Page 23 of A Legacy of Wrath and Reckoning

“Aurelia’s priestesses have amassed an army of their own,” Nye cut in from the other side of the tent.

Zylah shook her head. “They’re not Aurelia’s.”

“No, they’re not,” Deyna agreed. “They work for Sira.”

Rin paused her brushing. “How is that possible?”

Because she was alive. And Zylah knew where she was. Had been a fool not to realise it at the time. Deyna’s hand rested over hers once more. “Zylah. Did you know that Pallia…” The witch cleared her throat. “She and Sira bound themselves to each other as sisters.”

Sisters. The seven had confined Ranon to his tomb; he’d given in so that Sira could flee, Nye’s history book had explained. But Zylah already knew it was her grandmother’s blood that had sealed him in. What if it was to help her sister? “Arioch,” Zylah breathed. “Ranon and Sira weren’t together when the others trapped him.”

“The Seraphim?” Nye asked.

Zylah nodded. “He and Sira…” She couldn’t bring herself to say the word. “Ranon punished him for it. Cut off his wings, trapped him in the maze.” Whatever version of history they thought they knew, it was all wrong. “You’ve heard my story. Tell me yours. Please. I need to know everything.”

Deyna gave her leave, promising to return to check on Zylah and Nye followed. But Rin remained. “Arlan sent his forces after the mine attack,” the Fae explained.

Arlan. “You’re wasting time on court politics when a war is being waged out there,”the Fae had said the first time Zylah had met him.“Don’t you think we should be doing something about it?”

Rin cleared her throat. “Word reached him that a wildcat was injured during the mine attack, and he arrived with his forces soon after.”

“But it was Kej…” Rin was quiet. Arlan and Rin were to be married, a political union between their courts, one Zylah thought her friend had refused. But she didn’t press the matter. Arlan must have heard the news of a wounded wildcat and assumed… “He thought it was you.” Rin hummed. “And your father?”

“Mother can be quite persuasive,” Rin said, laughter lining her words. “The Iyofari riders are coming.” The Iyofari were the great birds Cirelle’s people had an affinity with. The riders their soldiers, Zylah presumed. “Don’t you see, Zylah?” Rin added with a squeeze of her fingers. “Holt’s plan worked. We have three armies, a fourth if Maelissa comes through with the archers she promised. And your friends Rose and Saphi have been in touch, they’ve found allies, too.”

Raif’s sister. Rose had known the truth about her and Holt and kept it from them, had stood by and watched, or so he’d claimed. And Zylah had left him for dead back in the maze. “They’re here?”

“No. They’re on their way back to Virian to help your brother.”

Zylah’s head spun. Her brother. Rose. Saphi. Maelissa. “What happened after the mine attack?”

“Vampire-led violence is on the rise. Thralls are raiding villages. We’ve been trying to work with humans where we can, but they’re afraid. Everyone is. Zack has been setting up Black Veil posts in as many towns as possible.”

“You’re spread too thin,” Zylah presumed.

Another hum from her friend. “Kopi found us four days ago. He’s alright, Zy. We’re in the Northern Territories, north of the Rinian Mountain range. It took Enalla and Isaias to get us here.” Two of Nye’s scouts. “Kej and Daizin went on ahead to reach you faster.”

“Thank you,” Zylah managed, her voice catching. “For coming for me.”

“You really thought we wouldn’t?”

“I don’t know what I thought, Rin. Only that I had to get the fuck out of there.” She twisted her hands in her blanket, reminding herself shewasout. But with her vision as poor as it was, it was impossible not to see those narrow passages, spiralling staircases, and endless, empty caverns dancing in her vision. The serpents’ thrashing heads. Rhaznia’s marred face, claws dripping venom.

“I’ve heard stories of Ranon’s maze,” Rin said quietly. “I never thought it was real.”

Zylah thought of what Raif had told her, about someone bringing him and Rose into the maze as children. Of how he’d been coming and going, and that there must have been another way in. Not that it mattered. She was never going back. And she saw no use in dwelling on her time there. She blew out a breath. “So what now? What’s the plan?”

“Enalla’s taking you and Deyna back to the Aquaris Court as soon as possible.”

“No.”

Rin had put space between them, her shadow pacing. “You need to rest, Zylah. You’re… you can’t see.”

“I can still defend myself.” She shoved off her blankets, swung her feet to the ground and tested her strength.

“I don’t make the decisions here.” Rin’s voice softened when Zylah stumbled, a hand gripping her arm. “But I’ll see what I can do.”

Zylah bit back a curse. She needed her spear. “And the plan? The one you all decided for me that I was no longer a part of?”

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