Page 20 of Vathia
My knees crash into the ground, and I fall to the side, groaning as searing pain rips through my body. A male comes running towards me wrapped in shadows. The slapping of his boots on the ground echoes in my ears as the darkness overtakes me. The last thought I have is not of my brothers and how I failed them. It’s of Ravina, her sapphire-blue eyes and how I never got to tell her how sorry I am.
I AWAKE WITH a jolt and find myself in another bed, with tavern music playing below me.
“Woah there, Talyn. You’re safe,” a familiar voice states.
My hand scrubs my face as I blink away the sleep. “Where am I?” I ask, my tongue sticking to the roof of my mouth as I try to grapple my bearings. “Evander?”
Wait, what is he doing here? He should be with Cyn on the way to Vathia—
I try to sit up and Evander pushes down on my shoulders.
“Calm yourself, you big oaf. Your sister is safe and you’re above the Dragon Den Tavern in Winhol,” he states, pulling the stool over next to me. “Now, do you want to explain what happened? Where are Jesper and Killian?”
Using my arms, I hoist myself up against the headboard, grunting in pain. I glance around the small room, which is just the barebones: a small single bed, end table with a lamp, and a metal tub in the corner for bathing.
My gaze settles on Evander who is watching me with the same impatient look as his brother. “Safe as far as I know.” Then I whisper, “They’re heading to where you’re bringing my sister.” I groan, touching the bandage that’s wrapped around my stomach. “How bad is it?”
He leans back, shaking his head. “I’ve seen dragon burn victims with less damage. We debrided it the best we could. I’m sorry about your new tattoo. Honestly I’m surprised it’s still there, but it’s mangled as fuck.” A piece of my heart cracks at the thought of it being damaged, but he pushes on. “Your wrists should heal nicely, though—minimal scarring if that.”
I nod distractedly. “How long have I been out? How did you get me here?”
“It’s been a couple days. Dante blinked you here. Although it took a bit with the jumps, we figured here would be the safest spot for you. It’s an underground rebel hotspot. Sabish, the owner, is one feisty wench, and it took some convincing, but she’s going to let you stay until you’re healed. I’m not sure she believed that the son of Lord Craven is actually one of our biggest alli—”
“Wait,” I cut him off. “If you two are here, who in the void is with my sister?”
Evander sighs. “I was getting to that. My other two crewmates are with her. Dante and I just wanted to make sure you woke up, then give you the rundown of what’s been going on before we get back to her. Thank the fates Milly got a message out to us. At this rate I think I should be starting a tab,” he teases.
Grunting, I scrub my hand down my face again before reaching for the cup sitting on the edge of the end table, sniffing it before taking a sip. “You will always have us on your side, you know this. Now, what’s going on with the rebellion? Where do we stand?”
Myself, Killian, Jesper and Aemon started this whole thing years ago once we were tired of watching our fathers sink further into the clutches of whatever evil they’re working with. Code phrases are used to figure out who is on our side, and they change every few turns of the moon. Except for one, the one in case we ever found Maeven, which I suppose is no longer needed.
“That’s the thing,” Evander starts. “It’s been quiet. No more attacks by those shadowed creatures. Even Phixmery has been silent despite a purple dragon returning and choosing a rider. Now do you want to elaborate on that?” he asks, raising his brows.
“Not yet, we are still working that out. But the rider is… safe.” Safe as far as I know. Aemon wouldn’t do anything to hurt her considering who she is, but I have many questions for that male, including how in the fates he knew to be at the Choosing, and how did he know about Ravina… Maeven… whatever she’s going by. I’m sure Killian and Jesper are already hounding him for that information as we speak.
Evander rises to his feet, his cloak falling around him. “That’s better than them being in the hands of the Lords of Damorleia then. But I better get back. I’ll let Cyn know you’resafe—she was frantic and just about pushed me overboard to come get your sorry ass. Stay safe and we will see you in Vathia in a couple weeks. I’m assuming.”
“Safe travels,” I tell him as he wanders out of the room.
As soon as he’s gone, I reach for my magick and I breathe out a sigh of relief when I can sense it, even if I can’t draw from it yet. The bonds are the same, but it feels like Zaddro is close. He probably felt the bond awaken and is staying nearby waiting for me to call to him. Unlike Tisur and Voissor, he doesn’t go straight to burning everything down first. A smile pulls at my lips as the memory engulfs me of the time Tisur couldn’t find Jesper after he woke up the night after a battle and almost burned down a forest to go and look for him. Jesper was only just taking a piss a few yards away. They were newly bonded, and the memory of Jesper running through the woods yelling ‘I’m here! Don’t roast me!’ will forever be ingrained in my mind. Especially because his dragon isn’t even a fire type. Tisur spews water.
Not long after Evander leaves, a knock sounds at the door and a red-headed female with a surly expression comes in with what smells like a tray of stew. She’s covered in tattoos and has heavy kohl lining her eyes. She shuts the door with her foot and stands near the foot of my bed.
“I’m Sabish, the owner of this place. Now, I think we need to have a conversation,Little Craven.”
CHAPTER ELEVEN
SHE'S BEEN OUT FOR ALMOST a whole day and I haven’t been able to leave her side. The moment that cursed necklace was removed from her delicate neck… making room for my hand—nope, not the time for inappropriate thoughts—she passed out and she fell for me.
Well…
She fell and I caught her.
Semantics.
I tried to take her to my room, but both Killian and Aemon thought it would be better if she woke up in her own bed. Either way, I haven’t left her side. Except to quickly relieve myself, and I made Nero promise to keep her safe. I swear that bird wanted to claw my face off. I approve; she has the best familiar. I just know that he has a little violent streak with the way he guards her and that eyeball that sits in a fluid-filled jar on her bedside table.
I knew there had to be a reason why I’m so obsessed with her. My eyes trace her face, the soft curve of her pink pouty lips, the sharp cut of her cheek bones, right down to the way her eyelashes rest against her too-pale face. She’s a lot older than the six-year-old bossy princess I remember. She’s gorgeous, andI know my little prankster is hidden away in there somewhere. I just can’t believe she’s actually here with us. Alive. After all these years we thought she was dead. We may have only spent six years with Maeven but we somehow all grew impossibly close. It was like the fates themselves had begun to weave our bonds even then. Our souls knew, even if our minds couldn’t fully comprehend the whole situation.
