Page 203 of Lady of the Drowned Empire
His jaw tensed. “I’ll manage. Neither of you can let go of me.”
I took his hand, our fingers threading together, but I needed to adjust my grip on the Valalumir. The indigo shard was becoming so heavy in my arm.
“Wait, we have to do this right,” Morgana said, her voice shaking. “Lyr, hand it to me. I’ll help.”
I passed the shard to Morgana.
She waved her stave, a protective dome of white light around her.
“Morgs!” I shouted. I reached for her, only to hit the magic of her protection spell. “What are you—”
“Morgana, no!” Rhyan hissed.
I shook my head. “Morgana, don’t. Just come here!”
“I’m sorry! Tell Meera, I’m sorry. But I have to do this.” Tears streamed down her cheeks. “I’ve been lying to you, Lyr. For months. I’ve been on a mission. I found out, it wasn’t just the mind-readers they were taking to the Emperor. It’s all vorakh.”
“All vorakh…Morgs! Stop just—”
She offered a grim smile. “They have them enslaved, and they’re using their powers, stealing all of it. Mind-readers, travelers, and those who see visions.”
“Visions?” Like Meera. Like….
Brockton’s words pounded through my mind.
She’s alive. But if I die, she dies, too.
My heart stopped beating, my body going still. Jules. No. No.
Morgana nodded. Once. “She’s alive.”
“And you knew!”
“Lyr,” Rhyan growled.
The torchlights returned, hundreds of fires flaming to life, crackling as they ripped across the cave. Aemon sat up, his eyes open, his aura exploding like a hurricane. And all at once, the dozens upon dozens of akadim, rose to their feet, their red eyes all focused on me.
“Asherah!” They all seemed to be shouting at once.
“Goodbye,” Morgana said.
“MORGS!”
Rhyan wrapped his arms around me, dragging me back, pulling me away from her.
“MORGS!”
My stomach tugged. And we were gone.
CHAPTER FORTY-ONE
“Lyr,” Rhyan said gently. "Lyr?"
I stared at the grayed winter sky, my face numb with cold.
Rhyan leaned forward, patting the fur of the gryphon beneath us. “Tovayah,” he praised it. “Tovayah.” He replaced his arm around me again, and took my hand in his. My other hand sat between Meera’s palms.
Hours had passed since we’d escaped. Rhyan had moved quickly; he'd loaded me and Meera onto the back of the same gryphon who’d taken us in the first place. The beast was moody at first. But a few strokes from Rhyan, and soothing remarks in High Lumerian, and the gryphon completely changed allegiance, doing whatever Rhyan wanted.
