Page 138

“I’m so sorry, Raven,” he said gently. “Does she know of any way to undo the spell?”

“Only the Magi who created the mark can undo it. Or the spell will vanish when the Magi dies,” I explained. “The problem is, I don’t even know the name of the Magi that did this.”

“Well, at least we can rule out the White Widow.”

Maybe. I stared across the snow-covered valley. “Skyler, what if the White Widow isn’t dead?” The thought had been lingering in the dark corners of my mind since I’d seen the spidermark still on Jeddak’s chest this morning. The spell on him had certainly broken when the White Widow fell, but why had the mark not disappeared?

“I was there, Raven. She couldn’t have survived the fall from the mountain.” His tone was steady and comforting. He gave my shoulder a friendly nudge. “She doesn’t have wings like us.”

I hope you’re right.

“I know it might seem hopeless now, but we’ll find who created this mark and undo it. I’ll do whatever I can to help you,” Skyler said. “I promise.”

“There might be another way,” I said, glancing at the map, which was now safely imprinted on my left palm. “Jeddak’s grandmother told me of a secret place where spells can be broken.”

Skyler’s eyes widened. “Where?”

“The Icelands.”

“The kingdom of the Wolves,” Skyler said.

I nodded. “It’s time for us to finish what we started and find the Azurstone and my brother,” I said, trying to ignore the growing sense of unease in my stomach. I told myself it was apprehension of the journey ahead, not the fact that I’d never see Jeddak again after we left Askeland. Honestly, it didn’t matter what I felt about Jeddak. He belonged here with his tribe. And I had to leave to save mine. We were never meant to be together.

“I won’t fail you this time,” Skyler said, interrupting my spiraling thoughts.

For a moment, I studied him. His well-kept snowy-blond hair. His lean muscles. His high cheekbones that framed the unwavering gaze in his sea-blue eyes. I couldn’t deny there was something about him that felt so familiar, so much like home.

“Skyler?” There’d been something I’d been meaning to ask him since we’d met in the Hall of Candles. I just hadn’t had the chance.

“Hmm?”

“Were we, um …”a couple?“I mean, we weren’t ever …”together?

He seemed to understand my meaning. “No,” he said. “We’re just friends.”

The hint of emotion in his voice made me wonder if that was the truth. Though, whatever we were before, I knew we were friends now. With a sigh, I tilted my head to rest on his shoulder. “There are so many things I wish I remembered.”

“What do you want to know?” he asked.

My gaze drifted to the southern horizon.

“Tell me of home.”