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Just as we’d discussed, he swooped down behind them, landing at their feet. I dropped to the ground at their heads.

The wind Heylel and I created must’ve been jarring, because Hana curled closer into Venark’s chest, saying something in a language I didn’t recognize. But we didn’t have time for that.

The air whirled and twisted until it formed words—the same spell Heylel had recited at the edge of the barrier. Venark and Hana shot up, looking around in confusion, tucking their arms around one another.

A heartbeat later, that sensation of weightlessness vanished.

I thumped to the ground.

They gasped at Heylel, hurrying to their feet.

I grabbed either of their shoulders, shut my eyes, and slammed them with the memories.

It wasn’t one thought or two, but hundreds. Everything I’d ever seen of them.

Of Venark when we were children, and Ma taught him to mount a draken. Of Hana when we met for the first time. Of Venark when he went with me to Morduaine.

Of their wedding. Of the day their nieces and nephews were born—both mine and Nix’s, as well as Stella’s and Lux’s.

Of their deaths that Nix had shown me.

It didn’t take long before they fell to the soil gasping and seizing. I knew my centuries of memories would be hard for them to process. I’d expected it to have this effect on their minds. It would take several moments, if not hours, before all the pieces formed a picture.

But all I needed was them to remember enough to trust us. It was a matter of time before Michael or one of his men showed to fight us to the death. The last thing we needed was to have to hog tie Venark and Hana, dismantle the spell that formed this cage, and pray we made it out before we had to battle the boys.

Thethump-thumpof boots sounded on the ground ahead of us.

Please remember me, mil.

I released both of their shoulders.

Venark heaved in a gasp, wide green eyes meeting mine. Hana did the same, but her eyes leveled on our nephew’s.

“Véa,” Venark whispered.

Tears stung my eyes. I laughed. If not for the fact that I was naked, and that we were in a hurry, I would’ve reached out and thrown my arms around him.

“Let’s go, esiasch.” Heylel pulled two vials from… I had no idea where, and I wasn’t going to ask. “Drink, drink.”

They both hurried forward, yanked off the corks, and swallowed in one gulp. Heylel passed me one as well, and I did the same.

Just as he spoke the words, Michael’s figure became clear in the foliage ahead.

I smiled at him as I merged with the wind.

CHAPTEREIGHTEEN

NIX

They landed on the marble floors ahead with athwack!

I bolted from my seat so quickly, it slammed to the ground with a thud.

Dropping to my knees, I wasn’t sure who to reach out for first.

No one was bleeding. Out of breath, perhaps, but Véa was fine, Heylel no different, and Hana and Venark as well as expected. They all were naked, however, so I wrapped the cloak that’d been around my shoulders around my sister’s and brother in-law’s.

Véa laughed when our eyes met, smiling wide. “I told you we’d be fine.”