Page 42 of House of Gilded Nightmares

Zyren’s eyes are a storm of emotion. “You drew your first breath but an instant ago compared to the centuries I have endured. Do not act like a petulant child! Or, if you insist on it, I will throw you over my shoulder and carry you the rest of the way.”

“Touch me at your peril.” My voice shakes with power and a glow pulses off my skin. “I will fulfill my duty, regardless of my feelings. We share that, at least. And if your duty pains you so, when we reach Selaye, you can be rid of me. I release you from my service.”

“You do not understand how our bond works, princess.” Zyren’s gaze burns into me. “You are bound to me forever, and I to you. That cannot be undone, no matter how much you wish it so.”

My magic pulses again. “I do wish it. I have never met anyone so arrogant and stubborn and serious in my entire life.”

“Well, you will have to learn to live with disappointment,” Zyren growls.

Before he can say anything further, I spin and cross the clearing, picking up the trail on the other side. I stride through the trees until I reach another arched bridge, this one leading to another tunnel on the far side. Not looking to see if Zyren is following, I cross the bridge and enter the tunnel. A short while later, the tunnel opens again, and I come to a stop when I see the scene before me.

It looks identical to the first tunnel we exited.

Arched bridge leading to a forested island. Sea of stars below. Waterfalls in the distance.

I feel the heat of Zyren’s body as he steps up behind me. After a moment, a string of curses exits his lips. “Goddess-damned magic. What devilry is this?”

“It seems I get to see the moths again after all,” I say, just to needle him, and I start across the bridge before he can respond.

I feel Zyren fuming behind me as I enter the forest a second time. Sure enough, not far within is the clearing with all the glowing moths. Zyren lets out a growl of rage and continues stalking through the clearing, on down the path until he disappears. I wait there, watching the winged creatures flit about, until he returns five minutes later, a murderous look on his face. I know I shouldn’t, but I can’t help myself. A laugh bubbles from my lips.

“Does this amuse you?” Zyren stalks in a circle around me, silver eyes flashing fury.

“I suppose it does,” I say. “We’re trapped here beneath the earth with some sort of sentient ancient magic that clearly doesn’t care whether or not Aureon is overrun by nightmares. And as far as I can tell, there’s not a damn thing we can do about it. Or maybe there is, but stomping around in a rage certainly isn’t going to help anything.”

Zyren stops, stepping close so he towers over me. “You are infuriating.”

His nearness makes my heart pound, but not because I’m afraid. I meet his eyes without blinking. “Growing up, I was often teased by the other priestesses in the palace because I was so different from all of them. Always an outcast. I learned early on that ignoring a bully is the quickest way to get them to leave you alone. If you do what they want, they’ll keep toying with you.”

“So now I’m a bully?”

I shake my head. “I’m not talking about you.”

Realization dawns on his face and he looks around at the moths as if seeing them for the first time. He looks back down at me, something shifting in his expression, as if I am something new also. Something he is now fully seeing. He takes a deep breath and visibly relaxes his stance as he exhales.

“Okay, then.” Even his voice is softer now. “What do you suggest?”

“I think it’s the perfect time to stop for the night.” I look down at the springy moss at our feet. “We’re not going to find a softer place to sleep in a cave.”

Conflict wars over Zyren’s face for several moments, but then he nods. “We’ve traveled a full day. If we were above ground, we’d have to make camp for nightfall anyways.”

I walk over to one of the trees encircling the clearing and sit down with my back against it, opening my satchel. Zyren follows me after a moment, sitting at the tree next to mine. There’s only a bit of the cheese left, so I finish it off along with a piece of bread, watching the moths dance in the darkness beyond. For some reason I can’t explain, I am not afraid of the magic that lives here. A strange sense of peace washes over me.

When I’m finished eating, I look over at Zyren. He’s already finished his meal and is polishing one of his daggers with his tunic.

“Sleep, Sarielle,” he says without looking over at me. “I will keep watch.”

I do sleep. And when I sleep, I dream. I dream of beautiful nightmares swimming through moonlit waters. I dream of a city high in the mountains, and a silver crown sitting on an empty throne. I dream of a man with hard, calloused hands placing the crown upon my head, and those same hands sliding down to cup my cheeks. Silver eyes glowing, forehead resting gently against mine, breath mingling, a brush of lips like soft wings…

My eyes open, and I realize the kiss I’d felt actually is wings, one of the moths alighting on my face. Sadness sweeps in to replace the visions in my head and the feelings that accompanied them. Love, devotion, desire…so different than duty and obligation. My chest aches, an empty, echoing sensation as if someone has hollowed me out.

I look over to where Zyren was sitting, but he isn’t there. My panic is momentary. When I sweep my gaze across the clearing, I see him standing in the center, watching the moths. His expression is unguarded for once, filled with the same reverence I’d felt earlier when we first found this place. It only makes the pain in my core deepen, tighten around me. He will never look at me as anything but a burden, a job to fulfill. He’d said it himself—we’re shackled together for the rest of our lives.

I’m not sure how many hours I’d slept, but it’s enough. I feel a shift in the magic around us. Pushing up on my elbows and then to my feet, I walk slowly over to Zyren.

“We can go now,” I say.

He doesn’t question me, he just nods. We stride from the clearing, and just before the path takes us from view, I turn and take one last look at the magic at the heart of the Forever Mountains. And I know why Zyren and I are so drawn to the glowing moths.

---