Page 48 of The Last of the Dark Lords

Of my rule, now.

"I'll leave first thing in the morning. Tell the stablehands to saddle up Blaze."

Manod said nothing in response, worry radiating from him. Finally, he spoke.

“I don’t know what you will find in Greatfalls. If you fall, there will be no one left to lead in Ashfuror.”

Would it really go that poorly? Would my own family attack me? I couldn’t imagine.

“Can you communicate with me?” I asked softly. “Can you send a message if Cyrus wakes up?Whenhe wakes up?"

"You can use the power of the crown, although you might not have the time on your journey. It will take some hours to get a handle on its magic." Manod closed his eyes as he thought for a moment. "If Cyrus wakes up, I will have him send his ravens to you. His connection with Bertio goes beyond the magic of the artifact.”

"Thank you." Handing the banner back to Manod to have it sent to the stables, I started back to Cyrus' bedroom. Our bedroom. Even if he would not wake, I wanted to spend my last night in Ashfuror next to my husband.

Chapter 15

I set out right before dawn.

I kissed Cyrus goodbye and pressed my cheek to his. If the memory of my presence could soothe his waking, it was the least I could do. Part of the urgency for the journey home was driven by my guilt. There was no way to ignore that. I needed to repair the harm I had caused.

In the twilight, the buildings were all gray stone drenched in shadow, but the impression was peaceful rather than dreary. As the sun rose, it cast sharp delineations of light and dark down onto the streets. I passed through the gate, and Blaze burst forward with eager speed. A few days in the stable was enough rest for him. The road rose before us, and after I’d gained some elevation, I turned back to take in the fullness of Ashfuror.

With the sunrise behind it, the city was a glory of light and a testament to the works of humanity. Buildings rose high, many with great windows of stained glass, and the outer wall was lined in turrets and towers. It was somehow both imposing and welcoming. For a moment, I wished that Cyrus and I had been able to ride in together, side by side. I would have liked to have him welcome me to the city of fire and stone.

I didn’t have to push Blaze. He was excited to run, and set a pace just shy of his top speed. We flew through the canyon and outinto the plains, the dust billowing behind us as we galloped. The hours passed in a blink. My need to see my home city again kept my mind from registering exhaustion or boredom.

I rode past sunset and many hours into the night, stopping once the moon had reached high in the sky. There had been no sign of Bertio and the ravens. I was tired, but it wasn’t yet time for sleep. Instead, I sat in front of the fire and touched the circlet resting on my brow, willing it to activate.

The area was filled with orange light from both the crown and the banner, which glowed brighter with the crown's awakening. Although I had never been allowed to use the artifacts of Vazzart that my grandmother kept, I’d been told it was mostly instinctual.

I closed my eyes. Flames burned bright in my mind's eye, flickering and waiting for me to direct their power. I breathed in, nudging it toward Cyrus' bedroom in Ashfuror.

The flames died down as I flew through the air in my mind's eye. I could see from above: first the canyon, then open road, then…nothing. The flames burst to life once more, filling my field of vision behind my shut eyelids.

It was a simple distraction, the feeling of an ant on my leg, but that had been enough to break my concentration. It would take time to hone my focus to a fine enough point. An hour passed, then two, as I pushed my vision farther afield, inch by inch and league by league.

The road, then the spires of Ashfuror, then the palace, then our bedroom. I peered down from the ceiling, and the scene unfolded beneath me: Cyrus still asleep, and Manod next to him, holding his hand. My heart ached at the sight.

I hadn't known them long, but it was obvious the two of them were incredibly close. According to him, Cyrus hadn’t had any real relationship with his imperial-minded father. Manod had mentored and cared for him for all those years, essentially adopting him.

I had taken away his son.

As my emotions rose, my concentration broke, and the images flickered and died. I opened my eyes. I was tempted to go back, to try again, but sleep called to me. If Blaze and I kept up this punishing pace, I would reach Greatfalls by the next evening.

Greatfalls. It was worth staying up for a few more minutes to check on my home city, to see what awaited me.

Once again, flames and the sense of flying. Now the outer wall was before me, and beyond it the dam and Safehold Reservoir. It was the middle of the night, when the citizens would mostly be in bed. I didn't expect to see anything unusual.

But I also didn't expect the emptiness and silence. Greatfalls was a lively city, despite its rural setting on the mountain’s slope. The Archers and other soldiers enjoyed the taverns, and their revelry often spilled out onto the streets. Parties and concerts went late into the night. It was a bastion of culture and nightlife.

Now there was nothing. No one walked the streets. The lights in the pubs and concert halls weren't lit. Even the outer walls were empty, barely manned, only a skeleton crew. Everything was quiet.

What had changed since I left?

I dismissed the image. I would find out soon enough. I bedded down, trying to get a few hours of sleep before it was time to push on once more.

The next morning was harsher and less forgiving than the previous one. Gone was the excitement of being out on the open road with Blaze. We were both tired, but if we were going to arrive before nightfall we would have to press hard.

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