Chapter 48
Reyla
The harbor came into view, the curve of the road peeling back to reveal ships tied off at the pier, a few leaving the harbor with their sails unfurled.
I shaded my eyes with one hand, squinting into the brightness.
One vessel was still far out, only a pale suggestion of sail and hull, its banner too distant to read.
“That’s their ship,” Lore said from beside me. “They’re waiting on the tide but will be here soon.”
I nodded.
A bark rang out behind us, followed by the rapid thump-thump of paws on wooden planking. Farris streaked toward us in a blur of gray and white fluffy fur and wild glee, his tongue lolling, and his tail wagging hard enough to nearly knock a crate off a pile of them as he bounded past it.
“Farris.” I crouched to meet him, and he launched himself into my arms. “Did you escape Faelith and run all the way here?”
He didn’t answer, of course, just pushed his damp nose against my collarbone and gave a happy huff that warmed my skin.
His fur was tangled with brambles and smudged with dirt in places.
I laughed, holding him tighter. “You wicked, wonderful nyxin. You’ll need a bath and a good grooming when we return to the castle. ”
“Oh, hey. Gregor!” Lore stroked my shoulder. “I’ll be right back. I see someone I know, and I need to pass him a message.” At my nod, he strode over to speak with a dockhand who was unwinding a thick rope from a post mounted on the pier.
I rubbed behind Farris’s ears and tried to remove the brambles from his coat.
Farris yipped and wriggled free, darting toward the edge of the pier.
“Oh no, you don’t.” I straightened as he leapt down onto the beach, kicking up a spray of sand behind him. “Farris. Come back.”
As he trotted along the waterline, his nose to the sand, he didn’t even glance my way.
I groaned, rolling my eyes as I hitched up the hem of my gown and followed. “Mischief today, is it?”
The wind softened as I descended the slope, salt air brushing my skin. Farris was a gray and white blur ahead of me, weaving between driftwood and leaping over rocks until he skidded to a halt near a shallow pool. Peering back at me, he yipped before returning his attention to the pool.
Something about the way he stood there, perfectly still and focused, made me eager to see what he’d discovered. This wasn't random nyxin mischief. My boots crunched on pebbles as I approached and stopped beside him, latching on his ruff before he could run away again.
The pool gleamed, light bending at an odd angle across the surface, as if the sea had taken a breath and held it, waiting.
Farris sat, tucking his tail along his leg, his ears perked toward the pool.
I knelt beside him.
Beneath the water, the sand had settled into spiraled ridges, like a shell. I hadn’t seen the tide shape anything so deliberately. Small crabs crept through the shade on the edges, not appearing to notice I was there. A single feather floated in the center of the pool, white with a black tip.
“Strange place to bring me, little nyxin.”
The surface rippled and a small whirlpool churned in the center, the feather spinning in circles along with the water. Sunlight flashed on the pool and the whirlpool stilled, the feather along with it. I sucked in a breath.
The heart waits where stone sings and scales remember. The voice echoed softly around me, almost seeming to touch my bones. Let wings be your guide.
Farris whined again, looking from the pool to me.
Images flickered across the surface. A cavern thick with moss, its walls ancient and slick, and gleaming with…dragon scales? They appeared embedded in the walls. A massive skeleton lay half-buried in earth and roots. And a broken altar stood in the shadows with something glimmering on top.
That skeleton was draconic. I’d seen enough of them to know.
The visions vanished, and the water darkened. My reflection began to shift and blur.
Prager looked out at me from the pool.
You think you will fuse the talismans? Never…
She vanished, rippling away, leaving only the scurrying crabs behind.
“Fuck you,” I hissed, smacking the surface of the pool. Now the crabs really scurried, hiding under rocks.
Farris howled, glancing from me to the pool.
“I saw something,” I whispered, placing my palm on a stone beside the pool. Warm from the sunshine or…?
The tide swelled, sending a wave up over the rocks to my right, water surging into the pool, making the feather spin. With magic, a feather swirling along with a whirlpool and coming to rest right above the place where a person sees visions is rarely a coincidence.
I snatched up the feather before it could be swept out to sea, and stood, brushing sand from my skirt, my mind racing. As I stared down at the feather, a tingling buzz skated up my arm, then vanished.
Stone sings. The altar was made of stone, and something about dragon bones…
Scales remember. The scales embedded in the cavern wall.
Let wings be your guide.
I looked at the feather in my hand. “This isn't debris. It's connected to the dragon and the altar somehow.”
“What do you think about this, Farris?” I whispered, holding up the feather.
His tail spiked outward, he looked out at the sea. His low whine rang out.
“Let’s go.” I left the pool and strode along the smoother section of the beach.
Farris took one last look at the sea before trotting to catch up.
“I need to tell Lore.” I made my way back up the slope, sand still clinging to my boots and the salt-washed wind teasing strands of hair loose from my braid.
I didn’t glance back until I reached the top. But when I did, the pool was gone. No shimmering water. Just smooth, wet sand speckled with driftwood and shells, as though nothing had ever been there.
My breath caught in my throat. The feather in my pocket told me I hadn’t imagined it.
Three talismans. Three courts. And now a feather. The vision showed dragon bones, a stone altar, scales embedded in the wall, and something glimmering. All connected. I had to figure out how.
By the time I reached the end of the pier, the ship had arrived, sails bound and moored tight to the dock. A gangplank stretched from the vessel’s side, and Dorion was already descending, his stride as cocky as ever.
Laphira followed Dorion, confidence in her stride and a clear expression on her face. So wonderful to see her this way, no longer controlled by her mother.
Servants trailed them, carrying trunks stamped with the Halendor seal.
Lore met Dorion halfway down the pier, their arms clapping together in greeting.
“About time,” Lore said with a grin he shared with me.
Dorion rolled his eyes. “We’re here, and we’re going to help you.” His eyes met mine. “Are you holding up alright?”
I forced a stiff nod. I had no choice, now, did I?
I joined them as Laphira reached the dock, her hands folded neatly at her waist, her eyes darting toward me.
Smiling, I gave her a small nod.
She returned both, her smile tentative.
Farris leaped around Dorion, yipping, his tail a furious spiral. Dorion crouched down and gave the nyxin lots of pats while Farris licked his chin and whimpered. That brought out Laphira’s full smile. And when she looked at Dorion…
Any fear I might’ve had that things weren’t good between them fled.
When Dorion straightened, Farris trotted to my side and plopped down at my feet, his ears perked forward, his gaze traveling from Dorion to Laphira.
“You know the creature?” she asked him in a sweet voice.
“I sent Farris for help.” Dorion took her hand, linking their fingers. “He found Reyla.” He waved toward us. “Allow me to formally introduce you to King Lorick and his lovely bride, Queen Reyla. Our hosts. Reyla, Lorick? This is Laphira, soon-to-be queen of Irridain Court.”
“It’s nice to meet you again,” I said. We’d escaped literal torture at Irridain. Killed her mother. Was it better not to mention something like that?
“Yes, welcome to Evergorne,” Lore said, equally pleasant.
“Where’s Brys?” I asked Dorion, glancing up the gangplank, expecting his dark curls to peek over the edge.
“At Halendor,” he said, his smile fading. “He’s safe. I didn’t want to risk him, not when I wasn’t sure what we’re walking into.”
A prickle ran down my spine. Not from Dorion’s words, but from what he didn’t say.
What exactly were we walking into?
“We’ll flit from here,” Lore said, already pulling in power. “No need to tire yourselves with a long journey by carriage.”
I lifted Farris into my arms, and Lore wrapped his arm around my waist, extending his other hand to Dorion.
Dorion shook his head, putting arm around Laphira’s shoulders. “I figured out how to make it work.”
“How?” I half-whined.
He shrugged. “It wasn’t that hard. I just had to make sure I was forceful when I cast the spell.”
“I’ve been forceful!”
Lore’s eyes sparkled. “No worries. I’ll take you, love.”
With a blink, the sea was gone and the warmth of Evergorne Court swept in around us. We stood in the foyer with sunlight filtering through the entrance glass, and citrus oil scenting the cool air.
Lord Briscalar appeared and rushed down to greet our guests. After brief pleasantries about rooms and arrangements, he led us upstairs to the silver suite. Briscalar paused outside the proper door and opened it, gesturing inside with a courtly flourish.
“If you have need of anything,” he said, “please notify one of the staff.” He inclined his head and left.
Dorion waited exactly one heartbeat after the door closed behind him before turning to us. “Let’s talk.”
“In our suite,” Lore said. “It’s easier to ward since there are already protections in place.” He led the way up another flight of stairs and down the hall.
As we approached, Talvon bowed and swept the door to our sitting room open.
Farris padded in beside us, his gaze flicking between the two guests.