“The nymphs have told you this?” Agatha asks.
“More like their spokesperson. A sylx.”
Her eyes widen with delight. “I have never met one before.”
“Be thankful for that,” Jarek mutters.
“With the nymph’s released, we are moving toward peace. The blood curse will be ended and the Ybarisan poison will be useless,” Zander says. “But the Nulling will open.”
“So we seal it like last time,” Solange counters.
“No. It won’t work. As long as the nymphs are here, it remains open.” When Zander looks questioningly at me, I shrug and echo Lucretia’s words. “It’s all connected.”
A heavy silence settles inside the tent.
Finally, Zander says, “Then our two sides must prepare to battle whatever comes out with everything we have.”
I hear what he doesn’t say. Malachi is a worry for tomorrow. I look to Agatha. “Why did you come to the rift ahead of a war?”
She chuckles. “I had high hopes of reaching this Ulysede and learning what I could to carry on the wisdom for Mordain. The scribes value knowledge. Of course, you know that. You’ve spent plenty of time with Gesine.” She smiles sadly. “I realize how difficult the journey is, but the chance to witness prophecy unfold was worth the risk.”
Difficult, but not impossible. “There are countless books in that library.”
Agatha’s face lights up.
So much information and no one to translate it for me anymore. What if there’s a way to fight Malachi hidden within? But Agatha is one little old scribe. She would struggle as much as Gesine. “How many of you can read the ancient language?”
“Oh …” Agatha scratches her chin in thought. “At least thirty of us.”
Thirty casters to carry on Gesine’s work. I owe it to her. “I have an urgent need for them. Would they be willing to come?” I expect to hear Zander’s quiet warning about allowing more casters into Ulysede but he remains quiet. Maybe he’s finally accepting what I did weeks ago—we can’t do this alone.
“Would they be willing …” Agatha cackles, an old lady’s caw. “Write the letter and you will find them waiting at the rift within days.”
“Then we will make sure you reach Ulysede.” And Mordain’s scribes will continue Gesine’s work, as she wanted.
“If I don’t keel over before then.”
“Please don’t.”
With another cackle, Agatha eases out of her chair. “I know just the messenger.”
“And I would be more than happy to send a message to the Prime, informing her of the change in rule.” Solange’s lips twist with satisfaction.
It doesn’t take a genius to see that she doesn’t get along with Mordain’s current leader. Will I like this Prime? Or will I need to make swift changes there as I did with Ybaris’s army commander? Do I even have the right? I’ve spent all my time avoiding Mordain and its casters. Now I must learn everything I can about them.
Another question for tomorrow.
First, we must survive the night.
“This is not how I anticipated the day going.” Zander rides at my side as we cross the bridge back to Islor, the legionaries giving us a wide berth so we can talk. The sun has begun its descent, and two full moons hang bright in the sky.
My heart pounds with anticipation. “With me wearing wings and showing up on a dragon to kill my mother? Really?”
He reaches out to entwine my hand with his. The overwhelming relief he feels is palpable, even as we still have so much to worry about. “Kienen will lead Ybaris’s army with honor.”
“And what am I going to do? I have two thrones now, Zander.”
“And I have none.”
“Is this where you lecture me about sharing?”
His deep chuckle carries. “This is where I could say that I will help you. I know a thing or two about ruling.” He pauses. “But honestly, you have taught me far more about leading people in the last weeks. I keep asking myself, ‘what would Romeria do?’ and the right answer always seems to come.”
His words are sweet and unexpected, but I can’t find too much joy in them. “I’m not sure all of my decisions have been the right ones.” My brow furrows with worry. “When we left Cirilea, the keepers and mortals were storming the castle. I don’t know what’s become of it.” I wanted to go back through the nymphaeum door the second I felt my affinities replenished to find Wendeline and Annika, but Jarek talked me out of it. All we needed was for one guard to see us vanish into the stone, and there would be a ring of soldiers waiting around it for us to come back through. If they’re not all dead.