Chewing the inside of my cheek, I stared at the towering castle nestled against the falls. From the outside, it appeared peaceful. The network of homes tucked away in the trees were full of life, and a warm, buttery glow flickered from the windows. Charmers and beasts alike milled about the wooden bridges. Despite the horrors we’d faced, we were surviving. Finding joy where we could. I couldn’t let Yazmin jeopardize that. And if she truly did send the parcel…I needed to know what she was planning.
“Let’s go.” Hand in hand, we walked toward the keep and made our way to my quarters. Attendants tipped their chins in polite bows before dispersing, giving us privacy as we closed the double doors to my room. Unmoving, a Havra stood near the exit, her four, deerlike eyes riveted to the low table in front of the hearth. This must’ve been the beast Kaori had stationed to monitor the package. With the ability to materialize through walls, the Havra would’ve been able to safely flee if something dangerous had emerged. Fortunately, that hadn’t happened, and the small, slender beast took one look at me before fading into the wall, presumably returning to Kaori.
With the beast gone, the fist-sized parcel stole my focus. Resting on the coffee table, it appeared unassuming enough. Just a box wrapped in faded-brown paper and tied off with twine. A tiny bit of parchment was attached to the string—addressed to Hireath’s new Crown—and I kneeled before it to get a closer look.
Noc inched toward it. “How do we know it’s safe to open?”
I assumed Kaori and Raven had done their due diligence, perhaps summoning a Dosha to test the paper for poison before bringing it here. But I doubted they examined the contents further out of respect for my privacy. Channeling power to my Charmer’s emblem, I focused on the beast realm door and wrenched it open. After searching for a few moments, I found my Bockular munching on grub beneath a shade tree and called him to my side.
He manifested on the table and looked up at me with giant, glass-blue eyes that dominated most of his tiny face. No larger than a teacup, my hedgehog-like beast rolled onto his hind legs and shook out his rainbow quills.
“Hey, Cushy.” I gently poked his soft underbelly, and he let out a playful squeak. “Can you examine that box for me?”
Snout rounding on the parcel, he gave it a quick sniff before placing his abnormally large hands on its sides. His eyes homed in on the package, and his body went still.
“What’s he doing?” Noc asked.
“Checking its contents. Cushy can see through barriers, so long as he’s touching them. Though anything beyond a few inches and it’s much harder for him to get a clear picture. Either way, he’ll share what he finds with me like Felicks does with Kost.” I tapped my temple, waiting for an image to form in my mind.
When it finally appeared, my breath caught.
Cushy released his hold on the parcel and crawled toward my frozen hands. With a quiet chuff, he nudged my fingers.
“Leena?” Noc asked.
I couldn’t think. Couldn’t breathe. All I could see was the outline of two book-shaped pendants wrapped in cloth. Panic clawed up my throat. They were bestiaries.Bestiaries.Our pendants could only be removed by a Charmer’s hand, which meant this gift had to come from Yazmin. Even worse, it meant there were Charmers in the capital.
LivingCharmers.
Slowly, I extended my shaking fingers and opened the beast realm door. I sent Cushy home without a word before dropping my hand to the table.
Noc settled to his knees beside me and grazed my arm. “Leena, what’s wrong?”
I couldn’t bring myself to answer him yet. Not until I knew for absolute certain, with my own eyes, what was inside. Gently, I tugged at the twine and peeled back the paper. The lid was all too easy to remove, and I peered down at the very thing I’d hoped I’d never see: two bestiaries laid upon ivory cloth, just as Cushy had shown me.
Noc stilled, his hand on my arm going rigid. He’d know exactly what it meant to receive a “gift” like this.
Ears ringing, I brought shaky fingers to the first of two bestiaries, their chains still intact. I could feel the grooves of a name etched into the leather, taunting me with a truth I wasn’t sure I wanted to unearth. Tilting it toward the crackling fire, I examined the gold lettering of our ancient language.
Verlin.I inhaled sharply, dropping the pendant back into the box. Slowly, I willed myself to examine the second one.
Sabine.
My world slipped out from under me. I barely remembered my parents, but I’d never forget their names. My aunt had made certain of that, always reminding me that they’d been named after members of the first Charmers Council. She wanted me to know where I came from. And now, with my mother’s bestiary clasped tight in my hand, I could feel her. It was as if she were there, running gentle fingers through my hair as I bounced impatiently in her lap. I heard the soft hum of a long-forgotten lullaby. Felt the warmth and security of her hug, as if she’d be able to protect me from anything.
Noc curled his fingers over mine and held my hand tight. “Who do they belong to?”
Rounding my gaze on him, I didn’t even try to stop the flood of tears. “My parents.” A sob racked my chest, and he pulled me to him. Burying my head in his tunic, I tried to lose myself in his embrace. To find security and stability when the very foundation of my world had just been annihilated. They were still alive. My parents werealive. Snaking my free hand back to the box, I secured my father’s bestiary and held it close. I couldfeeltheir power humming from the pendants. Their ties to the beast world. If they’d died, the books would’ve gone with them. But here they were, warm against my palms.
Yazmin had been right. She’d found them.
Suddenly, my ratcheted breathing halted. A wet cry died in my throat.
How many others had she found?
Over the years, a number of Charmers had “died” on beast hunts. Wilheim couldn’t have possibly captured them all. But…I didn’t know. And if there was a small force of Charmers being held captive in the capital, how could Noc not have known? His parents?
I jerked my head upward and took in myanam-cara’s expression. Pain. Sadness. Concern. And yet… “You didn’t know. Promise me you really didn’t know.”
