Page 87 of Vathia
We can’t contain it anymore and the room fills with laughter. My chest hurts and tears are streaming down my face.
This is what I want to remember when things begin getting rough. I want to think back on the calm times and remember Melissandre’s snorts as she tries to breathe between giggles, Lennox who sounds identical to his twin. Talyn’s eye twitches as he tries to keep up his calm and collected exterior.
The rest of the meal is full of laughter. Even Killian is here, and even though he’s quiet, I can sense the positive effect this is having on him. Maybe I’ll ask him to come to the library with me after I talk with Cynder. It always used to be a place of refuge for us.
Just as I was sneaking the last bit of food to Nero from my plate under Jesper’s watchful eye, the doors burst open and a male I’ve never seen before comes barreling through, slightly out of breath.
Aemon stands. “Barty, what is it?” he asks, moving towards the male.
Barty catches his breath. “We have word from one of the search parties we sent into Allondë.”
My lungs stop working as I wait for the male to continue. I swear you could hear a pin drop from across the room.
“There’s a safe house deep in the Gratandi Mountains. Our warriors overheard that Lord Craven’s most precious item is being stored there. This is the location.” Barty hands him a piece of parchment and hope begins to take root.
Could it be so easy? I know the Gratandi mountains. I lived there for twenty years and know it well, although there are parts that are too dangerous to travel alone due to deadly creatures who have made it their home. Surely Craven’ssafehouse couldn’t be there. It’s probably somewhere I’ve never been, but could this really be where he’s hiding the Soul Stone?
“Thank you, Barty. Get some rest, and thank you for traveling hard to give this to us,” Talyn states, stepping up beside Aemon to look at whatever is on that parchment.
The male—Barty—nods and transforms into his pixie counterpart right before our eyes and zooms away quicker than I can follow.
Jesper takes my hand and kisses it as we wait.
After a moment Aemon, Jesper, Talyn and Killian share a look before glancing at me. “It’s going to be a long night of planning. We leave tomorrow. I suggest that anyone coming should pack light, as we’ll be traveling fast and deep into enemy territory.” Talyn’s gaze doesn’t leave mine even after he’s finished speaking. Something flashes in his gaze but it's gone before I can decipher it.
Ember leans back in her chair. “You know we will always support the Queen, so where she goes, we go.”
Mel, Lennox and Roz all agree with her and I’m glad they’re coming. Even if I worry for their safety, I know I can’t take this choice away from them. It would make me a hypocrite because I wouldn’t want it done to me.
Evander clears his throat. “We will not be coming with you. Dante should be well enough to travel back to the ship soon, and we are going to head back to the Dragon’s Drift to see about recruiting some vessels. You’ll need someone protecting the waterways around Derfenë. Dragon’s Drift is the largest harbor in Damorleia, where pirates and shippers share the common ground. I’ve never been but I heard it can get quite rowdy.”
Talyn smirks. “Then Cynder, you can wait for our return here.”
I nearly wince as his sister stands abruptly, knocking over the chair. My gaze bounces between the two and honestly if itwasn’t for their eye color and the same point to their ears, I wouldn’t have guessed they were siblings. “I will not,” she hisses. “I’ll be going with Evander. I am not some princess that gets to be locked in a tower. I’ve done enough of that my entire life. I want to see the realm, Talyn. Not you or any male will stop me from doing that!” She grabs Evander’s hand and promptly pulls him from the room.
Talyn growls and goes to storm after them, but I’m up and in his way before he can move even a few steps. Thank you, shadows. “Talyn. She’s not a fledgling anymore. She’s a grown female and is more than capable of making her own choices. She’s safe with those males. Fates, even Jesper’s brother is with her. Just let her go.” I don’t know what comes over me but I place my hand on his wide chest, feeling the erratic beats of his heart. “It’s okay,” I whisper.
He stares down at me with such an intensity my knees begin to shake. After a moment he nods, touching my cheek briefly and storming out of the room.
I let go of the breath I was holding, and Jesper chuckles as his eyes glint with mischief. “Seems you have tamed the beast there, Little Beastie.”
I’m not sure I would say that, but I think we have come to some sort of understanding. My fingers touch my cheek where he brushed it and I can’t help but duck my head. Maybe there’s hope for us after all.
MY MIND WANDERS as I stare into the fire that’s lit in the lounge of the library. I’ve been here for a bit now, curled up inthe leather chair with a book perched on my lap, but I can’t focus on anything but tomorrow.
We spent hours in the war room, coming up with plan after plan. The forest in the area around the location is dense—too dense for dragons, so we will have to land at a distance from it and trek through it to get to the safehouse. If that’s even what it is. No map we’ve found shows any village, town or ruins. There’s nothing out there, which most likely means there are creatures we won’t want to cross paths with. So many things can go wrong, and if we come across wraiths without the dragons, we’re dead. Not to mention walking through a forest with shadowflame swords is far too dangerous; one spark and the forest would ignite.
I sigh, glancing around the shelves lined with scrolls, parchments and texts. Cynder was supposed to meet me, but I suppose with the blowout she had with her brother she’s opting to keep to herself. I get it. I’ve been on the receiving end of Talyn’s controlling temper.
A noise sounds to my right and I jump up, pulling a blade out.
A tall and wide figure moves out of the shadows and I can’t help the relieved exhale that leaves me. “Killian, you startled me.”
“I’m sorry, Little Warrior. I didn’t know you were in here,” he grumbles, his voice rough with days of disuse. He turns to leave.
“No! Wait!”
He stops and turns his head slightly over his shoulder.
