Total pages in book: 210
Estimated words: 200096 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1000(@200wpm)___ 800(@250wpm)___ 667(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 200096 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1000(@200wpm)___ 800(@250wpm)___ 667(@300wpm)
“We’ll explain everything later, Sister.” I smooth a hand over her back. “Ready to go home?”
“Fates, yes.” She rushes to Tyree’s side, spearing King Hadkiel with a glare. “Come on.” Pulling him up off the ground, she serves as a crutch, tucking herself under his arm to help him hobble toward us. Her hand rests affectionately on his chest.
“What?” she snaps, seeing my bemused smile.
“Nothing. I seem to recall you demanding his death the last time we spoke. Or was it wishing for him to suck on a vat of Romeria’s blood?”
“Both, I believe.” Tyree winces with each step. He is far from well. “I told you her tune would change.”
Despite my hatred for this Ybarisan, I chuckle. “I cannot wait to hear this story.”
Annika rolls her eyes. “Shut up, both of you. Destry! Are you coming?”
A tiny person with the black eyes of a conjurer rushes to Tyree’s other side.
“Don’t worry, they have good ale where we come from,” Tyree whispers, ruffling her mop of dark hair.
King Hadkiel looks on with a sour expression.
“We know about your curse,” Romeria says. “Tuella explained it to us.”
“Yes, the people of Udrel have suffered greatly because of your kind, and we will suffer more, now that you rob us of our only hope, our kal’ana.”
“She is not yours to claim. Your sirens stole her and brought her here.” Romeria’s voice rises with irritation.
“To dull the curse of shadow wielders like you. And now we arrive here and find the gilded doe has been in our lands, and I must wonder what new curse we will contend with.”
Romeria falters. “What did you just say?”
“The gilded doe. Your Aoife.” King Hadkiel gestures to the golden antlers on the ground. “You said she was here.”
“Yes, but …” Romeria strolls over to collect the token, studying it intently. Dried blood stains the tines. “Find the gilded doe,” she whispers, and a pensive smile touches her lips.
It’s gone in the next moment as she returns her focus to Udrel’s ruler. “We have no interest in making your people suffer, which is why we’ve brought you a new kal’ana.”
Zander, who has remained quiet up until now, steps forward, his viselike grip on Saoirse’s arm resisting her struggles.
King Hadkiel sizes her up with interest. “You offer up one so lovely as this freely?”
Zander and I exchange an amused glance.
“Lovely, yes,” he says. “But her time in our realm has come to an end. She will gladly spend the rest of her lengthy life being of value to Udrel. Isn’t that right, kal’ana?”
Saoirse sneers at my brother.
“I would bind her wrists if I were you,” I warn. “Otherwise, you’re likely to find a dagger in your back before long.”
The foolish king smiles at her. “I would hope Udrel’s future queen would not wish to harm her betrothed.”
You have no idea.
“She is yours on one condition.” Romeria steadies her hard gaze. “Your sirens stay away from our ships.”
“As long as this kal’ana feeds the pool of life, the curse will remain at bay, and our sea wraiths will not need to search for another to replace her.”
“Then I hope she lives a very long life.”
Zander passes Saoirse to the guards, freeing his arms to slip around Romeria.
“We’re done here.” With a heavy sigh, she smiles up at my brother. “Let’s go and reclaim your throne.”
100
Romeria
I pause to listen and remove my shoes. A branch snaps to my right.
Taking off in the opposite direction, I run as fast as I can, stifling my giggles as I navigate the endless corridors of the labyrinth. The air is thick with the scent of cedar, thanks to a heavy rainfall this afternoon, and the ends of my gown grow heavy and wet.
Above, Hudem’s moon shines bright, bathing the royal garden in enough light for me to navigate my way.
That doesn’t mean I have any idea where I’m going. I falter at a split in the path. I could spend every night studying this maze and never end up retracing my steps.
Another branch snaps to my left, so I go right. Zander knows exactly where to go. He’s toying with me, herding me along, but I’ll play.
My bare feet revel in the wet grass as I run. My dress will be ruined and Corrin will scold me. I can hear her now: What kind of queen runs through the mud?
One who is madly in love with both her king and her realms, I’ll tell her.
Everything has changed. Ybaris and Islor are at peace, and I have uncovered brotherly friendships with both Atticus and Tyree, despite our sordid and rocky pasts. Tyree now plays the role of regent to Argon with Annika at his side, and while Oredai has been explicit about no one but the Queen for All going anywhere near Ulysede’s throne, he tolerates Atticus and Gracen running things in the golden kingdom as husband and wife, bringing mortals from all over Islor and Ybaris to populate it. The city thrives and has become a tourist destination.