Page 36 of Lady of Ashes

Until he’d dropped her, like everyone else in her life seemed to do. “Ashtine,” she said into the empty room, knowing the winds would take her summons to the Wind Princess.

Talwyn stepped through a rip in the world and Traveled down to the part of Xylon Forest that ran along the Tykese river in the Wind Court. A dozen wolves of varying colors and sizes immediately came to her, rubbing along her legs and nuzzling into her hand. This pack answered to her, but they were Maliq’s pack. She was their alpha by default in a way, she supposed.

She ran her hands down their coats, soaking in their company. Her wolves didn’t leave her. Her wolves didn’t abandon her. Her wolves were there for her time and time again. She’d been told her mother could shift, that she preferred the form of a grey wolf. Talwyn, however, had never been able to do so. It had taken her years to get a handle on shifting energy. She’d never come close to shifting her physical form, not even her hair or eye color.

“For someone who prefers to be alone, you certainly spend a lot of time among pack animals,” came Ashtine’s lilting voice. Talwyn turned to ?nd her standing in a small clearing, Nasima at her shoulder.

“Clearly I do not prefer to always be alone. I summoned you here,” Talwyn retorted, her palm gliding along black fur.

Ashtine’s head tilted, her blue eyes studying her in that eerie way she had, as though she could see into her very soul. “You are troubled today. Are you still upset about no longer ruling over the Western Courts?”

Talwyn sighed. “I was never upset about that.”

“You seemed upset by that.”

Talwyn sucked in a deep breath, exhaling slowly and reining in her temper to deal with Ashtine. “I was upset because no one informed me Scarlett was missing.”

“I informed you.”

“Days later. Sorin should have told me immediately.”

“So you are upset because Sorin no longer answers to you?” Ashtine questioned, reaching to pet one of the wolves. Talwyn tracked the movement. She was the only other person her wolves let touch them.

“No,” Talwyn replied through gritted teeth. Ashtine stared back at her expectantly, waiting.

“Have you learned anything new?” Talwyn ?nally asked, turning back to the wolves and continuing along the path she had been following.

“I have learned many new things,” Ashtine replied, falling into step beside her. “Is there something in particular you are hoping I have learned?”

“About Avonleya. Have you learned anything new about Avonelya? Or these rips that we have been researching?”

Ashtine ran her hand along a brown wolf ’s back. “Avonleya houses many secrets. The winds would whisper of them at times, but they have gone silent since Queen Scarlett went missing.”

“What do you mean they have gone silent?” Talwyn asked, halting her stride.

“They no longer speak of Avonleya. They no longer speak of the things long forgotten on this continent,” Ashtine continued, her tone becoming hushed. “They are resistant to much these days.”

“What does that mean?” Talwyn demanded.

Nasima startled at Ashtine’s shoulder, and Ashtine reached up to calm her, casting a glare at Talwyn. It was rare for the Wind Princess to show any type of ire, except when it came to Nasima.When she really thought about it, she’d never seen Ashtine angry. She was always calm and collected, her thoughts among the winds.

“I … apologize,” Talwyn forced past her lips. “What do you mean the winds are resistant?”

“I mean they do not offer guidance like they once did. They do not allow me access to their secrets, and they often block my path these days,” Ashtine answered, her tone colder than Talwyn had ever heard it.

“Ashtine?” Talwyn ventured, stepping closer to one of the only friends she had. “Are you all right?”

“No,” Ashtine whispered. “Everything hangs in the balance, Talwyn. One wrong move and the scales will tip. One misstep and—” She stopped speaking, her head tilting to one side as Nasima clicked her beak. “Stellan is unhappy.”

Talwyn sighed. She could only assume it had to do with his sister being recruited for a mission to the mortal lands without his permission.

“I will go to him in a moment,” Talwyn replied. “Finish what you were saying.”

Ashtine ?ashed her a soft smile, reaching up to stroke Nasima once more. “It was nothing. Just chatter,” she answered.

“It was not nothing,” Talwyn insisted. “You were speaking as if you were a Seer.”

“I am not a Seer. I cannot glimpse what could be.”

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