Page 84 of Calling of the Crown

“Exactly!” Muna exclaimed, her rainbow eyes shining with enthusiasm. “You can heal but not give life. Once something or someone has passed, there is no bringing them back from death. Though, there is still a way to see those who are gone.”

Eyes going wide, I asked, “There is?”

“People die, but water does not. Water is eternal, and because of that, it connects us all, in life and in death. Those Water Fae who are strong enough can still call upon and see those who were once full of life and water, much like how your mother was able to show you memories within the water. Only this skill actually brings them back, albeit, for a short period. It lets their soul inhabit the water for a time so that you can speak to them and see them.”

My heart began to race with all the sudden possibilities this skill could allow. Seeing and talking to those who have passed?

I could see my dad.

Swallowing hard, I fisted my dress in my hands in an effort to keep composed. “How do I do it? How do I—”

Queen Muna suddenly stiffened, and her ever-changing eyes spiraled a milky white. She stared over my head, seemingly unseeing and frozen.

“Queen Muna?” I asked in alarm, reaching toward her.

She blinked, and when her eyes opened, they were back to normal, shifting between every color, too fast to track. She gave me an apologetic smile as she got to her feet. “Forgive me, dear. I have a new Fae soul arriving that I must attend to. I have to leave, but remember our conversation. You are doing what you must, and no matter what happens, it was meant to be.”

A plume of clouds suddenly surrounded us, blinding me so that I couldn’t see anything except the cool, fluffy clouds. When they cleared, I found myself back on the cliffside, staring out at the open air where Muna’s Kingdom had sat, now gone.

“Woah,” Rance’s deep voice came from behind me.

I turned and found everyone there, also looking around at each other in confusion.

“What just happened?” Dallas asked, blinking rapidly like her head was swimming.

“Muna suddenly had something to do,” I answered, also feeling somewhat discombobulated from the abrupt exit. “I guess she sent us all back here.”

“What did Muna say?” Rune asked. “Is she going to intervene?”

The previous buzz of excitement that had rushed through me over Muna’s revelation about my powers faded away. Dread as heavy as a thousand lives landed on my shoulders again, making them sag.

I couldn’t look anyone in the eye as I whispered, “She can’t get involved.”

Someone cursed under their breath, and others shifted on their feet, pacing a couple steps and doubling back.

“So, what are we going to do?” Rance asked softly.

I swallowed the lump in my throat and squeezed my eyes shut. “The only thing we can do now. We train. We prepare. We get ready for war.”

Chapter Thirty-Seven

THE JOURNEY BACK TO MORARDIA was uneasy. I couldn’t count the number of times I’d had to go over what Muna said, because everyone seemed just as shocked as I was. It was like none of us could wrap our heads around reality—war was really on our doorstep. It created an air of disappointment and hopelessness but also a rush of determination. It was like Muna said: battle may be approaching, but that didn’t mean our goal was lost. We could still rise victorious, and when the dust settled, we could bring everyone together.

Morardia bustled with activity when we finally arrived back from the four-day journey to and from Muna’s Kingdom, but as we made our way through the streets toward the palace, I noticed the commotion of daily life felt … different. People walked faster than normal, and instead of excited chatter among the shops, hushed whispers filled the market. Apprehension coated my skin, and the feeling didn’t go away even when we arrived at the palace.

As soon as we stepped inside, Imani and Akira greeted us as though they’d been waiting there for hours.

“Bria,” Akira gasped when he saw me. His dark eyes clouded with grief. “Bria, it’s awful.”

“What?” I asked in alarm, reaching to grab his quivering hands. “What happened?”

“You need to come to the dungeons immediately,” Imani reported softly, which was in stark contrast to her locked jaw and fuming eyes. “All hell broke loose while the five of you were gone.”

I moved on autopilot, my stomach in my throat, and my heart nearly bursting from my chest. The first red flag was a sobbing Mingxia sitting in the main hallway of the dungeon. She had her knees hugged to her chest, her body shaking with each cry she let out.

I immediately went to go see what was wrong, but Imani placed her arm on my back to keep me walking.

“She’s been that way since it happened,” Imani whispered. “There’s no consoling her right now. You need to see first, anyways.”

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