Chapter 522: Irreversible

Chapter 522: Irreversible

ELEANOR LEYWIN

“I need you here.” That’s what Arthur had said. “I’ve made some strides here, especially with the younger asuras.” But how was I supposed to do anything? “You’re going to have to continue what I started. You two now represent every human, elf, dwarf, and Alacryan on that world.”

Yeah, no pressure, right?

My brother’s words had played on repeat in the back of my mind for hours and hours since he’d left. It was overwhelming. Not just his instructions, but being in Epheotus, specifically in Lord Indrath’s castle. Every raised voice was accompanied by a sharp intent, which slammed into me and made my stomach turn.

I’d retreated to an upper-level chamber, a solarium with balconies facing in two different directions. Mom, on the other hand, was practically glued to Elder Myre. Despite everything, she had a kind of furious energy. Maybe it was being surrounded by the dragons with their control over aether, or maybe it was just knowing that Lord Indrath had sent Arthur to face Agrona alone, or the same crushing sense of responsibility that had me hiding up here, but Mom was taking her responsibilities as mother of “Great Lord” Arthur Leywin pretty seriously.

I think it helped that her healing powers utilized aether. For the dragons, it added weight to her being an “archon,” and she’d been super eager to learn more about how aether affected her healing abilities. Even asuras were being injured and suffering from will strain as they fought against the rift wound, and no one in the castle was about to refuse an extra healer.

As I squeezed my eyes shut against a crash of distant splitting earth and the accompanying pulse of nervously wavering mana signatures that followed, I had to wonder where her sudden energy had come from. I felt drained. Exhausted.

I hope Arthur gets back soon. We shouldn’t be here.

“Do you think Tani would let us leave the castle?” I asked Boo absentmindedly, referring to my dragon babysitter, who was currently standing out in the hallway.

Boo, who was lying in a nearby sunbeam, rumbled and shook his head, and unfortunately I agreed with him.

But at least the balconies gave a pretty spectacular view of the sky wound, which really drove home the existential dread of the moment.

“What am I supposed to do?” I asked myself, then repeated Arthur’s words in my head again.

I had friends here, at least. Maybe I’d even earned a little bit of respect from the asuras who’d gone with us on the ritual hunt. Vireah, Naesia. But would they listen to me? And what, even, was I supposed to say to them? I spiraled back around to what Arthur had said, but it was someone else’s words that came to me.

“Until Arthur claims one of these women as his wife, none of them will spare a glance for any other man.”

My brows shot up as I considered it. Was that what Arthur wanted? Me to cement some kind of alliance? I dragged both hands down my face. “He can’t marry some asuran princess though. He’s got Tessia,” I said aloud to myself. I felt a scowl tightening the muscles of my face. “After everything they’ve gone through, this world owes them some peace.”

I plucked at my hair in frustration. Me? Am I supposed to join our clan with another one? The thought made me vaguely queasy. I’d never even had a real boyfriend…and Arthur had always been firmly against any kind of romance in my life—not that an arranged political marriage sounded romantic. Still, I really didn’t think that’s what he had in mind.

Boo grunted and looked up, his small, dark eyes looking right into me. I moved to slump down next to him, my back against his warm side, and scratched his tough fur. He had seemed largely unbothered by the chaos unfolding. Honestly, I was a little jealous of his calm, come-what-may attitude.

“But what if the lesson is that people rarely get the ending they want,” I said, turning my head and looking at Boo, who had rested his chin on one paw, half looking back at me. “What about you, Boo? If you were a prince of Clan Leywin, would you be willing to marry some lady bear in order to forge an alliance between us and another, stronger clan?”

He huffed, looking away and closing his eyes in purest disgust.

I chuckled, a little bit manic. “Some team player you are."

Another grunt, and I blanched. “You know what I mean.”

His body vibrated against my back. I sank into his fluffy side and closed my eyes, trying to silence my buzzing thoughts for a few minutes.

One of the many headache-inducing mana signatures buzzing around the castle caught my attention as it seemed to be approaching the chamber with purpose. I heard low voices in the hall, and then Tani poked her head in as the other asura moved off at a quick march.

“Apologies, Lady Eleanor,” the green-haired dragon woman said with a tight smile. “You’ve been summoned.”

“Summoned?” I repeated like an idiot.

She only nodded and waited expectantly.

Boo stood and nudged me to my feet. “All right, all right,” I grumbled to him, pulling myself upright with his thick fur. “Did the messenger say what this is about?”

The guardswoman gave a polite shake of her head. “Several of the heirs are being gathered, but that’s all I know.” Glancing around, she lowered her voice and said, “But I imagine it’s an effort to keep you all safe.”

“Okay, lead the way then,” I said, gesturing for the door.

She smiled again, nodded, and turned on her heel, marching quickly down the hallway.

Winding through regally decorated halls past open doors into expansive suites, sitting rooms, studies, and places I couldn’t even guess the purpose of, we descended into the depths of the castle. It was eerie, as we crossed paths with only a few guards and servants, even though I could sense the crushing press of the castle’s powerful inhabitants.

At the bottom of a spiral stairs, filling the landing so we couldn’t pass, a young asuran man with tumbling blue-black hair and a hint of muddy green coloration to his skin was speaking to another Indrath guard, his arms crossed. “I should be with my father, not bolted away in some bunker. This isn’t how the Grandus clan faces death.”

“Please, Lord Raedan, I—-” The guard looked up the stairwell and noticed Tani and me. He cleared his throat and stepped pointedly out of the landing into the connecting hallway. “These orders come not just from Lady Myre Indrath, but from your uncle as well. The great lords were insistent.”

The titan stepped aside, his expression suggesting he wasn’t done arguing, and Tani led me past. She shared a nod with the other guard, who gave her a put upon look with his back to Raedan. Boo issued a low rumble of warning as we passed by, and I felt the titan’s gaze follow us. The young noble seemed to give up on his argument, and both he and his guard fell into step a bit behind us.

I shuffled my feet as we walked, suddenly nervous. Boo made a resonant hum, comforting me as he moved to walk at my side, brushing up against the hallway walls and occasionally knocking a painting or tapestry askew.

Clearing my throat, I asked, “So, what’s going on?”

“Just a precaution,” the other guard said stiffly from behind me.

“He means we are being sequestered as designated survivors should the worst come to pass,” the titan grunted in answer.

“The great lords have arranged for your absolute protection,” the other guard said again. “This is Lord Indrath’s own safe haven, given over to you and the other heirs. Nearly everyone else is being called out to assist with the effort to stabilize the land and the rift wound, Lady Eleanor. It is both a great honor and necessity…”

Raedan waved away the guard’s continuing explanation. We didn’t talk anymore until we reached our destination.

Tani led us down into the heart of the castle. The tunnels became rougher, naturally carved from the stone of the mountain. She stopped at a beautiful charwood door, carved with intricate patterns inset with silver and gold. It hummed with magic.

When she touched the ornate iron handles, there was a spark, and the movement of mana took my breath away. The door opened smoothly, though, and there was a gust of warm air, voices, and the smell of smoked meat and fresh baked bread. She gestured for us to enter.

Boo trundled through, sniffing around for the source of all the mouth-watering smells, but I turned back to my guard. “Will my mom be joining us here?”

Tani could only shrug, although she somehow managed to do so gracefully. “I believe she’s still with Lady Myre. I can’t speak for the Lady, but I expect your mother will be sent along soon enough.”

I bit back the childish urge to demand my mom. After all, she was probably safer with Elder Myre than she would be just about anywhere else.

Bowing, I gave her a small wave and followed Boo into the chamber.

“Eleanor!”

Riven of Clan Kothan jumped up from where he was lounging next to a little multicolored fire. He was just one of several people already inside the chamber, all of whom had turned to look at me and the titan. “So you’ve been imprisoned as well, then?” Though his tone was bright, there was a distinct edge to it.

The titan, having strode in practically on my heels, spoke first. “My pleas to assist my clan in holding our homeland together have fallen on deaf ears.” He glared back at Tani and the other guard as they wordlessly closed the door behind them.

“Apparently we’re waiting for several more,” a phoenix I didn’t recognize said. “We’re going to be placed in some kind of extradimensional space. Even if Epheotus were to crash into the old world, those inside will survive unscathed.”

“Yeah, but what about the rest of our clan? Our parents?” Romii, Riven’s sister, asked in a tight, frustrated voice.

I bit my lip, thinking about Mom, then Arthur. If it was scary up here, what was he dealing with?

Boo nudged me consoling with his head.

The titan was looking down at me as if I’d lost my mind, and I realized I was staring at the floor with my mouth open, a half-formed question humming in the back of my throat. I snapped my mouth shut and looked around again.

Vireah, Naesia, and Zelyna were already there. Along with a few other members of their respective clans, it seemed. They all sat in a series of lounge chairs and couches in a large half-circle centered on the fireplace. Low tables were covered with food and drink. A woodsy looking hamadryad stood off the side, sipping from a wooden mug and seeming to not include herself in the conversation.

The room was half cave, half lavish seating chamber. The walls were like obsidian, gleaming and glasslike with sharp facets that seemed broken naturally. Unlike much of Indrath Castle, there were no decorations on the walls or ceiling here, but four golden statues of dragons in humanoid form occupied roughly the corners of the chamber. With my eyesight sharpened by Boo’s will, I was able to read the name plate affixed below the closest statue, which named her as a hero of the wraith wars, from a time before Epheotus even existed.

It was difficult to imagine.

“Come on, El. Sit down and make yourself comfortable. You too, Raedan. We might be here for a while.” Riven returned to his seat, hopping over the back of the couch and bumping his sister, who punched him in the arm.

The titan grunted and took a stiff, high-backed chair slightly out of the circle.

Boo chuffed, nudging me. I chuckled, grabbed a slice of meat still dripping juices, and tossed it to him, then took a woodsy smelling, green-swirled roll for myself, mostly just to occupy nervous attention. I had no clue what I was doing here or what to say to these deities. Vireah patted the couch next to her, and I slumped into it. Leaning over, she embraced me like a long lost sister, her power wrapping around me and making me feel like a swaddling infant.

Riven and Romii sat together in a large, thickly cushioned seat across from me. Naesia, daughter of Novis Avignis, sat in a plush, nest-like seat beside the couch I shared with Vireah. Zelyna was pacing back and forth between two of the golden statues on the opposite side of the room from the hamadryad.

Boo forced his way into the circle and plopped in front of the fireplace, nearly occluding it. Vireah and Naesia shared a look before laughing lightly. Their outward good humor wasn’t quite enough to hide the edge of tension they both carried. Boo watched them, and everyone else, warily, his small, round ears twitching constantly.

“He is an impressive guardian beast,” Raedan said out of the blue. The dour titan tossed another chunk of meat, and Boo snapped it out of the air. “A bit on the small side, but he is still young. Your connection is strong. This…surprises me.”

My brows shot up my face. “You can sense our…connection?”

He grunted in a way that sounded a bit like Boo. “I am Raedan, son of Rockford and nephew of Radix, of Clan Grandus. I have trained beasts such as your Boo for half a century.”

“Oh.” I bit my lip, then, unsure what to say, took a bite of the roll.

“Eleanor, I don’t think you’ve met Eithne of the Grenriver clan?” Vireah said politely, gesturing to the standoffish hamadryad.

I’d learned that the hamadryads were fewest in number among the asura, and they had offspring only rarely. There were no young members of the Mapellia clan, so this hamadryad must have been the closest thing they had to an heir.

Eithne nodded politely but didn’t smile or respond.

A few more introductions were made. Some were other members of our hunting party, while a couple others were names I’d heard during my study of the Epheotan court.

“This is so embarrassing,” Romii said under her breath to Riven. “We are treated like glass while everyone else we know sacrifices themselves to hold the line.”

“We are doing our duty as beautiful figureheads, dear sister,” Riven ribbed his sister playfully, though it didn’t show through in his eyes.

I fidgeted, picking at the edge off my roll and nibbling on it.

“I hate being trapped like this,” Naesia was saying separately to Vireah. “I swear, my wings are aching to burst out and fly me free of this castle.”

“At least you understand why you’re here,” Vireah said, her voice very quiet. Even with my enhanced senses, I had to concentrate to hear her. “What I thought was an apprenticeship turned out to be training for a marriage proposal to a man I’d never met.” She blanched slightly and glanced at me. “No offence, of course, Ellie. It would be a great honor to—”

I waved off the apology, no idea how to respond.

The phoenix who spoke earlier must have overheard as well, because she leaned over our couch to add, “It’s a shame an alliance of marriage couldn’t have been worked out earlier. The Avignis clan would have really benefited from this alliance.” She smirked. “And if Naesia wasn’t interested, I’d have been glad to show the new great lord my charms…”

I knew I should say something, but I didn’t know how to interject. Instead, I picked at the seam of the couch cushion and retreated inward, the pressure pushing me deeper down into the thick padding, as if I was going to be swallowed. A dim buzzing in my ears blocked out the sounds of conversation around me, and the pressure built in my chest.

I’m sorry, Arthur, I thought, growing suddenly desperate. I’m don’t think I can do it, I’m going to—

There was a rush of warm energy that I associated with Boo, and the pressure eased, the cold edge of panic receding. I met his small, dark eyes, and let out a steady breath. Thanks, big guy…

The door opened again, and two ephemeral, wispy haired, pale sylphs floated into the sitting room. They were introduced as twins from the Aerind clan, Eolia and Boreas, but their position in the clan and relationship to Lady Aerind was a little confusing to me. The pair were indistinguishable. Their eyes, the color of a summer sky seen through thin clouds, drifted around the chamber, catching on trays of food that had been brought in. Without saying anything, they floated to the spread of food, picked up a handful of berries each, and began absentmindedly popping them into mouths filled with needle-pointed teeth.

“Nice to meet you,” I said after introductions were complete.

Both stared and chewed their berries. Neither spoke.

Riven laughed as he stood and moved between the pair, throwing an arm around each of their necks. “Eolia, Boreas. Incredible to see you. Don’t mind these two, Ellie. The sylphs rarely come down from their clouds, and even when they do, their heads remain firmly within them.”

Wind gusted through the enclosed chamber and the twins smoothly twisted away from the basilisk’s touch. “We will all live in the clouds before this is over,” they said at the same time.

“Well. I guess as long as we live at all…” The lame attempt at a joke died as it came out of my mouth. I gave the twins something half cringe, half smile, then looked instead at Boo, searching for any kind of comfort within my embarrassment. He gave a curmudgeonly shake of his head. “I just mean, well, right now is a scary time for everyone.”

Raedan grunted. “Which is why we should be anywhere but stuck in here. No offense, Lady Leywin, but I find that I have little patience for chatter when the fate of my clan—my entire race—hangs in the balance.”

“She knows, Raedan,” Naesia answered defensively. “You know it's her brother who was sent down to the old world to deal with Agrona. We all want to be helping, but we’re all here doing what we’re told. That’s a part of our duty, isn’t it?”

There was a noncommittal grunt from Raedan but an eager, “Here, here!” from Riven.

Vireah spoke next. “My mother told me that parts of Epheotus are already falling into the old world. Our home is crumbling, and in doing so, it is destroying hers.” She grabbed my hand and squeezed. “Maybe a little chatter is exactly what we need to calm our nerves.”

Raedan snorted. “Fine then. We know almost nothing of the archons outside of Castle Indrath. Tell us about this Arthur Leywin then.”

I hesitated, caught off guard by the unexpected question. “Not much to tell…” I trailed off, biting my tongue. “Well, I guess that’s not true. I’m just not really sure what you’d like to know. I imagine you don’t know hardly anything about the people you call lessers or our world, do you?”

He scowled, and I realized I’d inadvertently insulted him. “I just mean that there has been no reason for you to study our culture. Before I came to Epheotus, I didn’t really know anything about the asuras either. But I’ve learned so much so quickly…” An unintentional smile quirked up one side of my mouth. “Like that Romii snores like an iron hyrax and always blames it on Riven.”

“Hey!” She crossed her arms and pouted as her brother broke down into guffawing laughter.

“I know maybe I’m out of place here,” I continued, feeling lighter and more natural the longer I spoke. “This whole archon thing…I know I’m not an asura. It’s in name only. Arthur might be something else, but I’m not sure what I could tell you about him that would help you understand our clan and our people. Because me, my mom… we’re human. It’s actually almost funny because my life has sort of always been like this. With me being out of place.”

It said something that I didn’t fold as I found myself holding the attention of every asura in the room, all watching me and listening in rapt attention. “I awakened pretty early for a human—um, that means my core formed, in case you didn’t know. But I only did it early because Arthur helped me. Even then, he was different. And I guess I was different because he was different. I grew up in this flying city called Xyrus—-”

“You have a flying city?” the sylph twins asked at the same time, perking up instantly.

“Yeah!” I beamed, brightening at their excitement. “It’s called Xyrus, and it was created by the ancient mages—or djinn, is what they’re really called. Were really called. But Xyrus, it’s kind of like this bubble, this piece of the world away from the rest of civilization. And growing up there, awakening early, always hearing about my brother and his crazy adventures, having nobles and even the head of the magic academy always in and out of the house…”

I paused, knowing I was rambling but still only half certain what I wanted to say. “I’m the daughter of a couple of small-town, retired adventurers. Nobody special. But when things went wrong, and Arthur was arrested, I ended up living in a cave hidden by magic, guarded by a seer and an Epheotan mana beast, which was gifted to me from someone who I thought could only be a deity. I really, honestly can’t provide a better example of feeling out of place. It was like someone else's life had suddenly taken over mine, or I’d fallen into theirs. But things kept getting stranger. After that, I lived in a flying castle with kings and queens, surrounded by the greatest human, elven, or dwarven mages.”

Boo rumbled, and I couldn’t help but giggle. Raedan cocked an eyebrow, clearly understanding some of the exchange between us.

Romii had leaned back with her hands behind her head and one foot kicked up over her other knee as she listened. “So has everywhere you lived flown? It’s not exactly the picture I had in my head of how lessers”—she blanched—“sorry, how humans lived.”

I shook my head, letting my smile fall away. “No. I’ve also lived a lot underground. When the war started, the flying castle was destroyed and our kings and queens were all killed by Agrona. My Grandma Rinia saved me and my mom—and Tessia, for those who’ve met her—and we survived in a sort of underground bunker place, a sanctuary made by the djinn.” I smiled sadly down at the floor, remembering the friendship that had grown between me and Tessia, and all the times I went out to see Rinia in the tunnels, and supporting Mom when we thought Arthur had died. “And I also lived for quite a while with the dwarves in their capital city of Vildorial.”

“I’d heard that your people was made up of three branches,” the quiet hamadryad, Eithne, said. “These elves and dwarves, alongside humans. They are something like the divergent branches of the asuran people, like dragons, titans, and hamadryads?”

I considered the question, not having thought about it in that way. “I guess. I’ve always thought of us as being pretty distinct. When I lived in Xyrus, actually, elves and dwarves rarely came to the city outside of the academy gates. We’d been at war, a long time ago. But then I met them. Tessia. Grandma Rinia. My friend Camellia. And all the dwarves. And they’re just…people. Like me. And then I met Alacryans, too. People who were raised under Agrona’s control, with his blood in their veins. Humans, but…different. And…” I shrugged. “Well, they’re just people too, really. Even though we were at war, they were good people.”

Vireah leaned to the side, tapping a finger on her lower lip and examining me carefully. The flames sent liquid amethyst shadows cascading across her pink hair. “So you’re saying that we’re all just people, in the end? Humans, elves, and dwarves are equal to each other…and to us asuras?”

I bit my lip too hard, trying to read her tone. I was suddenly and forcefully reminded of the very large difference in power between us, even if she had been nothing but kind and protective of me since I met her.

“I wasn’t really trying to make a point,” I admitted. Shooting a look at Raedan, I then added, “Just chatter. But…I actually don’t agree with what you just said.”

There was a round of surprised exchanges.

“I mean, maybe you shouldn’t keep calling us ‘lessers,’” I said quickly. “But if you have to share space with us, I guess actually I think it’s pretty important to remember that we’re not the same as you. At least not in strength and magical power. But we are still…people. Individuals. With our own hopes and dreams and goals. We’re not…worshippers. Or slaves.” I considered the djinn. “Or fodder. Or kindling to burn in the next great war machine.”

I was met with shocked stares and raised my hands defensively. “Hey, I’ve lived most of my life during this war against Agrona Vritra. I’m just saying.”

One of the sylphs, now floating upside down with their hair pooled beneath them as if suspended in water, said, “This war is not yet over. It may be the end of both our worlds, still.”

“Give us some credit,” Riven replied, crossing his arms and looking annoyed. “One, I don’t know why any of you credibly think Epheotus will be destroyed. All of the greatest powers in our world are working to save it. I’ve seen these efforts myself, and I have faith that it will be done.”

I thought I detected some urgency in the way he said this. Like he needed the last act of Agrona Vritra, once leader of the basilisk race, not to end in the apocalypse.

“I definitely have faith in my brother.” I gave him a consoling sort of look. “I trust that he’ll do everything he can, but I also trust what he tells me. And he…doesn’t think Epheotus can survive, not as it is. Whether today or in five hundred years, the pocket dimension you’ve created has to collapse. He’s relying on you to bring your people through that.”

“And who is Arthur Leywin to make such proclamations?” Raedan asked fiercely. “Your clan is only but freshly named, your race an invention of the great lords out of thin air. You have no binding, no bonds to the other clans or races.” He looked around at the others. “We should take the council of our own lords, not become subservient to this half human.”

“Oh ease up,” Naesia snapped, coming to my defence. “That’s not what she was saying, and you know it. Arthur Leywin himself is a great lord, in case you forgot. And…if he thinks Epheotus’s time is ending…” She looked stricken, like she had to force out the following words. “I’ve fought beside him, seen what he’s capable of, and the way he thinks and acts is different…otherworldly. Like what we hear about in stories of the ancient asura, during the founding of Epheotus.”

A solemn quiet settled over the group.

Zelyna, who had not spoken much since my arrival but had stopped pacing to listen as I talked, took an open seat opposite Raedan. Her fingers traced the stitching of her leather pants. “When I was young, our clan was often still isolated following Agrona’s rebellions.” She gave a tight-lipped smile to Riven and Romii. “Father didn’t bring me to the Great Eight’s meetings, and I was raised almost entirely among my own kind. And then, when he finally agreed to bring me to Indrath Castle, I think he regretted it immediately.”

A genuine smile creased her lips. Despite her aquamarine skin and the dark ridges on her temples, the expression made her look very young and very human. “I met a pantheon general in the service of Lord Indrath and was immediately smitten. Of course, I was just a child in asuran reckoning, and I don’t think this general even noticed me at first. Which only made me desire his attention even more.”

Zelyna continued her story, and the group’s mood settled again. Laughs, condolences, and playful jabs were shared equally. Then Naesia picked up the storytelling, recalling a time she’d been punished with a decade of cleaning their clanhome because she snuck off into the mountains with a bunch of the noble boys and made them challenge one another for her attention.

Raedan shared a story of his first failure with a guardian beast, a sky swimmer that couldn’t abide being ridden and would bite the feet of any who tried, and how in the end he’d been forced to accept the nature of people and things, which was sometimes difficult to remember when your life revolved around remaking what already was.

I thought about stepping in and drawing a connection to this moment right now. How asuran culture would need to change—to be allowed to change, if not be remade entirely. Instead, I told them about shopping in Xyrus with Mom and the Helsteas, and how we would make Arthur try on clothes until he was breathless with irritation.

I don’t need to convince them or change them. Arthur said I’m here to represent the people of our world, so that’s what I’ll do.

“I’d quite like to try some of these ‘sticky buns’ you’ve described,” Vireah said, eyeing the savory array of foods with an air of disappointment. “Perhaps when this is over, you can take me ‘shopping’ in Xyrus?”

“Oh, please!” Naesia added, bouncing up and down in her seat. “So many people without any magic at all making such amazing things. I just have to see it!”

I grinned. “I think that’s a really good idea.”

The conversation continued around the room for what felt like hours.

“And then,” Boreas said, halfway through a story about falling asleep and being blown to the Cerulean Plains before waking again, despite his mother’s scolding, “this big cat made all of cutting grass lunged fifty feet up in the air, desperate for a bite—”

The chamber rocked, throwing me out of my seat and onto the ground, where I was bombarded with a tray of mugs and several different varieties of pastries.

Everyone was on their feet in an instant. Vireah lifted me effortlessly before Boo nudged her out of the way.

“I’m fine,” I said, scratching him between the eyes and looking around nervously. “At least, I hope so.”

The chamber shook again. This time, bubbles of wind appeared in order to cushion us. All four statues were knocked down with a crash, and an end table tumbled over into the fire.

“I can’t sense anything through this damned barrier,” Riven grumbled, looking around as if searching for a way through the obsidian walls.

The doors flung open, and Elder Myre marched through. She had several asuras in tow, most of whom looked pale and disheveled with dark shadows under their eyes. It took me a moment to notice Mom in their midst, as she was head and shoulders shorter than most of the others. I let out a relieved breath when she poked out from behind two wary dragons and gave me a small wave.

“It is time to go,” Elder Myre said, all the warmth gone from her as she took up the mantle of ruler. “Prepare yourselves to be drawn into the pocket dimension.” Without looking back, she gestured for the others to enter. Some appeared to be joining us, like my mother, while the rest of the retinue arranged themselves as if to support whatever Myre was about to do.

Mom hurried to my side and took my hand. Vireah set her own hand on Mom’s shoulder, wrapping us both in a protective cushion of mana as the floor jolted violently beneath our feet.

“I can’t tell you how long you’ll be outside of space and time,” Elder Myre continued, her voice grave. “Nor can I tell you in what state you’ll find the world when you return. Without Kezess, it will be all we can do just to send you within.”

Something in the way she said this, a raw edge of emotion, caught my attention. “Where is Lord Indrath?”

Her gaze settled hard and heavy on Mom and me. “Lord Indrath, long the ruler of Epheotus…is dead.”

“What? That’s impossible—”

“—can Epheotus survive now? We must—”

“—act of Agrona? What about him? Of Arthur Leywin? Are we—”

I heard the sudden crash of questions and lamentations across one another, but I didn’t process it. My mind was blank.

Arthur…

“Please, there is no time,” Myre said firmly.

I looked at her then. Really looked at her. Written in the pale creases of her aged face was a kind of raw loss and desperate determination I didn’t even have words for.

“We have passed through the rift,” she continued. “Epheotus is falling.”