84. Oz

84

Oz

I 'm with Kami at Baphomet Tower, the monarch's palatial grounds. We've been looking for Rilitar, and the trees mentioned a powerful earth fae with the monarch.

I still can't get over how handy it is to have information at our fingertips thanks to Kami's dryad power.

"So the trees talk to you all the time now? I thought they did before." I pause with her in the forest outside the grounds.

There are elves and Nyte Guards stationed as sentries, visible on purpose, no doubt, to warn us not to approach.

I don't think anyone the monarch hasn't invited has ever broken into the palace.

I can't wait to be the first.

I grin and look down at Kami.

She smiles up at me, and I realize I must have shared my thoughts.

It makes me uncomfortable. I am ecstatic at bonding with Kami, and even with the others. Like a true fae family. But my thoughts are my own.

She pats my arm. "I know. I feel the same way. I think if you work harder on closing down your mind, like building a mental wall around your thoughts, that might help."

I don't want to insult her by telling her I don't want her in my mind.

Apparently, I don't have to.

She sighs. "Being Kept is going to take some getting used to. I am so open to the trees now, Oz. I was before, but I had to work at communicating with more than one at a time. And sometimes even an older oak would give some pushback."

"Really?"

She nods. "But now I can tap into what they sense by thinking it. It's pretty awesome, actually. But the others in my head, not so much."

She pauses. "One thing though."

There's a scuffle by the front gate, and we watch as a Nyte Guard takes a message from two of Rilitar's sylphs and disappears.

I'm reminded of the part I played in her initial capture, when I presented her to Rilitar. Of how many times I've failed to protect her.

"I'm sorry, Kami," I blurt, unable to help myself.

"Oz, stop. You aren't to blame for the cave."

"But I am for not killing Daleyne." Maybe the more I call her by that name, the faster I'll forget she was ever my mother. That's also the reason Malkar insisted he search for her while we keep an eye out for Rilitar.

"Not even for that." Kami tugs me closer, and the trees slowly move to shield us even more from view, not that anyone's aware we're here.

"But I?—"

"Stop. Growing up, Ahza and I only had each other. I have vague memories of my mom. She was nice, I think. And warm. And then she was gone. "

I refuse to remember my mother being nice or fun. She killed my father and tossed me to Yssa.

"But your mom wasn't always terrible, was she?"

I shake my head, unable to speak.

"When you love someone, it's hard to let go. Even harder when it's a parent or sibling." She's stroking my arm, and we watch as Rilitar appears at the gate and has a conversation with his people.

"I'm weak," I admit.

"So am I." Kami sighs. "I should never have agreed to work for Rilitar, but Ahza wanted more adventure. I just wanted a home. Someplace for him and me to settle and have grand lives. Life has its own way of dumping us in the path we're meant to take."

"Meant to take? Or that we mean to take?" I'm not a big believer in destiny. We make our own fates.

"Look, even if Ahza were to turn evil, I couldn't kill him." Kami is staring at Rilitar, who's conveniently having this conversation outside the castle, so we can see him.

"Malkar said to watch only. Not act."

"Right." She looks at me. "But he's so close. Maybe just a nudge?"

"You know he's bait, right?"

She frowns. "Of course I do. I might not be a warrior and good at battles, but I'm no mark. I know a con when I see one."

"If Rilitar's here, where do you suppose the monarch and his demon are?"

"I wish I knew." She glares at Rilitar. "He killed my brother. He trapped you and the others. He's a bad person."

She has no idea what that elf got up to before she and her brother joined him.

"Do we have to wait for Malkar?"

I like the way she's thinking. "Well, do you think you and I could defeat Rilitar, Nyte Guards, and who knows who else is in there?"

For all I know, my— Daleyne— could be tucked away in the palace, though the trees thought they'd sensed her off in Godtown, amassing more troops.

"I think this forest would like nothing better than to help me out." Kami gives her version of an evil grin, which looks cute on the dryad.

"You've been helping me out since I met you." I cup her cheek and kiss her soft lips.

Her expression gentles. "I love you, Oz."

I blink, stunned at the admission. I never thought I was all that loveable since my mother clearly never cared.

And I realize I care whether Kami lives or dies. That she have a future filled with laughter and love. She's so much better than the rest of us, so full of innocence and joy.

Such growth in life and in death.

I love you too, I think at her.

Her smile is blinding.

So much so that I don't feel them around us until the blade is through my chest, and blood is pouring from the wound while more blades join that one. My thigh, my back, my neck.

The Nyte Guard knows best how to cause pain.

But as my strength wobbles and I drop to my knees, it's Kami's scream that hurts the most.