The strangest thing happened then. He wanted to cry. He wanted to say sorry to Nadir, Amya, and Meora for all the hurt he’d caused. He wanted to take it all back. He wanted to start again in that throne room all those years ago, when fate had bound him to his son and his partner, and chart a different path.

His gaze fell on Herric, who continued to watch while Nadir covered Lor’s body as they tumbled together, seeking safety in a small cave carved into the side of the mountain.

“It’s a shame,” Herric mused, drawing Rion’s attention.

“What?”

Herric smirked and leaned in. “Your son. He gave up his crown for her. What will happen to your legacy now?”

Rion blinked, once again recalling the tale Cloris shared with him. Two Primaries could never bond unless one of them gave up their position. His son had made the choice Rion hadn’t been brave enough to face. Would Amya succeed him?

As he watched them comfort one another, Rion realized his son had been so much smarter than he could have ever hoped to be. That maybe none of this had been about taking his crown after all.

A moment later, Lor and Nadir fell through the back of the cave. The stadium blinked out, the entire dome darkening before they suddenly found themselves inside a cavern hewn from the center of the mountain, everything lit with a soft glow.

Rion could make out the edges of the space and the animated faces of the crowd.

A bright light flared, illuminating Lor and Nadir balanced on a tiny cliff at the edge.

They blinked in confusion, staring at their surroundings.

Herric spread his arms wide with a grin on his face, and Rion . . . noted the ark tucked into the Lord of the Underworld’s belt before he turned to look at his son, silently rooting for him to win for the very first time.

CHAPTER 69

NADIR

We tumble out of the back of the cave and roll down a tunnel, bumping against its jagged surface. My hand smacks against the rock, and I grunt at the impact before we land in a heap.

“Gods, what now?” Lor grumbles as we both become aware of our new surroundings. We’re inside a massive soaring cavern lit only by a few lights suspended over the crowd and a single hole cut into the top.

“You’ve done well so far!” booms a voice, echoing through the space. I exchange a look with Lor as we slowly climb to our feet.

“You’re so close to your goal,” Herric adds. “But not quite yet.”

I scan our environment, noting we’re once again surrounded by the dead. The sound of their laughter and chatter is hollow and cold. Herric stands inside a box adorned with swaths of black fabric and silver accents hovering in the air.