Page 296 of Heat of the Everflame

The horizon finally leveled, and my eyes dropped to the ground. The field was now a hundred yards beneath me, but in the center, one man stood out.

Red eyes, unblinking. A dagger in his hand. A gash across his neck.

Chapter

Fifty-Six

We didn’t talk the entire way back to Lumnos. The danger wasn’t over, and there was little I dared to say.

Though he was almost drained from shielding the others, Luther pushed his magic into me the way he had in Ignios, allowing me to absorb enough to heal my wounds. My mother sat behind him on Sorae’s back, and while I longed to hold her, I was secretly grateful for the distance.

The darkness I’d succumbed to in battle refused to ebb. Its fangs had sunk deep, and now my resentment toward her festered as a quiet, spreading venom.

The escaped prisoners were, for now at least, out of harm’s reach. The army horses I’d diverted earlier with Faunos magic had caught up with them and allowed them to mount. With the prisoners on horseback and Sorae roasting anyone who followed, the army eventually abandoned their pursuit.

By the time we reached the border, the dark of evening had captured the sky. I tucked away my Crown before its glowing beacon lured any more trouble.

I guided Sorae to land, and the horses slowed to a stop. I was surprised to see so many saddles with a Descended in the back and a mortal taking the reins. It was a wise arrangement—leaving the Descended’s hands free to wield magic, if needed—but one that required more trust in them than most mortals, especially Guardians, were willing to give.

Luther kept watch as my mother and I dismounted along with the group.

“Beyond this point, my gryvern’s escort will do you more harm than good,” I said. “I wish I could do more.”

“You’ve done enough,” Runa cut in. She gave my body a pointed look.

I looked down and balked. My clothes were slashed to ribbons, my skin coated in blood. I’d taken far more blows than I thought. Once I’d given in to the dark call of my fury, I’d barely felt a thing.

Even now, the numbness lingered. The empty abyss within my ribs felt as if it had consumed far more of me than just my magic.

Enness bowed his head. “I can’t thank you enough. We all owe you our lives.”

“Make sure everyone gets home safely, and I’ll consider the debt paid,” I said.

“Don’t worry about us.” Runa said. “Your Prince gave us a map showing the Royal Guard patrols and how to get around them, and a list of safe places to hide.” She grinned, shaking a large, jangling pouch. “And enough gold to bribe our way out of trouble, if we get caught.”

I glanced at him in surprise—not that he’d helped them, but that he’d had the foresight to bring along those kinds of supplies.

“Find a man named Vance in Mortal City,” my mother said. “He’ll help you get home.”

“Donotgo to Vance,” I hissed at Enness. “He might help the mortals, but he’s just as likely to kill the rest of you on sight.”

My mother frowned. “You don’t know that.”

“Yes, she does,” Luther rumbled.

“Find Maura at the healers’ center instead. She can get word to me...” I hesitated. Tensed. “...or to a royal named Taran. If we’re not in Lumnos, he’ll get you whatever you need.”

“Where else would we be?” My mother’s gaze narrowed on me, shrewdly picking up that there was something I left unsaid.

I shrugged lightly but didn’t answer. Between her uncanny skill at sniffing out a lie and her ability to read me like a book, silence was my only hope.

“Take care of each other,” I said instead. “I know this arrangement is unusual, but you’re better off together than you would be apart.”

Runa and Enness exchanged a look. I might have been hallucinating from blood loss and exhaustion, but I could have sworn the faintest blush touched their cheeks.

The group mounted and led their horses into the trees. Soft grunts arose from the Descended as the border snapped across their skin and their magic sputtered out. I reached inward and once again released them from the binds of the Forging spell.

A few glanced back at me in confusion. I let the Crown briefly flicker before hiding it back away, and their eyes went wide with understanding.

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