Chapter 78
Aeliana placed a hand on Durriken’s snout. “I have to go find my mother.”
His rumble of assent held concern.
“Can you do a sweep and see where Mayvus and her soldiers are? Maybe see how much time we have or what exactly we’re up against?”
He rumbled again, then nudged her gently, still nearly knocking her over, before turning around and taking a running leap.
She watched in awe as his wings beat the air, undisturbed by how it knocked her to her backside once more.
He was her dragon, and she was his half-light.
She felt it in her bones the same way she felt the magic coursing through her blood.
Even Sylmar couldn’t have anticipated this. He probably wouldn’t even know how to use it to their advantage, and Aeliana decided she liked that. She didn’t want anyone using Durriken. She wanted his choices to be his own. Now, they finally were.
His freedom gave her a sense of power that left her fueled for what she had to do next. She cut away the remaining rags of her green skirt as she raced toward the palace doors. The lack of soldiers at its entrance left her disturbed. Where had they all gone?
“Mother?” she shouted through the halls. “Sylmar? Iris? Where is everyone?” Concerned maids peered out of the rooms they cleaned, probably never having heard anything shouted in these formal quarters.
“They should be in their rooms, miss,” one of the women said.
“Where are all the soldiers?” Aeliana asked.
The women frowned and glanced down the halls, surprise flitting across their features.
“They wouldn’t be able to help, anyway,” Aeliana muttered.
“Never mind. Thank you.” She took off down the hall and up the stairs, counting off the rooms until she came to her mother’s quarters.
This time, soldiers stood at the door, the sight strange after all the empty halls.
She hesitated, wondering why, out of all the places the soldiers should be, they happened to be here.
But they’d seen her, so they ushered her through, and she found most everyone gathered together. Despite her relief over finding her mother, the soft click of a lock behind her felt ominous.
Emeris ran over and cupped Aeliana’s cheeks between her hands. “You’re all right. I was so worried.”
“Then you know about Mayvus?” Aeliana asked.
“What about Mayvus?” Sylmar stood, thumping his staff against the floor to make his way over to Aeliana with a speed she hadn’t seen in months.
“She’s here—in the harbor,” Aeliana said. “Maybe even closer now.”
Gasps spread through the room.
“If you didn’t know she was here, then why were you worried?” Aeliana scanned everyone in the room, counting them off.
Lukai and Kendalyhn sat on the bed, arms wrapped around each other in a way that would have made her bond mark twinge if she still had it. Her father and Iris stood at the window where her mother had originally been, and Iris searched the night sky.
Velden and Marnok played a game of cards at a table, their relaxed stance almost offensive in light of everything happening.
Cyrus and Brogdon sat together, the sight of Mayvus’ former soldier making Aeliana unfairly uncertain.
He’d stayed on the ship when they’d crossed the barrier, and she hadn’t seen him leave it before now.
He’d wanted nothing more to do with being a soldier after his experiences, so why was he here tonight? Could Mayvus have branded him again?
“They gathered us all together and said our status as guests of the royal family was under review.” Sylmar scowled. “We think something’s happened with the king and queen.”
Aeliana’s concern heightened, and she checked the group once more. “Where are Gaeren and Enla? And Riveran?”
“We haven’t seen them,” her mother said.
“If Mayvus is here,” Sylmar said, “we’re out of time.”
Everyone in the room dropped their gazes, unwilling to look at Aeliana or her mother.
“The trick will be getting the sisters in the same room to make it happen when they’ve locked us up in here.”
“No,” Aeliana growled out.
“It’s the only way, dear,” her mother said. “You’ve heard the curse. Mayvus is too powerful with me alive.”
“Then we find a way to weaken her.” Aeliana’s voice rose with her desperation.
“As long as I’m strong, she will be too.” Her mother gave an apologetic smile and held out her arms.
Aeliana accepted the embrace, but her mother’s words echoed in her mind, as though they held a different meaning than she’d intended. The others formed some sort of line behind Aeliana in their acceptance, giving Emeris hugs and offering Rildan murmured condolences.
“No,” Aeliana whispered, the words finally starting to click in her mind.
Everyone ignored her, writing off her words as grief.
“No.” She said it again, louder. “We can find a way to weaken Mayvus. If you’re weak, she’s weak.” She scanned the room, then stepped forward, tugging on Lukai’s arm. “Didn’t you tour the apothecary with the healers?”
“Yes.” His brow bunched in confusion. “Marnok and I both did. It’s in the west wing, on the third floor. They have hundreds of tonics, things I didn’t know existed that can be used with or without magic. Even the staff who aren’t progenies can heal most anything.” His voice held a bit of wonder.
“But aren’t there things that could harm as well?”
He nodded warily. “Most anything in the wrong dosage can be harmful.” His gaze flicked to Emeris. “Are you suggesting…”
“Yes.” She turned to her mother. “Instead of killing you, let’s just make you sick. Sick enough to weaken Mayvus and trap her, but not sick enough to kill either one of you. Then we heal you.”
The room went quiet as the idea was considered, and Aeliana knew she’d found the solution. It was one they couldn’t argue with, because trying anything was better than giving up and accepting Emeris’ death.
“Moon’s brew herb and valerian root could do the trick,” Marnok said quietly, bolstering Aeliana’s hope.
“Where would I find them? What do they look like?” she asked.
He described them both in detail, giving his best guess as to where they’d be in an apothecary, but the others started voicing their dissent.
“How will you get there?” Velden asked. “You may have walked in here free and clear, but they’re not going to let you walk out.”
She bit her lip, remembering the way the door had locked behind her, then glanced at the window where Iris still watched the skies.
“What do you see?” Aeliana asked.
Iris shook her head. “It’s more what I don’t see. The Stars— they’re not dancing.”
“The Stars?” Aeliana asked. “Orra thinks they’re with Mayvus. She’s going to look for them.”
“If the Stars are on Mayvus’ side, how can we possibly succeed?” Cyrus asked.
“Haven’t you been listening to Orra?” Aeliana asked.
“We can still succeed, because the Sun is on our side.” She reached for her tether, finding it just beneath her consciousness—far easier to grasp than ever before.
Without even closing her eyes, she was able to home in on Durriken’s senses, to feel the cool air rushing around leathery and scaly skin, powerful wings flapping, and a keen mind scanning the ground.
They’re much too close, Durriken told her. I didn’t have to go far.
She felt her own sorrow pass through him. Any sign of Felk?
His lack of answer only made her sorrow grow.
Come back to me. Pick me up on the eastern wing.
They’ve locked us all in my mother’s room.
She knew that just like she could see and feel through his eyes and body, he could do the same.
And she trusted he would find her. I need you to take me to the apothecary in the western wing.
She felt his assent more than she heard the rumble of his breath.
Then she released the tether and bounced back to the room with a shudder.
“Are you all right?” Iris gripped Aeliana’s shoulders. “You were gone”—she glanced nervously at Emeris—“like your mother.”
“I was communicating with Durriken,” Aeliana admitted.
Sylmar grabbed her wrist and held it up, his eyes narrowed. “Where’s your brand?” Suspicion colored his tone, and Aeliana wondered if he would ever be able to trust anyone again.
“We’re tethered. Orra sealed it. We don’t need a brand.” Her chin rose as she internally dared him to find something wrong with what she’d done. It hadn’t been part of his plan, and that could be enough to make it wrong, but she would never regret this choice.
His eyes went wide, and another round of gasps spread through the room, but she didn’t have time to explain more than that or wait for their shock to fade.
She flung open the balcony doors and stood on the edge, sensing Durriken’s nearness the same way she suspected Orra felt someone touching a starbridge.
The internal awareness outmatched her other senses in a way that left her sight and hearing dulled.
“Don’t try to escape. Instead, bar the doors. Make sure no one can come in.”
She knew her actions would horrify everyone back in the room, but there was an absolute rightness to stepping on the edge of the balcony and leaping blindly.