Page 79 of Ruin of Revenants

I chewed the inside of my lip. “You think I have feelings for him?”

She smiled and drank her tea like we were speaking about a male in Everhaven who’d caught my eye. “He certainly sounds like he’s growing fond of you.”

I shook my head. “If he could, he would kill me.” But the words tasted wrong. Was that true anymore?

Mama didn’t argue with me, only sipped at her tea, cradling the cup in hands whose fingers looked too swollen. The shadows under her eyes gave away the sleepless nights she’d faced, probably from a combination of worry and pain. My stomach twisted.

“I am going to find a cure for you, Mama,” I vowed, setting down my mug to hold her too-thin frame and lay my head on her shoulder.

“I know you’ll save the phoenixes, my love,” she said confidently.

“The sun hurts,” Mama had admitted quietly a little while later, when I announced I was going to check on Bren and Archer. I wasn’t sure how much time had passed and was a little shocked they hadn’t returned to the treehouse already.

My chest tightened. For Aunt Aurora and some of the other phoenixes whose afflictions began first, their symptoms grew significantly worse once they started noticing that the sun’s rays felt painful on their skin, like instead of feeding their magic and strength, it was depleting them further. Solea’s flames, I thought. “When did this start?” I asked quietly.

“Not long after you left. I try to go out anyway. Staying cooped up in this house alone isn’t good for the soul.” She gave me a brave smile, but I ached.

“Mama…”

“Go on. I’m going to rest while you check on those two. And you should visit with Brook.”

Kissing Mama’s cheek, I slipped out of our treehouse and onto the balcony overlooking Everhaven’s clearing. Bren and Archer were nowhere to be found. I frowned, scanning the space, wondering where they would have gone and if I should be worried.

Had the others somehow realized who Archer was? I trusted my brother not to rat him out when my fate depended on Archer’s, but perhaps the potion had failed us or something else had made Hunter or Blaze or one of the other guards suspicious.

Children’s laughter and chatter drew me down our steps and out into the jungle, all the way to the edge of the Passionfire, where I could see a small crowd gathered. All were children except for the pair at the head of it, who I recognized as Bren and Archer with his dark hair and eyes.

“Throw it again!” cried Ash, a male youth of about six, leaping in the air in his excitement. He was in half-form, his fiery wings fluttering on his back.

Even Bren watched Archer with a wide smile as he lifted a ball the children must have been tossing back and forth. He threw the ball into the air before twisting gracefully, catching the ball with the side of his boot and bouncing it before moving his foot again to catch it on the other side. He kicked it high into the air, bouncing it off his head before spinning, catching, and tossing it toward the crowd of children, who scattered and squealed, each racing to seize it first. A few fluttered their wings, half-flying, half-jumping to grab it.

Laughing, I strode up to them, caught off guard by the warmth I felt. Was Mama right?

Archer glanced at me, the carefree expression on his face making him look perfectly at home. He was comfortable. Playing with phoenix children without scowling in disgust or trying to stay away.

“I didn’t know you were so talented at games of catch—or should I say kicking?” I laughed.

Archer lifted his eyebrows at me before sending a thought into my mind. I didn’t spend my whole childhood hunting your kind. I had time to play too.

My stomach clenched at the reminder that he’d started hunting our kind as a child, all at his father’s demand. King Wystan had done all he could to craft Archer into the sort of prince he wanted him to be, and yet here he was, watching a collection of phoenix children playing with such warmth in his eyes, one could imagine he might have been enjoying himself.

I glanced at Bren, who’d lifted his arm to deflect the ball and send it soaring back toward the children. “How did this come about?”

“They kicked the ball into the jungle and lost it in the foliage. They asked me for help, and they wanted me to play with them.” Bren shrugged. He’d always been great with children and keeping them entertained, and they were always asking for him to join them. “I wasn’t going to let this one hold me back.” He jerked his head toward Archer. “But when I introduced him, they made him play too, and he started showing off.” This time, his eye roll was clearly all playful.

He’s even charmed Bren. I glanced at Archer again, wondering if I should be overjoyed or worried.

“Well, since you two are getting along, I’m going to visit Brook.” I forced a smile.

Are you going to be all right, Feathers?

I paused, half-turned away. Worried about me? When I looked over my shoulder and met Archer’s eyes, he smirked. I need to see her alone.

His expression sobered, something like sadness flooding our bond. I understand.

Aunt Aurora and Brook’s windows were nearly all curtained, blocking out the sun, except for the one to Brook’s room. It was a small comfort, a reminder that her condition had just begun and the sunshine was still welcome for her.

But when I knocked on the door, all I felt was heaviness.