When they searched the group of us and frowned, I knew they were looking for their nephew, too.
Ridley was our healer, one who had helped me train my mental discipline so I could hold the elements that I’d had before I left.
Now, I had two more. Hopefully, he would be able to help me with those, too.
Because I knew I would need it. I couldn’t do it alone.
And now, I didn’t have Easton to hold onto. To lean on.
“We’re back.” I looked at them and then down at my hands, and then I was moving, without even knowing I was doing it, even though I knew I shouldn’t. Ridley opened his arms, and I went to him. I looked up at Justise, who gave me a tight nod, then I noticed who was in his arms. Braelynn sat in the cradle of his elbow, her head tilted as she studied me. Her black bat wings were pressed against her sides so she could snuggle closer to Justise, and I had to hold back a snort.
The idea that this big man who said few words unless he was growling was holding my cat, my best friend, Luken’s soulmate, was kind of funny.
Then I remembered exactly why Luken couldn’t hold his mate in the way he wanted to.
“Let’s get everyone inside the castle, and then we’ll talk. You came through the Spirit territory rather than through the Lumière Court, even though it’s closer. I’m sure there’s a reason for that,” Ridley surmised, meeting my gaze.
I nodded. “Is he here?” I whispered, my voice so low I hoped only he and Justise and Braelynn could hear.
The men looked at me, their eyes widening ever so slightly as one. Even Braelynn’s eyes got bigger.
When Justise shook his head, only a fraction of an inch, my heart broke.
My hands shook, and the ground shuddered beneath my feet. I locked down my element, pushing it away.
I was fine. Everything was fine. Why did this hurt so much? Why did it always feel this way? We didn’t have time to introduce anyone, not when there were others around who could listen in, and maybe learn more than they should.
I knew that Lanya’s people wouldn’t say anything about what had happened, they had been sworn to secrecy even before we stepped foot into the Spirit territory. For that, I was grateful.
I didn’t want to explain to the Obscurité Kingdom that their sovereign was missing.
Nor did I want to explain to them why we had so many members of the Lumière with us, or that one of their own had died.
Before we could get settled, Luken came to my side, his gaze on the cat in Justise’s arms.
The last time Luken had seen his soulmate, she had been ash in the wind, killed by Lore.
Because of the magic and Wielding within her veins and the crystal that had been used, she’d somehow been transformed into the Familiar she was now.
I still didn’t understand exactly how it had happened, but Rosamond hadn’t been surprised.
She was the Seer, after all.
“May I?” Luken asked, his voice gruff. He held out his arms, and Braelynn jumped right into them. She nuzzled under his chin, and Luken’s body rocked as if it had been dealt a blow. He closed his eyes, letting out a pained groan. Air circled around him, a gentle breeze that tickled at my skin and ruffled Braelynn’s fur.
Braelynn licked his chin, and he grinned down at her. I had to force back tears.
Well, they had been reunited. It just wasn’t in a way everybody wanted.
Braelynn looked at me and burped a ball of fire that made me narrow my eyes. Then she nuzzled into Luken.
“Would someone please explain the fire thing?”
“All in good time, Lyric,” Rosamond said. “Now, I’m sure you have questions. We do, as well. I’ll tell you what I know. All of it.”
And for a Seer to say that, it meant something.
So we moved, all of us following Ridley and Justise inside.
Some of the Obscurité Court came up to us, but they didn’t ask anything. I knew they were looking for Easton, but then again, so was I.
By the time we got some of the Lumière Wielders to their rooms, I was exhausted. This wasn’t over. Not by a long shot.
I would rest later. First, there were things to do.
And one of them was going to hurt.
The keening cry that came from the older woman as she leaned into her husband slashed into me. I wanted to reach out and take away her pain. To somehow use the Wielding I had to make her stop. To make her not feel this agony anymore.
Her husband stood firm, his eyes dry as he stared off into the distance.
Wyn and Teagan were in front of them, both of their heads bowed.
These were Arwin’s parents.
And now, they knew their son was dead.
I didn’t know if I could say anything that would help. I couldn’t just stand to the side and do nothing, though. So, I moved closer.
“Your son was brave. He fought well, and he protected me. He died saving my life. And I will be forever in your debt.”
“Lyric,” Wyn whispered, but I quickly shook my head. I didn’t need for her to tell me it wasn’t my fault. I didn’t need any of them to say that. Because while the League and the Creed and the Lord of Water were the ones who did it, Arwin had been protecting me.
And I would never forget that sacrifice.
“They told us what happened,” Arwin’s mother said, reaching out to grab my hand. She had a firm grip for someone whose bones looked as if they could break at any moment.
She was a Dane, something I hadn’t realized until she touched me. Someone who had been stripped of her magic—recently, it seemed. All because of Lore and his misuse and abuse of the crystal.
Damn it all. I needed to fix this. I had to save these people.
I needed to save my people.
Fire glided from between the fingers of my other hand, and I clenched my fist, but not before smoke tendrils slipped between my knuckles.
Arwin’s father glanced down and then met my gaze.
“You are not in our debt, Spirit Priestess. You will not let Arwin’s death be in vain. I know you killed those who murdered my son. I only wish I had been there to watch, to help. You will protect our kingdom, you will unite us so we can live. So our magic may come back.”
He was a Fire Wielder, I could sense that much, but his wife was now a Dane.
I didn’t know how to fix that. At least, not yet.
I would figure it out, though. I would.
“When you’re free, when you have time, we will tell you about our son. About his smile and his laughter.” Arwin’s mother wiped tears from her face. “We will tell you the good so maybe it can overshadow the bad in your mind. He was our son. And he wanted to be a warrior.”
“He was a warrior,” I said, my voice stronger than I thought possible. “He was.”
“Thank you.”
I moved away then, letting Wyn and Teagan do what they needed to. They had done this countless times before, after all. They were leaders, ones who’d watched men and women fall in battle. They knew what to say and what to do.
I only had empty words, and what felt like emptier promises.
“You did good there,” Rhodes said, coming to my side.
I froze, looking over at him. We were in the shadows now outside of the room, waiting for Justise and Ridley to meet with us. I just stared, wondering how he could be alive.
“I don’t feel like I did,” I said softly.
“Because of that, I know you’ll do well no matter what comes at you. I’m sorry Easton’s gone.”
I looked over my shoulder, thankful that no one was around to hear that.
“We’ll wait to talk with the others about that.”
“I know we will. I will help you find him. He’s your soulmate, Lyric. Together, you will be able to do so much. And I’ll help you make that happen.”
I studied his face, the strong lines of his jaw, noticed that his color was coming back, and then those silver eyes I had always been drawn to pulled me in.
He was my
friend.
Maybe that’s what I needed.
A friend.
“I don’t understand you, Rhodes.”
“I don’t understand myself most days.” He laughed. “I don’t remember what happened under the water. I don’t remember anything about bone magic or what might have been with me.”
He shifted a little uncomfortably on his feet. “I only remember my father, and your face. Then I opened my eyes and saw you again, standing far above me as I came to the surface. So, yeah, I’m sure there are things to talk about. Let’s figure out what happens next.”
“Let’s.”
We moved to another room where Rosamond and Luken were already sitting. Braelynn was curled up on Luken’s lap, purring, and I had to wonder if there was any way to bring her back. Because the look of longing on Luken’s face told me that he missed his soulmate, but he would make do with the friendship of a cat. Much like I was doing.
“Where are the others?” I asked, and then I took a step to the side as Ridley and Justise walked in.
“We’re here,” Teagan said as he and Wyn walked inside behind them.
“Okay. Tell us what happened exactly,” Justise began.
I raised a brow and then took a seat at the round table.
“The League and the Creed were working with the Lord of Water. He had been using bone magic. Killing thousands so he could gain more power and use his dual Wielding.”
“Bone magic?” Ridley asked, his face going pale. “Dear gods.”
“The bone magic saved me, though.” Rhodes looked down at his hands. “I don’t know what that means.”
“In order for bone magic to save you, it must have deemed you worthy. Those souls are crying out for help, and they used what they had left to protect you.” Ridley leaned forward and looked at Rhodes. “You did not hurt them for them to protect you. You gave them purpose. Remember that.”
I stood still as Rhodes absorbed that information and gave Ridley a tight nod.
“I assume the bones were taken care of?”
“Yes, my grandmother and I took care of it.”
“The Lady of Air?” Justise asked.
“Yes. She’s on our side. Or, at least, whatever side this is. I don’t know who is on the other side,” I said quickly.
We explained about the battles and who we had lost, and relayed the fact that we didn’t know what side the King of Lumière stood on. Because although some of our foes had been fighting under his banner, for all we knew, he could be on the side of good. We really didn’t know, and that meant we couldn’t wage a full-scale war to try and protect the crystals if he was trying to protect them, as well.
The idea that nobody knew the truth worried us, but we would figure it out. We had to.
“And you’re saying a chain or rope of smoke took Easton away?” Justise asked and then met his husband’s gaze.
“What?” I asked, “What was that look?”
“It’s happened before,” Justise said, his voice deep.
“Excuse me?” Teagan asked. “I thought he just disappeared every once in a while. You’re saying this smoke thing took him before?”
“We thought it was Lore,” Ridley said. “We thought it would stop with the knight’s death. We were wrong.”
“So, let me get this straight. The King of Obscurité is gone, and he’s disappeared before, and because you thought it was the other bad guy, you didn’t mention it to us? So now, this current unknown bad guy is the one who has him?” I asked, standing so quickly, my chair fell. The sound echoed throughout the chamber, and I started to pace.
No one stood up with me.
They seemed just as shocked as I was.
“Lore bastardized the crystal. We thought he was trying to torture Easton. We thought he was the one who put the curse on him.”
Justise swore under his breath, and I looked at him.
“You mean the one that states he isn’t mine? The one where he can never love his soulmate? Yeah, I know all about that. I guess we don’t really have time for that though, do we? We need to find him. Before anyone figures out that the King of Obscurité is missing. We’re at war here, they can never find out.”
“We’ll tell him he’s in meetings. And he’s not missing. We’ll find him.” Justise pinched the bridge of his nose. “He always comes back. Always.”
“Under whose control?” I whispered, my voice steel. “We can’t find him if we don’t know where he went. We don’t even have a trail. We have nothing. And, on top of that, we have to figure out exactly what’s going on. We need to detail our next steps. And unravel the prophecy. And I need Easton for that.” I sat and shuddered at the words. The elements inside me smashed together, trying to crawl out of my skin. I turned my back, not wanting everybody in the room to see my tears. I couldn’t hold it back anymore, though. I was crying, my breaths coming in gasps. Strong hands wrapped around me, but I didn’t lean into Rhodes’ touch.
I heard the others talking, planning, and, inside, I was breaking. I wasn’t handling this well. I needed to handle it.
“You need to breathe. As soon as you get some sleep, some rest, we can make plans, Lyric.”
I ignored Rhodes’ words.
“You’re not doing this all on your own. We will always be here for you.”
That was a lie, wasn’t it? We had lost Rhodes once, and yet he was back. Now, Easton was gone.
And the prophecy said I would lose. Indicated I would lose others. That I would be alone.
I felt like I would always be alone.
Chapter Eight
Easton
* * *
They let me off the chains what felt like days later, but it could have been hours for all I knew.
The one who had tried to feed me, who attempted to give me water, had let me down. I didn’t know what Garrik’s plans were, but he didn’t physically hurt me. He seemed to want me healthy. Whole.
I didn’t know if I completely trusted him, but he was at least better than The Gray or Durlan.
The fact that I had a decent captor told me that there might be something else at play.
Or maybe he was just as much of a captive as I was.
Just as much a prisoner.
They put me in a cell with iron bars that stank of magic.
There was Wielding, and then there was other magic. I had always figured in my research that Wielding was a subset of magic itself. Not everybody could Wield spells and do actual magic that wasn’t of the elements.
I had used a spell to ensure that nobody could see my face, so they wouldn’t know who I was when I ventured into the Lumière Kingdom.
How long ago had that been? Years? Months?
I didn’t know.
I had gone there to help Lyric, ventured to where the Seer magic had sent her so I could protect her.
And, honestly, to find out exactly what the Lumière were up to.
They had been my enemy for as long as I could remember, and just because the pretty-boy with the silver eyes might not be as bad as the others, I still couldn’t trust them.
It was hard to trust when you had a thousand years of enemy history behind you.
I did trust the Seer, though. At least, as much as I could.
Rhodes’ older sister, Rosamond, seemed good of a sort, even if she was a Lumière Seer.
Trusting a Seer meant that you had to believe in the visions, and that wasn’t always easy. In fact, it could mean your death.
Because what they Saw wasn’t set in stone. And, sometimes, they needed certain things to happen for the best outcome to occur.
Best for whom?
That was something I had always wondered, but not anything I’d been told.
I had to figure the best course of action for me was staying off the Seer’s radar.
They wanted Lyric. They wanted her to save the world and all of that lovely stuff.
I wasn’t part of that.
No, I was in a cell now, surrounded by magic, bleeding.
My whole body shaking from the cold.
I could usually withstand torture a bit more than I had this go-round.
It had to be the magic within this realm, the so-called Shadow realm.
I’d thought it a myth. Stories from when I had been a child and had read books about the time before the Fall. The age of my grandparents.
When the old King of Lumière fought hand-to-hand with the King of Obscurité, my grandfather.
I had never met my grandfather. I was born long after the Fall. I had heard stories, though.
Legends spoke of a tyrant, a cruel leader who used all his power to kill those who didn’t supplicate themselves in front of him.
He wanted people beneath his shoe, for them to prostrate themselves.
I had seen the way my mother’s eyes tightened at the retelling of those stories. And even the way Justise turned away, not wanting to hear about his father.
I knew why Justise didn’t want to hear about him. After all, Justise was the secret-born, one that no one knew was alive until he just showed up one day.
At least, that’s what the stories said. And I knew better than most that whatever the story said, usually meant it was true.
After all, the victors were the ones who wrote the history.
And my grandfather had died, right along with the King of Lumière when the Fall occurred, and the realm broke the first time.
That first fracture had split our realm in two, with more fissures going on each year as the magic tried to take hold, attempted to settle. Now, however, we were past that.
Without peace and understanding.
When I got back—not if—I would try to make that peace. Not because I trusted the Lumière but because my people were dying.
Lore had led us down a track that we couldn’t turn back from. The crystal was still leaching Wielding and life from my people. Danes were being created daily because I hadn’t been strong enough to see what was in front of us all along. My mother hadn’t been able to see either.
Or maybe she did, but she wasn’t able to stop it.
She had sacrificed herself to save Lyric. In the end, her death had helped us destroy Lore, the one who had started it all with The Gray pulling the strings.
From Spirit and Binding Page 7
