Page 144 of Dream Reaper

WHY?

Ava could only shake her head and cry because she didn’t know. She didn’t know why some died while others lived. Why good faltered while evil triumphed. Why love came at such a brutally high cost. Fingertips settled on top of Ava’s head, and she glanced up at Jerrid and Prince Haryk. Jerrid’s expression was grim.

A boot kicked lightly against Ava’s thigh as Prince Haryk crouched beside her. “How is the boy?”

His hands trembled as he balanced his elbows on his knees to keep himself in position.

Ava drew in a shaky breath. “I don’t know, Your Highness. I can’t find any injuries. I don’t know why he hasn’t woken up like the others.”

Jerrid’s fingers shifted from the top of her head to squeeze her shoulder.

Prince Haryk’s expression twisted. “Is it possible that the shadow broke something inside him? Inside his mind?”

The thought flooded her with horror, and Jerrid’s fingers spasmed against her shoulder.

“Flames, I hope not,” Ava rasped. “That would be unthinkable.”

The prince shuddered and lifted one of his shaking hands. “This is horrible. I am holding her sand magic in this very hand, but I don’t know how to use it! I don’t even know if I can.”

“Have you not tried to access it yet?” Ava asked, the faintest stirring of hope in her breast.

But the prince shook his head. “Never. Until this moment, I assumed she gave it to me just to control my phoenix. But now…I would give it back to her if I could, if it meant this boy might live.”

Ava’s heart sank. “Then the best thing to do would be to get him back to Eroth so that Persis can tell us what to do. Maybe she can talk you through what needs to be done.”

The prince shifted as if turning toward the weeping human across from them. “Do you think he would let us?”

Ava and Jerrid exchanged worried glances. Jerrid frowned at her, but something grew steely in his eyes.

“Let me try,” he whispered, and his fingers slipped free of her shoulder to wade through the crowd of crying girls.

Ava sniffed and turned away, unable to watch as Jerrid tried to explain to this grieving man what they wanted to do with his son. That they wanted to take him away, into enemy territory, on a slim chance of survival.

Brynja’s accusing gaze clashed with hers. The girl crouched nearby, her eyes glassy but her cheeks dry.

Ava licked her lips. “It might be the only way.”

Brynja’s expression transformed multiple times, as if she were waging a war with herself, but she finally heaved a heavy sigh. “I’ll go see if the dragon is ready to travel.”

Ava nodded, hoping that Echo had survived in the cellar where they’d hidden her. It had been the only place big enough to hide a dragon that they could think of.

If Echo could fly, then maybe some of them could get back to the palace, to Persis.

Maybe they could get there in time…

In the end, Finnr agreed to their plan, but they had to stay long enough to bury Siri in the forest. It was a pitifully short affair, hardly doing justice to the woman, her legacy, or the hole she left in the hearts of those who loved her.

Finnr had stopped crying, his focus entirely on Roar. He packed in a frenzy, barking orders at anyone who came close to him. No one complained.

The goodbyes were tearful, the girls crying as they hugged Finnr and kissed the sleeping child on his forehead and cheeks. Even Brynja gave Ava a watery smile.

“Bring my brother and nephew back. Take care of them, or I’ll come find you,” she threatened.

Ava winced but laughed. “I believe you.”

In the end, they strapped Finnr and Roar onto Echo’s back since the boy was lighter than any of them, and the dragon’s wings were still healing. Jerrid intended to take as much of the weight as he could to give them all the best chance of reaching Eroth.

It took them about a day and a half of intermittent flight before they saw the peaks of the city in the distance, stark against the noonday sky. Ava had never been so happy to see home before. Tears burned her eyes as she anticipated being reunited with her brother soon.