House of the Raven (The Eldrystone #1)

39. CHAPTER 39

39

VALERIA

“We will lift them from the depths of their ignorance.”

Habid Elharar - Moro Scholar - 120 BV

M y vision blurs. A painful knot forms in my throat, and I can’t swallow it down.

River is Bastien.

Bastien is River.

“Now,” he says, his voice a couple of octaves lower than the one I’m used to, “give me the amulet.” He puts his large hand out. The same hand that caressed me, the same hand that touched my most intimate places and made me quiver.

“H-how could you?” I whisper, the question barely audible even to myself.

“You know well what you hold in your hand, princess. You’ve done everything in your power to keep it to yourself. I’ve done all in my power to retrieve it.”

“It was all a lie.”

“You are extremely na?ve for someone who grew up… here .” He makes a dismissive gesture toward the broken pieces of Nido all around us .

His words shatter my heart a little more, spider web cracks spreading and wrapping around the aching muscle.

None of it was real. All along he was after The Eldrystone, lying in wait until this moment.

Danger lurks. Ready yourself . He only said that because he was planning this.

“You’re vile,” I say. “Worse than Orys.”

There’s a slight tightening around his eyes, but it doesn’t last. He blows air through his nose in fake amusement to deliver a bad joke. “I suggest you compare notes with your sister before you decide who is worse.”

“I hate you.”

He’s unflinching, his mouth thin as a shard of glass. His hard expression tells me these words mean nothing to him.

“You could have made all of this much easier on yourself, if you had not decided to keep the amulet to yourself. It does not belong to you, princess.”

“It does.” My words slice the air with the conviction of an expertly wielded rapier. “My mother gave it to me.”

“It was not hers in the first place. But I have no time for this. Enough! Give me the amulet now or watch your sister die.”

I glance up. Amira isn’t struggling anymore. She’s limp, probably unconscious from shock. Gods know I cannot let her die, but I can’t allow the veilfallen to gain the power that The Eldrystone would give them. This male is heartless. He would destroy us all. The veilfallen despise Castella. They blame humans for their exile. I cannot allow this sort of power to fall into his hands.

“ Tch, tch, tch .” I shake my head. “I’m afraid I can’t let you have it.”

Loyal as always, Cuervo did not leave and find safety. Instead, he responds to my call by swooping back into the ballroom like a flying arrow. We’ve played tossing games many times, the two of us, and when I lob the amulet up in the air, my timing is perfect.

River’s dark eyes follow the jewel’s upward trajectory. He lurches forward, hand outstretched, ready to catch it.

Cuervo beats his wings, dives down, and snatches the amulet as if it were prey. With The Eldrystone grasped securely in his talon, he darts away and flies through the doors at the top of the stairs. Volleys of magic and arrows chase after him, barely missing him, but he makes it out, taking the object of Bastien’s—no, River’s—real lust with him.

“You bitch,” the female who holds my sister with her magic cries out. “She dies.” Pulling her hand back, she cuts off the magic’ flow.

My sister plummets.

Without thinking, I run and position myself right under her. As she rushes in my direction, I know there’s no saving her. But it doesn’t matter—not when I’ll go with her, and River will never have The Eldrystone.

At least, the Plumanegra sisters’ deaths will mean that much.

“Stop her fall,” River’s command is unequivocal. “Stop her!” He repeats when the female ignores his order.

Too late, she lifts a hand and releases a burst of magic.

It’s not enough.

Amira crashes on top of me, and the world goes dark.