Page 21 of To Sway a Prince (Tempting Thieves)

21

THISTLEDEEP

I couldn't focus on anything as Zephyrus flew away. Everything faded. There was nothing but pain and the tears came hard and fast. It might as well have been minutes or days when he landed. I jolted back into awareness, realizing it was nearing sunset and he had brought me to one of the fairy wells: Thistledeep. We'd been here often for translations and identifications.

From above, the fairy well appeared as nothing more than a dark circle amid tall grass. Even on the ground, it could be hard to see at first because of the enchantments surrounding it, but I knew better than to trust only my eyes. The ring of hawthorns and rowans surrounding it gleamed emerald and silver in the early afternoon light, their leaves rustling secrets in the breeze. Despite not being in season, red berries hung from the rowans.

My boots crunched on the packed earth as I slid off Zephyrus's neck and wiped my eyes. "Why here?" It was an odd choice. Especially given the fact he didn't like fairies. Yet he had brought me here on his own.

The well itself stood knee-high, its ancient stones fitted together without mortar, worn smooth by centuries of hands. Cool air rose from its depths, carrying the mineral scent of underground water and that distinctive tangy sweetness of wild fairy magic.

A dragonfly skimmed the surface of the dark water below, its wings catching the fading golden sunlight in iridescent flashes. The shadows of the trees dappled the clearing in shifting patterns, and somewhere nearby, a thrush called three times.

The fairies were our distant cousins, far, far removed. Some found them tedious. I found them amusing even though you always had to be cautious around them.

Zephyrus grunted and moved in front of me, his eyes narrowing. He then pushed his snout against my throat and huffed. Pulling back, he tried to use his claw to gesture at me roughly.

I held the pendant up, and he trilled.

Still frowning, I untwisted the clasp. It gave way easily. As I studied it, I noticed the runes and the writing. That phrase was on there again: Natoumai ahme vahre.

My stomach tightened.

I had to know what it said for certain. Zephyrus chuffed again, nudging me hard enough I nearly fell. "I've got it, big guy." For whatever reason, he wanted me to know what this meant. Fine by me. I wanted to know too. Then I could forget all about Ramiel…if that was even possible.

I'd used most of my rations so I had to gather items to make an offering and summon the fairies. Black raspberry bushes along the southern edges of the clearing held plentiful fruit, and I infused a handful with my magic. I'd come to learn what the fairies here liked well enough that I didn't even have to ask.

On the way there, I spotted spring onions growing at the river bank in the soft dark soil. A bit of good luck, and I'd accept any of that I could get.

I gathered the berries and spring onions and placed it on the mouth of the well. "Please. Accept this as payment and grant me a favor."

The water in the well sparkled, then hummed. A small circle of green light winked into the air above it, buzzing with excitement. "Astraia! Oh! Our little cousin is back! Clover! Cricket! Hurry!"

I found myself smiling a little more as Ivy darted around me. These fairies were precious but dangerous in an unintentional way. They had such short attention spans and intense emotions and random ideas. You never knew quite what you were going to get, and I'd learned the hard way to be cautious about accepting any of their aid unless there was no other choice. More than once their magic had backfired on me. And when I first came to visit them, they had "blessed" me with all manner of spells that had had numerous side effects, including my eyebrows changing colors with my mood for a whole six months.

But, all that said, there was no one like them when it came to translations and figuring out arcane meanings…provided you could get them to focus long enough.

Squealing with delight, Ivy flitted around me, circling the well and then shooting over to Zephyrus. He twitched his ears and cocked his head as sparkling dust landed on the tip of his nose. He wrinkled his snout, then shook his head.

A blue orb and a red orb darted out as well, Clover and Cricket. They spiraled around me and tugged at my hair and fussed over my clothing before turning to Zephyrus. He patiently endured as they fussed and bustled, not moving away or doing anything to slow their attention as if he knew the sooner they finished, the sooner we would get our answers.

"It's good to see you three," I said, grateful it was just the three of them and not all of their family. "I brought some magic- infused berries to pay for the translation. And I found some spring onions as well."

"Lovely, lovely." Cricket snatched up a berry. It was the size of a melon to her, and she bit into it as if it were an apple. Dark juice stained her lips.

"What are we translating today?" Ivy asked. Clover bounded up beside her, darting back and forth like a hummingbird.

"This." I held up the pendant. The metal caught the fading sunlight, the reflections iridescent on its smooth surface. "From the Sentinel tower near the Chasm."

"Oh—oh," Ivy and Clover gasped in unison, delight in their eyes.

Cricket nodded happily as she set aside the berry. "That's always a fun one. Northern rune fae roots with just a dash of the Aurora Isle and a bit of bone and silver mixed in for good measure. Just put it on the well, and we'll get to work."

As they translated the words, I turned back to Zephyrus. It still didn't add up. Dragons were exceptionally loyal. He clearly loved his family, and if there was danger, he would not want to abandon them. It didn't seem like he saw me as being in danger currently. Just a little battered. Certainly far better than I might have been.

I stopped, my hand on his chest.

The first thing Ramiel did when he found me suspended in the stable was search Zephyrus to ensure I hadn't added an incantation or spell to him.

I frowned, examining Zephyrus more carefully. Something wasn't adding up.

"Hold still," I murmured, running my hands along Zephyrus's scales. There—beneath the ridge of his left shoulder blade—I felt it. A slight pulse of magic, nearly imperceptible unless you were searching for it.

I traced my fingers over the area, then used just my fingers to direct my energy and undo the central knot. The thread unspun, revealing a series of runes that were already fading.

"Hmmm." I leaned in close, hand pressed to Zephyrus's side. These runes were familiar, but I didn't fully recognize them. They spelled out something specific. I recognized "take," "protect," and "stay." One of the runes was a marking for time.

Clover zipped over, her blue light illuminating the markings even more. "Oh! Hidden writing! I love puzzles!"

"Can you read this for me, please?" I asked, trying to steady my voice. Already I guessed what it said, but I wanted confirmation.

She hovered close to Zephyrus's scales, her tiny hands tracing the patterns. "It's an old runic spell that the Sentinels and Wardens use. Maybe a few of the north islanders in the west. Very specific. Very powerful." She canted her head, her curly ash blonde hair sliding to the side. "The Sentinel ordered the dragon to take you away. To protect you at all costs and not look back."

Ivy and Cricket joined us, their lights casting dancing shadows across Zephyrus's blue scales.

"One day's journey minimum," Cricket added, her red glow pulsing with excitement. "No specific place named. Just... away. Safe."

My stomach dropped as my head spun. Something was happening with the Chasm. At the Tower. And he was going to die.

"Well, there is some good news though!" Ivy spun in circles around my hand and then my neck. "The pendant is such a gift. So beautiful! I haven't seen one in ages, but ' Natoumai ahme vahre ' that's what Sentinels say to their beloveds!"

Cricket nodded vigorously. "It's difficult to translate directly because they shorten so many of the words and then combine them to make new ones. Very similar to the north rune fae in many respects. But essentially, that phrase means: The one whose soul was carved from the same star as mine, the one I will love through life, through death, and all that lies beyond."

"A mate-bond declaration and a vow of love," Clover whispered. "One of the most sacred bonds."

I staggered under the weight of those words. My gut twisted. "Gnat. What if someone just said that, and they were a Sentinel…what would that mean?"

The three fairies looked between one another, their wings fluttering swiftly back and forth. Cricket just laughed, but it was more a nervous sound. "Well, if said alone, 'nat' means 'my beloved' more or less."

My heart twisted as my knees at last gave way. Collapsing on the ground, I dragged in a ragged sob. He had been telling me the whole time. He'd known from the beginning.

Zephyrus pressed his snout to the back of my head and grunted softly.

I couldn't breathe around the ache in my chest and the tightening of my throat. I hated him. I loved him. That rune-magicked bastard! It all made sense now. Thread rot, how could he send me away like that?!

"Astraia, love, what's wrong?" Ivy hummed beside my ear.

"He's going to face something terrible," I whispered, my voice shaking so hard I don't know how they understood me. My fingers dug into the dirt. "Something he doesn't expect to survive. He sent me away to protect me, and he isn't going to make it."

Zephyrus grunted again and looked back in the direction of the tower. Yes. I agreed.

"We have to go back." My whole body shook. "Right now! How much time do we have?" Dragging my hand through my hair, I drew in ragged breaths. "It can't be much. He only demanded Zephyrus fly a day. So—end of day today? Tonight? I've got to get back now! But we won't get back there before dawn even if Zephyrus goes at full speed!"

Cricket zipped around my head, leaving a trail of crimson sparkles. "Why not just pulseport back?"

I shook my head, struggling to regulate my breaths. "I can't pulseport with Zephyrus. He's too large, and I'm not strong enough to carry us both that distance. I couldn't even get myself that far without sapping my magic, and that might not be enough with just me."

The three fairies exchanged glances, then burst into tinkling laughter that sounded like wind chimes in a storm.

"Silly cousin!" Ivy grabbed my pinky finger with both her tiny hands. "You don't need to do it alone!"

Clover seized another finger. "Come! Hurry!" Cricket had already darted ahead, her soft red glow guiding the way.

They pulled me deeper into the forest, Zephyrus following behind and snapping through branches and crushing roots. The trees grew denser, their ancient trunks twisted with age. We stopped beneath a massive ash tree, its bark furrowed and gnarled. At its base lay a perfect circle of ivory mushrooms, glowing in the shadows.

"One of our circles," Cricket announced with a flourish. "Step inside!"

I hesitated. "What about Zephyrus? He won't fit."

Ivy flitted over to Zephyrus, sprinkling dust over his snout. "Of course he will!"

Before my eyes, Zephyrus shrank, his massive form compressing until he was no larger than a house cat. He let out an indignant squawk, wings flapping furiously.

I scooped him up and held him close. "I'm so sorry, big guy," I whispered against his scaled head. "It's just temporary."

"He'll return to normal ten seconds after arrival," Ivy assured me. "So get clear quickly! Otherwise, he'll crush you."

"Focus on your destination, dear," Clover said, zipping in front of my face and then back. "Pulseport as you normally would. The circle will amplify your power."

I stepped into the ring of mushrooms, clutching Zephyrus against my chest. He burrowed against my neck, his warmth familiar despite his diminished size.

"Ramiel," I whispered, closing my eyes. "I'm coming. I'll never forgive you if I'm too late."

I gathered my magic, feeling it rise within me—but something was different. The fairy circle pulled at my energy, demanding more than I'd expected. My strength drained as darkness enveloped us.

The world tore apart, then snapped back together. We landed hard on rocky ground. I stumbled forward, setting Zephyrus down just as the magic faded. We stood at the foot of the tower, facing the narrow bridge that stretched out over the Chasm's yawning darkness. Storm clouds billowed above us as lightning pierced the sky and thunder cracked.

One bolt of lightning illuminated the bridge and the Chasm. My heart sank. No!