Page 96 of Bound Paths
Luc wrapped his arms around Rose and rested his chin on her shoulder as he said, “All you, Darren. I’m Mr. Norden Point now.”
“Exactly as I knew he would be,” Arie said.
Rose snorted but leaned back into Luc’s embrace.
Juliette pulled at the necklace that always hung around her neck, hidden beneath her dress. The vial with Zrak’s blood. “I guess I don’t need this anymore.” Her gaze narrowed as she looked at Zrak, who nodded.
“It’s still powerful,” Rose said, adding what she feared Juliette wouldn’t, especially with her patron present. “And it still means something to the Osten people. Even if they never know exactly how much you sacrificed to keep them safe.”
Rose turned her glare at Zrak, who coughed into his fist. She noted Lela’s critical gaze tracking the conversation and noddedin acknowledgment of what Rose said on Juliette’s behalf. The glare Lela lobbed at Zrak was one Rose never wished to be on the receiving end of.
“I would do anything for the Osten,” Juliette said. “It was my commitment to myself as Osten Point that I would ensure the required sacrifice ended with me.” She smiled softly at Lela, whose stare was still fixed on Zrak. The familiar catlike grin crossed Juliette’s face as she looked at Rose. “I wouldn’t have been able to do it alone.”
Those words meant much to Rose. They held everything Juliette wasn’t saying. Everything Juliette was attributing to Rose in this journey, even if she resisted Rose’s actions at first.
“It wasn’t me,” Rose said. “We all had to work together to get to this point. I was just ready to shake up the Compass Points.”
All eyes swung to Carter, anticipating his sacrifice. The Vesten Point loved the Burning Coin more than words could describe, and they all knew it. Receiving the coin was what had changed his relationship with Rose. It was also what had unlocked his ability to access the unique gifts of the veil cat. Rose was sure he would be nervous to be without it. What if he could no longer access those gifts? What if he couldn’t fulfill his promise to the Lady of the Veil?
“Believe it or not, I am confident I can access my veil cat gifts without the coin,” Carter said as if reading Rose’s thoughts. “I like having the coin as a reminder though. A reminder of what we were all like before you brought us together.” He shrugged. “It gives me a goal, something I don’t want to let happen again.”
Rose nodded. “We won’t let you forget that,” she said. “And it makes the coin an even more important sacrifice.”
Carter nodded, pulling the coin from his pocket.
“Alright, if everyone has their sacrifice, we should start a fire,” Zrak said, his head turning to Arie. “Will you do us the honors?”
Arie glanced at Zrak and nodded. They must have had a conversation while Rose and the others were gone. Arie was no longer openly hostile to Zrak. It was progress, but any change to their relationship would take time. Arie tossed a few sticks together on the beach—for optics, she was sure—then set them ablaze. Rose didn’t have to ask what came next.
“Will the magical items burn?” Rose asked. “Not that I’m doubting your flame, Lord of Fire,” she teased.
“Oh, they’ll burn,” Arie said.
Carter moved toward the fire first. With no ceremony, he tossed the coin into the center of the flame. Rose followed, throwing the dagger in right after Carter. Darren gave the ring a longing glance and did the same. Juliette paused.
“It’s been such a weight on me for so long. I don’t know what I am without it.” Her words were a whisper. A conversation meant for only Rose and Lela to hear.
Rose nudged her gently with her hip. “You’re the leader of the Osten fae. The one who saw them through an ordeal they were generally unaware of. One who carried all of their burdens and the burdens of your predecessors with grace and determination.” She paused. “You’re kind of a badass, in case you didn’t know.”
Lela beamed at Rose’s words. Juliette’s eyes lit up as they met Rose’s. “Oh, I’m well aware,” she purred. She took a final deep breath and tossed the vial into the fire.
The flame that followed with Arie’s help was stronger and hotter than anything Rose had ever felt. She had to take a step back from the blaze. It burned and burned, and Rose could see the magic of the items released into the atmosphere.
Finally, she glanced at Zrak. “Do we have to do anything else?”
Zrak’s gaze appeared to track the release of the magic as well. His eyes only moved to hers when she felt a pop and a wave ofmagic cascade from the fire in all directions. Her hair blew back from the gust of the magic’s release.
“That should do it,” he said.
CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
Despite the sacrifices, the Compass Points had to travel together to heal the continent. No matter Rose’s personal preferences, she knew the others were right when they suggested going to the northeastern cities, where the mist plague first originated. They all had things to do at Compass Lake, a new continent they wanted to work towards, but all of their magic would be required to pull those impacted from their slumber.
Rose ached to get to Bury, thinking of Tara lying in the barn outside of town, but she respected their decision.
Luc traveled with them, his horse never far from Rose’s, their new wordless communication a source of constant annoyance to their travel party. Darren had asked Luc to help announce his position as Suden Point, but Rose knew Luc wouldn’t have so easily been parted from her even without Darren’s request.
“We will stop in Bury on the way back,” Carter said days into their ride. They had taken a seldom-used eastern path out of the mountain range that held Compass Lake, then took a northern road in the valley on the continent’s eastern side. They thought they had a good idea of everywhere the mist plague had struck. Zrak had outlined his targets on a map for them before theyleft. They would need to go northeast. Then, they could follow the Nebulus’s path southwest. It would be a long trip. The fae leaders would need to spend weeks circling the continent, but this was their priority.
