My mind begins to spiral. “Are you saying that if the powers of Aquila shifted to Vivi, she could lift the curse?”
He nods. “Precisely.”
“So killing Queen Maewe would help me break the curse because Vivi would inherit the power once her mother died.”
King Ruel glances at Castiel, who steps forward. “It isn’t that simple. The power of the land has to be transferred through a ritual. Most rulers step down when they’re tired of the politics. If a ruler dies before the ritual can be performed, the new ruler must earn the power through a series of trials that can take thousands of years.”
“We can’t wait thousands of years,” I blurt out.
“No, and as you know, we’re on the verge of war,” Castiel continues. “The Aquila ruler must have access to their full powers or the kingdom will surely lose.”
I pull my hair back. “There’s no hope, then.”
“I wouldn’t have brought you here if there were none,” King Ruel chimes in.
“If there’s a way I can lift this damn curse, then stop beating around the bush and tell me how!”
“Watch your tone, savage. You’re speaking to the king of Aquila,” Telar barks.
I glower in his direction. I might not be able to beat King Ruel in a fight, but I bet I can scratch his minion’s pretty face before anyone can stop me.
“An ancient object exists that can transfer the power of the land from one ruler to the next without a need for a ritual. It’s called the Magna Vis,” the king answers calmly. “However, it’s hidden in a place no Nightingale can escape from. But you, my dear, are not a Nightingale. You can retrieve it for me.”
Alarm bells sound in my head. I glance at Castiel, and for the first time, I read discomfort in his expression.
“If it was only a matter of using a non-Nightingale person to find this object, you would have done it already. Why now, and most importantly, why me?”
“Because the Magna Vis is hidden in the Valley of Lost Souls. One must have a very strong tether to the outside world to find their way back,” Castiel replies.
Understanding dawns on me, and my blood seems to freeze in my veins. “Karl. I have Karl.”
Nineteen
KARL
ELLNESARI, PRESENT DAY
There are many unpleasant aspects of walking the wind, but the worst by far is the need to get close to the person who has access to the magic. The only Nightingales I trust in my personal space are Vivi and Rikkon. My wolf rebels the moment Selor wraps his hand around my arm. The need to shift becomes almost a compulsion. But I fight it, because this is the only way I can hope to find Manu.
After a few trips in this manner, I come to the conclusion that the experience varies depending on who’s wielding the magic. Selor’s power is erratic, and maybe it’s because we don’t know the destination, but I feel like a rag doll in a washing machine. My body gets yanked in all directions every couple of seconds, making this a trip from hell. Flashes of blue light pulse in the darkness, and paired with the constant motion, it’s almost impossible to concentrate on Manu’s scent.
“Have you found her trail yet?”Selor’s question pops into my head.
Fuck. I didn’t know he had telepathic powers. Since I can’t make my mouth work, I reply with a thought.“If you stop behaving like a damn roller coaster, I might have a chance.”
“The trip is choppy because I don’t know where we’re going. Find her scent before we’re torn apart!”
I clench my jaw and focus, but soon I realize it’ll be impossible to find Manu in my human form. If I shift into a wolf, Selor’s hold on me will likely slip. Son of a bitch. There’s only one thing I can do—attempt a partial shift. But I’ve never done it quite as well as Cheryl. Whenever I surrender to the wolf, it’s hard to stop halfway through.
Here goes nothing.
The muscles on my face shift, and my fangs elongate. Immediately, all sounds and smells around me become enhanced. But I have to concentrate to stop the shift from completing, and it fucking hurts. How can Cheryl do it like it’s a walk in the park?
On top of the pain, my senses become overloaded with too many new scents, and it’s hard to pick them apart. It takes me precious seconds to finally locate Manu’s signature woven in with all the other smells. The bond flares inside my chest, and the invisible tug pulls my body in her direction.
“I got it. What do I need to do?”I ask Selor.
“Nothing, wolf boy. I see it too. Hold tight.”
