The Domina: Ascension Series Book Five Page 17

She nodded. “Only when it’s safe.”

  His eyes said that nothing about what he was about to do was safe.

  “And take care of her,” she whispered.

  Rhea frowned and glanced between them. “We’ll be fine.” She threw her arms around Cyrene. “I love you. Don’t do anything stupid.”

  “Creator, it’s like you know me or something.”

  “I do,” Rhea said, slowly releasing her. She glanced at Dean. “You take care of her, too, okay?”

  “That’s what I’m here for,” he said with a smile for her oldest friend.

  Fenix nodded at them, and then the pair disappeared into the surrounding trees. Once they were gone, it left Cyrene all alone with Dean for the first time since they had had their argument in the council tent.

  She turned to face him, hesitant for a moment and then emboldened. “Shall we?”

  He held out his hand. “Actually, I thought we would check one thing before we go.”

  “Oh?” she inquired. Not unaware that they were in the very city where Dean had first hatched his plan to earn his magic. Maybe this was the real reason all along that she hadn’t wanted to bring him along. She’d worried what would happen when they returned to Aonia.

  “Come with me?” he asked.

  She gently slipped her hand into his and let him guide her back through the ruins. She knew where they were heading long before they reached the lone-standing building. They climbed the stairs and saw the burned corpse of a tree that had been the symbol of the Leifs of Aonia.

  And there it was across the giant room.

  The Mirror of Truth.

  A mirror that was a talisman to tell you what you wanted to know.

  A talisman that drove a person mad if they dared look inside.

  Dean had looked inside. His madness had come later.

  This mirror had stood the test of time. It had stayed immaculate despite the destruction of the city. It gleamed as if polished to a shine daily despite no one living here in years.

  And now…it was shattered.

  23

  The Truth

  “How?” Cyrene gasped, staring at the destroyed mirror.

  She rushed across the enormous room, too shocked at the destruction for sense. Dean reached her before she could get too close. He grasped her around the middle and tugged her against him.

  “Don’t,” he commanded. “Don’t look in it. We don’t know if it still works like this. Or if it is even more twisted than its original format.”

  Her breathing was ragged. She released her tension into his arms. How had she been so compelled to run over there? How had she had no sense at all? She’d been so desperate to see it…she hadn’t even stopped to think.

  “A trap, I think,” Dean said.

  Cyrene’s mind cleared. “Malysa.”

  “She must have guessed that you would come here.”

  Cyrene’s brows came together in anger. Malysa had set the trap, and Cyrene had nearly walked right into it. She would have if Dean hadn’t been there.

  “Thank you,” she said, gently disentangling herself. “I suppose you have proven that I need your help.”

  “I don’t revel in that knowledge,” he said. “It means she wants you dead…or entranced. I think I only saved you because I do not feel the pull of the mirror any longer now that I know the Truth. Not just what it shows.”

  “What is the truth?” she asked him softly.

  “That nothing comes free.” That great shock of electricity appeared in his palm. “That earning something does not mean it belongs to you. And what was given can just as easily be taken away.”

  Cyrene frowned at his words. The hollow ache in them. The barely suppressed anger. What had happened in Domara to elicit such a reaction?

  “Magic came for a price for me,” she whispered. “At the cost of my parents and Maelia and Daufina and the life I knew. It cost me suffering. Immense suffering. And I chose it anyway.”

  “Yes, I chose it anyway,” he said as if he could understand that. “In Domara, the gods could never imagine breeding with a human.”

  “Breeding?” Cyrene asked. “Like a prized mare.”

  “Precisely. They’re too worried about controlling who has the power. They would never do what Benetta did and dilute their blood with others.”

  “Dilute,” Cyrene whispered.

  “Yes. They want pure Doma only. Magic thus is bestowed by the gods as a gift. They can give or take these gifts from people as they see fit, depending on their deeds. It’s not a permanent thing, and you are always at their mercy.”

  Cyrene bit her lip, imagining a world like this. “No wonder Malysa wanted…still wants to rule us. She sees us as no better.”

  He nodded. “After spending years in Domara, I see exactly how she could feel that way. What’s truly amazing is that Vera is not that way. I have never met a full-blooded Doma who was anything less than a conceited, arrogant prick, who thinks the sun shines out of their ass.”

  “I know quite a few mere mortals who believe that, too.”

  “They take it to a new level,” he insisted.

  “You were bestowed a gift,” she said, gesturing to his clenched fist. “The Mirror showed you how to get it.”

  “Yes,” he ground out. “A gift is what they call it. What it really is…is slavery.”

  Cyrene’s eyes widened. “Excuse me?”

  “When a god gives you a gift, they own you. You are their Daijan.”

  “Oh Dean,” she murmured. “I’m so sorry.”

  He turned away from her kind words. “I still…I can’t tell you what I went through with that bitch. Valesamy,” he spat the name as if it burned him to speak it. “I don’t…I’m not…”

  “Shh,” she insisted, reaching out and tenderly brushing a hand down his arm. “You don’t have to. I never should have pushed you to.”

  “No, I wanted to. I wanted you to know. I’ve been through hell and back, Cyrene. I’ve seen and done things that I am not proud of. I was a hardened man because of it, and you brought me back out of it. You showed me who I could be again. I’m grateful.” He sighed and reached for her hand. “But, if I have to become what she created me to be to win this war, to kill a pure-blooded Doma…again, then I will do that for you, too.”

  Again.

  The word rang out so clear.

  He had killed a Doma in Domara.

  He knew how to kill a Doma from Domara.

  Then she blinked and saw the man standing before her and not the weapon. “If you have to become whatever she made you, then we do not deserve to win this war.”

  “Cyrene…”

  “No.” She silenced him. “If we have to become as bad as Malysa to win, then what would be the point? We’ll do it together as we are or not at all.”

  He searched her face, reading every sincerity that she’d uttered etched into her skin and her eyes and lips. He nodded once.

  “Together,” he agreed.

  She reached for his hand and pulled him from the Mirror of Truth. Let it stay shattered. It had never shown reality anyway.

  With Sarielle and Halcyon out hunting together, Cyrene and Dean decided to just make the hike through the woods into Fen. It was only a couple of hours away, and it was more important for the dragons to be fed anyway.

  Cyrene felt the barrier they had erected around the village of Fen before she saw the first outline of a home. Her steps quickened as she approached. A faint flutter appeared in her stomach, the closer she got. It had been a long time since she went to this small village in the north, Ahlvie’s home. But she had fond memories, and her blood seemed to activate at the sight.

  Bloodbreaker.

  That was what she had been here. Her friends and the Ancient Ones had funneled magic into her bloodstream to try to break the curse from her blood magic. It had never been done before, but she had survived. And they had named her something as ostentatious as her sword.

  But that wasn’t why she was so excited.
>
  It was the people within that she was most excited to see.

  And when the first person she saw was a small girl with a wheat-colored braid, a bright smile, and unquenchable enthusiasm, she rushed forward.

  “Cal,” she cried.

  The girl’s face lit up, and her jaw dropped open. “Cyrene?”

  Then the girl was running and threw herself into Cyrene’s arm. Cyrene held Cal to her tight, blinking away tears. Caldreva was a reminder of all the work she wanted to do for this world. What she wanted to create so that Cal could grow up in a better one than what Cyrene had.

  “What are you doing here?” Cal asked.

  “I came to see my family and speak to your nana.”

  “Caldreva Anamarya,” a voice screeched from the nearest home, “if you are out there, getting dirty again, so help me Creator!”

  “Ma, it’s Cyrene! She’s back!”

  Cal’s mom stuck her head out and gasped. “Bloodbreaker!”

  Cyrene smiled brightly. “It’s so good to see you.”

  “I’ll get Old Mana. Mother!” the woman cried, going back inside.

  Cal’s eyes drifted to Dean behind her. “Hey, Dean! You’re still around. Wouldn’t have guessed that one.”

  “Good to see you, too, Cal,” Dean said with a shake of his head.

  Cyrene snorted. “Don’t scare him off.”

  “Hey, my mama says that scaring off boys is my specialty. Anyway, I’ll take you to Reeve.” Cal eagerly skipped forward. “And you were so right. He’s the best swordsman. Well, now, I am. I’m almost as good with the sword as my bow. Speaking of swords, where did you get yours? It looks badass.”

  Cyrene laughed. “I got it in a land of dragons.”

  Cal’s eyes rounded. “Awesome. You found them!”

  “I did. I brought two with me, too.”

  “You’re joking,” she breathed in awe. “Can I ride one?”

  Cyrene grinned wildly. Creator, she loved this kid. “Definitely.”

  “You are seriously the coolest person ever.” She jumped ahead like her life was the best in the world. “Reeve! Aubron! I have a surprise for you.”

  “If it’s another messed up bow string,” Reeve called out. “Or you want me to take over your chores again…”

  But then Reeve appeared in the doorway and froze in place.

  This time, Cyrene couldn’t contain the tears that spilled down her cheeks. Her brother stood before her. Her strong, confident, amazing brother, who she hadn’t seen in months and months. She hadn’t realized until his arms were around her, as he sobbed into her hair, just how much she had missed him.

  He pulled back, holding her cheeks in his hands and staring down at her with utter happiness on his face. “My beautiful sister. I feared I would never see you again.”

  “I’m here,” she whispered.

  Aubron appeared at that moment and rushed in for a hug. “Cyrene, what a surprise!”

  Then everyone else came out of the house. Ahlvie’s mother, Avniella, with her honey hair and beautiful laugh lines; his uncle, Ryon, all stoic and reserved; and his grandmother, Lace, who was more hunched than last Cyrene had seen her but seemed to straighten at her appearance.

  It was several minutes of heartfelt reunion before anyone could get a word in edgewise.

  “It is just you and Dean this time?” Avniella asked. “We can surely accommodate you both. But where is my son?”

  Cyrene froze. Her mouth opened and then closed. She looked to Dean. She didn’t know how to deliver this news. How she could possibly explain to them what had happened?

  But Avniella gasped, horror crossing her face. “Are you here…here to tell me of his passing?”

  “No,” Cyrene got out. “No, he…he’s alive. He’s just…not himself.”

  “Oh, thank Creator,” Avniella said, collapsing into herself.

  “I don’t understand,” Aubron asked. “Why isn’t he himself?”

  “You know that he was bitten by an Indres when he was a baby and that Ceis’f saved his life by holding that venom within his blood.” Cyrene swallowed as she told them Ahlvie’s story. “That venom activated within him, and now, he can change between human and Indres.”

  Avniella gasped. Lace gripped Ryon’s arm. Aubron put his arm around Reeve for comfort but nodded for her to go on.

  “This next part is complicated. I have…much to explain to you and the Ancient Ones about what is happening in the world. And the help we need. But know that…a dark force has arisen in Emporia. Ahlvie has been called in his Indres form to serve her.”

  “He is…working for the enemy,” Aubron muttered.

  Cyrene nodded. “I am sorry. I wish I could have come sooner.”

  “No, thank you for coming at all,” Avniella said. “Let’s go inside. I’m sure you’ve had quite a journey. We will rest up and then speak to Old Mana about this in the morning.”

  “I’m here, Avniella,” a voice said, appearing then at their side. “My daughter just sent for me.” She smiled crookedly when she saw Cyrene. “Hello, child. It is good to have you back.”

  Cyrene hugged her. “It is great to be back. We have much to discuss.”

  “A dark force over Emporia, you say.”

  “Yes, it’s a long story.”

  “I believe it is,” Old Mana said. “Let’s save it for the morning. Tonight should be about your reunion with your family. That is always more important. The threat can wait until the morning, and then I will hear your tale.”

  Cyrene hated the wait, but one glance at Dean said that they both knew this was the right call. “Thank you. I will look forward to our talk in the morning.”

  “And, while we are facilitating reunions,” Old Mana said, “I believe you know one more of our inhabitants. Or perhaps two.”

  Cyrene furrowed her brow. “Do I?”

  Reeve coughed. “Did you not know?”

  “Know what?”

  And then a figure appeared from the home next door.

  “Hello, Cyrene,” Kaliana said.

  24

  The Dowager Queen

  Kaliana wasn’t clothed in fine spun silk or jewels. Her severe blonde hair was actually down, billowing around her shoulders. She was unrecognizable as the queen that Cyrene had hated when she first became an Affiliate. And yet, she was somehow even more beautiful like this in a homespun dress with a toddler waddling around her legs.

  “Kaliana…what are you doing here?” Cyrene gasped.

  The last time she had seen Kaliana, she had just given birth to Alessia. She had begged Cyrene to take care of the child if everything went wrong and she died from complications in childbirth. She had agreed, and now, here they were again. In Fen, of all places.

  “I guess no one told you that I got out of Byern after Kael was crowned.”

  Cyrene shook her head. “No. No one mentioned that. And this is Alessia?”

  Kaliana scooped her daughter up into her arms and cooed into her face. “Yes, this is my baby girl.”

  Then another person walked out of the home. A man. A very well-built, very attractive man that Cyrene did not remember at all from her last visit to Fen.

  “Ana, darling, I think Alessia needs a change. Let me take a look at her.”

  Cyrene’s eyebrows rose as the man took the baby out of her arms and rubbed his nose against the little girl.

  “Thiago,” Kaliana said. “This is…this is Cyrene…” She paused as if debating a title and then continued, “And Dean.”

  Thiago nodded his head at them. “Pleasure to meet you.” Then he got a better look at Cyrene, and his eyes rounded. “Bloodbreaker,” he whispered.

  Cyrene smiled shyly. “Um, yes. Cyrene is really fine.”

  “Of course. You’re just a bit of a legend in the village,” he said with a laugh. “It’s nice meeting you. I’m going to just take Alessia.” He gestured to the home and then hastily disappeared as if the very idea of Cyrene spooked him.

  “Don’t mind Thiago
. He isn’t used to strangers,” she said. “He was the same way with me when I first showed up here.”

  “And when was that?”

  “Why don’t you all go inside and have some tea and discuss it?” Mana said. “I will see you all in the morning.”

  Cyrene nodded and then followed her friends and family into Avniella’s home. Kaliana took a seat to her left and Reeve to her right. Dean stood in a corner, talking with Lace and Ryon as if no time had passed. He had also been here the two months that Cyrene was fighting her blood curse. It made sense that he had made friends in the village even if it seemed so strange to her to think that they had all been in this small place that long.

  “You are probably wondering my circumstances,” Kaliana said carefully.

  “Honestly, I’m a bit surprised that you aren’t dead. Or snapping at me.”

  Kaliana sighed. “I was so awful to you. So awful. I was miserable and took out my own feelings on you. I blamed you for everything.”

  Cyrene waited, tense. “And you don’t anymore?”

  “Well, it would be much easier if I could say it was all your fault.” Kaliana shrugged. “But no. I know it’s not. What I’ve gone through and my escape…it’s reshaped me. I hope it can reshape us, too.”

  Cyrene didn’t know what to say. She had hated Kaliana for so long. And Kaliana had hated her for even longer. It was impossible to consider them being friends. Yet here they were. Both still alive despite the tragedies of the castle. Both still fighting for the lives they wanted.

  “I was there,” Kaliana finally whispered. “I was there when Edric was killed.”

  Cyrene froze at the words. She hadn’t had much time to think about Edric’s untimely passing. What it meant for the rest of the world and how they had parted on such poor terms. She had once taken blood magic on to save him, and now, he was just gone.

  “I know you loved him, as I did,” Kaliana said. She twirled her hand. “Or we thought that we did. Anyway, Kael appeared in Edric’s bedchamber and cut him down. I begged for Alessia’s life, and he granted it but then wiped my memory. It all came back to me at his coronation. I knew then that I couldn’t stay. It wasn’t safe for me or my baby.”