Kastali Dun

Claire and Talon followed Feowen, emerging into a dark corridor that was very obviously part of the dungeon. She shuddered, remembering her fear all too well during those dark days when she'd first come here. Talon's fingers brushed down her back, accompanied by a wave of self loathing. He hated that he had ever thrown his mate in the dungeon, locking her up for days inside a filthy cell like a criminal.

"It's all right," she soothed. She'd already forgiven him for it, but he'd never truly forgiven himself, nor the fact that he hadn't apologized directly afterward, that it had taken him too long to make things right.

"Just down this way," Feowen said before stopping before a cell door. There were many along this corridor. "The guards won't make another pass for about fifteen minutes, so we need to make it quick. I usually heal his mind so that he can communicate, then spend a few minutes filling him in on everything."

There was a loud click, then the door swung open.

"Feowen," a familiar voice greeted.

Her breath caught. She couldn't wait another moment. Pressing past the prince, she burst into the small cell. There was a shocked gasp, and then she was swallowed up into the embrace of Reyr's arms. "Claire!" he breathed, burying his face in her neck as he lifted her off her feet, holding her tightly. "Is this truly you?"

"I'm here," she managed, a sob breaking free of her chest. Her eyes blurred. She squeezed them tight to keep the tears from falling. "I missed you so much."

"I missed you more," he growled before setting her down, framing her face with his hands.

The dim mage light cast him into shadow, but she saw enough. A laugh burst from her chest. "You've grown a beard!" Without thinking, she reached up and ran her fingers over it. It made him look older—much older. Or was that the expression in his eyes, the fatigue lurking there? Gods, he'd been here months, stuck in this tiny cell. Just thinking about everything he'd been through, before and after...

Her heart squeezed tight. "We're going to get you out, I promise. But not yet."

His gaze darted over her face. They stood staring at each other, cataloguing everything, making sure the other was unharmed. She was aware of Talon, quietly standing by to give them their time together—

A throat cleared. "I hate to rush things, Your Majesty, but..."

"Right. Sorry," she said, throwing a glance at the prince.

It was then she noticed the woman beside him. She'd been speaking quietly with Feowen. Only, she noticed the way the woman's eyes kept darting to Reyr, the way they softened each time. She was of a similar age, from the looks of it, with black hair and bright blue eyes. Her expression was wary.

"You must be my body-double," Claire said, stepping away from Reyr. "Merrian, right?"

"That's right." The woman's voice was little more than a whisper.

Because they shared minds, she was aware of Talon and Reyr embracing behind her, of Talon's immense relief as he held his best friend, then clapped him on the back. They moved away and begin whispering.

"You're even more beautiful than the disguise they placed on me," Merrian said, a wary expression on her face.

"Oh." She felt her cheeks flush, not having expected that. "Thank you."

Merrian's throat bobbed. "Did you really mean that? That you're going to get us out of here?" The words came out high pitched and desperate.

"I did. Now, come here." Before Merrian could protest, she pulled the woman into a tight embrace. Merrian's muscles locked up, but she didn't release her. If anything, she only squeezed tighter. She didn't care that Merrian's clothes were disheveled and dirty, that she probably hadn't bathed properly in ages. She only cared about comforting someone who'd been stuck down here all because of her.

"Thank you—for what you did, standing in for me in my absence. I know things didn't quite work out but, I know what it's like being down here. Only, I can't imagine being stuck here for months."

"You're welcome." Those simple words were a relief.

She released the woman and looked her over. "I cannot wait to hear all about what it was like being me, and having to deal with that." She gestured towards Reyr.

A laugh burst from Merrian's chest and her features softened. "I can tell you that it wasn't easy. Who knew drengr were so broody?"

"Oh, you have no idea. Well, I'm sure you do now that you've been stuck with one for so long, I don't need to tell you." They both shared a quiet laugh.

"We need to get moving," Feowen said, breaking up the party. While she'd been acquainting herself with Merrian, Feown and Talon had been filling Reyr in on everything. No doubt he'd do the same with Merrian after they left.

Her heart gave a painful pang. She'd barely even gotten to see to Reyr.

She glanced around and noticed several bundles hidden in the shadows. Provisions and things Feowen had brought to keep them more comfortably in captivity. She couldn't wait to get them out of here.

"Soon..." she breathed, giving Merrian a final nod, a promise.

Then she went back to Reyr, pushing past Talon to wrap her arms around his waist and squeeze. He lifted an arm and wrapped it around her shoulders, squeezing her back.

"My healing should last you until your next dose of dragon's bane," Feowen was saying to him. "You'll be able to keep up to date during that time."

She looked up at him, hopeful. "We can communicate?"

"Until my mind is locked down again."

She knew exactly how that felt.

They gave their final goodbyes, then slipped out.

There was even less time to visit Dallin and Verath. Only enough for a few quick hugs, so that Feowen could cleanse both their minds, allowing them to speak telepathically. Then they were rushing away before the guards caught them.

"I'm so glad you made it back safely," Reyr's voice followed her out of the dungeon. She was thrilled to be able to hear him. "And I can't wait to hear all about what transpired after Kane sent you away."

She spent their walk back to the cave sending him projections and rushed explanations of everything, from waking up in France, to all the news stories, to Talon showing up. Reyr was excited to meet her parents through some of the projections she sent him, but she could tell that he wished he could have met them in person. He was also amused by the scenes that included Leah, even more so when she let slip a few that showed the tension between Leah and Jovari.

What would he do when he found out they were mates?

Gods, she was so glad she could talk to him like this. It made the sting of his captivity a little easier to bear. And she fully intended to take advantage of every moment they could communicate together until his next dose.

When they emerged back into the cave, there was a swarm of people and loud voices from the direction of the small building in the center. Her breath caught at what she saw. Had they...?

"There you are!!" Desaree and Saffra rushed over, grabbing her and dragging her through the cave. "They got it open! Well, the dwarg. You won't believe what we found inside."

"What?!" She took in the parting bodies as people made way for her, the opening at the front of the little mysterious building. The yellow torchlight spilling out of it.

After learning about Irelia's history, she realized now why it had looked so familiar. Irelia had appeared in Greece after fleeing. That meant the portal had served as a gateway to and from Greece long before Dragonwall was established as a kingdom.

"What's inside?" she demanded, her voice brethless as they ascended the steps and made their way to the door.

"You'll have to see for yourself."

Her heart began to race. With everything going on since its discovery, finding a way to open the mysterious building had taken a back seat. Yet, she couldn't help but wonder if this was all meant to happen. If whatever was inside was something they'd need in the days to come.

She was engulfed in warm, orange torchlight as she passed over the threshold. There were several people inside already. One of them was the dwarg.

"We've Berbik to thank for figuring it out," Saffra explained.

"Berbik?" She looked to him in question.

"Your Majesty." He bowed his head. "It was a simple matter of finding the catch. My people built this, and once I knew it was our handiwork, I knew there'd be a way to open it—more than one. Magical words, obviously. But since we dwargs would need another way to get in and out to complete construction."

"He found a secret lever on the side of one of the pillars."

"You're joking?!" A laugh burst from her chest as she took in everything before them.

It was a crypt. That much was clear from the sarcophagus dominating the center of the room. There were pieces of elegantly carved furnature, vases, jewel boxes, and coins—a treasure trove of things. But it was the walls that caught her attention.

"What is all that?" she breathed.

"It looks like murals, to tell a story." Talon was behind her. He hooked his arms around her waist, holding her back flush to his front as they surveyed everything.

"What do you think they mean?" she wondered.

"We think they tell a story," Saffra said. "Look there, and there, and there. Each depiction shows the same man, like it's showing a story of his life."

"You're right." Excitement buzzed through her as she took in each depiction. There was a scene showing the gate just outside. Another showing others. Then there was a scene showing that same man gathered around others. Her stomach droped with fear as she realized something. "Their eyes—they're all red."

"Yes, about that." Saffra was chewing on her bottom lip. "We think maybe this could be the first asarlaí."

Claire's lips parted. She glanced around at the other murals, scenes that surely depicted magical deeds, eyes coming to rest on the final image of the same man on his knees, head back in pain as swirls of black and blue appeared to flow from his body. That was where the paintings ended.

Cyrus? She reached for his presence in her mind. He alone had delved into the mind of an asarlai and would have the deepest understanding of their capabilities. Are you seeing this?

I am, he replied, and she sensed a deep thoughtfulness from him as they processed what they were seeing.

Her eyes landed on the sarcophagus in the middle of the room. Pulling free of Talon's grip, she walked over to it. Her hand hovered nervously over the lid. Talon snatched her wrist, making her freeze. "Are you sure?"

He already knew what she intended.

"I need to know."

He released her and ordered the others to stand back. She pressed her hand to the stone's cold surface and everything around her disappeared. She gasped. It was always jarring to find herself witnessing another time.

She wondered—now more than ever—if this was some kind of gift she'd inherited from Isabella, or even, perhaps, from the first sprite they'd descended from. This ability to look back over the span of time when there was something old enough to warrant it.

A flash of movement caught her gaze as robed figures—asarlaí—carried the body of one of their own, lowering it into the open sarcophagus. She looked at the male's face, studying it, then looked up at the walls, at the murals that had only just been finished. It was the same male, the same asarlaí, which meant these paintings were a telling of his deeds. The heavy stone lid slid into place and her surroundings faded.

She came back into herself with a gasp. Talon was there, a steadying hand on her shoulder. "All right, mih cralla?"

"Yes, just give me a moment."

She felt his unease. He'd been there with her.

Nearly everyone here was part of her inner circle. Though Mikkin, Jamie, Berbik, and Unka weren't, she trusted them enough.

Quickly, she relayed these new findings to Dallin, Reyr, and Verath.

"We should study everything we can," Koldis said.

She frowned. "Where's Taylynn?"

"In the tunnels with Tasar, gathering intel."

Taking a deep breath, she said, "Asarlaí can be killed. I mean, I already knew they could because we know that the first dragons killed their makers, plus they're virtually extinct here, but it's reassuring to see proof that—"

"Kane can be killed," Talon finished for her. The room was silent as the truth sank in.

Until then, it had only ever been a possibility. She'd made a promise to end him, never really knowing if it was possible. She'd done everything she could to give herself the best shot at it. What they'd found today was exactly the reminder she needed.

"I'm ready to face him," she murmured, looking first at Talon, at the hope in his gaze. At the fear. She cleared her throat, turning to the others. More loudly, she said, "I'm ready to face him."

It was time. 

💕❤️💕Don't forget to heart this chapter!❤️💕❤️

Happy Friday Bookdragons!

Can you believe it's time??? GAHHHH. We've been waiting like six books for this moment.

In separate news, special editions for Verath the Red just went up for preorder on my website. Don't forget that you can only get the special editions through my website because I have to go through a special printer that is separate from the usual printer that prints all my books (because that one can only do black and white... whomp whomp). Special editions of Koldis will probably go up for preorder in late March, which I am the most excited about.

Okay, brace yourself because there's more bonus chapters coming :)

--Mel