The Blood Traitor (The Prison Healer, #3) — Chapter no 27

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Ashlyn’s declaration made Kiva freeze, but Jaren instantly strode forward until he was right in front of his cousin.

“Tell me everything,” he said, his voice low and urgent.

The princess didn’t delay. “We found a villager willing to talk. She said Navok has been sneaking anomalies into Evalon for months, with them crossing the border in twos and threes — numbers small enough not to raise the alarm — all under orders to travel south to Vallenia and wait for his command.”

Ashlyn took a breath and continued, “They’re obeying because he stole their families. Their husbands, wives, brothers, sisters, even their children — anyone they love, he had his soldiers kidnap for leverage, locking them away at Darkwell Keep.” To Kiva, she quickly said, “It’s an impenetrable fortress, even to those with magic.” She turned back to Jaren, her face grim as she revealed, “If the anomalies don’t use their powers for him, he’ll kill the people they care about. This isn’t a case of them having nothing to lose — they have everything to lose. And they know it.”

Kiva ground her teeth, realizing how dangerous that made the anomalies. They weren’t fighting out of loyalty to Navok — they were fighting because they were desperate. And a desperate enemy with that kind of power . . .

Gods, Kiva thought, a chill snaking down her spine.

“You said they’re about to attack,” Jaren prompted his cousin. “How could the villager know that? She might know what Navok has done and what he’s planning, but how —”

“That news didn’t come from the villager,” Ashlyn said. “Issa sent a messenger to Evalon — she was worried because she hadn’t heard anything from us in months.”

Kiva remembered the queen mentioning that during their meeting yesterday.

“That messenger returned today, right as I arrived back from the village with the others,” Ashlyn explained. “He was the one who shared the news.

He saw the anomalies with his own eyes.”

Jaren cursed, but his cousin wasn’t done.

“It gets worse,” Ashlyn said. “Navok himself is on his way. He’s sailing down the coast, just like we did from Ersa, with wind anomalies speeding the journey.”

Instead of becoming more distressed, Jaren straightened and said, “Our armadas will stop him. He won’t get far.”

“He will. He has,” Ashlyn said, her features even grimmer now. “He has an entire ship full of anomalies with him, and not just wind elementals.

They’re laying waste to the coastline, for no other reason than to show his power. Entire villages are being set aflame, low-lying settlements are being flooded by tidal waves, the earth is cracking at his command. All of our ships that have been sent out to meet him have been torn apart without getting near enough to fire a single cannon. It’s a warning — and a promise: he’s on his way, and he will show no mercy.”

Silence rang in the wake of Ashlyn’s damning statement, with Kiva unable to do anything but envision the horrifying image the princess had described.

“How long until he arrives?” Jaren asked, every muscle in his body rigid.

“Any day now.” Ashlyn turned to Kiva. “He was never going to honor the deal he made with your mother. All of this proves he was only using the rebels, waiting for Zuleeka and Mirryn to weaken us so he could swoop in and steal our kingdom. He’s been biding his time until the protection we offered was gone, and now Evalon is ripe for the picking.”

Kiva was unsurprised that Navok had intended to renege on the deal, but she was surprised he was moving forward without having her bound to him, especially because — “Zuleeka won’t let Navok take Vallenia, not while she has magic that can stop him,” Kiva said. It made her feel sick to even think it, but at least there was one good thing that came of her sister’s deadly power: Navok wouldn’t have a defense against it.

“Zuleeka has locked herself in the palace,” Ashlyn revealed, her silvery eyes flashing. “She’s doing nothing to prepare the city for an attack.

Nothing. Our people need protection, and she —”

Ashlyn stopped and inhaled deeply, before saying, much calmer, “I don’t think we can count on your sister doing anything right now, other than

looking out for herself. That seems to be what she’s best at.”

Kiva looked down at her feet, devastation and fury and shame warring within her. But then she felt Jaren’s hand curl around hers, silently reminding her that he didn’t blame her — for any of this.

“With any luck, Navok will confront Zuleeka once he arrives,” Ashlyn went on, missing their nonverbal communication. “She’ll have to defend herself then, hopefully wiping him off the board. But I think we all know Navok is too smart for that.”

“Which means he has another plan,” Jaren said, calculating.

“Or he’s underestimating the strength of her power,” Ashlyn countered.

Kiva knew they could stand there playing guessing games for hours, but that wouldn’t help anyone, so she said, “What are we going to do?”

“We need to get back to Vallenia,” Jaren replied instantly, his answer filling Kiva with pride. Even without his magic and his crown, he would do whatever it took to protect his people.

But Ashlyn shook her head. “No, you need to get the final ring. Now more than ever, we need the Hand of the Gods in our possession. Issa’s messenger couldn’t say how many anomalies there are, but right now, the only elementals we have on our side are Cal, Galdric, Aunt Ariana, Oriel, and me. We can’t take on an army of magic users without help.” She peered deeper into the cave. “I assume you found the third ring?”

Kiva held out her hand, all three of them still in her palm.

Ashlyn touched her finger to the emerald, infusing her earth magic into it, the green jewel flaring bright before fading again.

“Now you just need the last one,” Ashlyn said as Kiva placed them all in their pouch and returned them to Jaren.

“Ash, we can’t just leave Vallenia to —”

“I said you need to get the final ring,” Ashlyn cut Jaren off. “I didn’t say we all needed to go. Not this time.”

Jaren’s eyes narrowed. “What are you thinking?”

“Eidran, Tor, and I will head straight back to Vallenia while the rest of you go to Arden,” Ashlyn said. “They’re getting ready right now — Issa has already agreed to give us extra horses so we can ride hard, without stopping. And while I can’t windfunnel as far as Galdric, I’m stronger than him, and my energy replenishes faster, so I can make smaller jumps, more often, and still have enough magic to spare for when we arrive. I’m hoping it’ll be enough for us to make it back by tomorrow night.”

“Why you three?” Jaren said. “Why can’t I —”

“Because Queen Lorah adores you,” Ashlyn stated. “So far, every ring has been a challenge, and we don’t have time to waste. If having the favor of Nerine’s ruler helps, even in the slightest way, you need to take advantage of that.”

Kiva didn’t think now was the time to mention that Issa adored Jaren, too, and yet here they were, having lost nearly a whole day climbing a deadly mountain.

“And as for why us three,” Ashlyn went on, “I gave orders to have some of my soldiers sent to Vallenia before we left for Jiirva — not enough, I wish I’d sent more, but I never imagined this . . .” She scowled, then shook it off and continued, “They need to see me with them, leading them against whatever we’ll be facing. Eidran will be doing the same with the Royal Guard — though I think we can also assume Captain Veris will already be preparing them to defend the city, with or without Zuleeka’s permission.

And Tor” — Ashlyn’s eyes cut to Kiva — “is going to try and rally the rebels. He was their general; he’s hoping they’ll still be willing to fight with

him. It’s a long shot, but . . .”

“A common enemy,” Jaren murmured.

“Exactly,” Ashlyn said.

Kiva clenched her hands, the thought of what her friends and her brother might be heading into making her feel queasy.

“Galdric will windfunnel the rest of you directly from Lyras to Arden,”

Ashlyn shared. “After you have the ring, meet us in Vallenia as soon as you can. He won’t be able to windfunnel you again straightaway, but —”

“We’ll figure something out,” Jaren interrupted with a terse nod.

Kiva could tell he wasn’t pleased with the plan, his desperation to hurry back and help his city — and his family — conflicting with his knowledge that the final ring would allow them to even the odds. Not just in creating their own anomaly soldiers, but also in Jaren himself being able to battle magic with magic.

“I know it’s hard,” Ashlyn said, seeing Jaren’s inner turmoil. “But try to remember that, even without magic, our soldiers are well trained and unafraid. They’ll be able to handle themselves. And Veris will keep the Royal Guard strong. You’ve got time — just not much.”

“That time will become considerably shorter once Navok arrives,” Jaren said tightly. “I doubt he’ll wait long before ordering his anomalies to

attack.”

“So get there before him,” Ashlyn said pointedly.

“Maybe he doesn’t plan for them to attack,” Kiva said. “Maybe they’re just there to look intimidating and make us think they’re going to attack.”

The incredulous looks both Jaren and Ashlyn sent her made her blush.

“You never know,” she mumbled.

Despite her embarrassment, she was relieved to see Jaren’s lips twitch, just slightly. If nothing else, she’d managed to ease his tension, even if only for a moment.

“We need to get off this mountain,” Ashlyn said, beckoning them out of the cave. “I couldn’t windfunnel up here earlier because the weather was so bad, but we at least managed to have someone collect your horses, and they’re already back at the palace. Everyone is waiting, ready to leave as soon as we get down there.”

While Kiva felt physically ill at the thought of Vallenia being under threat of attack, she was grateful Ashlyn’s arrival meant they wouldn’t have to negotiate the steep descent. Her expression must have said as much, since Jaren’s lips gave another twitch. His features remained tense — and Kiva doubted that would change anytime soon — but it was clear he was choosing to focus on what they could control, rather than spiraling into his own dread.

Seeing that, Kiva gave his hand a reassuring squeeze as they followed Ashlyn out into the open, silently telling him she was with him, and they would get through whatever was coming together.

His face gentled in response, and he drew their joined hands up to press a quick, grateful kiss to her knuckles — right as Ashlyn stopped walking and turned back toward them.

The princess’s eyebrows shot upward, but all she said was, “It’s about time,” before summoning her magic and windfunneling them away.

The distance between Mount Nebu and Lyras was so short that it only took a few seconds of windy disorientation before they landed in front of the crystalline palace, where they found all their horses saddled and ready to go, Zephyr and Nightshade included. Tor and Eidran were talking with a pair of grooms who were handing over the reins to the spare mounts Issa had offered, but aside from them, Cresta was the only member of their traveling party in sight.

“Finally!” the redhead cried, stomping over to meet them. “What were you doing up there? Baking a cake?”

Kiva pressed her lips together, knowing now wasn’t the time to laugh.

Cresta, however, caught her mirth and frowned. “Did you miss the part where Navok and Serafine are on their way to Vallenia? What about that is

funny to you?”

“Sera is with Navok?” Jaren asked.

“That’s what Issa’s messenger heard,” Ashlyn answered. “We can’t know for sure.”

“She’s with him.” Cresta’s voice was hard with certainty. “If anyone is a bastard enough to drag their defenseless sister into battle, it’s him.”

Before Kiva could question Cresta’s unexpected vehemence, Caldon appeared through the open palace doors, with Tipp, Naari, and Galdric close behind him. The latter three appeared relieved to see that Ashlyn had returned with Kiva and Jaren, but Caldon . . .

Kiva could only stare as he stormed down the palace steps toward them, his face a mask of fury. He came to a stop before where she stood with Jaren, his cobalt eyes spearing his cousin as he demanded, “Was it worth it?”

Baffled, Kiva looked to Jaren, who answered with two short, calm words: “It was.”

That was when Caldon’s gaze flicked down to where their hands were still linked, his anger bleeding away in an instant.

But still, he jabbed a finger at Jaren and said, “You could’ve just asked, asshole. You think I wanted to climb the damned mountain? You didn’t need to knock me out, especially when you know how sick undiluted moradine makes me. I puked for half the morning.”

Despite his words, he yanked both Kiva and Jaren into a fierce three- way hug.

“You’re both idiots,” he grumbled into their ears. “I don’t know why I love you. Frankly, I deserve better.” He then released them to place loud, smacking kisses on first Kiva’s and then Jaren’s cheeks, before saying, “No more lovers’ spats. My poor little heart can’t take it.”

Kiva stood stunned for a moment before she turned to Jaren, a question — and an accusation — in her eyes.

Flushing slightly, he confessed, “I may have fibbed a little about Cal over-imbibing at the party.”

Caldon snorted and muttered, “Over-imbibing my ass.”

Kiva’s eyes remained on Jaren, watching him squirm. Even with the threat they had just learned about, he still had it in him to be worried about her reaction. Seeing that, knowing he’d been so desperate to get her alone that he’d drugged Caldon, Kiva couldn’t help but shift up onto her toes and

press a light, tender kiss to his lips.

“Y-YES!”

Before either of them could react, Tipp tackled them, nearly sending them to the ground. His arms locked around them, and he began jumping up and down, beaming so wide Kiva was sure it must have hurt.

“Don’t rush,” Cresta said. “It’s not like we’re in a hurry or anything.”

Her words were sharp, but when Kiva looked over, she found happiness in Cresta’s hazel gaze. The redhead had seen Kiva at her absolute worst, had known how devastated she’d been from having lost Jaren — and therefore understood better than anyone just how much it meant to Kiva to have him back now.

But still . . . Cresta was right. They did need to be on their way.

Together, Jaren and Kiva gently loosened Tipp’s grip until he was standing on his own, still with a blinding grin on his face. He seemed to realize, though, that it wasn’t the time to celebrate, and managed to rein in his delight as Galdric stepped forward.

“Did you get the ring?” the ex-rebel leader asked, his hair escaping its leather tie to fall in wisps around his fatigued face. Kiva wondered if he was strong enough to windfunnel them again so soon and prayed he could get them straight to Arden as planned.

“We did,” Jaren confirmed, just as Ashlyn, Eidran, and Torell joined their group, leading their horses and their spares.

“Time to go,” the princess said. She moved to her brother, pulling him into a quick, tight embrace, before doing the same to Jaren, rolling her eyes when they both made her promise to be careful. It was easy to forget she was the general of Evalon’s armies — right now, she was just a sister, cousin, and friend.

Kiva had seen Ashlyn fight; she knew the princess could handle herself.

But as she watched her mount Spirit and prepare to depart, that didn’t make the fear Kiva felt for her any less. The fear she felt for all of them.

“See you in a few days,” Eidran said, his only goodbye to the group — though he did meet Kiva’s eyes, then slide his gaze to Jaren, before grinning

at them both. It was the first time Kiva had ever seen him smile, the expression enough to dazzle her until Jaren gave a pointed cough. She blushed and turned to see the amusement in his gaze, which only prompted her blush to deepen.

“There’s a reason Eidran prefers his solitude,” Jaren said just to her, humor threading his tone. “When he’s not careful, he ends up swamped by admirers.”

Kiva could believe that, since she was still fighting the powerful effect from just one smile. But she gave herself a mental shake as her brother approached, and left Jaren’s side so they could have a moment of privacy.

Tor opened his mouth, but Kiva got in first to say, “Promise me you won’t do anything stupid.”

His emerald eyes were solemn, but there was a hint of mirth there too as he replied, “Define stupid.”

“I’m serious,” Kiva said. “Ashlyn says you’re going to try and rally the rebels. But if it doesn’t work, if they won’t listen, if Zuleeka comes after you —”

“I promise,” Tor said softly. “As long as you promise, too.”

“I’m not the one riding into danger,” Kiva said, tacking on a silent yet.

“Ignoring Zuleeka, if Navok’s anomalies attack, you’ll be fighting against elemental magic. That’s a battle not even you have faced.”

“We’ve been training for this,” Tor reminded her. “You don’t have to worry about me.”

“You’re my brother. I’ll always worry about you.”

There was nothing Tor could say to that, so he just opened his arms, pulling her into his strong embrace. She wanted to keep holding on, to keep him safe where she could always see him, but they were both aware that everyone was waiting, so they quickly broke apart and returned to the group.

Once there, Torell looked straight at Jaren and said, “Protect her.”

More serious than Kiva had ever seen him, Jaren replied, “With my life.”

Kiva would have huffed and reminded them that she’d survived for a decade in a death prison, if not for the meaningful look that was being shared between them, something that made her heart ache and feel full at the same time. When they finally nodded to each other, it wasn’t just as two people who cared deeply for her, it was also as two leaders, two warriors,

two princes. They had each earned the other’s respect. Maybe even more than that — because after everything they’d been through, there was friendship there, too.

Tears burned Kiva’s eyes, but she didn’t let them fall.

“Love you, Mouse,” Tor said, mounting his horse and backing away.

“We’ll be together again before you know it.”

With that, he signaled to Ashlyn, and she summoned her magic, windfunneling the three of them out of sight.

Kiva released a slow breath and then looked to what remained of their group.

“Our turn,” Naari declared, leading Zephyr and Nightshade over to Kiva and Jaren. “Everyone ready?”

At their confirmation, Galdric stepped forward, and Kiva tightened her grip on Zephyr’s reins. The magic still hit her like a wall before lifting her into the air, the unpleasantness of the wind-travel never diminishing.

Unlike the trip down from the mountain, the distance between Lyras and Arden was considerable enough that when they finally landed outside the forest city, Kiva had to lean against Zephyr until her head stopped spinning.

For the first time ever, he didn’t try to bite her. She would have crowed with glee if their circumstances hadn’t been so dire, and instead turned her attention to their final destination.

Nerine was a kingdom known for its lush forests, so it was unsurprising to see its capital surrounded by enough vegetation that it was difficult to tell where the woods ended and the city began. Even the buildings looked as if they were carved out of nature, with cylindrical bases meeting round rooftops, the heights and widths differing, all colored in earthy greens and browns and yellows.

Marveling at the view, Kiva thought there was something otherworldly, almost magical about Arden, especially with the luminium orbs threaded along the moss-lined streets, like fireflies among the trees. And then there was the enchanting palace itself, rising high over everything, like a multi- leveled golden mushroom glinting in the fading afternoon light.

“It looks like a f-fairy-tale city,” Tipp breathed.

Kiva nodded, sharing his wonder. More than any other place they had visited, she was eager to venture forth along the woodsy paths twisting toward the palace. But neither she nor her companions had the chance to so

much as mount their horses before a group of greenarmored guards rode out through a large timber gate to intercept them.

And it wasn’t just guards — at their center was a matronly woman with a flower crown braided into her gray hair, her eyes a startling amethyst, her gown a pure, shining white, her bearing making her seem just as ethereal as the forest city she had come from.

“Queen Lorah,” Jaren said, bowing deep. It was the first time in all their travels that he’d used an honorific for any of the foreign rulers, as if he was deliberately trying to keep a polite distance between them.

“Jaren, dearest,” she said, her voice like chimes in the wind, “I’ve known you since you were a babe. How many times do I have to tell you to call me Aunt Lorie?”

Caldon coughed into his hand, but was unable to fully hide his mirth.

Even Kiva had trouble repressing hers when she saw Jaren’s discomfort, remembering how Ashlyn had said the queen adored him. Kiva had envisioned something very different — and from someone much younger.

Queen Lorah didn’t wait for his response before she went on, “I was out riding with my guards when I saw you arrive in a — what was that? A whirlwind?” Her wrinkled forehead creased with uncertainty, but she shrugged, as if it hadn’t been the strangest thing she had ever seen, and continued, “My curiosity was too piqued for me to wait. I simply had to come and see what brought you to me so unexpectedly.” She turned to Caldon. “You must have grown at least three inches since I last saw you, young man. You never come visit me anymore.”

“Allergies,” Caldon said with a straight face.

This time, it was Kiva who had to cough, unintentionally drawing the queen’s gaze. But her amethyst eyes only lingered briefly before she peered around the rest of the group, from Naari, who she likely already knew, to Tipp, Cresta, and Galdric. Only then did she look back at Jaren and ask, “Would you care to explain your presence? Or would you and your friends prefer to ride back with me and we can catch up properly over tea?”

Since Lorah was still atop her horse, Jaren had to continue looking up at her from beside Nightshade as he answered, “Unfortunately, this isn’t a social call — we have to return to Vallenia as quickly as possible.” He didn’t ask if she’d heard any rumors about Evalon in recent weeks — or recent days — and only said, “We came for Sarana’s ring. Do you have it?”

The brevity of his request in comparison to their three prior cities reminded Kiva of how urgently they needed to be on their way. She waited nervously for the queen’s response, fearing yet another time-consuming challenge awaited them. But Lorah only cocked her head to the side, a furrow forming between her brows as she asked, “Sarana’s ring?”

Dread instantly flooded Kiva. If Lorah didn’t know about the ring, if it had been lost to time — “She gave it to your family, long ago,” Jaren said, as if hoping to jog her memory. His voice was steady, but Kiva knew his pulse must be pounding as fast as hers — and the same for the rest of their group, all of whom were dead silent. “It’s vitally important that we retrieve it,” Jaren went on, “so if you know where it is —”

Lorah just shook her head, causing Kiva’s dread to grow. But then the queen arched a gray eyebrow and said, “You already know where the ring is, darling boy. Sarana never gave it to my family — she was going to, but she decided to keep it in yours.”

For a moment, the only sounds Kiva heard were the buzzing of insects and the chirping of birds overhead, the normally relaxing forest noises doing nothing to soothe the panic that Lorah’s statement caused within her.

Because with it came a memory: A golden ring on Queen Ariana’s finger.

The Royal Signet — one part of the Royal Ternary.

Which had been stolen by Zuleeka.

And then worn by Mirryn, the last time Kiva had seen them both, in the dungeons beneath the River Palace.

Kiva turned woodenly to Jaren, seeing the shocked realization on his own face.

“That can’t be right,” he said, almost desperately. “The Signet doesn’t channel magic.”

“None of the rings do, without each other,” Galdric murmured, his voice weak. “On their own, you would never know what they’re capable of.”

Kiva looked closely at him for the first time since they’d arrived in Arden, noting that he was swaying on the spot, with sweat dotting his forehead. Windfunneling twice in two days had taken too much out of him, but he shook his head when he caught her worried look, reminding her that they had more immediate concerns.

“We need to ride for Vallenia, right now,” Jaren said in a hard voice. “I don’t know how we’ll get the ring from Zuleeka, but we —”

“Zuleeka doesn’t have it,” Kiva croaked out, drawing all their eyes.

“Mirryn does.”

Both Naari and Caldon swore, but Kiva thought their odds of taking it from Mirryn were better than their odds of stealing it from Zuleeka. Jaren seemed to be in agreement, since his face, though pale, was determined.

“Would someone care to fill me in?” Queen Lorah asked mildly. “Jaren, darling —”

“I’m sorry, but we can’t stay,” Jaren interrupted, swinging up onto his horse. Kiva and the others quickly followed his lead. “Please forgive us. We must go.”

Ignoring royal etiquette — or any etiquette — he spun Nightshade in the opposite direction to Arden and took off down the forest path, with Kiva, Caldon, Naari, Tipp, Cresta, and Galdric close behind him.

At any other time, Kiva would have been disappointed about not venturing into the tree city, but now her only thought was to wonder how quickly they could make it back to Vallenia. Even if they rode hard all day and night, it would still take them days to cross the border into Evalon, and days more before they reached the capital. And now they wouldn’t even be arriving with the Hand of the Gods — nor would they be returning with Jaren in possession of his magic. Everything needed for a chance at keeping their kingdom safe was still before them, the uncertainty enough to make Kiva’s knees weak. But she tightened her thighs around Zephyr and silenced her troubled mind. With any luck, Galdric would regain his strength quickly and be able to windfunnel them a large portion of the way.

That was her hope, desperate as it was.

Hours passed as they hurried through the thick Nerine forests, none of them speaking, taking only the shortest of breaks to rest their horses before setting off again. When night fell, they didn’t stop, using the glow of Kiva’s magic to keep from riding headfirst into any trees. Only when their horses were in desperate need of a proper breather did they finally take a longer break, grabbing a few short hours of sleep — though Kiva was unsure if any of them really slept.

Anxiety was thick in the air as the first traces of dawn had them up and ready to go again. Kiva wished she could offer comfort to her friends — especially to Jaren, who was tenser than she’d ever seen him. And then

there was Galdric, who, while no longer swaying, was clearly struggling with the pace of their ride. Tipp, too, looked as if he was about to topple right off his pony, but he stubbornly claimed he was fine when Kiva asked if he needed more time to rest. Aside from Jaren, only Caldon, Naari, and Cresta were handling the arduous journey, and that was with Kiva sending her healing magic into everyone at regular intervals, easing their tired muscles and boosting their energy.

Unfortunately, Kiva’s power could do nothing to help replenish Galdric’s magic. But finally, halfway through their third day of hard travel, right when Kiva herself wondered how much longer she would be able to last, he pulled them up and said, “I think I can windfunnel us now. I won’t be able to take us the whole way, but I’ll get us as close as possible.”

A collective sigh came from their group, and they quickly dismounted and bunched together. His wind magic swept them up, more violent than ever before as he strained for every mile. When they finally landed at the edge of a different forest, Kiva swallowed her nausea and hurried to Galdric’s side, right as he dropped to the ground.

“I’m all right,” he said, panting hard and drenched in sweat. “I just need a minute.”

“You need more than a minute,” Kiva said sternly. She sent her magic into him, but other than slowing his raging pulse and bringing color back to his face, it did little to help. He didn’t need healing — he needed rest.

Kiva turned to the others, taking them all in. Tipp was leaning heavily against Whistlefoot, both boy and pony looking as if they were two seconds away from collapsing. Jaren and Naari were pivoting around and murmuring to each other, trying to get their bearings. Cresta had one hand fisted around the sword Eidran had given her, the other clenching a dagger she’d picked up from someone else along the way, both weapons sheathed at her waist but her expression showing how desperate she was to put them to use. Only Caldon was looking back at Kiva, watching her with his brows raised in question.

She was about to share her thoughts, but Naari got in first, declaring, “This is the Emelda Forest, I’m sure of it. We’re just outside of Oakhollow.”

Kiva turned stunned eyes toward Galdric, amazed he’d managed to windfunnel them so far. But then a swarm of nerves hit her stomach,

because if they truly were near Oakhollow, then Vallenia was only half an

hour away.

They were so close now.

Zuleeka was so close.

Kiva refused to let fear take hold. Instead, she said, “Tipp and Galdric can’t go on like this. They need to rest or they’re going to faint before we reach the city.”

“We’re so close, though,” Cresta said, echoing Kiva’s thoughts, her jaw clenching.

Kiva nodded and stood, walking directly over to Caldon. In a quiet voice, she said to him, and only him, “I need to get to Vallenia. I need to get that ring and use the Hand to give Jaren back his magic. And then I need to face my sister. This needs to end.”

“Why are you telling me what I already know?” Caldon asked, his eyes narrowing.

“Because I need you to stay here with Tipp and Galdric.” He immediately started to protest, so she quickly continued, “Jaren needs to be with me so I can use the Hand on him. And you know Naari won’t leave his side. As for Cresta” — they both looked at the redhead, who had already remounted her horse and was ready to leave with or without them — “she’s itching for a fight. She’s not going to listen if I ask her to look after them.”

Caldon crossed his arms. “And why do you think I’ll listen?”

“Because you might not feel much for Galdric aside from respect, but you love Tipp like a brother,” Kiva said, looking toward the exhausted young boy, his face smeared with travel dust, his hair like a red bird’s nest.

“I need you to get him safely to the city and make sure he’s protected. Both your sword and your magic can ensure that.” She locked eyes with Caldon and whispered, “Please, Cal. I know I’m asking a lot.”

“At the risk of sounding arrogant, I’m one of the best fighters in the kingdom,” Caldon pointed out.

“I know — you trained me,” Kiva said softly.

“And you’re putting me on babysitting duty,” he said flatly.

Kiva chewed her lip and looked down at the leafy ground.

“Compromise,” he bit out. “I’ll wait until they can move, then I’ll get them to the city and stash them somewhere safe — but then I’m coming to you. I don’t care what you say, you’re going to need me. And even if you

don’t, there’s no way in hell I’m going to let you face your sister on your own. We’re in this together, Sunshine. You and me. Got it?”

Tears blurred Kiva’s eyes, and she lunged forward to embrace Caldon, whispering in his ear, “Thank you.”

“Gods, why do you always cry when you’re hugging me?” he muttered, patting her on the back. “We really have to work on that.”

She eased away from him, smiling through her tears. “We will. I promise. But for now —”

“You need to go,” he finished for her on a sigh. She knew he didn’t like her plan — at all — but the fact that he was willing to listen, to protect Tipp, meant everything to her.

“I love you for this,” she told him solemnly.

“You love me for a lot of reasons,” Caldon said smugly. But then he turned serious. “No goodbyes. I’ll see you soon.”

She leaned up and kissed his cheek. “Soon,” she agreed.

And then she strode over to Tipp and Galdric to say, “You’re both staying here with Caldon to rest for a bit, and then you’ll meet us in Vallenia.”

Tipp shook his head blearily, but Kiva placed a gentle hand on his shoulder, moving in close to explain, “You know what I have to do, and I can’t do that if I’m worried about you. Please, Tipp — I need to know you’re safe. And I also need to know you’re not going to tumble off your pony and break your neck. So wait with Caldon, just until you can stand without falling, and we’ll be back together before you know it. All right?”

She could see he wanted to argue, but she held his eyes until he — reluctantly — nodded.

“B-Be careful,” he said, his voice cracking with exhaustion.

“I will,” she whispered, pulling him into her arms, then easing him down onto the ground. To Galdric, Kiva said, “Is there anything else I need to know about the Hand? Do I just put the rings on and send my magic through them?”

“As long as they already have Vallentis magic, that should be all you need to do,” Galdric confirmed, his voice so weak it was barely audible.

Kiva squeezed his arm. “Thank you for pushing yourself so hard for us,” she said, with feeling. “Now rest, and let Caldon take care of you.

Healer’s orders.”

“Wait — Kiva —” he called as she began walking away. She turned and caught his soulful brown eyes as he said, “With your sister, don’t let her strike first. Don’t forget what she’s capable of. Don’t hesitate.”

Nerves returned to Kiva’s stomach — but determination steeled her spine. “I won’t.”

She then remounted Zephyr and listened as Jaren, Naari, and Cresta uttered brief goodbyes, before the four of them were racing along the road again, their path familiar this time as they left the forest and flew along the coastline. The day was clear, the weather perfect, and if not for what Kiva knew was ahead, she might have thought they were out for a pleasant midday ride. But then they crested the last sea cliff and saw Vallenia laid out before them.

There, they came to a sudden, shocked halt.

Because rising above everything else was the shining River Palace.

And it was on fire.