Page 76 of Of Realms and Chaos

“Yes, a group of males did.”

I did not miss the way Asher’s fingers dug into the dirt below her, knuckles taking on a lighter hue from her grip. Despite every effort to not think of it, Sterling’s face came to my mind. She would not talk about it, but I knew that he had touched her. Just like that, I was shaking, my body heating up.

“Killing innocents will not bring you the joy you so clearly seek. Death will not take away the pain.” Wrath scoffed at Ranbir’s words, still licking his paw without a care in the world. Henry watched, brows furrowed. Farai was silent as well though he had slowly begun putting space between him and the dalistori.

Asher and I looked at one another at the same time, the resolve settling between us. I squatted down, offering the whisp my hand. “Come with us. We can find you a home, even if you do not wish to fight our war.”

She stared at my hand as if it were a trick, like she had once been fooled by kindness such as this. Asher reached forward, slowly bringing her fingertips to the whisp’s cheek. When the female did not flinch, Asher closed the remaining space, flattening her palm out.

“Let me help you get rid of some of that pain.”

Chapter Twenty-Five

Stassi

Imissed the creature in the cell.

Iniko was droning on and on about how boring life had become since I was sent away, which was probably true, but I was tired of hearing about it. Plus, it had barely been any time at all. I wanted to go back and play. I didn’t wish to sit and sulk while we all waited and waited for our oh-so-glorious ruler to show his face.

Seven of us sat at the wide round table, the soft steel color of the marble reflecting back warped versions of our faces. Iniko was to my left, his skin as black as night and hair the vibrant blue of a polished sapphire, just as his magic was. He wore only a pair of cotton trousers, the loose blue fabric sitting low on his hips, every muscle straining in his body as he looked at me and winked.

To my right sat Karys, who glowed the orange of a flame as she attempted to assuage the hatred filling the room—her matching hair blowing on the breeze that creeped through an open window. She wore no clothing, covered in an array of strung jewels instead, the orange gems shining in the light of the candles around us. Briefly, she flinched, her magic flaring. I gasped, raising my hands to shield my eyes.

“A love so far away shouldn’t be that powerful,” Karys whispered, as crazy as she always was. Still, her magic was strong, pulsing through the room once more and demanding we submit.

As per usual, I felt weak. Sin and virtue didn’t exist here as it did on Alemthian. We felt in different ways, held standards that seemed blurry in comparison to their stark contrast between good and evil. The others didn’t care that we lived like this because none of them were affected in the way I was. They might differ in their strength, but it was I who was left with barely any magic at all.

“They are all doing fairly well—though I find they are unsettled by our fearless leader’s aloof attitude as of late. Not to mention that new lover he has taken.” Venturae’s voice was louder than before, her green eyes locked on Jonah beside her. Her thin, forest green braids were nearly to the floor now, dark skin identical to one of the females I had spent a night with while on Alemthian—reminding me once more of how desperately I wanted to leave my home.

“War is on the horizon. I can feel it stirring within me. Peace has become rare, and unrest will push him to make a decision.” The calmness in Jonah’s voice seemed to settle the wariness that clouded the room. They all wanted war, regardless of who we were defeating. Immortality did that to a creature—made them eager for something new.

Which was why if he wasn’t here in five minutes, I was going to leave. It was his mission after all; he couldn’t fault me for taking it seriously. Nor could any of them blame me for wanting to feel more than stagnant comfort.

“How was it?” Druj asked from across the table. She wore a shimmering yellow gown, the shape molding to her body and cascading down her long brown figure. Her yellow hair was cut short, nearly showing her scalp, just as it had always been.

Life on Shamay never changed.

“It has been fine. I have yet to find her, but she will turn up eventually. Apparently, I caught her during her rebellious phase. She has run away from home.” With a wave of my hand, I brushed off the intrigue that lit up all six of their faces. I didn’t need any of them attempting to steal my mission from beneath me.

My head fell against the high-backed chair—the detailed carvings of different sins and virtues marking it as mine, just as its pink color did. The walls sported different symbols, the sky itself etched upon it—night and day. Before my eyes closed, I caught a glance of a detail upon the ceiling that reminded me of another obligation—I would need to visit Torrel before I go back to Alemthian. Her little one was likely driving her insane as he learned to fly, and I would need to make sure that Jesre—their keeper—was properly seeing to them in my absence.

“Don’t go getting lost now. You wouldn’t want to end up missing like Sol.” That was my last straw. I looked over at Iniko, his smug smile making me want to peel the skin from his face with a dull blade. He knew what Sol meant to me, what she meant to her sister.

“I’m leaving, tell our all-powerful and imposing leader to brief me later. Whatever it is, I have more important things to do,” I said, my nose tilting up as I pushed back the chair and let it scrape against the dark marble floors. Everything in here was too monochromatic. It was giving me a headache.

The others protested, all of their magic surging—electrifying the air. So heavy was the weight of it that I stumbled, my pink heels nearly snapping under the pressure. Unfortunately for them, I had maintained much of the strength I had gained on Alemthian. I whipped around, lifting my hands and forcing out as much as I could spare—adding pink to the rainbow of colors that were quickly mingling at the table.

Gasps sounded, none of them prepared for my magic to feel as potent as it was. A smile lit up my face, stretching my skin and lifting my cheeks.

“How about you all have a bit of fun while I’m gone?” And then the sin took over, each of them feeling far greater than they normally did. And as they succumbed to my magic, their own was fed as well.

Iniko’s body shook under the onslaught of chaos. Kyoufu’s red magic blasted out of his body as fear took hold of the others. I laughed, walking away as fast as the pink dress would allow me. The way it held my thighs together made it difficult, but soon, I was marching out of the castle, feeling the relief as I passed through the wards.

First I would go to the mountains, then to my caged creature on Alemthian.

***

“Well, you smell particularly foul,” I said, leaning against the bars. I still wore my pink dress, the skin-tight fabric ripped where Milo’s talons had scratched me. Torrel had scolded him little, but I wasn’t bothered. They were the only two things I missed about home.

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