His lover imbibed like a ravenous beast and turned toward the remaining Rok. With her face half covered in blood, mouth set in a grim line, he felt her lungs expand.
Cvareh watched in wonder as time slowed. She recovered faster, her magic responding to her whims with surgical precision. This was the power of a truly Perfect Chimera. She would always be more than what the Alchemists were splicing together now; she had been crafted by the magic her whole life; with his most recent addition, she had all the power that had ever existed. Arianna raised her arm and pulled the trigger, taking down two Dragons before she nearly collapsed onto the handles, gasping for air between outpourings of gold from her lips.
Cvareh forced the remaining heart into her mouth.
“Let go,” he demanded, his hands over hers. “I’ll take us to the mainland. There’s more who will take them down on Ruana.”
“Don’t get us killed.”
Cvareh felt her magic retreat as her hands slipped from the handles, barely enough to keep her glued to the gold platform beneath them. She turned, grasping him awkwardly, keeping herself in position as he assumed control of the glider.
He was not nearly as graceful as she was with the machine. But he was determined. With Arianna counting on him, there was no world in which he would fail to keep his word.
Cvareh sped past the tiring boco for mainland Ruana. They soared back up to the topside of the island, and he selected a landing spot behind what had become, more or less, the front line.
Perhaps he’d finally had enough practice with the gliders. Or perhaps battle had honed his senses just enough. But Cvareh was half-proud of the landing.
Arianna’s magic gave out and she slumped, Cvareh quick to catch her. The sounds of boco on the wind combined with guns cocking; over it all was the ominous announcement from Cain, “More incoming!”
They panted together, and all the things he’d wanted to say and ask were suddenly meaningless. Nothing mattered until victory was assured.
No.
Nothing mattered because she was in his arms again.
“I’m going to help.” Arianna stood on her own once more. He felt magic swelling in her, already returning at a rate his could not hope to keep pace with.
As much as he wanted to tell her not to, as much as he wanted to flee with her to a safe location to ride out the final throes of the storm, Cvareh knew nothing would stop her. She turned her eyes to the horizon, to their mutual enemy, and adjusted the hulking weapon—a new prototype similar to the guns they’d been sending, but different somehow, too.
“I will come with you.”
“Are you sure?” She gave him a quick up and down, no doubt skeptical of the magic she felt—or didn’t feel.
Cvareh gave a laugh, skeptical himself. “We are in this together, from now until Rok falls.”
“Until Rok falls,” she repeated with a solemn nod. “Together until Rok falls.”
Coletta
Coletta could smell Ulia before she saw, or even heard her. The woman was coated in a fine gloss of sweat that Coletta knew to associate with fear or nervousness in weaker creatures. Her little flower did well trying to hide it, however. Her strides were even and her hands were still at her sides when she delivered her message.
“The Dono wishes to speak with you.”
Coletta thought on the statement a moment. She carefully set down her pruning shears. It seemed today would not be the day she would get to conduct her second set of tests on the Flowers of Agendi. Whatever secrets they held, they did an excellent job of hiding them from her.
“And where is the Dono?”
“The Red Room.”
“Ah,” Coletta murmured softly. That was all the information she needed on the matter. “Thank you for delivering this message, Ulia.”
“Is there anything else I can do for you, my lady?” She lowered her head in subservience.
“Not yet.” There would be in the coming days; Coletta could feel it. The scales that held the world in balance had already tipped. Equilibrium of power and order had shifted too far out of neutral and now chaos was threatening to reign. The dawn of an age that couldn’t be accounted for—that was where the real danger lied.
Ulia left her, heeding the unspoken command. Coletta briefly considered changing her garb before meeting Yveun, but decided to go as she was. Yveun had seen her in all states. He had lifted her up when the poison had wracked her body past the point of brokenness. He had kissed her mouth after her gums had turned black. What had always mattered more than their appearances was their presence for one another. They were there when the cards fell.
Perhaps, her plain attire and immediate attendance of his summons would remind him of that fact. The fact that she had come to him promptly at his command, despite their last disastrous encounter in his war room—a confrontation neither had yet made any motions to reconcile.
The Red Room was on the opposite side of the estate from Coletta’s garden. As such, she had ample time to anticipate the mood her Dono might be in. Her general preparation was for bad, worse, and downright volatile.
A Rider posted at the door regarded her warily. It was an uncommon summons to be sure. Coletta gave a tilt of her head and a small uncharacteristic smile, just enough to see the man unnerved by his Ryu’s unexpected behavior.
“The Rok’Ryu, Dono,” the Rider announced as he opened the door for her.
“Thank you,” Coletta said demurely, but still clearly dismissive.
The man nodded and promptly departed. Coletta listened closely to his footsteps, making sure they left his post. She waited until they faded. Only then did she turn her eyes to her mate to see what fate had in store for her.
“It’s not enough,” he growled.
“What isn’t?”
“Everything.” Yveun’s claws shot from his fingertips. “None of it is enough.”
So, it was to remain war between them. Her prompt presence had done nothing to smooth over the agitation of the past, or remind him of the natural roles they’d filled for so long and that had served them so well. “I offered you victory in this war. You would not take it.”
“No, you offered me monstrosities made from the skin of our own family.” He rose like a thundering god. “I am tasked with protecting House Rok.”
“The success of House Rok is all I have ever worked for. It is all I have ever dirtied my hands for and manipulated the shadows for.”
Yveun stalked toward her. Coletta wondered if he realized how weak, how out of control, it made him look. Kings never descended. Not for their mates, not for anyone.
“You lost our gold.”
It was stolen.
“You lost the loyalty of House Tam.”
A loyalty Coletta had bought herself over the years.
“You sent away Fae, splitting our power. There have been no reports from her for over a week. Coletta, if she—”