In Aura Nova such items are on display in the Hall of Legacy, though not often available for public viewing. Some crowns are delicate as fine crystal, while others will rust and tarnish without careful preservation. It is lucky they are under the jurisdiction of the Morian Archives; otherwise they might have gone the way of many other phoenix-related relics in the wake of the Blood War and the fall of the Ashfire line.
The oldest crown on display in the Hall of Legacy dates back to Queen Elysia the Peacemaker, who has the distinction of being the only ruler to date to fashion more than one crown. The gold and obsidian circlet she wore for her coronation in Aura and throughout her conquest was abandoned the day she founded the Golden Empire. She replaced that crown with one made of materials from each newly established province, including iron from Ferro, ornately carved wood from the forests of Arboria, horsehide leather from Stel, and obsidian from her homeland of Pyra. The iron, wood, and leather twisted together into a ropelike crown, dotted with shining spears of obsidian, symbolic of unity and inclusiveness, both characteristics that would define Elysia’s reign.
All the crowns that came before Elysia’s remain in the ruins of Aura, lost to the modern world. In the queendom such relics were placed upon the memorial stones for their dead queens, forever commemorating their glory.
According to Pyraean superstition, it is the restless spirits of these queens that haunt the long-abandoned Golden City, their earthly relics binding them to the cold ashes of their ancient queendom.
Notable of these lost coronets is the Fire Blossom crown of Queen Liyana, mother of Lyra the Defender, which was made of fresh pyraflora blooms that, according to legend, never withered or wilted. There was also the brutal crown of bones crafted by Queen Otiya, fashioned from her fallen enemies after a rival Rider family tried to usurp the throne. Some stories claim Queen Nefyra wore a “crown of fire,” but it is of course more likely that she wore a crown of fire glass, commonly known as obsidian.
The last crown on record is that of Avalkyra Ashfire, whose phoenix-feather circlet was lost in the Last Battle of the Blood War, just like the would-be queen herself.
—A History of the Crown, the Morian Archives, 147 AE, updated 171 AE
I had known from the outset that we were doomed, that loving her would be the greatest mistake of my life. And I loved her still.
- CHAPTER 31 -
SEV
THOUGH SEV HADN’T RECEIVED any official word, either from Trix or Captain Belden, it became clear as the days wore on that their journey was reaching its final destination. With every step he took, the paths they traveled grew narrower, the climb steeper, and the landscape wilder.
When they came to rest in a system of wide, low caves, Sev was certain it would be their basecamp. The caverns were deep and echoing, with a series of waterfalls spilling over the craggy sides to join the rest of the River Aurys somewhere down the mountainside.
Here they could leave all their extraneous packs and supplies behind, taking only what they needed to wage war. Captain Belden had obviously chosen this spot very deliberately. With the forest hemming them in, they were as secluded as they’d been so far on this journey.
It made Sev uneasy. Any manner of ill deeds could be carried out here, and the bodies would never be found.
Sev’s suspicions were soon confirmed. Two days after settling into the caves, Captain Belden called his officers together to consult maps and work out battle plans. All the soldiers away from the camp slowly trickled in, including a hunting party with Kade in tow, as well as scouts and additional lookouts.
As they took their breakfast in the watery morning sunlight, Captain Belden officially announced the purpose of their mission: They were here to defeat the empire’s enemies and eradicate the rebel force known as the Phoenix Riders.
A low hush fell over the group while Captain Belden spoke, but as soon as he returned to his tent, whispers filled the air, like wind through brittle grass.
The soldiers would begin their march the following morning, which meant that the true fight—the one Trix had carefully orchestrated—would happen tonight, during the evening meal.
A cloud of nervous energy hung over the camp for the rest of the day, as both soldiers and bondservants prepared to go to war.
For his part as a soldier, Sev was assigned to a small regiment that included Ott and Jotham. While the others napped or huddled together to sharpen blades and share battle stories, Sev remained outside by the animals.
He moved among the llamas, his mind quietly spinning. Two hundred names, two hundred packs, each with something unique inside or out to help Sev identify them. It hadn’t been easy, but he had found a way to break it down. First of all, only certain soldiers were ever chosen for perimeter guard—usually those with more experience—so Sev focused most of his energy on them. The officers’ packs were different from the regular soldiers’, and the regular soldiers had their own subdivisions—archers, spearmen, and foot soldiers like Sev. They also had hunters and trackers in their midst, with larger packs stocked with different kinds of supplies. Eventually Sev had figured it out. It was like a puzzle, a game to keep him occupied on the long marches and sleepless nights.
Jotham’s pack had a fraying strap, like the Scarecrow’s hay-stuffed tunic.
Ott’s reeked of smoking leaf and had a mysterious, dark stain across its front.
Yara’s was perfectly maintained and spotlessly clean—so much so that it stood out from the rest for its lack of identifying marks or damage.
Despite Sev’s hard work, there were still a handful he didn’t know for certain. All he could do now was hope that they weren’t the names drawn for duty tonight.
The animals were picketed together at the edge of one of the smaller caves, where they’d stored their supplies. The waterfalls were nearby, their steady rush drowning out the noise and bustle of the campsite.
“May I speak with you, soldier?”
Sev jumped, surprised to find Kade standing there, hands clasped behind his back. They hadn’t talked since the night by the fire, and Sev didn’t want to see him as he prepared to carry out the very deed Kade didn’t think he could do. Would he try to stop Sev now, when they were almost out of time?
“I . . . okay,” Sev said warily.
Kade walked toward the waterfall, glancing over his shoulder to ensure no one saw him so close to the pack animals. The ground sloped down toward the river, and he came to a stop next to a stand of trees and shrubbery that mostly blocked them from view.
He stared at Sev a moment, the steady patter of the waterfall singing around them and leaving droplets of condensation clinging to his dark hair. A shard of afternoon sunlight poked through the trees, slicing his face, showing that what Sev had taken for a stiff jaw was actually wavering, as if suppressing pent-up emotion or frustration.
“I want to explain. The other night . . .”
“You don’t want me involved, but it’s too late. There’s nothing more to say.”
“There is,” Kade ground out. “I . . . I did hate you. At first.”