Desperation gripped me, but I had no idea what we could do. If any one of us made a move, he could easily kill us. I had no idea the kind of power that bolt even wielded. Couldn’t fathom it.
“Follow me, and I’ll burn you all from the inside out,” he said, then turned and disappeared, the swish of his cloak the last we saw of him before he was gone.
“What should we do?” I asked, turning to face everyone.
“We’ll find him,” my father said, gaze hard. “Let him go for now. There’s been far too much death lately, and I won’t risk any more. That bolt is sacred, and we will get it back. But not like this. Not when we’re unprepared for the repercussions of fighting an unknown elemental.”
Tears gathered in my eyes. He was right. It would be risky.
“Are you ready to return to Winded with me?” he asked. “To assume your position as my heir?”
Loch stepped up next to me, and I nodded at the prince. “We have to get to the conclave. There’s much that needs to be discussed. Secrets that have come to light. We’re all in grave danger,” I said, “and everyone deserves to know the war that’s coming.”
My father swallowed and stepped back but gave a curt nod. “I wasn’t going to attend given recent events, but if what you’re saying is true, then we must go as well. I’ll listen to whatever news you bring.”
“Good,” I said, “because if we’re going to defeat this threat, it’s going to take all of us.”
Chapter Fifty-Five
LOCHLAN
“Well, that was a letdown,” Driscoll said as we stood together, readying ourselves for our next journey—to Apolis.
Poppy’s father and Saestra had disappeared into the sky, already leaving for the conclave. Poppy elected to journey with us via ship. She’d refused to leave my side, though I told her to go ahead with her father. The sky king promised to get to the water court and tell my mother and brother that I was alive, that I’d found my shadow, and that I had important news that everyone needed to hear. He hadn’t wasted any time, departing immediately.
“We have to go after the bone collector first,” Poppy said, bracing her legs, ready to take flight. “We have to get that bolt.”
I grasped her arm gently, and pulled her to face me. A scowl lined her face. “Poppy, your father is right. There’s been too much death recently, and we don’t know what kind of damage that bolt can do.”
“We have a responsibility to get it,” Poppy cried, struggling against me. “We can go after him and still make it to the conclave. He can’t have gotten far.”
Leoni paced. “We don’t even know who the bone collector is. Or who the white rabbit is.”
“I do actually know who the white rabbit is.” Poppy bit her lip. “I’m almost certain it’s Emory.”
Driscoll’s eyes widened. “Plot twist.”
I couldn’t imagine what a married noblewoman like Emory had gotten caught up in. Stealing artifacts, collecting enemies, and keeping it all a secret from her husband? None of it bode well for her.
Poppy shook her head. “What if the bone collector works for the shadow king? What if he has his own plans for that bolt? What if he wants to free Spirit Sky? What if he wants to use it himself and destroy us all?”
I placed my hands on her shoulders. “We will figure it all out, but you have to go to the conclave and tell everyone about your gran and what she revealed to you,” I insisted. “We’ll be stronger together. We can’t make the same mistakes of the past, can’t just ignore these threats and pretend they’ll go away. We have to face them. We have to fight.”
Poppy stared at me for a long moment before nodding.
Leoni stepped forward. “I’ll go. I’ll find Emory. Tell her what happened. If anyone can track this bone collector and find the bolt, it’s her.”
She was right. We needed Emory for this.
“But her husband will never agree,” Poppy said.
“Just let me take care of it,” Leoni said. “Trust me.”
Poppy cocked an eyebrow. “You’re willing to work with a criminal like Emory? So you really meant what you said earlier, to my father?”
I crossed my arms and shot her a teasing smile. “You’re not supposed to leave the crown unprotected.” I pointed at myself. “I’m talking about me. I’m the crown.”
“Fuck the rules,” Driscoll said in a singsong voice.
