Treachery Queen (The Callistra Chronicles #1)

EPILOGUE

Epilogue

The southernmost sector of Medeis lay quiet under their feet, waiting.

"We're all dead," Pasiphae said, most of her words becoming lost in the roar of the waves that crashed before her, foaming onto the rocks they stood upon and then receding hurriedly.

"And here I was thinking you were going to save Medeis." Seth folded his arms, standing solidly beside her. "Have any ideas yet?"

"Kill your mother?"

"Very funny."

The two stared out into the ocean, where beyond their eyes could see, fae and their drooping golden wings loaded themselves onto ancient, monstrous ships, one after the other. They put on their plated armour and donned their dusty helmets, many carrying the weapons of their ancestors.

It was a cause all for show: this war would be one of magic.

"Where are your bodyguards?" Pasiphae asked. She inhaled deep, taking in the spray of salt.

"They couldn't get out," Seth replied. "I had one chance to slip away and I took it."

"Evara is going to be very, very mad."

Pasiphae wasn't wrong.

In the land mass at the north, the Seelie Queen was massaging her temple as dozens of lords and ladies flooded her with concerns. The people were rebelling. The stocks were dwindling. They wanted another monarch.

But she would still send them to war.

"Why did you come?" Pasiphae whispered. A sudden clap of thunder sounded above.

"To help you," Seth said simply. "We help each other."

Pasiphae gave him a wry glance. Beneath her long sleeve, her left forearm was still a mess of skin and muscle, shorn scar tissue and healing, pink sores.

"How?" Pasiphae felt a drop of rain hit her nose, sliding down the slope in slow motion before meeting with the rocks and splitting apart. "Your own country is in turmoil."

Seth sighed, shoving his hands into the pockets of his coat. "Yeah."

The townspeople of Airesi were livid.

They burnt their huts down in protest. They slaughtered their synthetic animals and wreaked havoc on their food fields, marching with their pitchforks toward the palace, only to be shot down by the A.I's automatic weapons.

Evara didn't mind. Soon, she would have another nation to control.

"Declarations of invasion are legal under both fae and witch law," Pasiphae said, "provided there is no existing Airesi-Medeis alliance." She crossed her arms over her waist tightly. "Which there isn't. Obviously."

Centuries of animosity and centuries of closed borders. In what world would Evara have made an agreement that linked her diplomatically with Medeis?

None existed.

"We can't be a part of this war," Pasiphae continued. She could feel a pounding already starting up in her head and refusing to go away. "The last fae battle re-routed the countries of the world. We were scattered then. Now all the witches have gathered in one place." She breathed in shakily. "The fae can take our magic. We can't do that back."

"So we need to make sure the Seelie forces don't arrive."

Pasiphae scoffed. "How do we do that?"

Oceans were parting and undines fled in fear, populations gathering towards the islands of Wan and staying far, far away from the western strait that the Seelies slowly travelled along.