Page 76 of A Sword of Ice
Sometimes she’d come home limping at night, wheezing. Her skin would be stuck to a skinny frame, her movements would be lethargic, like a living corpse, one foot in the grave already.
Until her father made her put an end to it. No more healing. Because her sister would have killed herself to save others. Kind of like Ryker.
“All magic comes with a price,” Ryker murmured.
“Not mine.” Her well was endless. She held up her hand and let a layer of ice coat it like a glove. “I pay nothing for this. Mana has given me a gift. The gift of a life without a price.”
Ryker stared at her. “Not yet,” he whispered. “But you’ll pay a price soon enough.”
Before she could ask him what he meant by that, footsteps came down the stairs, followed by the smell of smoke and steel and violence with the undercurrent of something soft. Like a blanket.
Uric appeared at the bottom of the steps, his white hair shielding the sharp angles of his cheekbones. His pale skin had a hint of color from the cold and with the black clothes clinging to his body, he looked even paler.
He looked like a baby bird, she thought with amusement.
His glare cut in her direction as if he’d read her thoughts. “Prince Valerio wants to speak with you.” He turned and bounded back up the steps, calling down a harsh, “Now!”
Iona pushed herself to her feet. “Thanks for this.” She waved her hand in his direction. “I appreciate it.”
He nodded but otherwise didn’t say anything as she walked away.
35
A Web of Lies
Valerio was at the helm of the ship, his hands on the ledge. His hair whipped against the wind, black strands like slashing shadows of knives against his skin. His black eyes were focused on the waters beyond. He was surrounded by his Fae companions, all of them huddled close and looking at the approaching shores.
Iona could make out blackening sand and almost sighed at the thought of being back in Illyk. The ocean made her more nervous than a land built of iron ever could.
Valerio turned as she approached. He didn’t smile, and she didn’t bow. The grave lines of his features were all she needed to know that this conversation was going to be a serious one.
“You called for me?”
“Yes. I wanted to speak with you about what to expect once we make it to shore.”
Iona nodded. Her whole body was rigid as she waited. Then she felt Julius’ grounding comfort at her back, and his hands came to rest against her shoulders. She loosed a breath, enjoying the woodsy scent that pervaded her nostrils. He smelt sweet too. Like ale or mead. It reminded her of the sweetness of her flavored ice she used to sell, and she smiled at the memory. At him.
“You’re distracting her,” Prince Valerio accused Julius.
“I’m listening,” Iona argued with an eye roll.
Prince Valerio sighed before continuing. “We need you and Shula to locate the next Elemental so we can head there immediately.”
“Right.” Iona gave him a firm nod.
“We need to plan out a way to get there without being caught. It will be much more difficult now that we have a polar bear following us…” He trailed off as his gaze went to her familiar. It wasn’t with disdain, but Iona still felt herself begin to bristle regardless.
“How many more Elementals are we looking for here?” she asked, diverting the subject from her familiar.
“Four more.” It was Shula who answered, her voice soft yet firm. “According to The Seer, we’re the last left.”
“TheSeer?” Iona felt her eyes bulge. She swept her gaze across her companions and for a moment, she felt almost overwhelmed. The Seer was a thing of Fae legends, told around campfires, whispered in the middle of the night. And for a second, she realized how little she knew about them and their journey. She’d been so desperate for their help in finding her familiar, knowing that Mana had put them together for a reason, that she hadn’t let them finish their explanations about where they were going and why.
She supposed now was the time.
“You all have a story to tell,” she mused. “And I’ll hear it.”
They all shared glances among themselves that were almost conspiratorial. Then they looked toward her. She thought Prince Valerio would speak, that he would be the one to tell her what she needed to know. The one who opened their mouth wasn’t any of the males, but Shula.
