But as if waiting in the shadows to pounce at the right moment, the dream hovering in the back of my mind threw its arms around me, and the stinging ache of dishonesty and broken promises shoved me back to reality.
Resentment flooded in its wake, and I shrugged out of Ronan’s grip.
“Find the Celestyn Bone, Ronan.”
CHAPTER FORTY
NERISSA
My heart is yours, Nissy. My breath is yours. My life is yours. I’ll drop to my knees if you wish. I’ll give you an air oath and a ring if you’ll let me.
– Correspondence from Ronan to Nerissa. 44thof Spring, 064.3E.
Nerissa – Aedrialis, Sultira
The red glow of Mount Telum’s rubelline stones filtered through the oval windows lining the castle’s wide halls, making it difficult to discern the time of day. I strode quickly through the silent halls, Ronan’s eyes burning a hole through the back of head and his words still lingering.
I rounded the corner, and my shoulders sagged in relief as I put distance between myself and the high steward. A small whisper of regret scraped my chest, and I squashed it beneath my boot like a spider. I had no room for that type of weakness. Not any longer.
Where are you?I reached into that space connecting me to Aquila, forcing my anger to heel and preparing for our flight back to Lotrennia to inform Bayne of what I’d learned.
I’m roosting, the ancient bird’s voice rumbled in my mind.
My brows shot up.As in…nesting?My lips tugged up.
A scoff sounded in my mind.I’m very tired, young one. I am resting. I’m not far.
A pang of guilt stabbed into my gut. Of course, Ronan had been right. Aquila needed rest. I blew out a sigh, resigned to the fact we would be staying at least one night. I forced my shoulders to relax as I hit the stairs and hopped down them, intent on finding Evony and then a place for Kresida and me to sleep.
I rounded another corner, and a petite woman slammed into me with a yelp. I blinked as Vienah’s hand flew to her chest. Her brown eyes widened when they landed on me.
“I’m so sorry, Nerissa,” she stammered, blinking rapidly. I opened my mouth and then paused, choosing my next words carefully.
“For what?” I asked, tilting my head and examining her. Stray strands of strawberry blonde hair framed her face. “For betraying us?”
A flush inched up her ivory neck, her freckles darkening as it reached her cheeks.
“Yes,” she breathed.
My nostrils flared as I stared at her. Odessa had been horrific. The water witch had been a spy for King Saros, using her ability to manipulate the weather to send signals regarding our whereabouts to the late king and his soldiers through lightning in the sky.
It was how Sultiran soldiers ambushed the Rising camp in Odessa, how they found us again at Demon’s Door. And then, when we’d bypassed Saros’s forces in the Rellenor Fields on our way to Aedrialis last fall, we’d thought we finally had theupper hand. Until Gork and his little army warned us they were coming. All because Vienah had sent them signals.
“I didn’t have a choice,” Vienah muttered, her shoulders straightening. “Saros had my family. He had been sending mepiecesof them.”
The beast inside me snarled, and my eyes darted between hers.
“You would have done anything to protect your family,” Vienah continued, her resolve hardening as she crossed her arms.
“You were alone and scared in Odessa,” I murmured, tilting my head as I examined her. “If I’d been as weak as you, then perhaps I would have knowingly sentenced hundreds of good men and women to their deaths.”
The flush in Vienah’s face drained.
“ButafterOdessa…” I continued, my voice lowering. “When Lyvia took you under her wing? After Lotrennia… After what we all faced together in the Death Dunes…”
I trailed off, my brows narrowing. My head shook softly. “I would have asked for help. I would have recognized what we had… Whatyouhad with Lyvia. She has always been too trusting. And I will not forgive you for that, even if she does some day,” I said, unwilling to keep the bite from my bark.
Vienah flinched as the words smacked her in the face.
