The king turned back to us, pointedly looking at Levent. “And you’re sure that you do not need to come back here?”
“Positive,” the kin said.
“Good.” Julreus walked toward Rio.
The half-blood’s eyes widened as the king pulled him into a hug and quickly released him.
“I trust you’ve said your farewells to Ixnia?” he said.
Rio nodded. “Yes.”
The king nodded silently, then turned toward me. I froze as he clapped me on the shoulder.
“Stay well, Miss Taimi. And good luck on your journeys.”
“Thank you,” I said, turning to follow Feenaly. Levent and Rio fell in behind me.
We were silent as we walked through the gate and out of the city. Feenaly smiled and beckoned to us toward a door like the one we had entered through. Ixnia and a few guards stood beside it.
“I wanted to give you my own farewell,” she said. She beckoned to Rio, holding out the golden hoop that had served as the key.
“It belonged to your mother, and it now belongs to you,” she said.
“Thanks,” Rio said, voice thick.
Ixnia smiled. “And if you want to visit, next time just knock?”
Rio laughed as the mermaid embraced him. Ixnia gave me a nod, her eyes glossy with tears.
Feenaly nodded and two of the guards stepped forward and pushed the door open.
“This is as far as we can go without spending a week to adjust to the outside,” she said.
“Thank you for your help, Feenaly,” I said. The mermaid gave me a wide smile.
“It was a pleasure, Miss Taimi.”
We entered the doorway and into another dark tunnel. I clutched my walking stick close, lest it be used as a torch again. Levent trudged ahead until he reached a set of stone stairs that went straight up. He glanced back and then began to climb