Page 123 of An Honored Vow

“I can come with you,” Riven whispered against my hair. “My brother would not begrudge two deaths.”

My blood cooled. Damien would draw it out and make one of us watch as he tortured the other. I didn’t want to tempt him, not when he controlled a flock ofwaateyshirakthat could scorch through the rest of my kin.

I shook my head and pressed a kiss to the tip of his nose. “No, you have a promise to carry out.”

A tear cut down Riven’s cheek, but he didn’t take his hand off me to wipe it away. Instead, he pulled me tight against him and pressed a hard kiss to my mouth. A horn blew in the distance, and I knew I only had a half hour left. I wrapped my arms around Riven’s neck and whispered a message I trusted only him with.

“Get Gerarda and Feron. Be ready to strike.” My words shook against his ear. “You’ll know when.”

Riven took a deep breath and nodded. He knew I had my own promise to keep. And nothing was going to stop me from honoring that vow.

“I will follow you to whatever end, Keera Waateyith’thir.”

My lips parted to give him that last farewell. All I had was a fool’s hope that I could undo what another Faemother had done. Faelin herself had told me that I would not survive it. It would drain my gift completely and my life too.

Or many, many small ones.

I spotted Rheih’s supplies. I assumed Faelin was referring to the other Fae when she’d said that, but Syrra had taught me that magic powers were only one kind of gift the Elverin could receive. I pulled out of Riven’s embrace. I had an idea and I had to move fast.

“I don’t think a bowl is going to save you.” Rheih clucked her tongue as I rummaged through the shelves. I yanked the ingredients open, throwing the lids to the ground as I grabbed what I needed.

“If you don’t stop, I’ll be delivering his royal arse a corpse.” Rheih swatted my head but I ducked.

I handed her a bowl. “The green paste. Now, and fast.”

Rheih’s eyes narrowed as I started pummeling cedar and birch leaves in my own bowl.

“How much do we need?”

“As much as you have.”

Rheih whistled and Vrail and Nikolai appeared. I glanced around looking for Gwyn but didn’t see her. Dynara must have left her lying among the injured somewhere quiet. I untied my leather vest, not caring that my entire torso was exposed to everyone within sight. Riven stared as I started slathering the thick paste along my arms.

“Go!” I shouted at him, nodding in the direction of Feron. I couldn’t do everything.

Riven placed his palm over his chest and then his eyes, saluting me as a fellow warrior. And then he was gone.

Nikolai shoved a bowl into my hands. “I think it’s best if you—”

“This isn’t the time to be a prude.” I shoved the bowl back. “Cover the scars along my sides.”

Nikolai swallowed and balled the thick paste onto his palm. It was cool and damp. I spread it thin, trying to cover as many of my scars as possible. By the time we finished, it looked like I was wearing a green tunic.

Perfect.

I walked out of the tent. From the elevation of the hill, I could see the thousands of slain bodies Damien hadn’t even tried to collect. It would take dozens of pyres to burn them all. Vrail sobbed quietly as I walked down the well-worn path the scouts had carved into the hill ferrying bodies back to the tent.

Elaran stood beside the trail and lifted her sword. “Niinokwenar.Ganawiithir. Mayith’thir,” she shouted.

Faemother. Protector. Savior.

The words echoed back, again and again, as the Shades lifted their swords for me to walk under. I kept my chin high though it trembled as I passed warriors with broken arms still lifting their swords in salute. We were all Shades until the very end. As I walked onto the battlefield, I saw Gerarda ducking behind one of the rocks Feron had pulled from the ground. She gave me a stiff nod and pumped her fist two times. Riven had given her my message. I squeezed my fist at my side in answer. I was too far away for Damien’s scouts to see it, but Gerarda knew what it was.

Thank you.

In the distance an Elvish horn blew, low and forlorn as the sea slashed across their remaining ship. A smile tugged at my lips, happy to know that Myrrah would see tomorrow. My skin tightened as Isaw Damien standing at the top of the white wall. I hadn’t thought he would be daring enough to come himself. But while he would hide during the battle, he would always come to claim the victory. I fought the urge to fly up and stab him through with my dagger. But I needed to conserve what was left of my power. I had one last move to play, and if I did it right, Damien’s death would come for him.

Five black guards stood behind him. The Bow and Arrow I recognized, but the other faces were new—some only just appointed to replace the ones Dynara killed. Their pristine cloaks and armor almost glistened in the torchlight. I stopped just out of range of Damien’s archers. He smirked down at me.

---