Page 51

WING

E mryn had mending in her hands. Not the usual preoccupation of a princess, but she was also sitting with Lady Holbrook and the woman was adamant that if Emryn was going to interrupt her work, then she must have her hands busy.

Which was all to the good in Emryn’s mind. It made it simpler to remember the things that Lady Holbrook was saying, even if she stabbed her fingers rather often and had to be careful not to get blood on the mending.

“Would you excuse us, Lady Holbrook?” Asan poked his head in at the door and looked at her. “I would like to speak to Her Highness.”

Emryn hesitated, but Cas popped into view behind Asan and Emryn put the mending to the side and rose. “Pardon me, Lady Holbrook I will be right back.”

“As you say, Highness.” Lady Holbrook turned from her, heading back into the sewing rooms to check on the progress of her staff.

Emryn turned back to Asan. “What can I help with?”

“Cas?”

Cas walked forward, reaching to take Emryn’s hands. “I want to try something, Emryn. Will you trust me?”

She nodded. She trusted Cas, and Asan was actually Asan, so there was no danger here. “What would you like me to do?”

“What did your soul say, Emryn?”

“That I need to connect in order to find them.” Emryn tilted her head at Cas. “I don’t know what it means. We’ve connected in every way that I can think of.”

“Save one,” Asan said, walking further into the room. “And this is not the place to connect in the final manner. We should adjourn to your rooms, and I will explain.”

Emryn and Cas followed Asan down the corridors to their rooms, closing and locking the door behind them, before raising his hands. Emryn saw the magic go out, watched the windows go a bluish sort of opaque and saw the magic plug every hole in the room.

“Now,” Asan turned to them, “we cannot be seen, heard, or scried upon. You are as safe as I can make you.”

“Would you please explain, Asan?” Emryn was confused and afraid, even though Cas was smiling at her.

“Neither of you is magically connected,” Asan said, drawing a circle in the air with his finger. It glowed for a moment and then faded out. “I believe that, should you choose to connect your magic, then you would discover what you seek.”

Emryn looked at Cas, who just nodded. “It’s an experiment.”

“No, it’s not.” Emryn pulled her hands from Cas’. “If you are my Phoenix, it’s not something that can be undone, Cas. I need you to be certain.”

He nodded, reaching back out. Steady and sure. “Emryn, if I am, then I’ll support you in whatever way you need. If I’m not then I’ll help you find them.”

“Cas-”

“I know what I’m doing,” he said softly. “Reach for me, Emryn. Let me help you.”

Emryn reached back and took his hands again, looking over at Asan, who just nodded.

“Alright.” Emryn closed her eyes and turned inward.

She knew how to spool out her flame, how to make a thin thread of it so that it wouldn’t immolate what it touched. She spun it out, the finest gossamer, and stepped to the very edge of her mind, right before she would have flung herself out.

Waiting.

And across the gulf, across an unimaginable distance, there was a light. Blinking on and off, calling for her like a firefly in the blue light of dusk.

Emryn braced herself. If this didn’t work, she was going to have a hellish time getting back.

Leap, trust, fall.

She pelted down, faster than thought, down from an unimaginable height.

Caught.

The thread, gossamer as it was, was still her flame and was stronger than steel. And it was caught on something that was pulling her in.

Cas. That was Cas, his magic still blinking, still calling, and Emryn reached to close the distance.

And nothing happened.

Until it did.

And the shock of it threw her back into her own head, sprawling out on the rug, skirts everywhere as the blast hit. It was hot, searingly so, and Emryn dragged her eyes open, fighting the crushing headache to look at the man she loved.

But her eyes only saw the fire.

Flaming wings draping from his back and mantled around his shoulders. Feathers in all the colors that a fire could be. White and blue, orange and a warm red that cast bright shadows up the walls.

And in the middle of it was Cas. Emryn forced herself off the floor, hurrying over, looking up at him and brushing a hand down his face.

“They really are heavy,” he said, turning his head to look at them. “Someday, Emryn, will you fly with me?”