TALIA
Everything hurts. I groan and roll over, then sit up as my head spins. Someone has draped a coat over me…no, it’s a large, black shirt. One of the soldier’s. It still smells of sweat and body odor. Whoever it was must have just taken it off.
I peel it off even though I’m still chilly and look around as my vision clears. At my back is one of the faux gas lamps leaving me in a pool of bluish bliss light. It props me up as I gather my wits. Someone hurries over and crouches at my side. I turn my face away when I see it’s Lyall. Beyond him, the Fai gather together looking wretched. The pain in my limbs fades to a dull roar. I wipe at my head and my fingers come away coated in blood.
“What happened?”
“The healer, you care for him?” Lyall asks. It’s such a strange question. What is even happening right now? But then I remember the fight. Ryin versus the dragon. The dragon is next to me, so where is Ryin?
I crane my neck, searching, and then freeze when I find him—Ryin’s body, what’s left of him, is a charred ruin.
He's gone.
I clutch my throat and start screaming. “Ryin!”
My palms hit the grass. I try to crawl forward to get to him, but Lyall pulls me back into his arms. My fists thump against him as I wail like a banshee. “You killed him! You killed him!”
His grip is iron, but gentle. “He fought bravely and died well.”
My body stills and I look over at Ryin again, lying so still. Only patches of unburnt skin are visible. None of the Fai can help him, either—all the other healers are shackled, unable to access their daimons. If there’s even anything left to heal.
Why did he have to challenge Lyall to that duel? My chest shakes as I crumple, sinking further into this nightmare.
“I'm sorry for hurting you, dear girl. But you were his weakness. Just like you are mine.”
I turn my head until we’re eye to eye. “You hit me on purpose to distract him.”
He looks truly remorseful about it. A sob rises to my throat—I don’t know if it’s for what Lyall did, for Ryin, for being trapped here, or all of the above. I don’t want this man touching me and try to get away, but he’s so much stronger than me. And he refuses to let me go. Eventually, I stop fighting, not really having any energy left. I’m as slack as a noodle, and he’s the only thing holding me up.
“You are truly not Celena.”
It’s a statement, not a question, but I answer anyway. “No. I’m not.” I sniff and close my eyes.
“But you recognized me. When you first arrived here on the plaza. I saw the recognition in your eyes.”
“You are identical to my real father.” My voice is robotic. My emotions drained. Everything is numb now. I’m going to turn to stone right here so I don’t have to feel anything ever again.
“Ah.” He finally releases me, sitting back on his haunches. “And my daughter, do you know where she is?”
I scoot away, leaning against the light post again, and shake my head. “I promise you I don’t. I wish I did.”
He sits, right there on the ground next to me. “Where do you come from?”
The automaton that I’ve turned into is the one who answers. “A world like this one. Well, like this one used to be, but without any shifters.”
Lyall blocks my view of Ryin’s body, which is for the best. The king stares off into space, face downcast. “You aren't even much like her. Not anymore. You remind me of Celena when she was young. I thought…” He chuckles. “I thought I had my little girl back. It was foolish.”
This man is such a study in contradictions. Real emotions pour from him, and yet he’s got to be a sociopath.
“In this other world you come from, is Rada there? Celena's mother?” I vaguely recognize the wistfulness in his voice.
“She died a long time ago.”
He sighs. “Then she is at peace with the Origin in your world, too. As it should be, I suppose.”
I feel so heavy that I’m surprised I’m not sinking into the earth beneath me. “Why aren’t you more angry? I thought you would kill me when you found out the truth.”
He turns back to me, searching my face. “You look too much like my daughter for me to kill. I could snap your neck now, but it would be like snapping hers.”
I should be afraid of these cruel words, but I still feel nothing. Everything has drained out of me.
“Though you have caused quite a ruckus, I must say. Releasing the souls. Rada always told me I spoiled you too much.” He shakes his head ruefully.
“Not me,” I whisper.
“Of course. Not you.” He clears his throat. “I spoiled my daughter. She is very precious to me.”
Something pierces the granite that’s encased me. It’s hot and molten like lava—jealousy. “I’m sure she must love you very much.” My voice wavers.
Lyall notices and his gaze sharpens. “Your real father, he does not spoil you?” He makes it sound like this is an unbelievable notion. This conversation is what’s unbelievable, but the stone around me makes it seem like someone else is talking.
“We don't get along,” I whisper hoarsely. “He never wanted me. He had another family.” A splash of that lava burns all the way through, melting enough of the rock to allow a shard of pain to reach me.
“Oh, dear girl,” Lyall says with so much love it makes my throat tighten.
“He let me down over and over.” Something wet drips down my cheeks. It takes long moments for me to understand that these are tears. My tears. The beast who looks like my father reaches over to stroke my hair and makes gentle noises meant to soothe me.
“He chose them over me again and again,” I continue, my own mouth out of my control. “And even when I was injured and in the hospital, he didn’t come to see me.”
My nose runs and my throat is clogged. My skin is on fire with rogue emotion. I’d rather stay numb, but I can’t quite achieve it anymore.
There is tenderness in his gaze as he pulls his hand away. “I am truly sorry he made you feel unworthy. But how could anyone not love you?”
The words tear my chest apart, destroying the last of the mask meant to protect me. I scoot away from him and rise, standing on wobbly legs, every part of me still one big ache, inside and out.
The Fai still stand wretchedly, clustered together comforting themselves. They were free for a few moments, but ultimately I failed. I made things worse. Noomi and Xipporah are side by side holding their bound hands together. They stand over Ryin’s body.
My breath hitches. Did his position change? Did someone move him? He looks different than he had a few minutes ago.
I search around for Dominga and find her near the doors of the Citadel, scowling at me. Lyall has risen too; I need to keep him in my sights. Part of me is still convinced he’s going to fly into a rage and burn me to death as well.
“Where are the soulcatchers I ordered?” the king barks, turning once again from loving father to brutal dictator.
I continue to move away from him, my legs finding their strength. It’s true, I failed, Ryin is gone, Shad is gone, everything is worse now. But I couldn’t have done nothing. I had to try.
I call out to Lyall, capturing his attention immediately. “You say that you rule beasts and must be one to control them, but I think there has to be another way. If you showed your people something different, then your city, your world, could be different.”
He shakes his head sadly and reaches an arm toward me, but I cringe, staying out of reach. “Celena,” he begins, then shakes his head with a little laugh. “Talia, is it?”
I nod.
“Talia—”
But whatever else he was going to say is swallowed by a screeching roar and the sound of breaking glass. Debris falls from above, from one of the high floors of the Citadel.
I move out of the way as concrete, plaster, and glass rain down in chunks. Around me, men and women shift into their animal forms, ready to face this threat. Lyall pushes me away, and I stumble backward, craning my neck as a monstrous head forces its way through an opening in the outer wall of the tower. Even from here I can see its red eyes.
The Revokers are free.