Page 39

I t’d been weeks since my display at that first meeting, and since then, almost every day has been full of meeting after meeting.

We discussed crop distribution, taxes, building new roads between towns, the profits from the mines at the ravine, and a ton of other topics I would have never even thought about.

Byn took the lead during the meetings majority of the time, but sometimes another Valwain member did instead, depending on the subject at hand.

Quinn always took the lead when it came to any topic regarding the South’s soldiers, and Teagan and Rayven were always on top of communication with the North, which seemed to be growing sparse.

Today was the first day in weeks that we had a break—a moment to breathe.

Byn insisted on taking me into town, down into the heart of Cairnyl.

He wanted to show me the place he grew up—and he also wanted to find a thank you gift for Teagan, who had been present at almost every meeting alongside us.

She didn’t have to be, but she endured with us, and I know Byn was secretly relieved to have his sister to rely on.

First thing on the agenda this morning was to head to the dens to check up on Atlas and Lychen, along with Lychen’s mate, Gaia. Apparently, there were a couple different dens throughout Cairnyl, but Atlas and Lychen were the only Titan Wolves on active duty, so they were kept the closest.

After giving the wolves their breakfast and belly rubs, we met up with Quinn and Rayven at the perch. That was where all of the corvids in Cairnyl stayed, and were bred and trained. Rayven had just finished checking the latest letters when we arrived, and offered to show me around.

He explained how they tied the vials to the birds legs and slid small notes inside that they then transported across the continent.

He told me how the birds were divided into sectors, each one taught how to go to a specific location or town.

Then he showed me where the corvids favorite spot to be pet was, and I got to apply this knowledge to Lark, who wasn’t quite as intimidating as he was before.

In an effort to also relax, Rayven and Quinn offered to walk around town with us. Though, truthfully, I didn’t think either of them knew what the word relax really meant.

They now walked a few paces behind Byn and me, their bodies stiff and mechanical. It seemed neither one of them could turn off the soldier or spy in them.

A few paces behind them, though, walked Laurence.

After my outburst at the first meeting, I went to go find him and offered him the job of being my personal guard. There was nobody I knew that I trusted more for the task, and now he was always within a few paces of me.

The male almost cried at the offer I gave him.

I made sure he’d be paid handsomely, but it was the honor and care I put into asking that had him emotional.

I may not have known him very long, but he reminded me of the father I always wished I could have had.

He accepted the assignment with glee, happy to be of service to the royals of the South, who had saved him all those years ago.

He’d even become friendly with Byn now, who was happy I now had extra security.

In the beginning, I thought I would hate having a constant shadow, but I’d grown quite comfortable with his presence.

I made sure he took a day to himself every week, whatever day I spent with one of the Valwain, and that he was only with me during the day time.

I’d hate to overwork him, but he was devout and stubborn.

Now, my hand rested on the inside of Byn’s elbow as we walked into the heart of Cairnyl. It almost took my breath away, how cozy and warm it was here during late-spring. So different from the Salic Mountains I hailed from.

Every storefront was painted a bright shade, each color of the rainbow appearing at least once.

There were large windows at the front of every building, giving a sneak peek of what that store was offering.

The cobbled road was worn down from years of use, and there was a small yet beautiful fountain in the middle of the square, the centerpiece displaying one of the Southern kings of old that I didn’t know the name of.

Though all of us were dressed in casual-wear today, we all got recognized every time we turned onto a new street.

I thought my features were the most noticeable—white plait down my back, pale skin, wings.

But I tried my best to blend in today. I had a simple, form framing lavender shirt on and gray cotton pants that flared out as they went down my legs.

I wasn’t accustomed to all of the attention we were receiving, but Byn paused and talked to each person who stopped him, greeting most of them by name.

Suddenly, it reminded me of how he treated the people back in Diorum.

After saying his farewells to the latest person who came to say hello, Byn gasped at something he saw in the storefront of a bright yellow building, and tugged me into the store with him, the rest of our party ducking inside behind us.

Byn gently let go of my hand and gave me a quick kiss on the cheek before walking to the back of the store to talk to who I assumed was the owner and craftsman of the shop.

Rayven and Quinn followed Byn, stopping to look at different art pieces hung up on the walls as they went.

Laurence stayed nearby, always within earshot of me.

I turned towards the display in the front of the shop’s window and admired the different art pieces they had presented.

Beautifully crafted leather sheaths for swords and daggers of all sizes, banners showing off the Thorntier family crest, and a stunning art piece that depicted the market square right outside in all of its beauty.

I looked out through the window as a mother and her young daughter stopped and stared into the shop, pointing at the paintings and banners, smiling. The mother leaned down and said something that made the little girl laugh, and I felt a pang of envy and sadness strike through me at the sight.

The two females carried on in their walk, and I continued to watch the people come and go, until one person in particular caught my eye as she approached, glancing at the sheaths on display.

The female on the other side of the glass couldn’t have been more than two or three years older than I was.

She had short, wavy hair, such a dark brown it was practically black.

Her skin was olive toned—not as dark as Rayven’s, but not as light as Byn’s, either.

Her eyes, though, were striking—a brown center surrounded by a ring of moss-colored green—the perfect hazel.

It was only when she looked up from beneath the black hood obscuring her features and met my eyes that I realized why I found her face so interesting.

The firm set of her lips, the straight of her nose, the crease between her brows—even the shape of her face resembling a heart.

She looked almost identical to Mother.

My jaw went slack, and the girl seemed to have a similar reaction to my own appearance. She stumbled back, as though physically struck.

Then, she made a run for it.

I busted out of the shop, not bothering to tell Byn or Laurence what I was doing. My mission was simple—catch up to her and talk to her.

Ask her why she looked so much like my mother.

“Wait!” I called out to her, but she was already weaving her way through the crowd at full speed.

“ Stars, ” I cursed under my breath, then set off in a sprint, in the direction I last saw her.

The buildings and clothes of the people were mostly colorful, so the female’s black cloak stood out like a sore thumb as I gently yet firmly pushed my way through the crowds of other fae who were simply out shopping for the day.

I decided to run instead of startling the people around me by flying, and I listened for the sound of the female’s soft footfall over the sound of my own. The boots she was wearing had a small heel on them, clicking against the cobblestone ground with every step she took.

Soon, we cleared the crowds in the square and made it down a side road. I heard Laurence telling me to wait up from somewhere behind me, but the female just turned down another street and I feared I was close to losing her. The thought carried my feet even faster than before.

“Please! Wait!” I yelled out to her as I rounded the corner, and suddenly we were running down a straight, narrow street with nobody else on it.

The female never bothered to look back, but my words seemed to frighten her as she picked up the pace and raced ahead even farther.

She made a swift, sharp turn down a dark alleyway. I caught up a few heartbeats later, rounding the corner and saying, “Please—” when I realized the alleyway was empty, and led to a dead end.

There was no female present. Nothing but a couple trash cans, boxes, and some litter. The alleyway was drenched in shadows, so I walked the length of it, thinking maybe she’d hidden behind one of the trash cans, but she was simply gone.

I returned to the mouth of the alley when Laurence finally caught up, out of breath. I was panting myself, my heart pounding from the chase, but I was more confused and frustrated than anything.

“What,” he panted, “was that?”

“I… I saw somebody. She-she looked like—” I was cut off by the sound of a blood curdling scream in the distance.

From this part of town, we were closer to the forest now—I could see the tree line in the distance. I realized with a start that it was the sound of a female screaming, but then I heard it.

Chirps.

Distressed chirps.

I knew without a doubt those were the sounds of a griffin—not any sort of normal bird or beast. I’d grown up in a place with far too many griffins for me not to be able to recognize them.

Just then, I saw Byn round the corner, along with Quinn and Rayven, coming from the direction of the town square.

I took one heartbeat to meet Byn’s eyes, and I knew he heard the noises, too. He dipped his head once, then jerked his chin towards the sky. I could feel his anxiety in my chest, but I pushed it down, not letting it overpower me.

Trying to keep my mind clear, I began to flap my wings forcefully, launching into the sky.

I heard Laurence curse as he watched me take off.

I didn’t know who was in trouble, where they were, or what they did, but I needed to find out. And somehow, I knew Byn understood.

I loved him all the more for it.

I flew up and over the buildings of Cairnyl, flying in a wide circle until I pinpointed where the screams were coming from. They sounded closer to the forest than to the town, so I quickly readjusted my course to head that way.

The closer to the forest I got, the louder the voice and chirps became.

“There’s been a huge misunderstanding!” the female voice called out, and I spotted her in the same moment, right on the outskirts of the forest, thankfully outside of town.

I realized as I listened to her cry out that I knew that voice.

I’d heard it most recently in my dreams.

I saw the small group then—the numerous guards that had ropes over both captives—a Northerner and a griffin.

Aurora and Eden.

I recognized the smokey gray wings of Aurora and her shock of light blonde hair, along with the white and gray feathers of Eden. I narrowed my wings, dipping down to get closer.

“I need to see her! You don’t understand!” Aurora cried out, fighting against the ropes wrapped around her torso, holding her arms in place by her sides.

Eden snapped at one of the guards who came too close, but there was two on each side of her, all holding ropes they’d thrown across her back to keep her in place.

I landed forcefully, the ground beneath my feet rippling like water a couple feet around me, the earth shooting up in small, jagged spikes. I hadn’t even felt the energy leave my body, my heart pounding in my chest.

“Release them,” I said sternly, staring down the guards, my face void of emotion.

When they hesitated, I stepped forward out of my ring of jagged earth. “ Now, ” I said, venom dripping from my voice.

To my surprise, I wasn’t panicked like I previously would have been. I simply wanted to get to my best friend and griffin, and I didn’t like that my guards weren’t following orders.

After I said that, they shared glances with one another, then dropped the ropes and backed up quickly, as though fearful.

I rushed forward, reaching for Aurora, who was now knelt on the ground, struggling against the ropes tied tightly around her, her arms, and her wings.

“Here, let me,” I said gently, making quick work of the ropes and throwing them to the side. From the corner of my eye, I saw Eden shaking off her ropes, too.

“Aviva.” Aurora sounded exhausted yet relieved as she fell into my arms, and for the first time, I got a truly good look at her.

She was dirty from head to toe, like she’d been traveling for a while. Her light blue dress was ripped near her shoulder, and her hair was hanging down in a tangled mess. Eden didn’t look much better, I realized, both of them sharing matching purple eye bags.

I hugged her tightly to my body, then pulled back and brushed the hair from her face.

“Aurora, not that I’m unhappy you’re here, but this was reckless. What happened? What brought you here?” I said softly to the female who was once my closest friend in the world, not wanting the guards to overhear.

Finally, Aurora picked her head up and looked me in the eyes. To my surprise, she didn’t even acknowledge the change in my appearance since the last time I saw her, or the way the earth just moved beneath my feet a moment ago.

But what she said next knocked the breath out of my lungs.

“I came to warn you,” she said breathlessly. “Aviva, you don’t have much time. A battle is coming.”