Page 148 of Duskbound

"I don't understand." I turned to Osta, whose tears hadn't stopped. She looked both exactly the same and completely different. Her honey-blonde hair still curled rebelliously in the damp air, but it had grown long past her shoulders now. New lines creased the corners of her eyes. She wore one of her old dresses, the blue one with tiny flowers that she'd sewn back when she still worked for Thearna, but it hung looser on her frame.

"I thought you were dead," her voice cracked. "When you disappeared... I became a mess, I couldn't function after that." She kept doing this thing with her hands—twisting her fingers together until the knuckles went white, then letting go. It was new, this nervous habit. Just like the dark circles under her eyes were new, and the way her smile seemed to tremble at the edges before fully forming. And I'd left her alone, drowning in grief while I discoveredmy own truths across the rip. The weight of it pressed against my chest until I could barely breathe.

"The Soleils," Osta continued, gesturing to the couple, "they saw how much I was suffering. And they finally told me the truth."

I looked back at them as Lord Soleil gripped the railing separating us.

"We never believed you to be dead. We never thought they would harm one of their own. Just like we knew no harm would come to us that night." He turned his eyes to Aether. "None of you have ever targeted civilians, despite what those in the Guard might say." Lord Soleil's tone grew serious. "I was young when Riftdremar rose up against Sídhe. Young, but vigilant. I knew the narrative they spun was a lie. Many knew back then, but few cared."

The rain seemed to let up as he spoke. "So when we began experiencingattackson our Western borders, I allowed myself to get close to the Guard, allowed them to exploit my focus. And once I traveled to Emeraal, to Stormshire, and saw those towers of arcanite, I realized that this was yet another lie, folded beneath layers of carefully constructed propaganda and nationalism." He paused, collecting his thoughts. "But I still didn't know all of the details."

Lady Soleil stepped closer, her eyes finding mine. "We didn't know who this supposed enemy was, so I began searching after Henrick told me of his suspicions. And you all do well, keeping yourselves hidden. It took nearly a year before I was able to see anything at all through that darkness." Her gaze flickered to Aether.

"Eventually, I saw glimpses of a dying realm, green turning to ash." Her words hit me like a physical blow. I thought of my first sight of Umbrathia—the eternal eclipse, the withered crops, the hollow eyes of its people. How different would things be now ifothers in Sídhe had seen what the Soleils had seen? If we could make them believe past all of the lies.

The Soleils shared a meaningful look before Lord Soleil continued. "Since then, we have begun forming a small resistance, some normal citizens, some within the Guard, those that were willing to destroy their blood oaths. Much like you, I assume." His eyes were on me, but then they stretched past my shoulder, and I heard footsteps behind me.

"It's been a long time." The voice sent a jolt through me. I spun to find a man with shaggy blonde hair and familiar brown eyes—eyes of the Riftborne boy I’d grown up with in the House of Unity. Who had been one of my true friends in Sídhe. The last time I’d seen him, it had been outside of the Compound, when he looked at me like I was a stranger.

"Eron." His name came out as barely more than a breath as I walked toward him.

"When I saw you had joined the Guard, I didn't know what to think. How to talk to you. Because I was already a part of this, and..." He trailed off, uncertainty creasing his brow. "Well, I didn't know if I could trust you."

He offered a tentative smile and held out his hand. I looked down at it for a moment before pulling him into a hug instead.

When I turned back to Aether, his face was unreadable, but one eyebrow lifted slightly—a silent question.Can we trust them?

I sighed, taking in the scene around us. They made an odd collection on the rain-slicked deck—base guards in their uniforms standing beside civilians in travel-worn clothes. The Soleils seemed almost ethereal in their fine garments, Lady Soleil's silk dress rippling like water in the wind, while Lord Soleil's coat was punctured with buttons that matched the ship's brass fittings.

"Well, you found me," I said finally, turning back to Lady Soleil. "What did you want with me?"

"Can we discuss it over lunch?" Osta broke in, her voicewavering slightly. "All of these emotions have left me dreadfully hungry."

Despite everything, I couldn't help the smile that tugged at my lips. Even after everything that had happened, she was still so perfectlyOsta.

"Lunch would be splendid," Lord Soleil agreed. "Shall we exit the boat and discuss everything?"

My eyes found Aether's again, searching for guidance. Just moments ago, we'd been lost in each other, sharing shadows and secrets in the rain. Now here we stood, surrounded by people from my past, the lines between enemy and ally blurring as the sun peaked out from behind a cloud. His face remained carefully neutral, but I could see the shadows filtering through his void burns, ready to protect us both if this turned out to be anything other than what it seemed.

CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN

Soleils'men had really outdone themselves.

A proper feast laid out on the cliffside, complete with linens that probably cost more than our old apartment. The spread was impressive—fresh bread, fruit I hadn't seen since leaving Sídhe, even wine in delicate glasses that looked hilariously out of place among the ruins. The ocean crashed against the rocks below, sending up spray that occasionally misted our faces.

Just the six of us sat at the table—me sandwiched between Osta and Aether, with Eron and the Soleils across from us. The rest of their people had spread throughout the ruins, giving us privacy while keeping watch. Every time I caught Osta stealing glances between me and Aether, she'd quickly look away.

"Before your disappearance," Lord Soleil began, breaking the awkward silence, "we had a decent network in place. My people in the Guard could create small gaps in patrols, moments where the Umbra could slip through unnoticed. With Kalea's visions guiding the timing..." He gestured to his wife.

Aether looked up from his untouched plate. "Am I supposed to be grateful for that?"

"I understand it's the bare minimum," Soleil said carefully. "But we are working with what we have."

Aether's golden eyes fixed on him, the silence stretching uncomfortably long.

"Why are you helping us at all?" I asked. "Your family must benefit from everything Sídhe has gained. You have no ties to Umbrathia, no reason to care about what happens to their people." I leaned forward, studying his face. "So what's in it for you?"

Lord Soleil's expression shifted, something darker crossing his features. He shared another look with his wife before responding, but I cut him off.

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