Dorian took Laini aside to tell her about the vision. He said he could do it alone, since I told Zach and Gina about the visions I saw. Laini was upset… but much like Gina and Zach, she had no interest in being left behind. It seemed that nobody wanted to miss out on delivering justice to Irrikus and the Immortal Council. She’d sent Juneau away to danger, and she said it was only fair that she risked her own life in this struggle.
We all had a lot of work ahead of us.
* * *
Inkarri's presence was helpful on our journey here, but tolerance for her had worn thin in the first few days since our arrival. She was impatient to move around and desperate to flex her muscles after her confinement.
On this crisp morning, Bravi demanded Inkarri stay off the training grounds when the warriors went to train. The hunter stared down her nose at Bravi. Reshi had declared the blindfold illogical, since Inkarri’s senses let her pick up on everything anyway.
“They’re going to fight hunters. Don’t you want them to practice against one?” Inkarri asked in a freezing tone. “I’m helping. Nobody is letting me leave. I can’t just stand still.”
I watched them, tense. Dorian and I had offered our services up to the warriors to prepare them, but I hadn’t realized that Inkarri and Sonia followed us. Bravi crossed her arms, unwilling to back down from Inkarri’s intimidating stare.
“I don’t need your help, and I’m not risking it,” Bravi said bluntly. She jerked her thumb at me. “They said you made a pact with Ruk, but I’m in charge of the fighters, not Ruk.” Even after I explained the pact to Bravi, she’d remained highly doubtful about the strength of such a contract. In her mind, all hunters would lie and bend to do as much damage as possible within the pact.
Inkarri let out a low growl of irritation. “I’m offering to help, not to mow down your fighters. I can’t hurt any allies of Lyra’s.”
“Lyra isn’t in charge of my warriors. I am,” Bravi bit back and shot me a softer look. “No offense, but these men and women have entrusted their lives to me. I’ve spent the last few months growing close to every single one of them. I can’t have Inkarri throwing them around the arena in the name of training. Wouldn’t that negate her pact in general? Can she hurt people if they’re technically just practicing?”
Dorian scratched the back of his neck hesitantly. The truth was… we didn’t know the full extent of the agreement’s restrictions. I assumed that the pact would sense Inkarri trying to do outright harm, but Bravi wanted more than a guess.
“It’s a good point,” I admitted. “I don’t disagree with Bravi. Inkarri, if you actually want to help, couldn’t you just talk to the warriors?” Her defiant glare nearly knocked me back a pace, and I was suddenly very glad for the pact. She looked like a caged tiger, pacing.
“It’s useless as a warrior to engage in words, when you should be showing someone how to fight,” Inkarri snarled. She pointed at Bravi. “All you’re doing is ensuring that your warriors won’t be ready for my father.” Her hand tightened into a fist. I was pleased that Inkarri would even offer to help… It seemed like progress, and I hated to reward it with mistrust. But ultimately, it wasn’t my decision. Bravi was the one who had been working with these fighters for months while I’d been trapped in the Higher Plane.
Inkarri was unsatisfied with Bravi’s stubborn silence. The hunter reeled on me. Sonia watched warily from just behind her. “Well, human, so far I’ve been treated with nothing but hostility since I’ve come here. Sonia has to follow me everywhere to keep me safe. Don’t think I’m a fool, blind to all the ugly looks your other friends give me. You should honor your word and allow me to leave if you trust me so little. I promised you. I gave you names. I’ve fulfilled the terms of our bargain; now let me go.”
I’d prepared for this moment, but the force of her conviction still sent a wave of frustration and shock through me. On the one hand, I could respect her position, but Bravi was right, too. Inkarri was still an enemy behind our Coalition lines.
“Our pact was to grant you safe passage to the Immortal Plane,” I pressed back. “You swore to help us with the tear. We will release you, as promised, but I never said when. We can’t let you go until the attack is over and the tear is fixed.”
Inkarri’s lips curled in disgust. “You’re a liar. I will help you with the meld. My father is probably still looking for me. If I could send word—”
“Is he?” Bravi challenged. “If he hasn’t found you yet, then I doubt you’re as valuable to him as you think.” Inkarri lashed out at her, swiping her hand through the air and then yanking back as if an invisible force snatched at her. She panted in her struggle with it. I launched into action, putting myself between her and Bravi. Sonia gasped and stepped up beside me.
“See? I can’t hurt you,” Inkarri said with a growl. “I won’t touch your precious soldiers.”
“I don’t trust you,” Bravi snapped.
“Inkarri, you’ve gone too far. We can’t just let you do whatever you want. You’ll be free after all this.” I narrowed my eyes, as she looked ready to argue. “If you don’t want to be watched, then we can arrange other means.” Did she forget that the other defecting rulers had been placed in a prison? We’d already made several concessions. I crossed my arms, staring at her defiantly.
Dorian backed me up. “Look, we need to make sure the Coalition stays as safe as possible.”
Inkarri huffed and shoved her arms out in front of her. “Fine. There’s no honesty in walking around and pretending not to be watched like an animal.” I raised an eyebrow at her challenge.
“So, you’d rather be locked up?” Irritation made my skin crawl. Inkarri wasn’t going to let this rest. She gave me a challenging look, as if I might not do it. “That can be arranged.”
Dorian sighed as Reshi was called to arrange a new prison beside the other rulers. His scowl dripped with worry, but he watched Inkarri carefully. She was clearly furious with us. I felt a bit guilty for misleading her, but her previous interactions with us largely involved murderous intent. This would all be over in a few days, anyway, one way or another. It wouldn’t kill her to wait that long.
“You’ll regret this,” Inkarri muttered. When Reshi came with cuffs, she let out a barking laugh and came at me. “Do you really need those? I know how to sit in a cell. It’s what I’ve done for the last three months.” She spat on the ground in front of me, lifting her hand as if she wanted to strike me. I gritted my teeth together as my last bits of patience withered in the face of her rage.
“You’ve threatened to murder us and tried to follow through with that threat on numerous occasions. Stop acting like we’re being ridiculous. We’ll put you away from the other rulers, so they can’t yell constant murder threats at you,” I snapped at her as Reshi and Bravi led her away. Reshi moved fast, Charrek rushing to help her construct a basic magical prison for Inkarri, like an opaque force-field. Sonia buried her face in her hands as everything went down. I looked away from her and Inkarri, frustrated by the development.
“We don’t have time to be fighting one another,” I muttered to Dorian, venting. He nodded sagely, but he never turned away from Inkarri’s new cell.
Sonia approached us hesitantly. “Is it okay to visit her? You know, I believe in Immortal hunter culture they bury their grudges against enemies differently. If that helps explain why Inkarri doesn’t understand…”
“You can visit her as much as you want,” Dorian said with a shrug. “Keep her calm. Lyra’s right, we can’t have Inkarri starting fights, even if she’s trying to help in her own way. If she doesn’t want to be watched like a redbill’s prey, then she’s better off in that prison.”
Sonia said nothing at that, but every step of her retreat to Inkarri’s prison rang with resignation. There was nothing we could do. Inkarri was too much of a risk to take during such chaotic times.
Things were tense, but we made the best of it.
* * *
Dorian smiled at me from the d
oorway. "You ready?"
"How do I look?" I asked, pulling myself away from the communal bathroom mirror. I did a dramatic twirl for him, showing off the loose tunic and Bureau pants combo for tonight's event. I’d even managed to wash my hair and pin it up nicely for tonight. He gave a slow clap and whistled.
"A perfectly improvised outfit for your birthday."
My mother had made me realize that I missed my birthday in mid-November. What was I even doing on that day? It was hard to say. Maybe it came during my first official participation in the Games with Dorian. Tonight, my friends had demanded that we have a small get-together to celebrate. It was a sweet notion, especially since there wasn’t much we could do as we waited anxiously for news about Juneau from the spy network.
It would be a nice break for everyone. We walked out to the front of the camp, beyond the medical building. Charrek had constructed a makeshift gazebo, and the food was lined up on long tables. The maker chefs prepared special food for tonight with the rations we brought back, and Charrek helped brew a special fizzy drink filled with some of the leftover preserved brew from the Hive. It was decided that everyone should benefit from the special meals and drink, and there would be dancing later for those who wanted to stay. I assumed that not everyone would want to celebrate a stranger’s birthday in these somber times, but maybe some would enjoy a temporary change in pace.
Zach, Gina, and Laini came up to wish me happy birthday. I sat between Bravi and Dorian, feeling lucky that we had a moment to do something like this. We gathered around a smaller table. Bravi smirked at my outfit.
"The tunic truly brings out your new year of human wisdom," she said. Her mood had improved greatly after Inkarri got locked up. Despite everything, from the tear looming overhead and the fact that we were in the midst of a dire war, it was a good birthday. My friends were alive and well in front of me, and that was what I wanted most.
A few people were already dancing in the courtyard. One vampire woman, a refugee who helped the medics, played an instrument she must have saved from the Hive. She plucked the strings of the tall, guitar-like instrument, creating a pleasing song that sounded nothing like what I’d heard in the Mortal Plane. To my amusement, Sen hovered around the dancing folks, studying their movements and trying to copy them. I let out a laugh and turned to see Ruk, in his humanoid form, letting a vampire child rub his bald head. Aurora sat next to him. She’d already made friends with nearly the entire camp, eager to interact with anyone who would let her. She shot me a thumbs-up when she saw me across the clearing. It was a gesture Zach had taught her, and she loved it.
Reshi grinned at the end of the table, looking mischievous. She passed Dorian something. He sought out my gaze and beckoned me over to the gate for a moment, a few yards away from our friends. Gina elbowed Zach, and I could feel their eyes watching us as we headed over. My heart raced, already knowing what was about to happen.
He slid the ring out from a tiny cloth bag. The band was beautiful, incredibly black and shiny, like oil fashioned into metal. Its shimmer caught even the dim glow of the lanterns. I gasped as he took my hand, unable to contain my joy. On the top of the ring, a gemstone sat. It was similar to Lanzon’s but peppered with golden streaks and spots. It was nothing like the diamond Dorian must’ve seen in the commercial, but I loved it more than I ever could have loved a diamond, because this came from his home. He slid it on my finger. At the table, our friends chattered excitedly, staring without shame. I let my eyes grow misty as I held the ring up to the light and wrapped my arms around Dorian.
“I’m so happy you’re mine,” I whispered. He squeezed me back.
“And I love you more than anything.” He pulled back and brushed his rough thumb beneath my eye. “No tears on your birthday. Let’s go celebrate. I want to tell everyone.”
We came back with dumb grins plastered across our faces. Immediately, Laini feigned a dramatic gasp as she grabbed my hand. Juneau might have been rubbing off on her. She held up my hand to the light while my friends clapped. Bryce thumped his hand on Dorian’s back with a glorious belly laugh.
“There’s always time for love, even in war,” he said. “Congratulations.”
Dorian made the announcement to our table.
“Well, you have told everyone,” Kono shouted from across the yard with a fierce smile. “Vampire hearing, you know. We can hear you.”
I blushed as the entire Coalition burst into laughter. They clapped for us as Dorian raised my hand in the air.
Zach struck his fork against his glass, getting everyone’s attention. He hopped up on the table. “My gentle folk, I have good news for all you supernatural beings out there. If you want a wife, all you have to do is kidnap her and start an interdimensional war!”
“To Dorian and Lyra,” Roxy shouted and raised her glass. “And to the glorious honeymoon that will follow after knocking Irrikus’s head off his body.”
More laughter followed. I hid my face in my free hand as more jokes and cheers rang out. Now, the tears slipped out. I couldn’t help it. It was like someone had popped the depressed bubble hanging around us. It was incredible to think that despite where we’d started, tonight makers, harvesters, vampires, and humans laughed together as a united front. Sen watched with a raised eyebrow but said nothing.
More people poured onto the dancefloor to join the festivities. Sike attempted to teach Aurora some moves on her wobbly legs. Gradually, Aurora was getting used to her new limbs. I smiled as I watched everyone. Even Arlonne was having a merry time, yanking Bryce onto the dancefloor with a sharp grin.
I danced a few rounds with Dorian, Zach, and even Laini. My breath left me as my excited nerves and exhausted muscles begged for a break. Laini and I walked back to our table. She sighed wistfully, clutching her glass and looking into the night sky. I tucked a hair behind my ear, considering her suddenly drawn face. Our table was empty, save for our finished plates.
“Is everything okay?” I asked.
Laini offered me a small but sad smile. “I don’t want to rain on your birthday and engagement celebration.” I shook my head, insisting it was no problem. “It’s just that I was thinking about Juneau. I hope he’s okay. We’ve had some… developments. He said he had feelings for me, but I’m not sure that I’m ready.”
I nodded. A relationship with a ruler would be hard, even if it was with Juneau. Plus, Laini had lost Lanzon, and starting something new with Juneau might feel too soon for her. A pause passed between us, and she shrugged.
“I never thought I’d fall in love again after Lanzon, you know. I certainly never suspected that I might have feelings for a ruler, but we’ll see after it’s all said and done.” She smiled at me, this one full of nothing but happiness, and squeezed my arm. “Congratulations, Lyra. I’m happy for both of you.”
She left me to rest my legs while she went to catch up with Reshi and Kono. Zach came trotting up to me, fanning himself wildly.
“Those vampires love me out there,” he declared, and threw himself down beside me. “Can’t keep up with my sweet moves out on the dancefloor?”
I snorted. “You wish.”
Zach sobered slightly. “You know… I was opposed to your relationship with Dorian in the beginning, but any idiot can see you guys are made for each other. And I wanted to tell you, I’ve been planning to propose to Gina too, after all this is over.” He looked over to where she was chatting happily with Aurora. “Unfortunately, I can already bet which marriage our parents will be happier about.”
“Yeah, well, I don’t blame Mom and Dad, after everything that’s happened,” I admitted. “I hope they come around in the long run, though.”
He hesitated for a moment, fidgeting with a nearby napkin. “Will you stay in the Immortal Plane with him or will he come to the Mortal Plane?”
My chest hurt for the first time in a long time, not from the curse but from emotional pain. I still didn’t know my answer to that question… even if I’d realized that the Mortal Plane no longer �
�felt” like home.
“I’m not sure,” I confessed. He slung his arm around my shoulder and offered me a bright smile, though his eyes softened with anticipatory grief.
“Let’s just have fun tonight, sis.” He clinked his glass against mine. “You deserve it. Happy birthday.”
17
Lyra
The time had come. I surveyed our gathered troops in the courtyard at the training camp. We were nearly ready, everyone falling into their lines and finding their places. We had practiced our drills in this grouping every day until finally, it was the day of attack. The redbills chirped incessantly. Could they sense the nervous energy in the air?
We received a message from our spies that morning. Juneau had successfully gotten himself captured—with a dramatic flourish and loud attempts to bribe the hunters—and the Immortal Council evidently wanted to move fast on the trial. Our spies dispatched a message to us, and we hurried to fall into our planned regiments. The trial would be in a day’s time, giving us just enough room to enact our plan with a slim window of opportunity. We planned to head for Itzarriol immediately. A somber mood fell over the bustling courtyard, but it was betrayed by the determined faces of fighters from all species. Everyone wanted to end Irrikus.
I only hoped our plan was sufficient, after so much planning with Gomez, Dorian, and the Coalition’s leaders. We had developed a three-pronged attack to take the city of Itzarriol and end the Immortal Council's terror. Easier said than done.
Darklight 7: Darkfall Page 17
