Finally, Avoca blinked once. “Do whatever you want, Cyrene.”
Cyrene frowned and met Orden’s worried look. Avoca had taken Ahlvie’s disappearance with Malysa worse than Cyrene had expected. They’d had a secret wedding before they left Kinkadia, and now, her husband had been forced into Indres form and captured by the goddess of destruction. Cyrene could hardly blame her for being upset, but she hated that her fierce warrior friend was falling apart and not rising to the occasion.
“It’s settled then,” Cyrene said after a moment. “I’m going to release you from the bonds. If you attempt to flee…”
“I wouldn’t cross you,” Vera said at once. “I just lost my sister and my brother-in-law in one fell swoop. We still have to bury Mikel.” She swallowed around the pain. “I’m not going anywhere. This is where I belong.”
Cyrene took a deep breath and then nodded. Orden untied the knots that held Vera in place. She rubbed her raw wrists and then shook out her ankles.
“Let’s do this,” Cyrene said.
“Perhaps you should sleep for a bit,” Vera said. “Replenish your well.”
“You’re not my teacher anymore.” Cyrene did need to sleep. She was bone-weary. But she didn’t have time to rest. Not with this war while they stood on a killing field.
Cyrene gripped Vera by the arm and marched her out of the tent. They walked out of the camp, past the guard on watch, and out into the open field. She reached out for the bond that called her dragon, Sarielle, and breathed a sigh of relief to feel her nearby.
My dragon bound, it is good to hear from you. Much has passed. Akeera has gone to the dark goddess. Shall we hunt them for their insults to our honor?
Cyrene smiled at Sarielle’s enthusiasm. Her greatest wish was for adventure. They had known that the other could bring that the second they laid eyes on each other. Part of her wished that she could do just as Sarielle had suggested and run off to take down Malysa on her own. But she knew, after what she’d seen on the battlefield and the way she had stalked Cyrene’s dreams, it was going to take more than that to win.
“Come down. We must link and enter the spiritual plane.”
As you wish.
A few minutes later, both Sarielle’s and Vera’s dragon, Ameerath, appeared before them. Sarielle’s dark red scales shone bright from the light of the full moon. Her neck proud as she tucked her wings in tight. Ameerath seemed warier, as if she knew what was to come.
“It’s okay, Ameerath,” Vera said. “I have requested this.”
Cyrene of the Doma, this is ill-advised. I do not wish harm to my dragon bound. She has already lost much, and though she did not share her true identity with you, her heart has shown true through your entire encounters. Your anger is warranted but not your doubt of her character.
“Thank you, Ameerath,” Cyrene said with a small curtsy to the ancient dragon. “I appreciate your insight. If there is another way to go about this, then present it now.”
No one spoke. Neither of the dragons came to a conclusion. Vera clearly knew it for what it was. She smiled sadly at her dragon and patted her flank.
Vera held her hand out to Cyrene, who stared at it as if it were a trap. Then, with trepidation, she put her hand in Vera’s, and together, they opened the door to the spiritual plane.
2
The Sisters
Sarielle held tight to the bond with Cyrene. I will be here for you when you cross the divide. You are never alone.
“I know,” Cyrene told her. “Thank you.”
Vera flickered into appearance next to Cyrene. Her form wavered and tilted as if she was having difficulty accessing the full breadth of her abilities. Perhaps everything that Vera had said so far really was true.
“We should hurry across the divide. I do not know how long I can hold this up. Malysa was always stronger than me in spirit, and I do not want her to sense my presence.”
“This had better not be a trick.”
Vera looked panicked at the thought. “She has been shielding herself from me for months. I hope to do the same, Cyrene. But we need to cross now.”
Cyrene reached forward and touched the space in front of her that felt more like a fluid wall. Her hand pushed against it, and then she stepped through into emptiness.
Control in the spiritual plane was up to whoever was strongest. For a long time, that had been the ancient Domina Serafina, who was Cyrene’s ancestor and also one of the reasons that all of this was happening.
For so long, Cyrene had believed that Serafina was a wicked ruler of her home of Byern and Viktor Dremylon had triumphed over her to restore order. When in fact Sera had loved Viktor, and they had torn the world down together. With Malysa’s help, Sera had discovered how to access blood magic so that she and Viktor could be bound. A binding to the Dremylon line that Cyrene was still cursed with. Kael Dremylon, now one of Malysa’s generals, was bent on destroying the world. And, worse yet, Serafina had worked with Viktor to bring down the fall of magic two thousand years prior. She’d thought he wanted equality, but with Malysa’s influence, it had ended in disaster. Cyrene was still upset with her for withholding that final truth. But she had more important things to deal with right now.
Like using the spiritual magic that Serafina had taught her over the last year to create solid ground for them. She concentrated on her surroundings, and suddenly, she was back in Byern, standing before the Nit Decus castle.
Home.
And yet, no longer home. She had lived here as an Affiliate and then been crowned Consort here against her will. She had been forced to face her greatest fear right here on this step in her final test to become dragon bound with Sarielle. She had seen herself succumbing to her blood magic and murdering all of her friends. She had sacrificed her own life to save others. And still, when she needed stability, she came back to where it had all started.
Her red gown flowed out soft and silken over her hips to the ground. A reminder of who she was and what she had been. A sharp contrast to the fighting leathers she had been in since entering the dragon tournament in Kinkadia.
Vera materialized a minute later, still in the loose gown she had been in before stepping through the divide. She no longer flickered or wavered, as if crossing over had solidified everything.
Vera glanced around, taking in the castle grounds with a frown. “Do you always draw forth your home?”
“Usually.”
“I suppose it makes sense. You’ve traveled the world, but your destiny remains here.”
Cyrene ground her teeth together. Destiny again. A heavy mantle that she had rushed headfirst into. The Heir of Light meeting the Heir of Darkness on the battlefield. A battle to end all battles. Except that battle had ended with her friend’s murder, kidnapping, and Kael Dremylon disappearing into thin air in the midst of it all. So much for the prophecy.
“Shall we begin?” Cyrene asked.
Vera took a deep breath and nodded. “I know that you don’t trust me. I understand you well enough to know that your trust is everything. It’s your lifeline. Your guiding beacon. But please hear the whole story before you judge my actions.”
“Will this stop Malysa?”
Vera sighed. “Knowledge is power, Cyrene. You, of all people, should know that.”