Page 112 of A Kingdom of Shadows

He takes my hand, seeing the distress on my features. He looks nervous. I've not seen that look on him as much since I've known him. It's new, it's... worrying. "Nara, I wanted—"

"He is more than just royalty, though," the Galgr interrupts him, her voice taking on a disdainful edge as I turn my head to look at her. "He is a Rivernorth."

The world spins.

Trees, stars, and the land blend into one.

I hear the Galgr laugh. "Darius Rivernorth, nephew to Aurum Rivernorth and the rightful king of Emberwell."

Chapter Forty-Two

"You're a Rivernorth." I sound so detached from the reality of it all as I turn to face Darius.

Aurum Rivernorth's nephew.

He has the Rivernorth bloodline in him.

The rightful heir to Emberwell.

"No one knows," Darius says quietly. "No one can know."

I'm in complete shock, holding his hand—a Rivernorth’s hand. And the pendant, it belonged to him. He wasn't trying to steal it because he was a thief. He was retrieving what was rightfully his.

"You're a king," I whisper as if saying it out loud to him will trigger me out of this perplexing state.

"Though Sarilyn Orcharian... sorceress and tormentor of dragons, rule your kingdom," the Galgr adds further to the building fire. "But you do not believe you deserve the title of a king. Am I right to think that?"

Hurt cracks through my chest as Darius's gaze cuts to her. His jaw works back and forth, trying to contain his anger.

The Galgr's grin widens until I can see the backs of her fanged teeth. "However, you do believe she is your queen." Her head travels my way. "Our Solaris."

Solaris.

I yank my hand away from Darius's, stepping far too close to the Galgr. Darius pulls me back by my waist, but I still have to ask. I still have questions I need to be answered. "You said you could feel my powers from within. What did you mean by that? What do you mean by our Solaris."

An eerie glow shines upon her greyish skin. It's as if her hollowed eyes are staring straight through me. "Millennia ago," she says. "When the deities of Solaris and Crello created this world, they couldn't stay in it forever. The skies needed them for the world to survive and knew they had to eventually sacrifice something."

"What did they sacrifice?" Darius asks, not even attempting to soften the harshness in his voice.

The Galgr looks up. Silk hair caresses the ground as she tilts her head and whispers, "Their lives."

Her answer sends a chill in my direction.

"They promised each other the skies but not without promising for their love to reincarnate one day," she says. "Eventually, the Isle of Elements will cease to exist. Its power is slowly fading unless two people, chosen by the deities, can help restore it." My whole body tenses knowing what will be said as she looks my way. "Solaris. Ruler of life and land alike." Her eyes then flicker to Darius. "And Crello ruler of the tides and night."

It's as if someone has dumped a bucket of freezing water over my head. The Galgr has said the words I'd once heard through scattered information from others and lakes where these creatures could lure me with their enchanting voices.

I press my full weight against Darius and am thankful he is here to support me. I turn my head and look up at his eyes.

Reincarnates.

Solaris and Crello.

"Why?" My throat feels like I'm swallowing a thousand thorns. "Why us, why—"

"Two souls that are night and day, different yet the same." The Galgr hums as my gaze darts to her. "A shifter that holds all three powers of a dragon and a mortal who grew to hate his kind."

I shake my head, confident that I'm still at my cottage, having the craziest dream from which I'll awaken and tell Illias. "But how are we—how am I supposed to restore the Isle of Element's powers when I hardly know anything about who I am? All I can do is connect with creatures I—"

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