Page 113 of Queen of Shadows and Ruin

“Raja Abishek,” Row said as Thriti’s lips parted.

“Ah,” she said as though that made everything clear.

“What?” Yasen asked. “What is it?”

“When they arrived, they chose a dragon as the symbol to bind them,” she said. “Rabin already had a tattoo used to aid in his transformation.”

“Right?” Row asked, his shoulders curving with tension.

“I thought I sensed something else buried in its magic.”

“What?” Yasen asked.

She shook her head. “I wasn’t entirely sure. I almost thought I imagined it. However, if Kishore is the mystic who applied it, I’m slightly more confident it was layered with a form of controlling magic.”

“And you didn’t say anything?” Row asked.

She raised her hands in defense. “That was not my place. People choose to mark their bodies with many kinds of magic. Besides, I wasn’t even sure I was right.”

They all fell silent as Yasen’s heart pounded in his chest.

“Fuck!” he said a moment later. “He’s done something to her. To both of them. That’s why she hasn’t sent a letter! He lied to them.”

His gaze met Row’s, who looked at him with worry and fear in his dark eyes.

“We have to find them.”

THIRTY-FIVE

Rabin wrapped his arms tighter around a shivering Zarya, trying to offer some warmth. The fire burned in the center of the cavern, casting just enough heat to ensure they didn’t freeze to death but not much else.

They lay on a thin pallet, covered by a thin blanket, with their teeth chattering. Abishek, Kishore, and Ekaja had their magic to keep them warm, and the mountain men were accustomed to these harsh elements.

“Use just a bit of air,” he whispered into her ear. “Whatever happens to me, I’ll handle it. You’re freezing. Warm us up.”

“Absolutely not.” She said it so softly that only he could hear it, but he felt the bite in her words. “We have no idea how it might affect you. Until we understand what Kishore meant, I’m not using my magic.” She buried closer to him. “We’ll be fine. At least we have each other.”

Rabin didn’t respond. Abishek hadn’t tied them up or set a watch, which meant he truly believed there was nowhere for them to escape. Where would they run in these unforgiving mountain passes? He’d hired Catana and his companion to guide them for a reason. Not even Abishek knew how to navigate this remote part of his kingdom.

Rabin could have easily flown them out, but he wouldn’t risk his magic, either. Not if shifting might hurt Zarya. His teeth ground together in frustration. Everything Abishek had told them made their situation sound worse and worse. He had no idea how they would get out of this, nor what he’d meant in saying Rabin was his insurance.

Zarya shivered again, her teeth clacking together.

A moment later, he felt a breath of warm air settle around them, covering them more effectively than any blanket. He looked up to find Ekaja staring from across the cavern, the firelight reflecting in the darkness of her gaze.

His eyes narrowed as he stared back. She’d used her magic to help them. Was this some kind of peace offering? Was he supposed to forgive her now?

Zarya noticed the direction of his stare and watched Ekaja before she turned her focus on him.

“Ignore her,” he said before they lay back down, but Ekaja’s magic held. He considered telling her to knock it off and that he didn’t need her help, but the color was returning to Zarya’s lips. He’d endure his ex-friend’s brand of misguided support for her sake.

Zarya crooked a finger, gesturing for him to lean in.

“I want to try entering the mind plane again,” she whispered in his ear. “Concentrate on reaching me.”

He nodded and watched as her eyes slid closed. He did the same, searching in the layers of his mind for that spot where she lingered. He’d felt it earlier when she’d tried to reach him, but could they fight through the king’s magic?

He saw the faintest glimmer deep in his mind’s eye and stretched towards it, reaching for her. The glimmer grew brighter and flared momentarily before it stuttered away, his mind turning everything black once again.