Contents
Chapter 71 — Oro
Overview
Oro arrives at Nightshade, learns from Lynx’s memories that Isla is injured and that Grim nearly kissed her, and resolves to retrieve the hidden portaling device. With Astria, Lynx, and Wraith, he locates the site but must tunnel miles through rock. Pushing past exhaustion, Oro depletes his power and becomes trapped underground, escalating urgency for Isla and Grim to return.
Summary
Outside Nightshade castle, Oro reassures Lynx that Isla is alive and shares her revelation of the portaling device’s location. Touching Lynx floods Oro with Isla’s memories: blood, her head struck against a wall, and Grim leaning in to kiss her. Oro feels anger, sadness, and hope that Grim will help Isla return.
Astria arrives with Wraith, bantering about rations before reading Oro’s expression and offering aid. Using Isla’s directions, Lynx carries them to a nondescript field above tunnels Lark carved and sealed. With no accessible entrance and no Wildlings available, Oro decides to break directly through miles of rock.
Oro hurls wave after wave of energy, carving downward as Astria’s shadows prove useless for stone. Hours pass; ore-hard strata resist him. He clings to the absence of pain from Lightlark as a sign the island remains safe, even as worry for Isla intensifies into violent resolve against whoever hurt her.
Recalling how he and Grim once survived powerlessness together, Oro confronts his isolation. He vows, “Loving you makes me murderous … reckless,” and drains the last of his power to keep digging. The tunnel plunges into darkness; Oro’s strength sputters out.
Unable to fly and engulfed by black, Oro collapses on jagged earth, realizing he may have dug his own grave. The failed push heightens the urgency: without Isla’s and Grim’s return, the mission to recover the portaling device—and save their world—stalls with Oro trapped deep underground.
Who Appears
- OroDetermined to retrieve the portaling device; leads the dig and exhausts his power, ending up trapped underground.
- LynxConduit for Isla’s memories; guides the team to the device’s location and assists transport.
- AstriaGrim’s general and Isla’s cousin; offers aid, logistics, and accompanies the search despite limited shadow utility.
- WraithNightshade creature accompanying Astria; assists travel and provides brief levity amid rationing.
- IslaAbsent but central; her memories reveal injuries and the device’s hiding place, motivating Oro’s mission.
- GrimSeen in Lynx’s memory near Isla; a conflicted figure whose help Oro hopes will return Isla.
- LarkOff-page; previously carved and sealed the tunnels where the portaling device is hidden.