Page 51 of Crown of Betrayal and Blood

“Thank you, Mother.” My voice cracks, and tears well up again. “Thank you for raising me and never once making me feel as if I wasn’t your beloved daughter. I’ll never know how much you sacrificed for me. But I will forever be grateful. Find your peace with Father now. Until we meet again.”

Somehow, I manage to get the words out without having a complete breakdown.

Watching our mingled hair wither and burn, I can’t help but feel lost as I whisper a final prayer. It occurs to me that I never got the chance to do this for my biological father. Even though I saw him die, I didn’t know who he was when he stole me away from the Axtons and attempted to return me to our family home in Tirene on the back of an alicorn.

I don’t even know what happened to his body. With Mother gone, I’ll likely never know. How will I find my birth mother and father in the next world without making a sacrifice to Pera at their funerals?

We stand there as the ashes of our sacrifice blend with Mother’s clothes while the others stay at a respectful distance. Ceremony concluded, the palace servants, clad in their muted uniforms, step forward one by one. Their condolences, mere whispers meant to comfort, are reminders of the void that now lies at the heart of our family.

Through my veil and slowly falling tears, I can barely make out their faces as I incline my head in thanks.

Queen Alannah, a frail figure amidst the sea of white, offers a nod so slight I almost miss it. These past days have taken their toll. What little resurgence of spirit we saw in her when tragedy struck has dissipated, leaving her adrift once more. As maids guide her away, her steps falter, and guilt gnaws at me.

In our grief, we’ve leaned too heavily on her fragile shoulders.

“Leesa?” Bastian’s concerned voice pulls me back.

My sister clutches her head, a grimace marring her usually bright features. “My head. It hurts again. But I’ll be fine.” She fails in her attempt to offer a reassuring smile.

Beneath my veil, I wipe the tears away. “You should rest.”

I reach for Leesa’s arm, but she stumbles.

Bastian catches her, circling his arm around her waist. “I’ll get her back to her room and will ask the healer to visit her.” His arm remains wrapped protectively around her as they depart, while I’m left standing with Sterling.

“I need to go to Nyc’s temple.” The words spill out without thought.

I have no idea how close a temple to the goddess of night might be, but I cannot rest until I get some answers. How am I to find my lost family in the next world? I’ve always heard that the dead must travel through Nyc’s darkness before reaching the next world so hopefully one of her priests or priestesses will know.

“Today, my duties can wait. I’ll come with you.” There’s no question in Sterling’s tone, no room for argument.

“How far away?—”

“Just beyond the palace grounds, we have temples honoring all the major gods and goddesses. According to reports, ever since the drachen attack, all the temples have been receiving more visitors.”

“I get it. During uncertain times, when inexplicably terrible things happen, it makes sense for people to turn to the divine for answers and comfort.” His statement tracks with what I’ve personally witnessed too. In the palace training fields, I’ve overheard a lot more prayers and entreaties to the gods than I ever did before the attack. “So Nyc’s temple is nearby?”

He waves an arm, signaling for me to join him as he leads the way. “Nyc’s temple is this way, into the forest.”

The journey to the temple is silent, our footsteps in perfect sync as the courtyard path leads to the trees. My mind is in turmoil, thoughts colliding and crashing against each other like waves against a rocky shore. The branches overhead block the sun as we head deeper into the wild growth. Being by Sterling’s side brings both comfort and a reminder of the tangled paths we’ve chosen to walk together.

If Sterling hadn’t taken me from Aclaris, would my mother still be alive? Would Leesa be plagued with headaches?

Maybe.

But I wouldn’t have uncovered more about my dragoncaller heritage or strengthened my bond with dragons. Nor would I have learned that royal blood flows in my veins. I probably never would have experienced the beauty of my homeland.

I want to be angry at Sterling. To yell and demand what’s mine by right of blood. But none of this is his fault any more than it’s mine. I’m not even sure I can blame Jasper any longer. These events were set in motion long before any of us had control over the situation. All of this was dropped in our laps, and we have to figure out the best path forward.

Everything is just so complicated.

Here’s to hoping the gods will help me.

ChapterEighteen

As if answering my prayers, a building of black glass-like stone begins to take shape ahead of us. The temple of Nyc, goddess of night and mistress of the dark lands where the souls of the dead go once their link to the light is cut. Her house of worship blends in with the shadows of the trees, disappearing into the darkness.

It’s a consolation that this temple resembles the ones I’m used to in Aclaris. In a world of constant changes, having something solid and simple is reassuring.

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