She squeezed her eyes closed and one last tear slipped free.
“You are so strong,” he said. He took her cold clammy hand. “You’re one of the strongest women I know. Youcanget through this. I know you can. If anyone can, it’s you, Emmery.”
She only shook her head.
He studied her hand in his. In the dungeon, he hadn’t gotten a good look, but an iridescent scar threaded up the sides of her hand, and around her wrist. The bond appeared handwritten. And its existence was impossible, but it remained on Destonne’s too.
Emmery pulled him from his thoughts as she asked, “Can I have until morning? I need more time, but—at dawn. When dawn comes we can—” Her voice cracked and her throat worked with a swallow.
“I’ll tell the others,” he said softly. He kissed the back of her hand before he released it. “Do you need anything? Food? Water? Perhaps a lewd joke? I could try to juggle something.”
When she didn’t at least acknowledge the humour, he sighed. He needed to rest and could hardly bear to leave her like this, but more so he needed to see the state of Ellynne and check on Marlys. With the Council’s disappearance, so many things remained up in the air. “I have to leave, for a little while. But I’ll be back before dawn. Alright?”
Another tear rolled off her nose and fell onto Destonne’s blood-crusted shirt, but she nodded.
Between the rot, the Council, and Zyphira’s death, something sinister loomed ahead. He could feel it in his bones. But he wouldn’t let Kahlia and Thellonius get away with this. Not while he was still breathing.
Vesper tore himself from Emmery but froze in the doorway when she curled around Destonne and sobbed once again.
She needed time. Time healed all wounds. But if that was true, it had been a century, and Vesper was still waiting for his own to mend.
CHAPTER SEVENTY-FIVE
EMMERY
Emmery left Brennen and Aera sleeping in Dez’s bed and wandered down to his garden, hopeful that she’d feel him among the noxcore. Clutched to her chest was the note and a vial full of unknown liquid Fionn had given her. All he’d said was Dez wanted her to have them. Fionn had been made to return to Blackdawn Castle to deliver them in anticipation of Dez’s return the following day.
They couldn’t have predicted that Thellonius would intercept Dez, that his father worked with the Council all this time, and that everything would go to shit so quickly.
Moonlight flooded the garden like the night they’d promised their lives to each other. She could hardly believe that was only days ago.
The noxcore bloomed for her but sang a sad tune, as if the flowers could feel her loss.
She couldn’t enjoy them without him here.
Nothing mattered anymore. Everything was—fuck, it all lay in ruin.
As she perched on the bench and studied the spot Dez would have sat, the gaping black hole inside her widened. Helplessly, her mind sank back into the moment before Dez’s eyes closed forever. That bright, forest green. If she squeezed her eyes shut she could almost feel his warmth. Smell the mint on his breath. Hear his laugh. Pretend they lived in some fantasy where he hadn't been stolen from her.
Her fingertip traced her name on the envelope in the same writing imprinted in her skin. The only bond that didn’t slice her down the middle and sever her soul.But no pain could compare tothe aching absence of him.
Carefully, she slid the letter free and held her breath as she read.
A sob bubbled up in her throat, but she clamped a hand over her mouth to contain it. If it got loose, got free, it would never be caged again.
When she finally got a grip on herself, she examined the vial of iridescent liquid. Her heart slowed when she uncorked the top and sniffed the contents. Between the scent of vanilla, mint, fire, and ice, and the colour, she could think of one thing it could possibly be. And how Dez had done it, she had no clue.
Her pulse raced as she stared into the vial’s depths. Though her heart ached and her world lay in shambles, Dez had come through on his promise.
She never should have doubted him.
Without hesitation, she put the vial to her lips and tipped her head back. The warm liquid kissed her tongue and her vision blackened.
Thekhaosflame devoured a Stone of Refraction, and a face appeared in the flame with honey-gold eyes full of vigour and life, silver hair like moonlight, supple pink lips laughing and smiling, and—
He’d never been superficial, but this woman embodied perfection. Though he hadn’t a clue who she was, or could be, he had to meet her to understand the vision’s purpose. And somehow, he felt in his bones that if he actually looked into her eyes, it would all make sense.
He would seek that nomad Oracle and strike a bargain to find her. If this woman’s future was tied to his, no cost was too great, even if he didn’t know her name.