Page 96 of Heart of Shadows

“Hmm,” she said through a yawn.

“I think you owe us another story.” Aedon glanced from her to the rest of them. “A rescue for a story. That seems to be a tradition we’re making. Tell us what in Pelenor happened—and how the spymaster is embroiled in all of this.” His tone grew more cold at the end, and Harper knew Brand had told him exactly how their escape had succeeded.

“Only if you tell me how you escaped Tournai,” she said, her own tone guarded.

Unable to resist, Aedon puffed out his chest. “Naturally. I’m happy to recount our escapades!”

Erika rolled her eyes.

“And we talk about what happened,” Harper added pointedly.

Aedon’s smile slipped. He swallowed. His hands fussed with the twig in his hands. “Yes. About that. We’re sorry, Harper. We shouldn’t have gone about it like that.”

Harper stared him down until he squirmed and dropped his gaze.

Erika straightened. “I’m sorry too. I should not have tried to take the stone from you.” She swallowed and scowled. Harper waited. “It was my fault that things went so badly. And I am deeply sorry for that. For how you must have suffered. You did not deserve that.” Her eagle-eyed glare met Harper’s.

“Thank you,” said Harper, giving her a sharp nod. The nomad’s apology meant more to her than anything else—because she knew that the woman meant every word of it, and that her loyalty and favour were hard-won and well-earned.

“What happened?” Aedon asked. His voice was subdued—laced with guilt, she realised, and the hardness within her softened to that. She told them what had happened since they had parted, not sparing a detail of her treatment in the dungeons, nor her inexplicable encounters with Dimitrius or her audiences with the king. They listened to her in silence.

Aedon blew out a breath once she was finished. “The spymaster’s still plotting away, I see. Goodness knows on what. You were just a pawn to him in whatever scheme he has, Harper.”

She nodded, though she was not entirely convinced. Some of the moments with the spymaster had felt so genuine, and that had taken root inside her somewhere. It hurt to cut that down, but she had to. She had survived in a court of lies and shadows. The spymaster had been using her and nothing more. She was back where she felt like she was finally starting to belong.

Yet still, she could not banish those violet eyes of his and the way they burned with so much unspoken feeling, making her long to understand his story. Harper cleared her throat. “Well, we agreed a tale for a tale. What’s your story?”

Aedon told her of their gallant escape. After sneaking out of the dragon hold using hidden ways Aedon knew and with fresh sets of Kingsguard cloaks and helmets, they had ‘borrowed’ three horses and rode from the city.

“You make it sound easy,” Ragnar murmured in disbelief.

“That’s hardly as daring as our escape,” Brand said.

“Perhaps not, but it required just as much guts.” Aedon grinned crookedly.

Brand scoffed.

“Where to now?” Harper asked.

Now that she finally had a moment to think, with her life not in imminent danger, it struck her that she was once more without a way home. The city of Tournai, the king and his magic, were closed to her.

“To continue our quest,” said Aedon. “Now we have a way to cure the sickness and eradicate it.”

Harper’s attention snapped to him. “Really?”

“Erika?” He looked at the quiet woman.

Erika stirred. “We had our own task to complete before we could think of rescuing you. I’m sure you understand. There is a particularly ancient text in the citadel archives that references an everlasting potion. If you can find this Dragonheart and have the method to use it correctly, you can make an infinite supply from the smallest drop.”

She pulled out a tightly rolled scroll that looked hundreds of years old. “Now we can spread the cure as far as it is needed, for we have the perfect way to make enough to heal anyone and everyone afflicted.”

“How is it done?” Harper whispered in awe.

“As luck would have it, a forgotten piece of magic that, when combined with the stone, has staggering potential,” Aedon replied.

“That’s incredible.” Her thoughts strayed to the desperate villagers—this would be life-saving for them.

Aedon dipped his head to her. “The choice is yours, Harper. We would be mighty grateful for your assistance. I’m afraid our Dragonhearts were lost in the escape.”

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