Page 56 of A Court of Bones & Sorrow

“What’s so special about Lake Malov?” Roth’s piercing stare locked on Rynn. “I’ve heard the rumors—it’s not just the wraiths that avoid it, other monsters do too. In some ways, it’s the safest place in all of Lunaria. Yet the Narchis Order steers clear of it and forbids anyone from going there. I’ve searched through every text and book I could find, but nothing explains why.”

“We don’t know exactly.” Rynn shifted back and forth on her feet. “Velesians may not have blood or shadow magic, but we feel things. The land whispers to us, and we’ve learned to always listen to what it tells us.”

“And what does the land around Lake Malov tell you?” Alaric asked.

“To stay the fuck away.” Rynn shook her head, appearing to be genuinely rattled at even discussing the lake.

“We can’t.” I sighed. “Maybe the other half of the crown is there and that’s what’s causing the discontent? My mother said she could feel the magic from Velika’s half of the crown and that it felt wrong.”

Rynn rubbed her face, causing the shadows to lose their form slightly. “There is a gathering of the packs in one week. All the Orders will be there, and my pack is hosting it in Fervis territory. Lake Malov is only an hour from us. That will be our best opportunity to slip past the patrols unnoticed, but we’ll have to be quick.”

“All the Orders?” I raised an eyebrow. The Velesians were broken up into three Orders: the Narchis, the Fervis, and the Avala. The Alpha Pack was of the Avala Order and was the one Rynn was to join to further the alliance between them and her birth Order, Narchis.

The Fervis Order was the most volatile of the three, and anytime all of the Orders met up, it was almost guaranteed to result in bloodshed, which meant it would definitely be the perfect opportunity for us to explore.

“All of them,” Rynn confirmed, moving restlessly again and causing tendrils of shadows to swirl around her. “Cade made it very clear they’re all expected to come.”

Ah. That was why she was so uncomfortable. Cade was the leader of the Alpha Pack and the one who had negotiated for Rynn to join their pack. He was also the one Rynncorresponded with the most—and most of those conversations were fraught with tension.

“Alright, that’s our best opportunity then,” I said evenly. “We’ll have to figure out the exact timing, but once we do, whoever goes can meet Rynn and Cali near Lake Malov.”

Everyone nodded in reluctant agreement except Cali. “I can’t go there,” she said in a low, haunted voice and wrapped her wings around her body, shadows dripping off them. With mournful eyes she met my stare. “Something in that place . . . calls to me. All Furies feel it, but I seem to feel it more than any other. If I go there, I will lose myself.”

Even from her shadowy form, I could see the genuine fear in her eyes. I knew then that whatever was going on with my friend, she was aware of it, and it terrified her.

Fuck it.

Without giving a shit what the others thought, I moved towards Cali and wrapped my arms around her shadowy form. I could sense her wavering for a moment before the shadows became solid and my friend hugged me back.

Alaric sucked in a breath, but Vail and Roth kept quiet.

“Whatever is going on with you, Cal, we have your back,” I whispered. “We’ll survive this, and then we’ll figure out how to help you.”

“Our ties are eternal.” Rynn moved closer, her hand hovering around Cali as if she wished she could join in on the hug.

Cali shuddered beneath me, and for a second, darkness spread throughout the room before being sucked back into her. I felt it the moment she became nothing but shadows again, the dark wisps tickling my skin as they pulled away.

“Me, Vail, and Rynn will go,” I declared.

“No.” Alaric shook his head. “I’ll go with you, and you know Kieran will want to come too.”

Roth was looking at all of us, a torn expression on their face. They’d spent the majority of their life behind the wards of Houses or Drudonia. Roth wasn’t a fighter by any stretch of the imagination, but even they didn’t seem keen on me going out into the wilds with only Vail at my side until we met up with Rynn.

“You have to stay, Alaric,” I said softly. “House Harker needs someone to run things while both Carmilla and I are away. And I won’t risk Kieran.”

“That’s not your decision to make.” Alaric’s eyes flashed a brilliant turquoise before fading back to light green.

“She’s the Heir,” Vail growled. “Itisher right.”

“You would say that,” Alaric snapped and stepped towards Vail. “Maybe the third time will be the charm and you’ll actually claim her life on your next attempt.”

The Marshal of House Harker straightened as he met Alaric’s accusatory stare, and then he looked at me, his expression the same as when I’d told him to never doubt my devotion to House Harker. I hadn’t been able to decipher it then, but now I could see the emotions brimming in his eyes. Respect. Yearning. Confliction.

Once again, I was confused by Vail’s reactions. Even worse . . . my feelings for him were getting confounding as well. Waking up surrounded by his scent this morning had been nice, really nice, and that was an absolutely insane feeling to have about someone who’d tried to kill me recently.

I didn’t think he would try to kill me again, but I hadn’t thought that the previous times either. The situation in the temple wasn’t entirely his fault—it was his bloodlust that had been driving him. Even if I wasn’t sure I was safe around him, he was the only option I had to get me through the wilds quickly to Lake Malov.

Vail watched me steadily, and I got the impression he understood every conflicted thought that had just raced through my mind.

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