Page 98 of A Legacy of Storms and Starlight

“Liss.” Raif’s hands were on her face, in her hair. He knelt in front of her, his features etched with worry as he pressed soft kisses to her face and wiped at her tears with his thumbs. Zylah tried to speak but the words lodged in her throat.

Kopi landed on the table beside her, nuzzling into her hair. Zylah couldn’t make a sound for him, either, but she closed her eyes as she blinked back more tears. Kopi must have brought Raif, but how if he’d led Holt to her? It didn’t make any sense. Maybe he really was Pallia’s owl.Gods. A delirious smile tugged at her mouth at the thought.

“Liss?” Raif’s eyes were bright and glassy as she willed her own to open, another tear rolling down to the tip of her nose.

“I was just thinking he really must be Pallia’s owl,” she said, her voice barely a whisper.

Raif huffed a laugh, wiping away the tear and pressing a kiss to the corner of her mouth, careful not to touch her split lip.

“I can’t heal her,” Holt said from the far side of the cabin, as if he’d been waiting, giving them space. “She’s been wearing vanquicite cuffs for days. It’s only her Fae side that’s stopped her from bleeding to death.”

Raif stood, but his hands stayed on Zylah’s. “Is that what I think it is?”

He must have seen the vanquicite. If itwasvanquicite. Holt hummed in acknowledgement.

“That explains why she could evanesce to the grotto,” Raif said quietly.

“It explains a lot of things.”

“It doesn’t explain anything to me,” Zylah said dryly.

Holt carefully peeled away another piece of fabric. “You’ve built up some small amount of tolerance to the vanquicite. The effects won’t last as long as they would for Raif and me. It’s how you could evanesce me out of the tunnels, and in and out of the grotto. Wearing it for three days seems to have been your limit.”

“Three days?” Raif’s voice was lined with vitriol, and he squeezed Zylah’s hand gently.

The celandia swab pressed lightly against her back as Holt said, “I’m going to seal the perimeter, and then I’ll be back with Saphi.”

Seal the what?Zylah wondered if she’d misheard Holt’s words. Kopi hooed quietly and flew away, but something told her he was still nearby. And he’d brought Raif right to her.

Raif kneeled in front of her like before, brushing her hair out of her eyes and let out a shaky breath. “I haven’t stopped looking for you. None of us have. The moment you left I checked the whole city. Holt took out five guards trying to find you.” His words came faster and faster, his thumb stroking her cheek. “I love you, Liss. I should have told you a hundred times. When I asked you to stay,no, before that. You had me from the moment you cut me with your dagger at the safe house.”

He kissed the corner of her mouth, and Zylah couldn’t help the tears that fell. She’d wanted to tell him. So many times. But she was afraid. And now the fear of losing him…

Raif wiped away her tears. “We can leave Virian. We can go wherever you like. All over Astaria. I can take you to Iskia, you’d love the ocean. Kopi might not like it, but we can keep him dry. Just stay with me.”

The life he described played out in her thoughts, like it was right out of the pages of one of Kara’s books. But that was all it could ever be, a story. If Rose’s vision was true, Zylah knew she had to get as far away from Raif as she could. If she made it out of the cabin.

“I had to leave,” was all she managed to say. “I can’t risk… I can’t lose you.” She let out an unsteady breath, her fingers tightening around his.

Raif stroked a thumb across her cheek, pressing his forehead against hers. “I’m not going anywhere,” he said softly.

Zylah nodded; it was all she could manage.

A thud sounded against wood, and Zylah knew Holt had returned. Two more heartbeats told her he’d brought Saphi… and Rose.

“Oh, Liss,” Saphi said quietly as she approached. Zylah couldn’t see her face, and for that she was grateful.

Raif gently squeezed her hand as Saphi’s delicate fingers touched an unbroken patch of skin on Zylah’s back.

“The vanquicite will be too dangerous to remove. It’s going to need someone with far greater skills than mine. But I can clean the wounds and dress them for you.” Saphi’s voice was soft, soothing.

Zylah nodded again, just once.

“Raif, Holt, go and bring me as much moss as you can find,” Saphi instructed. “Rose and I will get started.”

Zylah didn’t know how she felt about Rose helping, but she was in no position to protest.

Raif pressed another kiss to the corner of her mouth. “I’ll be right back,” he murmured.

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