Page 93 of King of Fire and Flames

“All right, then.” I said, sitting up straighter and clapping my hands together. “It sounds like we have the beginnings of a plan. You mentioned enacting it the night of my wedding.”

“To secure his connection to the reaver elves, Azarn wants you to join the family as soon as possible. We will take advantage of that desperation and insist the ceremony takes place tomorrow at the Fire Court’s traditional wedding time of nine in the evening.”

A wave of dizziness washed over me. “Tomorrow night?”

“Yes, and prior to the actual ceremony, there will be at least half an hour of rituals before the vows are spoken—poetry readings, songs. So at approximately nine o’clock, I’ll begin holding Nukala under water. On the dais, you must keep testing your reaver cloak. When it activates, you’ll only have about twenty minutes to get out of Taln.”

“How do we remove the mergelyn anklets?”

“With Melaya’s power blocked, you simply unfasten them. You’d be wise to kill Azarn and Melaya first. And my son if you must.” She wiped a silver tear from her cheek. “I fear nothing less will stop their quest for power.”

“What will happen to the kingdom without the mages? A book I found in the library said Taln would fall.”

“Certain books were written to boost the egos of countless fire kings. If Azarn dies, his power will transfer to a new ruler, and the Sun Realm will stand.”

“And you would willingly rule?” I asked.

“I would cede the crown to Arrowyn and yourself and return to my beloved home.”

“We have no wish to take your kingdom from you, Estella.”

“Which is precisely why you will be its best caretakers.”

“And if you can’t submerge Nukala?”

“I will use my power to subdue him if there’s no other choice.” She shifted to face me. “I apologize for not seeking you out earlier. Marcella told me you wished to speak about the wedding, but I’ve been distracted, wondering how I could get you out of Taln while keeping Bakhur safe. Now it is clear I cannot achieve all my goals, and instead, must help those who will strive toward peace for all.”

“Thank you. How can I ever repay your kindness?”

“By maintaining balance in the realms. Rule with your heart. That is all I require of you.”

“If we do make it out of Taln, I promise we will work tirelessly to weave the threads of peace throughout the Star Realms until its fabric is stronger than Auryinnian silver.” I braced my weight on my palms, preparing to stand up. “Before I go, what did you mean when you said you were spying on your court?”

Soft laughter tinkled, then she cleared her throat and spat in the pond, its surface darkening. “Watch closely.”

Thousands of stars appeared floating on the water’s surface. The queen waved her palm, and an image came into focus. A birds-eye view of a line of shadowy mountains, the sparkling lights of a city in the distance. The view in the pond changed fast, as if we were flying across the sky, then through an arched window into a dazzling throne room.

“Is that your home? It’s stunning!” I squinted at a crimson ball glowing through the glass on one side of the hall. “Strange, that almost looks like—”

“Yes, that is our sun. It’s always nighttime in the Crystal Realm of Night and Stars. Once a month, our moon is so bright that it looks similar to the Earth Realm’s daylight. For a few days, we feast and celebrate Mother Moon, while paying our respects to our dark Father and his children, the stars.”

“You must miss the Star Court terribly.”

“Yes,” she said, another tear slipping down her pale cheek. “But I must stop distracting you, Zali. Arrowyn will be waiting to speak to you. Here, you must wear this.”

Estella removed the smaller of her two pendants, and then held its black stone between her palms, reciting a spell under her breath. “Wear it against your skin, and you will be invisible to everyone, even Ruhh. Put it in your pocket, separated from your body by cloth, any type of cloth, and you’ll become visible once again.”

“Thank you, Estella.”

“The cells you seek are beneath the fire moat. Show the khareek my pendant, and they will grant you immediate access.”

I threw myself at the queen, squeezing her in a tight hug. “Please be careful with Nukala, and thank—”

“No need to thank me again.” She pushed her palm out, emitting a high-pitched note from deep within her throat.

Then everything changed.

The realms seemed to stop spinning, light and sound sucked from existence as a cold, dark void enveloped me.

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