CHAPTER FORTY-ONE
THE NEXT FEW DAYS CONSIST of training and planning for multiple scenarios, but it has me anxious.
We don’t have enough information, especially regarding the Soul Stone.
We haven’t heard from Amethyst other than the letter she left for us, which Aemon and Talyn keep poring over, hoping to find some sort of hidden code she might have left for us to decipher.
Tensions are rising, and each day that passes makes me feel like I’m going out of my mind with worry.
Worry for my citizens, friends and mates.
Vasari and her mates have been taking off for most of the days searching for something, but they’ve been very closed-lipped about what. Fucking dragons and their secrets.
But Nero and I have been training hard, mastering my magick, and I don’t think I’ve ever felt so confident in using it.
We have been working hard to build the bond between us as well.
Something has shifted in the familiar bond, and it feels more durable than it has ever been.
Jesper has been keeping watch over me while Nero and I share our minds, and jumping from his to mine is becoming much quicker but there’s still room for improvement.
Killian hasn’t said a word since the news of his mother, and it’s worrying me.
Occasionally he’ll grunt, but mostly it’s just been him and his sword and many, many destroyed practice targets.
The others convinced me to give him space and let him come to me, but I’m not sure how much longer I can just sit when I can practically feel how much he’s hurting.
I know he needs me. He’s struggling and I want to be able to help.
But like the others, he isn’t the same male I remember.
I don’t know how he’s going to react, but I know for sure he won’t hurt me.
Talyn strides into the room where I’m polishing and maintaining the weapons we have with the others. “Derfene has sent word that fae are showing up in droves. The evacuation plan is working.”
I place my blade down in front of me as Aemon breathes out a sigh of relief. “That’s good,” he says, visibly relaxing. “One less thing for us to worry about. Any word from my mother?”
Talyn’s face turns grim as he shakes his head. “No, but Amethyst is crafty. I’m sure she’s fine. She’s been running Vathia for as long as I can remember. Even when your father was still in charge. Plus you know she was never one to sit on the sidelines and have others do things for her.”
He nods, scrubbing his hand through his white hair for the hundredth time today.
Without a word, I get up and move across the room towards him, placing myself in his lap.
“Want to help me with my shadows today?” I grin softly at him, knowing that idle hands will only make the mind churn more with worry.
“I would love that, Little Dream,” he murmurs, pulling me close, and slowly I feel the tension he is holding release.
Jesper clasps his hands together, the noise gaining everyone’s attention.
“Well, now that that is settled, I’m starving and I can practically smell lunch drifting down the halls.
Cynder and Evander are probably already there eating it all.
” He pouts as he continues to twirl the blade he was cleaning only moments ago.
At that moment my stomach growls, and each of the male’s gazes goes directly to my belly.
“She’s dying!” Jesper cries as he hops up out of his spot and barrels towards me, but right before he reaches Aemon and I, we are wrapped in shadows and blinking across the castle and into the dining room that overlooks the ocean.
The white-washed bricks gleam with the high sun and the water is calm.
There’s not a cloud in sight as the wind gently ruffles the gauzy curtains that line the wall of glassless windows.
The table is full of food. Fresh fruits, vegetables, and a variety of hot sandwiches are spread out on circular plates. My mouth waters as I begin filling my plate, making sure to grab some for Nero who is already hopping down my arm onto the table towards what I think are roast beef sandwiches.
“Ravina!” Cynder says. “I was looking for you this morning. Do you think we can talk later?” she asks with a hint of nervousness lacing her tone.
“Of course! Come meet me in the library this evening.” I smile, hoping to put her at ease.
She’s been a bit jumpy since she and the others came back from their failed attempt at rescuing Killian’s mother. I’ve rarely had a chance to see her outside of meals which she barely ever attends; Evander usually takes her meals while she sits with Dante.
Cynder dips her head, and her shoulders droop with relief of some kind.
Suddenly the doors swing open and Jesper comes storming in.
“You’re lucky you’ve already mated her, Aemon.
Snatching her away from me like that...” He shakes his head in mock disappointment.
He moves over to me and begins piling my plate with even more food.
“As long as I’m alive I never want to hear your stomach trying to kill you again.
Snacks, I’ll need to carry snacks,” he mutters as he adds another sandwich to my plate.
Mel and Ember have come into the room at this point, and I’m barely holding back my laughter as I watch them barely contain theirs.
“I didn’t think you were such a mother hen,” Ember states dryly, her lip twitching with amusement.
Rozen shakes his finger in Jesper’s direction. “No, I think he’s onto something. You females get grouchy when you’re not fed,” he states brazenly as he grabs Ember’s plate and begins filling it up.
We can’t contain it anymore and the room fills with laughter. My chest hurts and tears are streaming down my face.
This is what I want to remember when things begin getting rough. I want to think back on the calm times and remember Melissandre’s snorts as she tries to breathe between giggles, Lennox who sounds identical to his twin. Talyn’s eye twitches as he tries to keep up his calm and collected exterior.
The rest of the meal is full of laughter. Even Killian is here, and even though he’s quiet, I can sense the positive effect this is having on him. Maybe I’ll ask him to come to the library with me after I talk with Cynder. It always used to be a place of refuge for us.
Just as I was sneaking the last bit of food to Nero from my plate under Jesper’s watchful eye, the doors burst open and a male I’ve never seen before comes barreling through, slightly out of breath.
Aemon stands. “Barty, what is it?” he asks, moving towards the male.
Barty catches his breath. “We have word from one of the search parties we sent into Allonde.”
My lungs stop working as I wait for the male to continue. I swear you could hear a pin drop from across the room.
“There’s a safe house deep in the Gratandi Mountains. Our warriors overheard that Lord Craven’s most precious item is being stored there. This is the location.” Barty hands him a piece of parchment and hope begins to take root.
Could it be so easy? I know the Gratandi mountains.
I lived there for twenty years and know it well, although there are parts that are too dangerous to travel alone due to deadly creatures who have made it their home.
Surely Craven’s safehouse couldn’t be there.
It’s probably somewhere I’ve never been, but could this really be where he’s hiding the Soul Stone?
“Thank you, Barty. Get some rest, and thank you for traveling hard to give this to us,” Talyn states, stepping up beside Aemon to look at whatever is on that parchment.
The male—Barty—nods and transforms into his pixie counterpart right before our eyes and zooms away quicker than I can follow.
Jesper takes my hand and kisses it as we wait.
After a moment Aemon, Jesper, Talyn and Killian share a look before glancing at me.
“It’s going to be a long night of planning.
We leave tomorrow. I suggest that anyone coming should pack light, as we’ll be traveling fast and deep into enemy territory.
” Talyn’s gaze doesn’t leave mine even after he’s finished speaking.
Something flashes in his gaze but it's gone before I can decipher it.
Ember leans back in her chair. “You know we will always support the Queen, so where she goes, we go.”
Mel, Lennox and Roz all agree with her and I’m glad they’re coming. Even if I worry for their safety, I know I can’t take this choice away from them. It would make me a hypocrite because I wouldn’t want it done to me.
Evander clears his throat. “We will not be coming with you. Dante should be well enough to travel back to the ship soon, and we are going to head back to the Dragon’s Drift to see about recruiting some vessels.
You’ll need someone protecting the waterways around Derfene.
Dragon’s Drift is the largest harbor in Damorleia, where pirates and shippers share the common ground.
I’ve never been but I heard it can get quite rowdy. ”
Talyn smirks. “Then Cynder, you can wait for our return here.”
I nearly wince as his sister stands abruptly, knocking over the chair.
My gaze bounces between the two and honestly if it wasn’t for their eye color and the same point to their ears, I wouldn’t have guessed they were siblings.
“I will not,” she hisses. “I’ll be going with Evander.
I am not some princess that gets to be locked in a tower.
I’ve done enough of that my entire life.
I want to see the realm, Talyn. Not you or any male will stop me from doing that!
” She grabs Evander’s hand and promptly pulls him from the room.