CHAPTER 186: THE NEW PLACE

Aelin

I opened my eyes to find myself in a vast, echoing chamber bathed in silvery light that poured through towering arches high above me. My breath caught as I took in the scene: in the center of the space, a colossal stone sphere floated impossibly in midair, slowly rotating. A lush patch of greenery clung to its crown, a tiny, defiant oasis sprouting from the ancient rock.

There was a spell written on it

I couldn’t read it all, but it looked like it was the same spell I whispered from the scroll.

Ripples spread across a pool directly beneath it, as if the sphere were tethered by invisible forces. Giant stairways and circular platforms hung suspended in the air around it, crisscrossing the space like fragments of some forgotten civilization. Water spilled in shimmering curtains down the far walls, catching the light in radiant sheets.

I felt dwarfed by it all—so small that the curved walkway under my feet seemed like a fragile ribbon in this monumental architecture. A pure white bird glided in front of me, wings spread wide. It landed softly on the railing, regarding me with unblinking eyes. I took a hesitant step closer, my white dress brushing the ground.

The air smelled clean, damp, like rain on ancient stone.

My heart beat louder as I wondered: Why did it feel like it had been waiting for me?

I looked to my side and saw a hallway and began to walk towards it

As I stepped beyond the great chamber, through an archway bathed in silver mist, the world opened up before me—and I nearly forgot how to breathe.

A city of white marble and gold, carved into the cliffs of the mountains themselves, cascading down like a dream sculpted by gods. Ivory towers crowned with golden domes pierced the sky, their reflections shimmering in the waterfalls that spilled endlessly from terrace to terrace. Bridges of jade and white stone arched gracefully over the chasms, each one more intricate than the last, connecting the palatial structures that seemed to float among the mists.

Sunlight streamed through the high mountain peaks, catching on every gilded edge, every sapphire windowpane. Trees clung to ledges and balconies, their leaves a lush emerald green, as if nature itself bowed to the beauty of this place.

My foot met the smooth stone of a vast platform suspended high above the cliffs. The wind gently lifted the hem of my dress, carrying the scent of waterfalls and blooming citrus trees.

From here, the city unfolded below and around me like a celestial tapestry. Bridges hung in the air like ribbons, connecting graceful towers and balconies etched with golden filigree. Birds swooped lazily between arches. Somewhere in the distance, faint chimes rang—a sound as soft as whispered lullabies.

People strolled calmly along the walkways and terraces. They wore long flowing robes of white, stitched and trimmed with gold that shimmered in the light. Their presence was serene, almost dreamlike, moving with the grace of dancers in slow motion. There was a quietness to it all, not silence, but harmony—a sense that every breath, every step, belonged exactly where it was.

And then I noticed something that stopped me cold.

They all looked like me.

Every person I saw—man, woman, child—had the same golden hair that caught the light like spun sunlight, and eyes the color of morning skies. Light blue. Just like mine.

A hush fell over the platform all of the sudden.

One by one, they began to slow. Conversations faded. Footsteps stilled. And then, as if pulled by an unseen thread, they turned.

All of them.

!!!

Dozens of them.

Their eyes locked on me.

My heart pounded in my chest—loud, hard, urgent. I stood frozen beneath their gaze, breath caught between awe and fear. It wasn’t hostility I saw in their faces—it was something deeper.

Recognition. As if they had been waiting for me.

As if they knew.

***

Drakkar

I lunged at the enemy

Rael’s blade swung at an angle, fast, deadly, but I ducked under it, my claws slashing toward his ribs. Sparks flew as his gauntlet deflected the blow, and he twisted, pivoting smoothly into a kick that landed hard in my side.

I slid back, boots skidding across the wet stone.

But I didn’t fall.

I launched back into him, claws extended—not holding back now. This wasn’t training. This wasn’t for show. This was war. And Rael, whether he meant to or not, was keeping me from my mother—and from saving everything we had left.

I brought my claws down in a flurry of strikes—fast, brutal, relentless.

He blocked each one with precision, sword flashing silver even in the stormy dark, countering with deadly jabs and elegant cuts meant to kill.

We were evenly matched.

Steel hissed against scale. My claws slashed through the air, catching the edge of his cloak and tearing through it. His blade sliced a shallow cut across my chest, but I didn’t stop—not for pain, not for blood.

He wasn’t going to win.

I wouldn’t let him.

We clashed again and again—each impact ringing like thunder. A kick to my shoulder. A claw across his jaw. We staggered, collided, struck again.

His sword came at my head—I ducked, came up with a savage uppercut that made him stumble. His blade slipped in the rain, and I tackled him, both of us crashing hard against the wall of a crumbling building.

Rael grunted, head whipping back. I raised my claws for a finishing blow—

—but he spun under me, sword slicing toward my thigh. I jumped back just in time, breathing hard, claws glowing faintly now from the sheer force I was putting into them.

We circled.

He was bleeding from his lip now. I was bleeding from everywhere else.

Lightning cracked across the sky. Behind him, I could still see the city crumbling—the monsters advancing—the skies burning red. I saw Mom slash through one of the giants again. She was trying to find the core

The monster attacked her but she dodged it. The other giraffe tried to throw its acid onto her but she zoomed down and circled around it to avoid her then breathed fire onto it.

Mom... hold on. I know you probably don’t need my help, but I will be there soon just in case.

I lunged again, this time faster, more desperate, claws aimed for his throat.

He parried, twisted—

—and we locked eyes again, breathing hard, soaked to the bone.

Neither of us said anything.