CHAPTER TWO
I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT THE magick pulse I was hit with was actually the beginnings of a mate bond. But after that realization, I can sense the small thread that connects me to her getting further and further away, like a hook in my chest yanking at the end of a longer and longer line. Part of me didn’t want to believe Jesper that Maeven was alive.
How Zorn knew is a whole other problem—one I’m going to need answers to sooner rather than later.
But right now, I need to report to the Lords and get them out of Phixmery as soon as possible.
The urge to just drop everything to go to Vathia is like a chain of dragon-stone, pulling me in her direction. It physically hurts, staying away from her. This fates-damned bond is going to get in the way of things.
The plans need to change, but the long-term goal is still the same: get rid of the blight that’s corrupting Damorleia. Then I’ll figure out what to do about this bond.
Killian and I land in the Dragon’s Keep, and as we dismount our beasts, the Lords are waiting just inside the entrance. Their dragons are probably still where they left them, as they aren’t allowed within the confines of these caves, for reasons only the dragons know.
“Where is she?” my father snarls, grabbing me by the front of my tunic.
I keep a look of boredom etched on my face. “Cadet Solace was taken by the traitor; Sergeant Verlice is pursuing them now. I came back to update you.”
His fist flies, landing a blow across my jaw and my head knocks to the side but I don’t show weakness as he lays into me.
“I don’t know how my blood could be such a fates-damned failure.
” He then turns to Killian’s father. “Send your son after them, and make sure they don’t return until I have that bastard’s head and the female alive.
We need to question the bitch about her heritage,” he seethes.
Panic seizes my stomach, even though I knew this would be what he wanted. “We will retrieve them at once,” I inform him, spinning to head back to Zaddro, my dragon.
“No, not you. You will be coming back to Targos with me. You have obligations to fulfil. We leave tonight,” he states before spinning and leaving the keep.
The Lord of the Szellemi—Jesper’s father—smiles cruelly.
“You’d best hope my heir deals with this little problem before you arrive there, Killian,” he spits.
“Maybe I should visit Jesper’s mother while I’m here.
It has been awhile since I’ve seen her, and she always knew how to sate my needs.
Maybe I should put another heir in her to replace the weak male she spawned me. ”
Lord Driscol turns to Killian without missing a beat, their heights almost equal but his son is slightly larger in height and muscle.
“You have until a cycle of the moon or you know what the consequences will be,” he states, before his hulking form and Jesper’s father follow Lord Craven out, their boots echoing through the cavern.
“We need to get word to Jesper’s mother. She needs to leave Phixmery as soon as possible.” The earth trembles under my feet as my magick slips. “Fuck! This wasn’t supposed to happen!”
Killian places his hand on my shoulder. “We can warn her, and then we can both leave. Head to Kraryn. We can figure out a new plan from there.”
My head shakes. “No, we need to keep up the pretenses for a bit longer. They’re already suspicious; who knows what they will do if they think we aren’t under their thumb. Do not come back though, Kill. There’s some things I need to take care of first and then I’ll join you. Keep her safe,” I state.
“Talyn,” he growls, taking a step closer to me. “Let me help. It’s safer if we’re working together.”
“Not for this. Go, ride hard. I’ll see you in a month’s time.” I shove him back, nodding towards Voissor. “I’ll be fine. This won’t be like the last time.”
He shakes his head, his obsidian hair swaying with the aggressive shakes. “No, I don’t like this. I have a bad feeling.” His fists clench at his sides.
My hand rests on the pommel of my sword, centering me as I say these next words.
“Killian, go. We can’t change what the fates have in store, but I will fight my damn hardest to change the course the realm is heading in, which means we need to do this.
Fly strong, brother, and protect Ravina.
” Then I spin on my heel, leaving him in the Keep while I trek back to the castle to find Ceila, because I would never forgive myself if something happened to Jesper’s mother.
FOLLOWING THE SECRET passage, I enter the kitchens to the buttery smell of freshly baked bread, savory meat, gravy and spices. Usually the smell would have my stomach grumbling, impatient for its next meal, but all I feel is nausea for what’s to come.
My gaze whips around the large space, bustling with lesser fae and nulls as they prepare for tonight’s dinner, searching for a head of red that matches one of my oldest friends.
Fear begins to crawl down my spine when I don’t spot her, but it quickly vanishes as she pops up from behind a counter with a gentle smile upon her face.
Expertly maneuvering around the others I make my way to her. “Ceila, we need to speak,” I whisper when I’m within hearing distance.
She jumps, her hand flying to her chest. “Talyn, you scared the gryphon shit out of me! And I told you to call me Ma. You know I think of you males like my own.” She grins as she grabs a cloth, wrapping a decadent strawberry jam scone in it and passing it to me.
I take it with a small smile of my own, not able to summon a full one no matter how much I try.
“Ma,” I say with a light teasing tone, although it’s tenser than I was intending.
“We really need to speak. Privately,” I add, knowing that almost everyone in this room is listening to us.
“It’s about the plans for Jesper’s celebration of birth,” I supply falsely.
Her eyes widen slightly, picking up on what I’m not saying. “Of course, follow me. I know you mentioned a cake last time we talked…” she trails off, adding to the ruse. She’s always been quick on the uptake. She’s always had to be, especially with sons like Jesper and Evander.
We enter into the servants passage and I follow her down the dimly lit, narrow hall that smells of mildew and musk until we exit into what seems to be a storage room full of baking supplies.
She spins to me with a stern expression etched into her slightly aged face. “What’s going on? Where’s Jesper?”
I shake my head, scrubbing my face with my weapon-calloused hands before placing them on my waist. “He’s gone to Vathia to retrieve something on the Lord’s orders.
I can’t say more than that, but you need to leave Phixmery.
Lord Verlice is here and it’s not safe for you any longer.
I know you have contacts; use them and flee.
Don’t tell me where you’re going. We will send word through Evander when things settle,” I plead, needing her to understand how serious this is.
Ceila says nothing at first, staring at me with large eyes, filled with worry. “How long do I have to gather my things?” she whispers finally after a long, tense silence.
My breath expels from my lungs. “Leave during dinner, and get as far from here as you can.”
She nods slowly and I can see her begin to plan before her green eyed gaze snaps to mine. “You keep them safe, do you understand me, Talyn?”
My fist lands on my chest over my heart as I dip my head. “I swear I’m doing everything in my power to shield them from the fallout of today.”
Her hand pats my cheek sadly. “Thank you, sweetie. Just remember to keep yourself safe, too. I don’t trust any of those Lords as far as I can throw them.
Now, we should get moving before our absence becomes suspicious.
” She pauses at the exit, looking at me from over her shoulder.
“I will see you again one day, all of you. Hopefully sooner rather than later.”
I swallow thickly. “Of course,” I whisper.
Her head dips and then she’s gone, and I can only hope the fates get her out of here safely. A slow breath leaves me and I collect my emotions before I head up to my chambers to pack some things, knowing my father will want to leave as soon as dinner is finished.
My body automatically follows the path to the North Towers.
There’s still a buzz in the air from the first years—now second—completing their Choosings, and for the preparations of new cadets who are arriving tomorrow, but my body is numb.
Today wasn’t supposed to go like this, and now we’re all separated and I have a true mating bond with a female I thought was long dead—although it still might not even be her.
My hand runs along the right side of my ribs unconsciously, before snapping down to my side.
I will get answers soon enough on that, but for now I have to focus. I need to plan.
The muscles in my legs tense as I begin the climb up to the top floor, and I focus on the feeling to stop the anxiety that’s rising, ignoring the pounding rhythm in my chest.
I push on the wooden door which creaks on its hinges and stride into the room, using my magick to light the candles on the chandelier, only to see my father sitting on the chair at my desk, sipping on an amber liquid.
“Lord Craven,” I nod my head, which is more respect than he deserves. “I was just coming to pack my belongings for our journey home.” I don’t question why he’s here. It will only anger him if I ask.
He takes another sip, gesturing to the chair across from him, a chair that I had against the wall.
Cautiously, I move towards him and sit. He pulls out a crystal cup, the matching one to the set he’s already using himself, and places it on the desk, pouring me a drink and then topping up his own.
He slides it over and nods for me to take it.
My hand wraps around the cool, rigid crystal cup.
He raises his glass. “We are drinking to a new Damorleia. Soon we will have that bastard’s head, and Lady Zorn will be weakened without her heir and no mate to hold her hand.” He presses the glass to his lips and takes a sip.
“To a new Damorleia. A better realm,” I state before taking a sip of mine.
He holds onto his glass before his beady black eyes narrow on me. “We need to talk about what happened today, about what happened after you all left the confines of the castle.”
I take another sip, a slightly bigger one. “Of course. The Vathia traitor landed on the battlement wall with his dragon—”
“I already know this!” he spits.
“The other Lords’ sons and I rushed to the keep to mount our dragons before pursuing the traitor.
A fight between the traitor, the newly bonded female rider and a black dragon was underway as we approached.
Jesper reached him first, just as the female fell from her dragon.
A battle continued on the ground and the traitor used his shadows to whisk the unconscious female away, escaping on his beast, while the female’s dragon followed.
Jesper went after them with a rider on a red dragon and I came back to update you and the other Lords on what happened,” I explain, before taking another sip.
The burning liquid helps to soothe the anxiousness that has been rapidly rising over the past few hours.
The Lord of Allonde eyes me suspiciously, slowly taking another sip, and I do the same.
“Are you sure that’s everything?” he asks calmly.
I go to speak but my limbs suddenly feel heavy. The glass slips from my grasp, shattering across the floor like a thousand beads scattering. My heart rate slows and I find I’m unable to panic as my father stands, walking around the desk and leaning on it until his foul breath is in my face.
“Because Lady Gannon has a completely different tale. You see, she was found by another cadet in the woods after someone saw her fall from her dragon’s back and Jesper flying off after them.
Now, things are going to be changing, and that means that those friends of yours are no longer in the picture.
They will be killed before they can even cross the border.
You, on the other hand, have duties and responsibilities to attend to. ”
No! Fuck! He knows. It may not be everything but he knows enough.
“Enjoy your nap, son, because when you wake up, your new future awaits,” he sneers. “And I always get what I want in the end.”