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The hard set of his mouth as his gray eyes roamed mine told me he meant every word.
“Especially yourself. We’ll face the darkness together, head on.” His fingers tightened across my spine, his words falling from his mouth with renewed fervor. “We’llbecomeit. Make the worldfearus for it. Kazimir hasnothingcompared to our combined might.”
The last of my tears dried as I felt the strength of Ruslan’s conviction through our bond. The worry bled from his eyes, morphing into pride as I straightened, steeling myself with what I needed to do to make that happen. It was time for kings to fall and for us to make rivers run with blood.
“Let’s go train.”
7
The fire popped and crackled as I allowed it to lull me into a meditative state. The flow of being was a welcome reprieve from the anxiety that had gripped me as we neared the border with the Crystal Realm. Kazimir, Viktor, and I had been riding hard in an attempt to reach the Day Realm in time for the little princess’s announcement, and yet sleep did not call for me as the stars winked into existence overhead. Only the smell of smoke that filled my nostrils and the heat licking across my skin kept me company, my friends having dipped into their tents to rest. I didn’t trust that this close to the border, we’d be safe from attack.
My hair fell into my eyes and I brushed it back, no doubt leaving a trail of dirt along my already sweat-soaked and stained skin. We were used to living like this on the road, bathing in the rivers and occasional lakes that popped up in the Night Realm, but the insanity of the last year had me yearning for a bed, bath, and roof over my head.
An owl hooted above me, startling me from my reverie, and I glanced around our small camp to see what disturbed it. Nothing moved in my line of vision, though the leaves on the trees aroundus ruffled with a light breeze. Grasping my wineskin, I gulped down several mouthfuls, trying to still my beating heart and put myself to sleep.
Viktor snored off to my left, and I sighed, dropping back against my rolled up pack. The stars were brilliant through the canopy, enhanced by the lack of light from the moon. I tried counting them in a halfhearted attempt to distract myself from thoughts of Liliana. Every night when I closed my eyes, no matter where we were, there she was, her white smile flashing in my direction, her head tipping back in laughter, or her seafoam green eyes sparkling with mischief.
I understood how Kazimir had felt when Izidora was in the Iron Realm and we traversed a very similar path through the other realms to find her.
Was Liliana safe? Had she moved on from me?
The last letter I’d sent her was as much a warning as it was a plea. I had no idea if I’d see her in the Day Realm, but with every fiber of me, I hoped I would. Vadim worried for her too, though he’d never admit to it. And High Lord and High Lady Arzeni had nearly collapsed when we returned without her. If I could bring them news of her good health and happiness, it would ease their pain.
My mind ran circles until the first hint of day began banishing the stars one by one. The fire had died to embers, merely smoldering at my feet.I couldn’t bring myself to move, to face the day we entered the Crystal Realm. But if I didn’t wake Kazimir at first light, he’d be pissed about us losing time.
What could he possibly think would happen when we arrived?
Taking a lazy overhead stretch, I yawned wide, my jaw popping with the effort, then sat upright. Rubbing my eyes with the heels of my palms, I tried to ease the tiredness that lingeredthere. “Kazimir, Viktor, it’s time to get going,” I groaned, muscles and joints protesting as I pushed to my feet.
Muffled sounds drifted from their tents, and I fished out some dried meat from my bags to chew on while we packed camp. Viktor stumbled out first, looking as though he was still asleep, and from muscle memory alone broke down his tent and rolled it up to tie behind his saddle. Kazimir emerged looking fresh and rested, then strode around our encampment with ease.
Must be nice to feel so invincible that sleep came easy no matter where we were.
I paid him no further attention as I readied our mounts, throwing our heavy packs across their backs and buckling saddles around their bellies. Within a dozen minutes, we were astride our horses and angling them back toward the road that led to the Crystal Realm.
No one had spoken, and for that I was grateful. I wanted to hear any potential hoofbeats racing in our direction, and more than that, speaking would give away our location. A sidelong glance at Viktor revealed his lips pressed together and his shoulders tense beneath the fighting leathers he wore. The two of us were dressed for battle because, honestly, we could face one at any moment. Though Viktor disagreed in words, his choice of attire spoke volumes.
The sun drifted higher in the sky, and the trees began to thin, signaling our arrival into the Crystal Realm. We hugged the foothills of the Agrenak Mountains, and on this side of them, the glaciers shone from the top layer that melted and ran off the sides, filling the lakes with their icy, fresh water. Thousands of waterfalls flowed over cliffs, some merely a trickle, others mighty in their strength, but all breathtaking. Viewing them from this distance was incredible, and it looked like the mountains had been painted with them by the expert hand of a master artisan.
As we closed in on one particularly large waterfall, the crashing water overtook my ears, and we did not hear or see the Crystal Realm’s soldiers until we were nearly upon them.
“Stop where you are!” A tall male with dark blond hair called, standing in his stirrups to make himself known. The white horse pranced beneath him, but with the grace of the Crystal Fae, he hardly swayed.
Yanking on my reins, I slowed my horse, coming to a stop in line with Viktor and Kazimir. Both my friends stared straight ahead, and I returned my attention to the approaching party. “Who seeks passage through the Crystal Realm of the Északi Empire?”
Clearing his throat and pasting on a disarming smile, Kazimir shouted, “King Kazimir of the Night Realm, along with High Lords Endre Zadik and Viktor Adimik!”
The cavalry eyed us warily, but there was no denying we were Night Fae. Whether they believed we were noble was a different story. “Where are your papers?” the leader questioned.
“Papers?” Kazimir said with a light laugh. “I need no papers. I am the king of the Night Realm.”
“All those seeking entry into the Crystal Realm are to have papers granting permission to enter. If you do not possess them, we cannot let you pass,” he explained, a hand hovering near the sheath strapped to his saddle. Behind him, three mounted archers tightened their grip on their bows, drawing back the strings ever so slightly.
With a furious glance toward Viktor, I tried to convey my confusion and concern, but he ignored me. The distant look in his eye told me his mind was churning over a way out of our predicament.
“Why wasn’t the Night Realm informed of this change? We do, after all, share a border.” Kazimir’s voice hardened, the deeptimbre resonating with a hint of fury – one that usually did not bode well.
“Recent orders,” the leader explained, hand twitching. “Now, if you’ll please return to the Night Realm and come back when you have the proper paperwork.”
