I continued to sing for what seemed like hours, long after Kalen’s body turned cold. The azi had quieted, watching me with golden eyes, tired of taking so long to die. Its body continued to spasm, and it wept.
As my song drew to a close, the beast drew a deep, warm sigh. Good-bye, it whispered into my head, and then it crumbled into ashes. All that remained of it was the bezoar at my feet, shining a bright, immutable silver.
They found me shortly after that, exhausted and weak, Kalen in my arms, with Likh and Khalad still unconscious nearby. “We could arrest you,” Hestia said. Their retinue was a small affair, a cluster of old women bereft of bodyguards. During the chaos of Mithra’s Wall, they had left Ankyo unannounced to hunt for me themselves. I did not know how they achieved this without Empress Alyx knowing, but that didn’t matter anymore. “We could bring you to Ankyo and charge you with murder.”
They intend to keep this a secret like they do everything else, I thought, and a sudden urge to giggle overcame me. “Do whatever you want. I don’t care.”
“Princess Inessa, however, is a hindrance. She and her mother do not wish you dead, as to spare your brother’s life. I will be honest, Tea. When you fled Ankyo, we had intended to kill you the next day. We have had time to discuss the matter and recognize that would have been a rash decision. To carry out your execution will invite hostility and retaliation from she who will one day become empress.”
“I don’t care.”
“Neither do we. We are willing to wait for you to live out your natural existence, however short or long that may be. We release you from all ties to the asha and to the Willows. You shall be exiled, free to wander and die as you see fit. But we want your silver heartsglass. We will not tolerate any more of the chaos you’ve spread through the kingdoms. In exchange, we will allow you to continue on for your brother’s sake.”
I wanted to laugh. I wanted to weep. It was the best offer I’ve ever had. Had I been given it earlier, perhaps I would not have left Kion in the first place. “Will you protect Khalad and Likh?”
“They will suffer no punishments for their decision to follow you.”
I thought there would be more fanfare. That my heartsglass would spark a protest. That it would take more than a sea of salt and skulls to break my spirit. But that was a different Tea’s concern. I had nothing left to feel.
Wordlessly, I handed over my silver heartsglass, and my strength along with it. It made no difference. My heart had died with Kalen.
Tea? It was Fox’s voice, distant and tinny. But when Hestia’s hand closed over my heartsglass, his voice disappeared completely.
I watched the elders weave wards around my heart. Hestia nodded at the others. “Take the other two. Do not injure them.”
One of the asha trotted off to inspect the rest of my belongings and returned triumphantly with the pouch that held all my bezoars. The others wove Wind to lift Likh and Khalad gently off the ground. When they turned to follow suit with Kalen, a sob rose in my throat. “No. He stays with me.”
The asha paused, uncertain. “Mistress Hestia,” one of the elders worked up the courage to say, “Lord Kalen is of Odalian royalty. Surely King Kance would want his body returned to—”
“He stays with me!” I shouted.
Hestia gestured for silence. “I will grant you your wish. Let it not be said that I am not charitable.” She stared at the silver heartsglass in her hands for several seconds, then back at me, with the barest hint of pity in her gaze. “All this trouble,” she said, “for something so insignificant.”
They left me that way, alone and already forgotten, cradling Kalen underneath a murky sky.