Page 107 of Daughter of the Drowned Empire
I assumed that my magic wards were up if he was gone, and no doubt Markan, or even Rhyan, was stalking the building’s perimeter.
For what seemed like the hundredth time that day, someone was knocking on my door. No, not knocking—pounding furiously. The door sounded like it was two seconds from splintering in half.
Groggily, I slid out of bed, still wearing my practice clothes and sandals, and shuffled across the room, tripping over sweaty tunics and a stack of scrolls.
“Thank the fucking Gods, Lyr!” Morgana spilled into my room. I slammed the door behind me as she fell to the floor, grabbing her head, her face screwed up in pain. With a wave of her stave, the torches tucked into each corner of my room flared to life.
“Emartis?” My heart raced as Morgana moaned, writhing on her hands and knees. How many hours had I been out? “What’s happened?” I sank to the ground beside her, reaching for her hand. “Morgs! Talk to me.”
“You have to come,” she croaked. Her aura was icy, freezing, but not the crisp glacial feel of Rhyan’s aura. This one was biting, bitter, and violent, with a darkness that pounded deep inside the ice. It was a feeling that only came when one thing was happening. Fuck.
“Vision?” I knew the answer to my own question. I’d fucking known this was coming. Meera was suffering, and I wasn’t with her. But neither was Morgana. My stomach twisted.Morgs! Where is she? Is she safe?
“As much as she can be. I—” Morgana’s body went taut, and she hissed in pain. Tears sprang to her eyes. “Fuck, Lyr. Let’s go. NOW!”
I grabbed her arm, helping her to stand. She was so cold, and Meera wasn’t even here. “Is she safe?” I asked again. “Morgs! Where is she?”
“Cresthaven,” Morgana rasped. “I…I tied her to the bed. I couldn’t do anything else. She only responds when you’re there.”
My eyes widened in shock. “You tied her to the bed? Myself to Moriel!” I threw my head back. Shit. If Morgana had been there when the vision started, tied her up, and flown here…how much time had passed? How much more time would pass before we got there? The longer she’d been having visions, the longer the visions lasted, and the more chances she had to hurt herself or someone else. But if she was left alone in her vision too long, if someone couldn’t pull her out, we could lose her. The vision could claim her mind.
“Move it!” I pushed open the door, half-dragging Morgana into the hall and down the stairs. The halls were full of novices all dressed in their training tunics, walking purposely to the door.
What time is it?
“Almost six.”
I have my habibellum in exactly one hour.Shit. All right, I’d go with Morgana to Cresthaven, make sure Meera came safely out of her vision, and fly right back to the Katurium. It was doable. Maybe I’d be fifteen minutes late. Rhyan would be pissed, but so what? At least I’d be there. And Meera….by the Gods…Meera would be safe.
Hurry,I urged Morgana.How is she? Can you tell?
“Still in the vision.”
I tugged her arm forward, speeding up our walk. We were almost at the seraphim port. Just a quick ride, and we’d be at Cresthaven. I could do this. I could pull Meera out. Then I’d fly back. It would be fine. I would handle it.
The ashvan horses took off, streaking the night sky in bright, glowing shades of blue. The timekeeper began to call the hour.
My heart raced. I had exactly one hour.
“Lyr,” Morgana froze.
I urged her into the carriage before us, its seraphim lying patiently on the ground.
“The Imperator’s there,” she said.
Cresthaven! Meera!
Morgana swallowed and shook her head. “No, he’s…at the Katurium. He came to observe….” She closed her eyes tight, her mouth grimacing in pain.
“What? No. He can’t be. Arianna only notified him of the attack today. He couldn’t get here from Korteria that fast. Not in one day.”
“He wasn’t in Korteria,” Morgana said darkly. “He was in Elyria. He was…waiting—waiting for an invitation because—fuck. Lyr, he’d planned to see you fight tonight. He’s here to test you.”
My hands shook at my side, and my stomach churned violently. He was here. Here already after not even a full day’s notification of the Emartis attack. He had been waiting for a reason to visit. I thought of my earlier comments to Eathan, that someone powerful was behind the Emartis, someone everyone feared enough to die for. He’d brushed me off, but I was beginning to think I was right.
The Emartis caused chaos. Chaos caused danger at the school. That danger allowed the Imperator to bring in more of his soturi. Gods. What if the Imperator really was behind it? I had seen Viktor during the chaos. He’d looked calm, not even remotely worried—like he had prior knowledge. Like he was in on the plan.
I pushed away the thought. One thing at a time. First, I had to help Meera.
