I stare in the direction of the city. I hear people shouting orders, along with more cracking and rumbling as they shift the debris. The haze continues to blind me, but it’s starting to clear. I need to get out of here before anyone finds me. What happened to Rion and his army? I hope I took a few more of them out.

Finally, I spot the guard I’m seeking and cry out. As I fall to my knees, my hands land on the sharp rock, scraping my palms. They’re still aching from my search in the tide pools, but I ignore it. I have more important things to do than worry about a bit of temporary discomfort. If I lose Nadir, I’ll never be able to breathe again.

I pat his pockets, finding a telltale hard spot, but the opening is trapped under his body. He’s enormous, and I try to shift him, but the angle is awkward and he’s half-buried under the rubble. A knife hangs at his belt, and I slide it out before sawing through the fabric of his tunic. Voices in the distance move closer while the sky clears and dawn arrives with a wash of pink and orange.

Finally, I free the ark and yank it out of the guard’s pocket, his eyes fluttering as he groans. I briefly consider knocking him out again, but I reason it’ll be at least another minute before he’s coherent enough to cause any problems. With the ark clutched to my chest, I stagger over the rubble and scoop up a fallen scarf to create a makeshift sling in which to carry it.

I’ve already decided to return to Aphelion. Once I get Nadir back, I need to find Tristan and Willow. Maybe they’re already looking for me. If I were in their shoes, I’d do the same. That means south is my destination.

I continue picking through the debris then trip, landing on my knees. I wince at the scrape as it tears away my skin. The sky is almost clear now, but no one pays me any attention as they tend to their wounds and dig up those caught under the wreckage. I take a moment to scan the horizon for Rion, knowing that wherever he is, he’s already looking for me.

Does he know Nadir is dead? Does he care?

Finally, I make my way to the edge of the palace and look up. My eyes widen at what I’ve done. I’ve torn off almost the entire front facade of the building, leaving the exposed guts underneath. Rubble is everywhere, nothing but chaos. I shake my head, tears filling my eyes. I wanted my magic back so badly, but I didn’t stop to think about what it would mean. I’m not a queen or a High Fae—I’m nothing but fucking destruction. Linden is right.