by Reilyn Hardy
“No, it isn’t! You let her die, Vihaan! You let Nannu die, you just let her go.” My vision is blurring again and I blink quickly. I can’t cry right now. “You let her —”
“I knew who Nannu was, okay? I saw her lead her kind, through the window of my cell. I heard her roars through the castle walls. There was no stopping her once she made up her mind. It wasn’t my fault, Mae. You have to trust me.”
“What for?”
“I just want to free my kind,” he says. “But I won’t betray you to do it. I’m on your side. I have no reason to be on anyone else’s.”
“What happened, Vihaan? The truth? Why did you do it? Why did you steal it in the first place?”
“Because I thought I was doing the right thing.”
“The right thing? Most of the stories say you did it for love.”
He scoffs.
“You of all people should know better than to listen to stories, Mae.”
I avert my eyes.
“I did do it for love, but not because I fell in love. I did it for my mother. After the Grim Reaper first gained his abilities as a necromancer, he came to my father. He wanted the dragon king on his side. He wanted all of us on his side. When my father refused him, he threatened my mother — but she was already gone. Replaced with an undead version of herself. With all of the focus on my father, I decided to steal the stone. The stone keeps the dragons under the king’s control — but in the wrong hands, it controls the king. He threatened to kill my father if I didn’t bring it back, so I came back and I gave it to him. He sent my mother to kill me then, and my father —”
Vihaan sighs and crosses his arms, his hand closing over the stone. “He stopped her. But he didn’t walk away from it unharmed. The scar over his eye, she blinded him partially. She infected him. His vision is corrupted now. After my father killed my mother, the Reaper convinced him to banish me. He handed my father the new stone once he defiled it, and ripped Mithlonde from its spot in Aridete. The world as I knew it, was gone.”
“No one knows that version.” Miko says.
“No, they don’t. Because King Solomon is the villain in all of them. They know what the Reaper wants them to know, and what my father is convinced is the truth.”
He turns around to pick the woman back up. My hand rubs at my arm and I finally start walking back to my old home. The woman shouldn’t be out in this kind of weather. It’s too cold, even I’m freezing. But he holds her close to his body. I can almost see the inside of his chest faintly glowing red. Like he was turning himself into a heater.
“Why didn’t the Reaper just have you killed?” Miko asks. She was always so forward.
“I’ve thought about that and I think he’ll need me when my father dies. The stone will only work as long as there’s blood royalty. My dad won’t live forever.”
I fumble with the Skinharvester beak hanging around my neck while I try to make sense of it all, but I can’t. “I don’t understand though, why the theatrics?” I ask. “Why make me do all of this if Drarkodon knew there was another stone and he could’ve got his creatures to do it?”
“They couldn’t get in,” Miko chimes in. “Remember? The house was protected.”
“Well, I almost didn’t make it,” I say. “I nearly died trying to get to Mithlonde — I nearly died in Mithlonde.” Miko may have put a stop to my death, but I still have the wounds on my back, both new and old. I can feel them still.
“It would’ve taken care of you as a problem then, wouldn’t it.”
Vihaan is right.
“Then I’d never be a chronomancer and he wouldn’t have to worry about me.” I frown a little, I don’t like the way that sounds.
“Just your father.”
That only made it worse.
“That no one’s seen or heard from, either.”
Miko is already looking at me when I look at her. Her lips are pursed together and she tries to smile, but she barely manages and it fades fast.
“I’m sure he’s still out there, Mae.” Vihaan tries to be reassuring, though he has no reason. He has no reason to try to make me feel better. “If he wasn’t, wouldn’t Drarkodon’s remaining creatures have attacked Aridete much sooner?”
“Unless that’s what he was waiting for,” I say.
“Right, waiting to see if your dad would show face and he hasn’t.”
I don’t want to talk about my dad anymore.
“Vihaan?”
He raises his eyebrows. “Hm?”
“What do you think life would be like under his rule?”
“The Grim Reaper?” He asks.
“Yeah,” I say.
“I think it would be a world without light. That’s what he is. That’s what he represents. Darkness. But you’re alive and Mithlonde is still in place.”
“So we’ve forced his hand, haven’t we?”
“If word hasn’t gotten back to him yet, I reckon it will soon. What are we going to do?”
“I don’t — I don’t know.”
Up until now, I had one goal. Bring the dragons home and now I’m at a loss.
* * * * *
We walk through the town, it’s quiet and a lot different than I remember, but I haven’t been there in years. My childhood home was a small white cottage, with a coal colored roof and a redbrick chimney that warmed the house during freezing winter nights.
I stare at the rounded door and press three fingers to the wood, just above the doorknob. It unlocks.
“How did you —” Miko starts but I cut her off.
“My dad — he — it only opens for his bloodline,” I say and push the door open.
It was just as we had left it when he rushed us out of our home. I close my eyes and lean against the wall. Distantly I can hear people calling my name, ‘Mae? Mae — Mae!’ I shake my head.
I see seven-year-old me again, standing beside my brother while he promises our dad he’ll protect me at whatever the cost.
My dad looks at me, and then looks away as he introduces us to David Ryland.
I shake my head. This can’t be happening.
Miko brings me to the couch and presses the back of her hand against my forehead.
“Are you feeling okay?” She asks, wiping the sweat dripping down the side of my face with her sleeve. “You’re burning up.”
“I’m fine,” I say. My eyelids flutter a little, but for the most part I’m fine, I’m sure of it. At least, I have to be. She gets back up while I sink back into the couch, and inhale deeply. There are subtle traces of tobacco still in the material.
Miko walks over toward Vihaan who is leaning against the cabinets in the kitchen. He is almost too big to be in the small cottage. She offers him a knife, and looks at him with these puppy dog eyes.
“Fine,” he says and cuts into his palm, squeezing blood from his hand just as Miko gets out a vial. She turns back to me and she corks it.
I look away.
Miko returns to where she was beside me, still holding the dragon blood in her hand.
“My grandmother is sick,” she says. “She took care of me after the elves killed my mother —”
I start shaking my head while her eyes begin to water.
“You don’t have to tell me —”
But she continues.
“I didn’t mean to steal from you, Mae. My dad has been taking care of her as best he can, but she needs dragon blood or there’s no saving her. He says she’ll be gone before my next birthday.” She tucks the vial into one of the many pockets of her clothes and grabs my hand. “Thank you for giving me a chance, even when you had no reason to.”
She stands up then and looks at Vihaan.
“Thank you,” she says to him and he nods. Miko takes out one of the Thirondel charms from another pocket, and rolls it between her thumb and her index finger. “If you ever need anything, come find me.”
She walks away from me and throws the charm down at the ground as she shouts Orvale. The cottage shakes as the floor opens up, and she jumps thr
ough it. I’ve never seen a portal close and I watch with wide eyes while the frost melts into the crack in the ground, repairing it like new. It’s fascinating to me.
Vihaan takes a step forward to me and looks at the old woman laying on the opposing couch from where I sat. He asks me what we’re going to do, but still I don’t know. I don’t have a clue, but I can’t say that out loud, so I just remain quiet.
There’s only one person I want to talk to, but I haven’t seen him in so long. I’m not even sure if I want to see him. I don’t know if he wants to see me.
“I wish I had my father,” I say quietly.
I wish I had him to tell me what to do. I never thought I would ever want him around to tell me what to do ever again, but here I am, practically begging for it.
I’m just a kid, and I’m lost.
A glowing white light starts to surround me and my eyes widen.
“What’s happening?” I ask, there’s panic in my voice. Vihaan’s not saying anything. He’s only watching, eyebrows furrowing. I move from it, but it follows me. It’s growing larger, all around. I reach for Vihaan’s arm just as he reaches for the old woman and the light swallows the three of us whole.
We disappear.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
the truth hurts
We land in what appears to be the kitchen of a cabin. Vihaan lands on his feet, clutching the woman tightly while naturally, I land flat on my chest. I sit up quickly and rub my arms. It feels even colder here than it was in Merrowley.
“It’s freezing,” I mutter and my teeth chatter. “Where are we — what happened?” I keep my arms wrapped around myself and my hand fumbles with the tear in my shirt. I look down and see that my wound has already begun to heal. I get to my feet and move to the window. The glass is frosted, so I use the side of my hand and rub it away.
It’s snowing.
“Vihaan, it’s —” I look around for him and notice he’s no longer in the room with me. I go to find him and see him placing the elderly woman down on the couch. “Vihaan it’s —” I start again but he puts his hand over my mouth. He’s looking above us, and then around the room. He’s listening for something.
“Someone’s coming,” he says in a hushed tone as he pulls his hand away from my face. Just then, a redhead steps into the room from the other door and looks around curiously before her eyes land on us. My stomach twists. Amelia.
I haven’t seen her in eight years. I haven’t seen her since her brother died. But she doesn’t look upset. She looks… relieved.
“Artemis!” Before I say anything, her wide green eyes grow wider and she reaches forward to grab my arm. She’s trying to pull me away from Vihaan. “Artemis, get away from him — he’s a dragon!”
“I know — it’s fine.” I try to calm her while I stand between them. “He’s the — never mind, but it’s fine. He — saved my life.”
“Oh,” she says, letting go of her death grip on my hand and I rub it a little and lace my fingers together. I pretend like it doesn’t hurt. “My, look at you — you’re so — scrawny. Your eyes are too big for your face, your nose is too small, and your freckles are practically multiplying —”
“Thanks,” I cut her off.
As if I’m not insecure enough.
“Why don’t you hate me?” I ask. She reaches for my hand.
“It’s been eight years, Artemis. A lot of things are fuzzy — I don’t really remember but I’m glad you’re okay.”
“Are you okay?” I ask.
“I am now.”
She pulls me into a hug. She could probably wrap her arms around me twice.
“I’m glad you survived,” she whispers.
“I’m sorry, Amelia. I’m sorry.”
She leans her head against mine, she still towers over me. Her hug tightens before she lets go. Her eyes are glistening, she smiles through it.
“I’m glad you’re here,” she says.
“Where’s here?” I hear Vihaan ask.
“Amelia?”
“We’re — WHAT HAPPENED TO YOUR SHOULDER? WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU?” She shrieks, her gaze falling to my shoulder. I think it looks okay now, at least she hadn’t seen it earlier. I brush her hand off of me, over and over again before she finally stops trying to touch my wounds. The cuts around my wrist, the hole in my shirt. At least she can’t see my back.
“I’m fine,” I say. “Amelia —”
I stop talking when Rhiannon emerges from the hall. Her eyes light up at the sight of me, and only for a second or two. I can feel the side of my nose twitch, I can feel my lip curl. My face is getting hot. She takes a step back when she realizes I’m not happy to see her. I’ve tried not to be angry with her, but now that she’s right in front of me with Jace nowhere to be found, it all comes crashing back.
“Where is he? What did you do to him?” I snarl as I stalk toward her, balling my fists. Vihaan tries to stop me but he just misses my arm. I slip right past him and shove her against the wall beside the doorway. “You said you wouldn’t hurt him and you killed him!”
“I’m right here, Artemis.”
Jace pokes his head into the room before stepping into it entirely. He runs his fingers through his hair to push it out of his face, and tucks loose strands behind his ear. My hands drop to my sides and I take a step away from Rhiannon.
I can’t stop looking at his face.
“Your —”
I can’t even say it.
There’s a large, thick scar going down the length of his face, from his forehead, over his eye, down his cheek and nearly to his jawline. I slashed the werewolf in that same spot. His eye is discolored now, too. A unique mixture of gray and brown.
I feel like I was punched in the stomach.
How do you apologize for something like that?
“Jace — I’m —”
He holds up his hand to stop me from saying anything else and I do when I realize what he called me. He knows.
“You called me Artemis,” I say.
He sighs and walks further into the room, away from me.
“I was practically worm food, nearly eaten by an empusa, forced to transform in the Whispering Woods where I almost killed a vampire and my best friend —” he takes one look at Vihaan and narrows his eyes before turning around to face me. “All because you’re a chronomancer. One of the missing boys from Valfield. See, I knew there was no way my luck was that bad.”
“So you’re not mad?”
“No, Artemis — I’m kinda pissed, actually. You lied to me — for seven years! I told you I was a werewolf and you —” He sighs. “You’re my best friend, Mae — Artemis, Mae, whoever the hell you are — and I’m just glad you’re okay. You are okay, right?”
I nod. I’m okay.
His eyes are starting to turn red and I wonder how long he spent thinking he had killed me, or hurt me in any way. I look at Vihaan who had told me it would have killed him. I see now that he’s right. Jace blinks several times, trying to clear his vision.
“I’m sorry I — I tried to kill you,” he says.
I reach my arm over his shoulder and grab him. I hug him tightly, and I laugh. I make myself laugh — I have to — because I am fine. Just like he had told me he was after I tried to kill him.
I understood it now.
“That’s what we do,” I say. “What kind of friendship would it be if we weren’t always at each other’s throats?” I ask.
“Some friendship,” he says as he pulls away.
“Some friendship,” I say. “I’m sorry I ruined your face.”
He smirks, tracing the scar down his cheek with his finger.
“I was too good looking anyway.” He shrugs, crossing his arms over his chest.
I turn to Rhiannon, who is still up against the wall, where I left her. I turned my head just in time to catch her rolling her eyes at Jace’s words, but she stops when she notices that I’m looking at her.
“I’m sorry,” I say.
She shakes her hea
d.
“I understand,” she says and smiles a little. “If I were in your position, I would have assumed the same.”
I turn back to Jace.
“So you’re okay?” I ask, nearly examining him for wounds or injuries. “She was pretty rough with you.”
“She’s always rough with me.” He grins while she scowls.
I roll my eyes. “That is not what I meant.”
“I’m fine,” he says finally and uncrosses his arms. He stuffs his hands into his back pockets and rocks back and forth on his feet. “But you look like a mess. You sure you’re okay? You’ve been gone for a while.”
“Yeah, I saw the Winter Solstice began —”
“It’s Christmas Eve, Mae. Your father found us —”
“My father?”
I should have known it had to be him that brought us all here. Part of me is in denial, but it makes sense. Amelia is here, both of my friends are here. I’m here, safe. It’s just hard to think that after all this time, he suddenly cares. It kind of pisses me off, actually. I can feel my face burning up. All the times I needed his help, and where was he when Apollo was taken?
“He found us in the woods,” Jace continues. “I had —” he looks at Rhiannon who shakes her head. “I — we — he brought us here and he took care of us. Rhiannon wanted to go after you but he wouldn’t let her because he — he had a feeling — well, he said she probably wouldn’t come back out. At least not the way we know her.”
As he speaks, I glance over at Vihaan. She wouldn’t have.
I didn’t have the chance to say anything, and even if I did, I would’ve stopped the second my father came into the room. He’s a tall man, light-skinned. His long, thinning, white hair was as long as the snowy beard that ran down his chest.
He is just as I remember him. But he doesn’t look at me. He just walks right past me like I’m not even there. He doesn’t look at Vihaan either.
He heads toward the old woman laying on the couch.
“I suspected they were keeping you with King Solomon.”
“Do you even know who that is?” I ask, a little agitated.
“She’s a phoenix, Artemis. The personification of life and death itself.”
“What?”