Page 113 of A Kingdom of Shadows

"Your connection to Solaris was dormant until it all aligned when that marble led you to your Crello."

"What—" There is frustration in my voice when I pause and remember Leira's vision in the backroom of that tavern.

The sun blooms again, for she has found her moon...

That day I met Darius, my marble landed by him. It was no matter of coincidence if not fate. That is all it has ever been. When we bumped into each other and dropped our carvings, then when we saw one another years later in that jeweler's shop.

Every grand moment of ours flashes in and out of my mind.

One of their greatest wishes was to unite and dance among the stars, he said to me the same night he was captured.

For no love greater shared than the moon and the sun, I'd replied, realizing now deep down that something had changed that moment between us.

"Now," the Galgr's voice doesn't quite reach my ears. "You must awaken the rest of the powers you have deep within you."

My head snaps up.

I have so much more to ask her, but I'm quickly interrupted by Arlayna, Aeron, and Faye dashing over to us.

"We need to go," Arlayna says, her eyes scanning the rustling trees and the distant grumbling sounds of trolls.

"Seems like we are out of time." The Galgr grins, humored by the distress lingering in the air.

I step out of Darius's grip. "How do I awaken the rest of my powers?"

She says nothing.

"Tell me!"

"Nara," Arlayna urges, but I need to know.

My eyes are trained on the Galgr. Faye has already mounted her horse, with Aeron grabbing Arlayna by the elbows and dragging her away.

"Soon," the Galgr finally says. "When certain choices are made."

The cryptic words do nothing to help my manic mind.

"Go," she says. "I know how to free myself."

I shake my head. We're not done. I'm not done.

"Goldie," Darius whispers and I take my eyes off the creature to look at him. He's holding out his hand, the grunting coughs of trolls closing by.

He knows we can't stay.

I place my hand in his and nod, rushing to where my mare is stationed. She's braying, spooked, as she rises on her hind legs.

I'm lifting my palms in the air, trying to hush her. I touch her neck, and immediately she calms down. Darius mounts her and pulls me up with him. He could as well shift and flee the scene, he could have asked me to go with him, but he knows I would never leave the horse here. He knows I'd rather stay and fight the trolls off if it meant protecting an animal.

The Galgr is staring in our direction, still not having freed herself. I look at those soulless eyes as I wrap my arms around Darius's abdomen, and he gets us out of the dangers lurking.

Chapter Forty-Three

I'm looking down at the ground as Darius, and I pad back to our chambers. We've not uttered a word since leaving the Galgr. Numbness has taken over, and neither of us knows what to say or how to start.

I stare at my palms.

Solaris, ruler of life and land alike.

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