"How do we get out of here?" I ask.
"There's no way down to the exit from here. We must cross a bridge to the other half of the castle," he says. He points to the left, and I follow his directions until we reach a silver archway leading outside. A bridge spans the two sides of the castle, from one tower to another. It is dark, the stars are bright. The ground is far below. The wind is strong.
I look down, over the edge, shaking from fear and adrenaline. If we run into the phoenix, we will not make it across this bridge. But the skies look clear. Riku must be preoccupied with the other princes. I try not to think about what that means for Fen and Asher. I have to focus on helping Ace, who fades more and more with each step.
I mumble an incantation under my breath, hoping to turn us invisible. I look at Ace. He's not invisible, but translucent. So am I. By the Spirits, this is difficult. Well, at least we'll be harder to see from a distance.
I take a step forward, propping Ace up against my body as I do.
Another step.
A gust of wind almost knocks me over, but I keep my feet planted. Deep breaths. One step at a time. One step at a time, Ari. It's slow going, but we make it halfway across. Just a little more. Once we're down, I can find healers for Ace. I can save him.
"I see you, girl." A voice roars above. Oren. The Fire Druid.
I scan the skies. The phoenix erupts from behind a tower, circling us like prey. Oren's voice booms from within the spirit. "Leave the prince, and I will cause you no harm."
"No!"
"So be it."
The phoenix dives, and the ground trembles.
I fall to my knees, dropping Ace.
The spirit stands before me, huge, wreathed in flame. When it breathes, the very air burns with its breath.
The light from its wings turns night to day, blinding my eyes. But from within the shape of the bird I see the shadow of a man. Oren. He is there. Merged with his spirit.
His voice is low, powerful, reverberating through me. "Leave the prince, or you too will pay."
I stand, placing myself between Ace and the spirit, and raise my sword. I will fight. I do not know how I will win. But I will not abandon Ace, who speaks kindly, who thinks of freedom, to this creature of war.
The phoenix steps forward, shaking the bridge. "Very well, then." He raises a claw.
And then Yami makes a sound I've never heard before.
A roar so loud the winds seem to stop in its wake.
He leaps off my shoulder and into the air.
And he turns to dust.
Oren laughs within the phoenix. "Even Yami has abandoned you. Now, there is no reason for you to live, Princess." He spits the title like a slur.
My eyes burn with tears. I know I will die, and Ace as well. But I will not go down softly. I will fight. I will fight until I cannot lift my sword. Until I cannot open my eyes. I will fight until the end.
Dum spiro spero.
While I breathe, I hope.
And I still breathe.
Something catches my eye. Up above, amongst the stars, a giant shape emerges. I have seen it before. I have seen it in the Darkness.
It blasts down toward us.
It lands behind me like thunder. And the bridge nearly falls at the weight, tearing apart with cracks. I glimpse the beast at my back. Eyes like stars. Skin like midnight.
Yami.
The dragon roars.
And everything fades.
The heat.
The wind.
The fear.
There is nothing but that sound. Nothing but the Darkness.
The dragon charges. Over me. Straight into the phoenix. It tears into the bird's neck with its jaws. Oren howls in pain. And the two beasts fall off the bridge. They twist in the sky. Fire and darkness, ripping each other apart.
I whisper a prayer for my sweet, little Yami. Please be okay. Please.
And I lift Ace up and pull him across the bridge.
This side of the castle has not been touched by fire, and I ask Ace where we go next. He says nothing, and I realize he has gone unconscious. He's too pale, too listless. He's lost too much blood. I need to find him a place to rest.
I scramble through the halls until we reach what looks like the servant quarters. The kitchen is empty, and I lift Ace's body to the large table in the center and examine his wounds. They are bad, worse than I'd realized. I tear some of his clothes into pieces to form tourniquets for the still-bleeding wounds, then I look for a knife, and cut my wrist, allowing my blood to dribble into his mouth. I lift his head to help him swallow.
He chokes, then drinks. I let him feed until I feel dizzy and know I must stop before I pass out as well. I pull my hand away. The blood should help, but he has not awoken, so I do my best with the small amount of knowledge and supplies I have access to.
I search the kitchen for herbs and creams and find crushed lavender used for tea. Perfect. I turn the lavender into a salve as quickly as I can and rub it over his burns, then find another herb, Moonleaf, unique to this world, which will numb his wounds and put him to sleep.
I feed him the herb, and he stirs, opening his eyes. "I saw something, there, on the bridge," he says through fever. "Stars. Midnight. I have seen it before—"
"Shh… You're tired and weak. Seeing things," I whisper. There is fear in my voice. If he knows what I am, who I am, he will be a danger to me.
Ace's eyes clear for a moment, and he reaches for my hand, smiling. "Do not worry, Princess. I owe you my life. Besides, it is you who scares me… " His smile fades, and he falls into a restless sleep.
Chapter 12
THE TRUTH