CHAPTER 69

COMMANDER RYATT

I don't even have a chance to get my bearings.

At the sound of her scream, I instantly leap to my feet, head still spinning from the vertigo. My eyes find Friano, and I see that he's somehow snatched a dagger and is swinging it down at Emonie.

My body moves so fast even I don't track what I'm doing.

Pure wrath has taken over.

Just before the blade can plunge into her, I slam into Friano's side with all my strength and tackle him to the ground. There's a shout as the fae and I roll. Teeth bared, I yank the dagger out of his clutches and then stab him in the chest. His shocked face stares up at me for a second, and then his entire body goes lax.

Dead. In an instant.

I stare in shock, looking down at the blade and his unblinking eyes, breathing hard.

Shit .

I lurch around and see Osrik yanking Rissa out of the ring…just as the circle of grass withers and dies.

Everyone looks at me as I race over. "Fuck," I whisper as I stare at the ring. Then I tear my hand through my hair, voice rising. "Fuck!"

My shout echoes, and I flinch when I hear Argo let out a growl in response.

He got through.

I spin, gaze frantic. But I see everyone. Os and Rissa, Lu, Digby, Emonie. Everyone made it here.

Here…

I take in the sights. Just ahead of us is a sheer cliff, and at the top of the flat plateau is a colorful, glittering palace looking down at us. The surrounding landscape is lavish greenery, and above us is a purple sky.

"Is this…" Lu begins shakily.

Emonie nods with a relieved smile through swollen and split lips. "Annwyn."

We're here, it worked, but…

"I didn't even fucking think," I say, shaking my head at myself. "I just killed him."

Turning, I stride over to Emonie and pull her up from the ground. She hisses from my rough grasp. "The ring died. Can we get back?" I ask desperately. When she hesitates, I shake her. "Can we fucking get back?"

"I don't know," she admits. "I've never heard of a ringer who could make a fairy ring appear in another realm. I don't know how Friano manipulated it."

Realization pours over me with a sobering sluice. We're trapped here. The place I despise more than anything.

Emonie swallows hard, paling at my grip, and I scrape together enough wherewithal to release her. She stumbles back but manages to stay standing as I start to pace.

"We can try to find the ringer, Brennur. See if the Vulmin have him captured. Maybe he can do it…" Emonie ventures, but she sounds doubtful. "Then again, maybe it had to do with the twins," she says, tipping her head in the direction of the dead fae. "I don't know."

I curse myself for being such a fucking idiot. Anger churns inside me, making me pivot and point at her. "This is your fault."

She rears back, her red eyes flashing. "Me? I didn't tell you to kill him!"

I let out a snarl, but Lu steps in front of me. "Calm down," she snaps. "It's done. We'll find another ringer to make it back to Orea, okay? Get your fucking head on. Focus on what's important. We can find your mother. Can find Slade and Auren."

Breaths heave in and out of me. She's right. I'm furious, but I know I'm furious at myself . That I'm lashing out in panic because I hate this place. I despise the thought of being stuck here.

"We're here to find them," Lu repeats. "So we do that first."

My jaw is locked so hard my teeth threaten to crack, but I take a deep breath and nod. "Yeah."

"You good?" she asks pointedly. "Because we're in the fucking fae realm . We need to have our shit together, Ry."

Guilt douses me. "You're right." I swallow hard before looking at everyone. "I'm sorry. I don't know what I was thinking."

"You just reacted," Lu says with a sigh. "It's not the first time we've seen you take a man out for trying to hurt a woman."

"Nope," Os says, looking at me. "And he would've stabbed us in the back the second he had the chance anyway. Better him than us."

"Where should we go now?" Digby questions as he stands beside a very aggravated Argo.

Emonie keeps eyeing the beast with wariness, but she looks over at Digby's question. "Well…that's the capital." She points a finger, though she can't lift her arm very high. "Lydia," she says, directing our gazes to the city. I can see a river winding into the forest just beside it and catch glimpses of buildings amongst the tall trees. "That's the last place I saw Auren."

I only have a small sliver of faith that she's telling the truth. But even a single sliver can catch flame.

"Let's go," I say.

Our group walks down the dirt road through the valley while Argo flies low to the ground, circling over us, unwilling to stray further. We head away from the plateau and palace, away from the waterfall that pours down the side of the cliff.

"Stay on alert," I say over my shoulder. "We don't know what to expect."

I make sure to keep Emonie with me as we lead the way. My eyes keep darting to her as she grimaces with every step. "You gonna tell me who beat the shit out of you?"

"Why? You want to thank them?" she retorts, derision dripping off her words.

My jaw tightens. I try my best to ignore her as my attention sharpens on the city.

"You're going to feel soooo bad once you see I was telling the truth," she singsongs before she sways again, nearly tipping right off the road.

My hand lashes out to grab her arm to steady her, fingers instantly gentling when she sucks in a pained gasp.

"You need to learn to have a gentler touch, Commander," she says with a choppy giggle.

"Stop talking."

"Ohh. Silent type, huh? I like them usually. Fewer words from a male, the better. Doesn't seem to be working for you, though. Maybe try to be more silent?"

Irritation jumps in my jaw. "You are aggravating."

She tugs her arm out of my grip as she limps forward. "If it weren't for me, you wouldn't be here," she lobs back. "So maybe have a little gratitude."

"Sure," I reply smoothly. "Unless we're about to walk into an ambush or I confirm that you've lied. Then gratitude will be last on the list."

"But still on the list. That's good."

Annoyance makes my eyes tighten. I can't wait to be rid of this fae.

"Auren is going to be so mad at you," she says before pausing and muttering under her breath. "Unless she's mad at me."

I whip my head toward her as we turn left onto the road that leads toward the city. "Why would she be mad at you?"

I don't miss the way her lips tilt down at the corners. "Well…" She suddenly stops and frowns. "What in the realms?"

Following her line of sight, I stop in my tracks when I see what she's looking at.

"Is that…" I hear Osrik rumble as everyone comes to a stop next to us.

"Oh, shit," Lu exclaims. "It is!"

"What is wrong with the ground?" Emonie asks, her face scrunched up in confusion. "I know they sent soldiers to burn the city, but this isn't from flames."

"No," I say, feeling a smile break through my face. "It's rot ."

"Rot?" She glances around at all of us. "And that's…a good thing?"

"Yep," I say as I start walking again, quicker this time, filled with rushing relief that's pushing me to hurry. "Because that means my brother was here."

My heart isn't only pounding with apprehension and worry. It pounds with new, leaping hope.

He was here. The evidence is clear as day, with every rotted line singed into the ground.

Please be here.

Please, fucking be here…

We approach an arch made of some sort of purple stone, and then there's another sight that makes my chest tighten.

Gold. Right there, solidified into parts of the buildings.

"Look," I tell everyone.

"I see it," Lu breathes, breaking out into a smile. "Two out of two."

Rot and gold.

My hope feels even closer now. Like I can almost reach out and grab hold of it. Make it real.

As soon as we get within ten feet of the arch and the tall trees that pillar it, a fae comes walking out. He's wearing a long robe and has a beard down to his stomach. "Residents?" he asks, but then he looks us over, gaze casting over our ears. "Oh, Oreans? You can—"

He stops and looks at me, words cutting off. "Great Goddess. I thought you were someone else."

My pulse surges as I take a step forward. " Who ?" I ask, all my anticipation riding on the question.

The fae starts to answer, but then his attention diverts. He makes a choking noise, nearly swallowing his tongue when he sees Argo swoop in front of him. "What is that ?"

"Don't worry. It's just their monster bird thing. It's harmless." Emonie shuffles forward. "Actually…I'm not really sure that it is harmless, but it's probably fine."

The fae does a double take. " Emonie ?"

"Hi, Karth," she says with a small wave.

He shakes his head in disbelief. "Everyone saw the king take you. What the hell happened?" he asks, paling as he takes in her appearance. "Who did this to you?" His gaze instantly moves to us with open accusation.

"Not them, and not important right now," she says dismissively. "How are you here in the city? Where are the Stone Swords?"

The fae seems like he doesn't know quite where to look, his gaze bouncing around from between Emonie's beaten body, Argo, and me. "Wick called all the Vulmin in. We have Lydia. We have…Annwyn, actually."

Emonie rears back. " What ? What do you mean?"

"Come in, Emonie," he insists. "We need to get you to Parta. She can heal you."

"I will, but first, where's the Ly?ri?"

I exchange a look with the others. Ly?ri ?

"And…" Emonie turns to look at me. "What was his name?"

"Slade. Slade Ravinger," I say, stepping forward.

The fae blinks. "You his brother? You look just like him."

I suck in a breath. I don't know how I stay on my fucking feet. " Yes . Yes. I'm his brother," I say in a rush. "Where is he?"

He pauses as all of us crowd around him, waiting for his answer with bated breath.

"Karth," Emonie urges. "Where?"

"I'm sorry, Oreans," he says with a shake of his head. "They left. Just a few hours ago, I think."

The disappointment is so buckling that I stumble back. I hear Lu let out a sigh, and see Digby's whole body slump.

They were here, and they left. We just missed them…

"Left? Where did they go?" Emonie asks desperately. "I need to talk to the Ly?ri!"

"Ryatt?"

My head jerks to the left. Then my eyes widen.

Slade halts in the middle of the street in front of me, mouth dropped open in surprise. His spikes are on his arms, rot lines crawling up his neck and scales along both his cheeks. He looks really, really fae. Pointed ears on display, all his features out at once.

My vision tunnels on him.

We both just stare at each other. Shocked into place. I blink over and over again to make sure I'm not seeing things.

Then he surges forward.

I'm barely able to take a few steps before Slade practically tackles me in a hug. I hug him back, arms constricting around him just to make sure he's actually real.

"How the fuck are you here?" he asks with astonishment as he pounds me on the back before pulling away. "How are you all here?" he says before he turns to grip Lu in a hug too.

"Put those spikes away before you take out an eye," she chastises, but she's smiling, beaming with happiness.

His spikes disappear as he claps Osrik on the back next, his own face broken out into a smile.

When he sees Digby, he pauses.

"Where is she?" Digby asks. His voice is strained, face sharper with all the edges of hope as his emotion pierces through. "Where's Lady Auren?" His voice cracks down the middle. "Is she okay?"

All I see is a blur of gold.

One second, I'm staring at Digby as he barely keeps it together, and then Auren has launched herself into his arms.

He staggers back from the shock and her hold. But when he realizes who's hugging him, when he realizes it's real, he wraps his arms around her, and his face crumples as the old guard cries.

Cries .

Clutching her as tightly as she's clutching him. "Hi, Dig," she whispers.

I notice he lets out a scattered sob.

But I also notice that she has wings .

"Umm. Where the hell did those come from?" Lu asks.

Auren pulls away with a laugh, her face wet with tears and wonder. "It's a long story," she says as she fluffs them out. They look like they're made from both metal and the soft texture of her ribbons.

"What are you all doing here?" she says as she goes over to Lu next and hugs her fiercely as tears drip down her face. "How is this possible?"

When she turns, she stops short at the blonde tucked into Osrik's side. Shock slackens her face. "Rissa?" she whispers, voice splintering as her hand covers her mouth. "I thought…you…"

Rissa tentatively steps away from Osrik, her blue eyes gone wet. "I almost did."

Then she walks right over to Auren and pulls her into her arms. Auren looks as shocked as everyone else, because other than with Osrik, Rissa is pretty standoffish. Not the hugging type.

But she's certainly hugging now.

Auren stalls for a couple seconds before she hugs the woman back. "I knew we were friends," she says through a smile.

"Yes, well…" Rissa pulls away with a sniff and tries to wave off her emotion. "I figured you needed me. None of these people know how to wear anything other than armor. It's barbaric."

Auren snorts, and then she comes over and gives me a hug. "Hey, Fake Rip," she murmurs.

I smile, my emotions still choking my throat. "Hi, Gildy."

Argo chooses to swoop down just then, knocking right into Slade. My brother goes flying back, landing with an oof in the grass. Then he erupts into laughter, jumping back to his feet. "Beast, you crazy fucker, I told you to go back to Fourth!"

The timberwing chuffs at him, nudging at his arm as Slade runs his hand down his neck. "Fuck, am I glad to see all of you," my brother says, looking around at us as he scratches Argo at the jaw. "Where's Judd?"

And just like that, all the happiness empties out.

Disquiet spreads, thick and jagged.

Raw.

Auren and Slade instantly tense, picking up on our reactions.

Slade's head whips over. "Lu?" he questions.

Her eyes fill, bottom lip trembling as she shakes her head.

My brother's face goes lax with shock, face turning pale. "No…"

"I'm sorry," I gasp out, feeling the loss of Judd all over again. My brother turns reddened eyes to me. "He… There was a battle, and he came to help me, and…I'm fucking sorry, Slade."

Auren covers her face with her hands, shoulders shaking as she sobs.

Slade looks fucking devastated. Argo whines low in his throat.

Like he feels the weight of Judd's fall, Osrik's head hangs down. I feel it too. Notched around my shoulders and pinning me in place.

Auren comes over to Slade's side and wraps her arm around his back. He holds her, dragging a hand down his face, wiping away the moisture from his eyes. "Oh, Judd," Slade says with a shake of his head, his tone full of misery. "Fuck."

The grief is too close for us to get a good look at it yet. The wound too fresh. None of us know what to do with it. None of us know how to move around the empty space he's left in our group.

Maybe we never will.

Maybe sometimes, time doesn't help. It just…stretches. Widens the gap between the loss and the after.

Slade takes in a shaky breath and looks around at us. "I'm fucking glad to see you all," he says before clearing his throat. "Come into the city. Let's talk."

"We thought you left."

"We were going to," Auren tells us as she wipes at her eyes. "But we got held up. We were going to leave tomorrow instead."

Thank the Divine for that.

"How in the world did you get here?" Auren asks. "The bridge…"

"Yeah, it exploded," Rissa says. "But then, we found someone." She gestures behind her pointedly, and then Auren turns just as a limping figure shifts out from behind Argo.

"Hi, Ly?ri," Emonie says quietly. Her expression looks unsure, her smile nervous.

Auren's eyes go wide. "Emonie! How did you? What— What happened to you ?"

"I'm so sorry about what I did on the stage," she rushes to say. "I know how it must have looked, but—"

"Stop," Auren says as she hurries over and hugs her, though she does it gently so as not to hurt her. "You had to. I don't blame you one bit. I'm just sorry I couldn't get to you before the king took you away with him. I'm so sorry you were hurt."

Emonie slumps in relief. "I'm sorry you were hurt." She sniffs as they pull away, and then her swollen eyes find me. She perks up with a bit of good old-fashioned smugness. "See?" she says with a smirk. "Told you." She looks at Auren. "You got the better brother, I think, because this one is rude."

My lips press together in both irritation and guilt. "I had to be cautious," I defend.

She rolls her eyes. I think. Still too swollen to really tell.

"Let's get you to a healer," Auren says to her.

Slade nods. "We obviously have a lot to talk about."

We start walking into the city with Argo in tow. I look around the stone buildings, the arched rooftops and the glittering waterways. Some fae are rowing skinny boats down the water while people pass over the bridges above. There are some buildings that stretch up into the twisting trees themselves, and glass orbs that hang from branches, glittering with magical light.

Osrik whistles under his breath. "We're definitely not in Orea anymore."

Fae stop and gasp, staring at Argo wide-eyed as we pass. He puffs up a bit, as if he likes the attention.

But what I can't help but notice is that nearly every single person turns around and smiles or waves or even tips their heads in Auren's direction. And all of them are murmuring the same thing.

"Ly?ri," I say to Slade. "Why do they call her that?"

He takes in a breath like he doesn't even know where to start. Then, he simply says, "Because…they love her."

I can see the truth of that in every face.

As we walk, I try to settle into the fact that we're actually here with Slade and Auren…in the fae realm. Where I haven't been since I was a child.

I turn to my brother. "Did you find her?" I ask, the question coming out fearful. I'm almost too scared to ask, too scared to hear his reply. Because what if the answer is bad?

I don't fucking know if I can bear it.

But Slade juts up his chin and moves his eyes, and I follow his line of sight. "I found her," he tells me, and I feel my heart stop and start all at once.

My mother stands there.

She looks happy. Safe. Smiling with a group of fae and even some of the Drollard villagers right here on the street. In the sunshine. Not in a horrible freezing mountain in the middle of nowhere.

I immediately race forward, breaking away from the group. People turn to look at me as I run down the brick road, and the commotion makes my mother turn and lock eyes on me.

I see her gasp just before I reach her. I fling my arms around her, wrapping her in a hug as I hold her close. "Mother," I say as I squeeze her, heart spilling over with my tears.

I've been so fucking afraid.

But I was so relieved to see her that I forgot to be cautious. To not scare her.

Shaking, I force myself to pull away. "I'm sorry," I quickly say, because if she's having a bad day, if her memories are more jumbled than usual…

But no. My mother looks at me, and her green depths are clear. Her smile beaming and watery with overflowing joy.

I gasp out a sob, and she smooths a hand lovingly over my cheek as I shake in relief. "Are you alright?"

She nods, and finally, I'm able to breathe right. Able to exhale all that wringing worry I've been strangled with since the moment I discovered she was gone.

The two of us turn as the rest of our group catches up. We all stand here on the street together, while fae watch us curiously, most of them giving Argo a wide berth. I see Slade reassuring them that he won't attack, watch Auren and Digby and Rissa talking.

I shake my head, almost dumbfounded at it all.

"How the hell did we find ourselves here?" I say to Lu.

She snorts. "No clue. But…we're together. That's what matters."

I know she's thinking of Judd, that we all will feel the loss of him in the empty space where he would've normally stood. That we'll feel his absence in every pause between people speaking, where he would've cracked a joke.

"I fucking miss him," Lu confesses, her voice tortured.

"Me too."

She takes in a deep breath and blows it back out as she glances up at the purple sky through the trees. "He would've liked it here, I think."

He would've been ecstatic to see this place, no doubt about it.

"I think we should celebrate finding each other over some fae wine," she says, drawing everyone's attention. "For Judd."

So we do exactly that.

We sit around a table with wine and words, and we celebrate and grieve.

But like Lu said, we're together.

And that's what matters.