Page 60 of Court of Bone and Amethyst

Even though it could, the nightmare does not fly over the walls of the castle. Instead, the massive thing lands right before the gates. I stride to the battlement and look over, transfixed. The monster shakes its head and peers upward. I can see the death of all things in those eyes, the end ofeverything.

Two people sit on the back of the winged terror. The one closest to its head is Avonia. For a moment, her face blocks the second person sitting behind her, but then she shifts, and the blood drains from my face, and my world tips entirely upside down.

The person seated behind Avonia is my brother, the King of Valaron.

Chapter Thirty-Two

Sarielle

From where Zyrenstands at the edge of the battlement, his head whips around and his eyes land on mine, his expression stricken. I don’t hesitate. I run to him, closing the five feet between us in two big strides.

When I look over the edge of the wall and down at the thing below us, my breath leaves my chest all in one big rush.

Zyren’s brother?

It can’t be. This has to be an illusion. I saw him die, saw his blood pour out across the steps of the Court of Nightmares. Saw him staring sightlessly up into the sky. He died that day, moments before we were wed.

Moments before…

Right? The ceremony hadn’t actually been completed, had it? I remember the sorcerer cutting our palms, Jonavus grabbing mine and mixing our blood before I could pull away from him. But Xinius had still been performing the spell, so it hadn’t been final. It hadn’t been… it couldn’t be…

The winged nightmare is so massive that Avonia and Jonavus can both stand upright on its back. They stare up at us, andI hear the queen gasp. Her face shows clear recognition of the man standing beside Avonia, the man she knows as her king. Her head pivots and her eyes lock onto mine, a storm of emotions moving across her face.

And then the king’s voice booms across the darkness.

“Loyal subjects of Valaron, residents of the Court of Memory. We have come here, not to seek war, but to seek my wife, Sarielle Otreyas!”

His eyes find mine, those cruel, bright points of sapphire piercing me like a spear.

“You are not my husband!” I yell, my voice carrying just as powerfully. “I saw Jonavus Lyonian die. Whatever dark magic this is, you arenothim!”

I feel Zyren’s shoulder brush against mine, his heat washing into me. I look at him, a quick dart of the eyes, and see that his face still bears the same look of horror. Does he actually believe this could be his brother?

Jonavus, or the thing that looks like Jonavus, lifts his arms in the air. “I am alive, I can assure you of that. Come outside, Sarielle, before we are compelled to collect you by force.” His gaze pivots to Esbella, standing on the other side of me. “I would hate to make enemies with those who have long been loyal at the Court of Memory.”

Esbella turns toward me, her body shaking with rage. “Youliedto me. You are a traitor to the crown.”

“I did not lie to you,” I say, my words coming out in a rush of frantic breath. “I saw him die, I swear it…”

“Enough!” she snaps. “How can you expect me to believe you when the king stands outside the walls of my castle!”

“It’s not him.” I shake my head, my chest fluttering in panic. “It’s not.”

“You have sixty seconds!” Jonavus shouts.

The queen spins, and with a single gesture, two dozen warriors rush for me and Zyren. I summon my shadows, as does Zyren, and we blast through the first wave of them. I can hear the baron screaming in rage. As we spin and fight our way through the onslaught, I realize Owyn and Merla are with us, all of us with our backs together, facing outward, cutting a path.

We break free from the mass of warriors and flee down the battlement. I don’t know where we’re going to go, just that I want to get as far away from the king as possible. I’m not even sure there’s anywhere in Valaron we can now hide, now that Avonia has a lookalike of the king. Whatever dark magic she has wrought, we are doomed now. No one will take us in.

But I keep fighting, because that’s all I can do.

I’m almost to the corner of the battlement when I feel a rush of magic, and the castle walls explodes beneath my feet. Zyren lunges for me, and we tumble into darkness.

Chapter Thirty-Three

Sarielle

Irise from blacknessslowly, my head spinning and my vision spotty. The first sensation to hit me is bone-chilling cold. My skin feels hard, icy.

---