Chapter 43

Béke Day Eleven

All around Radence, lanterns and fires winked out of existence in a slow wave, starting at the edges of the city until only the citadel's fires still burned. Then they too were extinguished, bathing Radence in complete darkness. The galaxy of stars above joined the crescent moon in casting a hint of light over us, but no more. A sky this clear during the winter was rare, without a cloud promising snowfall in sight. It was as if the Goddess wanted this night to be remembered by all present.

Of all my years in the Iron Realm, I'd never participated in the lantern release. Truly, I'd never wanted to, even though some of the other Telivér did during the years when the Iron Realm did not host Béke. But this year I relished buying one of the paper lanterns, accompanied by the Demons. Something sparked in my chest as I stumbled upon a light teal one, and I smiled to myself as I picked it up and paid for it, clutching it against my chest like it was the most precious gift I'd ever received.

Silence reigned among us as we waited for the ceremony to begin.

The most important members of the Iron Realm and all the guests were situated on a balcony overlooking the entire city, and at the very edge of it, a raised dais allowed the High Priestess unparalleled access to the worshippers. The black dress she wore whipped in the wind as she called for us to open our hearts to the gifts the Goddess would bestow, her voice magically amplified to carry around the valley. She continued her speech, becoming more impassioned with each subsequent sentence.

I tuned her out as small flaming sticks were passed among those of us who did not have fire magic. The Iron Fae and Félvér reached inside their lanterns, igniting them with a spark from the tips of their fingers. Beside me, Izidora called on her white flame, holding it to the wick of her lantern and filling the already stunningly white paper with even more brightness. Beside her, Ruslan did the same, the black flames darkening the black paper.

The two lanterns competed for space, one fighting off the darkness and the other sucking the light away.

Before me, pinpricks of dim, colorful light rippled into existence as the Fae and Félvér lining the streets of Radence joined us in igniting their lanterns. It was as if the stars overhead had fallen to the ground and scattered themselves across the land, stretching well into the distance. Where did the sky end and the ground begin?

"... hold in your heart your deepest desire, and reveal it for the Goddess to see," the High Priestess boomed over the crowd. I closed my eyes, but instead of opening my heart, I opened my mind.

"I wish to find a way forward for Endre and me," Liliana wished.

"I wish that Liliana would choose me above everyone else," Endre wished.

"My wish is to be known as a great general after the war," Viktor wished.

"I wish that my true love would make herself known so I can finally settle down," Vadim wished.

"My wish is for some new pussy to show up at Steel," Slavian wished.

"Please, Goddess, don't let my friends die in the coming war," Drazen wished.

"I wish that Ruslan would allow me to continue my experiments," Rares wished.

"I wish that Atros would admit how he feels," Anton wished.

"I wish that Kaztar would see Kazimir's true side," Domi wished.

"Goddess, please keep Domi safe in our home during the war. I couldn"t live with myself if anything happened to her," Kaztar wished.

"I wish that we could have peace," Izidora wished.

"I have nothing to wish for, Goddess. You have granted me all I have asked for in my mate," Ruslan said.

Closing my mind off from those around me, I opened my heart to my one and only wish.

"I wish for war."

The High Priestess began chanting, a haunting melody that raised the hairs on my arms. The song speared into me, as if she"d sent a tendril of magic into each of us and pulled our heart's desires straight from our chests. One by one, hands dropped away from lanterns, allowing them to float away. Reds, blues, greens, purples, and pinks in every shade and hue filled the sky, creating a rainbow of color among the stars.

But one black and one white lantern stood out amongst the colors. They raced toward the heavens, overtaking the ones released before them until they towered over us all. The crowd's attention followed the two as they danced with one another through the sky, soaring higher and higher, seemingly propelled by magic. They peaked, pausing in midair and floating as if they were gazing down upon the world beneath them.

And then, everything fell into place.

The white lantern lit by white flame exploded with brightness, evoking cries of reverence and horror and forcing people to shield their eyes from the blinding light.

But I did not avert my gaze as Izidora's lantern highlighted every detail in the Iron Realm and beyond, filling the land with white light.

Thoughts around me rang out with curses, but the ones closest to me were filled with realization as the finality of the prophecy settled across each and every noble Fae in attendance. There was no denying that Izidora was the prophesied one, and Ruslan along with her.

It truly was a tragedy that Izidora had wished for peace, because in the coming year, there would, without a doubt, be war.

Her eyes were as wide as the full moon as her focus bounced between the lanterns, Ruslan, and me, and neither of us bothered to hide the truth from her or each other. Ruslan and I locked eyes above her, and a slight dip in his chin told me he understood as well as I did what the blinding moment meant.

The Goddess's Prophecy was coming to pass, and it was time for everyone to choose a side.