Chapter 26

Chapter

Twenty-Six

TRESSYA

Tamas had vanished into the night in search of Osmud and Bryra, intending to send them north. I argued we needed all the willing help we could get, and almost lost our argument because Tamas' stubbornness was reinforced by his irrational belief he was invincible, further bolstered by his possession of two potent weapons: the nightmare and the Eone—the latter not only a potent weapon, but a seriously dangerous and uncontrollable weapon I doubted even Tamas knew how to control—I could only hope he wasn't appeasing me by agreeing, only to do as he wished once he reached them.

I'd nothing to pack but the clothes I wore, so I was the first to the reception room with its lingering smell of burned parchment. The ashes lay on the table where Tamas had left them before he strode for the door, declaring he would track Osmud and Bryra down.

The sensation of being watched alerted me to someone's presence before I heard the door creak an aged welcome. I turned to see Gusselan closing the door behind her.

"I hate the idea of leaving you here."

"Not as much as I loathe the idea of racing across the Ashenlands. I can honesty say I'm happy to find my journey at an end."

As she walked toward the table where we had gathered early, her tense posture suggested she wanted to discuss something challenging or sensitive but was uncertain how to approach the topic, unlike the Mother, who never struggled to express her opinions, criticizing or belittling the listener in the process. I waited, giving her time to choose how best to say what was on her mind.

At the table she ran a finger through the parchment's ashes, leaving a dark smudge on the wood's surface. "Do you trust him?"

I paused for a beat, not expecting her to address Tamas and my relationship. Rather, I had thought she would query what had infected me with a chill so deep it was like I'd turned to ice. "Strangely, yes."

"He's as great a threat to your safety as the Salmun."

"He's a threat to many, but not to me." No one understood what Tamas and I had because no one saw the intimate moments we shared, no one could reach inside my heart to feel the strength he silently gave—Tamas was subtly rewriting all the laws laid down by the Mother, teaching me that love was power and not its opposite .

"Love doesn't always endure for eternity, especially when faced with the trials you must overcome."

"He's Razohan."

"He's a man. Their hearts are all the same."

"Then you don't know about or understand the mate bond between pairs."

She quirked a brow. "Is this an excuse he's used to subdue your doubt?"

I pulled up the sleeve of my shirt, revealing the scar from Tamas' bite. "The night he attacked the Sapphire Rose, I was at his mercy. He could've killed me. It's what he came to do. But rather than kill me, he gave me this."

"Then it's a malicious binding. A way for him to control you."

Gusselan, a disciple of her order, was likely raised to feel nothing but allegiance to her Reverend Mother. No doubt love was excised from her heart because it crippled one's purpose. Yet, as a mother herself, she understood the depths of that one emotion; she knew it was impossible to imprison the heart. Though, I doubted I could say much to make her understand, as just a few months ago, I would have thought the same as her.

"No."

He'd admitted biting me so he could track me, but only to keep me safe, and I would never voice those words aloud, hearing the naivety at their core.

"The mate bond is a bond of love for eternity."

"He told you that?" Gusselan made an exasperated sound. "A daughter of the Sistern should be smarter than that. "

Feeling the slow climb of annoyance, I inhaled before I answered, needing my calming breaths to see the end of this argument. Na?ve, ignorant and compliant were just three of the words the Mother had used to describe me. And now Gusselan thought to use the same. Recently, she was a mere stranger, so why should I care how she characterized me? Yet, I did—dammit.

"Perhaps I've misjudged you," she continued. "Since arriving in Tolum, you've committed many serious offenses, not least of which was freeing my son from his place of death. I fear your blind faith in this northerner and his companions may lead to your downfall—and potentially that of the seven realms."

"I wish I could make you understand. I know Tamas." Do I? "He's no more desirous of the Bone Throne than I am."

But he headed for the Bone Throne on his return to Tolum, did he not?

"If so." She lifted her hand from the ashes, rubbing the dark smudging between her fingertips. "Then why did he destroy the map?"

To ensure only he knew the way. "Because he already knows where to go." I mentally shook off Gusselan's concerns, telling myself to stay strong against her doubts. Tamas knew where to find the Etherweave because the Eone had told him, yet he was still intent on taking me. He had chosen me as his anchor, the one person to shield him from their relentless interference. There could be no greater demonstration of trust than that.

She faced me and took a step forward. I knew from the deep-set groove of her brows, I wouldn't like what she intended to say. "Don't make yourself a victim along the way. He needs no one's help to reach the Etherweave now."

"Perhaps he never did, but he brought me with him. If he wasn't intending on taking me, why rescue us from Emberfell? Far better for him if he left us to the Salmun."

"Maybe that's his fear. If the Salmun have you, they have access to the Etherweave. Perhaps that's why he keeps you close."

I turned away from her as the burgeoning beast of my fear struggled to rise within me, gnashing its blade-shape teeth. Gusselan was not present in our intimate moments to hear the words we shared; she was not privy to the rhythm of my heart as it beat in time with his. She didn't understand the trust, the vulnerability that felt like being warmly cradled in the arms of someone who would do anything to protect you. Or perhaps these were just my childish, fanciful dreams surfacing again?

Stop it. I clenched my fists, battling against the urge to succumb to the ugly, snarling beast within that wanted to tear my confidence and belief in Tamas apart.

"You need never worry about me." I kept my back to her. "I'll always survive."

"Will you this time?"

I tilted my head back, closing my eyes as if to shield myself from the possibility that Gusselan might be right. I shouldn't allow her to infect me like this, to let the worry seep in that I was remaining na?ve by dismissing her concerns, by refusing to believe she could be right. I pressed my hand to the scar on my chest, knowing the Mother succeeded in possessing me because I allowed her to keep me ignorant. And what would happen if I repeated the same mistake with Tamas? The consequences were far worse.

I slowly turned to face her. "Thanks for your concern, but I have no chance of reaching the Etherweave without Tamas. Not if I hope to cross the Ashenlands." The nightmare was just the weapon against what lived within the Ashenlands.

She nodded. "Then don't let him play you for a fool."

The sound of the apostles noisily descending the stairs ended our conversation. We stared at each other for long moments before she stepped forward and took my hand. "Send Andriet to his rightful place. For all our sakes."

I hesitated, knowing the right reply, but unwilling to commit. Losing Carlin was the first time I felt my heart beat with the profound awareness that I was capable of feeling the depths of emotions the Mother was intent on destroying. Andriet's death was the next beat of my heart that made me truly understand that love holds the power to cripple as much as it strengthens the soul.

"I will." It was a promise I had to make.

He was still hurting, given he'd not sought me out at the manor, which he could have easily visited now he was no longer confined to his death place. As a spiritweaver, I had the power to summon him at any moment, yet out of shame, I hadn't done so, despite missing him terribly. However, I could no longer ignore what needed to be done. The Eone was real. Perhaps the legends of their war with the Divines were also true, which could mean the dire consequences might come to pass.

"Sorry we took so long," announced Tortilus on entering. "We were undecided which of our supplies we should pack. "

"In the end, we took everything," Selisimus said. "We figured since we have no idea what we may face, it's best we depart with as much knowledge as we feel we need."

"I hope you don't mind if we take a little time in the sanctum of solaria. I can think of a few volumes I would like to add to our collection," Tortilus continued. "Healing spells and the like."

"You're forgetting Tamas said you weren't coming with us. He'll return you to Emberforge, I'm sure, but no further."

"True, but Tamas is a northerner and holds no authority in the south," Tortilus challenged.

I tilted my head back and took a deep breath, anticipating many arguments before Tortilus came to his senses. The other three seemed content to follow his lead. I couldn't decide which was the best option. Anyone wielding magic would be helpful and therefore welcome, but I had yet to determine how effective the apostle's magic truly was.

I was about to say something when I heard the scuff of heels on the steps outside as someone arrived. Hearing the heavy tread and powerful stride, I knew it was Tamas. I doubted the others heard anything yet, which had to be a sign of my Razohan heritage slowly making itself known—I couldn't help but smile at the thought. The pleasant tingle around the bite mark was also a giveaway, and despite the looming threat, flutters in my stomach took flight, narrowing my focus to the one person who was about to enter the manor.

"We can have this conversation with Tamas again if you like, since he's just returned."

Everyone's gaze shifted toward the door, then back to me, before they exchanged looks. Moments later, the front door burst open, and heavy footfalls echoed toward the main room. As Tamas' heavy strides drew nearer, my heartbeat inched in anticipation just to lay eyes on him again—uncaring about the reason he'd left and whether he'd succeeded. The apostles edged closer to me, eventually positioning themselves behind me.

He charged through the door, wearing an expression darker than the night, his eyes settling on me first before flitting to Gusselan and the apostles.

"We leave now," he grouched.

"You caught up with Osmud and Bryra?" I said, a slight hitch to my voice, directly caused by the wild and somewhat ferocious glaze in his eyes; the predatory leader, the savage opponent, the man who opened my eyes and heart.

"They refuse to do as told by heading north."

At least I had a reason for his foul mood. I was worried it had something to do with the Eone.

He glared at me. "You're traveling with me."

"I guess that leaves us to travel with Osmud and Bryra," Tortilus announced.

Tamas snapped his gaze to the apostle. "To Emberforge, but no further," he grouched, then his gaze shifted to Gusselan.

"I'm not coming," Gusselan said

To which Tamas merely shrugged. "That's one less to concern ourselves with."

"How far away are the Salmun?" I said.

"Not far."

Wellard let out a shriek with the sudden and loud arrival of Osmud and Bryra, both pounding down the hall as though the Salmun were already on their tails.

"That's our signal." Tamas launched for my hand, then dragged me across the room for the door.

"I want to say goodbye to?—"

"You should've done that already," he grumbled, ignoring my struggle.

"Just go," Gusselan announced. "I would rather see you escape than hear you say a hundred goodbyes from your dungeon cell."

I surrendered to Tamas' urgency and allowed him to pull me across the room, knowing it was fruitless and foolish to fight him now with the Salmun so close to discovering us.

"What's your plan exactly?" I said once we were in the corridor, but rather than respond to me, he jerked his head toward the room. "Gusselan stays," he said to Bryra and Osmud and kept on his way.

"Shouldn't we wait for them?"

"No. Better if we travel separately. Separated targets make it hard to launch a coordinated attack."

"The Salmun are after the heirs to the throne, so we should travel separately. One of us has to survive," I said.

"No," he snapped, his restrained fury simmering like a brewing storm.

"We make it easier for the Salmun by sticking together."

"I'll not let you out of my sight, so don't waste your breath and our time on this argument."

Honestly, sometimes I could just punch him. I would loathe a man incapable of standing his ground, but Tamas' resistance at times was infuriating. "Is this raging mood partly because of the Eone?"

"It's because you're being a stubborn fool who won't do as you're told."

"And you're no different?" I announced, while skipping along beside him out the front doors. Now was not the time to get into an argument. "Fine, beast man, do your thing. But unlike Gusselan, I'm likely to pull hairs from your back."

"Just as long as you stay on." Those were the last words he spoke before he leaped from the portico and landed on the ground below as a beast.

My beast. Suddenly, a strange quiver erupted in my stomach, surging upward into my chest, transforming into an urgent call as it ascended. I felt an irresistible urge to run, to outpace the night, the moon, and the stars, leaving behind a wild song of freedom in my wake. Bizarrely, despite the looming danger, an irrepressible smile spread across my face, fired by the feral rhythm of my heart.

Tamas turned to face me, dipping his head low and pawing the ground as if impatient for me to climb aboard. For just a moment, I wanted to revel in the thrill of the promise; the promise of what awaited me as the Razohan within me emerged.

His growl forced me to move. I raced down the steps as he lowered one leg and leaped onto his back, slipping my legs either side of his large body, then leaned forward, grabbing a firm hold of a clump of his fur, my sole means of staying on.

He moved off as the others came out of the manor. When I glanced back at them, Tamas increased his speed, a silent urging for me to stay focused on the path ahead. I leaned over his forelegs, familiarizing myself with his gait. By keeping my thighs relaxed around his girth and allowing my body to flow in rhythm with his, I was prepared when he increased his strides, easily adjusting and moving in harmony with his pace.

I wasn't sure how far we needed to travel in this manner, and I wondered why he had chosen not to use the nightmare to return us to Tolum at twice the speed. Perhaps the memories of the last time he carried me in the nightmare's claws were still painfully fresh. Considering the Eone's persistent nuisance and their hatred for me, I shouldn't complain about the prospect of a sore ass. There was no telling what the Eone would decide once I was suspended miles above the ground.

While lost in my musing, Tamas suddenly veered left, catching me off guard, and I struggled to keep my seat. We moved swiftly; the forest bathed in the half-moon's glow blurring beside us. I leaned closer to his back, feeling his pace increase. What did he hear, smell, or sense to make him change his direction? With his increased pace, the wind ripped any sound from my ears.

My hair lashed against my face as I looked over my shoulder toward the motion I caught in the corner of my eye. Another beast advanced to our side; given the size, it was probably Bryra, who, even in her beast form, towered over Tamas. In the moonlight, I couldn't discern which of the apostles she bore. Shortly after, Osmud joined us on the opposite flank. Each of the northern beasts navigated the forest effortlessly, soaring over fallen logs as if they could fly, avoiding entanglement in the undergrowth.

I could only assume the presence of Osmud and Bryra beside us wasn't good news, considering Tamas had wanted us all to travel separately.

Bryra let out a low rumble in her throat, and the three northern beasts veered left in unison, as if reading each other's minds. They diverged at times to avoid thick-boughed trees but never strayed far from each other's sides. We moved so swiftly the chilling wind slipped under my clothes, yet I could easily endure the chill given I'd spent a harrowing flight gripped in the nightmare's claws.

A brilliant light pierced through the trees on my right, casting an intense flash that brightened the forest like a lightning strike. The muscles in my stomach clenched tight, and I had to tell myself to ease my fisted grip on Tamas' fur. The Salmun were the only ones capable of wielding such intense light. They'd come upon us so readily.

In the fading glow, I thought I saw something stirring among the trees. I bit back a shout, assuming the three northern beasts knew all too well that the Salmun's pets were on our trail. Unfortunately, they seemed able to keep pace with us.

Another flash of light revealed the extent of our plight. A swarm of the Salmun's creatures glided through the trees as effortlessly as fish through water. In the dying glow of Salmun's magic, I saw grotesque lizard-like creatures, their bodies covered in barbs. They used flaps of skin connecting their fore and hind limbs as sails and thick tails for balance. The shadows concealed the full extent of their natural defenses, but what I saw was enough to realize this battle would be formidable. There was no chance the three northern beasts could outrun them now.

With the Salmun's next assault, we veered abruptly left, forcing Tamas to leap over a boulder, which nearly unsettled me, before dodging around a tree. The next barrage of magic herded us right. At first, their tactics were perplexing, but it soon dawned on me they were not trying to confront us directly but to corral us, likely because of their uncertainty about our identities in the darkness.

Through the fading aura of the attack that flared above the trees like the morning sun, I saw the outline of giant galloping beasts with men on their backs. That's how the Salmun kept pace. Swift as horses, the animals moved on long, muscular legs. From this distance, they appeared comparable to Bryra in height and girth. For once, they seemed to be the only creatures the Salmun had created that didn't possess a terrifying array of intimidating defenses we couldn't hope to overpower single-handedly.

I wanted to warn Tamas, but again I was sure he'd already worked out their plan and noticed the Salmun astride their horse-like beasts. Besides, we were powerless to stop them. Our only hope was to outrun them, their magic and the lizard-like creatures, hunting us through the trees.

I leaned forward until I was practically laying across Tamas' back. The warmth of his beast form was a comforting caress along my legs, through my core, and now I could feel it on my face. Another time and I would close my eyes and wrap my arms around his massive form, nuzzling in to his woodland-scented fur. Beneath the scent of the woodlands, there was a deeper, animalistic aroma—primal, wild, and unmistakably masculine—that stirred the animal in me, the beast I'd yet to know, who was slowly shedding her shackles and making her presence felt, thanks to Tamas.

It had to be him. For twenty-three years, she had lived within me, subdued under the Mother's strict regime. A single bite from Tamas was all it took to unleash her, allowing her to stretch and extend her claws.

An eerie, mournful call rent the night, followed by a series of sharp yips. I glanced to my right, peering past the massive form of Osmud and into the trees, but the whipping wind brought tears to my eyes, and the darkness concealed the position of our enemies.

We burst from the forest; the moonlight casting a silvery glow onto a wide trail. None of the Salmun's creatures followed us into the open, but stayed within the darkness of the trees. The sound of snapping branches and excited yipping reminding us they continued to move alongside us.

A sudden shriek and in my periphery one apostle tumbled from Osmud's back, just as quick Osmud disappeared from beside us.

"Tamas," I shouted, but he kept his pace.

A cacophony of yowls and cries erupted from the forest ahead, signaling our enemy had moved forward, setting an ambush if we continued on the trail. It seemed we were surrounded. The Salmun had ceased using their magic, which had given away their position, and the forest descended into darkness.

"Tamas," I yelled. He had to stop. Osmud and the others needed our help, but he seemed intent on making it to Tolum with or without his friends.

My decision was perilous, but I couldn't bear the thought of anything happening to the apostles or Osmud because Tamas was determined to get me to safety.

I shifted to the right, releasing my grip on Tamas' fur, and launched myself off his back, bracing for the blow. However, at the last moment, my instincts activated my reflexes, enhanced reflexes I'd first experienced while sparring with the two Tolum warriors. Instead of crashing heavily onto my side, I tucked tightly, spun mid-flight, and landed on my feet, bending my knees to soften the impact.

In an instant, Tamas was in human form by my side.

"What the fuck are you doing?" he snarled.

"The apostles need our help."

I was about to turn and rush back to where I suspected they would be, but Tamas snagged my arm. "Tressya," he snarled.

"You're willing to leave them behind?"

"For now, I don't have a choice."

"I'm not okay with that."

He yanked me toward him. "You silly little fool. The Salmun don't give a shit about anyone else but you. They would have left them behind if we kept going."

I had to swallow the truth. I was the silly little fool who'd let her fear for her friends get the better of her.

A chorus of excited yips erupted.

"Too late now," I breathed, as I pulled the daggers Bryra had stolen for me from my belt.

Tamas cursed .

"Now's the time to prove how loyal these Eone are to your command," I said.

"This won't go well."

Bryra came up behind me, two apostles by her side. "We're surrounded," she said without a hint of urgency or fear.

Close by, leaves rustled, boughs cracked and soft, throaty sounds revealed the lurking threat of the lizard-like creatures.

"We always were," I breathed, feeling a tickle creep up my spine, knowing how closely they watched us. At least on the trail we could see an attack coming.

The two apostles who'd ridden on Osmud's back rushed toward us, followed close behind by Osmud himself, and I resisted the urge to sweep all of them in for a relieved hug.

"I'm sure it's not that bad," Selisimus said.

"You can't say because you can't see," Tortilus snapped.

"Shut up," barked Tamas.

"Tortilus, now's a good time to work on some of your spells," I said.

"Yes, right…that's an excellent idea," Tortilus said. "Plesy, Wella?—"

"Shut the fuck up," Tamas snarled, moving fast to cut off Tortilus' shout. "You're a bunch of fucking idiots."

That mood of his was growing worse. "There's no point staying quiet now," I breathed, gripping Tamas' hand now seized around Tortilus' throat.

"You should never have jumped," he shot to me.

"What's done is done."

He grunted. "We're fighting our way out of this one. Beast form," he ordered the other two, and then he was gone, and in his place prowled his beast.

I gripped the hilts of my daggers tighter, letting my sharpening vision cut through the darkness. Curses my beast had yet to reveal herself, but blessed be my Razohan heritage for enhancing my combat skills. I would need every ounce of that strength to overcome the Salmun's creatures.

Tamas, Osmud and Bryra encircled us, forming a protective cocoon around me and the apostles at the center. I'd rather be part of the fight, but knew my presence beside him would distract Tamas too much.

The excited yipping escalated into a frenzy, then one male, Tamas or Osmud—identifiable by their size, though which male it was I couldn't tell in the dark—vanished toward the trees, only to reappear moments later, dropping one of the broken lizard-like creatures onto the ground.

That was the signal for chaos to reign. The forest erupted into pandemonium. Their screeching calls from the trees enveloped us in a haunting herald of our impending doom. I spun in circles, unsure where to face first, as the creatures hid in the trees on both sides of the trail, while the Salmun remained silent somewhere in the forest.

Discipline . I needed the strongest pillar now, more than ever.

Suddenly, the creatures abandoned the trees. Limbs spread wide, they glided toward us, blotting out the stars.

The northern beasts were spectacularly fast, a bewildering display of immense speed and agility I couldn't track in the night. The sudden wave of the Salmun's creatures fell before the speed of the northerners as they worked tirelessly to prevent any from breaking their protective circle and reaching us. But how long could they continue the fight?

"We need light," I shouted to the apostles, just as my instincts urged me to look skyward. I spotted a dark shape soaring just above the tree line—another of the Salmun's maligned creations had arrived to cause us strife.

I paused for a heartbeat—the darkness wasn't to my advantage—timing my strike perfectly. The winged creature turned in a wide arc and headed back overhead. I waited, studying its path and speed. When it suddenly swooped, my heart spasmed, my fingers twitching to release my dagger. Not yet . I took two calming breaths. Almost . I gauged the arc of its descent, then, with a swift upward jerk, threw my dagger. A sudden screech of fury confirmed my aim, then came the dull thud as it landed dead further along the trail.

Damn, now I'd lost a blade.

"Get on the ground," I barked at the four of them. "Work on that spell."

No sooner had I issued my command than more winged creatures descended from the night sky. They flew in swift, swooping down to settle on the trail, but Tamas and the other two had their hands full eradicating the lizard-like creatures.

I strove for calming breaths, centering myself for the fight, and focused inward, reaching for the she-beast lurking beneath my skin.

Help now, girl . Give me your speed and strength.

She complied with my request, channeling strength through my limbs. I inhaled deeply, absorbing the awe-inspiring beauty of her vitality, her might, her resolve .

I burst from the protective circle the northern beasts had tried to keep and unleashed my full force upon the deadly foe to the dying cry of my name from one apostle.

Moving swifter than the wind, I cut through the winged horde, taking heads before any could spear me with their beaks. Two tried to take to the skies, but I leaped up and staked them both through the chest before their talons were more than a foot off the ground. Soaked in the sprayed blood from their dismembered heads, I panted through the exhilaration of the power my beast gave me, then arched my head back and released a throaty snarl.

My lesson was not to bask too long, for the creatures were numerous and the night long. The winged were few compared to the lizard-like spawn, and before I knew it, I'd destroyed those that had come from the sky, and was left to face the oncoming tree dwellers who'd broken from the northern beasts' fight. Lucky for me, my vitality surged. I moved in rhythm with my heartbeat and my blade, learning to trust my enhanced senses to win this fight. I swiveled, turned, ducked and flexed, my hands moving swift, efficient and precise.

Tamas and his beasts delivered a deadly blow to the remaining horde, and at last, the onslaught waned. I swiped upward, felling a solitary creature that had leaped from the trees, when a sudden, blinding flash of light came from the forest on the right of the trail, accompanied by a deafening rumble, reverberating through the ground, knocking me off my feet and sending me sprawling backward.

"Mercy upon us," cried Plesy.

"It's the Salmun," Wellard shouted. "They've caught us. "

I leaped to my feet, using the afterglow of the light to track Tamas, Osmud and Bryra, but only spied two of them. One of them was Bryra. Damn you, Tamas . I would bet my life he was the one missing, charging off with a hero's curse to save us, daring to take on the Salmun single-handedly.

"Stay down," I told the apostles. "Some handy spells would be good right now."

The four of them stayed huddled together on the trail, surrounded by dark blots of death—all the creatures we'd destroyed—as Osmud and Bryra positioned themselves to block the path from anything that should burst from the trees to the right of the trail.

"You heard her," Tortilus whispered. "Think brethren. What do we know?"

"My mind's blank," Plesy groaned.

I shut out their murmuring and shifted the hilt of my dagger in my palm. Magic would be a challenge to fight.

Despite Gusselan's warning, I would have to summon the dead.

‘Do as I say if you want to survive.' The Mother. Her silence had made me think perhaps she'd failed to possess me.

‘I can't say I'm overly joyful to hear your voice,' I thought.

‘Shut up and listen to me.'

‘Spiritweaver, remember, old crone? You've got no control over me from in there.'

A mighty roar echoed in the distance to our right, swiftly followed by a cry of surprise. Damn, Tamas. He was determined to become a heroic legend. As quickly as the voice was silenced, another streak of light transformed the night sky into a blinding white blaze. This time, I braced myself for the violent tremors beneath my feet, absorbing the shift and staying upright.

‘You'll be dead if you don't cooperate.' The Mother's voice echoed through my head, sharp as an axe.

‘With you?'

‘Do you think I'm as eager to die as you?'

‘You're already dead.'

‘You know what I mean. Use your soul voice, Tressya. I've seen what you've done with it.'

‘How dare you shift through my memories.'

‘Stupid girl, that's what you're concerned about?'

‘No, but when this is over, I'll burn you from my mind.'

Her silence was a reprieve from listening to her voice, but the Mother was powerful and cunning, so it was worth heeding her plan.

Bryra suddenly took flight, vanishing into the trees so fast she was gone in a blink. Gifted with such speed, perhaps the three northerners would survive the Salmun's magic after all. I'd killed so many of their filthy pets with my new found speed, agility and strength, and I was only just coming into my abilities as a Razohan.

"Go," I yelled to Osmud. "Help them."

He looked over his massive shoulder at me. I couldn't see his eyes, but I could imagine what they would tell me. Then he was gone, disappearing almost as fast as Bryra, smashing through the forest to join the other two and confront the Salmun head-on.

I breathed out, shedding the tension I'd felt discovering Tamas, the crazy fool, had disappeared into the trees to the right of the trail alone.

‘ Glad you realize without me you're a spirit in limbo. So tell me,' I continued.

‘Combined, we will be undefeatable against the Salmun. My power of soul voice added to your soul word, and we will scorch the minds of our enemies.'

Magic, turning the forest into a lethal display of Salmun might, distracted from the Mother's plan. The trees lit as though it was day. To my dismay, I saw not only the approaching Salmun on the backs of their beasts, but more of their distorted creations.

A single roar of fury split the air—Tamas—followed by excited yips and shrieks. I sucked in a breath, knowing Tamas, the bloody fool, was out there somewhere, thinking he could stand against the Salmun and their creatures on his own. At least Bryra and Osmud were now with him.

‘We do this now.'

‘Your lover is likely already dead. Heroism without cunning is death.'

Ignoring her and the words she spoke that raised a spear through my heart, I reached within for my soul word.

My soul word came to me like a wave to the shore, a deluge of Sistern power, eager to do my bidding. Whether the Mother was willing or ready, I didn't care, and with the next sound of a beastly roar, chorused by shrieks and screeches that ran like claws down my spine, I fisted Aetherius in my mind.

‘Take my strength,' her voice echoed through my head.

Joined by the Mother's will, the power of Aetherius expanded within, roiling like angry thunder, bursting to be free.

I shut out the chaos of the night and the magic of the Salmun, roaring my soul word into the darkness with the force of a tidal wave. It shot forth, an onrush that sucked the last of my breath and strength along with it. I fell to my hands and knees beside the apostles under the sudden and immense release, feeling hollowed out and empty. An eerie, oppressive silence filled the night air.

I knelt, scouring the darkness for signs the Mother and I had succeeded.

"What happened? Are we saved?" Plesy said.

My eyes soon adjusted to the moonlight, but I still couldn't see through the dense forest. The only sounds were the rustle of leaves from the gentle breeze. It seemed even the Salmun's creatures had vanished.

"Tamas," I shouted, leaving the apostles and racing for the trees.

"Wait," came Tortilus' cry.

I slowed when I spotted a black, disfigured form on the ground—one of the Salmun's pets. Dagger in hand, I nudged its body but got no response. Further on, I encountered another, and a little further still, I found three more. None of them appeared injured or dismembered. Presumably, the Salmun's will guided them. They were felled the moment I disabled the Salmun.

"Tamas," I cried.

Continuing on through the forest, I came upon the Salmun, scattered across the ground, some partially trapped beneath their motionless mounts .

"Tressya," Tamas yelled.

"I'm here." I hastened toward his voice. In the moonlight, I watched him bound toward me, trying to assess if he was injured by the way he walked.

We collided, forcing the wind from my lungs as we embraced.

"Are you hurt?" we said together.

"I'm fine," we replied together.

"You're a bullheaded madman," I admonished, with a punch to his arm, then buried my head in his chest, inhaling his sweat-filled scent. "Acting heroic without thought will get you killed. You were outnumbered, yet you faced the Salmun alone." It all came out in a rush. "It was unbelievably stupid. And you think to rule making decisions like that?"

He pressed a hand to the back of my head, holding me firm against his chest, so I could hear the ragged beat of his heart. "They weren't getting to you."

"Stop risking yourself to save me."

"You're asking me to do the impossible."

I pushed away from him, glaring up into his dark eyes, like hollow pits in the moonlight. "I saved all our asses just now. That's your lesson. Learn to trust in me."

Then, after feeding as much of my fury into my glare, I clawed myself back into his arms. I hadn't realized what I was holding in until the fight was over. It was only when I felt his hard body against mine, could I convince myself he was alive and unharmed. Finally, my bridled fear cascaded through me, a powerful current that swept all my courage and strength to my feet. I leaned into Tamas, forcing him to take more of my weight .

"I knew it was you. But how?" he said.

I shook my head, not wanting to involve the Mother just yet, not while I continued to feel battered and raw inside. I never allowed the thought that Tamas was dead manifest, but it had sprung unbidden all the same, lurking just below my awareness. In his arms, I was safe to let the thought free.

"How about we trust in each other, that what we decide to do is right?" he murmured, giving me the grace to keep my secret.

"I can't," I snapped. "You make so many terrible decisions."

He stroked my hair as I turned my head to rest my face on his chest, and I was rewarded with the rumble of his chuckle in his chest as it gently tremored against my cheek, the secure embrace of his arms holding me tight against him, and the warmth of his breath in my hair.

"My decisions are all about keeping you safe. I won't stop doing that."

"Stubborn beast," I mumbled against his chest.

"You sent Bryra and Osmud after me. They were supposed to stay with you," he growled. "But it seems they obeyed you over me."

‘And you're the pathetic fool if you continue like this,' the Mother said.

"Stars, she's right." I struggled from Tamas' embrace.

"What are you talking about?"

"We can't stay here. The Salmun aren't dead. They'll rouse in time."

"What did you do to them?"

"It's just a little trick I've learned." I smirked, but Tamas likely missed it, or not, since he had the eyes of a Razohan. There was no point in being coy, neither did we have time. "It's not magic. I can't defeat them in that game. The Sistern's power deals with the mind. And it seems my soul word has quite the mental punch. Lucky for us, the Salmun's creatures are powerless without their masters."

"You remain an enigma to me."

If we weren't still in danger, I'd make sure Tamas knew what those simple words did to me.

The sound of the rest of our party approaching drew us apart.

"They're not dead," Tamas said, assuming a commanding voice, because he couldn't stop being a leader. "We have to reach Emberforge before any of them wake."