Page 53 of The Malice of Moons and Mages (The Broken Bonds of Magic #1)

Fifty-Three

Selene

I cy wind flicked loosened hairs from her braid into her eye with a sting. Selene’s curse caused the nearest soldiers to flinch.

Bolin leaned toward her, rocking atop his winter-coated mare. “I’ll redo it when we camp.”

She didn’t reply. Sometimes she hated that she needed him. Tending to her hair seemed a simple thing, but she’d never been good at it. If left on her own, she’d leave it loose and wild. The tangles never bothered her until she tried to comb it out. Bolin was adept at plaiting hair and used metal crimps to hold it in place. The western look brought a sense of empowerment.

After the general’s last communication, it was apparent he was hiding information. It was bad enough he’d been captured and their time was limited, but restraint held him back.

She considered that Xiang’s reticence might be related to Bolin. Perhaps he’d uncovered something while traipsing through the old monastery, but she’d made sure there was nothing left of Bolin’s old life to return to. Even claiming the dragon scales that had hung above their family hearth. He’d only worn them once before, and the red was a striking contrast to his black attire.

They settled for a few hours when Starling rose. Thankfully the light was lessening as the season tipped toward winter solstice. After the eclipses, the Moons would be at their strongest until spring. The Starlings wouldn’t dare come for them until then, which left time to prepare, if needed.

They camped in a flat area that could accommodate the party. After raising their tent, Bolin filled the copper censer with campfire embers. The tent warmed quickly, and after whispering their Song prayers together, he’d faded into a deep sleep. He propped the mirror beside him, waiting for Xiang’s image to appear.

She watched the rise and fall of his chest. His lips puffed with each exhalation while resisting slumber. It was moments before morning twilight that the mirror glimmered. She gently reached across Bolin and claimed it before racing outside and drawing her robes around her.

Xiang startled at seeing her and checked her surroundings. They were alone. He looked relieved, but his mannerisms were rushed. She mouthed Bolin’s name, and Xiang nodded.

Selene knew most of the gestures frequently used but she struggled with others. Xiang repeated or altered the movements until she understood. The gesture for Western tribe was easy, his movements meaning Bolin were understandable. But then he mentioned Lua and gave the symbol for anchor, and another symbol she didn’t know.

Xiang’s frustration was evident in his tightly controlled expression. He licked his lips and gave the symbol for brother. Then repeated the symbols together.

Western, Bolin, brother, anchor, Lua .

Lua’s anchor was Western? Xiang nodded before repeating Bolin and brother. The image edges faded as his wound began to clot.

She frowned. Bolin didn’t have a brother, and his sister was dead. Selene handled Pangol herself after learning of Bolin’s mage heritage. Her spell struck true; she was sure of it. They’d lost them moments later when the Starlings interfered, but the girl was dead. She bit her lip. But they hadn’t found a body, not even of the little one the girl had carried.

She signed Bolin, sister, Lua, anchor .

Xiang nodded and rubbed his face with a grimy hand. As the image faded completely, he gave a last symbol, one she knew from their work with Dain. Bloodstone .

If Bolin discovered that his sister was alive, if he spoke to her, then he might find out that Selene had lied to him. When she promised to find his family, he’d expected her to bring them home, not kill them. And it seemed she hadn’t completed that either. She’d get another message to Sharine and see if she could contain Lua’s anchor before they arrived.

Sharine’s contacts were supposed to be sending the liger’s bane wine as a celebratory gift. When Xiang messaged again, she’d give the order. If the girl couldn’t be secured, make sure all the Council’s anchors met similar ends, including Lua’s.