Page 4 of Duskbound (Esprithean Trilogy #2)

CHAPTER THREE

“These should work,” Vexa said as she handed me a stack of black fabric and dropped a pair of boots at my feet.

“Erm, thanks.” I managed to get out before she turned and climbed up onto the bars at my window and took a seat.

“No mind games? You promise? Don’t make me look like an idiot in front of Aether. I’ll never live it down.” She arched an eyebrow, her lips twisting into something like a smirk.

“No mind games,” I repeated, slipping out of my sleeping garments.

Her expression deepened, not quite friendly, but not entirely mocking either. I couldn’t tell if it was humor or a warning.

“The Vordr,” she said as her boots thudded lightly on the floor. “They may seem domesticated, but they’re wild at heart. They only let us pretend we’re in control. Never forget that.”

I turned to face the mirror behind the bed, avoiding the reflection of my eyes. My gaze slid over the leathers. They were thicker than the ones I’d worn in Sídhe, etched with intricate patterns and burn marks that seemed to writhe and twist around my body like liquid smoke .

“Well,” Vexa remarked, eyeing me up and down. “Seems like everything fits. Although you could fill it out a bit more.” She huffed, then narrowed her eyes at my food tray, still half full, stale polenta clinging dryly to the plate.

“I’m still... getting used to everything here.” I looked down, my fingers curling uncomfortably into my pockets. The food was bland, like the ghost of something once edible. Even its color seemed muted.

“The food is different.”

“I’m sure it’s much better where you’re from.” She clicked her teeth but she stopped herself from saying anything more.

The silence that followed was thick, uncomfortable. Vexa’s eyes lingered on me for a moment longer, some kind of pain brewing in their depths before she turned around, her gaze sweeping the room. I let out a slow breath, my chest tightening. I was about to leave this tower for the first time, the last thing I wanted to do was piss her off and make her change her mind.

“What did you call them–the beasts, I mean,” I said, forcing a softer tone.

“Vordr.” She hummed, inspecting invisible lint on her left forearm before dusting it away. “And don’t get any ideas. I know it might seem tempting to fly off on one of them, but they wouldn’t let you mount them even if you tried.”

“I’m not going to do that,” I assured her, keeping my gaze on the floor as she turned away from me.

“Ready?” she asked, no sign of ice left in her voice.

I followed slowly, the scent of soot wafting off her, lingering beneath the sharp tang of iron. As if she had just come from a forge.

“Alright, let us out.”

The metal screeched as the lock lifted. Aether’s form filled the doorway like a shadow. I hated how he could make even the smallest gesture feel like a weight pressing down on me. He didn’t even look in my direction. Not a glance, just a heavy silence that seemed to stretch on. I watched as his structured jaw ticked, framed by the raven-colored hair that barely brushed his shoulders. The simple movement caused his metal piercings to refract the light, and I caught a glance of those shimmering golden eyes. The ones that had haunted my dreams for the last year.

“Thirty minutes,” his hoarse voice managed. My insides tightened at the sound, curling into a ball of resentment. If it wasn’t for him, I’d be back home now. If it wasn’t for him, I’d never have been captured in the first place.

“Understood?” he asked, irritation lacing his tone.

Vexa rolled her eyes, leaning against the doorframe and pushing her hand against his chest to allow her out. “I heard you the first twenty times you said it.” She sighed, “I’m sure you’ll be trailing behind us like our own personal guardian either way.” She brushed past him and motioned for me to follow.

I took one step toward the door and froze. Not by choice. My body simply stopped responding, like every muscle had turned to stone. Vexa disappeared from view around the curve of the stairs.

Aether stepped into my line of sight, and the amusement written across his face made my blood boil. His gaze raked over me dangerously, taking in my futile attempts to move. Panic flooded me as I remembered that moment in the tower weeks ago—how my fingers had uncurled from the dagger against my will, how my hand had frozen mid-strike.

Fuck.

His breath ghosted across my ear as he leaned in. "You can try to mess with my mind all you want," he whispered, voice deadly soft, "but if you try your luck with any of them , I will make you wish you were dead."

"Is this really necessary?" I managed through gritted teeth, hating how close he was, hating even more how my body refused to move away .

"Just making sure we understand each other." The warmth of him was maddening as he lingered there, too near, his voice low enough that only I could hear.

"Fia?" Vexa's voice echoed up from below. "Do I have to drag you down the stairs myself?"

The pressure holding me vanished so suddenly I stumbled forward. Aether's hand shot out to steady me, and the brief contact sent electricity through my skin. When I met his eyes again, that dangerous edge had been replaced by that unreadable calm.

"After you," he said, gesturing toward the stairs.

I shoved past him, trying to ignore how my heart raced.

He waited for me to step down onto the first landing before trudging down the stairs after us, Vexa now pulling at my arm with calloused fingers as we began our spiraling descent.

When the door finally opened, I shielded my eyes in reflex, expecting the light of a blinding sun, like the small windowless descent through the tower had somehow robbed my mind of what I knew to be true. I had become all too accustomed to the nightless, muted days. Like this realm was stuck in time, the sun never peaking beyond the gray mountains, the moon never leaving its position in front. The day was gray, just like everything in its reach.

I followed Vexa out onto the lawn, stale grass crunching under my feet, as if it had been burned, or dead long enough to dry out on its own, leaving its frayed skeleton behind. Through glimpses of fog and the cramped towers we walked between, I could see the intimidating architecture of Ravenfell piercing the muted sky.

Stone creatures from nightmares were encroaching from their peaked windows and rooftops, adorning all of the spires as far as my eyes could see. We were nestled in what seemed to be a corner of the city, the right side backed up to some barren lands in the distance. To the left, sharp stone encapsulated the perimeter and beyond those walls looked to be the remains of a forest, the trees twisted and dried.

Eventually we stepped onto a path, and rocky bits of broken stone ground beneath my boots with each step. I gave myself a brief moment to savor the feeling of the wind on my skin before the smell of wet hay and manure invaded my nose.

I followed Vexa into a covered stable. The stalls were spacious with high walls made of sturdy wood, leaving open entrances without gates, allowing the inhabitants to wander in and out at will.

I wasn’t sure what I was expecting to see, but it certainly wasn’t the creature before me.

My mouth went dry as the beast huffed towards Vexa, its movements graceful, yet ominous. Its eyes gleaming with an intelligence that transcended the animal.

The Vordr’s head retained the noble features of a horse, though much, much larger. Its long muscular neck led to a strong, regal face. The mane was thick, flowing, and dark as night, cascading down its back. However, where the ears would be, instead, there were subtle ridges and slight bony protrusions, akin to horns.

The most striking feature overall was the Vordr’s wings. They were massive, with a span that stretched far wider than the horse's body. They were batlike as I remembered, with coarse dark hair covering their bodies, each movement causing their deep hues to shimmer like oil on water.

“Isn’t she magnificent?” Vexa breathed in awe, reaching out her hand for the beast to sniff. It gave her a few uninterested blinks before tapping Vexa’s hand with her snout in acknowledgment. Wings brushed the ground as it turned, exposing the ridged spines that curved down its back, becoming more prominent near the hindquarters.

Vexa walked to an elevated dock and climbed the steps before motioning over the Vordr. It followed her calls and she began unfastening the saddle that was crafted along its back.

“You’re actually lucky Raskr is here today. We have stables across Ravenfell and these beauties only stop by of their own volition. It seems like her last rider had to run off before taking all of this off of her.” Vexa made quick work of the buckles and patted Raskr lovingly on the back.

“So they just come and go as they please?” I asked, looking around at the gateless stalls.

“We would never try to hold a Vordr unwillingly. That would be a death sentence. Gentle beasts as long as they have their freedom.” Vexa laughed as she carefully made her way down the steep stairs of the dock, carrying the saddle that rivaled her in size.

"But they often stay close to their riders," Vexa added.

“Is this one yours?”

“I’d never forget to remove Draug’s saddle. Not that he would let me.” She chuckled.

“So do you just choose which one you ride?”

Vexa eyed me curiously. “It's a rite of passage here, to be chosen by a Vordr. The highest of honors. The decision is all theirs. They know when they’ve found their Kalfar.”

A sliver of annoyance licked through me at, yet, another word I had no context for. It was irritating how they spoke to me like I already shared their vocabulary, with no explanation for anything, always forcing me to inquire.

“Kalfar?” I attempted to keep the irritation out of my tone.

“We’re all Kalfar.” She shrugged, motioning to the tower behind us.

“I thought you were Umbra.”

“Umbra is our title as soldiers in the realm’s forces. Kalfar is what I am. What we all are, what you are,” she corrected me.

“I’m Aossí,” I said quietly, turning back towards the beast.

The Vordr’s long tail whipped, brushing the ground as she turned to make her way to the small field on the opposite side of the stables.

“Whatever you say,” Vexa half-joked.

Looking around, I only now realized how empty this area was. Apart from Vexa and I, along with Aether leaning against the door we had come through, there wasn’t a soul in sight. Preventative measures, I was sure.

“Do you remember flying here on them?” Vexa’s voice whistled past me on the wind.

Of course I remembered. How could one possibly forget flying amongst the clouds? Waking to find the wind whipping past so quickly, it nearly robbed me of breath. The feeling of falling once we made our decline towards the bladed skyline of Ravenfell. How unconsciousness was thrust upon me unnaturally.

“Despite Rethlyn’s efforts,” I retorted, eyes returning to the Vordr.

“That was really more for your benefit than ours,” she said, a laugh escaping her lips.

I pondered the answer for a few quiet seconds as her amusement dissipated. They probably thought kidnapping was more pleasant if unconscious. In theory, perhaps. But it also made it impossible for me to fight back, to attempt an escape. I’m sure that was just an added bonus. I eyed Aether, who lay against the darkened stone with his eyes closed, an unreadable expression on his structured face.

Maybe I wouldn’t have been able to escape that night anyway. Not with him around.

“His mind looks different from the rest of you,” I said, tilting my head towards Aether.

Vexa returned to my side, giving me a confused look. “Looks different?” she asked.

“The rest of your minds glow silver, his glows golden.” I wondered for a second why I was revealing any of this to her. It didn’t seem like anything they could use against me, against Sídhe, but it still felt odd to be divulging it.

“So you can see our minds?” Her voice was low now but still edged with curiosity.

“If I try.” I looked towards the tower, eyes scanning the many levels as white orbs began to glow from the inside. Her attention followed mine.

“Ten minds in that room.” I pointed. “Six descending the fourth-floor stairs,” I murmured. Aether’s eyes shot to me.

“Vexa,” he said, starting towards us, but she whipped her hand out, halting him.

“Under control,” she shouted, eyes tearing into me now. “You can see them, within the walls?” she said, a breathless kind of rustle to her voice.

It felt like we were entering dangerous territory, and I had no idea how they would twist this information to their advantage. So I turned, looking across the landscape once again, crossing my arms, staying silent.

“I’ve never heard of anything like that,” she said, noticing my sudden apprehension. “You’re far more than a Duskbound,” she whispered, as if to keep the revelation to herself.

Her words sent a wave through me. In truth, I had never really known what I was. Who I was. At this moment, it seemed like more of a mystery than ever.

I watched as the Vordr paused at the edge of a platform that laid across the walled barrier, starting in the gray grass before inclining in elevation towards the sky. It scratched its hooves against the surface, the sound sharp against the stillness. Then, with a powerful neigh, it surged forward, its wings snapping open and carrying it up the incline. Without realizing it, my feet began to move, drawn toward the creature, eager for a closer view.

“Watch your step,” Vexa called from behind me, her voice a warning just as the Vordr launched into flight. Its wings unfurled fully, cutting through the air with effortless grace. Only then did I notice the shapes in the distant sky—dark, bird-like silhouettes drifting on the wind.

As my gaze sharpened, I counted at least five other Vordr, their massive forms racing toward the fortress. Each was a study in shades of gray, from onyx as dark as night, to reflective silver, their coats streaked with patterns—swirls of smoke and ink that seemed to shift with every movement. Some had legs dusted in white, as if snow had clung to the tops of their hooves, while others sported long, braided manes in shades of ivory and charcoal, the intricate plaits winding down their necks.

The creatures descended in an arc, their wings brushing the stone of the nearest tower before they ascended once more, vanishing into the sky.

I stood rooted, breathless. They were unlike anything I had ever seen. The legends of any beasts had been little more than whispered stories back in Sídhe, told to children as fantastical tales, often dismissed as fabrications—or forgotten myths from a time long past. I had never imagined seeing something like this. Never imagined something like this even existed.

The crunching of footsteps broke me from my trance, and reality settled in around me, tugging the numbness back into my bones, its presence more clear than it had been before. Perhaps in contrast to the exhilaration of seeing the Vordr, free and magnificent, unrestrained.

Now I remembered where I was. How I had come to be here. The sadness pulsed, hitting me like a wave. Part of me wanted to push it away, to try and climb out from its depths, but it was too heavy. I had fallen far past the numbness, into a pain too great to bear. My core ached to go home. To be able to take to the sky, fly out of here and back to where I belonged. Back to Sídhe. To Laryk. I nearly crumpled to the ground at the weight of it—the weight of emotions I had been avoiding during my isolation. Ignoring them had felt like my only form of survival.

But now, they had returned in full force, blurring my vision with tears that fell just as soon as they welled. My breaths became hoarse and frantic as my heart jolted once more, stumbling forward as I hit the ground, everything around me sinking into darkness.