Page 194 of Infernal Secrets

“I don’t understand,” Zeke’s mother said. “What good would your wings be on Earth?”

“Kalthea took our wings.”

Cornaith slammed his fist on the arm of his throne to silence the rising alarm in the others’ voices. “Explain.”

“When we were summoned, Kalthea took our wings as payment. We all bear the scars on our backs as proof.”

Cornaith cursed under his breath.

Ezra continued, ignoring his father. “I believed that if I could summon my wings, the magical signature would be strong enough to send a ripple across the planes you could detect, but none of our attempts succeded.”

I glanced at him.

Every time we went to the clearing to try and summon our wings, he never once mentioned that. Was he telling the truth? While I had struggled with not wanting to leave, he was still trying to find a way. It explained why I always saw him with the book.

I knew Rae affected him, but his resolve to return to his place in Elyrdin was stronger than mine. That much was obvious now.

“Enough,” Cornaith said, lifting a hand and cutting Ezra off. I’d stopped paying attention, lost in my head. “Return to your home and prepare yourselves. In four days, you will join us in Cholian.”

“I don’t want to see her,” Cyn spat, sounding like a petulant child.

“Son,” Cyn’s mother started. “You won’t have to speak to her. Only attend.”

“Lymsrana is correct,” Cornaith said. “If you don’t show yourselves at the human’s execution, what message will that send to our people? Your loyalty is with them, correct? They will question that and wonder if the human corrupted you.”

“Don’t tell them,” Cyn said, shrugging.

Cornaith’s brows narrowed, and Zeke stiffened.

“He will attend,” Ezra said. “I will ensure it, Father.”

Cornaith sneered, his lip curling. “See that he does.” He waved a hand. “Leave us.”

“It is good to see you home, my son,” Ezra’s mother said so softly I wondered if he heard her as he led us out.

The meeting went better than I expected.

I’d expected a full interrogation; judging by how Zeke deflated the moment we cleared the doors, so had he.

Instead, Cornaith only pressed what he’d been briefed on and barely looked at anyone but his son.

I wondered if our long absence played a role in how they responded.

Cyn’s parents didn’t act like they cared, but away from Cornaith they would shower him with affection. Zeke’s parents wouldn’t give much more than they did at the meeting. I doubted they’d blink if he disappeared—beyond grieving the loss of their meal ticket.

We left the palace, taking the manicured path toward the road home. I doubted anyone wanted to take a car after being stuck inside. “Did you hear your mom?”

Ezra looked over his shoulder at me as I caught up with him.

“She missed you.”

He nodded and faced forward as groundskeepers bowed, sharing their happiness at our return, then went back to tending the purple gardeista blooms.

Cyn linked his fingers behind his head as he walked, staring up at the orange and pink hues of the setting sun. The colors bled into indigo twilight, scattered with turquoise, green, white, and pink glittering stars. “Do I really have to go?”

“Don’t be a brat about it,” I said.

“I don’t want to see it,” he mumbled, a crack in his voice.