“There are five Hearts,” Lykor clipped, enduring the explanation. He held up his fingers so that she could count. “And those five Hearts,” he said, pointing to the tips of his digits, “each havea dragon bound—perhaps the last of their kind.” Struck by a ripple of generosity from her rapt attention—well, mostly from her silence—he offered more of Aesar’s conclusions. “Your connection to the earth through your shaman blood is likely the reason you can hear the echo of their words.”
“Aesar believes these relics are keys,” Kal said, before the girl could start bickering back. He rested a hand on top of the Heart, igniting the three colors of his talents.
“And though we only have one,” Lykor growled, “surely unbinding the might of a single dragon would be better than nothing.”
“But I have elemental power.” The elf’s brows creased with her furious thinking, looking between them. “Doesn’t that mean the dragon’s magic has already been freed?”
“Shaman power differs from dragon power,” Kal gently explained. “You can’t conjure the elements like they could. We don’t know the extent of what your human line might be capable of, but it’s obvious you can manipulate elements if they’re present.” The captain nodded at the pitcher of water, and Lykor assumed that the girl had performed her tricks before he’d arrived.
The elf frowned, twirling her hair around a finger. “Then I don’t understand why the earthen powers have only now appeared again after all this time.”
Lykor dug a fist into his eye, seriously regretting joining this wretched conclave instead of portaling away.
“The druid sterility curse finally going into effect two centuries ago likely triggered the elements to stir—that’s what Aesar believes, anyway.” Kal glanced at Lykor. “Dragon power slumbered alongside shaman power. Having their magic go dormant was perhaps the only way to protect the mortals. The Aelfyn would’ve had no reason to target them.”
“The king has prepared for the return of elemental magic,” Lykor grated out, sneering at the girl. “Aesar presumesGalaeryn’s aspirations extend to controlling shaman spawn like you in order to subdue the Maelstrom. The king will cross the sea and harvest whatever is left of the dragons’ ancient magic for himself—or try to.” Thinking of Galaeryn accumulating even more power had Lykor’s gut twisting into a sour knot. “That’s why we need to earn the beasts’ favor by freeing them first. If they’re alive.”
“What about the druids?” Fenn asked, his interest always piquing at the extinct flying shifters. “Could they be guarding the chained dragons?”
“We have no way of knowing since the war took place across the sea,” Kal said, twisting a thin braid between his fingers. “If there were any druids left, they wouldn’t have permitted the Aelfyn to rule. If the dragons can’t stand against Galaeryn, then there’s no hope for us.” To Lykor’s annoyance, his captain had voiced what he was about to say. Kal glanced at him, a residual thunder flashing in his eyes. “Then it won’t matter what scorching end Lykor leads us to.”
DRACOVAE’S TITS, I DON’T HAVE THE STRENGTH TO DEAL WITH THIS SHIT,Lykor snarled inwardly to Aesar, who he sensed stirring.
Aesar arched a brow, swiveling to hook his knees over an armrest, lounging across a couch in his library.They’re including you.
NO, THEY WANT SOMETHING FROM ME. I NEED TO—
Yes, yes,Aesar flapped a hand.I know you want to search that jungle, but you should address what’s in front of you too.He waved a cup of steaming tea into existence on an end table.There could also be a Heart somewhere in this fortress. Use the resources you have. You don’t have to do all of this alone.
Lykor directed his scowl at Fenn and the girl.
“Lieutenant, you and the elf scour the keep up until the second the wraith are ready to abandon this stronghold. If there’s a Heart here, I want you to find it.”
Fenn straightened, swelling with apparent pride for being assigned to the task. Lykor knew how to deflate him. “That doesn’t mean rousing suspicion by flapping your mouth at the Lagoon.”
Fenn flinched, the excited glow in his eyes dimming.
“And what willyoube doing while we carry out your bidding?” Kal demanded, his unblinking stare conveying his disagreement to trek across the Wastes.
Shoving back from the table, Lykor almost rejected the question as beneath him.
“If I have yourpermission, Captain,” Lykor hissed, “I’m going to search that jungle.” Shoulders twitching, irritation nearly had Lykor’s skin bristling off his spine. “If the druids claimed any Hearts in the war, we prioritize searching their ancient capitals first—that’s all we have to go on. We have weeks at best before we need to abandon this place.”
Kal crossed his arms, sweeping his gaze over Lykor. “And what about my suggestion of portaling me—”
“No,” Lykor snapped. “This is the final time you’re bringing that up.”
Kal hadn’t relinquished his scheme of urging Aesar to transport him back to the military island. The captain intended to spin an illusion and seek Vesryn out, appearing fully as an elf, since his sharper features and skin tone still favored the wraith. Aesar wasn’t inclined to put Kal in that danger. Not that Lykor would’ve permitted the risk anyway.
“What do we do about the reavers in the meantime?” Fenn asked, fiddling with one of his eyebrow rings.
“Let them stay, let them go. It matters not to me.” Flaring his power, Lykor snatched his cloak with a whip of force. “If they refuse to follow my lead, then they don’t have a place with the wraith. I can only suffer fools for so long.” He twisted open a portal, speaking over his shoulder. “Keep a guard on the girl. I don’t want her magic falling into their hands.”
CHAPTER 35
JASSYN
Shadows swarmed Jassyn like a ballistic beehive. Essence blazing, he spun a renewed flare of violet light, arcing a shield between him and the prince. Doubtful that his crystalline ward would withstand Vesryn’s magical assault, Jassyn dodged the barrage of darkness, diving to the ground.
