Chapter 256

Lyra’s POV

As soon as Azythar crumpled to the ground, the hollowed soldiers let out a loud gasp in shock as to what had just happened to their master. They were torn between coming for my head or retreating. Just then, all the ravagers froze, their dark eyes rolling back as they turned into petrified stone.

Silence swallowed the entire courtyard.

All of my warriors stood staring at me in so much shock, unable to believe the war was truly over in a matter of minutes.

I fell to my knees onto the ground, bruising my knee against the hard dirt. I clutched the amulet as I gasped for air. For some reason, the stone felt boiling hot against my palm. But truth be told, I didn’t even care that we had won or that I had finally destroyed Azythar. Sure, I was glad he wouldn’t be able to ever harm anyone I loved ever again, but I only had one single thought left in my head.

Kade was still dying.

Even if Azythar was gone, I knew I could still lose him because the dark poison in his veins would still be effective. If I did not act in time, Kade was going to die alone in his bed.

Still heaving, I managed to stand up, clutching my stomach. It was aching to the point where I felt like I could fall flat on my face, but I stayed strong.

Thorne was rushing toward me, a completely stunned expression written all over his face. “Lyra, are you alright?” he called out as he held my shoulders to steady me.

“Yes, I am fine,” I said, catching my breath.

Thorne gave me a long look. We both knew that was a lie.

“Kade,” I whispered, pulling my arm back. “I have to get to Kade.”

Thorne frowned. “Lyra, no. You need rest. You just fought the Eclipse King while carrying a child. I will go to SilverClaw and sort out Kade.”

“I am the only one who can heal him,” I snapped at him. “I am not letting a repeat of the past happen again. I remember what happened as Zoraira, and I am not being too late this time!”

Thorne sighed deeply, stepping aside because he knew there was no getting past me. My mind was completely made up.

I walked back into the packhouse, leaving the courtyard behind where my warriors were already rushing at the hollowed soldiers, slaughtering them without mercy. I knew eventually the rest of them were going to surrender and bow now that their master’s soul was trapped in my amulet.

I took a deep breath as I walked into the medicine room and closed my eyes so I could try and recall the memory of Zoraira once again for the ingredients.

At first, nothing seemed to come to mind, making me panic instantly. If I could not recall the exact specific items I needed to save Kade who was dying, or if I just messed up the formula by one tiny bit, it was going to be the end. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, trying to focus on it, but at the same time not focusing too much to the point that my brain got fatigued.

I knew that the cure required three very specific things.

First, I needed dried leaves of the white star-flower, a rare plant that luckily grew near the caves just outside of the Outbound Lands. It had natural properties that could slow down cursed blood.

The second item was the most important part of all: pure hybrid blood. My own blood…

But that very last thing was still not coming to mind. Sighing, I decided to check for the other items to see if we had them in stock or if I had to get them, hoping that by the time I got them, I remembered it. I raided our store cupboards, and eventually found a small bottle. The contents were very minute, but it was going to do the job.

Just then, a memory suddenly flashed through my mind.

I needed a silver-root, ground into a fine grey powder.

But getting it was the problem.

Goddess, please, your guidance, I prayed.

I arrived at SilverClaw two days later, right when the afternoon sun was blazing hot in the sky. It had taken a full day for me and my men to search for it. Beta Qamar and Zoe, together with Selene, worked on burning Azythar's hollow body and the other dead bodies from his men, and cleaning up the mess in the packhouse and all of our lands.

When I left this morning, just before dawn, Thorne had insisted on following me, but I had declined his offer; however, I knew that he had done so anyway. I had seen a wing when I looked up, and there was only one Fae it could belong to, as Violetta was in SilverClaw.

My carriage stopped right outside the main packhouse after passing through the city gates. In the main courtyard, just like back in the Outbound Lands, there were several petrified ravagers frozen in place like grey stone statues. I guessed that those ugly stone monsters would become a permanent monument in history now.

As soon as I stepped out of the carriage, Thorne swooped down beside me, earning a glare. We walked towards the front steps where Beta Silas was talking to a guard. When he saw me walking toward him, his jaw dropped in utter disbelief.

“Luna Lyra?” he breathed, his eyes wide. “We heard news from the scouts that Azythar fell... that was why they all withered and we got victory. I sent a rider to your lands just now to offer our thanks. But we didn’t think you would come here yourself.”

“Where is Kade?” I asked immediately, not bothering to waste time on formal greetings. “Take me to his room.”