Reign the Earth (The Elementae #1)(84)

“And I unveiled you,” he said, his voice low. “Not my brother.”

His eyes met mine. They looked bright and unnaturally green, regarding me in a way that made my skin tingle and shiver, the sensation as delicious as it was dangerous. I tore my eyes away from him. “I shouldn’t have told you that.”

“No,” he said, and I glanced back to him. He was gazing ahead, sitting straighter, with a ghost of a smug smile on his face. “I’m glad you did.”





Trizala

With another stretch of breathless galloping in the afternoon, we made Trizala well after nightfall; I almost regretted my fast rides that brought us to this strange new city without the light to see by.

Galen said we were getting close when the road rose steeply, the horses slowly climbing switchbacks cut into a mountain. It was dark, and the growing height made me uneasy, but Galen seemed confident and sure, and I followed close behind him.

After another turn, Galen stopped as we faced a wall, a stone gate bridged right over the road.

“Open the gate for the Trifectate Queen!” he bellowed.

“Open the gate!” someone called back.

Without us seeing how, the gate slowly rose until we could pass easily with our horses, and Galen ducked his head and rode into the dark shadow. I followed him, holding my breath.

A torch illuminated the dark area, and the man holding it bowed. Galen nodded to him without saying anything, and rode on.

The city was built into the mountain, houses balanced along the road, which continued in switchbacks up the mountain. As we continued higher, the houses were more elaborate and huge, carved into the rock itself.

“It’s like Jitra,” I marveled. “I never knew there was another city like this.”

Galen turned around, one side of his mouth winging upward. “I thought you’d like it. I figured you’d feel safe here.”

He turned around front, and it took me a moment to spur my horse to follow him. Perhaps I was just starved for affection, but his thoughtfulness touched my heart.

We kept going until we crested the mountain. At the top, there was a great flat space carved out between the mountains, and it was lit with a hundred torches. People were gathered there, a man who I guessed was a vestai and his family, and I dismounted, taking in the grand spectacle of it. Peering off the edge into the night, I could only get a rough sense of the sweep and beauty of this view; it felt like a rich, dark mystery, full of promise.

“Definitely crafted by Elementae,” Kairos said, coming up behind me. “Maybe you’re not the first Elementa from the desert, you know. Jitra would make a lot more sense.”

I looked at the rocks. “Maybe,” I whispered back.

He put his hands on my shoulders. “How are you feeling?”

Leaning against him, I smiled the small bit that my bruise would allow. “Free,” I told him.

Like a good brother, he didn’t remind me that was a lie, even as his hawk wheeled around us and dove for something in the dark, the only creature here that was really free to do as he pleased. Kairos just rubbed warmth into my shoulders and stood behind me.


Vestai Nikan brought us to his stronghold, tucked into the mountains. The rooms were all carved stone, cool and dark, and walking into them, I felt my power bubbling around me. Not triggered or pulled, nothing to do with me—just preexisting and natural.

Zeph and Theron went into my chamber while I waited in the hall. Galen stood across from me, close enough that our feet were nearly touching, and Kai wandered up and down the hall, restless, looking at everything.

“What will we do here?” I asked, glancing around. “In my rush to leave, I hadn’t thought what I would actually be doing.”

“Whatever you wish,” Galen told me. “I would recommend addressing the people at some point. Vestai Nikan is planning a feast in your honor tomorrow night.”

I nodded. “Thank you,” I told him.

Galen didn’t look at me. “Of course.” Zeph emerged and nodded, Theron coming out a moment behind him. “Secure?” Galen asked.

“Yes, sir. My queen,” Zeph said, gesturing me into the room.

“You’re not going to stay here, are you?” I asked them.

“Kairos and I will sleep next door,” Galen told me. “But yes, they will absolutely stay here.”

“They haven’t slept, and they’ve been riding all day. Can’t one of the others stay here?” I asked.

“Theron will sleep and I’ll watch over you, my queen,” Zeph told me. “I’ll be fine waiting until tomorrow.”

“But you won’t be sharp,” Kairos said. “I’ll stay the night, and then I’ll sleep during the day tomorrow while Shy performs whatever queenly duties she must.”

Zeph frowned.

“Very well,” Galen said. “Just for tonight.”

Kairos stepped closer to my door, and the muscles of Zeph’s arms tightened. “My queen,” he said, looking at the ground. “I won’t offer you an apology. I don’t deserve your forgiveness, and you shouldn’t give it to me. But please know that I will regret failing you for the rest of my days,” he said.

“There’s nothing to forgive,” I told him. “You couldn’t have changed anything that happened yesterday.”