Page 12 of Wrath Of Suns And Shadows (The Osparia #2)

It detailed levels of enchantments, including one that could be placed on a cell or chains. It would drain the strength of the person trapped within it to fortify its own power. Only those that gave a sacrifice were the ones it didn’t take from.

I had been right on his ship.

I closed the book and moved on to one that looked to be in Old Fae.

I grabbed it and flipped through the aged yellow pages.

Some pages were so worn that they were impossible to read, but it seemed like a dictionary of some kind.

I stumbled across a word that made heat flush my cheeks and a smile curve on my lips.

Wynsoara was written next to a small paragraph that I couldn’t read.

“Draken,” I called from where he stood on the other side of the library, organizing books and looking for anything else we could go over.

“Hmm?” he questioned, looking up at me.

“Do you know Old Fae?” I asked, and he nodded.

“Yes, I know most of the many languages of the books in here.”

“Could you tell me what this says?” I asked, and he sauntered over from where he was, setting down a few more books on my table.

“Wynsoara,” he said as he pointed to the brief paragraph with a single finger and read along.

“Wynsoara, a guiding light in the midst of endless darkness.” The first part of the meaning made tears swell in my eyes. “Are you alright?” Draken asked, not finishing the rest as heat flushed my cheeks.

“Yes,” I said, wiping my face with a smile so wide it hurt. “I just miss someone, that’s all. Could you help me learn some more Old Fae?” I asked, and he nodded.

“Of course. Is there any particular reason?” He looked at me in expectation of my answer, but I wagged my head.

“I just want to learn.”

“Alright.” He took the seat next to me. “We have multiple books on Old Fae and the Celestials of Light and Dark. That was their primary language. Would you like to learn about them?”

“Yes, I want to learn about it all.”

“We’re going to be here awhile,” he joked.

“I’ve got time. Besides, Shay needs the time off after how hard we’ve been training.”

“I’m right here, you know?” Shay called from the front of the library, where Emeris and her were lying down and looking up at the clouds through the canopy of trees just outside the front door. Emeris never wanted to leave her sight now that the secret was out.

We spent hours with our heads in the books.

Shay joined in for a little while before she went for a ride on Emeris.

I learned how Celestial Fae of Shadows could infect your mind like a poison and turn your fears against you, while the Celestials of Light could take control of your inner soul and bend your perceptions.

Both could infect your mind in different ways.

Now I understood why Crow had told me their kind were hunted.

Their abilities amazed me, and they surpassed what any normal bender could do with the elements.

I wondered if Crow could see me through his wisps of shadows when he came to visit me in the morning.

Could he hear me? Did he get in my head and know all my deepest thoughts?

I didn’t believe he would do those things without my permission, but the thought of someone having that power over me was something to ponder.

I wondered what he was doing now, if he was safe, where he was in Ember . . .

Loud flapping of dragon wings, more than just one pair, sounded from outside, and the wind was so strong coming from the open front door that the pages of all the books started flipping on their own.

Shay walked in. “It’s time for a break, guys. Its almost sunset at this point and I’m starving. Ris and I grabbed some dinner on our ride. Draken, would you mind making a campfire so we can cook the fish we caught?”

“Snippy when we’re hungry, aren’t we?” Draken quipped, and I gave him a wide-eyed look with a subtle wag of my head, telling him to watch it as Shay stared daggers at him. “Alright, gods, calm down. I’ll go make up camp,” he conceded with his hands raised as he walked toward the door.

“How many dragons are out there?” I asked.

“A few of the others wanted to join us for dinner. I’m sure they already started without us, so we better get a move on if we want any fish before it’s all gone,” she said with a smile, and I closed all the books and stacked them back up neatly before I stood.

I had been hunched over in a chair so long that my back ached, and when I finally lifted my head, so did my neck.

The last time I’d had my head buried in books, I’d been a kid learning with my Kumai.

That was another time . . .

Shay and I walked out of the library to find Emeris and a few other dragons, along with three little ones.

They were the size of small dogs right now and were absolutely adorable.

One was a gray color, and when the sun’s rays shined down on his scales, they would shimmer a baby blue, while the other one was a dark forest green.

He would easily blend in with the trees.

The third looked almost identical to Emeris.

I went to pet them but paused. Fear slithered through me.

Suddenly, I was nervous to be around them after seeing how protective Emeris got with Shay.

I was sure they’d get even more so over their own young.

Two of the dragon pups played tug of war with a fish until it ripped in half, and they scarfed it down before trying to grab another one from the net that Shay had gotten.

“It’s alright.” Shay leaned down, stroking two of the little beasts as they ate. “They won’t hurt you,” she said as she moved to sit by Emeris.

“Yeah, after last night, I’m not taking any chances,” I scoffed, and Emeris purred, making Shay chuckle.

Shay grabbed my wrist and lowered me to a crouch with her to the gray dragon that seemed more interested in me than the fish. My face scrunched with nerves as Shay opened her hand, palm out. “It’s alright. You try,” she said, and I did the same.

The gray dragon leaned into my touch with his snout and screeched happily as he took a step back and then barreled past my palm and leapt into my lap. He snuggled against me and stretched out his leatherlike wings before he plopped down and made himself comfortable. Shay and I shared a laugh.

“I think he likes you,”

“What gave it away?” I joked as she took a seat next to me.

The net was full of fish, all larger than I was expecting, but it made sense. With Magni being protected, so was life within it. Fish and any other wildlife could thrive here without being disturbed.

Draken started a fire as the dragons started eating any leftovers from the net.

He cleaned and gutted the fish before skewing them and placing them over the open flame.

He finished just as Shay and I got comfortable leaning against Emeris as she plopped on the ground behind us.

Draken handed Shay and me the charred fish, and we dug in.

Shay sliced off the head and tossed it up in the air so Emeris could catch it in her mouth.

“You don’t like the head?” I asked as I went for the fish's eyes, popping one in my mouth, and Shay grimaced at me.

“Gods no, that’s gross!” Shay exclaimed.

“It’s the richest for your body, you know?” I said it with a smile, but only I knew what sadness lingered behind it. If only I could tell my Pada how much I appreciated it now—his knowledge, his love. I wondered if he could see me from wherever he was in the light.

We finished our meal as the sun disappeared in the west. Draken shifted into his dragon form. I heard one, two flaps of his large wings as he leapt on to the top of the library. He had slept there for so long that his dragon form had worn an impression on it.

The last of the fire crackled and popped as I scooted the gray dragon off my lap. His little growls for snores tugged a smile to my lips as I moved off Emeris and walked over to my bedroll. Shay’s breathing was already slow and even with sleep as she lay perched up against Emeris.

The other dragons took their leave. Shay had told me they had a dragon’s den, and I hoped I’d get to visit there soon. I couldn’t wait to explore more of the island.

“Goodnight, Eme,” Emeris whispered as she laid her head almost in Shay’s lap and closed her eyes.

“Goodnight, Ris,” I said as I turned over and fell asleep.