“The summer solstice,” Avalon repeated. Her jaw dropped as she realized how close this day was—andthiswas the tenth year of the curse. “That’s only weeks away!”
The Wraith continued as if she hadn’t spoken. “If Sable is Hilandria reincarnated, she may only be freed from her imprisonment if you take her to the place of her birth: The Temple of Fire in Hilsian. There is a book-shaped impression in the obelisk on the top floor of the temple. You must place the stones inside the book, and then set the book inside the impression so that it may bond with the stone. Only then will you break the curse.”
Avalon looked to Hadrian, despair weighing heavy on her heart. How could they possibly find the stones and make it to Hilsian before the solstice?
“My home,” she whispered. Hilsian, the city she’d lived her entire eighteen years.
“You still want to do this?” Hadrian said, his eyes filled with concern.
She drew a shaky breath and nodded once.
The Wraith had finished packing. There were so many questions she still wanted to ask him, but it seemed he was finished here. They were on their own.
But Avalon said, “One more thing.”
The Wraith rolled his bloodshot eyes. “It’s almost midday, Princess. You know how I feel about the sun.”
There was a threat in Avalon’s voice as she said, “Did you eat our horses?”
A smile played at the corners of his mouth, but the surprise in his eyes was honest. “I only hunt wild horses, Princess.”
“The last time we saw them was in the Realm of Wind,” she pressed, “whereyouwere supposedly watching me.”
“I know I’ve never given you much reason to trust me. But believe me when I say the last time that I saw your horses was the last timeyousaw them.” The Wraith tightened the straps on his saddlebags. “Though I wouldn’t hold out hope that they’ll return. There have been whisperings in the North—winged shadows over forests and villages. Livestock have been disappearing in alarming numbers. No one knows what to make of it.”
Hadrian and Avalon looked at each other. “Winged shadows?” the captain repeated.
Avalon cut in. “Has no one seen these…things?”
The Wraith shrugged. “According to what I’ve heard, as soon as a person looks up at the sky to see what it is, nothing is there. The shadow on the ground is the only indication that something is hunting you.”
A shiver ran down Avalon’s spine.
Before she could ask anything more, the captain said, “Where are you heading now?”
“Back to the House of Ice, but not to see your father. I’d like to speak to Kit Wilding. If anyone has an inkling of where your Moonstone is, it’s the Wolf of Winter.”
The captain said, “Kaia told us the third Tear was used as decoration on the Witch Lord Gandraian’s breastplate years ago.”
The Wraith gave another slow, impatient blink. “Might you be asking for more than you can afford, Captain?”
“Afford?” Avalon gave a snort of disgust. “Are we paying you now?”
But instead of receiving an answer, Hadrian said, “Just give me the satisfaction of knowing that our efforts won’t all be for nothing.” Avalon heard everything he didn’t say: No matter how many of the sacred stones they found, if they didn’t find the final Tear, they would fail.
In the light of the rising sun, the Wraith’s eyes glowed a frothy green. “Don’t worry about the Tear. If I can find your Moonstone, I can take care of a breastplate jewel.”
Then the Wraith paused. Gave Avalon a rather sheepish smile.
Before the princess and the captain could even think to react, there was a flash of silver as the Wraith advanced toward Avalon, his speed inhuman.
Avalon stumbled back, righting herself on the fallen beech tree. She was so shocked—so frightened—that she almost didn’t feel the sting of the blade.
Almost.
28
Nocturne swore she could feel the presence of the dead.
