by Evelyn Skye
Wolf’s eyes flashed as he saw her face. “Your Majesty! What happened?”
A bitter sadness prickled Aki as she touched the remnants of the acid blisters on her cheek. “My brother.”
“I’m so sorry.” Wolf cast his eyes downward. “You’ve been imprisoned and tortured. Kichona has fallen. And Prince Gin has apparently already taken Thoma and their tsarina. We let you down, Your Majesty, in every way possible.”
The confession hung in the humid air of the grotto.
But Aki shook it off. “Don’t you dare say that.” Even though she was filthy from being in this waterfall prison, she was imposing, too. She was born to lead, and that’s exactly what she was going to do.
“The three of you have done more than any three taigas in our kingdom’s history,” Aki said. “You should be proud of that. I know you’re feeling hopeless, and you should take whatever time you need to grieve.”
Spirit looked up, the usual light in her eyes now dim.
Aki gave her a sad smile. “But when you’re ready,” she said kindly, “let’s be angry—for your parents, for the Society, for our kingdom under my brother’s rule. You are my League of Rogues, and you don’t quit. Defeat only makes you fight harder, and we have a great deal to fight for. We’ll make my brother pay for what he’s done.”
Chapter Fifty-Two
Daemon was angry all right.
No, not just angry. Pissed.
They were once part of a glorious society of warriors, living in a beautiful, peaceful kingdom. And now they were reduced to this—an empress and three apprentice warriors, imprisoned in an underground waterfall.
But worst of all was Sora shivering in Daemon’s arms, sobbing. The devastation over her mother’s death and the worry over her father had smothered his bold, fearless gemina’s will to fight back.
He wiped away a stream of Sora’s tears with his sleeve.
“I failed everybody,” she said.
“You did not,” Daemon said. “If it weren’t for you, we’d all already be dead.”
At the sound of the word “dead,” Sora fell into another bout of sobs. “I’m useless! I couldn’t even protect Mama and Papa. They had nothing to do with this war. But it’s because of me that they got dragged into it, and now Hana has Papa, and Mama is . . .” She couldn’t finish.
“Shh.” Daemon rocked Sora against him. “Don’t for a second think this is your fault. It’s the Dragon Prince’s. We’ll get out of here somehow and save your father. And you’re not useless. I mean, look what you managed to do.” He slipped his fingers into the hidden pocket in her collar and retrieved the silk drawstring pouch where she kept Prince Gin’s soul.
“What is that?” Empress Aki asked.
“I’m not sure you’d believe us if we told you,” Daemon said.
“I think I’ve seen quite enough in recent days that I’d believe anything now.” She let out a mirthless laugh.
It was a fair point. “All right.” He opened the pouch but left the pearl inside. It was rolling a bit, as if trying to get out. The grotto must have been enchanted with the prince’s magic. “This is your brother’s soul.”
The empress startled. “What? He said he’d given it to Zomuri.”
“You knew he’d made a bargain?” Fairy asked.
“Yes,” Empress Aki said. “He gloated about it. But I thought that meant Zomuri had taken Gin’s soul.”
Daemon tugged the pouch’s drawstrings closed. “Spirit and Broomstick found Zomuri’s vault, broke in, and stole the soul pearl.”
“You did what?” Empress Aki blinked at them. “And this all happened while I was locked up here?”
“We’re sorry we didn’t get to you sooner. We should have done a better job and protected you from Prince Gin’s torture.”
The empress began laughing. Sora’s head snapped up.
“A better job?” Empress Aki shook her head as if in disbelief. “How many times do I have to tell you? No one could even dream of accomplishing what you’ve done. My brother came back with overwhelming magic, took possession of the minds of almost every taiga, and struck a deal with a bloodthirsty god to make himself unstoppable. In any other scenario, that should be the end of Kichona as we know it.
“But somehow, you’re still here, and not only that but you’re thwarting Gin against all odds. You broke into a god’s lair and stole one of his most valuable possessions. So don’t apologize for not doing ‘a better job.’”
“See?” Daemon whispered to Sora. “You’re not useless at all.”
Sora mumbled a protest, but she sat up and wiped her eyes.
Suddenly, an explosion sounded. The entire grotto was rocked by the force of the blast, and everyone fell as dirt and rocks showered down on them from the ceiling. Water splashed from the falls.
“Get away from the waterfall and the pool!” Empress Aki shouted. “That’s acid in there.”
Daemon just managed to get himself and Sora away as another explosion shook the cave.
“What’s happening?” Sora asked.
“I don’t know!” Daemon crammed the pouch with the soul pearl into his tunic. “Just—whatever happens next—protect the empress!”
“I don’t think you have to worry,” Fairy said calmly. “At least not because of the blasts.”
“Are you insane?” Sora said. The explosion seemed to have jolted her out of her grief, at least for the moment.
Fairy only smiled. “Haven’t you guys wondered where Broomstick’s been all this time?”
Daemon realized that the soul pearl wasn’t reacting to the explosion; it wasn’t ryuu coming to get them. Hope rose like a phoenix in Daemon’s chest. “Are you saying—?”
Broomstick’s voice echoed from inside the grotto walls. “Hey-o, Your Majesty, are you in there?”
Chapter Fifty-Three
We’re here!” a woman shouted from far away.
“Your Majesty, is that you?” Broomstick called. “I’m a taiga, come to rescue you, although it seems like you almost didn’t need my help.” The tunnel she’d dug was truly impressive. The Dragon Prince wouldn’t have left her with a shovel, which meant she must have scraped her way through the clay with a stone. Wow.
“You were the one signaling me from the other side of the rock, weren’t you?” the empress called from the other end of the tunnel. “I have all three of your friends with me. We’ll come your way.”
Broomstick heaved a sigh of relief that Fairy, Wolf, and Spirit were safe. He kept one ear on their approach and another on what was happening outside the hole he’d blown. The explosion hadn’t exactly been quiet. They probably had company coming soon.
Fairy appeared first, mud smeared all over her face but grinning. “What took you so long?” she asked.
“It’s good to see you, too,” Broomstick said. “Everyone all right back there?”
“Yeah,” Wolf said from farther down the tunnel, “except your massive backside is blocking the light, and I can’t see where I’m going.”
Broomstick laughed.
“Thanks for getting us out of here,” Fairy said.
Empress Aki poked her head around Fairy and greeted him. “Ah, our savior. Thank you. Most would not risk their own lives to save those already doomed.”
“Your Majesty, I didn’t think twice about it.”
“That’s because you’re cast from pure honor.”
Broomstick blushed as he bowed. Or he attempted to bow in the cramped tunnel.
He could still feel the doubt from the Lake of Nightmares inside him, but Broomstick was also beginning to suspect that there wasn’t water in his lungs. It was possible his friends and the empress were right. Maybe everyone had the potential for evil, but it was a choice whether to succumb or to fight it.
Fairy nudged him. “We should get out of here. If the ryuu aren’t already waiting for us outside, they’ll be there soon.”
“Right, let’s go,” Broomstick said, turning and crawling toward the exit.
/> As they got closer to the part of the tunnel that Broomstick had blown apart, they had to watch for shrapnel from the rocks. By the time they got to the exit, he had several shards embedded in his palms.
Broomstick poked his head out of the opening to check for ryuu.
“Coast is clear,” he said, waving them on. He climbed out first, then offered his hand to help the others.
Fairy and Empress Aki came out and clung to the steep, rocky ledge. Below, the ocean roared and spit at them. The clouds had covered up the moon again, and thick mist shrouded the night.
Then came Spirit, who looked like a phantom version of herself. Stars, what had Broomstick missed? He’d never seen Spirit this defeated. Even when the world was against them, she was their fearless leader.
Finally, Wolf emerged in boy form.
“What happened to Spirit?” Broomstick asked quietly as he pulled Wolf out of the tunnel.
“Prince Gin killed her mother in front of her, and now Hana has their father captive.”
“Good gods.”
“Yeah.”
Empress Aki interrupted them, pointing into the fog. “Is that a ship over there?”
“Nines,” Wolf said. “We killed Skullcrusher and Skeleton, so how are their navies still working?”
“They shouldn’t be,” Fairy said. “But Tidepool is here, too. Maybe she’s behind this ship.”
It sailed quickly toward them, no doubt investigating the source of the explosions.
“Gods dammit.” Broomstick had led his friends and the empress here, to perch precariously on a ledge with nowhere to go but back into their prison or up over the top of the rock, which was a good ten-foot climb.
They were sitting ducks.
Chapter Fifty-Four
Sora stared at the ship cutting through the fog.
Daemon touched her shoulder. “Sora? We need you.”
“I . . .”
“You’ve been through something terrible. And I know you need time, but . . . I’m sorry. We can’t do this without you. You have to make us all invisible.”
Sora shook her head. “I—I don’t know if I can concentrate enough to command the ryuu particles. All I can think of is Papa and Mama.”
Daemon’s entire face softened, and he smiled kindly. “Then think about them. Remember what your mother said to you during the Autumn Festival when we were visiting? What did she tell you to be?”
Sora almost broke down again. She would have tumbled off the rock face, but he held her fast. “‘Be more.’ That’s what your mother said, and you rose to the challenge then. Honor her memory by doing it again. Save the empress. Kill Prince Gin. That’s what we have to do.”
Sora wanted to crawl back into the tunnel.
But she didn’t. What Daemon said hit a nerve.
Mama and Papa had known what Sora was capable of. And Mama’s entreaty had been about not only Sora’s potential but also her duty to be the best person she could be.
That included pushing through sadness to save Papa, her friends, and her empress. To protect the kingdom.
So she did her best to stow away her grief. Sora knew it would come raging back again, but she needed to try to control it as much as possible right now, to let it out in smaller doses. Grief was a beast that didn’t react well to being caged, but this had to be done.
“Everyone, huddle together. I’ll try to make us invisible.” Her voice cracked. She didn’t know if her magic was strong enough to do this. But Daemon nodded at her, encouraging.
The ship breached the mist. Daemon and Broomstick pressed against Sora on her left, while Fairy and the empress pushed up on her right, all while holding on to the slippery crevices to avoid plummeting into the sea.
When they were packed together like sardines, Sora called on the emerald dust. The particles dove into her, taking away the cold of the ocean spray and infusing her instead with the heady warmth of ryuu magic. And then the magic spread to her friends on either side of her like ink traveling through water.
Just in time, too, because the ship sailed closer to inspect the rocks. Sora dared to look over her shoulder to watch the ship approach.
The collapsed remains of skeletons and corpses littered the deck. But it didn’t matter; this ship didn’t need an entire crew to sail it. Tidepool stood at the helm, directing the sea to guide her where she wanted to go.
Please hold, Sora thought to her ryuu particles as the ship lurched closer.
Tidepool leaned over the starboard side to examine the coastline. She noticed the hole in the cliff and stared at it for a while. Sora held her breath.
After what seemed like much too long, the ship swung away abruptly.
Sora exhaled. Tidepool was probably going to sound the alarm that they’d escaped, but at least Sora had managed to save everyone this time. She held on to the invisibility spell until the ship disappeared again into the mist.
“Bravo, Spirit,” Empress Aki said.
“We’re not safe yet, Your Majesty, but thank you.”
“Now what?” Fairy asked.
“We find some place flat where Daemon can stand,” Sora said, feeling a bit more in command now. “He’ll transform into a wolf, we’ll find Papa, and then we’ll fly the hells out of here. Can you hang on a little longer while I go scope things out first? I can float everyone up individually once I make sure it’s safe.”
“Just be quick, please,” Empress Aki said. “I’m rather weak.”
Sora cast a spider spell and skittered up the rock face. At the top, she peered over the edge. There was a short cluster of bushes, which would suffice for cover as long as they didn’t stay here long.
She pulled herself up, then leaned back over to get a view of everyone below. Get the empress, she commanded the ryuu particles.
They created a platform and, within seconds, lifted Empress Aki to the top of the cliff. She crouched beside Sora, concealed from the rest of the island by the bushes.
Sora brought Fairy and Broomstick up, too, while Daemon transformed into a wolf and flew to them. They clambered onto his back.
Before Daemon could take off, though, a voice called from a short distance away. “Your Honor, wait!”
Papa!
Sora took off running. Papa crashed through the bushes and hurled his arms around her, his eyes and nose red from crying.
Sora’s own tears began again as she embraced him. “You’re alive!”
“Y-your sister . . .” He tried to say something, but he was too choked up.
“Is to blame for Mama’s death,” Sora finished for him. “Let’s get out of here before Hana finds you again.”
“I can’t leave her,” he cried.
“This isn’t the Hana you knew,” Sora said as kindly as she could through her own anger. “She could have stopped Prince Gin from killing Mama, but she didn’t. You have to accept that Hana has changed. She’s a terrible person.”
Papa held Sora more tightly. “That’s not true.”
“No, she’s right,” Hana said, emerging from the bushes. She must have been following Papa. “I am a terrible person.”
Sora pushed Papa behind herself to protect him. Broomstick and Fairy jumped off Daemon’s back and brandished their weapons. Daemon stepped back to move Empress Aki farther away from the fight that was about to break out.
He had returned the soul pearl to Sora after they left Dera Falls. It strained inside her collar, attracted to such a strong source of the prince’s magic.
But Hana didn’t look like the Dragon Prince’s scathing Virtuoso anymore. She had more in common with a willow sapling beaten and bent by too many storms.
Hana held up both hands as if in surrender. “I’m so sorry for what I’ve done,” she said, her voice subdued.
“I can’t even look at you,” Sora said, turning her attention to Papa instead. He sobbed softly against her.
Hana kept talking. “We gave Mama a proper burial. We cremated her and—”
Sora’s head snapped up.
“You buried her? What gives you the right? I should have been the one to lay her to rest.”
“Your Honor,” Papa whispered. “Please listen to your sister. She’s trying to repent.”
“How can you believe that?” Sora asked, horrified. “She let Prince Gin murder Mama.”
Tears ran down Hana’s face. “And I’ll live the rest of my life making up for it.”
“You can’t,” Sora said. “There’s nothing you can do to atone.”
“Spirit.” Empress Aki had slid off Daemon’s back and now stepped forward. She laid her hands on both Sora and Hana. “It’s true that your sister can never bring your mother back. But I’ve watched you, and I know you have faith that there is good in the world. That’s why you keep fighting. And if you believe that, then you also must have faith that people can change. Give your sister a chance. Let her leave Gin and Zomuri behind to step into Sola’s magnanimous light.”
“And what if it’s another lie?” Sora asked.
Hana lowered herself to the ground into something like a bow. “I have no incentive to lie. If I still believed in what Emperor Gin—Prince Gin—wanted to do, I could have alerted the other ryuu to recapture you. But I can’t support him anymore. He damned us all, and I just . . . I’ll do whatever you need.” She glanced up at Papa. “I promised him, and I promise you.”
Papa broke away from Sora and crouched to hug Hana. She threw herself into him as if she was six years old again. “It will be all right, my little one,” he said, stroking her hair. “I have you now. Everything will be all right.”
Seeing them together like that toppled Sora’s defenses. Ever since the Blood Rift Rebellion, all Sora had wished for was to go back in time, to have her sister with her again. That dream had almost seemed possible when Prince Gin returned to Kichona with Hana by his side. Sora had tried to persuade her sister to come back, to rejoin their family, to become a taiga again. Was Sora really going to give up on all those hopes so easily now, out of spite?
She knelt beside Hana and Papa. “We always talked about being a team, fighting side by side. We’d be the best taigas Kichona has ever seen—running faster, hitting harder, casting magic better than anyone in history. I’d still be interested in that, if you are. But you have to prove it’s not a lie.”
