Tessellations [BOOK TWO]

Chapter One

~ PART ONE~

I'm a fish out of water,
A sky underground,
A dream in the daytime,
A motionless sound

The coastal city of Kasvaras rose up before us, a beautiful tiara of turrets and church steeples and stained glass. I took a deep breath of the vivid ocean air, and I saw my companions doing the same.

It's beautiful.

I'd never been to the sea.

"Magnificent, isn't it?" agreed Wynter, the captain of our ten-soldier escort. His eyes were captivated, fixed on the city. "Like a jewel."

It'd taken us nigh on a month to reach the western coast. Now, standing at its very brink, I felt a surge of nostalgia. That's it, I realized. The adventure's over. We're really going home.

It had been more than half a year since I set out to end Queen Rapunzel's tyranny and stop the plague of towers that had desecrated our kingdom. At last, it was finished; the land, and its people, were free. I smiled to myself. Commander Vang is dead. Ash is gone for good. And Melody... Squinting, I looked to the sun, feeling its warmth on my face. A breeze stirred my unruly brown curls. Melody will make a wonderful Queen.

Lily nudged me, grinning with excitement. Her horse nickered. "We're here," she said, her green eyes glowing brightly. "We're finally on our way back."

I paused, thinking of something I hadn't before. I frowned slightly. "Your family...you lost them when you were entowered. Will you return to them now?"

She faltered. "Oh, they...no." She shook her head. Her hair tossed, and I noted that it had gotten longer. "There's nothing for me with them." She managed a laugh and leaned over to hug me. "I'm staying with you."

And with Channing, I thought, glancing at my cousin and smirking when I caught him watching her. He realized he'd been spotted, and his cheeks blushed as red as his hair. He pressed his lips together in irritation. "Hush, Bird," he muttered, but I could tell that he was trying not to smile.

They were perfect for each other.

Caleb and Dessa rode a short distance ahead of the company, talking and laughing. They were both several years older than the rest of us—and so vastly different from one another. He was tall and dark, with eyes like dusk and stone in his heart; she was small and delicate, and her caramel hair fell like silk down her back. But somehow, they fit together. Dessa made Caleb soften, and he kept her safe. They need each other.

A thought occurred to me. I huffed and crossed my arms. Of course. I had no idea where Jasper had flown off to, but it was just like him to vanish at all the wrong moments. I rolled my eyes. He'll be back. I hoped.

We reached the city's gate, and the guards brightened when Wynter showed them Melody's written decree, granting us free passage throughout the span of the entire kingdom. "Open up," they called to the men within. "It's the Lady Songbird!"

I blushed. Ah. Yes. I hadn't heard my formal title used since we left the castle—although Jasper still hadn't dropped the nickname.

We rode through, and Kasvaras unfolded before us, a shimmering mountain range of light and architecture. It almost reminded me of Daffenfire—and yet it was different somehow, with a more passionate, wild, untamed feel to it. It felt free, in a way. Free and proud.

The sixteen horses' hooves clapped against the smooth white stones of the street as we made our way across the city. The docks, we knew, would be at the far end, pressed against the ocean tides.