by Nicole Adamz
When Sasha betrayed her, Iola gasped, “Why?”. Sasha replied, “It is my nature.” Someone choked. High Lord Bera calmly smiled at the crowd while the choking grew louder. Confused, people looked around. When someone urgently beat the table, my images wavered uncertainly. The Tropos Caelum near me smirked, and trepidation settled on my shoulders.
A goblet shattered, and people stirred in panic. Lady Durus stood and waved a hand dismissively, “Stay seated, and open your letters. There’s no need for alarm.”
Small, choked gasps faded into silence, and a mixture of triumphant and terrified expressions scattered the table while people opened their envelopes. Swallowing, I opened my letter with shaking fingers. I read it twice before the words sank in.
It is my nature.
Bewildered, I glanced up when a horrified shriek shattered the stillness. Guests jumped from the table screaming, and some called for the Warders on duty. At the head of the table High Lord Bera’s limp body sagged forward, his bleeding hand clutching splintered glass. His face was planted lifelessly in his pudding bowl.
Shock ran through me in waves. Moments ago, High Lord Bera had been smiling. How did he die? Lady Durus coolly stood next to her brother’s seat and poked a finger in the back of his head, squishing his face further into the bowl. Rice pudding spilled over the sides with a sickening plop.
“Happy Birthday, little brother” she said.
I shakily stood, scrambling to think. High Lord Bera was dead. Panicked, I looked at the passive Warders in the Courtyard. Why aren’t they doing anything? High Lord Bera was killed in front of us all! My eyes darted between Lady Durus and the smirking faces in the crowd.
“My son is the High Lord now,” Lady Durus said with an implacable smile, “If you choose against us, I won’t be responsible for your safety—or your family’s.”
Heir Talon and Davin wore amused expressions while Lady Rose sobbed softly into her napkin. General Fernon gently patted her shoulder but showed no concern over the events. They killed him! Fear threaded through every pore, stitching me into a mannequin of terror. What will they do to me if they find out about my fledgling? Jittery, anxious questions flitted through my mind, circling around in alarm.
My stomach clenched painfully, and I grabbed my harp to steady myself. My eyes locked with Lord Ralston’s. His expression reflected my horror, and he mouthed one word. Fly. Spreading my wings, I hesitated. He urgently mouthed the word again, and terror launched me into the sky.
Shouts erupted below ordering Warders to stop anyone leaving, and fear shot through me. Pulling hard on my Blood-Bonds, I pushed higher. One of them winked out as I tried to put as much distance between myself and the Aerie as possible.
Too late I remembered Ari, but I couldn’t turn back. I couldn’t help her. My wings struggled with the weight of my heavy body, growing tired the farther I flew. Where can I go?
I sailed across the Holding walls, frantically searching my mind for a safe place to hide. Think! I urged myself. I need to get somewhere safe! Unbidden, Drakon filled my mind. Immediately adjusting course, I flew toward our meeting place. Please, let him be there, I prayed to Aeolus. When I landed in the courtyard, I paused to heave in gasping breaths of air before running around the corner of the dais.
At first, I didn’t see his shadowy form, but he sat on the bench in the garden. Hurrying, I tried not to moan at the dull pains shooting through my lower back. Drakon watched me with eerie calm, his wine-colored eyes surveying the area around me.
When he ascertained I wasn’t being followed he cautiously stood, supporting my weight when I fell on him in relief. He shifted, pushing me to his left, and freeing the side of his belt with the most knives attached. One hand slid to the hilt of the longest dagger.
“What happened?” he asked with deathly composer.
“They killed him!” I cried hysterically.
Drakon’s body tensed, “Who?”
“High Lord Bera! He was smiling one moment—I was performing—no one saw what happened—awful noises—then he was dead!”
Each word was an effort. My mind was muddled with fear, and the ache in my back had increased. What will they do to me? What will they do to my fledgling?
My decision was clear: I had to give my fledgling a chance to live—without me. I wanted to sob. This fledgling was mine because of one single choice. Somehow, this tiny miracle had spawned from my mistake.
Placing a hand on my stomach I whispered in a tear thickened voice, “Take it.”
Drakon, still scanning the area, looked down abruptly, “Are you sure?”
I nodded. “Yes, it’s the only way it will be safe.”
Drakon nodded once.
“But I still need your help,” I said, panicking at the thought of his refusal.
Eyes still examining the shadows Drakon said, “Has anyone followed you?”
I shook my head bitterly, “I left before anyone realized what was happening. Lady Durus commanded the Warders not to let anyone else leave. I don’t think she’s worried about me.”
“Why?” he demanded tersely.
“Because,” I took a steadying breath, reaching for my Blood-Bonds, “I’m Life-Bonded to her brother.”
Drakon’s gaze zeroed in on my face. The Blood-Bonds were faint, no longer full of pulsing energy. I pulled on them too hard to get here, I thought in dismay. How am I going to convince Drakon to Blood-Bond with me if I can’t use their influence?
“Maybe we can be of more help to each other than I originally thought,” he said speculatively.
“What do you mean?” I said.
Instead of answering, Drakon helped me sit on the garden bench. When we were seated, he placed a curved dagger on his knee and stared vacantly into the sky. Reaching a decision, he looked intently at me.
“What do you need my help with?” he said steadily.
I sagged in relief and explained what I needed, answering his questions. In the middle of my explanation Drakon tensed, motioning for me to be quiet. Despite the silence, he prowled quietly around the outside of the dais. Sighing quietly, I waited for him to return.
Knowing Drakon would sense I was withholding information, I was grateful for whatever he’d heard. On alert, he returned to investigate why I needed his blood. Tense with bridled hope, I hedged around it being linked to a ritual that gave me energy and left out the part where I didn’t know how to break the Blood-Bond. I knew Drakon wouldn’t be keen on that part.
When he nodded abruptly in agreement, I wanted to dance with joy despite my throbbing back. Surely, Aeolus had answered my prayer. For the first time in moons, I felt the heavy burden of my predicament lighten.
Chapter 47
Ari
WHAT IS SHE THINKING? I fumed silently in my room at my desk, rubbing my hands against my bleary eyes. My head still ached, and I hadn’t slept since escaping the sheer horror of what I’d witnessed. When Maewyn jumped into the air at the Aerie, shock had frozen me in place. She’d left me—again.
Despite her help with Heir Talon, the moment she’d leapt into the sky without me I’d felt another stab of betrayal. Immediately running to the shadows of the Aerie, I allowed myself to be swallowed by the dimness. My head had pounded all evening but seeing High Lord Bera’s lifeless body lying across the table had driven everything else out.
Lady Durus had mobilized the Warder Unit immediately, making sure no one else exited the Aerie’s premises. She hadn’t seemed concerned with Maewyn’s escape and had advised the guests to take their seats. An armed Warder behind their chairs persuaded more than a few to follow her command. Those that protested were inexplicably choked to death, and I couldn’t get their gasping, twisted faces from my mind—or the dark, laughing figure dancing around the darkness covering the scene.
I was quietly backing away from the scene when I heard my name. With Heir Talon as the new, unquestioned High Lord, I wouldn’t survive his plans for me. Propelled by sheer terror, I’d leapt into the sky and flown so high
that the static buzz of the Ward Barrier brushed my skin. Flying hard, it hadn’t taken long to see Maewyn’s glowing white dress in the distance.
I’d been nonplussed at her direction until I’d watched her rush into the arms of an unknown man. Maewyn’s actions were incomprehensible. I’d tried listening in on her conversation from the roof, but only heard enough to determine that she was planning something. Fresh fury rushed through my veins.
She left me at the Aerie after the murder of the High Lord to rush into the arms of a man! Another one! The absurdness of the situation didn’t escape me. I slammed my fists on the desk. Did she know High Lord Bera was going to be murdered? There were too many people with unsurprised faces last night.
Like that Ward General with the red-headed wife, I thought. The ragged sun braced against a heavy sky, and I blinked wearily. Our suite was the first place I’d thought to go after Maewyn’s infuriating actions, but she’d yet to arrive. I didn’t have anyone to talk to about what had happened. No one knows about the High Lord’s death yet.
Murder—not death, I reminded myself. Emotions stormed through me; anger and fear at the forefront. Should I go home and talk to Zora? Guilt joined the rampage of emotions leaking into my heart. I hadn’t checked on Zora since my last visit. But so much has happened, I reasoned.
Does that justify putting someone else’s welfare to the back of your mind? whispered a reproachful voice. It didn’t, but I couldn’t change it now. Just like I couldn’t help free her in two months when she went up for auction. I swallowed.
I should send her a letter, but what can I say? Hey Zora, my chances of helping you disappeared, my Talent still hasn’t manifested, and—oh yeah—I witnessed the High Lord’s murder, but I’m not sure what happened. The last thought lingered in my mind. I saw the High Lord’s murder…
The enormity of it crashed down on me like a marble pillar lying across my chest. I pressed my face against the desktop, breathing around a heart writhing in terror. After the last few hours, it might be better if I left Ascension for a while. Striding to the main door, I cracked it and peered into the hallway. I didn’t know what time it was, but my stomach growled; a reminder that I hadn’t eaten since last night. I ignored it.
I could eat when I got home. If there’s anything to eat, I thought darkly. Disgruntled, I walked into my room and roughly snatched my satchel. A part of me wanted to fight with Maewyn. I wanted her to scream at me, so I could have an excuse to hit her.
Because that solves everything, right? My mind whispered sarcastically. No, but it would make me feel better, I thought huffily. Pausing, I realized I was looking for someone to blame for what had happened, and Maewyn was a convenient target. Shame darted through me.
While Maewyn had a lot of explaining to do, she wasn’t responsible for last night’s horrific events. Not this time, I thought angrily. Annoyed, I gathered a few more things. There wasn’t much I would need, but I dug into my armoire and pulled out the tomes from the Great Library.
Frustrated, I shoved them into my satchel. Grabbing another uniform, I added a few more things before slinging the bag over my shoulders. Hesitating, I looked around with vague unease. I’ll be back in a few days, I assured myself.
I just need to think about everything. What I’ll do afterward…well, I don’t know. I paused at Maewyn’s closed bedroom door before shouldering inside. Small heaps of clothes were piled around the room, and a small book lay open on the nightstand. I walked toward it.
Red ink spread across the pages in someone’s cramped writing. Is this Maewyn’s journal? Maybe it will explain a few things. Confused, I turned a few pages before I noticed them. Feathers strolled across her mattress haphazardly. I frowned, considering one. This looks like she’s been molting for days.
Worry flashed through me. Is she sick? Studying the feather, I noticed the dark, deadened tip. There were more like it sprinkled on the covers. My heart lurched. It can’t be. Drawing in a sharp breath, my mind struggled to comprehend what I saw. It’s not possible.
Elysian feathers grey when the owner is…dying. I ripped back the blankets, ruffling the feathers multiplying across the mattress. All of them were dead at the tip, the length of the foreboding grey color varying with each one. Is this why Maewyn isn’t herself? I thought desperately.
I glanced at the feathery mass scattered across her bed. Shaking my head, I sat down heavily. Why didn’t she tell me? Maewyn looked healthy, if a bit tired. It didn’t make sense. How can she be dying?
The strange, garnet-haired man slipped into my brain. Tiny whirlpools of thought spiraled out of control. Does he know she’s dying? I flipped through her journal for an explanation but couldn’t make sense of the words. Closing it, I searched her room until I found a vial of liquid. I pulled out the lid, sniffing the contents. Chamomile? Why does Maewyn have this?
I sniffed it again. An image of Maewyn serving me pekoe filtered through my mind and I tensed. No, she wouldn’t…would she? Shaking my head, I jolted at the sound of pounding. Warily opening Maewyn’s curtains, I saw Gladys frantically motioning at me. Stunned, I unlatched the large window. She huffed frantically, squatting on the sill.
“Must leave…now,” she panted, thrusting a piece of rolled-up parchment at me. I grabbed it around the handful of Maewyn’s things.
Baffled, I unrolled it. My heart skipped a beat. The words ‘WANTED: FOR MURDER’ were scrawled above a sketched face. My face. The room swayed, and Gladys steadied me.
They’re blaming me for High Lord Bera’s death? I thought fuzzily. Gladys tugged my arm, “We have to go—NOW!”
I didn’t kill the High Lord. She pointed sharply toward the sky where a haze of green smeared the horizon. Warders, I thought, dumbfounded. Coming to arrest me?
Gladys snatched the poster and flipped it over, displaying one large word: GO. I stared into her grey eyes, terror rooting me to the spot. I had thought I was safe at Ascension. That no one would care that I escaped. I didn’t know what to do—or where to go.
They’re blaming me for murder. There were members of the Aerial Council there—they know I had nothing to do with it! Gladys pulled me toward the windowsill when a muffled thud echoed in the room. Someone was hitting the main door. People were shouting. The banging grew louder, the wooden door creaking under the weight.
A loud crack splintered through my terror, and yells filled the common room. Horrified, I stared at Gladys, finally allowing her to pull me onto the windowsill. Shoving the poster and objects I held into my satchel, I leapt into the air as a group of Warders rushed through the open bedchamber door. My gaze focused on the disheveled blonde in the lead.
My eyes briefly met his stunned and worried gaze. I’m sorry, Niles, I thought. There wasn’t time to explain, even if I could find the words. Niles’s eyes tumbled away as I fell, swallowed by the marble exterior of Ascension. A few Warders dove out of the window after me, and I wasn’t sure whether to hope one of them was Niles. The green uniforms in the sky were dots of peril.
Fatigue dragged at me, my energy too low to fly very fast. Gladys’s firm grip on my arm accelerated my descent, and when we were close to the ground she gestured frantically. I nodded, vaguely understanding that she was telling me good-luck. Her grip slackened as she shoved away, darting toward the Outer Holding. I hovered, unsure of where to go.
Glancing up, I saw figures closing in. Panicking, I considered my options and glanced around. Gliding toward Ascension’s base, I stayed in its shadow. What am I going to do? Maewyn’s meeting place with the strange man swam into my mind.
She knows what happened last night. She can tell everyone the truth! Hope burst in my chest like starlight against a black sky. They met at a home nearby. If Maewyn is there maybe she can help me. Gathering my strength, I pushed against the base and propelled away from Ascension; the one place that could help me achieve my goals.
Commands, shouted through the morning dusk, trickled through the air. I willed myself to soar until I couldn’t hear th
e Warders distant shouts. Sweat beaded my brow, the early summer heat coating my skin. Where can I go?
When I came upon housing in the Private Holding, I flew higher to identify the one from last night. If I picked the wrong one, it would take extra time and energy to takeoff again. Which I don’t have, I thought desperately.
Breathing hard, I finally spotted the dais. Swooping down, I landed hard, pain shooting through my legs. I stifled my grunt. If Maewyn was here with that man, I wasn’t sure interrupting them was wise. He might turn me in.
Huffing, I shuffled toward the side of the dais. Maewyn was there. The wanted poster in my satchel crinkled against my leg. She can help me tell them what happened. Hiding behind a tall, overgrown bush along the home’s wall, I stilled. The man was still here.
One of his brown hands was on the plethora of knives sheathed at his waist. Why does he have so many weapons? Trembling, I watched him pause and look around. A terrified scream lodged in my throat. In the rising sun, his hair and eyes looked like blood. Placing a hand over my mouth to quiet my shuddering breaths, I prayed he couldn’t hear my beating heart.
It banged against my ribs, tired and scared, and I almost fainted when the man tilted his head like he heard my clanking heart. Relief swept through me when Maewyn walked into view. She still wore her Caelum uniform, and her hair straggled across her face and shoulders like star dust.
Carefully slipping my bag to the ground, I strained to hear their conversation. Maewyn’s voice was distraught, her face set with determination. The man frowned at her words, but reluctantly nodded.
“Has to be today—” I heard Maewyn mutter frantically, her sentence drifting by on passing breeze.