Page 78 of Of Stars and Lightning
Phil tugged at the sleeves of his blouse. “Ten summers.”
Determination spilled into her like scalding steel at the revelation. “I will figure out how to end this. I will not stand here and let all of you die without at least trying.”
“Princess—”
Sol cut Jonah off, “That’s a promise. And I don’t break those.”
Twenty Five
AT THE CASTLE
SAWYER WAS CALLEDto the throne room that same night. Sol and Cas's departure left the castle dwellers more on edge than usual, especially as the last of the nobles returned to their lands or respective dwellings within Rimemere. Some would stay until the end of the Coronation Vows, though others left and would return only to see the crowned victor.
The two weeks the Vows would likely take were far too long to be in Rimemere for most of the other Southerners. Sawyer didn't blame them. She had been back for a week and was already aching to burst out.
Alix and Nina dedicated the rest of the afternoon to the libraries, attempting to find any sort of loophole to get both Sol and Cas out before the end of the trials. The most obvious solution was for them both to make it until the end, then Cas yield. However, whatever happened in between was far too open-ended for Nina, and she was determined to get them out sooner.
Sawyer was on her way to the stables for a much-needed ride around the Human sections with Fey when Caleib delivered the summoning. She didn't bother to read it. Only looked at the man and led the way to the throne room.
Sawyer tried not to meet the stare of the black-cloaked students who hovered in the halls. They were old enough to remember her from before the expedition and were surely either curious about the rest of Erriadin, or about Sol.
Sawyer had no desire to speak of either.
The throne room was bleak with stray rays of sunlight dispersing across the white marble floors from the scattered, tall windows. She focused on the courtyard beyond instead of the man on the throne.
“You’re dismissed, Caleib,” her father said, his voice low and harsh.
Sawyer dared a glance his way, surprised to find the rest of the Semmena court absent. That could only mean whatever she was summoned for was not good.
As soon as Caleib clicked the door shut behind them, her father stood. “Have you located what I required from you?” Okay. No greetings today.
Fine. Sawyer placed her hands behind her back.
There were five Immortal Relics known to be scattered around Erriadin. Originally, they had been gathered in the depths of Rimemere, somewhere within the underground tunnels, during Ivet Yarrow’s reign.
Somehow, they became scattered throughout the centuries, and her father was now taking the personal task of reuniting them. At first, she thought it was some sort of joke—The Relics were a myth. They were rumored to be palm-sized spheres that could conjure any and all Wielding Magic at once, as well as assist the holder in channeling Dark Magic from the Void itself without the need to sacrifice the soul.
Irene Yarrow had been the last known Wielder to learn the Dark Spells—then passed them to the only known human to practice them, Lora Yarrow.
Aside from them, the only way to wield Dark Magic was with a Relic.
In theory.
Her father thrummed his fingers on his throne, sending sparks flying. “Well?”
Sawyer cleared her throat. “I have not sensed anything amiss.”
“In your four years of travel, daughter, you did not sense a Relic at all?”
Her exterior faltered. She tried, with exhausting effort, to keep a cool demeanor in front of her father, to seem unbothered and bratty as most people already labeled her.
But gods did he terrify her.
To keep her voice from shaking she only said, “No.”
The King stood. “You never fail to remind me of how useless you truly are.”
Sometimes, when she saw the fire coming, she would shield herself with a small burst of her own flames. Her skin would still be left aching and swollen, but not burned, as if she hadn't shielded herself at all.
