Page 53 of What Sleeps Within the Cove

“There are a lot of things we shouldn’t do,” I said, shaking my head as I worked to perfect the placement of the blossoms along the bed. They were somewhat similar to the lotus flowers that bloomed on the water in the Spring Court, and Tindra had used the little magic she possessed to spell them so that they would continue to grow with their own personal supply of water to keep them alive.

“Nila…” She trailed off, as if wanting to talk about the very thing that none of us spoke of. My mate was off-limits, a secret that remained unspoken for fear of Mab’s discovery.

“Don’t…” I warned, trailing off as the air around us went still. My eyes snapped to Tindra’s, trying to decide if the Spring Court Fae felt it the same as me. She pressed her hand to her chest, her lungs heaving as she fought for breath. The torches on the walls went dark, the fires extinguishing as they too felt the suffocation that stole the breath from my lungs. It felt like all magic had been sucked from the atmosphere, as if something had taken everything it needed and held it hostage.

It was like the stillness around us had sucked out all the air, leaving everything eerie and frozen. My ears rang, the piercing screech of pressure in them making me cover them with both my hands as my mouth dropped open.

Just as suddenly, the air erupted. A wave of it crashed into my back as it returned, sending me sprawling forward. It felt different, balmy and humid as it filled the room with the warmth of a summer’s night. Tindra hurried to the window at the edge of the room, throwing open the shutters to see if the air outside felt the same.

The stars had disappeared from the night sky, and we watched a ripple glide through the darkness. That same wave of air and sensation that had erupted in our room continued out through the sandy mountains of Tar Mesa, the stars and moon returning to the sky as it went.

I followed Tindra to the window, staring out as she turned back to look at me. “Nila,” she whispered, the reverent awe in her voice forcing me to turn back as well.

The Night Blossoms had bloomed, the petals freckled with golden spots that gleamed in the darkness of the room.

Tindra and I exchanged a look between us, only one name coming to the forefront of my mind for who could have caused such a ripple in the worlds.

Khaos.

THIRTY-THREE

ESTRELLA

“Impossible,” Melinoe murmured as her platform dropped, bringing her closer to the lion who waited at the bottom. She looked at him fearfully, watching as I cracked the cane in half. The ends shimmered with golden threads, the magic of chaos coursing through them. I had little doubt that was what allowed me to remove the cane from the dreamscape, taking it back to the waking world with me.

“They were my memories. My dream,” I said, taking a step closer to the edge of the platform. “Only I can decide what happens within it.”

“You said she’d given her power to Tartarus before entering the trials!” Melinoe said, turning her glare to Khaos. “She should not have been allowed to compete.”

“I did give my magic to Tartarus upon entering,” I said, standing with my toes hanging over the edge. I tossed the broken cane to her feet on the other platform, reaching behind my back and pulling one of my swords free.

I stretched out a hand, calling to the thread of life waving in the breeze as it swayed off of Melinoe. Grasping it in my hand, I entwined it as I smiled at her, the same malice I’d seen on her face stamped onto mine.

I stepped off the platform, tugging at that thread as I fell and landed on my feet, rolling forward to soften the blow to my knees. I stood as the lion stalked toward me, moving slowly as its tawny eyes dropped to the sword in my hand.

Glancing up to Melinoe, I found her gasping at the edge of the platform as it dropped. Without my weight on the opposite side, she was the heavier of the two scales no matter what any victory said. Holding firmly to her thread of life, I tugged it toward me and watched as she tumbled over the edge, landing on the sand below face-first.

She sputtered, spitting the sand everywhere as I finally released her thread and stepped toward her. The lion tracked my movement, its massive paws sinking into the sand as it pivoted to follow my movements.

It seemed even larger from this vantage point as I closed the distance between Melinoe and I. She got to her hands and knees, backing away from me as I stalked toward her. The lion followed at my side, and I watched as the Goddess’s eyes went back and forth between us as if she couldn’t decide which threat was greater.

Which one she should fear more.

It should have horrified me to admit that the answer was me.

I stopped in front of her, watching as she panted in fear. Squatting down in front of her, I stared into her eyes. There was no anger, even though I should have hated her for the things she’d made me live through.

For the pain she’d caused. It was the kind of pain that would always linger in the back of my mind, even after waking and knowing it hadn’t been real.

It was the kind of pain that would drive every one of my actions from this day forward.

“Where are your nightmares now?” I asked, watching as her eyes wet with the threat of tears.

She swallowed as I gripped her hair in my hands. “I’m looking at it,” she said, her voice a quiet reminder of my own fears.

Snarling, I pulled her hair forward until I managed to get the spot where the black locks met the white, cutting a chunk of both colors and shoving them into my pocket as a keepsake to offer.

I dragged the tip of my sword across her cheek, drawing a thinline of blood to entice the beast. She touched her hand to the cut in horror, her gaze tracking over my shoulder to stare at the lion as it approached.

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