Page 73 of Children of Anguish and Anarchy

Fields of blue flowers surround us. I smile at the familiar sea. I run my fin- gers through the velvety petals, reminding myself of when my magic ran free.

“My goodness!” Mae’e exclaims. Her diamond gaze shines bright. Her colorful silks have been replaced with soft whites. She skips through the vast field.

Her melodic laughter echoes through the air. She runs back for me, hooking her arm in mine. We spin around and around until we fall into the soft bed.

“This is your gift?” Mae’e asks. Her cheeks flush as she extends her hands. Thick clouds envelop us like mountains. We lie in the flowers, suspended in a haze. Time stretches beyond the horizon. It’s like I stay with her for days.

“A part of it,” I explain. “There’s a chance we can do more.” I bite my lip, remembering the times Inan’s told me how Zélie affected his dreamscape. When Zélie entered, she was able to build forests and waterfalls. Could Mae’e and I have the same?

“Close your eyes,” I instruct the future hierophant. “Imagine what you most want to see.”

“Anything?” Mae’e questions, and I nod.

“Anything at all.”

Mae’e shuts her eyes and breathes deep. The breeze shifts, parting the clouds. The field of blue flowers disappears. Everything clears to reveal the full night sky.

I marvel at the arrangement of stars that surrounds us, each glitteringwith light. Dense clusters radiate a powerful glow. Shooting comets pass far below.

Mae’e’s diamond gaze sparkles as she takes in the impossible. Clouds of deep purple gas spread far and wide. A galaxy spirals through the deep expanse. It pulls everything into its orbit, disappearing in a swirling black hole.

The stars spin around us, faster and faster, gathering speed. Mae’e reaches for my hand as the night sky begins to bleed.

“UGH!”MAE’E GASPS.She squeezes my hands. She whips around as we find ourselves sitting below the Mother Root, exactly where we were before we took off.

“That was incredible!” Mae’e struggles to keep her voice down. “That was the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen! I’ve always dreamed of sailing with the stars, but I never imagined it could be a real thing!”

All of a sudden, Mae’e releases my hands. My eyes widen as she grabs my cheeks. The way she stares at me, all thought scrambles in my head.

I don’t know what to think.

“Thank you,” she whispers. My heart thrums in my chest.

“You’re welcome.” I choke out the words.

Mae’e starts to lean in—

“Mae’e!”

We turn to see the real Green Maidens gathered at the sanctuary’s dock. Mae’e rises as they speak quickly, the New Gaian passing too fast for me to follow.

When they’re done, Mae’e returns to me. My heart still flutters like a hummingbird trying to escape its cage.

“What is it?” I ask.

“It’s your brother.” Mae’e’s brows rise. “He’s here!”

CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR

INAN

GROWING UP IN THEroyal palace, Father’s war room was a constant. He kept me right by his side. I made my way through every map in his study until I memorized the location of every single city, every fortress, every port, and every grain field.

I studied my kingdom like the lines on my hand. There were moons I slept under his desk more than I lay in my own bed. I thought if I could feel its vastness in my core, I could never fail.

That knowledge of Orïsha was all it took to prevail.

In all those nights, we never spoke of King Baldyr and the Tribes of Baldeírik. There were no maps of the hidden city of vines. All those years spent preparing, yet I don’t think Father ever could’ve envisioned this.

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