Crowns of Nyaxia, #3
The Songbird and the Heart of Stone
by Carissa Broadbent
Contents
Chapter 30
Overview
Ophelia and a flood of wraiths overrun Esme’s refuge, destroying the only place of safety Mische and Asar had found in Secrets. The attack forces Mische to confront the dead she fears most, including Malach and Saescha, while Asar’s fierce protectiveness becomes unmistakable.
Esme chooses to remain behind and hold the dead off, turning the chapter into a costly escape rather than a victory. Mische and Asar flee into unknown darkness, leaving Esme’s fate uncertain and making the Descent more desperate.
Summary
After the explosion, Asar wakes Mische on the floor of Esme’s ruined refuge. A wall has collapsed, smoke fills the room, and countless wraiths swarm through the wreckage. Esme descends and fights with terrifying power while Asar and Mische recover their weapons; Luce drags Mische’s sword to her so Mische can rejoin the defense.
Ophelia rises from the smoke, more monstrous and consumed by rage than before. Ophelia taunts Asar for coming so deep into Secrets and turns her attention to Mische, implying that many dead enemies are searching for her. Asar tries to take responsibility and asks Ophelia to let the others go, but Mische understands that Ophelia no longer wants justice, only destruction.
Malach appears among the dead, still marked by the wound Mische gave him when Mische killed him. Mische freezes in terror at the sight of her maker, then forces herself to fight, but Malach overpowers her and pins Mische by the throat. Asar sees this and reacts with silent, overwhelming rage; when Malach is distracted by Asar, Mische strikes Malach with darkness and frees herself.
Malach recognizes Asar as his brother and focuses on the Heir Mark that Malach believes belongs to him. Asar and Malach clash in darkness, but more dead break into the cottage from the back, overwhelming even Esme’s defenses. In the chaos, Mische sees Saescha among the dead, looking exactly as Saescha did when she died, and Mische is shaken into stillness.
Esme pulls Mische and Asar toward the last clear exit and orders them to run while Esme creates a distraction. Asar and Mische protest, but Esme refuses to abandon her home and insists the quest matters more than dying there for Esme. Esme says goodbye with grim affection, then vanishes into the fighting as Asar drags Mische into the night.
Asar explains that leaving is the best way to help Esme, because the dead want Asar and Mische more than Esme. Mische realizes Asar would have stayed and fought if Mische were not there. They run through smoke-choked fields until the ground ends before them; with the burning cottage behind them, Asar holds Mische tightly and the two leap into the void.
Who Appears
- Mische IliaeNarrator; fights wraiths, confronts Malach and Saescha, and flees with Asar.
- AsarProtects Mische, battles Ophelia’s forces and Malach, and reluctantly abandons Esme.
- EsmeDefends her ruined home with powerful darkness and stays behind to cover the escape.
- OpheliaLeads the dead attack, taunts Asar and Mische, and seeks destruction over justice.
- MalachMische’s dead maker and Asar’s brother; attacks Mische and covets Asar’s Heir Mark.
- SaeschaAppears among the dead with her fatal wound, silently fixated on Mische.
- LuceHelps Mische by dragging Mische’s fallen sword within reach during the attack.