That monastery lit like a candle.

Jade and I had painstakingly blocked the exits leading from the monastery, then set fire to the main corridors first. Then, scampering through the ceiling like rats on a sinking ship, we systematically boxed the croeli in with traps and flame. The croeli’s surprised cries echoed through the smoke-filled corridors and my heart soared.

When we had at last finished the grisly deed, Jade and I worked our way back towards the chapel. We’d left one door untouched, but we were smart enough to block the corridor leading up to it. We would have to crawl through the smoke-filled rafters to reach it, but I knew we could make it there, even in the dark. Our hidden passages would have to save our lives one more time.

I wish I’d foreseen more. I wish I’d known that one horrified and brutish croeli had broken through the barricaded corridor and ran, burnt and screaming, towards the refuge of the outside world. Strips of charred and melted skin must have clung to his cheekbones as he drunkenly wove his way towards the unbarred door that would exit near the chapel.

I heard the screams before reaching the trapdoor that led down into the corridor and then to freedom, but the smoke had grown too thick, and it distorted the echoes that carried throughout the flaming structure. Between our strangled coughing and the distorted screams of men further in the building, it didn’t occur to me to try and peer through the inky blackness of night and smoke to see if one dying man might be below. Why would it? How could I know that someone would make it that far?

Everything would be different if I had only looked.

When my boots struck the heated metal of charred pauldrons as I dropped from the ceiling, I couldn’t help but cry out in surprise. My yell was nothing compared to the pain-filled, terrorized scream of the man beneath me, though, and his fear must have been double mine. It gave me enough time roll away, but both of our training kicked in immediately. You have to give the croeli one thing—they’re quick on their feet. I rolled away from that beast with an agile grace at the same moment that Jade leapt down to assist me. She must have heard my cry. She must have been afraid when she couldn’t see me. She must not have thought—only acted. She wanted to save me. And the croeli, despite his injuries, had been well-trained. His criukli whipped forward almost instantly.

I still remember how Jade’s blood sizzled as it sprayed onto his heated breastplate.

Two edged disks sprouted from the man’s throat, and only one was mine. Goddess, Jade made a hell of a faoii, even when she was hurt. The croeli’s death cry came out only as a wet gurgle when he collapsed onto the heated flagstones of the corridor.

I didn’t stop to gather our weapons. I just took Jade in my arms and shouldered my way through the door.

The cool night air was like the breath of a Goddess song against my face when we got out of the burning monastery. I hugged Jade close to my chest and turned towards the chapel, casting a glance at the stars as I moved. It took me way too long to realize that they were dimmed by tears rather than smoke. But I kept my eyes focused upwards as I staggered towards the chapel, afraid and unwilling to look down at the heavy burden that was quickly fading in my arms. Jade’s leg was already just a fleshy mound of blood and flayed skin, and my knees were weak with even the muted pain that rode the silver cord between us.

“You can leave me, Faoii-Lyn.” Jade whispered into the crook of my neck between pained gasps. I ignored her and kept going, refusing to hear. But she just kept whispering. “Get to the girls. Get somewhere safe. The Goddess will watch over you. And…” She paused, wheezing in my arms. “Know that I will always love you, my sister.”

Get somewhere safe.

The Goddess will watch over you.

I will always love you.

Go…

I love you…

Those words repeated themselves over and over again in my ear. Weak, but persistent. Again and again Jade whispered her swan’s song as I made my way to the chapel.

It was only when I arrived at the Goddess’ statue that I realized that Jade was gone, and the voice I was hearing was my own quiet whispers into a night that never responded.

I left Jade there, at the Goddess’ bare feet. Carefully, as one put’s a baby in a crib, I offered Jade to Illindria’s everlasting embrace. When I knelt for one final prayer, the pain from Jade’s criukli wound had already faded, and the silver ribbon had left a gaping, savage wound in my heart that was so, so much worse.

The prayer was short, but powerful. Not that it mattered. All the prayers and tears in the world could never ease that cavernous wound left in my soul. When I rose again, I lifted my eyes to the Goddess’ face, angry, hurt, and scared. I just wanted answers. I wanted some sort of hope. Jade would have known what to say, what to look for.

My gaze fell on the fantoii in the War Watcher’s hand.

“I didn’t even think about it. I just snapped the Goddess’ hand off and took it with me. The fingers had crumbled away before I found the urchins in the orangery, and the look of pride in their eyes when they saw it belted at my waist…” Lyn paused, and Kaiya was surprised to hear her chuckle. “I’ve never even used the bloody thing. But it was a symbol. And with it in hand, I’ve made more out of these crumbling walls than I think anyone ever expected from me.”

Next Chapter: A Letter From Andarian (Glossary)