Page 215 of Blade of the Nightking

The silence that followed stretched long enough to become an answer in itself.

"It's not what you think."

"I don't think anything of it." The words came easily.

He ground his teeth. "Eidra⁠—"

"Rest. You've had a busy night. At daybreak, we leave for Pelaga."

I heard the rustle of clothing as he shifted on the floor.

"No, we don't."

"Yes, we do."

"There’s no way to get there from here. We'll have to retrace our steps, return to Noctharis, and charter a boat to take us around the southern end. Perhaps we can enter through the Barrows on the far side of the Tidelands, but the Bone Women⁠—"

"Sleep."

The silence that followed was noticeably longer.

"What’s wrong with you?"

I stared into the darkness. "I'm tired."

"Eidra." The word left him in a strained exhale.

I said nothing. After a moment, he tried again.

"What happened tonight?"

"I should ask you the same question."

He growled deep in his chest. “Nothing happened.”

“Oh no?”

“I went for a walk.”

I scoffed and turned onto my back. The mirrored ceiling brought Rìan into view. He was stretched out on the floor beside the bed, one arm folded beneath his head as he stared up at my reflection. Already watching me.

“Elyndra—”

“You mean Elly?”

A low sound rumbled through him. I studied him in the reflection, waiting.

He took a long, steadying breath. “Lady Elyndra and I were together centuries ago,” he said, the words carrying the brittle patience of a male rapidly approaching the end of his tether. “When the Firstborn Wars began, she sided with me. She's very distantly related to the Chronods.”

My stare remained blank.

“The Chronods,” he clarified, “are another species of Firstborn. They can manipulate time.”

That explained how she'd managed to stop time long enough for me to chase after the Moiraithe.

Rìan dragged a hand across his face. “She inherited only a miniscule fraction of their abilities, hardly anything, and even that is dangerous. Using her power drains her too quickly. If she isn't careful, it could kill her.”

His gaze shifted away from mine in the reflection.