Page 65 of A Flame of the Phoenix

Faythe could hardly stand how things had aligned in her cousin’s favor while the people were oblivious to his allegiance with the enemy.

She poked a stick into the fire, waiting for a rabbit to cook. The wolves kept supplying the game as if they knew when theywere hungry. Faythe kept silent while they spoke more on what to do about the impending attack.

“We should go to Lakelaria,” Nerida said suddenly. All attention was drawn to her. “Me and Tarly, I mean. I know the lands, and Faythe can Nightwalk to me if I find anything that can prepare you ahead of time. We can remain hidden. And more than that, Lakelaria has the best healers in the world—we might find more answers about a bite from the dark fae.”

“That would be excellent help. Any intel before we walk into enemy territory is invaluable,” Kyleer agreed.

“What if it’s not safe?” Faythe said apprehensively. She was awash with memories of Reuben, a friend she’d sent there long ago in an attempt to save him, but he’d fallen right into the hands of Marvellas and become her mind-twisted puppet. Faythe leaned her elbows on her thighs, holding her head in her hands.

“Look around—nowhere is safe but High Farrow right now. We all have to take risks,” Lycus said.

Faythe conceded. “Marlowe figured out Marvellas’s temple is in the Sky Caves. I imagine she’s retrieved it with Reylan now, with the aim of breaking it.”

“If she succeeds, I might have found another way to stop her from causing harm,” Nerida said.

Faythe watched her pull a thick tome from another satchel. The title embossed on the front readThe Book of Enoch.

“There are three ways, in fact, to combat God-strength power. Aetherbonds—manacles that can silence it. The Spellthief—a dagger that can steal it. And the Black Phoenix—an entity that can destroy it.”

Faythe’s fascination heightened. “A Black Phoenix?”

Nerida said, “The last known to exist…ended the Dark Age by killing the dark fae king.”

The weight of that knowledge slammed into everyone.

“Mordecai has magick? He’s never shown it. In our confrontation in Olmstone, why wouldn’t he have used it if he’s that powerful?” Nik inquired.

“Hewasthat powerful. I might assume in his resurrection he’s lost his magick,” Nerida said.

“What were his abilities?” Kyleer asked.

“I don’t know. This book isn’t about lineage—it’s knowledge on the Gods and our world.”

While the image of a Black Phoenix filtered through her mind with triumphant danger and wild curiosity, Faythe had to set aside that option since it wasn’t on offer.

“The Aetherbonds and the Spellthief—do we have any idea where they could be?” Faythe asked.

Nerida shifted a glance to Tarly before she answered. “I can’t be certain, but a while ago, we came across humans seeking to access Hilia’s Cave. It’s located in the deepest part of Stenna’s Fall. It would be a perfect place for a Spirit to hide something so lethal to her. There’s very few Waterwielders who could reach that deep without burning out.”

Kyleer asked, “Could you?”

Faythe didn’t miss the tension that squared Tarly’s shoulders. “Honestly, I don’t know. I could try, but if I can’t…no one would be able to swim from that deep before running out of air.”

Silence fell between them all. Nik was the one to break it.

“Air,” he said, pondering over his own thoughts for a moment longer. “You and Tauria together could reach it with her Windbreaker ability.”

The solution came as a beacon of hope and a slash of despair. There were always missing pieces to their plans.

“Our strategy may be a web that takes patience right now, but it’s hope, and it’s brilliant. Thank you, Nerida,” Kyleer said.

“So what do we do now?” Faythe asked.

“We stay the course. If the worst happens and the ruin is broken when we retrieve Reylan, we still have hope of stopping her power even if we can’t kill her anymore. While we focus on Reylan, Nik and Lycus should go to Fenstead, wait for Tauria to return from Valgard, and get her back. Then you’ll meet up with Nerida and go to Stenna’s Fall before we all meet again in High Farrow.”

There were many moving parts and people to this plan that had Faythe antsy in concern for everyone.

“If we leave in the morning, we can get to Lakelaria as soon as possible to scout for healers, gather what we can about Marvellas there, and head back to meet Nik at Stenna’s Fall,” Nerida said brightly.

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