Page 44 of Heart Cradle (The Melrathen Saga #1)

It was mid-morning, and sunlight streamed into Taelin’s study, warm and steady through the tall windows.

Maeve sat comfortably in an armchair, her hair still slightly damp from a bath, dressed in a soft violet tunic and black leather leggings.

Eiran stood near the fireplace, arms crossed and watching Taelin with suspicion.

Taelin was calm as ever, but there was something more focused in his eyes today.

“I need to speak with Maeve,” he said. “Alone.”

Eiran straightened immediately. “No.”

Taelin raised an eyebrow. “Don’t start, Eiran.”

“I’m not leaving her.”

“I’m not asking,” Taelin replied. “So just get the fuck out.”

Eiran scowled, but didn’t move.

“Calm down.” Maeve looked up at her mate, voice quiet but firm. “It’s okay, I’ll be fine.”

He hesitated, jaw clenched, but finally nodded. He left without another word, the door clicking shut behind him and Taelin let out a breath as he moved from the window and sat across from her.

“Sorry about his bloody dramatics,” he said. “But I needed a word without your shadow glowering over your shoulder.”

Maeve gave him a small smile. “Eiran doesn’t mean to. He’s just protective… he’s adjusting, we both are.”

“Yes, I know. It’s a new mate thing,” Taelin said dryly, then sighed. “However, this is important.”

She sat up a little straighter. “Okay.”

“Are you well?” he asked. “Really, not just physically. I want to know how you are doing.”

Maeve looked at him, surprised by the question. “Yeah,” she said after a moment. “I think I’m okay. Actually… I think I’m better than I’ve been in a long time. ”

“Good and are you happy here? In Melrathen? As fae?”

She didn’t have to think long. “Yes. I didn’t expect to be, but I am. I feel like I have a place again. Now, I want to do something, I don’t want to just sit around.”

“That’s what I was hoping you’d say,” Taelin said. “Because now that you’ve awakened as fae, you need to train. Properly. You’ve got power, and if things keep heading the way they are, we’ll need everyone ready.”

Maeve leaned forwards, already nodding. “Yes. I want that, I want to learn.”

“Good. Starting tomorrow, you’ll train for combat in the mornings with Eiran and the three boys. You’ll cover weapons, tactics, close-range fighting and flying. You’ll need to be able to hold your own in the sky.”

Maeve’s eyebrows shot up. “Dragon flying?”

Taelin gave her a small smile. “You’re with Eiran. You think you’re not going to end up in the sky with him at some point? Dragons are important in battle for us, they’re our weapons and protectors.”

She laughed softly, then nodded. “Alright. Bring it on.”

“Then, in the afternoons, you’ll have magic training with Aeilanna, Yendel, Hettae, or one of the others, depending on their workload for the day. It won’t be easy. You’ve got a lot to catch up on.”

She grinned. “Sounds like a challenge. I like those.”

“You’ll regret saying that by day three,” he said, but there was a smile tugging at his mouth, then he sobered slightly, glancing towards her wrist where the Chain still pulsed softly.

“We’ve established communication with the Runekeepers,” he said. “They're… difficult, but interested. We’re trying to learn as much as we can about the Chain, its origin, its bond to you and what it means that it’s active again after all this time.”

“They’re Yendel’s bosses?” Maeve asked.

“Not quite, they’re more scholars. They know things we couldn’t start to comprehend and Yendel would be the first to admit that.” Taelin said, looking her in the eye. “They will try to understand what is going on.”

Maeve shifted, propping her chin in her hand. “I had a vision,” she said quietly. “When I was unconscious. The Chain didn’t just stay with me. It reached out to Jeipier, wrapped around his leg. And he liked it, said we could trust it. That we must. ”

Taelin’s brow knit. He stared at her for a long beat, lips pressed into a thoughtful line. “It reacted to him?”

“Like it knew him,” Maeve nodded.

He gave a genuine smile and said, “they’ll know what to do, or at least steer us in the right direction.”

Then Taelin stood, muttered something under his breath, and the door swung open and Eiran was standing right outside, arms still crossed, clearly having been eavesdropping the whole time.

“Seriously?” Maeve asked, amused.

Eiran stepped in, glaring half-heartedly at Taelin.

“I did want to check in with you,” Taelin said to Maeve with a shrug. “But mostly I like to see him squirm.”

“I certainly do not squirm!” Eiran exclaimed.

Maeve rolled her eyes and looked at Eiran. “I’m going to be training. With you, your sister, brothers, dragons, and magicers.”

Eiran raised an eyebrow. “All that?”

“Yes, all that,” she said, grinning. “I hope you’re ready.”

Eiran just winked and Taelin clapped his hands once. “Now that that’s settled, try not to get each other killed in training, or at least not before lunch.”