Author's Preface
Kyra moved through the darkness, slow and unsteady. Jysarra’s arm hung over her shoulders. Kyra held her tight with one hand, the other extended out, feeling blindly through ankle-deep water. Kyra had lost all sense of time in the darkness and Jysarra had been fading in and out of consciousness the entire time. She followed the current, gambling it would lead to a culvert along the river.
“...Kyra.”
Her name drifted off Jysarra’s lips, soft and weak.
“I’m here.”
Jysarra mumbled something, voice catching in a pained grunt. The orb of light flickered back into existence. Kyra’s eyes squeezed shut against the sudden light. Jysarra slipped her arm free from Kyra and leaned against a narrow stone ledge. The light in her eyes dimmed. Her breathing turned shallow. She reached for her bag, but her head dipped and the light fluttered. Kyra’s hands shot up to catch Jysarra.
“Stay with me!”
Kyra cupped her face and lifted it gently. Her eyes blinked open and a small smirk pulled across her face.
“Worried about me, sunshine?”
“Of course I am.”
Her smirk softened into a small, pained smile.
“Because you like me.”
Kyra let out a small, helpless laugh. She helped Jysarra sit back against the slick stone. Jysarra’s face tightened as she let out a sharp, pained hiss.
“Can you heal yourself?”
“I’m not sure I have it in me, but…”
She pulled the flap of her bag aside with shaky hands and dug through it with a frustrated breath. She fumbled to a side pouch, movements growing sharper, more frantic. Kyra’s hands closed over hers.
“What are you looking for?”
“Healing potion. Small glass vial.”
Kyra helped her shrug off the bag. The strap was soaked with blood where it had rested on her back. She searched each compartment quickly, methodically, until she found it. The liquid inside swirled and sparkled. Kyra unstoppered the vial. She lifted Jysarra’s chin, just enough, and tipped the liquid into her mouth. Jysarra stilled. Then her hand came up, resting over Kyra’s. She saw Jysarra’s lip quiver, just slightly. A moment later the color returned to her eyes.
“Did that work?”
Jysarra’s hand gave hers a brief squeeze.
“It will be enough for the time being.”
A howl tore through the tunnel, echoing off the walls. Kyra’s attention snapped to the darkened tunnel she had walked them through. Jysarra stood and gave Kyra’s hand a tug.
“He can’t follow us down here. You’re safe.”
Kyra stared into the blackness a moment longer, then tore her eyes away from it. She turned back toward Jysarra and her hands started shaking before she could still them. Her eyes burned. Her breath hitched.
“Kyra, breathe.”
Jysarra took Kyra’s hand and pressed it to her chest.
“Breathe with me.”
Kyra felt the steady rise and fall beneath her palm. Jysarra’s other hand came up, cupping the back of Kyra’s neck. Kyra’s expression pulled tight and the first tear dropped onto her cheek. She stepped into Jysarra and held on. Jysarra held her tight with one arm, the other threading gently through her hair.
“You’re all right. I’ve got you.”
She felt Jysarra’s fingers threading gently through her hair. Her world narrowed to that feeling. And with that came awareness. How close they were. The heat of Jysarra’s body, the steady cadence of her breath. A faint shiver traced along Kyra’s arms, her skin prickling before she could stop it. Kyra exhaled softly, her forehead still resting against her.
“I–”
Kyra’s voice faltered.
“I’m sorry. I’ve never – I’ve never been that afraid. Not even when…”
Her gaze fell.
“When my mother...”
Another tear escaped, rolling down her cheek. Jysarra’s hand came up, brushing the tear away before lifting her chin.
“Thank you for telling me that.”
Her thumb brushed along Kyra’s cheek.
“You don’t need to apologize.”
Jysarra worried her lip for a moment.
“I lost my mother young too.”
A beat.
“I knew yours.”
Kyra looked up at her.
“Not well. But I saw her, when Telperien dealt with the crown. She was always kind. Welcoming. It showed.”
A pause.
“And… I see that in you.”
Kyra smiled, soft and unguarded, even as tears clung to her lashes.
“Thank you for saying that.”
Jysarra gave her hand another squeeze.
“Kyra, I–”
She let out a steadying breath.
“I apologize for how I spoke to you. At the Dell.”
Kyra couldn't help but smirk.
“I’m sure that was devastating.”
A small laugh escaped Jysarra.
“You have no idea.”
“If I recall correctly, you referred to me as a child wandering through the darkness.”
Jysarra’s tongue darted out to wet her lips.
“You speak Elvish.”
“Vanima ná.”
Jysarra stilled, just for a moment. Kyra finally took a reluctant step back. She gave their squalid surroundings a quick once-over.
“Well, I won’t speak for you, but I don’t particularly want to spend any more time traipsing about in questionable water while a monster tries to eat me.”
“I’ve been in worse places, but yes, let’s find our way out of here.”
The tiny orb of light drifted lazily behind them as they walked. Kyra brushed her hand against Jysarra’s, an unspoken invitation. A moment later, Jysarra’s fingers threaded through her own. Kyra risked a glance toward her. A small smile tugged at Jysarra’s lips and a blush rose through her cheeks.
“Thank you.”
Kyra looked over at her fully.
“For saving me. You’re a good shot with your bow.”
Kyra cocked an eyebrow. “I’m an excellent shot.”
They continued on in comfortable silence and soft light for another few minutes. The thunderous sound of the rushing river grew louder with every step forward. Soon enough they stood on the precipice of the tunnel overlooking the river. The remains of the warehouse in Brickstown was just across the way. Jysarra peered over the edge.
“I don’t suppose you fancy another dip in the river?”
Kyra, however, had wandered off down a break in the tunnel, a natural stone crevice that wound itself downward. Voices had drifted through the darkness and she had followed them on instinct. The light that had been following them disappeared and Jysarra came up beside her like a silent shadow. Kyra had posted up beside a gap in the rock looking out into a large open chamber that was part natural cavern and part man-made excavation with an underground river running through it. That was not what caught Kyra’s eye however, but the galleon standing tall in the center of the chamber. Torches had been placed around the ship and led off toward what she could only assume was an exit on the far side of the cavern.
“I knew it. That ship came upriver last night.”
“How did it get here?”
Kyra began wagging a finger as the thought came to her.
“When I dove in the river to avoid being crushed I was pulled down toward the riverbed instead of downstream.”
Both women dared a peek beyond the crack. The current thundered into the cavern through a natural opening large enough to easily let the galleon pass through.
“They’re using this to smuggle black market goods into the city–”
“And using the warehouses across the river to store and distribute them.”
The sharp sound of metal ringing against stone filled the chamber. Something about that was familiar to Kyra, a memory she couldn’t quite recall. She risked leaning out just a little more when the stone she was bracing against gave way and she stumbled forward. Several more rocks tumbled down, the sound echoing throughout the chamber. Jysarra’s hand closed around Kyra’s wrist and pulled her back into the darkened tunnel. She held her there against the wall, a finger to her lips. A tense heartbeat passed. Then another. Jysarra turned her attention back to Kyra.
“We really need to work on your subtlety. You have all the grace of a drunken ox.”
Kyra was too lost in Jysarra’s eyes to take mock offense to her teasing. She had found herself pressed against Jysarra yet again. Kyra found herself wanting nothing more than to pull her down and kiss her. Jysarra was staring back at her, breathing heavily. The sound of footsteps broke them both from their trance. Jysarra pulled Kyra deeper into the crevice and pulled something from her component pouch.
“Huinë.”
Darkness, utter and complete, swallowed them whole. Kyra wondered if this was what being blind was like. She supposed she should have been frightened in this moment with someone approaching, but the warm body pressed against hers was overriding her every sense. The absence of fear turned into foolhardy bravery. Her hand drifted up along Jysarra’s arm until it found the soft skin of her throat. Then she traced Jysarra’s jawline slowly before brushing a finger along her bottom lip. Jysarra huffed out a breath and grabbed Kyra’s hand. A moment later the all consuming darkness abated as the footsteps wandered off. Kyra’s vision slowly adjusted to see Jysarra holding her hand, though her eyes were cast to the ground.
Kyra let out a breath. “We need to find out what’s in that ship.”
Jysarra gave her hand a squeeze.
“Absolutely not.”
“As you said, I’m persistent.”
Kyra took a step, but Jysarra held firm.
“I am not putting you in danger again. If something happened to you…”
Kyra cast another long look into the cavern.
“But we’re so close. If I can bring back proof to Kat then I can get reinstated.”
“And if we die here then the Faceless continues to amass power.” She gently turned Kyra’s gaze back to her. “This isn’t defeat. I will rouse my sisters to action and clear your name.”
Kyra sighed, her shoulders relaxing.
“All right, but I’m counting on you.”
Jysarra smiled softly.
“You have my word, my lady.”
Jysarra brought Kyra’s hand up and laid a gentle kiss upon it. Kyra’s chest tightened a moment.
Gods, this girl…
Jysarra turned and led them back through the winding tunnel until they found themselves back at the outlet above the river. She gave Kyra a boost, allowing her to grab the lip of the embankment. Kyra scrambled up, turned, and held her hand out for Jysarra.
“Come on.”
Jysarra pushed off the stonework and grabbed Kyra’s hand. For a brief, terrifying moment Kyra feared they’d spill back over into the river, but she dug her feet into the ground and braced her free hand against the ledge. Between Kyra pulling with every bit of strength she had and Jysarra scrambling up the slick stonework both ladies found themselves lying on solid ground beneath the moonlit sky.
Kyra couldn’t help herself. A deep, booming laugh born of both nervousness and elation bellowed out of her. She clapped her hands over her mouth in a vain attempt to stifle herself. She glanced at Jysarra who was staring at her, a wide smile stretched across her face.
“What?”
Jysarra gave a small shake of her head.
“Nothing. I just like the sound of your laughter.”
Kyra’s chest tightened a moment, then another round of laughter surged through her.
“This has been, without a doubt, the strangest day of my life.”
“Is that a bad thing or a good thing?”
Kyra turned onto her side, propping her head up.
“There’s been moments I wouldn’t care to repeat, but I met you so…”
“A bad thing then,” Jysarra said, though her smile became a soundless laugh of her own.
Kyra reached over and tucked a strand of hair behind Jysarra’s ear. Her hand lingered there a moment before tracing slowly along the edge of it. Jysarra let out a breath and leaned into it, just a little.
“Despite how… prickly you were when we first met, I’m happy it was you.”
Jysarra’s eyes fluttered shut for a moment as a breathy chuckle escaped her.
“You really know how to make a girl feel special.”
Jysarra’s ear twitched and she went tense.
“What is it?”
“Voices on the air. Shouting. We should go.”
Kyra cursed under her breath as reality came crashing back. They both pulled themselves upright with a groan. Jysarra’s fingers threaded through her own without question and she led Kyra southward through the narrow alleys of the outer city. Raised voices broke the tense silence every few minutes, then faded off again. Every few blocks Kyra would spot an individual or two who would quickly retreat behind a closed door or slink off into a shadowy sidestreet. Kyra spotted Men, Half-orcs, a nervous-looking Tiefling, and a pair of Dark Elves as they continued their long march back to the bridge. A tremendous sense of grief took root in Kyra as she beheld these people. They were frightened. They shouldn’t have to live like this.
The bridge came into view as the last of the buildings gave way to an open field under the stars. The roar of the river broke through suddenly as if the earlier tension had somehow muted it, though Kyra knew it was her own anxiety draining away. A new question was forming in her mind now as she thought of the two Dark Elves. Why is Jysarra so different from them?
Jysarra continued to lead her wordlessly through the field and onto the bridge before finally taking a moment and stopping near the top. Jysarra let out a breath, her shoulders easing down, and she leaned against the stone wall to look out over the river. Kyra shifted from one foot to the other. Jysarra looked over at her and cocked an eyebrow.
“Whatever it is you’re wanting to say, be out with it already.”
Kyra worried her lip, then let out a breath.
“Why don’t you… look like them? Your sisters?”
She regretted it the moment it left her mouth. An overstep. An insult.
“Jysarra, I’m sor–”
Jysarra held a hand up to stop her.
“I am what is called Fëa ar Lúmë in my tongue. The Ghost in the Darkness.” Her expression pulled tight. “It is said that our births are great blessings upon the House, though I have found that to be a lie.”
Kyra reached out, wrapped her hand around Jysarra’s, and gave it a soft squeeze. To her surprise, Jysarra turned her hand over and squeezed back.
“I was rewarded by being made the Spider Queen’s prized child assassin.”
Jysarra looked up into the night sky. The only sound was the river rushing beneath them.
“I don’t know why I tell you all of this now…”
Jysarra’s gaze fell to meet her own, violet eyes locking with her emerald ones. Kyra watched the dark in Jysarra’s eyes spread until only a thin ring of violet remained. The look she gave her then made Kyra’s breath catch. She stood there for a heartbeat, two, then turned away, looking out into the dark beyond the walls.
“We should keep moving. The Faceless will not react kindly to our intervention.”
Jysarra tried to slip her hand free from hers, but Kyra held to her tightly.
“Jessie–”
She stopped herself. Jysarra’s lips curved, slow and faint.
“You called me Jessie.”
Kyra went still. “I apologize.”
Jysarra stepped a little closer.
“Don’t,” she said quietly.
A beat.
“I liked it.”
A flutter worked through Kyra’s chest.
I’m not imagining this… am I?
“Let’s get you home.”
“Have you finally grown tired of me?”
Jysarra gave her hand a squeeze.
“If I’m being honest, when we set off this morning, I couldn’t wait to be rid of you. But now I find myself grieving our parting before it has even happened.”
Kyra ducked her head and rubbed the back of her neck.
“So no, I have not grown tired of you, however…”
Kyra cocked an eyebrow. “However?”
“You seem to find trouble without even trying.”
“You sound like my mother, my sister, and my lady’s maid.”
Jysarra smirked and led her through the postern gate once they crossed the river. They walked hand in hand through the quiet streets of Eveningstar and Noontide until Kyra finally guided them down a narrow side road. The Kiermann manor rose behind a weathered ten-foot stone wall broken only by heavy wrought-iron gates. Beyond them stretched sweeping grass, towering trees, and gardens overflowing with greenery beneath the moonlight. The outer walls had beds of flowers planted at their feet. Jysarra sank down and let her fingers drift through the dense bed of flowers before thumbing at one of the lilacs. Kyra knelt down next to her, plucked the flower, and breathed in deeply.
“My mother planted many of these herself. She found great comfort in tending to anything that grows. I always had a love for sunflowers, but she and Kat were far more traditional in their taste.”
“I prefer lilacs myself.”
Kyra turned and threaded the lilac just above Jysarra’s ear. Both women stood and Jysarra took Kyra’s hand again. Kyra took a breath to steady herself. She took a step forward and looked up at Jysarra.
“There’s a garden party tomorrow evening at our estate in the countryside. You’re coming with me.”
“Am I?”
“Yes.”
“As what?”
Kyra didn’t look away.
“As my date.”