AllFreeNovel
Share Us
An aging Artithian stood behind a podium. He folded his weathered hands. “Shadow Prince. How may we be of assistance to you?”
Rune strolled to the podium. He parted his lips taking a breath. He tasted nervousness and fear on the man. Yet Ra’Voshnik didn’t react, too preoccupied with Faye’s absence. After he broke the enchantment he was under, repurposing it would be his first priority.
The corner of his mouth lifted. Perhaps he should be grateful to the minx. Rune’s gaze lifted to the Artithian’s. “I would like any documents you have predating Saith taken to my research suite.”
The man rustled his white feathered wings. He scratched a pen over a small piece of parchment. “We will bring you everything we find.” The librarian lifted the parchment between his two fingers, and it blazed before vanishing.
“It is appreciated,” Rune said and phased to his private suite. He took a seat, pleased to see a few documents already waiting for him.
Sadi materialized next to him, hugging herself. “You need to be careful with her.”
Rune nodded. “What did you see?”
Sadi ran her hand through her black hair. “My visions say one of us is death and the other is maddened darkness. Chaos and madness go hand in hand. Rune this girl is death.”
“I am aware. I need to break the tie linking my life to hers.”
Her gaze fixed on him. “Not just your death. When I asked whose death, they said all. If she kills you and you can’t stop The Crumbling, everything dies.”
“Calm yourself. I will untie myself from her. Your father assigned me this task. I will see it done.” He’d seen her like this from time to time. Erratic, still half in her visions.
Sadi paced back and forth in small steps, rubbing her arms. “Something is wrong. I just can’t see it.”
He stood, catching her against his chest, and she stilled. “Be easy.” He murmured. “You are too deep in your visions. Let your mind quiet.”
She clutched at his shirt, bunching it in her hands as she leaned closer to him. Her eyes darted wildly around the room, witnessing things he could not. He murmured comforting sounds to her as he stroked her hair.
Her grip loosened as time passed. After several minutes Sadi seemed calm, her midnight gaze focusing on him.
“You should rest.”
Sadi nodded, stepping away from him. She muttered, “Be careful. You may be able to avoid death, but pain will be inevitable with her.”
She vanished before Rune could ask if that was part of her vision as well.
He pushed the Familiar’s riddles from his mind and turned back to his table. A tattered book appeared on the loose pages. He took his seat, opening it.
He read, carefully turning the pages. Nearly three hours passed as he closed the book. Useless information on the first incarnation of Pure Bloods. Rune leaned back in his chair and rubbed his forehead. No other books appeared. Was this book and a handful of loose documents all they possessed? He’d return tomorrow.
Rune phased to his room and was met with the door separating his room and Faye’s ajar.
The Ra’Voshnik raged to the surface, bleeding through his gaze.She offers invitation.
Fool creature.She is not from court. This is not an invitation to her bed.
Rune peered into her room to find it empty. The Ra’Voshnik growled its disappointment. He turned and pushed his senses over his estate, feeling for Faye and her entourage.
Rune withdrew his senses. She was in his south wing. The male in a separate room further up the hall than the women. He felt a perimeter set at the beginning of the hallway. Nothing that could keep him out, but it would alert the male of his presence. Court born who served as a guard perhaps?
The male thinks to keep her from us. Strangle him with his own wings!
Rune slammed the door and took a step toward the hall before he regained control of his body. A chill ran through him. He’d never lost control to the Ra’Voshnik. The creature didn’t seem to notice, frantically circling his mind.
Invite her to our bed, it insisted.She will curl to us in her sleep.
Be silent,Rune growled, dragging it beneath the surface.
Chapter twenty-one
