Page 11 of Court of Dragons and Twilight

I wake up panting as I stare up at the ceiling and look around. “Emrys?”

Nothing answers me, and I sink my head back on the pillow. Of course he isn’t here. My door is knocked twice, and I groan, sliding out of the bed with the dream replaying over and over in my mind. It was him; I know it, but how? He is trapped in hisbody with Ares in control. So how did he pull me into a dream like that? It felt like more than a dream though, like a memory instead, but one I’ve never lived. I should have told him I loved him. I should have told him over and over that I loved him. Why didn’t I say that?

How could he ever think I’d forget him? Never. Ever. Gods, Emrys.

“Just a moment,” I tell whoever was knocking. I quickly run to the bathroom and get changed for the day before opening the door and finding my uncle outside. “Phobos?” I blurt out. “What are you doing here?”

“Surprise. Your castle is fucking nosy and gave me a towel this morning before I even got out of the shower. Do you think it watches?” The castle corridor goes cold and the floorboards creak under his feet as I shake my head at him before hugging him. He doesn’t hug me back. He never does. He’s not a hugger. But I think he appreciates the sentiment anyway. “I’m here to help you win a war and kill people. The second part I find fun—and my mate usually tells me no.”

“Where is your mate?” I ask. I’m glad he is here, and we definitely could do with the god of nightmares on our side in a war. “Is she in the castle somewhere?” I ask as we begin heading down the corridor.

“No.” He frowns. “I love her. I’m not bringing her to a world at war. Would you really bring any of your mates here if you had any other choice?”

“Touché.” I sigh, resting my head on his shoulder. “Where is my grandmother, anyway?”

“Disgustingly in love with an old god,” he replies. “It sickens me.”

My shoulders drop a little when I see my mates, and the tension drifts away as we get to the dining room. Phobos doesn’t come in with me, choosing to stay outside instead. Grayson issitting at the dinner table with toast and bacon on his plate, Lysander is sipping on a coffee, and there is another coffee laid out in the empty seat between, along with a plate full of my favourite breakfast choices. Arden is sitting on the other side, leaning back in his seat, and he looks over his shoulder when I come in. “I didn’t want to wake you. She can wait.”

“I’d rather not eat and just get going now,” I admit, but Grayson pulls out the seat next to him and challenges me with one look to try to walk out without eating something. I sigh and sit down, sipping on the perfect temperature coffee until it wakes me up. “I think Emrys spoke to me in my dreams last night. I don’t understand how it happened, but it did. He warned me that I need to go into the darkness below and he will be there. His soul will.”

Lysander and Arden share a look. “We just spoke about how you scented like Emrys in your sleep. It was strange.”

“He is still fighting, and he won’t stop.” It brings me a new feeling of strength, knowing I wasn’t just imagining him there, kissing me, telling me he will never give up on us. On a future for us. Reluctantly, I eat some of the food, which tastes like ash in my mouth with how nervous I am. “I’m done. Can we go now?”

Arden nods, rising to his feet. He looks like a handsome dude ready to go to a party, not a battle. He has not bothered to wear his leather protective clothing or any armour. Instead, he has a nice crisp red silk shirt on, tucked into tight black trousers that fit his muscular body perfectly. I, on the other hand, decided fire proof leathers from my neck to my boots were a better plan. The black fabric sticks to me and makes me feel like I’m boiling underneath it, but I prefer that over being burnt. I tug at the collar as I stand up, brushing my other hand over Grayson’s shoulder to say goodbye. We both know he doesn’t do goodbyes, and I hate them, too. Lysander wraps his hand around myhip, turning me towards him. “If it helps, you look absolutely sensational in that.”

“It really does not,” I mutter, but I can’t help but smile. “What are your plans for the day?”

“Fixing my court,” Lysander offers. I wince, wondering how he plans to fix anything there. “And paying a visit to my mother with letters from Kian, as he plans to stay here with Artemis until their wedding.”

I’m still getting used to the idea Arty is going to be my sister-in-law. Everything is messy between us, and I don’t know how I could ever fully trust her again. I know that’s what she wants, and I have forgiven her as best I can for what she did…but she took lives. She also saved lives. She saved Emrys at the risk of her own life. Sometimes I look at her and still see my friend who betrayed me, and other times, I see a sister. When she becomes my sister-in-law, that will be forever. I know time will heal. I just hope we have that time. I lean down and kiss him softly. “Don’t kill them all.”

“No promises, spirit witch,” he grumbles like I’ve just ruined his fun.

Arden takes my hand, and I only look once over my shoulder at my mates before going right through a portal to the Air Court with Arden. We both brace ourselves because of what happened to Lysander, but we step out into the throne room, and it’s empty. Silent. I can smell death in the air, and the court that used to sing with life is silent like a grave. “We’re going to be fine,” Arden reassures me.

“You have far more confidence in this than I do,” I whisper, turning my gaze up to Arden’s. The wind howls around us, blowing my braid across my back, and his eyes waver. The confidence that’s coming out of his mouth doesn’t match the feeling I get. He is scared for me. We both know this is terrifying, but we have survived so, so much. We will survive this. At leasthe’s putting a brave face on, whereas I am not exactly doing that, and I need to. Aphrodite is like a dog searching for a bone when it comes to her enemies’ weaknesses. I lift my head and look forward.

“Do you think if we just went downstairs, rescued your mother and Gray’s sister, she’d notice?” Arden half jokes. “I’m good with locks, princess.”

I grin at him. “If she leaves us here any longer, I might be tempted to try.”

Arden links our hands, our fingers woven and locked tight. Whatever the test is, we will deal with it together one final time. If it’s a fire element test, like Lysander battled with his element, then we’ll be in the best of company.

Aphrodite appears like she’s gliding through the air, like she’s taken over the element itself as well as the court. It makes me grit my teeth, especially because Emrys is holding her hand as they walk down together. He looks pale, sickly almost, in dark clothes that don’t suit him. His cheeks are hollowed in like he’s not been eating, and his skin is borderline grey. The sight of him makes me literally feel sick to my stomach. It’s been days, just days, and he already looks like this. What the hell are they doing to him?

“Is my friend’s body not sitting comfortably with you?” Arden growls before Aphrodite can say a word. “You probably should know taking over a king who desperately wants to get back to his mate was a stupid fucking idea. You look like you’re close to death, god of war. Weak.”

Ares stumbles forward, and his wife has to hold him up for a second. I stare at Emrys like he was really in front of me. I speak right to him. “We’re going to save you. Keep fighting.”

“Shut up, the pair of you,” Aphrodite snaps at me, her cheeks burning red. A pissed goddess is a dangerous one and also one who makes mistakes. “All souls fade in the end.”

I shake my head at her, knowing that Emrys won’t. I tell myself to remember the dream I had this morning, which felt so real. It was real, at least that’s what I’m going to tell myself. I didn’t imagine it. Emrys was there in my mind, somehow fighting through, telling me he’s never going to give up on me. Like I’d never give up on him. I believe we are destined for a long life together.

She waves her hand, and an archway appears right on the edge of the rock. The archway, made of shining red rocks, glitters in the sunlight. On the other side is a pit of darkness, and I can’t see through it. “I’m bored with conversations when you are pushing on my nerves. Go through and face your test.”

Arden looks at the goddess one more time. “You will burn in dragon fire for eternity for touching our world.” There is power in the words of a fire king, making a threat on the very element that bows to him. The world warms for a second and Aphrodite blanches, taking a step back. The king of fire looks down at me, and I feel captivated by his stare. “Whatever happens in there, don’t leave my side. We fight as one.”

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