Page 154 of Prince of the Phantom Sky

“You trapped us?” Raiden growled. “You kept us in the darkness. In the cold. People died in the Mist! We could’ve . . . I could’ve—”

“I couldn’t control it.” Zephyr raised his hands, steaming wafting from his skin. Now seeing it, Kora chastised herself for not realising sooner. “It’s impulsive, old magic. A panicked, primal reaction to Barron’s attack. It took nearly everything I had, as soon as Davy was taken, our forces weakening. I had no idea what it was when it happened. It just . . . appeared.”

“You ruined our lives for ten years!” Raiden yelled.

“I saved you all for ten years,” Zephyr answered, backing out slowly. “Now it’s your turn. Aerion, we need your magic to defend the people. Set up a perimeter, I’ll do what I can to get them out. I’ll take Altha and most of the healers. Miss Silvermaid has volunteered to stay behind.”

Silvermaid.

Kora teetered on the spot, her stare whipping around the room. Flashes of Agatha rippled between bodies, her steely presence a knife in the heart. Where was she? How was this happening?

Sirona stepped forward from behind Zephyr, bobbing her head. She’d scraped back her wild mass of hair and pushed the sleeves of her white shirt up to her elbows. A belt lined her thick hips, an assortment of vials and herbs dangling from it, along with a pouch of gauze and bandages.

“Send any casualties to me that can’t make it to the mountains. We’ll be safe underground in the infirmary.”

Kora gasped, and Raiden glanced at her curiously.

“How . . .” Kora’s voice died, unable to make a sound as everyone conferred with Sirona. She cast a strange look at Kora, her dark eyes sliding to Raiden and back, before exiting the ballroom, tugging a couple guards in tow for protection.

Sirona Silvermaid.

How was she related to Agatha? Had they known each other? Kora stepped forward, wanting to follow her, wanting to ask her a thousand questions, but Zephyr’s whipping tone barking orders was like a bucket of cold water.

She couldn’t chase after Sirona, not now. Not when—boom—it was raining cannons.

Aerion nodded once in response to Zephyr’s continuous orders, his curls bouncing over the red strap across his forehead. Zephyr gathered a unit of soldiers, instructing a directional path akin to the one Kora had taken with Raiden to the mountains.

“If you don’t make it, fly them up to the pass,” Raiden snapped, his ire barely contained. “Protect Haizea’s rift. We think Barron might be targeting it.”

Zephyr paused, glancing at his sons briefly. He aged in that moment, his extreme demeanour crumbling, his eyes glistening with sorrow.

“Lead them into the future,” Zephyr spoke softly. “Do not let him win. For Ilma, Iris, and the island.”

“Zephyr,” Erick limped from the foyer, his infirmary gown swapped for armour of dark steel. “I need to speak to you before you leave.”

The king nodded, and Kora’s eyes narrowed as the two males left the space, their voices hushed. It was never good when Erick wanted a private chat. But Raiden’s pain kept her rooted to his side, the need to protect him from his father’s wrath hazing her mind. Plus, the shock of Sirona’s identity.

Who was she?

She cricked her neck, followed by rolling her shoulders. Every muscle was tense, every fibre cold with dread.

“He’s right.” Aerion drew a line across the map, before the promenade. “I’ll protect the land for as long as possible.”

“Your magic can’t sustain that much for that long,” Aryn argued. “You’ll be in the firing line. You could die!”

Aerion took his hand. “I’m heir apparent. Protecting my people and their survival means everything. Without Galen, Devania falls.”

Aryn blinked, gold appearing and fading repeatedly as he gripped Aerion’s hand tightly. “I will protect your back.”

Aerion glanced at Kora, an edge of despair lined in his stare. Aryn was bonded to protect her, and in that instance, she wished she could gift them the bond. To release Aryn.

“We’ll find Barron,” Raiden decided. “He’ll be coming for Kora. He won’t expect us to find him first.”

“He’ll stay on his ship.” Kora stepped forward, pushing her curiosity about Sirona to the back of her mind. “He always watches the battle unfold. Let me command a ship.” Everyone agreed without hesitation. “I’ll take out as many ships as I can until I find him.”

“Pirates will help,” Hector announced from the corner of the room. “This is our home, too. We won’t see it fall.”

Her breath caught. Teaming up with the pirates. How much had her world turned?