‘You know how long it takes for them to decide what to do, and I think the bird from Kitore only arrived this afternoon. If we wait for the Council Five to deliberate, we could miss our chance entirely.’
‘Would that be such a bad thing?’ Locke surprises me by asking. ‘If we miss it, Bryn doesn’t have to be in harm’s way.’
Morgan’s expression is grim. ‘Bryn is tied into this deal until Fiana is brought down and someone wants her dead. Perhaps it’s a group of Light Realmer zealots and it has nothing to do with the Underhill. But, if Voss was there, I find that hard to believe.’
He takes my hand. ‘After what happened this afternoon, I think we need your deal with the Underhill to be fulfilled as quickly as possible, Bryn. We need to finish this.’
I nod in agreement. ‘So, how do we get there if the Underhill didn’t give you a tether?’
A round, purple stone drops from Morgan’s hand, hanging by a chain.
Locke’s brows rise. ‘Lia’s the one who gave you the means of getting to Merediea?’
Morgan gives Locke a narrow-eyed look. ‘Being a friend of the Harbinger does have some advantages. This will take us where we need to go.’
Jak picks up his bag. ‘Come. The Great Library will expect us this evening if the bird gets there in time.’
With final, irate glares at Locke, they both draw me from the room.
Gwen immediately approaches when we emerge. She looks at Locke accusingly, her lips pursed in annoyance. She must know what we were doing…
'Eat,' she says, thrusting a pastry into my hand. 'You must eat, and then you must rest.'
'Don't blame Locke,’ I murmur, feeling a bit protective of him as Jak and Morgan are so angry with him again. ‘It was I who…’
Gwen’s brows rise, but she says no more about it. Instead, she hands me a bag. ‘There are more pastries, and some teas to help you regain your strength quickly.’
I nod, belatedly seeing Gwen’s two massive orc mates at the table nearby. Jak, Morgan, and Locke stay very close to me, and the orcs appear amused.
‘Thank you,’ I say, and Gwen gives me a fond smile.
‘I’m glad that the Light agrees with you, Bryn,’ she says. ‘I’m only sorry that some would see your freedom stripped from you. We won’t allow it, you know. They don’t know what hardness the Dark Realms breeds in us, those who grew up in the cruelties of it.’
She looks away, her eyes unfocused. ‘But you’re stronger than they realize, Bryn. Remember that.’
I nod jerkily, tears coming to my eyes as I take her hand and squeeze it. Gwen really does understand. She knows.
She turns away, her eyes suspiciously glassy, and she goes to the table, sitting on the lap of the biggest orc, whose arms encircle her without hesitation as she leans against him.
‘Be safe.’ She gives us a small, solemn wave as we leave the house.
As soon as we're a few paces from the house, Morgan activates the tether. I'm kept between all three of them as we enter the Breach.
But, once we’re inside, they aren’t with me any longer. Panicked, my gaze darts around.
But I’m not in the passage between worlds either. I’m in the white room.
The man in the white robes is here as well, but I’ve arrived as me. I’m not a child, like I have been in my dreams.
I approach him cautiously, and he turns when he hears me. He opens his mouth, and I cover my ears, bracing myself for screams.
But they don’t come.
'Please tell me you can actually understand my words,' he says, stepping closer, looking hopeful.
He sounds different than in the place with the Black Lake, as if this is his true voice.
My breath catches and I nod cautiously.
