Agara had heard of Kai’s return and rushed back to Thegara without hesitation, bringing with him a sliver of hope, and news that could change the tide of war.
"So, my uncle Lucieth will fight next to us?" Ren asked, her voice tired but eager.
Agara nodded. "He despises any creature not shaped by the gods. He’ll co."
His gaze shifted to Kai, lying motionless in the bed, pale beneath the sweat that clung to his skin. Agara lowered himself beside Ren and gently placed a hand on Kai’s forehead.
"This fever is bad," he murmured.
Ren’s stomach tightened. She already knew that. Since they’d returned, Kai had been burning with a strange fever that no healer could ta. The demon god, Axaxeal had only said: His Shadow is weak and consud. It will take ti for him to recover. I leave my son to you.
Then he vanished as if the very air of this world had beco too toxic for them to breathe. Ren clasped Kai’s hand, her fingers trembling against his fevered skin. "I wish I could heal him... but nothing works."
Agara rose to his feet. "I’ll go to the mountains. I might find a snowflower."
Ren blinked. "A what?"
"That is a herb that only lives for two days after it blossoms. It can heal demons. If I’m lucky, there’ll be one blooming on the cliffs. They grow in winter."
She shook her head firmly. "No. The poison weakened your heart, I won’t risk your life for a flower."
"I’m fine, truly," he insisted, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "My heart’s stronger than it was in the early days. I’ve been training, building my magic core in the crystal caves. I’m ready."
Before she could protest again, he had turned and slipped from the bedchamber, his cape brushing the floor like a whisper of defiance.
Monts later, Healer Rigo arrived, cradling a small glass vial in his wrinkled hands. His eyes glead with pride beneath his spectacles.
"My Luna Queen," he said with a hasty bow, "Wizard Sigaros has shared a rare formula. This elixir should sustain His Highness’ strength!"
Ren took the vial without a word, uncorking it to sniff the contents. Her nose wrinkled at the sharp, tallic scent. She dipped a finger into the liquid and tasted it cautiously.
Trusting that magician was the last thing she ever wanted to do.
"Thank you, Healer Rigo," Ren said quietly. "Could you please ask Siamon to co?"
The old healer bowed and left without delay. Monts later, Siamon, Kai’s loyal butler, stepped into the room. His cloak was dusted with frost, his face weary from the long journey.
Ren gently finished pouring the bitter elixir into Kai’s mouth, wiping away a drop from his lips. The taste was harsh, tallic, but no trace of poison lingered on her tongue. That, at least, was a small relief.
"Siamon, co," she beckoned him closer, patting the edge of the cushioned bench. "Sit. Tell what’s happening in the Ice Lands. Did you see Gloria?"
She sounded breathless with anticipation. It had been three long months since Siamon had left, carrying goods and ssages to the North. He hadn’t returned once since then.
"She’s well," he replied, a warm smile lighting his face. "I can hardly believe she’s the sa girl I once helped sneak pastries from the royal kitchen. She’s been riding Sunkiath alone since last week. Courageous and clever, just like you, my Luna."
Ren’s lips curled into a soft smile. She had always imagined Gloria growing into her strength, but part of her had hoped to witness it with her own eyes. Now, it seed the girl was doing it without her. She would soon be ready to face those shrewd royals of the seven Kingdoms.
Her smile faded as another question tugged at her. "Tell , why can that giant vanish into thin air? Did the wizard explain anything?"
Siamon nodded, but instead of answering, he paused, folding his hands in his lap. "Before I tell you that... don’t you want to know about your father? And his brother?"
Ren blinked. The question struck her like a gust of cold air. "They’re fine... aren’t they?"
Siamon’s expression remained unreadable. "Your uncle was sent to scout a ravaged area near the eastern ridges, with a pack of shifters. They were ambushed. Mutated vampires seized the cliffs. He fought bravely but... I’m afraid he lost his left arm. One of our Alphas carried him back to the southern camps before it was too late."
Ren’s heart jolted at the news, but no tears ca. She couldn’t afford to grieve. Too many families had already lost far more, husbands, children, entire bloodlines wiped out in the night. Her sorrow was a flicker compared to the flas others had endured.
"And... my father?" she asked, her voice steady despite the tension in her chest.
Siamon offered a faint beam. "Your father has skin like bark, nothing pierces him easily. He’s fine. But he’s been worried about you. And His Highness."
Ren turned her gaze back to Kai, watching the steady rise and fall of his chest. "The two scehed a lot behind . They let Araben die in the hands of a maiden. They executed the chancellor. And now look at him for saving us. If the fever breaks... he’ll wake."
Siamon’s face tightened with guilt. "I should never have left him. I should have co with you."
Ren exhaled, the breath shaking slightly. It was always the sa, everyone blaming themselves, carrying invisible weights on already weary shoulders.
"Don’t," she said gently. "He chose to remain behind. He insisted on keeping Luther trapped inside that formation. Nothing could change his mind. Not even ."
Silence settled between them, heavy with unspoken regrets. Then Siamon cleared his throat and continued, "The wizard told sothing else. Phoria has crafted a necklace, woven with dark magic. That’s how she controls the giant. If we can remove it... we can kill him."
"The poison we made... it didn’t work on him, did it?" Ren asked, her eyes narrowing as her mind began to circle darker, sharper possibilities.
Siamon shook his head. "No, My Luna. He’s wearing armor forged from dragon scale. I heard that Fae vampire, Acelieth, killed a dragon before leaving the Fae realm. What’s more troubling... we still don’t know how Luther managed to communicate with Nimoieth. She was teaching them. She trusted them."
Ren’s hands curled into tight fists. "Dragon scale," she muttered. "Even dragon fire wouldn’t lt that. The only thing that can pierce it is Griffin’s claw... or beak. If we can shatter that armor, we can kill him."
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