Wings of Exile

by JD Monroe

  “Can I give her mine?”

  Silvi tilted her head. “Really?”

  “Yeah,” Natalie said. “Is it possible?”

  Silvi laughed, brushing a hair from Thea’s forehead before adjusting the sheet higher on her chest. It wasn’t a mocking laugh, but more of a sound of surprise. “It’s very kind of you to offer, but no. Only someone with our training can do this.” She touched Natalie’s hand lightly, the pleasant warmth spreading from her touch. “But she is lucky to have a friend like you.”

  “Is it all right if I stay?”

  Silvi gave her a conspiratorial smile. “Technically no, but I won’t say anything. Just don’t get noticed.”

  Natalie found a low stool and tucked herself as far back to the wall as she could, placing herself next to Thea’s head. While taking care of her mother, she’d gotten good at staying out of the way of the medical staff. Especially at the end, when Mom was confused and half-lucid at best, she’d wanted to make sure she or her brother were always nearby. As with Mom, she didn’t want Thea to open her eyes and feel alone and afraid.

  Hours passed, and Natalie drifted off herself a few times. When there were momentary lulls in the activity, she darted across the infirmary to find a washcloth. As gently as she could, she dabbed Thea’s face clean, then wiped away the dried blood on her shoulders and arms. She left the sheet in place at her chest. She wouldn’t have minded, but she didn’t want Thea to regain consciousness and be humiliated that her roommate had seen her in such a state. Instead, she carefully lifted Thea’s head to sweep her matted hair to one side. After combing through the tangles with her fingers, she braided Thea’s long, dark hair neatly.

  Over the next few hours, several of the other healers dropped by to check on Thea. One raised an eyebrow at Natalie but didn’t say anything. Devi unwrapped her arm, reapplied a tingling ointment, and promised to come back after she rested. Through all of it, Thea didn’t wake.

  Fear had begun to gnaw at Natalie’s stomach by nightfall. Two of the others had awoken. The gathered healers cheered quietly, surrounding them and peppering them with questions. Her analytical side wanted to get in on the questions. How long had they been imprisoned? Were they taken before or after Thea? Could she predict Thea’s prognosis based on theirs? But she didn’t want to risk getting thrown out, so she kept her spot by Thea’s side.

  Her pocket vibrated with a text. Butterflies tickled her belly, and she realized that it was full-on schoolgirl giddiness at the thought of Erevan coming to see her. Instead, it was Sohan.

  Sohan: at the infirmary? Or in bed with E?

  Her cheeks flushed as she sent the reply.

  Infirmary.

  He didn’t respond again. Twenty minutes later, he walked down the central aisle of the infirmary. His face was stony as he surveyed the aftermath of Dornan’s work. He spoke quietly to several of the healers before coming toward Natalie. She stood and gestured for him to sit on the low stool. He frowned. “Not taking your seat, girl.”

  “I need to get up anyway,” she lied. “I’ve been sitting all day and my ass is going numb.”

  He reluctantly sank onto the stool, and she could see the relief smoothing out his features. “You want to tell me what happened? I stopped by to check on Erevan, but the boy was asleep. He all right?”

  Natalie nodded. “I think so. They gave him some kind of tea and he was out like a light.”

  Sohan chuckled. “Knocked his ass out,” he said. “The Marashti know their business. If they tell you to sleep, they’ll make sure you do it. Tell me what happened. I got Rosak’s version, but I have a feeling yours is more interesting.”

  Keeping her voice low to avoid attention, she told him what had happened from the moment they left Skyward Rest until they returned. She left out the part about the Sleeping Beauty-inspired kiss to break Erevan out of the spell but told him everything else.

  “Then you were able to protect him.”

  “I guess so. I mean, they got a hold of him. They knocked me off his back and I—”

  “Nonsense,” Sohan said derisively. He gestured to the room around him. “He’s not in here, so it seems you did fine.” His gruff face hinted at a smile. That flicker of approval felt like the world’s best atta girl.

  “Yeah,” she said, smiling to herself as pride swelled in her chest. I guess I did. “Do you know how to fix it? Silvi said some of them might have lost too much energy and might not recover.”

  The muscles in his inked forearms shifted as he clenched his hands together. It was a solid ten seconds before he spoke. “I wish I did, girl,” he said, sounding resigned. “I wouldn’t be in the sorry shape I’m in if I did.”

  “Is this what happened to you? I’m sorry if it’s rude to ask.” She’d suspected as much when Silvi said some of her patients’ dragons were gone.

  “It’s all right. It wasn’t quite so clinical when they did it. But more or less. I lost my dragon a long time ago. Wouldn’t wish it on anyone.”

  “I’m sorry.” Her instinct was to touch his shoulder for comfort, but the prickly older man didn’t seem like the type to take it well.

  “I sure wish I could have seen you all ripping that place apart,” Sohan said.

  “It was pretty satisfying,” she admitted. “What happens next?”

  Sohan sighed. “That’s a good question. Lot of politics involved, most of which would put you to sleep. The queen has to decide whether to handle this on her own or reach out to the other queens back home. I’ve got a gut feeling that this isn’t isolated. I’d like to get my hands on this Dornan and ask him some questions.”

  “Can he be compelled? He’s a hybrid like me, I think.”

  Sohan flashed her a predatory grin. “I’m sure we’ll find a way to start a conversation with him.”

  She’d felt guilty at the sight of Dornan’s guards crumpled in the hallway, but she didn’t feel the first shred of sympathy for him. Not after what he’d done. They could do their worst, and it wouldn’t be enough. “Good.”

  “As soon as I know which way she’s going to lean, I’ll be calling my brothers. Velati, and the others,” he said.

  “Brothers?”

  “The other Arik’tazhan. We scattered after we finished the last of the Raspolin, or at least thought we did. And we’ll need help. People like you.”

  “Like me?”

  “If they managed to build one Elegy, they would have been fools not to build more,” Sohan said with a shrug. “It’s an equalizer. And there’s probably more they’ve put together.” He raised an eyebrow. “You gonna stick around? I could turn you into a hell of a warrior.”

  She hesitated. What did she want? The last week had been a whirlwind, a blur of drastic circumstances and life-threatening danger. It had been difficult to think about tomorrow, let alone the rest of her life.

  “I really don’t know.”

  He nodded. “I won’t force you. But I could use you. And the boy…well, I’m sure he wouldn’t object.”

  “You really care about him, don’t you?”

  “Like I told you before, he’s a good boy.” His eyes creased, revealing an unusual warmth. Then he gritted his teeth and stood, leaning precariously on one foot until he got the cane situated in front of him. “I’ll be in touch. I’m to speak with the queen as soon as she’s ready. I want you there. First hand report.”

  Her gut twisted into a knot. “Me? She won’t listen to me.”

  “If she’s got a brain in that skull, she will,” Sohan said. He surprised her then, leaning forward to cup the back of her head. He brushed a kiss on her forehead, more of a paternal gesture than a romantic one. “You did good. Couldn’t have asked for better.”

  She was dozing lightly next to Thea’s bed when a gentle hand shook her. Her eyes flew open, and she wiped surreptitiously at her mouth to check for drool. She sat upright to see Silvi Mara by Thea’s side again. “Thought you might want to say hello.”

  Natalie surged to her feet. Thea’s green
eyes were open, though it looked like she was struggling to keep them open. Her throat immediately closed up and her eyes began to sting. “Oh my God,” she said.

  Thea’s brow furrowed. “Natalie?”

  “Holy shit.” She lightly grasped Thea’s hand. “Are you okay?”

  “Tired,” Thea said. Wincing, she looked around the room without moving her head. “Where?”

  “Skyward Rest,” Silvi said. “You’re safe now.”

  The dam holding back her emotions broke, and tears spilled over her cheeks. She wanted to yank Thea out of bed and hug her until she begged for mercy, but she had to settle for holding her hand and scrubbing away tears with her other hand. Her friend managed a limp squeeze back.

  Thea frowned. “Zenyr,” she said. “Here?”

  “Who?”

  “Zenyr,” Thea said again. “My friend.” She frowned again. “Woods.”

  A thread of unease snaked through Natalie’s belly. She sniffled and caught her breath. “He was with you in the woods? At the party?” Thea nodded. “Was he taken?” She frowned. Natalie took a moment. “Did he take you somewhere?”

  “Wine,” Thea said. “At festival. Sleepy.”

  “I think that’s enough questions for now,” Silvi said. “She needs to rest.”

  Natalie nodded, but Thea grabbed her wrist, surprisingly strong. “Zenyr. Don’t trust.”

  A chill settled over Natalie. She didn’t know the name, but she knew who would.

  Erevan was disappointed to wake to an empty bed, and even more put out to find the source of the knock on his door was Sohan Shadowbane. The older man stuck his head in. “You alive?”

  “Yes,” Erevan groaned. His head was muddled. The taste of Devi’s narcotic tea was still thick on his tongue. “What time is it?”

  “Noon,” Sohan said. “On Friday.”

  Erevan jolted awake. “Are you serious?”

  “Do I joke? Get up. Big meeting in an hour.” He sniffed the air. “Take a shower and put on your nicest.”

  “Wait,” Erevan said as the older man started to close the door. “Have you seen Natalie?”

  “She’s been glued to Alythea,” Sohan said. “Good girl, that one is. Be good to her, and she might stick around.”

  He hoped she would. “Do you know where she is now?”

  “Ruana’s getting her some clothes for the meeting. Priorities. Shower. Then worry about your girl.”

  His girl. He liked the sound of that.

  Erevan stayed under the hot spray of the shower until it started to run cold. His body was still bruised and cut, but he was healing quickly thanks to Devi Mara’s brew and a full day of sleep. The chaotic magic of the Elegy had faded, and he felt like himself again. The red dragon was calm.

  As he dressed, he couldn’t help worrying about Natalie. With Thea found and the immediate crisis handled, she was no longer tied to him. The logical choice was for her to go back to her life, where she would be safe. But that wasn’t where she belonged anymore. Was it selfish to think she belonged here?

  Worry formed a squirming knot in his belly as he dried off and checked the closet. All of the Skywatch had ceremonial uniforms that harkened back to the traditional garb of Ascavar, but his was hanging neatly in a garment bag at his apartment in the city. Fortunately, he kept a pair of dark pants and a coordinating shirt that looked respectable enough for an impromptu meeting with the queen. He swiped a dab of product into his hair and gave himself a quick shave to fend off the scruff that had taken over this week.

  With his appearance as good as it was going to get, he hurried out of the barracks and toward the great hall. His heart skipped a beat when he turned the corner to see Natalie waiting outside the double doors. A dark red dress hugged her figure, with a wide silver sash that accentuated her slender waist. That had to be Ruana’s doing. Her dark hair was swept away from her face and secured with a silver comb. For a moment, he entertained the notion of sweeping her over his shoulder and carrying her off for another round of “training.”

  She gave him a polite smile as he approached, sending a thrill of nerves through him. What did that expression mean? Had he assumed too much about her feelings for him? He’d barely seen her since returning, and one could make the argument that she’d only gotten as close as she had so she could save Thea. She was like him; she would adapt to the situation, and if that meant getting close to Erevan so their combined power achieved the goal at hand, she’d do it.

  He pasted a friendly expression on his face as he approached. “How are you feeling?” she asked. The short sleeves of the dress revealed the thick white bandage that covered her arm down to the wrist.

  “Good. You? How’s your arm?” Great. Awkward small talk.

  “It’s okay. One of the healers had some downtime and worked on it for a while. It itches like crazy, but they said it shouldn’t scar badly. Hey, I wanted to tell you something Thea told me. She mentioned a name. Zenyr. Do you know that name?”

  “It sounds familiar.” Where had he heard it? He’d been poring over lists of names for days. Stumped, he took out his phone and perused his email. Recognition dawned on him as the message passed by. “He works for the Island. One of Thea’s organizations. What did she say specifically?”

  “She was still pretty out of it,” Natalie said. “But she said, ‘don’t trust’. I think he may have drugged her and gotten her out into the woods so they could take her.”

  Erevan narrowed his eyes. “We’ll get him in.” He called the Skywatch office, giving one of the other investigators a top priority order to find Zenyr and get him to Skyward Rest.

  The double doors of the great hall opened. Dressed in ceremonial uniforms, Piryne and Rosak emerged and gestured for them to enter. The imposing silver thrones were empty. They walked along the side of the hall instead, heading to the sitting room where they had previously met with the royals.

  Valella and Eberand were both inside, dressed in simpler garb that still exuded wealth but wasn’t quite as formal as their festival clothing. They both looked somber. Sohan sat across from them on a long couch. Even he had made an exception by wearing more traditional garb. He cut an impressive figure in a tailored black tunic that showed the tattoos on his chest, split in a wide gash of twisted scar tissue. Erevan wondered if he’d picked the garb to send a point to the queen, showing the handiwork of the Raspolin instead of keeping it quiet. Natalie and Erevan joined him, waiting for Rosak and Piryne to take their spots.

  The queen wasted no time. “I’ve already been speaking with Sohan and Rosak,” she said. “I fear that what you told me before is true.” Sohan grumbled, and the queen shot him a glare to curb the I told you so that was surely brimming over his lips. “We needed proof.” She turned her gaze to Natalie. “You said that this man spoke specifically of our end.”

  Natalie nodded. “Yes, ma’am. Like Beale.”

  “And he wanted you to come with him,” Eberand said. “Why?”

  She shook her head. “I don’t know. He said that you all were lying about what I could do. He said he would make me very powerful.”

  The queen scowled. “We are not lying to you, or to any hybrid.” The king rested his hand on hers, and she visibly relaxed, her narrow shoulders falling. “I apologize for my lateness in saying it. Thank you for your efforts in stopping this from going any further. We owe you a debt, and I fear that my gratitude is insufficient for the great favor you have done us.”

  Natalie bowed her head. “You’re welcome. I’m glad I could help somehow.”

  “Rosak, I want to make contact with our hybrid kin,” Valella said. “If this man was seeking Natalie’s allegiance, he may have courted other hybrids. I want to know why.”

  “Yes, su’ud redahn,” he said politely. Next to him, Piryne made a note on the tablet in her lap.

  “What happens now?” Erevan asked.

  “With the queen’s blessing, I will summon the remaining Arik’tazhan,” Sohan said. The queen bristled. They all knew Sohan w
as going to summon them with or without her blessing. “I want to believe that this was as far as the Raspolin corruption went, but we’re not that lucky.”

  The queen took a deep breath. “I intend to send word to the Gatekeepers and instruct them to send messengers to Ascavar. We have maintained our distance, but this is a potential threat to all of our kind.” She rubbed her forehead. “I wish that we could remain isolated from their wars, but it seems that they find us no matter what.” She raised her eyes. “I would ask for your assistance again.”

  “Me?” Erevan’s mouth went dry. “What do you mean?”

  “Your work in the Skywatch has been appreciated, as has your cordial relationship with the Crow Queen. You clearly have a talent for diplomacy. But I need more from you,” the queen said. “I need you to work with Sohan to unravel this tangled web. I need to know how so many of my people disappeared without us knowing. We must find out how deep this goes, and what this monster was doing with all the power he took from my people. I will officially promote you to the Tempest, and you may choose a team of subordinates to assist you. Name your salary, of course.”

  Erevan gaped at her. Sohan gave him a knowing smile. “Su’ud redahn, this is…”

  “I would also request your assistance,” the queen said, her gaze on Natalie. “You have assisted Erevan in dealing with this enemy. If things go deeper, as I suspect they do, we may need your combined prowess to deal with what we find.”

  Erevan exchanged a look with Natalie. Her lips parted, but she didn’t speak. She looked at Erevan, her eyes fearful. “We will discuss it,” he said. She nodded slightly.

  The queen nodded. “Though I certainly hope you will help us, I will not force you. The queens of old commanded as they saw fit to fill their armies. I find it repugnant, and barely a step above slavery.”

  He nodded. “Has Dornan given you any information yet?”

  Rosak shook his head. “He has been resistant. It is as if he feels no pain. We’ll get it.”