Page 15 of Song of Night

We move at a faster pace for more than a quarter hour. The light ahead, far down the rift, begins to change. At first, I’m not sure if it’s a mere trick of the eyes, delirium from riding for hours and hours. But as I keep straining my eyes, I see that it’s definitely getting lighter in the distance. A golden light, as if…

As if the sun is setting beyond the Waste.

Zara sees it, too, and she moves her horse from its steady canter into an outright gallop.

I urge my gelding to follow, pushing him faster and faster until he’s at his limit. It can’t be more than five miles ahead. A sense of dread fills me as I lay low over his neck, his mane flying in my face, his muscles surging beneath me. If we miss the deadline by such a short window of time…

Perhaps it will anger Vyrin and he’ll kill us quicker. Better than the alternative.

The ground is eaten up by my horse’s hooves and within a few short minutes, we’re approaching the end of the passage through the mist and fog. There isn’t further time to speculate on what horrible things await us in Cyrena. Whatever happens now, it is upon us.

We surge through the opening on the other side of the Waste, and I see the outside world for the first time in over two centuries.

I rein in my horse and Zara does the same. As I gaze out across the scene before us, I hear a small exhalation of wonder escape her lips. She’s never seen anything beyond Night, anything past the Waste that has entrapped us. Sometimes, I forget how very new she is.

My eyes follow hers from horizon to horizon.

Directly in front of us lie gently rolling hills of verdant green which stretch a half mile or so to sheer granite cliffs. Beyond the cliffs lies the ocean, an expanse of gray-blue waves which even from here can be heard crashing angrily against the shoreline. Far off, I see what might be a fishing boat bobbing on the water.

To the left a ways off is a forest which rises from the hills abruptly, black and twisted. There is nothing green about it, no leaves, no curling vines. It is made entirely of dark brambles covered in huge thorns that stick out like dragon’s teeth, piercing the sky. There’s a malevolence about it, as if it’s trying to overcome the barriers which constrain it.

In the distance, a massive castle sits at the apex of the swelling hills, hanging over the sea cliffs. It actually looks more as if it’s growing out of them, the stone trying to escape, just like everything else in this place. There is nothing symmetrical about the structure, no clean lines like my own palace. The walkways and parapets jut out at haphazard angles. White flags fly from its towers, bearing the house sigil of a rose encircled by thorns.

Above it all, the sun sinks low, nearly touching the far-off waves, painting everything in rose and gold. It’s beautiful, and yet tinged with deep foreboding. Or perhaps I have been trapped in Night for so long that the outside world has taken on a sinister tone. I have lived too long behind impenetrable walls.

I look over into Zara’s wide eyes. The sudden sense to protect her washes over me. Nothing good will happen here. I’d known it before, but now, seeing Vyrin’s realm spread before me, I have absolute certainty that this place will be my grave.

“Zara,” I growl. “I want you to turn around and ride back through the rift.”

Her head whips to mine, and her eyes widen even more.

“You’ve gotten me this far. You did your job. But what lies ahead is not for you.”

“What?” Her lips stretch thin, her eyes narrowing. “I’m not leaving.”

I hear the blast of a horn from the castle, and in the distance, the gates open and several horsemen come galloping out. With their huge, magical beasts, they’ll be on us in less than a minute.

“Vyrin is heartless and cruel. There will be no negotiations.” I stab my finger back the way we came. “Go, Zara. Now!”

“Ellielle will kill me if I return without you,” she snarls.

“Anything that angel can dream up will be a hundred times better than what this sadistic fae will do to us. I’m not asking, Zara. I command you to go.”

I rein my gelding into her horse from the side, herding her toward the rift. The cloud of dust in the distance is coming closer, and now I can hear hoofbeats.

“I don’t work for you anymore, remember?” Zara’s turns her mare and spurs her away from mine, breaking free.

“Goddess help me, Zara, if you don’t go, I will make you go—”

But my words are cut short as Vyrin’s riders burst into view over the nearest hill.

They gallop toward us, weapons drawn, and I realize I’ve just made the biggest mistake of my life.

Chapter Eleven

ZARA

The riders on the strange bronze horses encircle us. Asher’s gaze burns into mine, and I can tell he’s furious I’ve defied him.

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