Chapter 31
Lyssa
Lyssa and her older sister had rarely come to blows over the years. They fought, of course, in the way of all sisters. But their true arguments, the sort that rattled the foundation of their relationship, had happened less than five times.
She supposed they were due for a sixth.
But if she was going to rebel…this had been a cause worth rebelling for.
She looked left, then right. “The coast is clear. Go, go, go!” She waved her arm like a windmill, and Blade and Tatianna stumbled past her, each holding an egg-shaped sack, grunting with the effort until they made it to the healer’s quarters.
It would have been funny if it wasn’t so dangerous.
No. It was still funny.
When they were on the other side of the door, with it safely closed, Lyssa felt that now was the time to celebrate. “We did it! No one even saw us!”
Tatianna blew a braid away from her face, her glitter still perfectly in place despite the struggle. Lyssa made note to ask how she accomplished such a feat—but one anomaly at a time.
The first bundle flopped out of Blade’s arms onto the floor, and Tatianna’s came after. “Why are they so wiggly?” the healer growled, glaring at the moving sack. “Are we sure they’re still inside their eggs? Shouldn’t they be malnourished or, I don’t know, less mobile?”
Multiple cracking noises now came from inside the bags, then a whooshing sound, and then, miraculously, the first burlap sack melted away beneath a tiny poof of purple mist.
The wriggling thing next to it mimicked the action until they were all staring at—
Not one but two baby guvres.
Each no bigger than the basket in the corner, which was still filled with signs for Kingsley. The guvre Tatianna had carried was covered in iridescent colorful scales, so bright and bold he drew the eye immediately. The boy. The other was smaller, a muted brown: his sister.
Their tiny bodies were shaped like a snake, their wings barely unfurled from hatching. Their large eyes scanned the room, and when the healer’s doors opened, both made small chirps at Ms. Erring and Clare on the other side.
“They’re not here.” Ms. Erring was short of breath, sounding panicked.
“Evie and the boss aren’t here, and we have these things in the manor and— Why is that one hopping toward me?
” The female guvre, large eyes homed in upon Ms. Erring’s startled face, was moving toward her.
“No. Bad snake bird. Get back!” Ms. Erring waved a hand as the baby animal chirped again, hopping atop her shoe.
Ms. Erring stared blankly at her. “What is happening right now?”
Blade was smiling wide, staring at both woman and animal with a dopey grin. “I believe the poor soul thinks you’re her mother.”
Now this was a plot twist Lyssa could get behind.
Tatianna preened. “Oh, how sweet, Rebecka. Congratulations.”
“I’m not her mother!” Ms. Erring screeched, startling when the animal atop her foot gave a pitiful whine, feebly trying to scramble up her leg.
Ms. Erring refused to look at the baby for a full ten seconds before she broke.
“Oh, fine! Come here!” she grumbled, bending low to pick up the animal, sighing when the little thing wasted no time snuggling into her neck.
Lyssa stared in wonder. “You’re so lucky.”
Ms. Erring responded with an eye roll. “Oh yes. The wonders in my life never cease.”
The adult guvres had never come, and when the first egg started breaking, followed shortly by the second, Blade insisted they leave immediately, explaining that female guvres were incredibly protective of their eggs, and there was no telling what the adults would do if they found the group with the babies.
Lyssa felt a smidge guilty, but the feeling was overpowered by the wide eyes of the male, who was hopping toward Clare. “Aren’t you handsome!” Lyssa crooned as Clare picked him up, leaning over to pet his head. The animal was making a vibrating sound of contentment, not unlike the purr of a kitten.
“Why do the boys have the colorful scales and not the girls?” Tatianna asked.
Blade was cutting up small bits of meat he’d found in the kitchen stores, dicing it on the table where Tatianna prepared her medicines. “The boys must attract a mate. The females don’t need it.”
Ms. Erring, Clare, and Tatianna simultaneously groaned. But it was Tatianna who objected. “You know, most women don’t put on lipstick or glitter to impress a…man.” She shuddered.
Lyssa snickered, snuggling the male guvre closer.
Blade looked among them, hands going wide, gesturing to his violently bright blue vest with dozens of yellow flowers sewn in. “Who are you talking to? Because I know it’s not the man in the fuchsia pants.”
“I like your pants,” Ms. Erring said immediately, then appeared embarrassed by the outburst.
The female sensed Ms. Erring’s distress and wrapped around her neck, hiding in her hair. “This thing is…” she started, but then the animal sighed—a small sound. “Is she sleeping?” Ms. Erring whispered, wide-eyed and panicked.
“Leave it for now,” Blade advised. “We’ve got a few hours before the guvres discover the eggs are gone, and that’s being generous.”
“We have starlight and Fate’s young. We just need Trystan and Evie,” Becky said quietly, taking caution—despite her professed annoyance—not to wake the sleeping creature wrapped around her. “And the book of Rennedawn.”
“And a whisk.” Lyssa grinned.
Ms. Erring sighed.
“It has to be enacted where sunlight shines unvarnished,” Clare reminded them, feeding the animal in her hand small cuts of beef. “There you are, darling.”
“We’re not keeping him, darling.” Tatianna gave Clare a playful expression, coming closer to pat the animal on the head. “But we should name them in the meantime. I don’t wanna keep calling them Rainbow and Neutral in my head.”
The animals made huffing sounds, and Ms. Erring returned hers to the floor next to the one now at Lyssa’s feet. “This one is Cassandra.” They all stared at her, and Ms. Erring rolled her eyes. “What? I’m not naming her something like Wiggles or Squirt or—”
“Or Fluffy?” Blade finished with amused sarcasm. “Can we name this one something fierce? Like Danger?”
Ms. Erring gave him a long-suffering glance. “We could…if we hated him.”
The door rattled, and they all jumped, knocking into one another to stand in front of the guvres.
Gideon’s face appeared. “There you all are. What are you— You know what? Never mind. I need everyone to begin searching the manor. Quickly!”
“For what?” Lyssa asked nervously, pulling her skirt outward to block the wing coming into view.
Gideon looked nearly gleeful to impart his knowledge upon them. “We think the second book is hidden here. In Massacre Manor.”