Page 57 of An Honored Vow

“It seems theniinokwenaris to be the tiebreaker,” Rheih mused.

I raised my hand and Riven sank to the floor.

Syrra stood. “Very well, theniinokwenarhas spoken.” She walked out the door, back to her sister’s crypt.

My throat tightened, but I knew I could not leave this conversation here. I looked to Vrail and Riven. “I expect you both want to join us on the trade.”

They nodded.

“And can I trust that you will follow the plan even though you voted against it?” I flexed my fingers against the tabletop.

Vrail’s brow wrinkled over her reddening cheeks. “No. I don’t think I could.” Tears welled in her eyes.

My heart broke at her honesty. “Then you will stay here. Help Rheih prepare the infirmary for when we get Nikolai home.”

I turned to Riven. My stomach swelled like a raging sea. We had been through so much in our short time together, but always from the same front. Now that we stood on opposing sides, I didn’t know what choice Riven would make. I trusted him with my life, but I didn’t know if I could trust him to choose me over his friend—over his guilt.

Riven’s jaw flexed and he stood. When he spoke, there was no malice in his tone, not even defeat. It was gentle and sincere. “I will do whatever you say,diizra.”

I found Gwyn in her burl. She’d claimed one in our grove when she first arrived in Myrelinth, but Gwyn had never moved in, preferringthe lower city to keep as far away from me as possible. I was glad that storm had passed. I liked having Gwyn close by, in the same grove that held everyone I considered family.

“I need your help,” I said, knocking on her open door.

She was twisted on the floor like a braided loaf. I raised my brow—I couldn’t imagine a mission where she would end up in such a position. The exercise was definitely one she’d learned from Gerarda. Gwyn’s head popped up from between her legs. “With what?”

“Magic.”

Her amber eyes glowed as she unknotted herself and stood. “Lead the way.”

We crept through the groves, which were quiet in the early morning now that most had gone to bed. We turned into the Dark Wood and Gwyn’s walk transformed into a skip. “Where are we going? Volcar?” Her eyes went wide and she licked her lips.

Gwyn had been wanting to visit Volcar ever since the magic had been restored. Before then, really. Ever since I gave her that perfume and described the snow and smoke to her on our makeshift beach. My stomach clenched. That seemed like a lifetime ago now.

I shook my head. “Aralinth.”

The excitement faded from Gwyn’s face and three little lines appeared between her brow.

I crossed my arms. “If it’s too dull, you needn’t come.”

Gwyn shook her head like a sheet blowing in the wind. “I’m coming.”

“Good.” In truth, I couldn’t do it without her. But Gwyn had already shown how inflated her self-confidence had become. I didn’t want to add to it until I knew she could humble herself on the field of battle.

I grabbed a vial of pressed flowers from my bag and dropped two blue lilies into the small pool tucked into the branches of the portal. The color reminded me of Gwyn’s eyes. Or what her eyes used to be.

We stepped out into the gardens of Aralinth. Magic had only intensified the eternal spring in the city. The canopies that hung over every part of the city were thicker and held blooms I had never seen before.

Even the grasses in the garden sprung blooms as far as we could see. Darythir had said that the moment the seal broke, they could feel the magic surge beneath their feet like a wave and the gardens became a meadow, restored to their former beauty.

Gwyn leaned her head on my shoulder and looped her arm through mine. “It’s the city your mother would have known.”

My jaw went slack, unsure what to say to that. Until now I had only caught glimpses of what the Elverath of old had been, what Aemon had destroyed. I was determined to restore its glory fully before fate claimed me. Even if it was the last thing I did.

And to do that we needed a weapon that could kill thewaateyshirakonce and for all.

The large split in Sil’abar opened as we walked through the entrance. A gentle breeze blew through the giant trunk of the Elder birch, carrying the scent of sap and freshwater from where the liquids pulsed in the live grain walls.

I led us to the display room without trouble. Cereliath had been a success, but I was not foolish enough to know that luck had been on our side. As much as I wanted to fight this war alone, I could not. But I wanted to give those who fought alongside me something stronger than faith or luck to fight with. I wanted to give them something that had been chipped away with each loss we bore.

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