Page 97 of The Cruel Dawn
“That took forever,” I say.
“I’m slowing down in my old age,” Elyn says, pretending to wince as she rotates her shoulder. “Are we ready?” She looks over at Jadon.
“Back to the abbey?” he asks.
Elyn nods, but before we get underway, she turns back to me. “You told Olivia that your search for her distracted you. But dealing with her, wandering Vallendor, fighting, losing, and loving—all that has only galvanized your purpose. You’re becoming the mountain this realm deserves.”
25
Elyn dares to smile at me.
I dare to smile back.
In my heart, we dance down that long catherite corridor of the Abbey of Mount Devour. But we temper our joy right now because all my limbs ache, because Danar Rrivae knows that theLibrum Esotericais now at the abbey. We hold in our joy because Jadon just killedhis brother—and because Jadon is death and can also die.Snip your string, puppet.That was the Devourer’s threat.
At least, I’m not trailing blood like I did the last time I walked this corridor. Small mercies abound.
…
The silence in the aerie feels heavy and still. Agon the Kindness stands at the narrow window, his red robes spotless and bright. He isn’t looking out upon the realm but rather reads a massive book.
“Look who’s back,” I shout.
Uncle Agon looks over his shoulder. His expression remains unreadable upon seeing Elyn and me—his only reaction is the tightening of his hands around the book.
“What’s wrong?” Elyn places Wake’s ring and theLibrum Esotericaon a worktable.
“He thought we were gonna kill each other,” I say, smirking at Agon. “Admit it, Uncle. You thought only one of us would make it back to this room, huh?” I chuckle and add, “Guess what, Uncle? I can now leap a tall building in a single bound.”
Agon gives me a small shrug. “You used to be able tofly.”
My head snaps back like he’s punched me in the throat.
Why can’t this man just beniceto me?
He closes the book he holds with a snap. “And the Weapon?”
“Should be here any moment,” Elyn says, squeezing my elbow, encouraging me to keep calm and to mind my mouth. “He did as he promised. Thank you for placing your trust in me.”
I focus on taking regular breaths. Really: why couldn’t he just say, “That’s great, Kai,” or “I’m glad you’re coming back into yourself, niece”?
The door opens, and five Raqiel sentinels the size of ancient oaks march into the room, their sharp-ended staves reflecting the light. Jadon is swaddled in a strifalite-threaded jacket that restricts his hands and cuffs that restrict his feet. He hobbles between two guards and looks at me with dulled eyes but manages a quick, hopeful grin.
This will work. He will be freed. I will have one more ally in this fight.
Agon shuffles over to a worktable and a metal instrument producing flame. He picks up the ring with a pair of pliers and holds it over the fire until the gem sags and melts like shiny blue ice.Plop…plop…plop. The melted gem turns the flame bluer and hotter.
I whisper to Elyn, “Is that supposed to happen?”
Agon keeps the ring over that flame until only the silver band remains. The inset that held the blue gem has uneven edges that resemble the teeth of a key.Agon peers at the leather and jeweled cover of theLibrum Esoterica, squinting closely at the purple-blue-silver jewel in the middle of the book. He presses the ring’s empty inset against the face of that center gem. Bright light erupts in between the stones and…with apop, the purple-blue-silver jewel snaps out of the book’s cover.
My eyes widen.
Jadon gasps.
Elyn whispers, “Wow.”
Agon positions the gem in the worktable’s clamps and tightens the screws.
