He winces in response. "That's also a long story, but one you need to hear. Ash deserted. They made a deal to get their court back, and left us to die."
I have no words. After all I've done to get the water stone, it was for nothing?
"We have one salamander. He was wounded, but managed one stone. He's resting now."
I squint, immediately suspicious. Drusk reads my expression. "I felt the same way, but he swore fealty to the crown. He's with us. Now, we have to hope the hag's spell was accurate."
We've reached my mother's quarters. Her study is similar to the one she had in our home, the Court of Mist—filled with books and art.
Meda is standing in front of a table. At first, sensing an approach, she pulls a dagger and moves into a protective stance, but she recognizes us and lowers her weapon before stepping aside.
There are four stones on the table: an earth, fire, and air stone, next to the heart of Tenebris. I pluck a water stone out of my pouch and hand it to her.
"How did you get that many, girl? I sense a considerable amount of power in these, too," Meda says, visibly impressed.
I can't remember a day when she ever was impressed with me.
"Lind," I reply, leaving it at that.
Drusk stiffens next to me. "What did he want for it?"
I'm not going into that now. "Nothing I wasn't willing to give." Reluctantly. "What was the exact spell, again?"
"Tears of enemies, blood of friends, and a sacrifice of one the caster loves needs to be done and buried along with four elemental stones—water, earth, fire, and air. The caster needs to hold a power stone, and think about the territory they wish to shield. It has to be a territory that belongs to her—as high queen, Ciera can cast it over all of Tenebris. Right?" Alven checks with Drusk, who nods.
Silence falls around us. We have every element now. The implication is no less daunting.
Because my mother needs to choose who she will bury along with the stones.
"Drusk, do you think you could get me one of the humans from outside? I don't suppose it'll be too difficult to make them cry."
He hesitates, glancing down to me.
Ciera catches his look. "You may take my daughter, if you wish. She won't need to be part of this conversation."
In short, she isn't picking me.
Which means that she is going to have to kill one of the others. My father. Her father. My father's mother. The three people she loves most.
"I'll stay," I tell Drusk.
I need to be here for my mother.
He holds my gaze, but ends up nodding, before disappearing in a cloud of Myst.
"I believe," Alven says evenly, stepping forward, "that how you should proceed is quite clear, daughter."
Meda nods. "Yes, it is. I'm the least useful among us. It should be me."
She holds her head up proudly.
I question my impulse to remain in this room. There isn't enough air. I can't breathe. I can't think.
"I betrayed Tenebris. Without me, we'd never be in this situation."
"I'm not from Tenebris at all. I'm one pixie. A hundred of us would make a difference in a war, but me?" Meda shrugs. "I'm useless."
The woman who showed me how to defend myself, useless? The man who had my back, protecting me against his wife's whims since the day of my birth, a traitor?
