Sol Ascension: CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

ROMANTASY SERIAL | An Adult Sapphic Fantasy Romance about a Huntress with a duty, an Heiress with a calling, and a Kingdom that may not be what it seems. Welcome to the Kingdom of Navia.

Author’s Note: If you’re new to the story, you can start here for TW’s, an in-depth intro, glossary, & complete chapter list. This is 18+ adult fiction.

3 WEEKS UNTIL THE DAY OF FYRE’S LIGHT

Even as my mind tries to make sense of this— the gods, the archive, all of it—there is something about this music that calls to a forgotten thing deep inside of me. I tug my sleeves over the markings on my wrist and try to blend in with everyone else. Vesh said they needed to speak to the Lyra player.

I still can't believe it. An actual Lyra—it sounds even more beautiful than I could have ever imagined.

And Avaelu—she has a sister… Lithia.

I commit her name to memory as a decadent smell washes over me. The knot that’s been pulling inside me slackens, and I feel like I’m fully in my body again.

A female in the wave of faces gives me a kind smile—there’s a hint of something else there. She’s pretty. I smile back.

I’m hungry and—and ravenous in ways that have nothing to do with food. The feeling slams into me as confusing as it is thrilling. I look for Vesh—for Finiq. Maybe we should leave. But the female who smiled her pretty smile at me is standing next to me now.

“Are you new here?”

Does she truly not know who I am?

“It’s just that you look like you’ve never seen this place before—” Her chuckle is light and easy. She’s flirting with me. “I can show you around—” My body must have all its senses crossed because if not in this very predicament—she would have been able to sweep me away from here.

“I—uh,” The clear thing to do here is lie. She’s one of them, she will no doubt want to harm me if she finds out who i am. “I cant tonight—” my stomach whirls when her gaze goes too knowing, “I have plans.” I shrug.

“Well I’ll be around if you’d like to ever—enjoy yourself…” She nods, leaving me there a little more flushed than I imagined I could be surrounded by—Drifters? Traitors? I’m not sure what to call them anymore…

I don’t even realize I’m moving to the beat of the drums until Finiq comes back. He went off to check on someone—the look on his face said it might have been a special someone, but there’s no telling with him. He looks like he’s trying to seduce everyone he talks too. Hazard of his perfect, esca-less face I’m sure.

I try to ignore the ache now warring deep inside me. Thoughts of the cove threaten to resurface and I push them away.

I cant think of that night, I wont. She had all of this and still needed to toy with me… the females here are beautiful and that makes it feel especially cruel. She could had her pick of anyone she wanted… The taste of ash coats the back of my throat—I tug at my sleeves again.

“You okay Commander Trouble?”

How can he jest with me like that after I called him a halfling? I steer clear of Veshlyn’s accusations of being just like them. Whether they’re right about me or not has nothing to do with how I treated Finiq. I know I don't owe it to him, but I will not lose everything about myself just because I am here. I steal this moment to do what I’ve wanted to do since the words left my mouth.

“Hey Finiq?” He raises his brows, and my nerves get caught in my throat, “Whatever you all are… whatever this all is… thank you for showing me mercy. I’m glad you were there—last night…” I rush to get the words out before he has a chance to comfort me or say something to make me smile despite myself. “I know what it’s like to be different, to be other—” The speckles on my skin are useless in comparison to my kin. I have never been able to grow our most precious flora with it, because I’m different. And they only know half of how different I am…Am I not also a halfling in my own way? Only living one part of myself in front of my kin? “It was wrong—terrible of me to call you a halfling—I’m sorry.” I know it’s a little selfish of me and I might regret this later but I am as sincere as I can allow myself to be in this situation. I need at least one true ally here and Finiq seems the most promising.

“Like I said Commander Trouble, only my really good friends get to call me that…” He nudges my shoulder and winks with a dimpled grin, waiting for me to recall the first conversation we had.

The memory is framed so differently now—is he calling me his friend? The thought is so mad that I have to smile widely to keep my laughter inside. How does he do that? He makes everything feel—easy. I never considered what it would be like to have siblings growing up. Perhaps it would have been nice to have a brother…

We stand there regarding each other for a moment. And I wonder if he feels it too. Maybe in another life we could have been close. Whatever he is, he has been the most merciful with me since I woke up in this place and that’s not nothing. If he ever wants to tell me he will—if i even live to have that conversation, I think I would like to.

I feel her—smell her before I have time to move in any direction.

The scent of rootberries and whatever they put in my hair snatches my gaze to the prowling Ohkena, but she’s not looking at me. Her mouth is stretched—talons drawn, and her black eyes are set on the guard still smiling down at me.

Without thinking I side step in front of Finiq as her hand rears back. Her body tries to recoil as her eyes widen but it’s too late.

She almost misses me, but her claws graze the cheekbone of the left side of my face. The pain is negligible, but I feel the warm pooling of blood.

One second she’s there—and the next Finiq is taking her to the ground.

I take a step—but Veshlyn has me in a tight grasp.

When did they get here?

Ekco counters Finiq’s broad frame with her legs pushing him off of her.

I struggle to free myself from Vesh—

“Aht Aht—Better to let them work it out of their system.” They almost sound bored.

I whip my head around to face the Seer.

“You—you somehow caused this.”

“Oh, don’t look at me like that. You’ll miss all the good parts—” Veshlyn smirks.

“Forgive me Oye, but you’re not thinking clearly—” Finiq’s lip is bleeding onto the stone floor.

Her silence is menacing. She charges at him again, but I can barely see him move until he reappears somewhere else. Many of the vaelith gather in a circle to watch—the Sinorym are trying to push through the crowd.

I gape as I watch her shift further into her primorian form. I have never seen it fully. I swear her body grows in length and mass. Every feature on her face sharpens—I have never been afraid of her, but I see it now as she almost shows her true form. I get a glimpse of why they call her the Shadow Hunter.

“Please, I was only trying to protect her. I had no idea it was you until after I—”

She steps, and Finiq blurs. She tilts her head, studying him…Hunting him.

“Until after I tackled you, I’m—” She does it again. A step, a tilt of her head. Finiq continues to try to plead with her.

Some of the onlookers cry for them to stop. Some look to be praying to their gods—others snicker and laugh.

“Veshlyn, stop this—make them stop!”

“What do you care what happens to the halfling and the traitor who broke your heart?” The smile in their voice twists my gut. “Let them kill each other—they’re just filthy Drifters, right Darling?”

When they dragged me away from that room where she betrayed me, I wanted to kill her myself. I wanted them all dead—I wanted her to pay for what she’s done to me, for how she’s doomed me. but now?

My heart races. I don’t know what Finiq truly is—what if he is truly capable of harming her? Killing her… What if she kills him? I don’t know when I started caring about the green-eyed guard, but he’s not allowed to die.

I watch her step and study Finiq’s movements once more.

He’s not allowed to die—and neither is she. I tell myself it’s because I need her memories. Because I need to save myself… Find out what really happened to my mother. But my heart aches and my eyes sting all the same.

Ekco lifts her foot as if she is going to charge at him, but moves over to her left, catching Finiq by the throat.

“No—” my voice is a hoarse cry. The Ohkena glares at me at the edge of the crowd.

And I don’t know which one of them I'm pleading for.

She doesn’t feel it yet—Finiq has his curved sword at her neck.

“Please don’t make me do this—” Finiq chokes out, “I was just—trying to protect her.”

“She is mine to protect—” her voice calls to something primal and deep inside of me, It sends a shiver all over my body.

Finiq's eyes flutter, “I’m sorry—” he slices into her arm, and she throws him to the ground with a hiss. Finiq tumbles to the ground, coughing.

Vesh releases my arm, and I move without hesitation.

Her face spreads into something sinful when she realizes it’s me standing in front of her. The scent of her knitting wound is so strong I’m fighting to keep a safe distance between us.

“You would defend him—” pain laces the madness of each word. “You would defend him against me?” The madness turns into something I’ve never seen in her eyes. For the first time since I’ve met her—I feel fear in her presence.

“Leave—” My command only seems to deepen whatever secret delight she’s having as she tilts her head.

“Not without you Princess.” She grins. She regards me—my mouth with that same studying gaze she used on Finiq just moments ago.

“I’m not going anywhere with you.” I spit out. Her smile goes wider—knowing.

“Get up Finiq—” Her eyes never leave mine.

Finiq rights himself to stand at my side. He gives her a stiff bow, “Oye.”

“Let’s go—” The power she has here is clear. Not even the Sinorym tries to interfere now that they have cleared everyone out. There’s just me, Vesh, Finiq, and her ire…

Finiq chances a glance at me—he nods with a sad smile. He moves to fall into step behind her, I grab his arm.

“Where are you taking him?”

“You can come with me or he does—I’ll send you a new guard, maybe one a little less fun to look at.” My rage boils as she stares me down. There isn’t a trace of threat in her posture. She will take him from me.

“How dare you?—” I think of the Noa guard, I tug at my sleeve, gritting my teeth.

“You or him Princess?”

I search Finiq’s eyes—he’s in this position because of me.

“Fine—but you are never to lay a finger on him again.”

“Oh trust me sweetheart, my hands have much more interesting places to be than anywhere near your little Fae guard.”

My eyes widen, meeting Finiq’s gaze as I step towards her, and he steps away.

“I was going to tell you—” Finiq starts

“Ahh—he didn’t tell you?” Ekco croons, pulling my back into her body. My skin is on fire in all the places our bodies touch. I buck against her to get free—to keep my body from reacting to hers, but it hums and sings at her closeness.

“Did he tell you what he can do?” She grabs my face, making me look at him. Her tongue sweeps over the weeping cuts on my cheek. The groan from her chest reverberates through my flesh like a hurricane. The gesture is so possessive.

“Ekco, stop this!” I have never seen her like this. I never thought her capable of this level of malice. She ignores me, tangling her fingers into my hair at the base of my neck—pulling my head to the side.

“Tell her Finiq—tell her about your charming ways.” She traces the column of my neck with her nose, breathing deeply. My skin prickles all over—I clench my jaw at the pulse throbbing in my core.

“Naru I didn’t—I would never.” I yank my head away from her grip, and all it does is pull a purring chuckle from her chest.

“Would never what?” My voice is small.

“Did he make you feel safe—” Her lips are warm behind my ear, she places a kiss there. I should be screaming—thrashing at her to stop but she continues, “Did he make you laugh?” A brush of her lips on my temple. “Did you find yourself—drawn to him?” She pulls my body impossibly closer to hers.

Finiq's eyes flash emerald green. I see it—the thing he keeps locked away behind his smiles and soft jests. It’s there in the set of his jaw.

“It is because of what he is Naru—you are not special to him. Ask Xalora, he tried to charm her too with his compulsion and glamouring.”

“Finiq?” How would I know if he’s telling the truth?

“I didn’t Naru—I wouldn’t.” His voice is even. Wrong. I don’t know if I can trust it.

I shake my head. No—Foolish, I am foolish for thinking I could trust any of them.

She turns me around, kissing my forehead. I’m too stunned to fight.

“You thought he was different—a better choice than me?” She looks beyond my head at the guard with a feral grin, “We're all monsters here Princess—” she leans down, her mouth at my ear with a whisper…“Even you, my dark little Syreness.”

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Sol Ascension will return Mon, May 5th at 8AM PST

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Bonus BTS Content (FREE)

As you may have read in the last BTS, a lot of my worldbuilding is based off of West African mythology. The Sinorym who play the Lyra are inspired by Griots who play the Kora and keep the oral history of their people alive. Storytelling is something that is sacred and revered in West African culture and it was something I really wanted to honor in Sol Ascension. The Kora is not only one of the most beautifully fashioned instruments, it sounds divine!

Here is one of my favorite songs on the Kora. I hope you enjoy!