Page 153 of The Sundered Realms

“You were a little busy, but did you notice what the demon said?”

Liris thought back, frowned. “It said, ‘Even a sundered realm that gathers its magic can only hold out so long’,” she murmured. Glanced sharply back Shry, eyes widening. “You think—“

Shry nodded grimly. “Jadrhun was wrong about a lot, but what if he was right about part of it? What if the lost realms aren’t just gone?”

What if Serenthuar could still be saved?

Liris squeezed her eyes shut. “Gods. I just today learned how to use ley magic and how anchors work and restored Gates and tethered realms, and how do I still not know enough?”

“You can’t actually know everything,” Shry said.

She sighed. “Generally I find that comforting and inspiring, but it’s been a long day. Are you sure the demon wasn’t just trying to mislead us? It evidently misled Jadrhun pretty voiding effectively.”

“Pretty sure. It didn’t act like it was saying something we didn’t know.”

“You would be better equipped than most of us to tell.” Liris raised her eyebrows. “Oh, I see. This is why you’re talking to me and not Vhann?”

“It’s annoying that you can just guess that but occasionally useful,” Shry said. “Yeah. He’s not going to want me to be involved, but I need to be.”

“I think he will be less opposed now than you have reason to expect,” Liris said, “but duly noted.”

This time Shry’s gaze fastened on her. “Oh? Something you want to tell me?”

Liris opened her mouth, shut it. “Quite a lot, actually, but I should probably warn him first. He sometimes gets jumpy when I don’t warn him about things like this.”

“I didn’t see him so much as bat an eye when you decided to play god with the forces of the universe.”

“Right. Different things.”

“I see. Good job on that, by the way.”

Liris’ heart swelled. “Thanks. Good job on occupying a distressing number of demons simultaneously so I could.”

“My absolute pleasure.”

They grinned at each other.

Nearby leaves crunching alerted her to Princess Nysia’s approach. Liris gazed at the princess’ literally gleaming splendor even after a demonic battle, back at her own functional but windblown aesthetic, and bowed in genuine admiration.

Princess Nysia cracked a smile.

“So,” Liris risked, “excited to deal with the politics of realms that now have new Gates?”

The princess’ smile widened, and not in a nice way.

She was really growing on Liris.

“Destroying the status quo like that is possibly the best thing you could have done to help me shove the Coalition down the Sundered Realms’ throats, even more than bringing all this corruption to light,” Princess Nysia said. “Want a job?”

Liris startled. “In the Coalition?”

The princess rolled her eyes. “No, as my court jester.”

Once upon a time, an offer like that would have been everything Liris wanted. So she was surprised she didn’t have to think about her answer.

“I appreciate the offer more than I have words to say,” Liris said, “but I have to decline. I’m not giving up magic.”

Princess Nysia’s eyes narrowed. “I wasn’t asking you to.”

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