Kai wished he could have been surprised when Gavaran had been revealed in the cave, but a part of him had known. It wasn’t just the takeover of Nyrene he’d been involved in. The only piece Kai didn’t have was what exactly Gavaran intended to do with Sterling. If he planned to install her as queen, what was the point of the takeover?

There must be something else.

A jolt ran up his arm as his sword connected with one of the mages. Somewhere in the chaos, Kestrel was fighting, too. He’d already lost track of Gavaran, who’d probably fled as soon as he could rather than involve himself in something as dirty as fighting.

Kai quickly sent his opponent on his way and looked around the cave, searching for her familiar face. This was arguably the worst fight he’d ever had the displeasure of being involved in, and that included the one where he’d been stabbed and intended to die.

This one was the worst because she was here.

His gaze landed on Seraiah, not twenty paces away. She was weaponless and trying to make her way toward Sterling, who cowered behind one of the other mages.

She had started all of this, but he couldn’t say he blamed her. He’d almost forgotten himself when Sterling had been revealed, too. It was the first time he’d laid eyes on his sister since she was a baby, and if there was ever any doubt Seraiah’s adopted sister was his blood sister, they evaporated as soon as he saw her. Sterling was the spitting image of their mother.

Suddenly, a rumble ran through the floor beneath his feet, and rocks rained down from the walls. Through the dust, Kai saw the skulls that gave the Cave of Faces its name push free from the walls.

“What’s happening?” Kestrel called over the grinding of rocks as they shifted to let out their prisoners.

“A necromancer,” he called back, staring at the mage who Seraiah had been heading for. The way his hands were lifted in the air, he had to be the one who’d called them from the walls.

Around him, the other mages had stopped to stare at the new fighters. They seemed as stunned as he was. If this was planned, they hadn’t been in on it.

Kestrel cursed and when he looked, pointed up the hole where they’d been watching from.

The necromancer had also raised their fallen comrade.

Yes, Kai decided as he watched the gnome make his way into the cave, this was definitely the worse fight he had ever been involved in.

Another mage lunged for him, but Kai dodged, his attention once again going to Seraiah. He couldn’t let her out of his sight. He could not lose her here.

The archer Seraiah had caught with her dagger was headed straight for her.

Kai avoided another assault and raced to get between them. His sword took the archer’s head cleanly from his shoulders, and Kai struggled not to retch as he pulled Seraiah’s dagger free. There would be nightmares of this day for many years to come, that was for certain.

The staff wielding mage from earlier snuck up on them, but Kai quickly took care of him and returned the dagger to Seraiah. The weapon would do little good when those skeletons entered the fray, but it was better than nothing.

Even if he didn’t make it out of here, he would be happy if Seraiah and Sterling did.

Kai threw himself back into fighting, but the tide of battle seemed to have shifted. The mages who’d been coming for them were now trying to leave the cave. Across the way, Kestrel was no longer fighting, but stood there watching the skeletons take care of the mages for her.

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Why was the necromancer using his army against his own?

Kai whirled back to face Seraiah and found her clutching Sterling. She didn’t seem to see the mage heading right for her.

“Seraiah!”

He thought to warn her, but he should have known it would only be a distraction. When she turned to look at him, the necromancer struck.

Kai’s heart lurched in his chest.

No. No. No.

Suddenly, he knew if Seraiah was no longer in this world, he didn’t want to be either. He may have started this search to find his sister, but he’d found something entirely more precious.

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As soon as Ren released her, Seraiah found she could move again. Sterling pulled her away, running straight for Kai, who was staring at them like he’d seen a ghost.

After a moment, he snapped out of it.

“Go,” Kai ordered, pointing with his bloody sword to the opening. “Get out of here. We’ll take care of the rest.”

The fighting was mostly over now, and it looked like those who could, had already fled. All that remained were the bodies of those they’d killed or knocked unconscious—and the skeleton army.

Still in a daze, Seraiah allowed herself to be pulled along, but she couldn’t keep from looking back to where they’d left Ren. He met her eyes for a moment before melting back into the shadows of the cave.

The moment he was gone, the skeletons fell. The army of walking dead once again became nothing more than bits of old bone scattered around on the floor of the cave.

And then Seraiah saw Lonan die for the second time.

She stared in horror as whatever magical force that had reanimated him washed away, and he crumpled to the ground. It was almost worse to see it happen for a second time. In her mind, she knew he’d never been alive after the arrow had struck his chest, but her heart refused to believe it.

She blinked, waiting for the tears to come, but her eyes remained dry. There was nothing. All she felt was numb.

She knew the numbness wouldn’t last, and the pain of his loss would stab at her. But for now—for now, she couldn’t grasp it.

Her eyes stayed locked on Lonan’s body, where it had fallen with the arrow still protruding from his chest until Kestrel stepped in front of her, blocking her view.

“Take Sterling and go to the horses. We’ll meet you there.”

Seraiah knew Kestrel meant to protect her. She and Kai would take care of Lonan, so she wouldn’t have to suffer through it, but part of her wanted to be there to say goodbye. The other part was still screaming at her to take Sterling and run before anyone could steal her away again.

Sterling wiggled her fingers, and Seraiah realized she was still holding tight to her sister’s hand. She relaxed her grip but didn’t let go. With a stiff nod to Kestrel, she turned to do as she said.

“That was too easy,” Seraiah heard Kestrel say to Kai as she and Sterling walked away. “It almost seemed as though they wanted us to take her back.”

The same thought had occurred to Seraiah, but she’d shoved it into the back of her mind. It was something to consider later. All that mattered now was that she had her sister back safe and sound, and they could finally go home.

Somehow, the two of them climbed out of the cave and into the open air of the desert. She hadn’t realized how much the cave had smelled of spilled blood until she was free of it.

Seraiah took the lead, and they made their way to the horses in silence, never letting go of each other.

“I missed your birthday,” Sterling suddenly blurted.

Seraiah snorted at the absurdness of the statement. “After everything you’ve been through, that’s what you think of? I can hardly blame you for missing my birthday when I nearly forgot it myself.”

They fell back into silence. There was so much Seraiah wanted to say to her sister, but she didn’t know where to start.

Then Sterling mumbled something so quiet she almost didn’t catch it.

“I didn’t think you would come for me.”

She jerked them both to a halt. “Why would you say that?” she demanded. “Of course I would come for you. You’re my sister.”

“But I’m not really your sister, am I?”

So, someone had told her.

Seraiah tucked a loose strand of hair behind Sterling’s ear. “You are my sister in all the ways that count. We may not be related by blood, but that doesn’t mean we aren’t family. Your family is whoever you want them to be. They are the people who love you no matter what, and who will do anything for you,” Seraiah said fiercely. “You will always be my family. I will always be your sister. No matter what happens, I will come for you. Do you understand? No matter what.”

“Thank you,” Sterling whispered and pulled her into a hug.

When she stepped back, Seraiah swore she saw something move behind her eyes.

Something dark and familiar.

Then Sterling blinked, and it was gone. Sterling’s normal gray eyes looked back at her.

“I have your favorite book back at camp,” Seraiah told her, trying to lighten the mood. “The one Jensira gave you.”

“That old thing?” Sterling wrinkled her nose. “I’ve read it so many times. I think I would like to hear a new tale. Tell me the story of how you found me.”

It was just like old times when Sterling would demand stories.

Seraiah smiled. “Would you believe me if I told you I met dragons?”

Sterling laughed in delight, and Seraiah couldn’t help thinking it was the most beautiful sound in the world.

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End of Book 1.