Crest (Ondine Quartet Book 3) (55 page)

Time dripped; wound wept blood.

Hallucinations and memories melted in a continuous splash. Senses jumbled until I heard what I saw, smelled what I heard.

I could even hear the low, lyrical whisper of his voice in the movement of the clouds. Smell the clean scent of ocean in the vibrations of light-drenched air.

White flickers of movement danced in the darkness encroaching the edge of my vision.

"Kendra." Now his lips against my hair. "Don't leave me."

I willed my arms to reach up, but my body no longer listened.

Sky bled into the land, dabs of wild colors blending into one intense pinpoint that carried the silence hurtling toward me.

WE SAT TOGETHER ON THE rocky ledge outside the Armicant's cave, his long legs dangling over the edge.

Horizon stretched before us and the palace shone a brilliant white above the granite cliff.

Everything was more crisp and vivid than our previous visits.

I caught the faintest scent of eggs and bacon."You used to make our breakfast."

"She liked the way I made eggs."

I took a deep breath. "Is this the last time?"

"In this way, yes."

"It's old magic, right?"

"Yes. Bound by my blood, the blood of my ancestors and carried in you." He glanced at me. "You were the one who had to find it. He was our ancestor, our responsibility."

"I know."

I leaned back and lifted my face to the sky. Warm sun danced across my skin and I wanted to stay with him forever.

"He loved the Armicant so much," I said. "I felt it in the magic around the spear. But it was like the love had become corroded. Hardened beyond recognition."

"Fear can make what was once beautiful poisonous."

I sat up, needing his reassurance."What if I can't do it?"

"You have all the pieces now. You just have to put it together."

Ocean mirrored the pink sky. It reminded me of the way she watched me in the mirror as I trained.

Her face so hard, so devoid of any joy. A drill sergeant focused solely on results.

"She changed after you were gone," I said.

"Don't be too hard on her. Everyone failed her. Elementals, Haverleau. I failed her."

"No, you didn't."

"I died," he said gently. "That wasn't supposed to happen. I was supposed to be by her side, have her back. Protect you together."

"I failed her all the time." My throat tightened. "I was never good enough."

"You never failed her. You were her greatest pride. She wanted to spare you the pain of loss. Make you stronger in ways she couldn't be."

"I could never be as strong as her."

"You already are." He brushed a strand of hair off my face. "You're too similar, too much her daughter not to be. You Irisavies love deeply, passionately. It's why the loss is so hard. Everything exists in harmony. Your mother hurt because she lived."

They all stemmed from the same source.

We loved because we sought acceptance and understanding. We hated when we didn't receive it in the way we wished or thought we deserved. Passion grew from a desire for more, while obsession grew from a desire to control.

"I'm afraid," I whispered. "I've found something and I don't think I can let go."

"I know. But maybe you're not supposed to let go."

The sun slowly continued to set. A brilliant orange washed across the pewter canvas of the sky.

"It's time for you to return. Your journey back is farther this time."

"Will I ever see you again?" I asked, my voice small.

He reached, surrounding me with the scent of warmth and safety.

"I'm within you always."

I OPENED MY EYES.

SOFT pillow, large bed. Familiar red linens and tapestries of my room at the palace. The way the light filtered into the room meant late afternoon.

He stood near the door, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. I had the impression he'd been there, impassive and silent, watching me forever.

Tristan's eyes remained somber. "You're okay."

"I'm okay."

Mostly. My throat felt dry and itchy and the throbbing along my side and back meant Healers worked hard to bring me back.

He handed me a glass of water beside the bed and settled next to me. I gratefully drank all of it.

"How long was I out?"

The muscle in his jaw clenched. "Four days."

He took the empty glass from me and placed it on the table. I fell back on to the bed, the simple act of drinking leaving my body heavy.

There were questions I needed to ask, but my lips were too exhausted to move.

"They're safe," he said.

Relieved, I briefly shut my eyes then opened them. I couldn't believe it. We made it. We were both alive.

I ran the back of my fingers against his cheek then reached for his hand. Leaning forward, he brought his other hand up to cup my face.

I cuddled against the warmth of his palm. "You found me."

"Always." Warm lips pressed against my forehead. "You protected us. Me."

"Always."

It was both an acknowledgement and a promise.

Our hands held on to each other until sleep pulled me under. When I awoke later, he was gone.

Instead, a pair of blazing emerald eyes and worry-filled cornflower irises met mine.

"Oh, good." Aubrey leaned back, prosthetic finger tapping the bed. "Awake, are we?"

I sighed and pushed myself up to a sitting position.

"Had enough of the bleeding out thing for a bit? Maybe you want to add bone breaking and poisoning to the mix?"

I winced. "Do you have to yell?"

"I'm sorry." She glared. "Does the volume of my voice bother you? You should try watching your friend almost bleed to death —"

"Aub," Chloe chided. Her hug was gentle, but her voice trembled. "Too close, Kendra. Too close."

She pulled away and I saw the others.

Cam leaned against the wall near the window. He scowled, but his eyes were soft.

"Show-off."

I wearily gave him a one-fingered salute. "You wish it was you."

Alex leaned against the wall, mouth curved into a small grin. "Did you really jump off the terrace into the ocean?"

Nice to know the gossip mill was as reliable as ever. "Yeah."

He laughed. "Not bad, Irisavie."

Aubrey huffed, mouth tight with worry and disapproval.

I touched her hand, let her feel the warmth of my skin against hers, and repeated what she'd said to me in a hospital bed two months ago.

"I'm still here."

Her fingers slightly tightened. "You're insane."

"So I've been told." I took a deep breath and gave an expectant look."Tell me."

Cam answered first. "We counted two hundred thirteen Aquidae. There may've been more. Sixty-five dead on our side. Twenty-five selkies, forty chevaliers." He paused, his mouth tightening. "Ewan's gone."

"I know."

Hot pain seared my chest. That neurotic, overzealous selkie who obsessed over food and ate my eclairs had protected me to the end.

I wanted to cry. But the tears wouldn't come. Like Marcella's funeral, my eyes were painfully dry.

"I'm sorry, Kendra," Cam said roughly.

I took a deep breath and steeled myself. "Elites?"

"Blaise and Ethan are a little banged up, but they're okay," Alex said. "No civilian casualties."

I looked at Aubrey.

She sighed. "We were trying to clean up the mess and no one could find you. A few selkies told a ridiculous story about you jumping off the terrace. Helene became hysterical. By the time she explained about the spear and we managed to figure out what you were trying to do, everybody was in a total panic. The Governor was arranging a search party when Prince Belicoux walked into the palace with you in his arms. There was blood everywhere and both of you looked like complete shit."

Pretty much what I'd pieced together. "Is Ian okay?"

"He's in one of the bathrooms outside." Alex plucked a loose thread off his coat. "Throwing his guts up."

I frowned. "From worry?"

"No," Aubrey said dryly. "Relief."

A knock came at the door. Ancelin peered in. "May I speak to her?"

Everybody jumped up. I straightened and tried to appear taller, mentally cursing myself for being too weak to stand.

Chloe recovered first. "Of course, Your Majesty."

They hurried out and King Belicoux took the seat Aubrey left vacant. He leaned back, his expression deeply wearied.

He rubbed a hand against his face. "You found a traitor in my kingdom."

"Yes."

"A traitor I was too blind to see."

"Yes."

"There are many things I have been too blind to see." He held my gaze. "You were willing to die for my people."

"A selkie once told me the ones who protected needed protection the most."

"I would say that was a wise selkie."

I swallowed the sudden lump in my throat. "She was."

"My son believes in you," he said. "Continues to fight because he believes in you. You protected my people. I will fight with you."

"Thank you." I held his gaze. "I have a request, Your Majesty."

He raised his brow. "Oh?"

"You saw what Yahaira was willing to do. I'm closing in on the Shadow and I need everyone's help to end this war. When the time comes, I may need the help of your people, no questions asked. Will the Kingdom back me?"

He watched me for a long moment, then stood to go.

"You have my word."

He headed for the door.

"You brought my father here to meet the Armicant."

Ancelin stopped, his back stiff. "Yes."

"Tristan respected and admired him." I paused. "Loved him."

He turned his head slightly toward me without answering.

"But it doesn't mean he loved you any less," I said softly.

For a long moment, the King stood there with his head bowed. He gave a short nod and stalked out.

I finally gave myself permission to relax my posture and fall into a deep sleep.

***

The tall marble pedestal glistened on center stage.

Julian and Garreth stood beside it, expressions solemn.

Cam nervously shifted beside me. Sweaty palms slid against each other.

This wasn't the way I imagined it'd be. But now that it was happening, I couldn't imagine it taking place anywhere else.

Hundreds of gardinels filled the Royal Hall, their steely eyes focused on us.

Delegates and visiting chevaliers had already left and we were the last few elementals remaining in the kingdom.

Ancelin sat on the throne, large body completely filling the chair. Tristan stood to his left, Dax to his right.

Garreth's low, gravelly voice rang. "Blaise Aucoin."

Blaise marched to him and placed his right forearm on the pedestal, palm up. Garreth bent over, needle winking in the lights as he tattooed the chevalier mark onto his skin.

Once complete, Julian gave him a
kouperet
. "Chevalier Aucoin."

One by one, our names were called and at the end of the process we were no longer elites.

We were knights.

Chevalier Fournier.

Chevalier Girard.

Chevalier Martin.

Garreth gently held down my arm and brought the needle down on my skin. I tensed slightly at the uncomfortable sensation.

Pulse accelerated and the hall felt too hot.

Expression solemn, Julian watched Garreth mark me as the first ondine chevalier.

Kouperet
slid into my left hand, its weight and feel a mirror of my dagger.

"Chevalier Irisavie."

Arm tingled. I took a deep breath, lungs and heart expanding until it filled my entire body.

Tristan's eyes caught mine and the pride reflected on his face made me stand a little taller.

Garreth and Julian cleared the stage. Ancelin walked forward and addressed the hall.

"Today has been extraordinary for a number of reasons," he began. "We have inducted a new group of chevalier elites without qualifying trials. They more than proved their abilities when they defended our kingdom despite the great danger to themselves."

He moved to the edge of the stage.

"They didn't fight because it was their job or because this was their home. They fought because it was the right thing to do." He paused. "There is much I respect about this."

It was the best "I was wrong" speech we were ever going to get.

"There is one more announcement I'd like to make." Ancelin turned to us. "You might want to step back."

We dutifully moved closer to the throne, leaving several feet free downstage.

A loud grinding noise came from above. Enormous stone ceiling slowly slid open, revealing the bright, open sky. Silver winked against the light blue, growing progressively larger as it neared.

The Armicant spiraled down, speed slowing as it neared the palace. Without a sound, the giant mutated beast landed on the stage. It crouched, strange eyes peering at us with cold interest as its wings folded back.

Everyone except me took a few more steps back.

"Kendra Irisavie, please step forward," Ancelin said.

I walked to centerstage, directly beside the Armicant. Heart pounded against my ribs and a hushed silence fell over the hall.

"I have promised the
sondaleur
the complete and total support of our kingdom in her quest to end this war. Just as she granted us her absolute support in defending our home." Steely eyes fastened on me. "I hearby grant her the status of Guardian, the protector of our people and bound to us in all ways but blood."

The Armicant reached for me with a claw the size of half my body.

Show no fear.

With a surprising gentleness, it slowly pulled the top of my shirt down, revealing the bare skin above my breastbone.

Jaws opened, prehistoric teeth stretching and widening like an alligator. Fiery tongue emerged in a serpentine motion, tip curving and folding in on itself until it formed the shape of a diamond.