Page 16 of Wings of Snow

“What are those?” Cailis asked.

“Portal keys,” Drachu replied. “They were invented in thatotherrealm and are frequently used by the Nolus fae. Seeing as how I recently visited the Nolus continent and had the pleasure of meeting with their king to discuss some unfortunate raids that have occurred on their shores of late, their king was kind enough to gift me with an entire jar of these.”

I snorted because I had a feeling that the Nolus king’s “kind” gesture was more of a bribe to get Drachu’s clan to back off and stop raiding the Nolus’s coastal cities. I was quickly coming to learn that the Lochen fae thrived on thievery. And I could hardly blame them. With the seas under their command and their unique ability to shift forms that allowed them to travel swiftly on land or in water, I couldn’t fault them for using that to their advantage.

“So what do these keys do?” I asked, arching an eyebrow.

Drachu jiggled them in his palm, grinning. “They’ve proven quite useful. They allow any recipient to travel from one area of our realm to another nearly instantaneously, similar to Solis fae who can mistphase.”

My eyes bugged out. “Truly? These allowanyoneto mistphase?”

“Yes, although technically it’s not mistphasing. It enacts a different kind of magic and was created by a species I’m unfamiliar with who live in thatotherrealm, but these keys will allow us to travel to the temple easily.”

I eyed the keys as my magic pulsed in my gut. Similar to yesterday, it didn’t rise when I commanded it, and most likely, the farthest I could mistphase on my own would be to another area in this house or within Vockalin. If I was really lucky, I would be able to mistphase down to the beach, but I had a feeling my trapped magic wouldn’t be able to handle anything beyond that.

“Cailis and I better get our things before we go.”

Drachu inclined his head. “I shall dress while you’re preparing. Tylen shall also be joining us.”

I didn’t ask why the king’s son had been added to our party, but the conclusion that Cailis and I had reached last night, that on some level Drachu must have an ulterior motive for helping us, made me pause.

Nodding once, I beckoned my sister, and we hurried back to our room to collect our belongings.

Once our door was shut behind us, I clawed at my magic, siphoning it through the netting inside me until I was able to form a silencing Shield, butBlessed Mother, did it take concentration and extreme effort.

Once the wall of air was formed, I said, “Do you think we can trust those keys?”

She shrugged. “At this point, Ilara, I don’t know. My affinity didn’t detect any deceit in him, but Drachu is a fae king. Who knows what his magic is or what he’s capable of. It’s possible he’s only allowing me to see what he wants revealed.”

I picked at my fingernails. “Do you think the Lochen have Shields like we do, and you’re unable to see what’s a truth or lie with him because of a Shield?”

She lifted her shoulders again. “I don’t know. If they do, I can’t detect their Shields, not like I can with our kind.”

I sighed. “Well, that’s not comforting. It sounds like their magic is too different for your affinity to truly work.”

Her nose scrunched up. “I know. I’m sorry. I wish I could be more confident in my affinity.”

“Ock, Cailis, it’s not your fault. If anything, all of this ismyfault. If I hadn’t been so intent on trying to understand what’s buried deep within Isalee’s field before my final test, none of this would have happened.”

She curled her arm around me, and her wing brushed my side. “There’s no point in wishing things can be different. They are what they are. At least we can take some comfort knowing that Mother, Father, and Tormesh continue to be protected in the prince’s refuge.”

I hugged her back. “You’re right. It could be worse. Thank the Mother they’re safe.” Releasing her, I ran a hand through my hair, my fingers getting caught in a snarl. “I’m going to clean up quick in the bathing chambers, then I’ll be ready to go.”

I left the room to head down the hall, and my pulse fluttered the entire time. We were now leaving this island to go to some temple with Drachu. We would be even farther away from our continent, and we’d be entirely dependent on the Lochen king to bring us back here if my affinities continued to be trapped.

Unless I can steal some portal keys.I groaned at that thought.Is that what I’ve been reduced to? Stealing because my magic is trapped?

But the thought of thievery stayed with me, because essentially, we were growing more and more dependent on Drachu, and nothing about that sat well with me. I picked at my fingernails again when I entered the bathing chamber, then closed the door to clean up.

* * *

When I finished bathingthe traditional way, since using my magic to self-cleanse required too much work, I opened the door to find Sabreeny waiting in the hall.

The salivar wore a mesh-like dress that stopped just below the juncture of her thighs. It was partly see-through, revealing the roundness of her breasts and toned skin along her abdomen. I couldn’t help but wonder if all salivars dressed this provocatively at all hours of the day.

Before I could step aside to give her space to enter the bathing chamber, she was in the room with me, and the door slammed closed.

It all happened so fast that for a moment I didn’t move.

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