Page 35 of Reign of Stars and Fire

“I guess.”

I propped onto my elbow, bemused. “You guess? How old are you?”

Calista glared at me for a long breath before rolling onto her opposite shoulder. “I was sleeping, and I’d like to get back to it.”

She fell silent, breathing heavily as though she wanted me to think she’d instantly fallen asleep.

Odd girl. Hells, the more I got to know her the stranger she became.

* * *

“Take care,”I snapped as Ror guided the sloop into a small cove.

We were on the edges of the Court of Blood. The dark stone cliffs and peaks making up Hells Pass were visible beyond the edges of the Mossgrove.

Water lapped at the sides of the ship as Ror rowed into a tributary shielded with thick spruce trees and towering oaks. We’d covered our heads and darkened our faces with some of Calista’s ink, but my skin prickled, like a thousand eyes watched our every move.

“I’m dropping you off on the edge,” Ror muttered. “I need to catch the tide back.”

With each tug of the water drawing us nearer to the shore, a compulsion to reach Gorm’s court and place eyes on Ari overtook any rational thought. In this moment, I almost dared Davorin to strike. The way my blood hummed in an anxious energy, no mistake, would have me gnawing out his throat with my teeth in mere moments.

Ror nodded at the shoreline, told us to gather our things, and eased the sloop toward a knobby, twisted tree. Sludge and swamp grass hid the edge from view. We’d trudge upriver if needed.

I hopped over the edge, careful not to make too much noise. The water was frigid and struck me to my thighs. I shouldered the pack filled with a few blades and clothes, and lifted my palms. The song was aimed at the trees. Warm glamour heated my veins. Words and requests for the isles melted into the slow tune.

The way Riot had taught me how to use the seidr of the land was to treat it like a trusted companionship. I’d tend to the care of the isles, and in return, the isles would care for me. It took time, and patience, and practice to get the language of the land. Then, it took a bit more to earn the trust and connection to the glamour in the soil.

The song was there, my glamour and the blood feather provided it, but if I did not protect the land or respect it, there was always a chance it would abandon me as well.

Tonight, there was a weakness to my song.

The trees shuddered, and a smile crept over my lips when the branches lengthened and reached over us, shielding us from sight. They answered my call, but doubtless, if Ari were here and conscious the trees could’ve formed an entire fortress.

“Impressive,” Stefan said at my back.

It would do. For now.

I crouched and gestured to Calista and Stefan to follow, but there wasn’t a sound.

“What is it?” I hissed.

Still on the boat, Stefan stood behind his sister, but Calista stared at the shore with a furrowed glare.

“We need to get out of sight,” I insisted. “What’s wrong?”

“We’ve never been here, right Stef?” Calista asked, a shudder in her tone.

“Not in this lifetime.” Her brother nudged her ribs. “Come on, we need to go.”

At long last, she blinked and eased into the water. Without a look back at Ror, we scrambled into the damp brush on the riverbank.

My teeth chattered as I tugged at my tunic top. “I’ll t-take to the tr-trees and scout a path.”

“No need.” Calista stiffened and stared into the trees. “Looks like we’ve already been found.”

I spun around and, at once, my hand went to the knife tied to my leg. The trees parted, and the glint of steel beneath the moonlight was all I saw before Bo tugged down a strip of black fabric from over his mouth.

He grinned—no, snarled—at me. The tips of his fingers curled around his sword, and I let out a sharp gasp. His skin had faded to a dark blue, and his eyes, those weren’t Bo’s eyes. Black veins snaked over the whites like spilled ink.