takes something few possess¡ªtrue will. A kind of will that only comes from those who are aware of the consequences, should they fail.¡± He pushed the cup of water at me. ¡°You were the girl who brought down Barje Vos.¡±

    My chewing slowed. I set the bread down.

    ¡°That girl is aware of what the daemons can do. She knows in her very fibre that they are evil, a blight, and cannot be allowed to roam free. That girl knows that to protect those she loves, we must stand equal to our enemies.¡±

    The ache began in my head. I needed a drink, or I¡¯d let it in. I couldn¡¯t let it in.

    I waved lazily, and the barman came over with a weak ale. He never let me near the liquor before at least noon. I took a long draught, and the ache dulled. I¡¯d be dulling it well into the night, after this conversation.

    ¡°I would like to offer you a place with the Canavar, Rozin,¡± the sage continued. ¡°One where you will learn to bond daemons and help us prevent anything like Barje Vos from ever happening again. It will not be easy, I warn you. Though no path is.¡±

    I stared into my ale.

    ¡°And,¡± he continued, ¡°we will be far, far, away from Ardila Vos. From anyone who might know about your redwyr.¡±

    I finished my ale in silence. I didn¡¯t care about learning to bond, about the stable money and bed that the military would provide. But the sage could take me out of here. He¡¯d take me away from what I¡¯d done to Barje Vos, and to all those I loved.

    ¡°Who told you to look for me? Seylas?¡±

    The sage stiffened. ¡°There was a rumour that you had met him. I had hope it was not true.¡±

    ¡°He came to take me from Barje Vos.¡±

    A strange look crossed the sage¡¯s face. It was a subtle, small look that furrowed his brow and pulled his mouth down, but did nothing to dull the warmth in his eyes. It was the sort of look that came from knowing true horror, and having no words to face it with.

    ¡°He wanted to know why I let the daemons in.¡±

    ¡°But it was a mistake.¡±

    ¡°I told him that,¡± I rasped. I took a heavy draught of my ale. ¡°I told him that for a month.¡±

    The sage placed his palm open on the table. I lowered my wrist into it, and he pulled back my sleeve.

    Criss-crossing my arm in thin, long lines, slowly healing scars covered every inch of visible skin. The sage took in a sharp breath as he pushed the sleeve higher. The scars continued¡ªas they did to my shoulders, along my back, along my ribcage.

    ¡°Seylas always did have a favourite interrogation tactic,¡± he murmured. ¡°A thousand cuts is worse than one¡ªand so few will leave any permanent mark.¡±

    I jerked my arm away. I didn¡¯t want to be prodded, examined. And I didn¡¯t want to speak of that month. I did not want to think of it, hear of it, ever again. If I managed to shut it away, drink the memory until it drowned, it could not have any power of me. I could heal the scar it left on my mind and soul.

    I could. I had to.

    ¡°You¡¯re younger than I thought,¡± said Sage Jawahir quietly. I could hear the pity. It was always pity.

    ¡°Sixteen.¡±

    He frowned¡ªbut even with a frown, he still seemed calm, kind, steady.

    ¡°It was not ¡­ Seylas, who spoke to me.¡± He took a deep breath, as though trying to fade the memory of my scars from his mind. ¡°The sages received a missive from a young woman who said she grew up with you in Barje Vos. She wishes to remain anonymous, as the redwyr states she is not to acknowledge you. Ridiculous tradition.¡±

    My eyes stung. Kamala. Kamala had sent this man to me, had thought I was still worth caring about. It was all I needed. I would live, because that was what she wanted of me.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go with you,¡± I said to my ale. ¡°Just tell me where to sign.¡±

 Chapter 31: An Old Scar

    Etvia was like nowhere in the Canavar lands. The roads were wide and winding, the hills gentle and rolling, the people quiet and serene. The villages we passed through felt stuck in an eternal midsummer day, hazy and bright and so motionless that the only sounds came from the buzzing of cicadas and the rushing of wind through wheat fields. Every house was tidy and modest, their wattle-and-daub facades matched with a delicate thatched roofing, their windows open to let in the wildflower breeze. We bought meals at local taverns and inns, sat outside on wide tables and drank ale under the sun, and once threw dice with a group of retired farmers. The sword on my hip felt almost obscene, here, the power contained within Andiya perverse. This was not a place accustomed to violence. The Curtain kept any threat at bay, and the peacefulness seemed to have quelled any need for crime or unrest. It was little wonder the Drahko¡¯s people thought the Canavar savage.

    We crossed the Etvian countryside in two days. I saw no military presence to speak of: according to Jiyi, the majority of the Drahko¡¯s forces were stationed in Bel Arben. We¡¯d need to step carefully once there, she warned. The Drahko would not appreciate intruders in his lands.

    Between Etvia and Bel Arben was a braid of three grand rivers: the ¨¦meraude, the Diamant, and the Saphir. Perched on the Saphir, the largest of the three, was the city M¨¦dine, capitol of Etvia and holy seat of the Followers of the Countless. As we approached it, I pulled up Andiya¡¯s hood, obscuring her face in shadow. All that remained of her were those thin horns spiralling out from slits in the fabric.

    M¨¦dine was built low, sprawling, the streets so ancient they were worn flat. It was one of the first cities ever established in Itrera, built upon what remained of elven ruins. Incense burned from the windows of nearly every house, filling the air with a thin smoke. Bells tinkled gently from the eaves of jade roofs. Under our robes, Andiya and I drew no attention¡ªall eyes followed Jiyi¡¯s hulking, razor-toothed daemon. Jiyi hadn¡¯t covered him. She wouldn¡¯t need to, as the Empress¡¯s envoy. But just because she wouldn¡¯t be arrested didn¡¯t mean that people wouldn¡¯t hate her for it.

    M¨¦dine spider-webbed over the smaller rivers, deep canals splitting the city into districts. We passed through the university, students pausing at the sight of us to mutter prayers. I saw scores of bonded, all of them in deep, formless robes that masked everything they were. They clinked as they moved.

    ¡°Iron chains,¡± said Jiyi loudly enough for everyone around us to hear. ¡°The barbaric practice of a weak people. I would be ashamed to live amongst them.¡±

    Glares burned my back, but I glared right back.

    Jiyi took us to the holy district. The Grand Temple rose before us, an austere construction fused with the Curtain. It was pyramid in shape and tiered like gigantic stairs, every level comprised entirely of carved archways that led into labyrinthine, candle-lit halls. Priests walked passively with their heads down and covered daemons in tow, filling the halls with the low murmur of constant prayer.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be done in an hour or so,¡± said Jiyi. ¡°The High Priest is expecting me. Relax, look around. Look pious, if you can. Hae will come get you when I¡¯m done.¡±

    Jiyi left us in an open hall, Hae trotting behind.

    I took her advice and explored the temple. My family and I had celebrated the holy holidays with everyone else in Barje Vos, and my father had told me tales of the Creators as bedtime stories, but so much in the temple was unfamiliar to me. Mosaics of the Creators covered every wall, wrapped every arch. I meandered past murals of Water, Life, Honour, Balance, Truth, and then a statue of twisting colour to the often overlooked Imagination. They were crafted among scenes of heaven: vast gardens, palaces piercing clouds, and rivers of pearl, the sky alit with seven suns. A curvaceous maiden with hair like abalone¡ªMusic¡ªlounged on a bed of reeds, plucking at a harp. Craft, a wizened old woman with one eye, forged a holy blade. The golden ghost of Judgement plunged his blade through the silvery heart of End, banishing him to the furthest hell, where he would remain until his time. The deceptively beautiful, midnight-haired Wrath welcomed the birth of her first child, War.

    Andiya stopped. She faced the next mural, pain coursing up the bond.

    This mural wrapped the ceiling, drowning us in black tiles and bursts of quartz stars. A Creator crossed a battlefield littered with bent blades and mangled limbs. She held a golden scythe, a pallid snake wrapped around the shaft. I knew in an instant who she was. Death, delivering the justice of her father, Judgement.

    I was transfixed by Death herself. They¡¯d made her so delicate, built of glass shards so tiny that she glittered in the low light like a swath of diamonds. She was mid-stride, stars pouring from her loose white chiton, her white hair. Her eyes were closed, downturned. Sombre in the face of her duty.

    ¡°She really looks like this?¡± I ran a thumb along the crown of starlight that radiated off Death¡¯s hair. Carved with such care, such reverence.

    ¡°Yes. They all do.¡±

    I turned, taking all the mosaics in. There were countless Creators, all shrouded behind the veil of fading history.

    ¡°I wonder how the artists knew.¡±

    ¡°Ruins. They liked their art, the Creators. Left it all behind when they abandoned us.¡±

    ¡°Abandoned us? They¡¯re not ¡­ not still here? Not in heaven, looking down?¡±

    The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

    ¡°No. They went back to wherever they came from. They check in when they feel like it.¡± Those last words came out in a snarl. When they felt like it. Like they¡¯d felt like killing her family.

    My eyes fell back to Death. ¡°My mother said the Creators left the world to us when humanity could stand on its own. When we no longer needed them. She said that now they watch us proudly, waiting for the day when humanity is their equal. Then we shall be as one, sharing the world together.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s bullshit.¡±

    ¡°Thanks.¡±

    ¡°No offence, I should have said. But the Creators don¡¯t give a shit if humanity betters itself. They don¡¯t care about anyone¡¯s happiness but their own.¡±

    She tightened her fists, pain and fury wild inside her. Then Andiya simply stalked off, rather than risk exploding. I let her go. I knew better than to push.

    Instead, I lingered before Death. She seemed ¡­ sad. As though deep in prayer herself, begging forgiveness for the loss and suffering that raged around her. What tale was this? Had I ever heard it? I ran my hand along the cold stones, feeling the bright stars.

    One popped from the wall.

    As it went skittering across the floor, I rushed to grab it. It was cold against my skin, as though it had been stuck in ice. I quickly stashed it in my pocket. No one had seen.

    Part of me knew I should put the star back. But it had fallen for me, and me only. I knew what Andiya thought. The Creators didn¡¯t send the star for me.

    But what if they did?

    I followed where Andiya had gone, lingering on every mural. They were real, all of them. And they didn¡¯t care about any of us. I passed several priests, deep in prayer as they walked. Were they really praying to gods who did not even bother to listen? Were the lives of those who worshipped them so worthless?

    Andiya stood against the temple¡¯s edge, looking out over the water. She was still, as lifeless as the bonded the Etvians thought she was. The gigantic wyrwood trees of Bel Arben swayed gently far on the other side of the Saphir, their thick trunks veined with a slight aquamarine glow. The deep woods stretched on as far as the eye could see, filling the horizon with a pale light that blended with the clear sky. I leaned on the rail beside Andiya. When she didn¡¯t react to my presence, I prodded with my mind.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry you need to act this way.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not for long. We¡¯ll be in Kaelta soon enough.¡±

    ¡°I know. I just don¡¯t like seeing you like this.¡±

    ¡°I would have thought you¡¯d enjoy the silence, rather than hearing my opinions all day.¡±

    ¡°I like your opinions.¡±

    She turned infinitesimally, and I caught her ruby eyes under her hood.

    ¡°Then can I tell you that you should have asked the Shrikes to shave your hair? It¡¯s all messy, grown out.¡±

    I smiled, stifling a laugh. ¡°I¡¯ll have it done as soon as I can, then. So you don¡¯t need to suffer the embarrassment.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯d be embarrassing with any haircut.¡±

    At that, I really did laugh. Because there was such a welcome familiarity to her insults that I longed to hear them from her real voice, see them snapped from her lips.

    ¡°I haven¡¯t heard you worry about Kaelta,¡± said Andiya. ¡°Aren¡¯t you concerned about entering a country of daemons?¡±

    ¡°I suppose I should be concerned, shouldn¡¯t I? But you¡¯ll be with me. I trust you, Andiya. Enough that if you say I will be safe in Kaelta, I will go.¡±

    ¡°With offence this time, that is massively stupid.¡±

    I chuckled, and I felt Andiya¡¯s light approval.

    ¡°According to you, I¡¯ve always been a bit stupid.¡±

    ¡°That is true. A smart person runs away from danger. How often do you dive at it head-first?¡±

    ¡°At that, dear lady, I must protest.¡± I caught the edge of her smile under her hood. ¡°Danger seems to find me whether I like it or not. I just do a poor job of avoiding it.¡±

    ¡°Right. One day your luck is going to run out, you know. What was it that Jawahir said to you? You will passively kill yourself, not actively?¡±

    I froze on the rail. My heart skipped. ¡°What did you just say?¡± I blurted out.

    Andiya¡¯s mind snapped shut, but not before I felt her panic.

    ¡°Andiya¡ªdid he tell you that? When did he tell you that?¡±

    But she pulled back from the rail. My heart felt like it was caving in. She wouldn¡¯t. She didn¡¯t.

    Andiya turned sharply to look down the hall. Jiyi and Hae walked briskly, and the expression on Jiyi¡¯s face put me on my guard.

    ¡°You two need to get out of here,¡± she hissed. ¡°Hae¡¯s going to take you over the river to Bel Arben.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    ¡°Your Inquisitor is here. The Shrikes sent him to bring you back. He¡¯s got a squadron of nearly thirty bonded with him.¡± Jiyi grabbed my wrist and dragged me to Hae¡¯s side. ¡°You need to run. We can¡¯t risk the Etvians realizing Andiya is a High Order. The Drahko will never let you escape his lands if he knows.¡±

    A massive group of Shrike soldiers rounded the corner, making straight for us. Their group was a blend of Elementals and tiraar, and at the head of them, Seylas rode a massive wyvern, his face a mask of hard calm. Hae lay down for us to mount.

    But I was looking at one of the Shrike soldiers. A scaled, reptilian, snarling daemon followed him. Thin, finger-long teeth protruded from its jaw, and it was missing a long patch of scales on its neck, as though it had been stabbed and hadn¡¯t properly healed.

    The realization stole my breath. I knew that daemon¡ªit had been stabbed, by Irina. By an iron dagger that had nearly killed it. That soldier was a Crow, but not a Crow¡ªonly a Shrike, dressed as one. And he¡¯d been ordered to kill the princess.

    I tripped backwards onto Hae, numb with shock and horror. We¡¯d left Irina with the Shrikes, left everyone, left Yulia¡ª

    Hae stood. Before him, Jiyi drew her blade. The runes along its face flared to life, pouring curling blue smoke onto the ground. She spoke in quick Go-Ah to Hae.

    ¡°Go,¡± translated Andiya. ¡°Get them out of here, no matter what you see.¡±

    And we were moving, bounding up the tiers of the temple. When a tiraar tried to take flight, Jiyi swiped her blade viciously. A hard blast of air burst from it, crackling with magic. It blew the tiraar into the temple, cracking its head against the stone. We watched Jiyi uselessly from above. The Shrike soldiers reached her. They clashed blades, Jiyi moving as a whirl of flashing metal and the twisting wind of a tornado. With her every strike, blasts of hard air pulsed from her blade and blew the Shrikes back. They couldn¡¯t take off to chase us.

    But she was outnumbered. A subjugator¡¯s silver chains wrapped her, bringing her to her knees. Jiyi slashed, and a cut of air took off the head of a panther-like daemon. With a horrible shriek, a soldier fell.

    Then a Shrike drove his blade through Jiyi¡¯s stomach.

    Hae roared so fiercely the temple trembled. He took a step back to Jiyi, but she fixed him with a hard look. Hae backed away, howling and howling in agony. Jiyi pitched face-first to the ground. Blood pooled around her.

    Seylas turned to us, and his wyvern opened its wings.

    Hae took off in a rush of wind and sunlight.

 Chapter 32: Blood of My Life

    Hae raced over the water of the Saphir as though it were solid ground, the screams of angry wyverns and the shouting of Shrike soldiers at our backs. We plunged into the trees of Bel Arben¡¯s Duskwood, a forest so deep and thick that the sky disappeared. I ducked low as branches and vines whipped at my eyes, burying my face in Hae¡¯s golden mane.

    As we wove through the woods, the trees became farther and farther apart, their trucks widening. The canopy felt leagues above, the brush beneath our feet so thin and soft that it looked like we walked through a great pillared hall. I¡¯d heard talk of the greatwood trees, but nothing had prepared me for their size. It would take thirty people hand to hand to circle their bases, their red bark so deep they seemed to flow right out from the soil.

    When the canopy had thickened so much that the day seemed to be dusk, Hae finally slowed. He let out a terrible, heartbroken cry, collapsing to the forest floor.

    We slid from his back, and Andiya cradled Hae¡¯s great head to her stomach, repeating some soothing phrase in the daemon tongue. He kept wailing, the pain low in his chest like he was breaking in two.

    ¡°You need to tell him to be quiet,¡± I said. ¡°Seylas is looking for us. Tell him the man that killed Jiyi wants us, too.¡±

    Andiya spoke in rapid Go-ah. Hae wailed one more time and fell silent, burying his snout into Andiya. She stroked his fur and murmured into his ear.

    ¡°Shit,¡± I breathed. ¡°Shit. Andiya, did you see?¡±

    ¡°No. I have no fucking idea what just happened.¡±

    I sent her a flash of the Shrike soldier¡¯s daemon. ¡°That¡¯s the daemon the princess stabbed,¡± I said, trembling with anger. ¡°Not a Crow¡¯s daemon¡ªa Shrike¡¯s. The Shrikes are the ones who attacked us at the camp.¡±

    She frowned as though deep in thought. ¡°And Seylas ¡­¡±

    ¡°Seylas led them to us. The Shrikes must have been following us the entire time. Seylas knew which of us were Eons¡ªwhere the princess slept. He told them which of us to attack first.¡±

    ¡°And that¡¯s why they were there,¡± Andiya murmured. ¡°Remember what your friend said? When the Crows attacked Shokarov¡¯s squad, the Shrikes were there to save them. Not because they¡¯d travelled there in response to the Crow threat, but because they were the Crows. All they had to do was change their uniforms.¡±

    ¡°Creators. And I didn¡¯t even question it. None of us did.¡±

    ¡°But if the Shrikes were trying to kill the princess, then why bother with the theatrics? Why feed her, clothe her, keep her safe in Ryalgrad?¡± Andiya stroked Hae¡¯s mane, her brow furrowed in thought. ¡°That means those Crows were sent to capture her, not kill her. And when she escaped their grasp, they took her party in hopes they would be of use. Perhaps as bait.¡±

    I paced, snapping the pieces together. ¡°Back at the Korongorod. It took Irina weeks to plan our mission. When did the Ilyins say the Crow attacks began?¡±

    ¡°A few weeks before we arrived in Zhyla.¡±

    ¡°So, Seylas¡ªa man Irina trusted to help plan the mission¡ªinforms the Shrikes that Irina is about to leave the Korongorod. The Shrikes see an opportunity. They can capture the future Archon and separate her from her new High Order Eon. So they disguise their soldiers as Crows and begin attacking villages, towns, travellers. So that if something went awry, the blame would fall on some hill tribe, and not on a noble house.¡±

    ¡°Which meant they couldn¡¯t send their tiraar or their wyverns. They only sent soldiers with Bestials with no tie to Ryalgrad.¡± Andiya¡¯s eyes burned with roiling flames. ¡°I must admit. They had me fooled.¡±

    ¡°But to what end?¡± I asked. ¡°What use do the Shrikes have with a princess, now that Maxsim is the archon?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. She doesn¡¯t have any power they can use, without her throne.¡±

    I inhaled sharply. It all fit. ¡°But Maxsim does.¡±

    Andiya met my eyes and understood. ¡°Maxsim was working with the Shrikes.¡±

    ¡°Maxsim wanted the throne, but there was no way he¡¯d be able to get away with killing his own sister. Too much security, too much doubt. With Seylas at the Korongorod, he¡¯d have open communication to Ryalgrad. So he forms a plan with Seylas and the Shrikes to have the princess killed during her secret mission.¡±

    ¡°But then why the Crows at all? Didn¡¯t Maxsim simply tell everyone that the princess fell?¡±

    ¡°Exactly. Because the Shrikes betrayed him. Think about it. The Shrikes inform Maxsim that the princess is alive¡ªthey lie and say they have her, likely to make some sort of demand of Maxsim. He¡¯s backed into a corner. If he reveals what really happened to Irina and tells the Eons that she was captured by the Shrikes, he risks exposing his own part in the plot. He¡¯d be tried for regicide. The only way he could protect himself from that is if he became the archon. No one can put the archon on trial. So he tells everyone that Irina fell, and he saw it with his own eyes. So the world considers Irina dead, and he can take the crown before anyone can stop him.¡±

    ¡°And the Shrikes kept the princess,¡± said Andiya. ¡°Maxsim may not be able to be put on trial, but revealing his plot will shake his throne. It could start a civil war. He¡¯d never want that to come to light.¡±

    ¡°Yes. Yes, think about it. The Shrikes, technically, rescued the princess in the mire. They are heroes, in Irina¡¯s eyes. All they¡¯d need to do is blame Maxsim for the Crow plot, and they¡¯d be able to feign innocence. They have Maxsim right where they want him.¡±

    ¡°So the Shrikes control Maxsim. They control your¡ªour¡ªarchon.¡±

    I gripped my hair and leaned against a tree. ¡°And we¡¯re the only ones who know.¡± My knees felt weak, but I held myself steady. All the turmoil of the past weeks seemed to snap into place, lighting the path ahead. It was all just moves on a chessboard. Nothing had even been clearer. ¡°The Shrikes won¡¯t harm Irina,¡± I said, and met Andiya¡¯s eyes with my chin high. ¡°No one knows we¡¯ve figured out their plot, and so nothing has changed. We¡¯re going to Kaelta, and we¡¯re going to get the queens¡¯ support. No Shrike or archon will be able to stop us then.¡±

    ¡°Unless Seylas gets in the way.¡±

    I caught the question in her tone. If Seylas stopped us, then the Shrikes won. They¡¯d have free reign to enact whatever plan they wanted with the Canavar. We couldn¡¯t risk so much on my morality.

    ¡°If Seylas shows his face, kill him. I¡¯m not going to stop you.¡±

    ¡°And you¡¯ll be fine?¡±

    ¡°No. But we don¡¯t have another option. Seylas is too dangerous to leave alive.¡±

    Andiya spoke to Hae, and a savage snarl ripped through his teeth.

    This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.

    ¡°I told him that the man who killed Jiyi wants us. And when we see him again, we¡¯re going to tear his heart from his chest.¡± She stroked Hae¡¯s mane. ¡°Hae will stay with us, help us. And when the time comes, we¡¯ll end Seylas together.¡±

    *

    We made our way as carefully as we could through the Duskwood. We stayed off any roads, avoided any travellers. If Seylas were still searching for us, the canopy blocked his view from the sky, and his wyvern would be useless in the forest. With any luck, we could stay under the cover of the trees until Seylas lost our trail.

    I had too much to think about. I was silent for the ride, trying to keep my mind on the immediate danger, and not on what Andiya had let slip in M¨¦dine.

    ¡°Seylas knows where we¡¯re going,¡± said Andiya. ¡°He knew the mission.¡±

    ¡°I know,¡± I said quietly, and Andiya fell silent once more. Her mind was locked shut, and had been since the Grand Temple. The question burned on my tongue, but I was too afraid to ask it.

    Eventually, any light in the Duskwood faded to black, signalling the night. Hae stopped, spent. He lay down and stared off into the woods, his eyes as glassy as a bonded¡¯s. He¡¯d lost his entire world. And I didn¡¯t know how to help him.

    Andiya floated a tight ball of fire between us in place of a true campfire. We couldn¡¯t risk the smoke rising above the canopy.

    ¡°We need to talk,¡± I said.

    ¡°I¡¯m exhausted. Maybe this can wait until morning¡ª¡±

    ¡°You watched my memories.¡±

    She didn¡¯t deny it. Andiya only glared into the fire with the guilt plain on her face. But I didn¡¯t care if she felt guilty or not. I felt stripped bare, violated. I¡¯d thought my memories were the last thing of myself I still had, the last thing that belonged only to me, and not to her. And she¡¯d taken them.

    ¡°When,¡± I growled.

    ¡°Just ¡­ in bits and pieces, over time.¡± Her voice went low. ¡°Your mind opens when you dream.¡±

    And we both knew what filled my dreams every night, stuck on endless loop. Kamala. Barje Vos. What I¡¯d done. Who I¡¯d been, before Sage Jawahir. That month with Seylas, where I¡¯d known nothing but agony. How long it had taken those hundreds of tiny scars to heal.

    ¡°Do you remember when we played chess in the Korongorod?¡± asked Andiya. ¡°That was ¡­ after I¡¯d seen Barje Vos. I knew why you had bonded me. And I felt myself wanting for us to speak. I wanted us to be something more than bitter enemies for the rest of our lives.¡±

    ¡°You asked me about Kamala,¡± I spat. ¡°You knew it would hurt me, and you knew why.¡±

    ¡°I did. I wanted to hurt you. I was trying for some peace between us, but I hadn¡¯t forgiven you. If I was going to hurt, you were too. I¡¯m sorry for using your memories that way, but I¡¯m not sorry for watching them. I would never have tried to know you otherwise. And I am glad to know you, Rozin.¡±

    I heard her words, understood them, but I didn¡¯t care. Nothing was my own anymore. Andiya had stolen a part of me that I never would have let her see. I stood.

    ¡°Get some sleep.¡± And I simply turned to walk away, chest tight.

    ¡°Rozin.¡±

    ¡°No. No, don¡¯t. This isn¡¯t something you can just apologise for. What you did ¡­ I can¡¯t just forget that. I won¡¯t just let it go because you feel bad about it.¡±

    ¡°You would have done the same thing¡ª¡±

    ¡°Except I didn¡¯t!¡± I roared. ¡°And I damned well could have.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no way you could have forced in. You didn¡¯t have to make a hard decision because you couldn¡¯t anyways.¡±

    ¡°Tell me if I¡¯m lying, then. I could have gotten in, and I chose not to.¡±

    Surprise rose Andiya¡¯s brow. ¡°How? When?¡±

    ¡°With Sage Jawahir. You hadn¡¯t learned how to close your mind properly yet. You were relaxed, and you¡¯d forgotten about me, and it was wide open. I thought about going in and taking the answers from you when you couldn¡¯t stop me. But I didn¡¯t. Because I knew it was wrong. You were my enemy, and I hated you so, so much, and I didn¡¯t do it. I decided I never would.¡±

    ¡°Because you felt bad about taking me prisoner.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t. Not yet. I didn¡¯t give a shit about you or your happiness. And I still knew it was wrong.¡± I stepped to the edge of the firelight. ¡°Don¡¯t follow me. We leave at dawn.¡±

    I stalked off into the woods, furious tears burning down my cheeks.

    But Andiya didn¡¯t stay behind. She raced after and grabbed my wrist.

    ¡°Let me go,¡± I hissed.

    ¡°Not until you listen to me and understand what a self-righteous bitch you¡¯re being right now.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m the bitch?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. Do you really think our situations were the same? Oh, congratulations, Rozin. You didn¡¯t violate the daemon you¡¯d enslaved. Do you want a medal for your shining morality? I think you¡¯re forgetting what I went through. You knew you didn¡¯t want to hurt me. How was I supposed to know what you wanted with me? I could have been bound by a sadist, a tyrant. I needed to know who you were. I did not have the luxury of a real choice. You took that away.¡±

    I only glared at her, trembling in fury. She tossed my wrist away.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare preach to me again,¡± she spat. ¡°I did what I did to survive, and so did you. Don¡¯t you dare tell me you stayed out of my head for my benefit. I know you, Rozin. You took the high ground to assuage your own guilt, to re-affirm your own morals. Because you did kill Barje Vos, whether you wanted to or not. And you think that if you make the right decisions now, be some paragon of honour and servitude, you will somehow be forgiven. That you will be free of the weight, the nightmares.¡±

    ¡°Shut up.¡±

    ¡°I saw your mind. And I saw what you won¡¯t admit. That your guilt isn¡¯t going anywhere. No matter what you do, who you save, how much of yourself you give, it won¡¯t change what you did. You don¡¯t admit it¡ªbecause what if you did? You¡¯d have to confront the fact that you¡¯re not a good person. That you let that daemon go not out of compassion¡ªbut to impress a girl you wanted. Loved. A girl who did not love you.¡±

    ¡°I said shut up!¡±

    ¡°You would need to admit that all those people died, suffered, because you were selfish. Because it wasn¡¯t some act of kindness that doomed your friends, your family. You were reckless, cocky. You knew Kamala was only marrying you to save herself, and you deluded yourself into thinking that if you were bold, dashing, confident, then she would learn to love you in the way you wanted her to.¡±

    I could hardly breathe.

    ¡°But you listen to me. I saw everything, and I decided to like you. I chose that, Rozin, because you were someone who¡¯d made just as many stupid mistakes and I had, who felt the same guilt and self-loathing that forced her to be better. I saw a heart that was battered and confused and yet still willing to love. And if you were capable of love, then I was capable of forgiveness.¡±

    I was rooted to the spot, as immobile as the trees. There were no words I could offer in defence, no excuses I could make. Because Andiya was right.

    ¡°I never ¡­¡± I croaked. ¡°I never told anyone. I never wanted anyone to know.¡±

    ¡°And now?¡±

    ¡°Now, I ¡­ I don¡¯t know what to say.¡±

    Andiya¡¯s hand took my shoulder, pulling so gently I could have stopped her. But I didn¡¯t. She drew me in, bringing me to her.

    I wrapped my arms around her and held her close. Andiya was so warm, so soft against me, her cheek pressed against my chest. My fingers wound in her hair. The world dulled around me. Suddenly I was grounded¡ªthis was where I was meant to be. Here, wherever she was.

    I took in a shaking breath. ¡°I did love her. And I¡¯d hoped¡ªI¡¯d hoped that one day she would love me back.¡±

    ¡°I know,¡± she murmured.

    ¡°How do you live with that? How are you supposed to let yourself be happy when the world would be better off without you in it?¡±

    ¡°Who says it would be?¡±

    ¡°I do. Everyone in Barje Vos did. I grew up with those people and they knew it. My parents survived Barje Vos. They¡¯d run into the hills and they¡¯d managed to make it out alive. Do you know what my parents said to me, when I saw them again in Ardila Vos?¡±

    Her silence told me she did.

    ¡°They said nothing at all,¡± I gasped. ¡°Nothing. They followed the redwyr like everyone else. They decided it wasn¡¯t worth it. That I wasn¡¯t worth it. Their daughter.¡± I squeezed tighter. ¡°They decided their lives would be better off without the cruel, selfish girl that killed Barje Vos.¡±

    ¡°They were wrong.¡±

    ¡°Says you. You, who I bound. I took your freedom, your life. Are you going to tell me that your life wouldn¡¯t be better off without me?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Bullshit.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not. I am glad to have met you, and I am glad to count you among my friends. No, I would not say our situation is ideal. But would my life have been better, forever running from who I was?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯d have been free.¡±

    ¡°I still can be. We could go anywhere, do anything. Travel the continent. Sail the edge of the world. When this conflict is over, I welcome the thought of being free by your side.¡±

    I shook my head. ¡°No. That¡¯s not good enough. That¡¯s not right. But I can make it right.¡± I let her go, my heart aching the second she left my arms. I picked up a small rock and dragged it across my palm.

    ¡°Ow! What are you¡ª¡±

    I squeezed blood from my palm and let it drip to the forest floor.

    ¡°I vow, on the blood of my life,¡± I began, ¡°that from this until my dying day, I will search for a way to free you. I will release you, and I will not stop you if you choose to go.¡± In a whisper, I added, ¡°But I would be so happy if you stayed.¡±

    Andiya closed her hand around my bleeding fist. A sad smile pulled her mouth. ¡°Idiot,¡± she murmured. She pulled me gently with her, hand-in-hand. ¡°Let¡¯s go fix you up. We¡¯ve got a long day tomorrow.¡±

 Chapter 33: Hirondell

    The next evening, we stopped in a quiet town nestled within the Duskwood¡¯s wide trees. It was a sleepy, dreamy place, the wooden houses grown straight from the tree trunks, their upper balconies perched on low boughs. The town glittered with tiny, firefly-shaped lanterns that hung from eaves and overhanging branches. Hae stopped at the edge of the town, nudging us forwards with his snout. Andiya said he¡¯d been there before with Jiyi, and knew it was safe.

    We left Hae behind in the woods as we stepped into the light of the lanterns. I couldn¡¯t be seen with two daemons, or the locals would know that one of them wasn¡¯t bonded.

    Just off the flattened earth trail that marked the centre of town was a small inn. Hanging vines formed a curtain before the door, warm light spilling out from between the dark red leaves.

    Andiya touched my shoulder. ¡°I promise to be on my best behaviour.¡±

    My neck felt hot at the memory of our last stay at an inn. ¡°Are you ever?¡±

    ¡°I suppose not. What fun is that?¡±

    We took a table in the corner, the few somnolent bar patrons paying us little mind. I relaxed in my seat. No one had any reason to be looking for us, in Bel Arben. There was no way for Seylas¡¯s influence to reach us.

    The barkeeper approached, and said something apologetic in a language I didn¡¯t recognize.

    ¡°She said she¡¯s sorry, but she doesn¡¯t speak, Go-ah,¡± Andiya translated. ¡°It¡¯s our outfits.¡±

    ¡°Novoski?¡± I asked, and the barkeeper sighed in relief.

    ¡°A little,¡± she replied. After she brought us our drinks, she asked ¡°Where are you headed?¡±

    ¡°Hirondell,¡± I replied, naming a large city just by the Glass Bridge. ¡°Looking for work there.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t get many Go-ah around here. Only one I know is a lovely woman, though. Sharp as a whip. Maybe you know her? Big lion bonded.¡±

    My heart stung. Jiyi. ¡°Sorry, no.¡±

    ¡°Ah, well. You watch yourself once you¡¯re out of the woods,¡± the barkeeper continued. ¡°Things aren¡¯t so safe for outsiders at the moment.¡±

    ¡°Why not?¡±

    The barkeeper¡¯s face fell. ¡°You¡¯ve not heard?¡±

    ¡°No. What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    She sighed and went to grab me a tall shot of dark liquor. ¡°Put that in you. You¡¯ll need it.¡±

    As I drank, Andiya¡¯s mind brushed mine. ¡°Don¡¯t panic when she tells you.¡±

    ¡°You know?¡±

    ¡°Those men at the next table are talking about it. Pretend it''s stupid. Pretend you¡¯re Go-ah, so you don¡¯t care.¡±

    I handed the barkeeper the empty glass.

    ¡°News came a few days ago. The Drahko and the Canavar have declared war. So drink while you can.¡±

    Like Andiya said to, I forced my expression neutral. Even if my mind was quickly spiralling.

    ¡°Seems I¡¯ll be heading home, then,¡± I said, passing my panic off as resignation. This wouldn¡¯t matter to a Go-ah. I had no stake in this war, besides my potential job prospects. But, Creators, what the hell was¡ª

    ¡°Steady,¡± whispered Andiya.

    ¡°How? There¡¯s a war coming, and the Shrikes control Maxsim, and they still have the princess, and I¡¯m what? Drinking in the woods?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re travelling through enemy territory in an effort to save your archon. Don¡¯t downplay it.¡±

    She was right. Andiya was right. I had to stay calm, get out of my head. We could do this.

    ¡°Yes, we can.¡±

    I excused Andiya and I, feigning exhaustion. As I went down the narrow, empty hall to my room, Andiya took my arm.

    ¡°I believe we will succeed, Rozin,¡± she sent. Andiya stood on the tips of her toes and kissed my cheek, just briefly, just a flutter. My heart stopped. ¡°I believe in you.¡±

    The kiss filled my dreams, sending me off to a gentle sleep.

    *

    We left as the sun rose, riding Hae through the widening gaps in the trees. The forest floor wound down sharply, and Hae bounded down the rocks. The air thickened with the smell of salt. Sure enough, we emerged on a hill overlooking a jagged beach. A small port on stilts sat on the water, sailboats and barges bobbing pleasantly beside it.

    Hae looked at the boats and whined. Andiya asked him a question, and he nodded. Understanding dawned on her. ¡°Hae, you beautiful beast.¡± She gave him a giant kiss on the head. ¡°Hae wants us to sail to the Glass Bridge. Seylas isn¡¯t going to look at some civilian fishing boat, is he? We can slip right by and reach Kaelta before he even knows we¡¯re there. No bloodshed, no chance for that big group of daemons he has to take me down.¡±

    ¡°So. Which one of you is going to be my bonded?¡±

    ¡°Well, obviously I¡¯m going to ¡­¡± She paused, frowning. ¡°Wait. Hae¡¯s tattoos.¡±

    ¡°Yep.¡±

    ¡°So I¡¯m to ¡­ play dead?¡±

    ¡°Play unconscious. Hae can carry you.¡±

    ¡°It feels as if every new place we go, I am meant to be dumber. First a bonded, then a mute. Now you want Hae to carry me like some child¡¯s plaything.¡±

    ¡°You could carry Hae. But that might look a bit awkward.¡±

    ¡°Ha-ha. I never said I wouldn¡¯t do it. But that doesn¡¯t mean I can¡¯t complain first.¡±

    We tightened Andiya¡¯s cloak, obscuring her features and her tattoo, and I strapped her to Hae¡¯s back. As we approached the dock, a harbourmaster with sun-baked skin and a stripe of blonde hair approached us. He waved jovially.

    ¡°We¡¯re looking for passage to¡ª¡±

    ¡°Novoska?¡± He frowned. ¡°Novoska, no.¡±

    I pulled out a map and pointed to Hirondell. With enough luck, we could reach the Glass Bridge in minutes from the city.

    The harbourmaster leaned over and saw the unconscious Andiya. Understanding lit his face. ¡°Ah. Hirondell. D¨¦mone. Hirondell.¡±

    He led us over to a rather shabby galleon. We paid, and a deckhand waved us on.

    ¡°Big d¨¦mon,¡± he said, pointing at Hae, ¡°sleep here.¡± He motioned to a spot by the cabins, tucked behind some barrels. With Andiya¡¯s help translating, I awkwardly asked the captain for a tarp. We slapped together a makeshift shelter for Hae, suspending the tarp over piles of lashed barrels. We¡¯d have to watch the skies for Seylas. Hae was far too easy to spot if he ever left his cover.

    Nervously, the deckhand led me to a tiny cabin below-deck, his eyes following the unconscious Andiya in my arms. He quickly made his exit, and I locked the door.

    ¡°He¡¯s gone,¡± I said in a low voice, the waves masking the sound.

    Andiya sat up and threw off her hood. ¡°That was humiliating.¡±

    ¡°As an apology, you can take the cot.¡±

    She smiled toothily and hopped up, stretching out on the bed. She patted the thin space beside her. ¡°Or we could share.¡±

    I raised a brow at her. ¡°This is your best behaviour?¡±

    ¡°It is. Don¡¯t pretend to hate it.¡±

    I sighed and lay down next to her. The ship swayed gently on the waves as we weighed anchor and set off.

    ¡°Things are getting bad,¡± I mumbled.

    ¡°Mmm. But that¡¯s not our fault.¡±

    ¡°Seems like it is. Seems like all of this began when I bound a High Order.¡±

    ¡°And you told the archons to start a war, did you? You asked Maxsim to murder his sister? Everyone would have schemed no matter what you did.¡±

    I closed my eyes, listening to the creaking of the ship, the hiss of waves against the hull. We¡¯d be in Kaelta in days. I¡¯d, without a doubt, be making the stupidest decision of my life. There was no guarantee that once I stepped onto the Glass Bridge, I¡¯d ever step back off. Except for Andiya.

    I rolled and pressed my forehead against her shoulder, curling in. She was so warm, smelling of the woods and the heat of the sun on a beach. Andiya let me lie there. She didn¡¯t say a word.

    The sea rocked me to sleep, nestled against Andiya¡¯s arm.

    *

    We arrived at Hirondell without incident. I spent most of the days on the upper deck with Hae, watching the skies as Hae entertained the sailors by catching fish in his mouth, standing sideways on the hull. Our first dinner on the ship was a great tuna, dragged from the waves by a well-placed bite.

    Hirondell rose as a crust of white, blue-roofed houses and colourful tent stalls, wrapping around a jutting peninsula of pale stone. Vicious galleons and sleek sloops moored on her shores, their sails flapping in the light wind. They all flew the dark green and maroon Drahko colours, some with the crossed dragon tails of their military, others with the eye and sunbeams of the Merchant Guild of the All-Seeing. Our ship pulled in alongside the largest vessel I had ever seen: three towering masts, a figurehead of twisting serpents, and bands of iron fused with the hull. Countless cannons peeked from its broadside.

    You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

    ¡°La Sarage,¡± said a sailor, when he caught me trying to read the unfamiliar Arben script. Andiya quickly translated it to Storm.

    With Hae behind me and Andiya once more limp on his back, we joined the flow of people through the main roads. I quickly realised why the harbourmaster had understood my wanting to visit Hirondell, and felt sick. We had to get out of here. It wasn¡¯t safe¡ªand I couldn¡¯t stand to look at it. Not anymore.

    Iron cages lay under bright tents, stacked on top of one another to save space. Merchants shouted prices over the din of a packed daemon market, ensuring buyers that their catches were strong, elegant, well-worth a lifetime. The perusing customers were all of the upper classes, fine-clothed and willing to part with exorbitant sums to find their ideal match. I caught the tell-tale gaits of mercenaries moving among them, searching for the most powerful, the most teeth and claws and fire-power. In the open air I saw only Bestials in iron cages and wrapped in thick iron cages to keep them ¡°calm,¡± but some merchants had signs on their stalls: Elementals by request, and Sensors unavailable, do not ask, or the most sickening, Beauty to compliment yours, curated selections.

    Andiya¡¯s mind brushed mine. ¡°You¡¯re upset. What is it?¡±

    ¡°A market. They¡¯re selling daemons.¡±

    The bond went deathly still. Rather than fire, a cold rage flowed up the bond like a river of ice. ¡°Show me.¡±

    I opened my mind and invited her in. A chill shot down my spine as Andiya slid into my eyes. The hair on the back of my neck stood on end.

    I scanned the market to let her see it all. But she didn¡¯t react, didn¡¯t stir. A promise bit into my mind.

    ¡°One day, I will burn this to the ground.¡±

    I led Hae through the throng. We attracted furtive looks, the wandering eyes of fat-pursed buyers. Hae¡¯s golden mane glimmered in the burning sunlight, drawing small gasps and greedy whispers. But he was already bonded, his tattoo said. He was not for sale. Merchants tried to speak with me, but when I failed to respond to Arben, they moved along.

    A merchant hopped into my path. ¡°Great warrior,¡± he said in Novoski with a heavy accent. ¡°What have you brought us?¡± He tried to approach, but a deep snarl form Hae kept him at bay. ¡°Is that an elemental you have there? I¡¯ll give you a good price¡ªbest in Hirondell.¡±

    ¡°No. Get out of my way.¡±

    ¡°Come, now. How much would convince you to part with your catch?¡±

    ¡°The daemon is spoken for,¡± I hissed through my teeth.

    The merchant scowled. ¡°Contracted?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    He swore and waved me off, disappearing back into the throng. Some nobles hired mercenaries to track down rare Elementals for themselves. He couldn¡¯t buy what was already sold.

    I fended off a league of merchants every step through Hirondell¡¯s market. The sight of a humanoid daemon was like blood to a shark. All of them wanted the astronomical commission that a prize like Andiya would fetch.

    My heart ached for the Bestials in the cages. Most were small, easy to hunt: no taller than person¡¯s knees, covered in scales or feathers or fur, chirping through their bars or lying pitifully on their sides as the iron sapped their strength. In larger pens, weighed down with chains thicker than my arm, larger Bestials howled and whined and roared. One stall had a black tiraar, one a giant frilled lizard, one a sea-serpent in a stone basin of brown water.

    No one in the crowd seemed to care. No one seemed upset that these poor creatures would suffer until their minds were carved away. Because they were just like me. They¡¯d grown up fed the same lies. They thought the market was good¡ªtaming evil for our benefit. I wanted to stand on the rooftops and tell them they were wrong, we were wrong. But I couldn¡¯t. The markets had lasted centuries, and they would have to last until I fulfilled my mission.

    ¡°One day,¡± I sent Andiya. A cage on a cart trundled by us. An Elemental¡ªa man with skin like glittering ice¡ªwas caged in its bed, wrapped in chains that smoked against his skin. I met his pale eyes, hoping he could hear my resolve. ¡°We will burn this down together.¡±

    We finally emerged from the market into Hirondell¡¯s core. Thin, sun-bleached streets wound around the peninsula in random patterns, narrowing and widening like the curves of a ravine. I¡¯d heard legends say that Bel Arben¡¯s coast was so warm because of the magic bleeding from Kaelta, chasing away the snow and winter. I had to open my coat and lay my cloak along Hae¡¯s back. We¡¯d stepped from the chilly shade of the Duskwood into burning midsummer.

    I stopped to eat a kebab at a street stall, then followed the locals¡¯ directions to the western edge of the city. All at once, the houses ended, the streets cut off to a sheer drop. An iron fence overlooked a man-made cliff of white stock bricks, the world beyond only a waste of bleached gravel and shimmers of heat. At the edge of the waste, where it met the ocean, was the Glass Bridge. It was the pale blue of a glacier¡¯s chasms, its structure haphazard and half-melted. There were no rails, no pillars, no carvings. Only dripping glass that crawled over the ocean in a straight line, extending for leagues and leagues until it vanished into the horizon. No human had ever crossed it¡ªand anyone who had ever flown or sailed the divide to Kaelta had soon found that the wind would never let them set foot in daemon lands. How was I meant to cross?

    ¡°The bridge requires permission,¡± sent Andiya, watching the bridge from my eyes. ¡°And only daemons can ask for it.¡±

    ¡°But it¡¯s Creator-made, isn¡¯t it? Why would only daemons be able to cross?¡±

    ¡°Because humans don¡¯t have magic.¡± A jolt of fear made me flinch. ¡°Wait. Look to the left again. Right there. That man is looking at you.¡±

    He was middle-aged, dressed in a flowing white shirt and heavy boots, sat lazily on a bench tossing birdseed for fat grackles. But Andiya was right. Under his sunhat, he kept peeking at us.

    ¡°Look at his hand,¡± sent Andiya. ¡°He has a bonding tattoo. So where¡¯s his bonded?¡±

    I met the man¡¯s eyes. He held my gaze, frozen. A grackle turned to me, and its eyes were a bright, magical violet.

    ¡°Andiya¡ªget up!¡± I shouted. The man shot to his feet, his grackle daemon taking flight and streaking towards us.

    Andiya was on her feet in a flash, her coat thrown to the floor. She slashed a burst of flame before us, and the grackle dodged, squawking madly. Several passers-by yelped in shock and hastened away from us. I barely had time to grab Hae¡¯s mane and scramble onto his back before a pack of bonded descended on us from the rooftops.

    Hae howled in pain as a hyena-like Bestial sank its fangs into his back leg. Andiya blasted it away with a burst of flame.

    Hae tumbled off the overlook, and we landed heavily on the scorched ground. He tried to run, but his leg was limp. Poison in the bite. Hae hobbled towards the bridge. Behind us, three Elementals aimed from the overlook while a mass of Bestials flowed over the edge, snarling and shrieking as they hit the earth. All along the upper fence, Shrike soldiers knocked ironbows. Seylas stood before them, glaring at us astride his hulking wyvern.

    Spikes of ice flew from the Elementals. Andiya threw up a wall of fire, shielding us. A chain shot from a Subjugator¡¯s hand, and I sliced at it with my blade. The iron shattered it. Hae picked up his pace, panting painfully as his injured leg dragged behind him. Magic rose in Andiya. She slashed flames all around us, beating back ice, arrow, and bites in a burning whirlwind.

    ¡°I can¡¯t¡ª¡± she grunted. ¡°I can¡¯t get a good shot!¡±

    I remembered the explosion she¡¯d made on the Korongorod. She¡¯d taken time, moulded the flames, poured all her magic into a single blow. But not we were swinging desperately, doing everything to keep scores of daemons at bay.

    Andiya whipped flames at a wolf-like Bestial, setting it aflame. An archer dropped from the overlook, screaming in agony. He hit the ground headfirst and fell silent. The Bestial collapsed, dead.

    Seylas¡¯s wyvern took to the sky. Behind him, a second wyvern followed, two riders on its back.

    ¡°Look!¡± I shouted. ¡°On the other wyvern. They¡¯re controlling Seylas¡¯s mount!¡±

    Andiya fired a quick bolt of flame at Seylas, then at the second wyvern. They simply banked out of the way, far out of range. Seylas loosed an arrow.

    I yanked Andiya out of the way, but my blade missed, and the arrow stuck in Hae¡¯s flank. He stumbled, but managed to keep going. Pale green flowed from his wound. I tore the arrow out.

    ¡°Let me shape your magic,¡± I said. Andiya nodded. As she blasted a wall of flame at our enemies, buying us precious seconds, I dove into her mind.

    I met that thick, ancient fog, and gripped the magic I felt laying within. I pulled, narrowing it, willing it to take solid form. Andiya released control. The magic felt like clay in my fingers, yielding to my touch. I opened my eyes.

    A bow of pure flame rested in Andiya¡¯s hands. It tightened, the edges of the flames become solid, defined. I knocked Seylas¡¯s arrow and wrapped her hand around the wooden shaft.

    ¡°You have one shot.¡±

    Andiya angled the bow to the sky. Seylas banked, pulling away. Andiya¡¯s eyes narrowed. A tongue of flame crawled up her arm and wrapped the arrow¡¯s head.

    ¡°This is from Jiyi, you evil bastard,¡± Andiya snarled, and loosed the blazing arrow into the wide sky.

    It shot forward like a comet, the flames flaring brighter, brighter, until they filled the sky with an impossible heat. Seylas dodged, but Andiya twisted her hand¡ªand the flames shot brighter on one side, pushing the arrow left. Straight past Seylas¡¯s wyvern, and right into the throat of the second.

    The explosion shuddered the air. Seylas¡¯s wyvern went limp as its master died in a ball of bright flame, and they plunged through the air. The bonded behind us stopped, freezing as their masters beheld their leader tumbling from the heavens. The bonded bolted for Seylas, magic flaring around them as they pooled their strength. Cushions of water and solid air slowed him, lessening his impact with the rough ground. Seylas didn¡¯t get up. But I knew he wasn¡¯t dead. I could feel it in my bones.

    Hae kept moving. The Shrike bonded surrounded Seylas in a protective ring, obscuring him from our view. Andiya¡¯s magic curled into a ball on her hand, growing bright. Part of me wanted to stop her. Yes, it was Seylas¡ªbut others, too. Others who were only soldiers on a different side. Were their lives worth this? Could I be who decides that?

    A dark shape charged at us. ¡°Uh. Andiya?¡± I said, not believing what I saw. ¡°Andiya, look!¡±

    A mass of riders galloped across the waste. At their head, a man in a sunset cloak¡ªa tiny bonded flying overhead. Damian.

    Andiya whipped the ball of flame at him.

    ¡°No!¡± I screamed. Andiya gripped my shirt and shoved me against Hae¡¯s back. A dome of flames rolled over us as the explosion rocked the waste, the world vanishing behind fire and heat and a blast so loud I thought my ears would pop. My cheek grated against Hae¡¯s scales. I tried to force myself up, but Andiya was too strong. I rode out the explosion with a horrible ache in my heart.

    The dome fizzled away. Dust clouded the air. I coughed, ash and powdered stone coating my hair, my face, my lungs. The light wind kicked the debris in whorls, and I collapsed from Hae, coughing as I picked through the dust. My foot hit empty air. Andiya gripped my shirt and yanked me back before I fell off the edge of a cliff.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be stupid,¡± said Andiya. ¡°You wanted him alive, so he is.¡±

    I waited for the dust to clear. When I realised what she had done, terror gripped me. I¡¯d forgotten, in these weeks together, what Andiya was capable of. What her being a High Order truly meant.

    She¡¯d carved the waste in two. A vast, smoking canyon tore the ground, so deep that the rocks breaking off the sides took several seconds to hit the bottom. On the other side, Damian¡¯s party coughed and hacked and struggled to their feet. They were filthy, but unharmed.

    ¡°I shielded them,¡± said Andiya. ¡°Cost the rest my magic to do it.¡± She wiped dust from her arms. ¡°Don¡¯t know how to focus the blast very well.¡±

    Damian¡¯s eyes met mine across the canyon. They were a mix of anger and confusion. Did he know Andiya had spared him? That she¡¯d risked herself by shielding his followers?

    A white streak plunged through the dust and drove a dagger into Andiya¡¯s chest.

    I screamed in agony as Sarangerel flapped away from us, vanishing back into the dust. I felt like I was being cut in two. Then I was on the ground, clawing at the wound I didn¡¯t have. My vision went white. I was certain I would die. No one could live through pain like this.

    This was it.

    But ¡­ it couldn¡¯t be. Something I¡¯d thought long dead flared in me. I cared. I cared if this was the end; if it was over. I still had so much to do, so many people that depended on me. This wouldn¡¯t, couldn¡¯t be it.

    Gasping, I dragged myself to Andiya. She wasn¡¯t moving. With all my strength, I gripped the dagger. My fingers refused to tighten. I gathered everything I had. Hae¡¯s claw curled around the dagger¡¯s hilt. Together, we hauled the iron blade from her chest. It was barely a finger¡¯s width from her heart. Even a High Order would die. Andiya would die. And so would I.

    Hae pulled me up with his paw. I breathed through the agony, trembling, dizzy, and dragged Andiya up to Hae¡¯s side. Together, we managed to rest her on Hae¡¯s back. Somehow, we were moving. I felt cold. I shouldn¡¯t feel cold. The sun blinded me. It burned the waste, casting the stones in a thick mirage.

    Grey smoke poured from the gaping wound in Andiya¡¯s chest. I pressed my hand to it. Smoke seeped through my fingers.

    Hae¡¯s claws clicked on glass. The bridge stretched out endlessly ahead of us. Kaelta was still so far away, waiting across leagues and leagues of glass and savage ocean.

    Sigils flared to life under Hae¡¯s paws. He balked, sparks of lightning flaring underneath his step. We couldn¡¯t pass. Without Andiya, we didn¡¯t know how to ask permission.

    Hae stumbled, and Andiya and I fell from his back. I struck glass, ears ringing. I couldn¡¯t go further. The last thing I wanted to see in my life was Andiya. I jerked my head on the glass, reached my hand out. My fingers brushed her scarlet hair, winding in it. I forced my eyes to stay open, taking in her beautiful features one last time. Smoke wisped from her chest, spilling over the bridge, over her hair.

    Shafts of light cracked through the bridge¡¯s glass. They surrounded us in a torrent, fizzling and crackling like electricity. I went blind in a flash.

    When my eyes cleared, we were still on the bridge¡ªonly the land beyond me was not a waste, nor a white stone overlook, but a beach of smooth black sand.

    Voices rose in alarm. The daemon tongue. Figures rushed over, dressed in light clothes of intricate geometrical patterns. Their skin was grey, pale blue, emerald; horns curled from their white or orange or golden hair. Daemons. Kaelta. I closed my eyes and let death come.

 Chapter 34: El By Sea

    My consciousness fluttered in and out. Gentle hands lifted me onto soft fur, and then wind tore at my hair. Green and blue and grown swirled in my vision. I glimpsed a dark forest canopy, a jagged coast, a line of sharp white cliffs. Stern voices argued in the daemon tongue. Among their words was only one I understood¡ªAndiya.

    They knew her. So where were they taking us? Where did they take deserters? Where did they take humans?

    We touched down on dark stone, the rasp of the sea crashing just below. I forced myself to stay upright, to keep my eyes open. Grey arms pitched me forward to stand. I put my weight on a bare-chested daemon man as we walked. We were against the ocean waves, spray and foam splashing in a mist over a low stone wall. A pair of winged daemons picked Andiya up and rushed her inside an archway of blue and orange tiles.

    The daemon supporting me spoke. ¡°Zhenkai?¡±

    I only shook my head. I didn¡¯t know what he¡¯d said.

    ¡°Arbrais? Go-ah? ¨¦tviais? Novoski? Tjerda¡ª¡±

    ¡°Novoski!¡± I ground out. ¡°Novoski. Please¡ªAndiya was stabbed with iron. She needs magic.¡±

    ¡°Iron kills magic,¡± the daemon replied. His accent was rough, guttural, as if his tongue had never used our language before.

    The daemon walked us through the archway. We were on the grounds of a sprawling, low complex. Covered walkways of black stone bordered lush, tropical courtyards, the floors and archways accented with bursts of intricately painted tiles in orange, white, and pale blue. Pillars wrapped in blooming vines held up obsidian-tiled roofs with gold etching, their eaves dripping with flowers. The complex¡¯s tiles were painted with imagery I knew well: vines, scimitars, stags, ruby blossoms, delicate leaves. The same pattern that I¡¯d once seen painted on Andiya¡¯s skin, the one now tattooed on my own arm in gold. We followed a roofed path, passing buildings dedicated to different luxuries: open-air baths, a library with lattice windows, a smoking lounge, a tearoom of pouffes and palm fronds, and vacant bedrooms bedecked in brocade, silks, and piles of pillows. Every room was a wonder of delicate tiles, the motif spreading across walls, ceilings, pathways, pillars, arches. I didn¡¯t need to ask where we were. This was a place fit only for a queen.

    The pain in my chest began to dull. Were they healing Andiya?

    ¡°I want to see her,¡± I choked out.

    The daemon sighed sharply, but didn¡¯t respond. He lifted me up a winding staircase. Only a few floors up, we reached a long hall in a layout that couldn¡¯t be mistaken. Rows of cells, each with an open wall of thick bronze bars, sat empty.

    The daemon lowered me onto a small bed in one of the cells. It wasn¡¯t some miserable dungeon, but instead a simple room with modest furnishings and an adjoining bathing closet. The tile motif continued even here, my ceiling a spiral of vines, spears, and moonbeams. A small window opened to the sea, my view of the palace complex obscured by the swaying jungle trees of its courtyards.

    The cell door clanged shut. ¡°You shall wait,¡± said the daemon. I got a good look at him. He was grey-skinned and winged just like Khalid, his eyes the same black void. This daemon wore a belt of heavy gold medals, a skirt of studded leather strips, and a layer of embroidered violet silk beneath it. A blade hilt peeked out from the column of his spine, its chest strap sewn with leaping stags.

    ¡°You¡¯re a High Order?¡± I asked. Like Andiya, he could speak the human languages. ¡°A malikhari.¡±

    ¡°General Verahai,¡± he said. ¡°Commander of the Kaeltan forces and of the Royal Guard.¡±

    ¡°Rozin Kain. Eon of the Canavar.¡±

    He gave me a chilling, hateful look. His eyes flicked to the gold bonding tattoo peeking from my sleeve. ¡°And why has a human brought us a Mathaszai?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t even know what that is.¡±

    His eyes narrowed. ¡°Her name. Andiya Mathaszai. Daughter of the Faithless. Known deserter to the Royal Guard.¡±

    ¡°She ¡­¡± a lance of Andiya¡¯s pain stole the breath from my chest. The situation was bitterly familiar. ¡°She brought me here. To speak with your queens. Sir.¡±

    ¡°Of her own will?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Sir.¡±

    General Verahai gave me one last look, then left. I stumbled to the cell bars.

    ¡°Wait! Wait¡ªwill you help her? Will she live?¡±

    He paused in his step. ¡°Will she live?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Please, if you know¡ª¡±

    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

    ¡°Not we?¡± he said, more to himself than to me, and vanished down the stairs.

    I fell back heavily on the bed. My eyes closed, mind reaching out. But Andiya was only a wall of pain and smoke, impossible to read. I pressed against her mind, hoping she could feel my presence. I would stay there as long as it took, keeping watch over the smoke that I prayed would not fade away.

    *

    As the sun set, a servant opened my cell door. He never once looked at me, wholly unconcerned as he laid a glass dish of fresh fruits, cured meats, and rich cheeses on my little desk table. He had no need to be careful around me, I realised, no need to chain me or order me against the wall. I was a human without the ability to bond. I had as much chance of fleeing as a turtle did escaping a wine bottle.

    The bars clanged shut, and I was alone again. I ate slowly, listening to Andiya¡¯s mind. She was in so much pain, but I couldn¡¯t feel it anymore. Was she blocking it? Were the doctors¡ªif that¡¯s what they were¡ªsparing me?

    I slept fitfully, tossing all night.

    I woke with a start at a servant in my room. My heart squeezed, and I was across the room, back to the wall, in a second.

    The servant cocked their head at me curiously. They were tall and thin, their skin like birch bark and their hair like autumn leaves. Similar to daemon in Barje Vos, but far softer. No claws, no fangs. Deliberate and slow. Delicate panels of red voile wrapped their body, trailing behind as they continued working. They laid out a set of clean, silken clothes on my bed.

    I took a deep, steadying breath. This daemon was not the same. Their hair was made of oak leaves, rustling gently as they moved, and peppered with tiny blossoms like goldenrod. They stood at barely half the height of the daemon from Barje Vos. This did not seem at all like the predator I knew.

    ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± I asked.

    They blinked at me.

    I pressed a hand to my chest. ¡°Rozin.¡±

    Their eyes brightened, and a smile of small, spiky teeth lit their face. They imitated my motion and spoke a series of wind-flute sounds. They bowed and left, silent as a deer through trees.

    I ate and laid on my bed. I tried reading one of the books on the desk, but they were all in the daemon tongue, a mess of sigils I¡¯d never seen. So I simply stared from my window and listened to Andiya, whispering at that smoke, begging her to wake up.

    For the first time in too long, I was truly alone.

    I hated it. I hated waiting here, clueless, without Andiya teasing me, or growling in my head, or spitting insults at me that I knew she only half-meant. I hated not being able to ask her who these daemons were, what they¡¯d do to her, how she felt seeing them again. I missed everything about her. I¡¯d rather be arguing with her every day than be in this silence forever.

    The bond vanished.

    I shot up. Hollow emptiness left a hole where Andiya had been. The hard knot at the back of my mind was simply, utterly gone. The silence was crushing.

    I ran to the cell bars and began shouting, screaming, slamming my hands on the door. The servant came running over, eyes wide.

    ¡°What happened to Andiya?¡± I demanded.

    The servant gave me a blank look.

    ¡°Verahai,¡± I said. ¡°Get General Verahai.¡± When the servant cringed nervously, I slammed the bars. ¡°VERAHAI!¡±

    The servant ran off.

    I paced, trying to breathe. Gone. How was she just gone? Was she alive? Dead? Had she died, and the daemons used some magic to spare me? I gripped my hair. She couldn¡¯t be dead. I¡¯d pray to every Creator, scream into the heavens until they answered me. I took Death¡¯s small quartz star from my pocket and held it close. Please. Please, Death, Judgement, whomever might still be listening. You¡¯d spared Andiya once, you could spare her again¡ªCreators, let her be alive¡ª

    ¡°What is the meaning of this?¡± demanded a disgruntled Verahai, hands clasped behind his back.

    I was against the bars in a blink. ¡°I lost Andiya¡ªthe bond is gone¡ªis she alive? What¡¯s happening? Why can¡¯t I see her?¡±

    General Verahai¡¯s wings rustled in irritation. ¡°You cannot see her, human, because I do not allow it.¡±

    ¡°But she¡¯s alive?¡±

    ¡°She is.¡±

    I sagged against the bars.

    ¡°Humans are not to enter our lands,¡± said Verahai. ¡°Andiya Mathaszai broke a sacred law in bringing you here. I demand to know why.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re here to petition the queens for help. The human lands are at war.¡± I shook my head. I hardly cared about that right now. ¡°Please. How is she?¡±

    ¡°What should that matter to you?¡±

    My heart ached. I knew my answer. I¡¯d known it for a long time.

    ¡°I love her.¡±

    General Verahai stilled. His eyes appraised me head to toe, a frown curling his brow. ¡°So you do,¡± he said flatly. He unbolted the door. ¡°Come with me.¡±

    I followed him down to the main floor, where we passed by courtiers in bright, lavish formal dress. A woman with twisting, diamond-like ram horns wore a chiton of sheer white lace, her ears adorned with heavy jewels. One woman wore a cerulean gown that wavered like a flowing river, another a robe of dark panels that shimmered like a metallic hummingbird. One man puffed clouds of rainbow smoke from a long pipe. A courtier in bright, reptilian orange lounged on a sun bed. His eyes were a solid emerald, edge to edge, his brow and cheekbones lined with serpentine scales.

    ¡°I give you your Mathaszai,¡± said Verahai. ¡°In her rightful place: among the court of El By Sea.¡±

    We passed through a towering arch of pale tiles and entered a cavernous hall. Potted ferns arched over piles of pillows. Two streams flowed in depressions, winding around the hall in the pattern of a lotus. Reclining courtiers on piles of pillows took no notice of us, smoking and whispering and laughing with their hands covering their teeth.

    A small group chatted quietly on the other side of the hall, glittering under a shaft of light.

    ¡°Andiya!¡± I shouted.

    The hall silenced. She turned, eyes wide. Andiya looked every part a member of this court. They¡¯d given her new clothes of deep scarlet, two rich ribbons of silk that flowed down her body and cinched at her waist by a sash of gold. Her hair fell down her back in gentle waves, a halo of pearls woven around her forehead. And painted on her skin, as they had been when I¡¯d met her, golden patterns crawled up her arms, her side, her thighs, across her ribcage. A gold collar of etched runes hid the bonding tattoo on her neck.

    I tried to run for her, but Verahai¡¯s hand fell on my shoulder. My mind searched for Andiya, but she just wasn¡¯t there anymore.

    Andiya¡¯s eyes turned cold. She turned away, and the hall¡¯s low chatter started again.

    I waited. She never looked back, as if she¡¯d never seen me at all. My eyes stung as if I¡¯d been slapped.

    ¡°You are not the first to love a Mathaszai and suffer for it,¡± said Verahai. He led me away, and when he took me back to my cell, I didn¡¯t say a word in argument.

 Chapter 35: A Promise Met

    Two days passed. I spent my time in complete silence, staring vaguely out of the window, listening to the palace¡¯s music below me, doing everything in my power not to think of Andiya, or how her eyes had been so cold¡ªor how she¡¯d pretended like I¡¯d meant nothing at all.

    Did I mean nothing?

    I tried to keep the doubts back, keep my trust in her, but the thoughts still managed to slip through. We were in Kaelta now. Andiya had no need to pretend to care, or to pretend she was my friend. Was it all a lie? Did she really care about me, about the human world, or was it all a trick to bring her here?

    I barely slept. I couldn¡¯t.

    I curled up in bed, pressing my forehead to the wall. My cell door opened, but I ignored it. It didn¡¯t matter.

    A hand poked my side. The birch-skinned servant blinked nervously at me.

    ¡°What?¡± I asked.

    The servant moved to the open cell bars waved me to follow.

    The moon hung bright in the dark sky, making it somewhere after midnight. Silently, we secreted through the palace. We slipped through the courtyards, careful to dodge the few courtiers strolling around them, and continued right out of the surrounding walls. A warm ocean breeze caught my hair, smelling of salt and the sweetness of jungle flowers. The servant ushered me towards a set of stairs that jutted out from the sea wall. When my foot hit the first step, they bowed once and fluttered quickly away.

    The stairs, carved straight from the cliffs, led down to a star-lit, black-sand beach. It was a continuation of the palace complex, the beach dotted with pillowed beach chairs, obsidian dining tables, parasols, and rock pools that steamed like hot springs. In the moonlight, the waters glowed faintly silver.

    A hooded figure stood right in the water¡¯s edge, draped in a dark cloak. The cloak¡¯s hem floated in the waves, the sea rolling gently in the light breeze.

    At the sound of my approach, the figure turned and threw back their hood. Impossibly red hair, a row of pearls. Scarlet, beautiful eyes. I broke into a dead sprint, my bare feet splashing into the water. We met with a crash. Andiya drew me into a crushing hug.

    I gripped her back, holding her to me. She wore some perfume of cinnamon and spices, and I buried my face in her hair, just keeping her close. I didn¡¯t know where we stood. I didn¡¯t know what she wanted with me. But right now, this was all I needed. Andiya was alive, and well, and she was here.

    ¡°Rozin,¡± she breathed. One of her hands travelled over my shoulder, up my neck, her thumb resting on my jaw. I shivered. Andiya lifted my face from her hair and then she was there, an inch away, her breath washing over my skin. Waiting. As she¡¯d been waiting a long time, I knew, for me to see her as she wanted me to. As her own; not as my burden, my guilt.

    My forehead touched hers. She breathed in softly, the sound almost lost in the gentle crash of waves. Standing there, the water washing over our ankles, the moon bathing us in silver, the world felt so clear, so calm. I loved Andiya. No matter what that would cost me.

    I kissed her.

    She was soft and warm, flush with my chest, her fingers so gentle on my jaw. Andiya tasted of spices and woodsmoke, the same delicious, head-spinning scent I always caught from her skin. The kiss was slow, gentle, testing the space between us. And it felt right. It felt as though this was where I belonged, with Andiya in my arms, wherever that may be.

    She kissed me back, pressing the nape of my neck. The kiss deepened, and my breathing went tight. Andiya¡¯s grip tightened. Heat flashed up my spine. I could want this forever. I¡¯d never need anything, anyone else. Only her.

    I pulled her waist, pressing her harder to me. Andiya gasped against my lips. All I could focus on was her; wanting her, feeling her, tasting her on my tongue. I felt alive in ways that I thought were long dead, that had been torn out of me after Barje Vos. I¡¯d never really wanted anyone after Kamala. The women after her had only been a release, numb minded, ephemeral. But I wanted this to last. To wake every morning with Andiya in my arms. To feel her on top of me, as I had at the inn.

    Andiya moved my hand to the gold collar at her throat. ¡°Take it off,¡± she breathed. ¡°I can¡¯t feel you.¡±

    I flicked open a fine clasp, and the collar tumbled into the sand.

    And she was there. Andiya¡¯s mind filled me in a boiling wave. I felt winded, my body setting itself on fire. Her every kiss was laced with a burning, desperate desire, echoing from her body to mine. My fingers wound tight in her hair. Her kisses travelled down to the hollow of my jaw, down my neck. Then her hand slid under the hem of my shirt, brushing sensitive skin. I couldn¡¯t quiet my small gasp. Here. Now. On some empty beach against the roaring sea¡ª

    The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    Andiya pulled me out of the water. She waved her hand, and light flared to life behind us. Carved into the black cliff were deep alcoves set with multitudes of tiny lamps, their floors an intricate pattern of wave-like tiles. They mirrored the palace above, each one furnished like lavish pleasure rooms. Andiya made for one of them: set inside was a wide bed draped in rich blankets, its canopy of diaphanous cerulean. Of course. This beach was a palace for courtiers, for royalty. And what queen did not want to take her pleasures in full view of a sparkling sea?

    Andiya spun us, pinning herself under me on the bed. I kissed her fiercely, feeling her squirm and gasp as she arched her back on the silks. I let her touch me, run her hands on my stomach, sides, up my ribs. She gripped my shirt and drew it off, kissing down my throat as it went. Her teeth nipped at my collarbone, and I shuddered.

    ¡°You¡¯re afraid,¡± Andiya purred against me. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. Do you remember what I said to you at the inn?¡±

    I couldn¡¯t remember anything with her hands on me, grazing my ribs, sweeping just below my breast band.

    ¡°I¡¯ve touched you enough, Rozin,¡± she growled in my ear. ¡°Touch me. I promised to enjoy it.¡±

    My self-control snapped. I tore away her delicate gold belt, and her dress fell open, the deep fabric sliding from her body like a waterfall. A tiny silk slip was all that covered her beneath it, tight on her soft curves. I ran my hand up the silk, cupping her breast, relishing the softness. Andiya cried out faintly as my thumb pressed her peaked nipple and swirled roughly. My grip hardened. She grappled my other wrist and ran it up her thigh.

    ¡°Not yet,¡± I growled. ¡°You wanted me to touch you. Let me do it.¡±

    I kissed down her neck, down her chest, and yanked her slip down. I took her nipple in my mouth.

    Andiya gasped and arched, forcing herself closer, tighter. My teeth grazed her as my hand dug into her hip. Andiya¡¯s thighs spread wide, taking me in, and she ground against me slowly. I savoured her caught breathing, her gasps, her gentle cries. I moved rougher, fingers digging deep in her skin, nipping at the softness of her breast, taking in every signal that she wanted more. I began grinding back and forth in a slow rhythm, careful to just brush between her legs with my body every so often.

    ¡°Rozin¡ª¡± she tried, and gasped when I bit her ribcage.

    I dragged a hand along the sensitive skin of her inner thigh. ¡°So impatient.¡±

    ¡°Hurry up.¡±

    I didn¡¯t. Instead, I pushed up the silk slip, bunching it at her waist. I closed what little space remained between us, pulling Andiya into a fierce kiss. She melted in my arms, relinquishing any control. A rush of power filled me with heat. Andiya was a being of terrible, devastating strength; she was a force that could level cities, grind monarchs into dust. But she was here, tortured with need at my touch, desperate to feel me on her.

    My hand travelled up her thigh, following the softness to its head. My fingers found a wetness that made my head spin. Andiya rolled against my fingers, welcoming them in. I obliged her. My finger slid in, then another, my thumb pushing at the apex between her legs. Andiya moaned, her nails digging into my shoulder. She reached to my waistband, but I shoved her hand away. I kept working at her, kissing trailing lower and lower. I paused just below her navel, my hand freezing. Waiting to hear her need.

    ¡°Do it. Damn you, Rozin, just fucking do it¡ª¡±

    My mouth joined my fingers. I ran my tongue along her, into her, tasting her heat as she moaned and balled a fist in my hair. Andiya pushed me in deeper. My hand and tongue worked in tandem, my free hand clawed at her hip, locking her to me. Andiya¡¯s cries grew louder, her breathing more ragged. I found the spot that made her gasp and flinch, and hit it over and over.

    ¡°Don¡¯t stop,¡± she growled. ¡°Don¡¯t you fucking dare.¡± As if I would.

    I felt the moment she went over the edge. Andiya went taut, her voice caught, and she tightened around my hand. Her thighs crushed my head. I kept working her through it, taking in every delicious moment. When she went limp, I withdrew and braced my hands at her knees.

    I just stared at her, my body aching, needing more of her. Andiya smirked at me, her body shining with sweat, a sharp tooth poking her lip.

    ¡°Even better than your memories,¡± she said through pants.

    I pressed a kiss to her inner knee. ¡°You watched me with others?¡±

    ¡°I was curious. You never spoke of any women, let alone any that you had.¡±

    ¡°And what did you think?¡±

    Her smirk widened. ¡°Those memories certainly kept me up at night. I may have watched them more than once¡ªseveral times, that night at the inn. Are you angry with me for it?¡±

    ¡°Very. But I do think there¡¯s a way to make me forget.¡±

    Andiya surged up, hooking a finger in my waistband. She tossed me underneath her like I weighed nothing at all, the display of pure power sending a shiver down my neck. She gripped the delicate, silky clothing that the servant had given me, tearing them from my body like tissue paper. Using my hand, she drew the slip over her head. Andiya was wholly naked on top of me, flush in the cheeks with desire, her hair mussed, small curls stuck to her skin from sweat. She shoved me down and kissed me forcefully, tasting herself on my lips, her strength pinning and crushing me, but all I wanted was rougher, harder. Her fingers slid low, up my thigh, against my wetness. She drew a harsh cry from my throat, and she smiled against my lips at the sound. I surrendered to her, let myself gasp and moan at every incredible stroke as I had never allowed myself to before. Through the bond, I let her feel my pleasure, let know that I allowed her to see a part of me that no one else ever had. When I tightened, she slowed, taking my nipple between her teeth. Then she moved back, always bringing me just to the edge before pulling away. I realised what she was doing. Andiya was using the bond, reacting to my pleasure as it built and fell, drawing it out.

    ¡°Let me¡ªlet me¡ª¡±

    She pressed a wet finger to my mouth. ¡°Trust me.¡±

    Her thumb pressed my lip down, and I tasted myself; then her hand returned to where I wanted, needed it to.

    When Andiya finally finished me, it was a release I¡¯d never known. My entire body trembled with it as climax took me, dragging out a strangled cry. It stretched on and on, so long my vision popped with stars.

    I went slack on the sheets, gasping for air.

    Andiya lay beside me, pressing her body into my side. The lanterns flickered gently, the sea crashing just beyond the alcove.

    ¡°No one knows we¡¯re gone,¡± Andiya murmured. She swirled a finger against my hip bone, drawing a shiver. ¡°We have all night, Rozin.¡±

    ¡°And I intend to make the most of it,¡± I sent into her mind, and a renewed flash of heat passed up the bond.

 Chapter 36: A Captive Audience

    Waves whispered gently just beyond the alcove, rushing over the sand. I listened in silence, my fingers running slowly through Andiya¡¯s hair. If morning never came, I would be happy. I would be happy even if it were my last night on earth.

    But my mind clawed at me, keeping me awake. I had to tell her about Khalid. I had to tell Andiya that we may be able to save him. No part of me doubted her anymore.

    ¡°Can we talk?¡± I asked.

    Andiya stretched, resting her cheek on my shoulder. ¡°If you are going to say anything to spoil my good mood, then no.¡± When I stayed silent, she sighed. ¡°We have the rest of our lives for doom and gloom, Rozin. Let¡¯s have tonight.¡±

    I swallowed my confession. It could wait one more night. My hand brushed down her arm, and I turned her so I could see.

    ¡°There¡¯s no mark,¡± I said, my thumb rubbing her chest. Andiya put her hand on mine.

    ¡°You can thank the healers for that. Queen Xanthe set her full force on me. She said that if the Creators wanted me alive, they were going to carry out that will.¡±

    ¡°I thought that you ¡­¡± I swallowed. ¡°When I couldn¡¯t feel the bond ¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m all right. The bond was still there, trust me. Verahai put that collar on me to contain my magic. It¡¯s common practice in the palace to control delinquents.¡± Her fingers brushed my jaw. ¡°But I still felt you there. Through everything.¡± Her voice dropped to a whisper. ¡°I¡¯m glad I wasn¡¯t alone.¡±

    I kissed the top of her head. ¡°Always.¡±

    ¡°The queens hear our petition tomorrow. Verahai wants you to testify. Queen Xanthe has the powers of a sensor, so no lies. Just ask her for help, and she¡¯ll grant it. You have nothing to fear from her.¡±

    ¡°But you sound worried.¡±

    ¡°I just don¡¯t like being here. The sooner we leave, the happier I¡¯ll be.¡±

    ¡°You seemed to fit in well, when I saw you.¡±

    She huffed. ¡°Fit in as well as a pet. The guards haven¡¯t let me out of their sight since I woke up. I know ¡­ that I hurt you, by turning away. But I did not want those sycophants at court to see any more of me than they already had¡ªand that I care for a human is far more than they deserve to know. They scrutinize and question my every motion. That clown Verahai already thinks I¡¯m here to stir up discord. As if a bonded Faithless is any threat to the great court of Kaelta.¡±

    ¡°Verahai said your last name was Mathaszai.¡±

    Andiya¡¯s breathing flinched. ¡°What else did he tell you?¡±

    ¡°Little. This is the most anyone¡¯s said to me in days.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t make me too jealous of your cell. I¡¯d love it if everyone else just left me the hell alone.¡± She drew circles on my stomach. ¡°It won¡¯t end, you know. Not until we run so far that no one knows our names.¡±

    ¡°Is that what you really want?¡±

    ¡°I want to run with you, Rozin. Wherever we end up, it is better than with those who will only control us.¡±

    I swallowed hard. Run. Abandon my life, my friends. Turn deserter. Could I do it?

    Andiya shot up. Her eyes flicked around as if she¡¯d heard something.

    ¡°Rozin,¡± she breathed. ¡°Get dressed.¡±

    A strange pressure pulsed in the air. I felt it in my chest like a low hum. Magic. But magic far stronger than I¡¯d ever felt from Andiya, filling the alcove as it buzzed on my skin.

    I threw on my clothes as Andiya re-wrapped her dress. Pale, orange dawn lightened the horizon.

    A furious growl ripped from Andiya¡¯s throat. She charged from the alcove, and we came face-to-face with Verahai and a dozen guards at his back, standing at attention.

    ¡°You were not to leave your chambers, Faithless,¡± said Verahai.

    ¡°I am not a prisoner in my own home, dog,¡± spat Andiya.

    ¡°Perhaps not, but your master certainly is.¡± A guard stepped aside, revealing the birch-skinned servant who¡¯d brought me here. They trembled behind the guards, holding their chest.

    ¡°Threatening my staff, removing your collar, disobeying direct orders from the queens to remain in your chambers. Come, Faithless. We shall decide a suitable reprimand.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll come when I choose to,¡± Andiya snarled. ¡°Go on back to your kennel.¡±

    Verahai¡¯s eyes slid to me. ¡°She freed you from your cell so that you could remove her collar. It is spelled so that she could not remove it. Had she not needed you for that, you would remain in your cell.¡±

    ¡°Liar!¡± shouted Andiya.

    ¡°Go on, then. Tell your master that your only goal in freeing her was to spend the night in the arms of your beloved.¡±

    ¡°Fuck you, Verahai. Get out of my way. I¡¯m going to take this up with Queen Xanthe. We¡¯ll see if she approves of you treating me this way.¡±

    ¡°Queen Xanthe was not who granted your petition,¡± said Verahai.

    ¡°No. Don¡¯t you say it. Don¡¯t you dare say that bitch¡¯s name¡ª¡±

    ¡°Queen Mathaszai is eager to hear what you have to say. You will speak to her, or to no one.¡±

    Andiya¡¯s eyes hit the ground. I felt her magic rising in a burning cyclone. But my breath caught at what Verahai had said. Queen Mathaszai?

    ¡°Replace your collar, Faithless, and come with me.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Andiya ground out.

    ¡°Then I shall replace it for you.¡±

    Flames burst around Andiya¡¯s hands. ¡°If you can. Give it your best go.¡±

    Verahai took a step forward, separating from his soldiers, and Andiya launched at him. Fire burst from her, rolling down her hair and back, turning her into a comet. She slashed out with a claw of razor-sharp flame.

    Her hand met Verahai¡¯s forearm. He didn¡¯t even flinch as he blocked the blow with the solidity of a brick wall. Andiya tried to pull away¡ªbut her hand was encased in ice, the crystals growing straight from Verahai¡¯s skin. Panic flashed through Andiya. Magic flared into her trapped hand, and she freed herself with a ferocious explosion out of her palm.

    As Andiya leapt back, Verahai merely stood still, unfazed.

    ¡°Come quietly, Faithless,¡± he said flatly. ¡°You are young and yet untrained. This is folly.¡±

    In response, Andiya whipped a fireball at him.

    Verahai¡¯s response was barely a blink. The ocean surged up the shore, freezing as it went. Waves of snow crashed down, hoarfrost formed on the cliffs, turning the beach into an icy mountaintop amidst a terrible blizzard. Andiya¡¯s fireball fizzled up. Ice crawled from the frozen beach up her ankles, shins, thighs. Verahai didn¡¯t even move. His magic pressed against my chest, so powerful that I was rooted to the spot. Andiya hadn¡¯t stood a chance.

    ¡°You let me out of this, you bastard!¡± Andiya bellowed. Ice swallowed her up to her neck in a crystalline cocoon.

    The ice beside her shifted, and the collar rose to the surface.

    ¡°You ought to learn some respect,¡± said Verahai. ¡°My sympathetic of a brother is no longer here to defend your childish moods. You may find, daughter of the Faithless, that there is a day when my patience for you runs short.¡±

    He raised his hand and flicked a finger. The ice curled delicately like an outstretched hand and snapped the collar around Andiya¡¯s neck.

    The moment it clicked in place, the ice melted. The beach warmed and the snow vanished in a hiss of steam, returned to its natural state. Andiya dropped to her knees, breathing hard.

    A pair of guards separated from the group and stood on either side of me.

    You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

    ¡°Human,¡± said Verahai. ¡°You will be prepared for your audience with our queen. Go, now.¡±

    ¡°And Andiya?¡± I asked. The guards took my arms.

    ¡°Her and I need to have a word. There seems to be much she has forgotten about my palace in her absence.¡±

    And so the guards pulled me away, up the beach, too forceful and fast for a final look at Andiya.

    *

    I was left to pace in my cell for hours. I couldn¡¯t sit still. Not with Verahai¡¯s words spinning my brain. Queen Mathaszai. How were she and Andiya related? Why did Andiya not tell me she had royal blood?

    I paused in my step. It would certainly explain Andiya¡¯s iron-spined personality. She and Princess Irina were too similar at times.

    My palm wrapped the small quartz star in my pocket. Andiya was captive, Irina was captive, and we only had a week left. Protect them, Creators. Please. Shield them when I cannot.

    A pair of servants arrived with familiar clothing. It was the uniform of an Eon¡ªwolf pelt, black cloak, dark leather accents and bracers. But it wasn¡¯t the same as what I¡¯d worn on the Korongorod. The fabric was softer, more delicate. A facsimile made by daemon hands; not for battle, but for show.

    The servants bathed me and shaved the side of my head, then carefully applied the Eon¡¯s mark under my eyes. When they were finished, their gazes followed my feet. I no longer looked like a prisoner. I served an archon; I was their enemy.

    We went up the main floor, passing scores of daemons in elaborate clothing. It seemed the entire palace came gathered today, and they dressed to dazzle. I straightened my back, half-closed my eyes in mild disinterest. I was an Eon of the Canavar. I had to show everyone in this court what that meant.

    We entered a grand hall, the walls and ceilings mosaics of intricate tiles in Kaeltan pattern. Potted palms leaned fronds over archways, sunlight poured through a domed ceiling of bronze and glass. Courtiers lined the walls, dripping in jewels and feathers and bright silks. They watched us enter, their expressions curious¡ªbut not, as I expected, at all hostile. How many humans had ever appeared in this court? Had they ever even seen my kind before?

    The servants brought me to the centre of the hall and pulled me to bow, pressing my forehead to the floor tiles. When I lifted my head, I beheld Queen Mathaszai.

    She sat on a throne of painted metal, thousands of cast peacock feathers rising at her back. Her gown was fit to match¡ªa deep lapis blue sewn with gold and emerald, the hem pouring down the throne¡¯s steps. Impossible red hair flowed under a crown of antlers and roses, the front set with a ruby in the shape of bright flame. The same flame as the one tattooed on my arm.

    ¡°I welcome you, Rozin Kain, servant of the Canavar,¡± said the queen in a deep, echoing voice. She caught me with familiar scarlet eyes, as sharp and vicious as Andiya¡¯s. ¡°I am told you come here with a request for the Kaeltan crown. Speak your piece.¡±

    I glanced quickly around the hall. Andiya was nowhere to be found. Behind me, Verahai nodded. Speak.

    ¡°Your Majesty,¡± I began. I¡¯d practiced my words a hundred times in my head. ¡°I come to you as a faithful servant of the Creators. I have been told you serve them as well.¡±

    Queen Mathaszai nodded slowly. ¡°I do.¡±

    ¡°At this very moment, a usurper sits on a throne that is not his. He has stolen it with lies, cruelty, and blood, and with his power, he has begun a war amongst our people that will devastate those who are powerless to defend against it. If we do not act swiftly and decisively to remove him, thousands of innocent lives will be lost. I have been sent by the true heir to the Canavar throne, Irina Volkov, to secure an alliance with the great nation of Kaelta. Together, my princess wishes for daemon and human to build a better world. One free of old hatreds and prejudices, where we might greet each other as friends.¡±

    The hall was silent for mere moments as the queen drummed her fingers on her throne. Then she sighed wearily.

    ¡°Eon,¡± said Queen Mathaszai. ¡°The crown has heard your petition, and the crown denies it. We bid you good day. Verahai, please return Eon Kain to her cell. The court shall now deliver punishment to Andiya Mathaszai for violating royal decree.¡±

    My heart stopped. ¡°Wait¡ªplease, Your Majesty¡ª¡±

    ¡°The crown sees no benefit to an alliance with the human lands. And we see no reason why daemons should be involved in a petty matter of succession. It is not our place.¡±

    ¡°People will die!¡±

    ¡°And people shall kill them. It is not our war.¡± Queen Mathaszai waved me away. Verahai approached. ¡°Bring in my niece.¡±

    From the archway behind, guards led Andiya to my side. She wore a gentle robe of white silk and a silver-chain belt, the sort that made her look soft, weak. Shackles bound her wrists and ankles. She didn¡¯t even look at me. Andiya¡¯s fury burned through her eyes at the queen, scarlet meeting scarlet.

    Andiya¡¯s lip curled over her teeth. ¡°These restraints are not necessary¡ª¡±

    ¡°Did I say you could speak?¡± Queen Mathaszai snapped. ¡°You are here as an accused, not as an equal. That right is reserved for those who follow the laws of my kingdom.¡±

    A handful of the courtiers tittered. The queen smiled slyly at them.

    ¡°We can offer more!¡± I shouted. ¡°There must be something we can give; some agreement you¡¯d be willing to make¡ª¡±

    Queen Mathaszai¡¯s calm demeanour flashed with irritation. ¡°There is not. You are lucky to leave my sight with your head, Eon.¡± The peacock feathers behind her shimmered with heat. ¡°Your very presence here is an insult of the gravest magnitude. You ask me to give you the lives of my people so they may die in a trivial war. You, who murdered a beloved member of this court. You, who bound scores of us. You, who bound a member of my family and brought her here to rub her in my face. How could you expect to step into this home and make these demands of me? Of the nation you have wronged so?¡±

    I struggled for words. She was right. But I couldn¡¯t give up. Verahai¡¯s hand closed on my wrist.

    ¡°If I could give you Khalid?¡± I said desperately. ¡°If I could free him and Andiya?¡±

    Verahai¡¯s hand tightened. He didn¡¯t pull me away.

    ¡°He¡¯s your brother, isn¡¯t he?¡± I said to Verahai. He didn¡¯t reply, but he didn¡¯t have to. I could see it in the planes of his face, the depth to his black eyes. I faced the queen. ¡°I believe there is a way to free them. Agree to the alliance¡ªhelp me save my people, and I vow on my life to free them. They will be what they once were.¡±

    I managed a glance at Andiya. She stared at me, eyes wide. The fight seemed to have gone out of her. I couldn¡¯t lie to the queen. Andiya knew it was truth¡ªbut how long had I known? How long had I hidden it from her?

    ¡°What you speak of is a way to free all bonded,¡± said Queen Mathaszai. ¡°Am I to understand that this is what you are offering me?¡±

    I straightened to my full height. ¡°It is.¡±

    Queen Mathaszai¡¯s brow drew. The court seemed to hold its breath. The courtiers were frozen as statues.

    ¡°In light of your new offer, Eon, I shall take tonight to consider your war carefully. This court shall hear my verdict tomorrow morning.¡± She sighed. ¡°Faithless. Do you believe this human is capable of delivering her promise to us?¡±

    Andiya only stared at her feet. ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Very well. See the Eon out, Verahai.¡±

    Verahai tugged gently at my shoulder.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Andiya,¡± I rushed out. ¡°I tried to tell you last night, I wanted to tell you so badly¡ª¡±

    ¡°Hush,¡± Verahai said sharply. In a lower voice, he murmured, ¡°Not here.¡±

    Andiya pretended not to hear me, completely still. Guards took her arms and brought her closer to Queen Mathaszai, so the queen might deliver her punishment.

    And once again, I was brought to my lonely cell, a hole in my mind where Andiya should have been.

    *

    It was long after dinner, and I lay on my bed, lost in thought. There was so much I didn¡¯t understand, so much I still didn¡¯t know. The quartz star rolled around in my palm, somehow still cold against my skin. I whispered prayers to the ceiling. It had been years since I¡¯d asked so much of the Creators¡ªor since I¡¯d even bothered asking at all.

    Verahai¡¯s shadow appeared beyond my bars. I closed my fist to hide the star.

    ¡°I am here to speak with you in confidence,¡± said Verahai. ¡°I would appreciate your discretion.¡±

    ¡°Are you going to take me to Andiya?¡±

    ¡°I am under strict orders to keep you from her.¡±

    ¡°Then we have nothing to discuss.¡±

    Verahai opened my door and sat on the stool across my cell. His wings shifted uncomfortably.

    ¡°My brother,¡± he said, ¡°cared for Andiya more than anything in the world. He once told me that the youngest of the Mathaszai family was the closest thing to a daughter he would ever have.¡±

    I said nothing, staring at the ceiling.

    ¡°I was heavily opposed to his attachment to her. Khalid took it upon himself to defend Andiya at every opportunity, no matter the personal cost. The girl was a terror. She was ill-manned, and violent, and held no respect for the queens or their court. But Khalid loved that girl with all his heart. I could not understand.¡±

    ¡°You couldn¡¯t understand kindness?¡± I scoffed.

    ¡°I could not understand why a decorated, respected soldier would risk his position for the sake of a traitor. Why my brother put Andiya over his true family. I listened to the court whispering. They pitied Khalid. They thought war had damaged him. Every time Andiya attacked someone, or set fires, or threatened her aunt, Khalid would shoulder the blame. War made a fool of Khalid, others said. He was so weak that a child walked all over him. I begged my brother to let her go.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t give up on someone you love.¡±

    ¡°There are times when you should. But Khalid asked for allowance after allowance for that girl. He asked that she repent for her and her family¡¯s actions by serving with him as a royal guard. I thought he¡¯d be laughed out of Kaelta for suggesting it. He almost was. But the queens were merciful. As recognition for his past service, they said, they would accept the little Faithless. But we all knew it was pity. All of it only pity. Let the dog keep his toy. My brother fell from a war hero to a disgrace.¡±

    ¡°And why are you telling me this?¡±

    ¡°As a warning. Andiya may love you now, but she will use you and throw you away just as she did my brother. I see it happening again. She will be exactly what you want until she doesn¡¯t need you anymore. For my brother, it was someone more broken then he was¡ªa lonely little girl who had no one else to protect her. For you¡ªwhat is she?¡±

    I sat up and faced Verahai. ¡°I pity you,¡± I spat. ¡°For having so much hate in your heart. You don¡¯t know a damn thing about me or Andiya. Do you even know why she¡¯s here? For me. She came back to beg from the people who made her life hell for my sake. And you have the gall to say she is cruel for it.¡±

    ¡°My brother once used those words. And where is he now?¡±

    ¡°I bound Khalid, not Andiya. It seems to me that you¡¯re blaming Andiya instead of yourself. Did you even try to understand Khalid, before condemning him?¡±

    The room felt cold. I¡¯d forgotten the power under Verahai¡¯s skin¡ªthe ice that had crawled out from within it.

    ¡°I came here as a courtesy,¡± he said. ¡°I see now that it is as pointless with you as it was with my brother. So I will leave you with what I truly came to say.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear it.¡±

    ¡°I know Queen Mathaszai. She will make a show of considering your offer, but she will never accept it. She will keep you here, and she will drag the information out of you. Queen Mathaszai is many things, but generous is not one of them. She has what she wants already. You will not see the human world again. Andiya knows this just as well as I, and she has always known.¡±

    I stood, my temper rising to a boil. How dare he. How dare he abuse her, lock her up, smear her character. He didn¡¯t know her. I did.

    ¡°You don¡¯t know that, and neither does Andiya. I can feel when she lies. I can see into her heart. Something you, who seems to lack one, would never understand. You watched as a court ridiculed and abused your brother, and you blamed him for it. You blamed a little girl for acting out, when you should have asked why she did it. She was alone. Orphaned. Hated. Mocked. Was she meant to take that lying down? Would she have turned out differently if she were loved, rather than made into a pariah?¡± My fists tightened. ¡°So why should I listen to you? Why should I believe any of this?¡±

    Cold wind blasted through the cell. I saw my breath.

    ¡°I want you out,¡± I hissed. ¡°Get out.¡±

    Verahai nodded coldly. ¡°Until tomorrow, Eon Kain. I hope you make the most of your life in this cell.¡±

 Chapter 37: Ever the Faithful

    The throne room was packed full of daemons of every shade and size. It seemed like every noble in Kaelta had come to witness the queen¡¯s decision. Would history be made today? Would the daemons fight a war on the side of humanity?

    Rows of guards separated us from the crowd, keeping the courtiers back along the walls. Blades gleamed at their hips. Verahai stood at the throne¡¯s side, Andiya at mine before it. But Andiya had not even reacted to my entrance. She looked pointedly away, her jaw tight.

    We dropped to deep bows as the queen strode in, trailing swaths of deep ruby silk behind her. A waifish figure walked at her side: a woman with long, sharp ears and flat black hair that drifted listlessly to her hips. Her dress was a blue so pale it was nearly white, the panels sheening slightly like a dragonfly¡¯s wing. A simple crown of glass antlers sat on her head, surrounding two thin white horns that stood up straight like needles.

    Shocked murmuring rocked the hall. The frail woman sat primly on the steps before the throne, scanning the court with tired, purple-ringed eyes. Queen Mathaszai took her place on the throne. The hall hushed.

    ¡°Welcome, all,¡± said Queen Mathaszai. ¡°I thank you for bearing witness to our proceedings today. I understand your surprise in Queen Xanthe¡¯s appearance in our court, but she has assured me that she is well enough to represent the divine here today. The Creators have demanded her presence.¡±

    The frail woman on the steps met my eyes. There was a strange magnetism to Queen Xanthe, as though she were the most important thing in the room. Her mouth twisted in a faint half-smile.

    I flicked my eyes to Andiya, a question in them. Her brow furrowed. ¡°Queen Mathaszai¡¯s wife,¡± Andiya growled under her breath. ¡°Representative of the Creators.¡±

    ¡°I have thought long and deeply on the offer of the Canavar,¡± continued Queen Mathaszai. ¡°And it is the opinion of the Kaeltan crown that what humanity offers is a pittance for what Kaelta will pay for it. As such, it is in our best interests to decline the Canavar¡¯s hand in alliance.¡±

    A harsh whine began in my ears. No. This couldn¡¯t be it. We¡¯d come all this way, risked so much¡ª

    ¡°However,¡± said Queen Xanthe, her whispery voice like wind on leaves. ¡°In recognition of Eon Kain¡¯s heroic efforts in bringing her archon¡¯s offer to us, we grant Eon Kain a place in the palace of El-by-Sea. She may enjoy our court¡¯s hospitality until the crown deems it safe for her to return to the human lands.¡±

    Verahai met my eyes. This was happening just as he said it would.

    ¡°As a show of good faith,¡± continued Queen Mathaszai, ¡°and in exchange for her place at El-By-Sea, Eon Kain will use her knowledge of the bond to free Andiya Mathaszai from her servitude. If the un-bonding is successful, the Kaeltan court will consider Andiya Mathaszai¡¯s past crimes forgiven, and her place as Royal Guard in this court restored.¡±

    Queen Xanthe¡¯s gaze drifted to Andiya. ¡°Faithless,¡± she said. ¡°Would you accept this verdict?¡±

    Andiya straightened. ¡°Will the crown hear my demands first?¡±

    Queen Mathaszai scoffed. ¡°This court has heard enough of your demands over the years. Yes, or no?¡±

    Stolen novel; please report.

    Queen Xanthe put a hand on Queen Mathaszai¡¯s shin. ¡°Mercy, my love. Mercy is the will of the Creators, and Death¡¯s will for Andiya. We shall hear you, Faithless.¡±

    ¡°I want my collar removed,¡± Andiya said immediately.

    ¡°That collar is for your own protection,¡± said Queen Xanthe. ¡°There have been far too many incidents of violence in your past already. I would hate to see you behind cell bars.¡± She frowned slightly. ¡°Have you no words for your human?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Have you no concern for her people?¡±

    ¡°Would it matter if I did? She is to be imprisoned, and I freed. Shall I protest this verdict?¡±

    ¡°Some would call you cruel if you did not.¡±

    ¡°Empty words from an empty court. The crown has never listened to my words, and I doubt they will begin now. Do what you will with us, O exalted rulers. We are in no position to change your minds.¡±

    All I could do was stand and watch as my heart caved in. I struggled to hold myself together. I¡¯d failed. And no one would tell Irina that help would never come.

    Queen Mathaszai huffed sharply through her nose. She seemed to have grown tired of us already. ¡°If that is all you have to say, I see no further need to waste this court¡¯s time. Return the Eon to her cell, and my niece to her chambers.¡±

    My hand closed around the quartz star in my pocket. Creators, if you were real, if you were still even listening ¡­ help my people. Help Andiya. Help me.

    The ceiling went black.

    Panicked voices erupted from the court. The sun was gone.

    Instead of the soft mid-morning that had shone beyond the stained glass only moment ago, a curtain of night enveloped the palace. A field of faint stars painted the sky. For a moment, I stared up through the glass, completely at ease. I knew I should be afraid, but I wasn¡¯t.

    The shadows in the hall¡¯s corners came to life. They stretched, slithered along the tiles, wound up the walls like impenetrable smoke. Courtiers screamed, rushed away from the walls, pinned between the shadows and the lines of guards. Terror herded them into tight groups of wide eyes and small screams.

    Andiya didn¡¯t scream. She didn¡¯t run. Her eyes were wide, blinking rapidly, and she trembled in her place like she¡¯d been thrown in an icy river. All the life, all the colour, seemed to have drained straight out of her.

    ¡°Andiya?¡± I asked. ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡±

    Her lips barely parted. The word was an unsteady breath. ¡°Death.¡±

    Queen Xanthe¡¯s soft voice floated into my ear. ¡°Eon Kain,¡± she said. ¡°What is in your pocket?¡±

    I opened my palm, holding it out to her.

    The quartz was not quartz anymore¡ªbut a bright, shining star. Black night poured from it, falling from my palm, pops of stars weaving themselves among the shadows. If I looked closely, flashes of the world curled beyond the smoky night¡ªa dark wood, a moon over water, a panther¡¯s eyes, a wind rushing over a sleeping field, comets streaking over a village. I saw the world as a god would; presiding over a kingdom of sunless sky.

    Queen Mathaszai was petrified like Andiya, her knuckles white on the throne, but Queen Xanthe seemed completely at ease. She drifted towards me, dreamlike. Her hands cupped mine.

    ¡°Death has given us her word once more,¡± she murmured. Queen Xanthe smiled gently at Andiya. ¡°Just as she did for you.¡±

    Andiya trembled in her chains, frozen in terror. She watched the star as it were with a lion with its jaws on her throat. I wanted to take her hand, comfort her. It was okay. I knew it was, even if I didn¡¯t know why. But this little star was mine. It wouldn¡¯t hurt me.

    Queen Xanthe¡¯s hands were cold on mine. ¡°By darkness, we are given light. And in this light, we shall find our way.¡± She dipped her head at me in a respectful bow. ¡°Eon Kain. Death has chosen us to exact her will. What shall we decree?¡±

    The star in my palm seemed to murmur, breathing an ancient tongue I did not understand. Calm washed over me. Death¡¯s will was mine. This court was mine.

    ¡°The Kaeltan crown will support Irina Volkov¡¯s claim to the Canavar throne. And they will accept her offer of alliance with an open heart.¡±

    Queen Xanthe brushed her thumb against the star in a lover¡¯s caress. ¡°As you wish, Death. The Righteous shall never waver.¡±

    And I swore, breathing into a soft, night-kissed wind, I heard the starry sky whisper against the nape of my neck.

    How I have missed you, my love.

 Chapter 38: A Tree & A Star

    Queen Xanthe walked me from the hall. Courtiers backed away from our path, guards dipped their heads. Andiya watched me go, rooted to the spot under Death¡¯s night sky. I tried to reassure her with a small smile. I spoke to where the bond should have been.

    ¡°Death will not hurt you. I swear it.¡±

    Almost imperceptibly, she nodded.

    I followed Queen Xanthe through the palace, trailing smoky night from the star in my hand. We left the palace walls, walking an ancient cobbled path through the surrounding deep jungle trees. The air thickened with the humidity of a hot spring. Vines and leaves whispered in the gentle wind, creatures rustled in the darkness. I caught pops of eyes blinking at us from the boughs of red-wooded trees, fleeing as we got too close. Pinpricks of light twinkled around us: tiny mushrooms, bunches of bright ferns, puffs of floating seeds, all emitting a subtle glow.

    The path stepped sharply, and I struggled to keep up with Queen Xanthe, who hopped up from rock to rock as delicately a feather on the wind. The trees ended, and we came to a crater-like, deep valley of waving dark grass.

    In the centre of the valley, standing alone, was the bones of a massive tree. If it were still living it would have matched the Korongorod in height, the base of it so wide it could have held a city block. But its bark was black, dead, shattered to a stump as though struck by a bolt of lightning. Hulking, splintered boughs laid on the ground around it, decaying.

    Queen Xanthe sat on a boulder at the valley¡¯s lip, gazing down at the shattered tree. I sat quietly beside her. The shadows pouring from my palm lessened, then stopped, the star once more a simple piece of quartz.

    ¡°It is a rare thing, for the divine to touch our world,¡± said Queen Xanthe. She seemed to be somewhere else, her eyes dreaming. ¡°An even rarer thing, in this era. There are some who say the Creators do not care for our world any longer. That they saw us only as a game, and when we were no longer amusing, they threw us away.¡±

    ¡°But what do you think?¡±

    ¡°I think that my people are young. In their hubris, they forget that they are only long-lived. They do not understand what it means to be eternal, as the Creators are. They do not recognize their inflated sense of grandeur, of being a bigger part of this universe than they really are. They do not remember a time when the mortal and god walked this earth together as one, revelling in the magic of a new world. They do not remember the splendour that such a bond created.¡±

    ¡°Wait. Do you?¡±

    Queen Xanthe¡¯s lips pulled in a tired smile. ¡°My mother did. She was one of the last few to live amongst the Creators. To hear her tell of it, tales of power and laughter and wonder ¡­ there has never been a sound more beautiful to me in all my life.¡±

    I followed her gaze to the tree. Like Queen Xanthe, there was an odd magnetism to it, as though the forest around it were only a blur. My hands wanted to reach out to it, place my hands on its bark.

    ¡°This is where the Creators are said to have first touched this earth,¡± Queen Xanthe continued. ¡°Their magic brought life to our world, spread through the ground by these roots. Once, the top of this tree vanished into the clouds, its leaves pouring light into the sky. But as the eons passed, and the Creators drew farther away, its magic faded. It has been millennia since this tree held any life¡ªI am the last amongst our people who remembers it as it once was.¡±

    ¡°Your Majesty ¡­ if I may ask, how old are you?¡±

    ¡°Older than Kaelta,¡± she said, and it sounded almost like a laugh. ¡°And far older than anyone else you¡¯ll ever meet. I can guarantee that.¡±

    ¡°So you¡¯ve seen everything. The Creators, the destruction of the elvhen, the war between us and the daemons ¡­¡±

    Queen Xanthe¡¯s head cocked. ¡°And what do the human legends say about the destruction of the elvhen?¡±

    ¡°The legends vary. Some believe that the elvhen were a cruel people, and so the Creators decided they were no longer fit to rule Itrera. Some say that the elvhen freed the daemons from hell, and for it the daemons killed them.¡±

    ¡°What do you believe?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know if I believe any of it, anymore. I¡¯ve learned that very little of what I once knew is true at all.¡±

    Queen Xanthe nodded slowly. ¡°The elvhen were a powerful, incomparable people. They had an unparalleled curiosity: a thirst for art, for music, for spiritual awakening. Much of their lives was spent in deep thought. Their scholars worked tirelessly to unlock the secrets of the arcane. Their artisans fused their tools with magic, so they might build something eternal. And their sorcerers spoke to the magic of the earth, melding it with their own souls. I had a great many friends amongst the elvhen ¡­¡± Her voice quieted. ¡°And a great many enemies. The elvhen¡¯s powerful emotions were their strength, but also their weakness. They were capable of great goodness and cruelty in equal measure.¡±

    ¡°Could you tell me what happened to them?¡±

    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    Queen Xanthe¡¯s gaze pierced me, taking every part in. Her irises were an odd, pale silver, as though made of smoky glass. Her eyes narrowed slightly and fell to the quartz in my hand. ¡°I expect you¡¯ll understand soon enough,¡± she said, her tone almost sad. ¡°But I did not bring you here to speak to you of the elvhen. I brought you here to give you a warning.¡±

    Her gaze returned to the tree stump, and so did mine.

    ¡°The love of the Creators is no fickle thing,¡± she continued. ¡°You were chosen with purpose. You are blessed, indeed, but now shouldered with a terrible burden. Death¡¯s favour will allow you to move mountains. You will tear kings from their thrones. You will watch the seas rise and fall at your very word. Your name will fill the pages of history. You may become as a god on earth.¡± Her hand fell to rest on mine. ¡°But I was once touched by the gods, as was this tree¡ªand look at us now.¡±

    *

    I was given free reign of El-By-Sea. Guards bowed as I passed, a flat palm pressed to their hearts. I was no prisoner now, but a conduit for the Creators. They would not hold me anymore.

    I caught Verahai in one of the gardens. ¡°I want Andiya released,¡± I said. He only nodded once, his glare cold as ice, and walked away.

    The next morning, the sun rose as it was meant to. As warm orange light climbed up the horizon, I leaned against the palace¡¯s sea wall to catch my breath. My head pounded. I hadn¡¯t slept at all. Death had spoken to me. She¡¯d chosen me. Queen Xanthe¡¯s warning rung like a harsh whine in my ears. Was that what I would become? Would I burn brightly, only to fizzle away to a husk? Would I become some frail, broken thing, so weak I would blow away in a strong wind?

    A scarlet-nailed hand covered mine.

    And Andiya was beside me, adorned in silk and jewels, a princess in all but name. But dark circles ringed her eyes, as though she had not slept either.

    ¡°I will not thank you for my release,¡± she said. ¡°I will not assuage your guilt.¡±

    Waves crashed below. A light breeze caught her scarlet hair. New dawn lit her face. All I could do was stare at her, marvel at her, my heart in my throat. I placed my hand on her shoulder, drawing her in. She let me pull her close, resting her cheek on my chest. In that moment, I let everything else fall away. Whatever the future held, I could face it with Andiya in my arms.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Andiya,¡± I murmured. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have kept any secrets from you. I will find a way to make amends, I swear to you.¡±

    ¡°Make amends now.¡± She drew away slowly. Her face was still guarded, her brow tight. I¡¯d lied, and I¡¯d hurt her, and only time could heal that. ¡°Throw the star away. Now, into the sea. Reject Death¡¯s gift.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t. Queen Xanthe said that I was chosen. She said that the Creators had a purpose for me. I can¡¯t turn that away, even if I wanted to.¡±

    ¡°You can, and you will. Death is a monster. There is a price for her help, and we shall not pay it.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t have a choice, Andiya.¡±

    ¡°You do. We can do this without her. We don¡¯t need her.¡±

    ¡°Her favour is the only reason Kaelta is helping us. The queens were never going to accept our offer.¡± I took a deep breath. ¡°Did you know? Did you know the queens would refuse us?¡±

    Andiya blinked in surprise, frowning. ¡°What? Why the hell would I come here to be turned away?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. You tell me.¡±

    ¡°This is ridiculous. I crossed half of Itrera to bring you here. I did that to find out that you lied to me. How long have you known you could free Khalid? And when were you going to tell me?¡±

    I leaned against the wall. The doubt Verahai had sown vanished. I¡¯d have heard if Andiya were lying to me. She couldn¡¯t hide. ¡°I¡¯ve known since the Korongorod,¡± I said quietly.

    Andiya¡¯s voice was low, forced through clenched teeth. ¡°You did not.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯d just spoken to the princess. You were weak from your injuries. You leaned on Artem ¡­ and it freed him. We don¡¯t know why, and we don¡¯t know how, but your touch took away Yulia¡¯s bond. Maybe your own influence takes control. Or maybe it has something to do with the fact that I personally bound you both. I don¡¯t know yet, exactly, or how to use that to free you. But I believe there is a way, and that you are the key.¡±

    Andiya stepped back. Pain filled her eyes, pulled at her mouth. ¡°So when Khalid ¡­ when he said my name in the woods. That was him.¡±

    ¡°Yes. He isn¡¯t lost.¡±

    ¡°I told you what losing him did to me. And you let me believe he was dead.¡±

    ¡°I did.¡±

    ¡°Bitch.¡±

    ¡°I deserve that.¡±

    ¡°You do. You deserve a hell of a lot more than that. I should throw you and that star both into the sea, and save myself the trouble. If you were anyone else, I would.¡±

    ¡°So why don¡¯t you?¡±

    Her fists curled. ¡°You know why,¡± she growled, her cheeks flushing.

    I took a deep breath to steady myself. ¡°I wanted to tell you. I almost did, so many times. I tried to, on the beach. But I was afraid. What that knowledge could do ¡­ if the Canavar ever found out, they¡¯d kill us both. Freeing bonded will ripple chaos across the entire continent. Who knows what devastation it could cause? It¡¯s not something to be taken lightly.¡±

    ¡°It was more than that,¡± hissed Andiya. ¡°Wasn¡¯t it?¡±

    My face burned. ¡°I couldn¡¯t control you. What if I told you, and you used your power to fight the Canavar? To kill who you wanted, destroy our fragile peace?¡±

    ¡°And when you knew I was no monster? When you¡¯d finally deigned me worthy of trust?¡±

    ¡°By then ¡­ I¡¯d hidden it for so long. I was afraid of telling you because I knew what I had done was wrong. I¡¯m sorry, Andiya. I can¡¯t tell you how much. I was coward, and I was wrong. You have every right to hate me for it.¡±

    Andiya blinked furious tears. ¡°You hurt me.¡±

    ¡°I know. I wish I could take it back.¡±

    She moved towards me. ¡°You will never hurt me again.¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°Swear it.¡±

    ¡°I¡ªI swear to you, Andiya Mathaszai. I shall never lie to you again.¡±

    She ran a hand up my arm. ¡°You will never hurt me again.¡±

    I could only watch her, feel my heart shudder. ¡°I will never hurt you again.¡±

    ¡°Good.¡±

    Her hand fell to my pocket. Before I realized what she was doing, Andiya plucked the quartz star from my coat and whipped it over the wall.

    ¡°Andiya¡ª¡± I started, but the star hit the waves and vanished, swallowed by the deep.

    ¡°I¡¯m protecting you,¡± said Andiya. Her fingers brushed my jaw, turning me back to look at her. ¡°Hear this, and hear it well. You have been chosen, and perhaps my fighting it will be in vain, but I will not see you in the hands of Death. I will not see my beloved torn from me for some fate of suffering and pain. I will stand before Death herself and draw my blade before I ever let her touch you.¡±

    She pulled gently, and I acquiesced to her touch. Andiya kissed me, just softly, quelling the shame in my stomach.

    ¡°I forgive your lies, my Rozin,¡± she said against my lips. ¡°But I will not forgive them again.¡±

 Chapter 39: Ir Ihaba

    I woke among the stars.

    And endless universe spread around me, the night washed with streaks of purple and white. I was at peace. Nothing could hurt me, adrift in the heavens.

    I took a step forward. My bare feet splashed in a layer of warm water, sending a gentle ripple towards the endless horizon. The sound echoed like a cavern.

    The quartz star glowed in my palm, cold as ice. Some part of me wondered abstractedly how it came to be there.

    Wind rushed across the water, breaking the perfect mirror. Distantly, the stars began to extinguish in a wave. Hulking wings, as wide as the world, tore themselves from the sky, sweeping away the universe in a wash of white. A pair of pale eyes¡ªtwo burning stars¡ªdescended from the darkness, capturing me in their gaze.

    I beheld a great white raven, its eyes swirling with starlight and the depth of eons. The eyes of a god.

    The horizons rushed together like the closing of an eyelid. The eyes faded to stardust.

    I reached out. ¡°Wait. Why did you help me? What am I supposed to¡ª¡±

    The horizon snapped closed.

    I woke in Andiya¡¯s bedroom, tucked into a nest of white pillows and silk sheets. Her room was much less grand than I¡¯d expected it to be¡ªcertainly still fit for nobility, but humbler in decoration. It was done up in pale, rosy colours, decorated with soft throws, lounging rugs, sitting pillows, and alabaster flower pots, with open-air windows that led to a private closet of a courtyard only a few feet square. Tall, sheer curtains wavered gently in the morning air, bright sunlight streaming in between them. Andiya was still asleep beside me, her nose pressed into my shoulder.

    My hand was cold. I slipped carefully out of bed, my skin clammy and sweaty. I closed myself in the bathroom and opened my hand.

    The quartz star lay on my skin, as dull and inert as the day Death had given it to me. I waited for the shadows, the magic, but it never stirred.

    ¡°Rozin?¡± came Andiya¡¯s sleepy voice after a time. ¡°Come back to bed.¡±

    I sat beside her, stroking her cheek with my thumb. As Andiya¡¯s eyes creaked open, she saw the quartz sitting in my palm. She stiffened.

    ¡°Where did you get that?¡±

    ¡°I woke up with it in my hand.¡±

    Gently, Andiya took the quartz and slipped it into her bedside table drawer. While her face remained relaxed, I felt a spike of fear in her chest. The star returning was a sign. No matter what Andiya or I did, I was chosen. Death would not release me so easily.

    ¡°How did you sleep?¡± she asked, forcing the star out of sight, out of mind.

    ¡°Well, I think,¡± I replied. ¡°Andiya ¡­ do Creators visit people in their dreams?¡±

    Andiya¡¯s relaxed face twitched. ¡°Did Death visit you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡± I told her of the raven, the stars, the horizon. ¡°Death never appeared in the flesh, but it felt the same as in it did before. I wasn¡¯t afraid, even though I should have been.¡±

    ¡°That was her.¡± Andiya took a steadying breath. ¡°It¡¯s from an old tale. One of Tyr.¡± At my confusion, she continued. ¡°The land before Kaelta and Itrera, where the Creators lived.¡±

    ¡°So how does the tale go?¡±

    Rubbing the sleep from her eyes, Andiya sat up. I gave her a moment to think, to collect her thoughts. Slowly, she began. ¡°It¡¯s a story they tell to children. Allegorical, you know, meant to teach them a lesson. The will of the Creators is always just, that sort of thing.¡± Through the bond I felt a sharp twinge of pain in her heart. ¡°The story goes that a man murdered the friend of a Creator, and in the land of Tyr, such a crime was punishable by death. Justice ordered the man¡¯s execution. A grand hunt chased him deep into the woods, where it became so dark that it was difficult to see. Death, scouting the woods in the form of a white raven, saw a figure moving through the trees and raised the alarm. But as Wrath¡¯s arrow shot through the dark at the figure, Death realised her error¡ªthe person she¡¯d spotted was not the murderer, but an innocent bystander. And so she threw herself before the arrow, taking it in her breast to spare the innocent¡¯s life.

    ¡°People use the story as a justification for their own impending death, for their loved ones dying. It is all meant to be, as nature intended it. Death would rather take the arrow herself than allow nature¡¯s balance to be toppled.¡± Andiya¡¯s frown deepened. ¡°When Death took my family, I heard that story many times. It was right, just, the courtiers said. Death would never take a life that was not already meant for the grave. It went against her very soul.¡±

    ¡°What do you believe?¡±

    This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    Andiya snorted in derision. ¡°I believe that tale, this faith that people have in the Creators, is all bullshit. They are real, I know that much, but I don¡¯t believe they are any more faultless than you or I. Worshipping them, trusting them, is a fool¡¯s game.¡±

    I took her hand. I felt the turmoil in her mind, and I wished I had some way to calm it. ¡°What would you have me do?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Andiya said quietly. ¡°I would have us run if I thought we had any chance of freeing you from this. But we don¡¯t. I doubt the Creators would be foiled by something as inconsequential as distance.¡±

    ¡°Then whatever we do, we do together. If you don¡¯t want me to engage with Death, then I won¡¯t. To the best of my ability, I will stay away.¡±

    Andiya leaned forward, resting her forehead on my shoulder. ¡°That is all I can ask. And I swear to you, Rozin. Whatever comes, I will be by your side.¡±

    ¡°Do you have a choice?¡± I teased.

    But Andiya only looked up at me, a hardness in her eyes. ¡°I do,¡± she said with steely resolve. ¡°And I choose to stay.¡±

    *

    That afternoon, we met with the queens of Kaelta.

    I once again donned my false Eon¡¯s uniform, and Andiya her resplendent courtier¡¯s gown. But instead of taking us to some courtyard or council chamber, Verahai led us down a handsome path through the jungle beyond the palace. We came to a wide river of nearly still water, winding gently through the humid trees and verdant ferns. Upon the river sat a flat pleasure barge, its front curled upwards in the head of a striking snake. A tent canopy shaded a group of chairs arranged in the centre of the boat, and at both ends, water-skinned Elementals with hair like whip coral waited with setting poles.

    From one of the chairs, Queen Xanthe nodded her head pleasantly at us. Beside her, Queen Mathaszai scowled. They were both dressed in light, airy silks of their respective scarlet and the palest blue, appropriate for a day in the summer heat.

    We took our seats before the queens, and Verahai stood guard behind them. The Elementals began to push us through the water.

    ¡°We¡¯d like to speak with you about your home lands, Rozin Kain,¡± said Queen Xanthe. ¡°It has been many years since either of us set foot outside the malikh territories.¡±

    ¡°What did you want to know?¡±

    ¡°Tell us about your princess,¡± said Queen Mathaszai. ¡°What sort of tyrant should we be expecting, when we reach the Canavar?¡±

    ¡°Irina Volkov is no tyrant,¡± I replied. I paused, thinking on that a moment. ¡°Though ¡­ I would not say she is particularly benevolent, nor particularly warm. She demands obedience from her subjects, and total loyalty, but returns that loyalty with a wise, decisive leadership. I would rather be led by an archon with a shrewd mind and a sharp tongue than a fool with a gentle heart.¡±

    Queen Mathaszai nodded. ¡°And do you believe that the offer of alliance from your princess is genuine?¡±

    ¡°I do. Princess Irina desires a world where human and daemon are no longer enemies. She wishes to end the bloodshed that has plagued us for centuries.¡±

    ¡°You can understand, dear Kain,¡± said Queen Xanthe, ¡°that this alliances places our trust in you. We have no knowledge of, nor loyalty to, your princess. This alliance, and both the peace and destruction it may wrought, is yours to bear.¡±

    ¡°I accept that burden.¡±

    Queen Mathaszai tapped her fingers on the arm of her chair. ¡°I will be frank, Kain. You have captured and enslaved a malikhaten, a feat no human has managed before. Now that humanity has such an ability, what prevents your princess from bonding the soldiers we send to your aid, or bonding myself and Queen Xanthe? If this alliance is some ploy, would it not make sense that this ploy is to capture further malikhaten and use them for your own gain?¡±

    I blinked in shock, and Queen Xanthe¡¯s head cocked curiously. ¡°This did not occur to you, Kain?¡± she asked.

    ¡°It ¡­ may have, at first. When I first bonded Andiya¡ªI knew that the archon would want to know how. The power that the High Orders hold is no small thing, to us.¡±

    ¡°And now?¡± pushed Queen Xanthe.

    ¡°Your Majesties ¡­ humanity does not know how to bond a High Order. My people are just as in the dark as they have always been. My bonding of Andiya is a fluke¡ªI don¡¯t know why it worked, or how it happened.¡±

    ¡°I was weakened,¡± Andiya interrupted. ¡°Rozin had just bonded Khalid. In my anger, I burned away too much of my magic. When she bonded me, I was powerless to fight back.¡±

    ¡°And that is the only change in circumstance?¡± asked Queen Mathaszai.

    ¡°That I know of, yes,¡± I replied.

    Both queens frowned. ¡°And your princess knows this?¡± asked Queen Mathaszai.

    I stared at my lap. ¡°No,¡± I replied quietly. ¡°I never told her anything about Andiya¡¯s bonding.¡±

    ¡°Why not?¡±

    My eyes fell to Andiya. Her eyes softened, ever so slightly. ¡°Because she knew her people were wrong,¡± said Andiya. ¡°She kept her knowledge of the bonding a secret, to protect the malikh.¡±

    Queen Xanthe glanced at Queen Mathaszai. ¡°They tell the truth, my love. Rozin Kain has not given her princess any information that could endanger us. Her regent has no knowledge of Andiya¡¯s bonding, or how it may have transpired.¡±

    The river widened, and the tree line opened to a wide valley. The water carved lazily between rounded, high mountains covered in thick jungle, mist swirling amongst the treetops. I sat up higher in my chair. Along the riverbank, I caught my first glimpse of the true Kaelta¡ªnot a palace, but a nation.

    Against the water was a city of pale stone and rounded, green copper roofs. The buildings rose in tiers, the walls along the roads and wooden lampposts dripping with flowering vines. And milling about, shopping at an open air market, fishing lazily by the docks, and chatting on the sidewalks, all manner of daemon filled the streets. For the first time in my life, I saw daemon children. Not Bestial cubs, or newly hatched wyverns, but Elementals with leafy hair and watery skin and golden eyes and the bright, carefree smiles of youth. They played against the water, splashing and giggling as they tossed a big rubber ball between them. Apart from their otherworldly appearance, they struck me in the same way that the daemons at the inn had¡ªthey were no different than us. Not at all.

    ¡°Ir Ihaba,¡± said Andiya. ¡°Capitol of Kaelta.¡±

    ¡°We have brought you here, Rozin Kain,¡± said Queen Mathaszai, ¡°to show you what we protect. What we risk, involving ourselves in human affairs. Are you so sure of your regent, that you would ask us to trust you with all of this?¡±

    I stood and faced the city. The fading sun cast a soft glow, outlining it in gold. My heart swelled.

    ¡°I am,¡± I replied, and I saw Queen Xanthe¡¯s face lighten in a gentle smile. ¡°The people of Ir Ihaba have nothing to fear from us. We will bring peace to Itrera, and we shall quell the hatred that has separated our nations for so long.¡±

    Queen Mathaszai walked slowly to my side, gazing over at her people. ¡°Then so be it. Kaelta accepts the Canavar¡¯s offer of alliance. In the morning, we ride for the Creator¡¯s Eye.¡±

 Chapter 40: Dance

    ¡°Come with me.¡±

    As the sun finished setting, Andiya took me through the winding palace of El-By-Sea, a wicked grin on her face. We ducked into a lavish, brightly-tiled room filled with pillows, dim lanterns, and smoking pipes, empty but for one daemon man with cornflower blue skin who lounged with a goblet of wine. He reminded me of Artem: black curls, twisting black horns, and almost innocent-looking doe eyes. But he was dressed far more daring than any bonded daemon ever would, bare-chested with a swath of lapis silk around his waist, multitudes of thin gold chains wrapped around his neck, torso, and upper thighs. Glittering makeup dusted his eyes and cheekbones, scintillating as he turned to us. His lion-like tail curled up in interest.

    ¡°Verahai will surely burst a vein,¡± he said to Andiya, his voice a velvet purr. ¡°You really love to get under his skin, don¡¯t you?¡±

    Andiya simply handed him a lock of her hair, as I¡¯d seen her give the owner of the Inn at the Edge of the World. He took it with a grin as wicked as Andiya¡¯s.

    ¡°Sit down, darling,¡± he said to me, and a calm came over me, his voice as soothing as a lullaby. I took a place on a pile of pillows. His hand came to rest on my cheek, his nails painted like opals.

    ¡°Remember, Lyr, subtle,¡± said Andiya. ¡°Not like that job you did on me for the Winter Fete.¡±

    ¡°You wound me,¡± he replied. ¡°You were stunning. I do not apologise for pageantry.¡±

    ¡°You gave me wings. Three sets. I couldn¡¯t sit for days.¡±

    Lyr simply turned away, locking eyes with mine. More opal swirled in his irises, entrancing me. My skin felt warm all over, like I suddenly sat before a fire. Warmer. Warmer still, as though the flames curled just inches away from my skin, but there was no pain. Then, as soon as he¡¯d started, Lyr pulled away.

    ¡°It should fade by morning,¡± said Lyr. ¡°Go. Enjoy the night. Turn some heads.¡±

    ¡°And you swear you won¡¯t say anything?¡± said Andiya.

    Lyr chuckled. ¡°I am simply going to bed. If anyone asks me if I glamoured a human on my way, I shall not lie. But I do doubt that anyone would ask such a strange thing.¡±

    With a wink, Lyr took his leave. I watched him go, his walk as smooth as water. If Andiya was a being of fire, he was surely one of seduction.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Andiya said, and took my hand. ¡°And keep your mouth shut.¡±

    Keeping to the shadows, and walking at a calm pace that would not draw glances, Andiya wound me through the halls and out of the palace gate. As soon as we hit the edge of the jungle, Andiya exhaled in relief.

    ¡°All right. No one seems to have followed us.¡±

    We took a path by the river, splitting away from it only briefly to wind around small crags and veins of silvery stone. I began to sweat, the humid jungle air sticking to my skin.

    ¡°Why did you give your hair to Lyr?¡± I asked. ¡°I saw you do it back at the Inn, too.¡±

    ¡°Ah.¡± Andiya held out her hand to help me over a fallen log. ¡°It¡¯s an old daemon tradition that signifies the owing of a favour. When we came to the Inn, I had no money to pay for our room. And money means very little to Lyr, who has more than he would ever know how to spend. But a favour can be worth far more, if they use it properly.¡±

    ¡°Can you refuse, if they demand something unreasonable?¡±

    ¡°I ¡­ can, I suppose. But it¡¯s extremely bad form. I have known some hot-tempered daemons to call blood feuds over it. Don¡¯t worry about Lyr, though. He¡¯ll likely use it in some silly way, like having me get him out of a boring party. His greatest enemy.¡±

    Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    The trees ended, and we came to a handsome stone bridge. It spanned a narrow part of the river, and just beyond it, the city of Ir Ihaba waited.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what tomorrow brings,¡± said Andiya, and took my hand to lead me over the water. ¡°War, fury, or divine retribution. But we have tonight¡ªour last, before everything changes. One bright light as the world catches fire.¡±

    She kissed me once, gently, teasing me forward. And so entranced, I stepped into the city of daemons with Andiya¡¯s hand in mine.

    In the dark, Ir Ihaba was a mass of colour.

    Lanterns and torches brightened the streets, pale blue or bright orange or an ethereal pink, fuelled simply by magic as their flames hung in the hair. Daemons of all sorts went about their business, surrounding me with horns, scales, reptilian eyes, outlandish fashions, and the strangeness of it, once again, not being so strange. Parents carried baskets of fruit home, children pulling at their sleeves. Street performers plucked at tall, thin guitars as passers-by tossed coins in a hat. Butchers sold cuts of meat, blueish steaks or black-feathered chickens or fish with golden scales. A child chased their six-eyed dog down the street. Ir Ihaba was all life, every facet of it.

    ¡°How did we ever get it so wrong?¡± I said breathlessly. ¡°How could I have gone my entire life without knowing?¡±

    ¡°Our people have spent centuries at odds. Who knows when it began?¡±

    I glanced back at the palace, hidden somewhere through the jungle. Queen Xanthe. She would know.

    We took a side street, and I began to hear the tell-tale heartbeat of drums. Andiya¡¯s pace picked up eagerly. We passed by a shop, and I stopped dead in my tracks.

    ¡°Rozin, don¡¯t you hear it, let¡¯s go¡ª¡°

    But I was staring at myself in the shop¡¯s reflection. I suddenly understood why no one in Ir Ihaba had given me so much as a passing glance.

    Lyr had made me a daemon.

    My skin was tinged red, a subtler mirror of Andiya¡¯s hair. From my head curved two black horns, their tips capped with gold. When I turned my head, subtle shimmers of sigils shone on my face, lining my brow, cheekbones, and travelling down my neck. Even my eyes were made to match¡ªrather than their usual brown, my now black irises swirled with a slight burn, like fresh coals.

    ¡°It¡¯s a glamour,¡± Andiya said from my side. ¡°Temporary, to hide you for the night. When you wake up in the morning, you¡¯ll be yourself again.¡±

    ¡°He made us into a pair. I look like something of fire, as you are.¡±

    ¡°At my request.¡±

    ¡°Would you rather I was like this? Like you?¡±

    Andiya sighed. ¡°I¡¯d rather go and dance. With whatever you I can have. Not everything has to carry such weight, Rozin. Sometimes you can allow yourself to be happy, to enjoy the small moments. We can discuss this newest existential crisis later.¡±

    She was right. I took her hand again, and I let her take me around the corner: suddenly, the streets widened, and we were in an open square glittering with a rainbow of lanterns and torches. Hundreds of daemon pairs danced within the inner ring, hopping, clapping, and twirling with flares of bright skirts and the glints of jewellery¡ªnot gold and gems, like the wealthy of the palace, but copper and steel. There was an electricity to the air that enchanted me. The dancing was joy, in its purest form.

    ¡°Sadakh ala Sahl,¡± said Andiya. ¡°A dance until sunrise.¡± She faced me, placing my hands upon her collar. ¡°Remove it. Only for a few hours¡ªthe queens will never need to know.¡±

    Though I hesitated for just a second, I could never deny Andiya anything. I released the golden clasp, and sighed in pleasure as Andiya¡¯s magic returned in a warm wave. Her lips split in a bright smile. She clipped the collar onto the belt of her dress, and pulled me into the twirling bodies.

    I felt Andiya¡¯s magic rise, swirling around us both. As she turned, streaks of flame poured from her fingers, lingering in the air like trails of brightness. She spun tightly, and the flames formed a swirl of patterns, burning themselves into my eyes. Cheering and laughter erupted from the dancers. They began to clap in unison, forming a thunderous beat.

    Andiya stepped to it. Her jewels glittered against the torches; her hair shone like a river of rubies. With every step, Andiya was a writhing, rolling flame. I stopped breathing. As the music sped up, the beat matched it, and Andiya became something ethereal, impossible to match¡ªthe crowd seemed to vanish but for her, a wild, untameable thing that moved in a flare of skirts, silken hair, and streaks of light. She moved through the expanding open ring, taking all eyes with her.

    And then she spun to me, gripping my hands in hers. ¡°Do not think. Dance.¡±

    Easy orders to follow. I could not brood on who I was, what was coming for us in the morning. Andiya was all there was.

    And we danced, and danced, and I found myself smiling, laughing, giggling¡ªweightless in a way I had not been in many years. And I had a fleeting, ridiculous thought: let the world burn, for I had no need for it. All I needed was her.

 Chapter 41: A Mirror, A Wolf, & A Crown

    In the early afternoon, a servant came to collect us. Daemons maids flitted about, dressing us in resplendent garb¡ªAndiya in full court dress, dripping with rubies and gold and shimmering silks, and I in my replica Eon¡¯s uniform, silver accents and rings folded into my side braid. As a maid dabbed the dot of makeup under my eye, Queen Xanthe appeared in the doorway.

    ¡°May I borrow Rozin, for a moment?¡±

    I followed her out, but we didn¡¯t go far. Queen Xanthe laid a hand on my chest. It was like she¡¯d pressed a block of ice against me, the cold seeping through my coat.

    ¡°A blessing,¡± she said quietly. ¡°For a servant of Death, to pass safely through the shadows.¡±

    When she removed her hand, a sigil glowed faintly on my coat before it faded away: a swirl surrounding a spindly, four-pointed star.

    Before I could ask what she¡¯d done, Andiya and a retinue of courtiers met us at the hall. Without a word, we made for the sea cliffs.

    Salty ocean splashed against the shore, a strong wind picking up. Unaffected by the rising storm, a royal escort waited, their dresses and hair unmoving against the wind that lashed at the water.

    Both queens wore their best, layered in rich fabrics and heavy jewels. Queen Mathaszai matched Andiya as shimmering fire¡ªscarlet and rubies and gold, her crown a ring of antlers rising from a bed of deep roses. Beside her, Queen Xanthe was a winter¡¯s night; black and silver and pale blue, her glass antlers set in pearls and moonstones. At attention behind them were ten guards, Verahai at their centre. And behind those guards ¡­

    I took a step back.

    ¡°Steady,¡± said Andiya, her hand taking mine. ¡°They¡¯re not going to hurt you.¡±

    Seated on the sea wall was a pack of hasra, waiting to take flight. They bore little resemblance to the feral, bloodthirsty creatures from my memory. These were straight backed, calm, their eyes watching us with an intelligence that seemed nearly human. But it didn¡¯t matter what they looked like, how calm they appeared. I saw only one thing: Barje Vos as it burned, my friends and family screaming, the fangs of hasra tearing head from limb. My heart picked up speed.

    ¡°We shall fly to Mount Anfang to collect your princess,¡± said Queen Xanthe. ¡°And continue on to your palace. Our scouts say the Korongorod is near a place called Zhyla, responding to some sort of internal threat.¡±

    Andiya squeezed my hand, prompting me to respond. ¡°The Shrike attacks,¡± I said. I forced my eyes from the hasra, focusing on the warmth of Andiya¡¯s hand in mine. I had nothing to fear. She¡¯d never let them touch me, collar or not. ¡°Disguised as violence from the hill clans.¡±

    ¡°Or because of me,¡± said Andiya. ¡°They might be investigating what I can do. They must know by now what I did to the Ilyins.¡±

    ¡°We shall fly your princess to her palace,¡± continued Queen Mathaszai, ¡°and remain for a short time to discuss the terms of our alliance. Then we will return home with you, Rozin Kain.¡±

    ¡°Excuse me?¡± said Andiya. ¡°You¡¯re still going to hold her prisoner? But Death said¡ª¡±

    ¡°Death¡¯s will,¡± bit Queen Mathaszai, ¡°was that Kaelta usurp the usurper. Or is that not what you said, Eon?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s right,¡± I told Andiya. ¡°I said nothing of myself.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± Andiya hissed.

    ¡°I vowed to free you from the bond. I will stay here and do just that. I won¡¯t have my freedom until you have yours.¡±

    Andiya¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. Her lips pressed shut.

    ¡°Mount,¡± said Queen Mathaszai.

    A Bestial nudged my hand from behind. I jumped, hand reaching for my pommel, and whirled around¡ªonly to find a familiar leonine face. ¡°Hae,¡± I gasped, and he rumbled in greeting. ¡°I wondered where they¡¯d put you.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s been pampered with the rest of the hasra,¡± explained Andiya. ¡°I¡¯m told the stable keepers took to him very quickly¡ªapparently he really knows how to beg an extra steak or two out of anyone.¡±

    Andiya and I hopped onto Hae¡¯s back. The Kaeltans had put some sort of collar on him, a pendant of heavy opal that matched the same collars all of the hasra wore.

    The mounted daemons lined up on the sea wall. The queens lifted their hands in unison. The wind rose to a gale and blasted across the water. The sea before us began to churn, spin, until a maelstrom carved a hole straight to the sea floor. A tunnel of black masonry punched through the rocky bottom.

    The hasra dove in. Hae leapt after them, and we fell through the darkness, the smell of the sea vanishing in favour of jasmine and orange. We landed in a high hall of black stone overgrown with roots, fruit trees, and wildflowers somehow creeping through the brick. As the last of us landed, the maelstrom faded, and the sea calmed above us¡ªthe water held back by some kind of magic, as though there was a glass window on the ceiling. The hall was musty and dead as a mausoleum, most of the painted floor tiles faded or cracked away. They¡¯d been murals, once¡ªtales of the gods. I caught only pieces now: Justice¡¯s blade, Wrath¡¯s bow, Harvest¡¯s lush garden, the funeral pyres of the first Hell, Death¡¯s pale scythe.

    And in rows as far as the eye could see, ancient mirrors crowded the hall. Some were shattered, their glass littering the floor, others were bright as though bathed in sunlight. One was filled with a black so deep it swallowed the light around it.

    ¡°Do you know where we are, Faithless?¡± asked Queen Mathaszai.

    Andiya seemed in a daze, her lips parted in awe. ¡°The Loci,¡± she breathed.

    We walked past a mirror with a frame of carved cherry trees. I didn¡¯t see my reflection¡ªinstead, a sunset grove beside a river.

    ¡°These mirrors,¡± Queen Xanthe said to me, ¡°were left by the Creators. Our histories say that these mirrors connect our world to the next: tied to the heavens, hells, and everything in between. One must only choose where they wish to go.¡±

    ¡°And that one?¡± I asked, pointing to the black-filled mirror.

    Queen Xanthe shook her head. ¡°We don¡¯t claim to know where every mirror leads. That could be for a mile away, or a thousand.¡±

    ¡°But it looks different. It¡¯s black. What could make it that way?¡±

    Queen Xanthe frowned at the mirror. ¡°Black?¡± she asked quietly. ¡°I see only a shattered mirror¡ªwhat do you mean?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s ¡­ dark. Like its taking all the light with it. As if I¡¯d be reaching my hand into a bottle of ink.¡±

    Queen Xanthe was silent a moment, her gaze lingering on the mirror as we passed it. ¡°I do not have an answer for you,¡± she said in a lower voice, so that only I could hear. ¡°But I would not think of that mirror again.¡±

    I broke my gaze with the black-filled mirror, instead peering into the rest. Every mirror showed a different reflection. Towns, mountains, islands, some even below the sea. One was a reflection of fluffy clouds, another a rolling hill cut from a cliff of red clay, another a village of boats and pontoons, floating in a fjord. Our procession stopped at a mirror with a frame of crystal-cut glass.

    ¡°Telluviah,¡± said Queen Xanthe. ¡°The Creator¡¯s Eye, to you.¡± Beyond the glass was a familiar courtyard, a group of servants and Shrike soldiers chatting at tables under a hot summer sun.

    ¡°Draw,¡± said Queen Mathaszai, and the guard readied their blades.

    Verahai rode first. His speckled grey hasra simply stalked through the mirror as if there were no surface at all.

    The procession followed him through. When we passed through the mirror, a warm buzz rolled over my skin. The light brightened, the jasmine and orange faded, and I was breathing the fresh air of Mount Anfang.

    As if I¡¯d pulled my fingers from my ears, I heard screaming. Servants fled, guards scrambled to hold their ground. The daemons only waited on their mounts, watching the panicked humans with bored expressions. We¡¯d simply stepped into the Creator¡¯s Eye from thin air.

    A man I recognized as the captain of the Shrike guard ran to us. He stood straight-backed before Queen Mathaszai.

    ¡°Halt, daemons!¡± he barked. ¡°You are trespassing¡ª¡±

    ¡°We are here for Irina Volkov,¡± said Queen Mathaszai calmly. ¡°Bring her to us, and live. Hide her ¡­¡± The hasra snarled in unison.

    The guards raised their weapons at the threat.

    ¡°I cannot let you pass,¡± said the captain. ¡°We are not afraid of you, beasts¡¯ whore¡ª¡±

    Queen Mathaszai flicked her hand, and the captain dissolved into a puff of red mist.

    Power rolled through the courtyard, clawing at my skin. No one moved. They stared, paralyzed, at the bloody puddle on the glass floor.

    ¡°Who will defy the queens of Kaelta next?¡±

    This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    The courtyard didn¡¯t move.

    Small footsteps approached. Eva Shrike came from an archway, light and airy on her feet. Her large, languid eyes searched us curiously, and fell to Andiya and I. She cocked her head. ¡°Shall you kill us once you have your princess, Rozin K      ain?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± I said. Queen Mathaszai rolled her eyes. ¡°We shall take the princess and go. Should no harm come to her, no harm shall come to you.¡± I glanced at the red puddle. ¡°No further harm.¡±

    ¡°Very well. Anything else?¡±

    ¡°Release the princess¡¯s party, and the Canavar soldiers. Give them everything they need to return home¡ªhorses, supplies, all of it.¡±

    ¡°Done. I assume you¡¯ll be wanting the other one, as well?¡±

    ¡°Other one?¡±

    ¡°Your princess¡¯s assistant. The blonde with the handsome bonded. Yulia?¡±

    I swallowed hard. Irina must have kept Yulia close to protect her. I would need to thank her for that. ¡°Yes. Bring them both.¡±

    The guards kept their blades and bows raised as we waited. The Kaeltans just looked ¡­ bored. They were so confident in their power that a legion of trained guards concerned them as much as flies. Their magic pressured the air. It felt like monstrous ghosts milling around us, sinking fangs into our hair, pressing clawed hands against our skin. With a single motion, I knew the Kaeltans could blast the Creator¡¯s Eye straight from the mountaintop.

    Eva returned with a curious Irina and a skittish Yulia in tow. I breathed a sigh of relief. They looked totally unharmed. Irina walked with her chin high, Yulia trailed warily behind. As soon as Yulia saw me, she ran for me. Andiya and I pulled her onto Hae¡¯s back, and I held her close.

    Irina stood before Queen Mathaszai, Artem behind her as a guard. She did not bow. ¡°I am overjoyed at our meeting, malikhaten.¡±

    Queen Mathaszai¡¯s lip curled in amusement. ¡°You know our tongue?¡±

    ¡°You have heard the extent of my knowledge, I am afraid. Perhaps, in time, I may learn more from you.¡± Irina raised a brow at the red puddle. ¡°And who might this belong to?¡±

    ¡°The Shrike guard captain, Your Majesty,¡± I said. ¡°That¡¯s all that¡¯s left of him.¡±

    ¡°For what reason?¡±

    ¡°He insulted the Kaeltans.¡±

    Irina snorted. ¡°Serves him right, then. For facing a queen without respect.¡±

    Queen Mathaszai¡¯s smile widened. ¡°I like this one,¡± she said to Queen Xanthe.

    ¡°I shall take your compliment, malikhaten. When I find one suitable, I shall return the favour.¡±

    Queen Xanthe whispered, and a thick furred, grey hasra approached Irina. It matched the wolves of the northern woods, those who gave the Canavar their name. The hasra bowed, its rust coloured wings spread along the ground.

    ¡°A gift,¡± said Queen Xanthe, ¡°from one friend to another.¡±

    Irina ran her hand down the hasra¡¯s neck, a twinkle of wonder in her eye. ¡°Does it have a name?¡±

    ¡°He does not. That honour falls to you.¡±

    ¡°Tempest,¡± Irina said without hesitation. ¡°That shall be his name.¡±

    ¡°Then let us ride, Archon Volkov,¡± said Queen Xanthe. ¡°Your throne awaits.¡±

    ¡°Queen Mathaszai,¡± I said. ¡°Can we have a moment?¡±

    The queen only waved in dismissal. I nudged Hae to Irina¡¯s side as she mounted. ¡°Your Majesty,¡± I said. ¡°You should be careful in the Korongorod.¡±

    Quickly, I told her what I knew. What the Shrikes had done, what Seylas had done, what Maxsim had wanted to happen. When I finished, Irina gave a miniscule nod. Her eyes were hard as steel.

    ¡°Thank you, my friend. It seems I have a lot to think about.¡±

    And we were off, the hasra shooting upwards on powerful wings. Yulia shrieked as Hae leapt into the air. The pendant around his neck glowed, pulsing in unison with those of the hasra. Their magic pulled him aloft into the clear afternoon.

    We raced across Novosk at an impossible speed, covering ground that had taken us hours in minutes. The mire stretched out below us, only an expanse of greyish ground and dead weeds. While we flew, I explained everything that had happened to Yulia.

    ¡°Do you believe her majesty will forgive the Shrikes once she¡¯s on the throne?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think she has much choice. The Shrikes are too wealthy¡ªif they wanted, they could separate from the Canavar. But Irina is smart. She¡¯ll find some way to punish them without ever making it public.¡±

    ¡°And what about going public with her Kaeltan alliance? The other archons won¡¯t take that lightly.¡±

    I grimaced, remembering how Irina had paraded Andiya around the Korongorod. ¡°She¡¯ll make it known. The princess wants a world where daemons are friend, not foe. Most importantly, she wants a world where the power is on her side. I expect her to shout that she has an entire fleet of High Orders to every Archon on the continent.¡±

    The mire faded to grassy hills, then to thin woods and farmland. In the distance, a hulking shape loomed over the horizon. The Korongorod, seat of the false archon.

    The hasra banked, spreading out. We swirled around the Frozen Keep like shooting stars, whipping past the windows so closely I could reach out and touch them. Alarm bells clanged. Guards rushed to the parapets, raising bows. Bonded kicked up gusts and drew fireballs and formed spears of ice. Animators wrapped their power around ballistae. I wanted to warn them. Run, you idiots. Run.

    Queen Mathaszai raised her hand. Flames tore from her palm, tightening into hundreds of burning dragons. They took on lives of their own, slamming into guards and wrapping around bonded, reducing them to ashes. They crunched the arms of ballistae in their jaws, set fire to the ammunition. The hasra spun and dodged around every shot the guards managed to take, blocking the rest with walls of hard air.

    Queen Xanthe landed amongst the ashes. She raised her hand slowly, and the rose bushes along the wall burst outwards, their branches thickening and slithering like snakes. They snatched guards and threw them from the walls, or coiled around them in serpentine prisons, or cracked their skulls with thorny boughs. I was powerless to help. I could only watch as my fellow soldiers fell in service to a false crown.

    The palace quieted. In minutes, the Kaeltan queens had crushed us. How had humans ever survived this? How had there ever been a war, and not simply a slaughter?

    Irina alighted gracefully beside Queen Xanthe, and the rest of us followed suit. Irina fixed her gown and hair. ¡°This way, your majesties,¡± she said with a cold smile. ¡°I must applaud the swiftness of your victory¡ªbut as we move forward, I would appreciate it if you stopped incinerating my guard. I shall need them in the days ahead.¡±

    We marched through the palace. Dignitaries screamed and ran, servants dropped to their knees at the sight of the princess, muttering prayers. What guards got in our way quickly found themselves pinned by thorns or ice or melted stone, Verahai¡¯s men dispatching them with lazy flicks of their wrists. I remembered the chaos that one High Order had caused in the Korongorod. And now there were thirteen.

    A cluster of Eons blocked the door to the throne room. They held blades at the ready, their bonded coiled to strike. Irina paused and smiled.

    ¡°Ivanov, Oblonsky, Abdulin, Nurbayev, Chen, Hjelstad, Falk,¡± she said, nodded at each in turn. ¡°Your archon has returned, dear comrades. Step aside.¡±

    ¡°We serve the crown,¡± said Hjelstad. ¡°You do not wear it.¡±

    ¡°Archon Volkov has ordered your arrest,¡± said Ivanov. ¡°You are to be held as a traitor.¡±

    ¡°Is that what dear baby brother calls me, now?¡±

    ¡°It is what he calls the friends of daemons.¡±

    Irina touched Ivanov¡¯s forearm tenderly. ¡°Well. We shall not call them that anymore. Step aside.¡±

    ¡°I apologise,¡± said Ivanov. ¡°You know we cannot, even if we wanted to.¡±

    ¡°I would expect nothing less,¡± Irina agreed. ¡°You are all loyal to the crown, and you shall remain loyal to your dying breath.¡± She glanced back at the Kaeltan queens. ¡°If you would be so kind, malikhaten. See that no harm comes to them.¡±

    The Kaeltan guards raised their hands, and a great gust of wind tore down the hallways. It passed our party without effect, but the Eons were blown from their feet, caught in a twisting gale. Their blades flew from their grips; their bonded rushed to stop their Eons from smashing against the walls. The gale sucked them all right out of the Frozen Keep, ejecting them onto the outer ward.

    ¡°Secure them,¡± Queen Mathaszai said, and Verahai bowed. He and his guards marched for where the Eons scrambled for order.

    ¡°After you,¡± Queen Xanthe said to Irina, and we swept into the throne room.

    A young man sat on the Canavar throne. He was the splitting image of Irina, black-haired and pallid, his bones angled to make him look sharp and cunning. He wore the Canavar crown and a wolf¡¯s pelt on his shoulders, as well as a look of pure horror.

    Servants rushed away, flattening themselves against the walls. The few guards in the throne room took single steps before being wrapped and gagged in rose branches.

    ¡°Good afternoon, brother,¡± said Irina. ¡°You do not look pleased to see me. Are you not relieved that your dear sister is alive and well?¡±

    Maxsim straightened in his seat. ¡°I ¡­ am indeed relieved to see you well, sister.¡±

    ¡°I thank you for safeguarding my people in my absence. Now, step down. You are no longer needed.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± said Maxsim quakily.

    ¡°Care to repeat that, dear brother? And bear in mind the consequences.¡±

    ¡°No. You have no right to be here. You are not the archon.¡±

    Irina approached the throne. Maxsim flinched. They may have shared a face, but Maxsim did not wear it well. Irina was imperious, self-assured. She ruled because she was a ruler. Maxsim seemed like a child in boots far too big. On him, their might was a facsimile. On Irina, it was real.

    ¡°So you say. Though there does not seem to be any reason why I should not be archon.¡± She stepped onto the dais. ¡°Except for you.¡±

    ¡°And my people,¡± said Maxsim. ¡°I am the regent they deserve.¡±

    Irina sighed. ¡°I do not wish to harm you, Max. I can still remember when you were a babe taking his first steps. I remember when you learned to say my name. There is no malice in my heart for that boy.¡±

    ¡°I am no longer a boy!¡± shouted Maxsim. ¡°And as my subject, you shall refer to me properly.¡±

    ¡°Max¡ª¡±

    ¡°Your Eminence!¡± Maxsim stood. ¡°You will not talk me out of my birth right. No whore of daemons will sit for the Canavar, not so long as I draw breath¡ª¡±

    Irina snatched Maxsim by the lapels and flung him from the dais.

    Metal clinked as Maxsim¡¯s adornments skittered on the floor. His crown rolled to Queen Xanthe¡¯s feet.

    ¡°Arrest him,¡± Irina said, and sat primly on her throne. ¡°Eon Kain¡ªplease get my brother out of my sight.¡±

    Maxsim scrambled to his feet, fur askew. He made for Irina, but quickly found himself surrounded by Hae, Andiya, and I.

    ¡°If you are really an Eon, help your archon!¡± he ordered.

    ¡°I am. This way, Maxsim. We shall escort you safely to the dungeons.¡±

    ¡°You are serving a false regent. My sister is unfit to bear that crown¡ª¡±

    ¡°She is my regent.¡± I gripped his arm, and Andiya gripped the other. ¡°Don¡¯t put up a fight.¡±

    Queen Xanthe handed Irina the crown. Irina turned it in her hands, catching the frosted spikes in the light.

    ¡°Kain,¡± said Irina gently. ¡°Return quickly. I should like my friend to share this day with me.¡±

    I bowed my head. A smile lightened my heart. ¡°At once, Your Eminence. I should like nothing more.¡±

    *

    We descended the tight stairwell deep into the the belly of the Korongorod, Maxsim¡¯s protests echoing up the stone.

    ¡°You¡¯re making a mistake,¡± he said. ¡°I was crowned; I am the archon¡ª¡±

    ¡°Not anymore.¡±

    ¡°Listen. Whatever my sister has promised you, whatever lie she sold you told, you will not get it. I could give it to you. Speak your wish, and you shall have it.¡±

    ¡°She didn¡¯t promise me anything.¡±

    Maxsim stumbled on a step. ¡°What? Then why are you doing this?¡±

    ¡°Because its right.¡±

    ¡°Right? Do you hear yourself? Right, she says, to place a tyrant on the throne. To throw the saviour of the Canavar in the dungeons.¡±

    Andiya shoved Maxsim down a narrow hallway. ¡°If anyone is the saviour of the Canavar, its Rozin. She brought the Kaeltans here to help us. They can protect our people from the Drahko.¡±

    Maxsim spluttered, his mouth flapping like a washed-up fish. ¡°Protect us? We¡¯re the ones the Drahko needs protection from!¡±

    I snapped his cell door shut with a great clang. ¡°That was what the old Volkov used to say, wasn¡¯t it? We are wolves. Beware our fangs.¡±

    ¡°Huh! My father was a blubbering fool with dreams of greatness. Those were my sister¡¯s words. All my father did was echo them.¡± As I tried to leave, he shot his hand through the bars and snatched my sleeve.

    ¡°You cannot trust her,¡± he urged. ¡°Least of all when she has what she wants.¡±

    I tore my arm away. Andiya¡¯s gaze burned my back. Verahai had told me not to trust her, too.

    ¡°I will trust my friend,¡± I told Maxsim. ¡°Not the word of a traitor.¡±

    I left him there, anger clouding my head. How dare he¡ªhow dare Verahai¡ªthey were all wrong¡ª

    ¡°You are a traitor too, Rozin Kain,¡± he called after me. ¡°And I shall not forget that.¡±

 Chapter 42: Homecoming

    By the evening, Irina had brought the entirety of the Korongorod under her control. Servants lined the hall and bowed as she passed. Guards approached the throne in long rows to swear allegiance. Ministers prayed for her health and longevity. Messengers sent the news all across Itrera: the true heir has returned from the land of the dead, and she rules over us all.

    I never left Irina¡¯s side. I listened to her subjects wish the new Archon well, pledge their renewed devotion with my blade at an arm¡¯s length away. But no one had eyes for me. Each well-wisher¡¯s gaze stopped on Andiya, perched seated on the top step of the dais, ordering each to approach in turn. To them, Andiya was the power that had brought the Korongorod to heel, risen the princess from her grave. Andiya¡¯s name would go down in legend¡ªand maybe even mine.

    We finally retired for the night in the archon¡¯s chambers. The Kaeltans took an entire palace wing to themselves, barring entrance to any humans. For their safety just as much as ours, they¡¯d said, with a hard look at Andiya¡¯s collar.

    The princess swept herself gracefully into an armchair. ¡°Pour us a drink, Kain.¡±

    We sipped quietly, content to simply let ourselves relax. Firelight flickered low in sitting area¡¯s iron hearth, stoked gently by Andiya. Her collar still kept her magic at bay, but the flames seemed to draw her in¡ªa reminder of what power waited just beneath her skin.

    ¡°Thank you, Kain,¡± said Irina, her eyes soft and slow. Without the court surrounding her, without the Kaeltans, she was once more the woman I¡¯d come to know. One that allowed herself only the smallest weaknesses, when it was safe. ¡°Thank you for more than I can ever thank you for. And you, Andiya. You both have been the only people in my life that I felt I did not need to doubt. There is little I can give you that is worth so much.¡±

    My mouth pulled in a small, exhausted smile. ¡°There is no need for anything, Irina. We fought for what we believed in. That¡¯s all.¡±

    ¡°Rozin¡¯s freedom,¡± Andiya said. ¡°You can give us that.¡±

    Irina and I turned to Andiya.

    ¡°You wish to leave my service, Kain?¡± asked Irina.

    My face grew hot. I hadn¡¯t wanted her to know that, just yet. I hadn¡¯t even decided myself. ¡°In ¡­ time,¡± I said carefully. ¡°Maybe. Not yet. There is so much we still have to do.¡±

    Irina nodded slowly, contemplative. ¡°I am hesitant to grant you that, Kain. I have come to rely on you far too much, and Andiya, being what she is. But ¡­¡± Irina sighed in resignation. ¡°I cannot call myself your friend if I do not earn it. We will talk, in the future. That is all I can promise now.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Irina,¡± said Andiya, and Irina gave her a tired smile. How would any of us sleep tonight, and how long until any of us felt safe here again?

    Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

    Irina stared down at her glass. ¡°I am to be officially crowned archon tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°How do you feel?¡±

    ¡°Not truly afraid, though I have every reason to be. I only fear that the world I wish to fight for is beyond my grasp. That in my lifetime, I will not live to see it. People are slow to change, Kain, if they are willing to even change at all; how many times I implored my father forget his past biases, to act as an archon should, and how often I tried to sway my brother to an honourable path. Instead I was ignored, vilified. Maxsim believes that my ambitions¡ªa world without fear of the daemons¡ªare those of a blackened soul. He believes that my intolerance of the Drahko¡¯s posturing and aggression to be acts of unfounded war. How many in my coalition think as they do? How many will I fail to sway, if I could not change even the minds of my closest family?¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to sway them all,¡± said Andiya. ¡°You never could.¡± Fire burned behind her eyes, fettered by that gold collar. ¡°You only need to sway enough to make a difference. There will always be fear, hatred. We can¡¯t stop that. But we can stand above it all. Help those you can. That must be enough.¡±

    Irina put her hand on Andiya¡¯s. ¡°Together, we must make it enough. I cannot express the shame I feel for how I treated you when we met, Andiya. Had I known what I do now, had I not been so ignorant, I would have welcomed you to my home with open arms.¡±

    ¡°Like you did with my queens.¡±

    ¡°Indeed. So I did not make the same mistake, again.¡± Irina shrugged the fur off her shoulders and began to work at the pins in her hair. She looked so natural, then. Not a royal, sat above the rest. Only a tired young woman weighed down with the responsibility of a nation. ¡°If it isn¡¯t rude of me to ask¡ªAndiya, it certainly feels these days that Kain does not control you.¡±

    ¡°Not anymore,¡± Andiya lied smoothly. ¡°There is no need. Rozin and I want the same thing. And ¡­ she is my friend, now. I care about her, and she for me. As you said, I can¡¯t call myself her friend if I don¡¯t earn it. Why control me? Why fight those you care about?¡±

    ¡°To knock some sense into them, sometimes,¡± I said.

    ¡°And I fully intend to knock you, if that¡¯s ever necessary,¡± Andiya shot back with an easy grin. ¡°I will say this, Irina. Rozin and I changed, even if we didn¡¯t want to. We are not who we were when she captured me. And that is why I believe we can change your, I should say our, people.¡±

    Irina smiled. ¡°To us,¡± she said, and raised her glass. ¡°And to building a future without fear.¡±

    And so we drank, well into the quiet cloudless night, and my heart had never felt so full.

    *

    My Eon¡¯s quarters were dark, still, when we returned to them.

    They hadn¡¯t changed at all since we¡¯d left, even though it felt like ages ago. There was the same table laden with fruit, the same rich furnishings, the same massive windows that drew in the moonlight, the same gurgle from a fountain on the porch. In an odd way, even if I had really only be in this room for a matter of a few weeks, it felt like a sort of homecoming.

    My feet heavy, I sluggishly flopped onto the sofa, letting myself sink into the familiar, stiff cushions.

    A hand fell to my cheek.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be silly, Rozin,¡± Andiya murmured. ¡°Come to bed.¡±

    Warm hands drew me up, away, to the plush bed that she had claimed on our first night as Eon and bonded. She pulled off my uniform, my socks, and untwisted the brain in my hair, her touch so delicate that I felt already half in a dream.

    And so we simply slept, curled together, my forehead nestled against her arm. I had not slept so deeply in all my life.

 Chapter 43: It Ends

    I met Yulia in the barracks in the next morning. We walked the wall, taking in the sharp air.

    ¡°The soldiers couldn¡¯t be happier,¡± she said. ¡°So many of them grew up serving her father, and remember him grooming the princess for rule. To hear them tell it, they all lost a sister when she died. And to say a few of them want Maxsim¡¯s head for his crime is an understatement.¡± Yulia frowned over the battlements. ¡°I still can¡¯t believe Maxsim tried to have his own sister killed. What sort of person does that?¡±

    ¡°The sort that will do anything for power,¡± said Andiya. ¡°My aunt is just like Maxsim. It didn¡¯t matter that her brother was dead, only that she could fill his shoes. She let him fall on his own sword. And so my father rots in a grave, and she is our queen.¡±

    Yulia¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°What? You¡¯re¡ª¡±

    ¡°The former princess of Kaelta, yes. Now I¡¯m only another loyal subject.¡± Andiya frowned. ¡°Might be lower than that, actually ¡­¡±

    ¡°But you¡¯re of royal blood.¡±

    Andiya¡¯s grin was lopsided. ¡°Was. It is in my veins, yes, but I was removed from succession long ago. But even so, please don¡¯t spread that around. Rozin trusts you, which means that I do, as well.¡±

    ¡°Of course, Your¡ªI¡¯m not certain what your title is.¡±

    ¡°Andiya. I¡¯m still no one now, no matter who I should have been.¡±

    ¡°Andiya.¡± Yulia leaned on the wall, wind pulling her hair. ¡°They¡¯re sending me to a border town soon. Putting Shokarov¡¯s squad back together. I wanted to see you before I left.¡±

    My heart clenched. ¡°I can¡¯t go with you.¡±

    ¡°I know. But don¡¯t worry. Your voice is with me wherever I may go, telling me to stay out of trouble, keep myself safe. I¡¯ll see you again very soon, I know it.¡±

    Andiya stepped closer to her. ¡°Khalid is with Shokarov right now, isn¡¯t he?¡±

    ¡°As far as I know, yes.¡±

    ¡°Could you ¡­ find some way for me to see him again? You could suggest that Rafiq visit the Korongorod, for whatever reason.¡±

    ¡°I will tell Rafiq that Eon Kain demands it. I doubt anyone will deny the new archon¡¯s favourite Eon.¡±

    Andiya pulled Yulia into a careful hug, the movement stiff and awkward. She released her a second later, Yulia¡¯s face bright red. ¡°Thank you. I won¡¯t forget it.¡±

    The next two days were a blur of meetings and strategy. Queen Mathaszai was enamoured with Irina, and they walked together through the Korongorod, chatting animatedly of every subject¡ªand complaining of the same things: people who breathed with their mouths open, budget discussions, ancient military commanders who were overdue for retirement. Andiya and I followed every step Irina took, listening to their conversations and discussing them ourselves every night afterwards, wondering what would come of this odd friendship between our regents.

    At the breakfast table, Irina entertained the Kaeltan queens. Exquisite dishes of tropical fruits from the palace hothouses and butter pastries and cold meats decorated the table, set between vases of bright flowers. No one ever spared the finery in their clothing. All the royals were dressed to intimidate; heavy crowns, gold and pearls, pristine furs. Irina directed Andiya and I to places at her left.

    ¡°We were hoping that today, we might begin to discuss the terms of our alliance with you, Princess Volkov,¡± said Queen Xanthe. ¡°We only intend to remain here for a few more days.¡±

    ¡°Of course. After my coronation, we can talk all the politics we want. But for now, let us continue to dine simply as new friends.¡± She snapped her fingers. ¡°The wine!¡±

    Queen Mathaszai laughed. ¡°So early?¡± she said to Queen Xanthe. ¡°Remind me, my love, why we did not visit with the Canavar before.¡±

    Servants laid crystal glasses at our places. A heady, pine-and-berry scent wafted from our cups.

    ¡°Rievsky,¡± said Irina. ¡°A specialty of the vintners near the ice fields. The berries are frozen on the vine and infused with Novosk¡¯s most precious spices. I thought to share some of my own culture with you today.¡±

    ¡°I hope you will share more than a single glass,¡± said Queen Mathaszai.

    ¡°As much as you desire, malikhaten.¡±

    We began to eat, the queens exchanging pleasantries. The wine was so thick and rich I could barely swallow it, my nostrils filled with the sweetness. I glanced at Andiya beside me, who was cringing through a sip.

    ¡°Not to your liking?¡± I whispered.

    She grimaced. ¡°The queens are being far too polite.¡± Andiya slid her wine to me. ¡°Here. You seem to have a much better stomach.¡±

    ¡°Couldn¡¯t have made it to the military without one,¡± I said, and reached for the glass.

    ¡°Kain!¡± Irina said animatedly. ¡°How about you regale us with the tale of how you arrived in Kaelta? Our guests must be curious, and so am I.¡±

    ¡°Of course, Your Majesty.¡± As I began a heavily edited version of our escape from the Shrikes, servants came to change our plates and drinks, serving fresh salads and steaming breads with soft cheese. They changed our drinks for saffe, a honey liquor from Azherbal. I took a slow sip and warned Andiya to do the same. Saffe was notoriously strong, and known to put even heavy drinkers on the floor¡ªmy father said it could strip the spots off a cow.

    The queens listened politely, if without much interest, to my tale. Queen Mathaszai tapped her fingers on the table, Queen Xanthe stared off into space. Verahai was the only one giving me his undivided attention. He sipped his saffe slowly, those black eyes fixed on mine.

    From the corner of my eye, I saw guards gathering outside the dining room. Ironbows poked out from behind their armour. I stumbled on my words.

    ¡°Is something wrong, Kain?¡± asked Irina with concern.

    ¡°No, no, it¡¯s only ¡­¡±

    A familiar face entered the dining room. Lionel, the diminutive, mousy scribe that Irina had brought on our original mission to Kaelta.

    ¡°Lionel?¡± I said. ¡°When did you get here?¡±

    Lionel picked at his sleeve. His hand shook. ¡°Her Majesty ordered that the Shrikes release me back to Maxsim¡¯s service some weeks ago. She told them how grateful Maxsim would be for my safe return. I, of course, was greatly relieved to be home.¡±

    ¡°Lionel was not doing well in captivity,¡± said Irina. ¡°He has a dreadful constitution, and I feared he would fall ill, his stress was so great. I knew he would be safe in Maxsim¡¯s service, until which time we could return and collect him.¡±

    ¡°A wise decision, Your Majesty,¡± Lionel said with a tremulous voice. ¡°I am overjoyed to see you again.¡±

    Irina raised her saffe. ¡°To old friends, and to new.¡±

    The table drank to her toast¡ªsave for a disgusted Andiya, and curiously, Lionel. He picked at his food noncommittally, lips drawn tight.

    Andiya tugged on my sleeve and leaned in to whisper. ¡°I don¡¯t feel well.¡±

    ¡°Too much to drink? But you hardly touched it.¡±

    ¡°No ¡­ it¡¯s not that. It¡¯s only a little, but ¡­ do you remember when we were in the woods? And I touched that awful plant?¡±

    ¡°Snaplock.¡±

    ¡°Exactly. I¡¯m starting to feel a bit ¡­¡± She put my thumb against her wrist, where I felt her heart racing. ¡°A bit not myself.¡±

    Across the table, Queen Xanthe pressed a finger to her temple, as though she had a headache. Queen Mathaszai was still downing her fourth drink. Verahai¡¯s vein stuck out on his forehead.

    ¡°Verahai?¡± I asked. ¡°How are you feeling?¡±

    ¡°I am perfectly well.¡± It was not in his usual hard tone¡ªbut instead in a half-crazed, frightened bite.

    ¡°Shit,¡± I breathed. I stood quickly. ¡°Shit. Your Majesty, someone¡¯s poisoned the Kaeltans with snaplock. I¡¯ve seen the symptoms¡ª¡±

    ¡°Sit down, Kain,¡± Irina said icily.

    ¡°We should get them out of here, put them under guard¡ª¡±

    ¡°They are under guard.¡± She snapped her fingers. A horde of soldiers swarmed in, filling the dining room in iron armour and heavy weapons. ¡°I have the situation under control. Sit down.¡±

    ¡°But¡ª¡±

    ¡°Sit. Down.¡±

    The queens were blinking erratically, their gazes darting about the room. Queen Xanthe stood, only to stumble. A guard caught her and lowered her gently back into her seat.

    ¡°Rozin,¡± Andiya whispered. ¡°Get my collar off.¡±

    Irina pushed from the table, adjusted her coat, and made to leave. ¡°Bring them with us. Come, Kain. Andiya.¡±

    The guards grabbed the Kaeltans by the arms, dragging them from the dining room. Verahai slammed the guards holding him to the floor, ice gathering at his fingers. But the snaplock had weakened him. The ice was a shadow of what he was capable of. The guards wrapped his arms in thick iron chains and wrenched him away.

    We entered the decimated courtyard that Andiya had burned during her demonstration. Slapdash wooden barriers lined the raw, charred edge. Set in the stone floor was a set of iron rings, all ready with empty chains.

    ¡°Your Majesty!¡± I shouted. ¡°Irina¡ªwhat are you doing?¡±

    ¡°Not to worry, Kain. No harm will come to them, nor to you. I would not dream of harming so dear a friend.¡±

    The guards chained Verahai and the queens to the iron rings.

    ¡°Treacherous snake,¡± growled Verahai. ¡°Whatever you intend with my queens will never¡ª¡±

    The guards forced a gag between his and the queens¡¯ teeth. Verahai screamed in fury against it. I tried to get closer, but the guards held me back. Andiya stared hard at Verahai, strangely calm, the snaplock blurring her vision.

    Lionel produced a small jar of purple powder from his coat. He held it under Queen Mathaszai¡¯s nose, and her eyes rolled.

    ¡°Lionel has been developing this substance for quite some time,¡± said Irina. ¡°We¡¯ve tested it on dozens of lesser daemons with mild success. There is little effect on Bestials. They feel a bit disoriented, and most seem mildly anxious¡ªbut we¡¯ve seen the greatest effect on Elementals. They find it nearly impossible to access any magic for at least several hours. The test on Andiya in the woods was our breakthrough. After Lionel slipped it into her food, she was completely incapacitated. Lionel has tweaked his recipe since, drawing out the properties we saw dulling Andiya¡¯s magic and consciousness. This should, by now, immobilize a daemon of any strength.¡±

    Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    Lionel forced the vial under Verahai¡¯s nose. Verahai fought it, but his knees wobbled and he fell.

    ¡°Lionel was a scholar in Novosk¡¯s Tower. He came across a passage in an elvhen text that implied that the plant known as ¡®snaplock¡¯ was not, in fact, native to Itrera¡ªbut was an elvhen-bred hybrid that they refined to dampen magic. Of course, he thought this information would prove invaluable to his archon. I convinced him that my father would squander it, the politicking old fool, and so Lionel began developing snaplock for me instead. I saw its true potential, and how Novosk might wield it.¡±

    Guards filled in the spaces around us, separating me from Andiya. Her legs wobbled. She hadn¡¯t drank much of the poison, not like the queens had. If I got her collar off, would she be able to access her magic?

    ¡°I told you I desired a world without fear of daemons,¡± continued the princess. ¡°And yes, I know what you must think of me now. That I¡¯ve deceived you, betrayed you¡ªbut I implore you, Kain, not to think of it this way. I still intend for us to create the world of peace and prosperity we spoke of. I want you by my side, bringing light where there is dark. I¡¯ve found a way to achieve what we both thought would only be possible in our dreams. In the past, we stood no chance against the High Orders. Our own conquest of the Korongorod yesterday is proof of that. But look. The most powerful daemons in Kaelta, and they are utterly helpless. What threat can they pose, like this? What daemon should we fear, when we have the means to control them?¡±

    ¡°What are you going to do with them? If their guards realise what you¡¯re doing ¡­¡±

    ¡°The daemons are not used to checking for poisons, as beings normally immune to any human workings. Those guards are in the throes of the very same madness as their queens. I intend to throw them into the sea when we¡¯re done here. Trust me, Kain, as you have before. My methods are brutal, but they will work. I want us to lead this new world together.¡± Irina approached, and I forced myself not to back away in horror. She took my hands, smiling at me. There was something off to her eyes, a glint of cruel glee I had never recognized.

    I glanced from the corner of my eye at Andiya. She didn¡¯t look like a fearsome High Order. She could barely stand, wild-eyed, all of her focus on me. I wished she could hear my thoughts. Trust me. Irina will never hurt you. I love you.

    I had to get that collar off.

    The princess released my hands slowly, that smile too warm, too false. ¡°Now, I show you how we will take this world into the future. Lionel and I were intensely curious as to why you, Rozin Kain, were able to wield a High Order when none could before. Lionel worked tirelessly to investigate you, your history, the circumstances of Andiya¡¯s bonding ¡­ and he uncovered something incredible.¡±

    ¡°You have daemon¡¯s blood,¡± said Lionel.

    ¡°What?¡± I scoffed. ¡°No, I don¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°Several of the old families were rumoured to have bred with daemons,¡± continued Lionel. ¡°All but the Shrikes have since died out, for lack of wealth or heirs and such, and so their names have faded into obscurity. I traced Rozin Kain¡¯s lineage back nearly five hundred years¡ªthanks to the extensive record-keeping of Ardila Vos¡ªand I discovered that one of her ancestors was head of the Ravilov Clan, in eastern Novosk. A clan that was feared for their strange looks and savagery, which local legends attributed to their carnal relations with the elementals of the ice fields.¡±

    ¡°But ¡­ five hundred years. Even if this is true, I¡¯d have barely even have a drop of daemon blood left.¡±

    ¡°That might be all it takes,¡± said Irina. Lionel handed her a thin iron knife, and Irina twisted it contemplatively. ¡°Our theory is that if a High Order is weakened, and if the bonder is properly infused with familiar blood, the daemon¡¯s soul will accept the bonder¡¯s body as its own. But, alas, it is only a theory if left untested. Bring in our subject.¡±

    Guards dragged someone in behind me. Whoever it was put up a fight. The guards grunted and struggled against a series of cries and flailing.

    ¡°Get your fucking hands off me! When I get out of this I¡¯ll tear your empty heads right off your fucking shoulders, I swear to the Creators¡ª¡±

    I knew that voice. I straightened in relief, in happiness, in dread.

    ¡°Jiyi!¡± I cried. The soldiers dragged her before the Kaeltan queens and forced her to her knees. ¡°Jiyi¡ªyou¡¯re alive.¡±

    ¡°Looks like it.¡± Jiyi glared at Irina. ¡°Whatever this is, I assume it violates about a hundred treaties.¡±

    ¡°No, dear Jiyi,¡± said Irina. ¡°This is a gift of the highest magnitude. I bartered you from the Shrikes so that our alliance might continue. Your empress will thank me. When I return you to her, our nations will be ever the closer.¡±

    Irina took Verahai¡¯s wrist. Carefully, she drew the knife across his skin, leaving a thin cut. Verahai barely seemed to notice. Whatever his eyes saw now, it wasn¡¯t the Korongorod. Not after so much poison.

    Irina brought the knife to Jiyi¡¯s lips. ¡°Drink.¡±

    ¡°Fuck no.¡±

    ¡°Open her mouth.¡±

    Guards forced Jiyi¡¯s jaw open. Irina dripped blood onto Jiyi¡¯s tongue. ¡°Drink.¡±

    Jiyi spat the blood in Irina¡¯s face. Irina didn¡¯t even flinch.

    ¡°Very well,¡± Irina said coldly, and sliced along Jiyi¡¯s collar. Verahai¡¯s blood mixed with Jiyi¡¯s in the open wound.

    ¡°Crazy bitch,¡± snarled Jiyi. ¡°Let me go. This is grounds for war.¡±

    ¡°Lionel,¡± Irina said. ¡°Give her the general.¡±

    Jiyi¡¯s eyes widened in understanding. ¡°No. No, I have a bonded, this won¡¯t work.¡±

    ¡°That lion is no more bonded than you are. Or are you going to tell me that he did not carry Rozin to Kaelta? That your bond allows him to be on the other side of the continent?¡±

    Jiyi kicked against the guards to no avail. A bandage peeked out at her collar. She was still recovering. She¡¯d never have the strength to break free. I moved towards her, and felt the steel grip of guards holding me fast.

    ¡°This is my gratitude, Jiyi. In exchange for her support of my cause, I give your empress a High Order.¡± The guards dragged a limp Verahai forward. ¡°Begin.¡±

    Lionel approached. A fetter glowed on his palm. ¡°Brace yourself,¡± he said, and the fetter burst from his palm and clamped around Verahai¡¯s neck.

    Wire tore through the wrecked gardens. The fetter burned on Verahai¡¯s skin, jolting him back to reality. He screamed.

    Lionel shot a second fetter from his other hand, and it took Jiyi¡¯s wrist. Gold crawled up her skin.

    I could only watch in horror. I¡¯d seen dozens of bondings, but nothing like this. This was madness.

    Jiyi collapsed, Verahai mirroring her. Just as Andiya and I had.

    ¡°Is it stable?¡± Irina asked.

    Lionel examined Jiyi¡¯s bonding tattoo. It had grown underneath her false one, covering her arm in odd black and gold stripes of ice-capped mountains, hand fans, and sharp fangs. Lionel listened to Jiyi¡¯s heartbeat, checked her eyes. We held our breath as he patiently waited out the wind, as the courtyard died down to silence.

    ¡°All normal, Your Majesty. No signs of fracture.¡±

    An excited glint shone in Irina¡¯s eyes. Her voice shook when she asked, ¡°And you¡¯re certain?¡±

    ¡°As certain as I can be at this stage. If we had a few days, I could monitor her and make sure.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s enough. We don¡¯t have days.¡± Irina wiped the knife on her gown and stood before the queens. ¡°Kain. Which of the Kaeltan queens is the strongest?¡±

    I couldn¡¯t move, held in a fierce grip by the guards. I couldn¡¯t think. ¡°I¡ªI don¡¯t know, Your Majesty.¡±

    ¡°Andiya?¡±

    She glanced up at the sound of her name. Her eyes went in and out of focus.

    ¡°Andiya, dear. Which of your queens is the most powerful?¡±

    Andiya¡¯s brow screwed up in concentration. She looked at the queens, at the princess, at me. ¡°The ¡­ the phoenix,¡± she mumbled. ¡°Mathaszai.¡±

    ¡°Is she telling the truth, Kain?¡±

    I could feel nothing, through that collar. I only nodded, praying that Andiya still had the capacity to lie.

    ¡°As I thought.¡± She brought the knife to Queen Mathaszai¡¯s hand.

    ¡°No ¡­¡± breathed Queen Xanthe. Her head hung, limp. Her frail body seemed so thin and pale she was an apparition. ¡°No ¡­¡±

    The princess licked Queen Mathaszai¡¯s blood off the knife. She cut her palm and let the blood swirl together. ¡°Lionel.¡±

    His brow shining with sweat, Lionel drew a second fetter. Irina stood before Queen Mathaszai with the honed focus of a hunter.

    ¡°And so it begins,¡± she said. ¡°As I tame fire.¡±

    Lionel raised his palm. The fetter burst from his skin, stretching through the air.

    Queen Xanthe leapt between them, and the fetter closed around her throat.

    Frost burst across the garden. The wind churned into a blizzard. Queen Xanthe stood with the collar around her neck, facing Irina with clear, icy fury. Snow whipped at her hair, arctic blue burned in her eyes. She was suddenly so solid, so imperious, matching Irina¡¯s cruelty with the rage of a polar midwinter.

    ¡°Your Majesty!¡± screamed Lionel. ¡°I can¡¯t release her. If someone doesn¡¯t take the bond¡ª¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s mine, Lionel.¡± Irina faced Queen Xanthe, her eyes shining in perverse delight. She gripped Queen Xanthe¡¯s wrist, her knife flashed, and Irina once again licked blood from the blade. They faced each other, the blizzard raging around them, and Irina cocked her head. A curious look dawned on her. ¡°You¡¯re not like the others ¡­ just what exactly are you?¡±

    Lionel released the second fetter, and Irina screamed.

    Ice exploded from her. Guards fell, coated in frost. Stone crumbled from the upper balcony. I was blown back, and went skidding across the floor.

    Irina gripped her hair, loosing a blood curding shriek. Ice formed on her skin. Her eyes turned white.

    In the chaos, I scrambled for Andiya. She reached for me, trembling as the snaplock terrorized her mind. I yanked her collar off. Colour seemed to return to her. Andiya struggled to a stand, leaning on me.

    Irina fell silent. She stared at her arm¡ªnow a pattern of stark white, bare trees, holly leaves, cracked-ice rivers, and the skulls of wolves. Queen Xanthe faced her, defiant.

    ¡°We need to run,¡± Andiya whispered into my mind. My heart skipped. I had missed that voice so much.

    ¡°But Queen Xanthe¡ª¡±

    ¡°We can¡¯t do anything for her now. Queen Xanthe is not what you think. Please, we have to run, let¡¯s run, get away from here¡ª¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Rozin, please.¡± That was the snaplock, not Andiya. We could do more than just run.

    ¡°No, not alone. We¡¯re taking the others.¡±

    ¡°What? How?¡±

    ¡°Your Majesty,¡± I said. I knelt as a loyal general would. Irina didn¡¯t turn around. ¡°Your Majesty, my undying queen. Jiyi¡¯s beast will have heard her screaming. He may attack you.¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t,¡± she murmured. ¡°Locked up.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t believe the dungeons can hold him for long. Allow me to destroy the threat. For you¡ªfor Novosk.¡±

    ¡°Iron cell.¡±

    Irina was right there. I could charge, take a shot. I could get my hands around her throat.

    ¡°Guards. Xanthe. You won¡¯t make it.¡±

    ¡°I know.¡± I clenched my fists. ¡°Can you make a diversion?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t reach my magic. I¡¯ve been trying ¡­¡±

    The bond shone clearly between us. I gripped it, dragging Andiya¡¯s magic forward. She stood taller. The poison stopped Andiya from accessing her magic. But there was no poison in me.

    ¡°Together,¡± I said.

    ¡°Together.¡±

    Queen Xanthe¡¯s eyes flicked to us. Could she feel Andiya¡¯s magic rising?

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± I mouthed, and she blinked slowly, as if she understood.

    Fire exploded from Andiya¡¯s palm, separating us from Irina with a burning wall. The wall solidified, cutting us off from everyone else, so hot and thick that it would be suicide to traverse it. The guards sprung into action, but I¡¯d already started running, the way behind me an opaque, searing orange.

    We tore down the main hall, a twister of flame pouring from Andiya¡¯s hand behind us. She pressed a palm to a locked stairwell door. I narrowed her magic, focusing it. A beam flashed from her fingers and sliced the lock clean off. We crashed down the spiral stairs, and I felt Andiya¡¯s strength quickly fading.

    At the training room level, we collapsed to the ground. Andiya¡¯s breathing was laboured, her limbs shaking in fever. I took her arm and hauled her up, murmuring to her that it would be all right, I could do this. I had to. A group of guards, sweaty from sparring, approached us.

    I remembered my uniform. ¡°To the upper towers, all of you! The princess is in danger!¡± The farthest place from the courtyard.

    They sprung into action. ¡°Yes, Eon!¡±

    ¡°You!¡± I shouted at a tall, brawny guard. ¡°With me. We¡¯re to bring the Go-ah¡¯s Bestial to Her Majesty.¡±

    He took Andiya¡¯s other side, and we made our way further down to the dungeon level. The guard knew which cell we needed. I unbarred the door to find Hae lying miserably on the iron floor, chains draped over his body.

    ¡°Help me get the chains off.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Eon. Keep your distance. He will attack you as soon as he is able.¡±

    ¡°My High Order can handle him. Watch. Andiya, calm the beast.¡±

    Hae struggled against the chains at the sound of my voice, a baleful roar in his throat. Andiya gasped when her feet touched the iron floor, her magic sapped away. She crawled to Hae, and placed a hand on his cheek. At her quickly murmured Go-ah, Hae fell silent in understanding.

    We unchained Hae and led him from the cell. Once his paws were on stone, he straightened and flexed, energy returning to his face. The guard kept a nervous distance away.

    There was a commotion above us as guards searched the Korongorod. Every step, Hae got stronger. We lifted Andiya onto his back, and she sank against his mane.

    ¡°Join the others in the upper towers,¡± I told the guard. ¡°We will join you soon. Hold and wait for my orders.¡±

    He bowed quickly and sprinted away. No guard would ever question an Eon, no matter the order. The lashings were not worth it.

    We emerged into an empty hall. As I drew Andiya¡¯s magic, she told Hae our plan. He rumbled in agreement, and we sprinted down the hall. Andiya raised her palm. Flames bloomed in front of us, wreathing us like a comet.

    We charged into the garden, the guards facing us. Bonded rushed.

    ¡°Disrupt their bond now, Andiya!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m trying, I don¡¯t know how¡ªI don¡¯t know how I did it before¡ª¡±

    ¡°Do it!¡±

    The ground rippled and burst, cracking open like the fissures of a volcano. Walls of hot air battled with Xanthe¡¯s ice, blending with her blizzard. Ice and volcanic ash swirled in the sharp wind, stinging my skin. Bonded stumbled and fell as we pushed Andiya¡¯s magic at them in a wave. They collapsed, their masters flailing uselessly as their control vanished.

    The guards drew iron.

    I leapt from Hae and grabbed Verahai¡¯s chains, freeing him. A savage roar erupted behind me. Hae had spotted Jiyi¡ªlimp, half-concealed by the steam and blizzard. The ground burst and cracked, sending everyone sprawling, struggling to stay standing, as great hisses of steam burst in front of our faces. Hae leapt over us all, pressing his face into Jiyi¡¯s side. His nostrils flared, and his gaze snapped to Verahai as Andiya pulled Jiyi up. Could he tell? Did he smell the blood they shared?

    An arrow grazed Hae¡¯s leg. He bellowed and made for me, and Andiya helped me slump Verahai over his back.

    ¡°The queen!¡± cried Andiya. ¡°Get my aunt!¡±

    But Queen Mathaszai was too far from us, too close to the princess. We¡¯d never make it. A line of guards formed between us, brandishing cold iron.

    Andiya raised her hand. I pulled the last of her magic to the surface.

    ¡°We can¡¯t let Irina have her.¡± Andiya¡¯s arm trembled. ¡°She would rather die than be a slave¡ªa tool used to harm her own people.¡±

    I didn¡¯t stop her. I didn¡¯t know what else we could do. A tight beam of fire blasted from Andiya¡¯s fingertip, piercing Queen Mathaszai through the heart. She slumped, motionless, in a pool of scarlet and gold.

    The Korongorod seemed to fall still. The wind calmed. Ice glittered.

    Queen Xanthe screamed.

    The palace shuddered, lurching in the sky. It shuddered again. Ice crawled up the stone, covering the garden, walls, towers, freezing and freezing until the entire Korongorod was a jewel of pale blue. Xanthe¡¯s scream went higher, and the windows burst, showering them in glittering glass. Her voice cut off in a strangle. The Korongorod rumbled, and tipped, the ground skewing diagonal. It was falling from the sky.

    Queen Xanthe¡¯s eyes slowly fixed on Andiya.

    ¡°Go,¡± I said. ¡°Run!¡±

    Hae surged forward, and Andiya snatched my wrist as they passed. Hae grunted with effort. We were too heavy.

    Hae tumbled off the edge of the Korongorod, Queen Xanthe¡¯s blood curdling scream echoing across Itrera.

 Epilogue: Friend to Foe & Back Again

    We landed in the northern forests of Novosk, hidden among ancient trees. It felt like only hours ago we were here, with Irina, smiling with full hearts by a warm fire. I slipped from Hae and fell to my knees.

    ¡°Rozin,¡± said Andiya. ¡°We need to get Jiyi to a doctor. She¡¯s burning up.¡±

    Hae whined. Andiya stoked his neck soothingly.

    ¡°There aren¡¯t any doctors around here. The nearest major city is Ryalgrad¡ªand they¡¯d either kill us or send us back to the princess.¡±

    Andiya pushed Jiyi¡¯s hair from her eyes. Jiyi was sweating, red, her eyes twitching in pain. We couldn¡¯t waste any time.

    ¡°And Verahai?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Not moving. Breathing, still, but it doesn¡¯t look like for long.¡± Andiya ran a trembling hand through her hair. She¡¯d pass out from the poison soon, even if I held her magic. We couldn¡¯t stay here. Irina would send people after us. We had no other option.

    Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

    ¡°You know where we have to go,¡± I said.

    ¡°I know,¡± whispered Andiya.

    Hae panted through the forest at Andiya¡¯s direction. At the edge of a ruined town, I walked alone. I asked for directions from the townspeople¡ªwho did not recognize me in my Eon¡¯s uniform¡ªand we came to a small but handsome house at the edge of a flagstone road.

    The daemons stood behind me as I knocked on the door.

    Lady Ilyin answered, jewels glittering in her brow. She stared at us silently, hatred burning in her eyes. But she didn¡¯t scream in rage, didn¡¯t slam the door. She did not say a word.

    ¡°We¡¯re here because we need your help. I will beg if I have to.¡±

    Lady Ilyin didn¡¯t react. Her eyes searched the daemons behind me, landed on the unconscious Jiyi draped on Hae¡¯s back.

    ¡°And ¡­ we¡¯re here to join you. To fight. We will stand with House Ilyin against the crown, no matter the cost.¡±

    She stepped aside.

    ¡°Come in.¡±

    END OF BOOK ONE