Finally, the priestess was done speaking and she stepped aside, a hand sweeping towards the Artefact.

The Torch sparked, the flames turning green, then purple, then blue.

Rion stared at Meora unblinking, seeing the future stretching before him, uncertainty paving every step of his path.

But the pieces had been set. It was time.

CHAPTER 10

LOR

ALLUVION—PRESENT DAY

It’s hard to tell how long I’ve been sleeping when I awake. Grit scrapes my eyes, and my head pounds in a steady rhythm, making the room twist.

A tray covered with fruit sits on the table near the bed. My stomach grumbles, and I heave myself up, hobbling on aching legs. It appears fresh enough, so I nibble on a piece of something I don’t recognize. It’s vibrant yellow with a sweet but slightly sour flavor. A knock at the door precedes the entrance of a low fae servant. She has long white hair and shimmery blue skin covered in scales.

“Hi,” I say. “Who are you?”

“I’m Pressia,” she replies, dipping into a curtsy. She’s wearing translucent white scraps of fabric strategically covering her unmentionable bits. Probably the type of thing that makes swimming easier.

“How long have I been asleep?”

“Since yesterday, my lady,” she says, with a confused look.

I breathe out a shaky sigh. I was worried about being so exhausted that I’d sleep for a week. I have three and a half days left and I have to find a way to talk to the Coral. It may not know where the ark is, but it seems like the best place to begin my hunt.

It’s then I notice the dress hanging from Pressia’s arm. When she catches my stare, she holds it up.

“You’re to dress for lunch with His Majesty,” she says, and I suppress a groan, thinking about our dinner last night. But the Coral may not know the ark’s location and I might need a backup plan. Which means getting closer to Cyan, so I’ll have to make nice. A talent that has never been high on my list of strengths.

Pressia waits while I shower, managing to avoid rendering it into a pile of glass. I also need to deal with the issue of my rampant magic, but for now, I’ll resist the urge to use it. Maybe once I get my hands on the ark, I’ll be forced to blow a hole in the side of the palace and run. Though, I remain uncomfortably aware of who I might hurt in the process.