Chapter Thirty-Six

"WE'RE NEARLY THERE," JESIAH CALLED from up ahead.

As soon as I'd made my decision to seek out Queen Muna's help, a small entourage and I had packed up, reloaded the horses, and set back on the road. We didn't want to appear threatening by showing up at Queen Muna's doorstep with large numbers, so it was only me, Rune, Dallas, Rance, and Jesiah traveling. Queen Muna's Kingdom was a two-day trip by horse from Morardia, and I was secretly glad to be free of Angus's presence for that amount of time. I'd probably have blown a gasket by now if I'd had to deal with him for two straight days.

He, along with Imani, stayed behind to make preparations for battle, should it come to that. My stomach soured at the idea, and it just fortified my determination to see Queen Muna and find another way.

I looked around at the single trail through the Lylora Woods that we'd been traveling these past days. "If we're close, we should probably stop here to get ready," I said to Jesiah from the horse I shared with Rune, which was sandwiched between everyone else.

"Good idea," Jesiah agreed, tugging on the reins of his steed.

All of our horses followed suit, slowing and allowing us to dismount. Rune helped me down, and as soon as my feet touched the ground, my entire body throbbed. My butt and back ached fiercely from the long ride, and I practically waddled after Rune as we disappeared behind a thicket of trees to change.

We'd all worn comfy clothes for the trip, but there was no way we were going to face the Queen in sweatpants and t-shirts. So, we'd all brought our nicest garments to change into once we were close enough to her Kingdom.

"I'm so nervous," I said once Rune and I were alone. I slipped off my shirt and leggings and tossed them into my travel bag. "I can't leave here without her help. I can't let Elias win."

Rune shed his clothes until he, too, wore only his undergarments. He grunted in agreement, his eyes fixed on the soil under his now bare feet. I watched him closely as I summoned water from a nearby creek and used it to clean us both. Rune stood there, still staring at nothing while the water wrapped around his figure like a second skin and washed away the grime from the past two days.

If only it could wash away his troubles, too.

Ever since the day we'd met with Elias, Rune had been off. Quiet. Distant. I knew it had nothing to do with me and everything to do with Myra. He still hadn't revealed what they'd talked about, but there hadn't been many opportunities for us to discuss it yet. We'd had an audience ever since the ordeal.

"All done," I announced as the water peeled away from him, finding its way back home.

He mumbled a soft, "Thanks" before grabbing his clothes.

We'd brought the outfits we'd gotten married in since they were some of our finest.

"Rune," I tried, closing the space between us.

He finally looked at me, securing his pants as he did.

"Do you want to talk about it?" I asked slowly. "What happened with Myra?"

His shoulders stiffened, and he swallowed hard. I waited, watching as his jaw worked to make words that seemed to be fighting him.

He closed his eyes and finally snarled, "She wishes we were dead. All of us. Me, Alvaro, the twins. She said we were all mistakes." He raked his hands through his hair and barreled on, "If she wants to say that shit about me, fine . But Newt and Greshim, they … they don't deserve that. Do you know how often they ask about her, even after everything she's put them through? They think she's going to come around and join our side. I don't have the heart to tell them that their mother wants nothing to do with them. With any of us."

My chest tightened painfully. She had gotten in his head, ripping his emotions to shreds, and I couldn't stand it. I couldn't stand how she continued to torment him and the boys.

"She's upholding the Beckett name," Rune scoffed bitterly. "Acting as the right-hand soldier for the King. Taking on the role my dad played for King Zair. So, if we really do have that final battle, she'll be there on the other side, ready to … to …"

I gripped Rune's arms tightly. "That's why we're doing this. That's why we're going to seek Queen Muna's help. If anyone can keep a battle from happening, it's her ."

"But what if she doesn't?" Rune asked, his eyes and voice seeming desperate. "I know this was my idea, but what if she won't get involved?"

I swallowed hard. "That's a bridge we'll have to cross when we get there. Until then, I'm not letting go of hope."

We finished getting dressed, and once we'd all reconvened at our horses, we rode the last mile to Queen Muna's Kingdom. Though when I saw her Kingdom , I nearly fell off my horse.

We emerged from the trees and found ourselves at a cliff's edge that fell far beyond what we could see. It was like we'd come to the edge of the world, and it simply ended, dropping straight down into endless clouds. And in the distance? That was all that could be seen, too. Big, pillowy, white clouds.

"Jesiah," I started slowly. "Are you sure—"

Gold glitter suddenly swirled up from the ground next to the cliff, and as it rose higher, a figure formed. A man sporting a gold robe suddenly stood before us, and his blank eyes bore into mine.

"Who are you, and why have you come?" the man asked.

Clearing the shock from my voice, I held my head high. "I am Bria Damaris, Queen of Morardia. I seek an audience with Her Majesty Queen Muna."

"Nonsense," the man said. "The Queen has no time to speak with unannounced visitors. Return to Morardia at once."

His tone was firm and final, and it made a pit of dread open up in my stomach.

No. I can't just leave. Not like this.

I dismounted from my horse and approached the stranger. "Please, sir. I need to speak with Queen Muna. It's urgent."

"Did you not hear me?" the man snapped, his voice like thunder. "I said Her Majesty will not—"

"Evrik, that's all right," a melodic voice sang from the clouds behind the man.

The pillowy clouds parted until a wide cobblestone path suddenly formed in the open air, leading to a towering glass castle in the center of the sky. A round, dark-skinned woman stood on the cobblestone path. Gold and silver glitter dusted her black curls, and the flecks caught the light as she strolled gracefully toward us. When she neared the end of the path, I realized her eyes were ever-changing, cycling through every color of the rainbow, the color gone to the next before you could truly tell what shade they'd just been.

"Your Majesty!" the man—Evrik—exclaimed, bowing deeply at the waist. "I was just trying to explain to these Fae that you're busy."

"No need. I'd be delighted to speak with them." She turned her smile to me. "It's lovely to see you again, Bria. Though I'm sure you don't remember me since you were only a baby when last we saw one another."

"Your Majesty," I said in awe. I bowed and dipped my head in reverence as Rune and the others did the same. "Forgive me for showing up suddenly like this."

"There is no need to apologize. I knew you were coming. Please, rise."

I did as she said, standing straight once more and meeting her lovely eyes. She stepped to the side and waved her hand at the pathway. "Care to walk with me, dear Bria?"

"Of course. Thank you."

"Evrik, please make the rest of Bria's party feel welcome. She and I have much to discuss."

Queen Muna turned in a flutter of gold skirts and walked back toward her palace. I followed beside her, my nerves making my voice catch in my throat.

"So, what do you think of Ambrolia now that you're finally here?" Queen Muna asked cheerfully.

I glanced over the edge of the cobblestone bridge at the endless clouds below. I didn't know how high we were right now, but I inched closer to Muna, not wanting to find out.

"It's beautiful and wonderful," I finally answered slowly. "It's also … sad."

Queen Muna nodded. "The state of Ambrolia is far different these days. You have the long-held issues between Land and Water Fae, as well as dying knowledge. Like those tomes written in our old language that you found. So many lost wonders and powers."

Eyes wide, I asked, "How did you know—"

Queen Muna chuckled. "I am Queen of all. I know much. I know how you found the books. I know how you work hard each day. And I know why you are here wanting to speak with me."

I stopped walking, unable to move another inch as my hopeful gaze turned to meet hers. "So, will you—"

"I'm afraid I can't get involved," Muna apologized with a remorseful smile. "This fight is between Land and Water Fae, and I have to see life over all Fae. I can't be biased and take sides."

Everything inside me suddenly felt as though it had been drenched in frigid water and frozen. The air stopped moving in my lungs, and my vision nearly pitched forward as the world seemed to sway beneath my feet.

The promises I'd made to myself, to Rune, to everyone … They were all for naught.

Help was not coming.

"Besides," Muna continued, not seeming to notice—or perhaps not feeling swayed by—the change in my demeanor. "You don't need my help. You will end this war the way you are meant to."

We left the cobblestone bridge and approached a garden of sorts. Plants that looked more like crystals than vegetation grew around stones that were a kaleidoscope of colors. It was a stunning vision, one that felt out of place for all the chaos rampaging inside me.

"How?" Feeling helpless and lost beyond words, I fought to keep my breath steady and placed my hands behind my back so she couldn't see them trembling. "King Elias is refusing all options other than battle."

"Perhaps that's what's meant to happen. Some battles, Bria, are inevitable, be they physical or emotional ones. What matters is how you rise from them and the changes that are born from the struggle. I cannot tell you what will happen in the coming days, months, or years, but just know it's all meant to happen the way it does."

Tears pricked my eyes before I could stop them. "Queen Muna," I whispered. "People are going to die . Innocent people."

She took my hand and squeezed it. "Such is a reality of life. One quite close to my heart. Fae do come to live here with me when they pass. I do manage life and death for Fae, after all."

My eyes squeezed tightly shut as I tried to feel her positivity but failed. "I told Water Fae that I'd bring peace."

"And you might. Who's to say the battle won't end with both sides coming together? Even if that isn't what comes to pass, you tried. You gave it your all for, not only Water Fae, but for all of Ambrolia. That is a beautiful thing."

Beautiful? How was an impending battle beautiful?

Weight like I'd never felt settled onto my chest, stifling my lungs. The faces of all those I'd met since coming here cycled through my head, and with each one, a new rock stacked on top of me until I was buried beneath them. The image of Rune facing his own mom and being forced to make a decision—his life or hers—played in horrific detail. The stack of rocks burdening me pushed me deep into the ground until all was dark.

All was heavy.

All was hopeless.

"You look as though you've already lost," Queen Muna noted, startling me from my spiraling thoughts.

I swallowed hard. "Water Fae don't have the numbers that Elias does. Leading them into battle …"

"Have faith in them. Have faith in yourself and your goals. You will never achieve them if you already think them lost." Muna wrapped her arm around my shoulders. "Elias said three months, correct? So use that time. Train. Prepare. Gather other Fae who support your cause. Do not go into that battle anticipating the worst. You must believe in what you've started."

The truth of our situation and all that Queen Muna was saying nearly stole my ability to breathe. War was coming. Death was coming. And I had to be ready for that, because on the other side could be something wonderful, harmonious, and full of life. I couldn't look at it as a fight for the sake of anger or vengeance. Our fight, my fight, was for peace, and it was a battle I had to win.

Swallowing the lump in my throat, I bowed my head at Queen Muna. "Thank you for all your encouraging words, and thank you for speaking with me today. I hope I can succeed and bring an end to the war and the start of a brighter future."

She nodded and held up a finger. "Before you go, I wanted to share something with you. Since you came all this way, I want to offer some wisdom."

Eager to latch onto any good news, I looked at her. "What is it?"

"I know you have a scholar looking into those books you found in the old underwater Kingdom," Muna said. "While I can't give you the ability to suddenly read the language, I can let you in on some knowledge I think you'll be interested in."

She led me over to a fountain in the center of the garden. Crystal-clear water spilled from the top and fell to the basin below. The light caught certain droplets, making the water flash in an array of colors. The closer we drew, the calmer I felt. All my worries, fears, and apprehensions were still there in the back of my mind, but distant now, like a long-ago memory.

Thanks, water.

"Things have changed for Fae over the centuries," Muna stated, sitting on the edge of the fountain. She dipped her hand into the water, watching the drops fall back to the pool. "That's especially true for Water Fae. Abilities have been forgotten and lost; something you've seen first-hand among your people. You have a lot of these powers, and part of the reason I aided your parents when they came to me, pleading that I lock your powers until you came of age, was because I had a dream that you would restore what's been lost. You can help fix the world that's been broken."

I stared at her and tried to understand her words. The information was huge with grand implications, and I couldn't fathom how it was true. How could I , little me who was fresh into this new world, restore something as important and major as Ambrolia? The mere suggestion had my voice stuck in my throat.

"There's a certain power that Water Fae once had," Muna continued as she looked at me again. "The book you found talks about many abilities, but there's one that I feel you might be more interested in learning and understanding."

I sank onto the fountain edge and leaned in closer. "What power is it?"

"Your mother told you how water is life, and she couldn't be more correct. Water is in us all. Water is a part of life."

I nodded. "I felt it in some trees not too long ago. I managed to use it to heal the trees."

"Exactly!" Muna exclaimed, her rainbow eyes shining with enthusiasm. "You can heal but not give life. Once something or someone has passed, there is no bringing them back from death. Though, there is still a way to see those who are gone."

Eyes going wide, I asked, "There is?"

"People die, but water does not. Water is eternal, and because of that, it connects us all, in life and in death. Those Water Fae who are strong enough can still call upon and see those who were once full of life and water, much like how your mother was able to show you memories within the water. Only this skill actually brings them back, albeit, for a short period. It lets their soul inhabit the water for a time so that you can speak to them and see them."

My heart began to race with all the sudden possibilities this skill could allow. Seeing and talking to those who have passed?

I could see my dad.

Swallowing hard, I fisted my dress in my hands in an effort to keep composed. "How do I do it? How do I—"

Queen Muna suddenly stiffened, and her ever-changing eyes spiraled a milky white. She stared over my head, seemingly unseeing and frozen.

"Queen Muna?" I asked in alarm, reaching toward her.

She blinked, and when her eyes opened, they were back to normal, shifting between every color, too fast to track. She gave me an apologetic smile as she got to her feet. "Forgive me, dear. I have a new Fae soul arriving that I must attend to. I have to leave, but remember our conversation. You are doing what you must, and no matter what happens, it was meant to be."

A plume of clouds suddenly surrounded us, blinding me so that I couldn't see anything except the cool, fluffy clouds. When they cleared, I found myself back on the cliffside, staring out at the open air where Muna's Kingdom had sat, now gone.

"Woah," Rance's deep voice came from behind me.

I turned and found everyone there, also looking around at each other in confusion.

"What just happened?" Dallas asked, blinking rapidly like her head was swimming.

"Muna suddenly had something to do," I answered, also feeling somewhat discombobulated from the abrupt exit. "I guess she sent us all back here."

"What did Muna say?" Rune asked. "Is she going to intervene?"

The previous buzz of excitement that had rushed through me over Muna's revelation about my powers faded away. Dread as heavy as a thousand lives landed on my shoulders again, making them sag.

I couldn't look anyone in the eye as I whispered, "She can't get involved."

Someone cursed under their breath, and others shifted on their feet, pacing a couple steps and doubling back.

"So, what are we going to do?" Rance asked softly.

I swallowed the lump in my throat and squeezed my eyes shut. "The only thing we can do now. We train. We prepare. We get ready for war."