Chapter70: Hope Returned

*River* The gates to the castle burst open for the four of us. I push through first, my sword still drawn, the metallic echo of steel on stone ringing through the courtyard like thunder. The guards barely have time to part before I’m through, their startled shouts falling behind me as I stride across the threshold, boots pounding against the cold, polished floor. Brook and Permiton are right behind me, one arm slung over each of their shoulders, with Akin between them, barely standing, swaying with every step, but alive. He’s more than a little beaten up, his strength completely zapped. But that’s why we’re here. We don’t know how, but he’s here. One moment, we were standing in an apparently empty ruin, feeling like all hope was gone. The next, Akin appeared before us, like magic. In fact, probably because of magic. But Permiton kept muttering that it wasn’t possible, that no ordinary fae could have broken through shadow magic like that. I’ve known for quite a while that Akin was no or