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"What about Cavan?" I went back to sketching. "You wouldn't kick him out of your nest, would you?"
She smiled and laughed softly. "No, but that doesn't necessarily mean I trust him either. Physical attraction doesn't always make sense."
"Is that all it is?" I carefully drew the outline of the mountains, and shaded where the map was shaded. "He's also intelligent, powerful, and doesn't take crap from anyone. Not even Ryze."
"It sounds like you have a crush on him," she teased.
I looked over and flashed her a smile. "Is it that obvious?" I pushed my hair back over my shoulder and went back to sketching. "Like you said, physical attraction doesn't always make—"
Khala was gone.
The whole library was gone.
19
Tavian
The mountainside overlooked a wide valley. A sheer drop ended in a river, which meandered through the middle, glittering in the afternoon sun.
I traced its progress with my gaze until it reached the delta and flowed out to sea.
A stiff breeze ruffled my clothes and hair. Strands blew across my eyes. I pushed them back, tucking them behind my ears. I straightened my long tunic.
"Are you listening, Patric?" a voice snapped behind me.
I turned.
The man beside me turned too. "I hear you Yala, but it's not time yet. The chicks are too young."
"Old enough to be ridden," Yala snapped. "What are we waiting for? The next clutch of chicks? The clutch after that? You always say it's not time yet." Her eyes flicked to me and she curled her lip before looking away.
"When the time is ready, we'll know," Patric said patiently.
"Tavian?"
Whose voice was that? There was no one here but me, Patric and Yala.
"Tavian?" It came again, more frantic this time.
"How will we know?" Yala demanded.
"The five will come—"
Patric's voice faded and he was gone, replaced by the library and Khala's worried face.
"Tave? Are you all right?"
I shook my head. "Yes. I'm fine. I was just…not here for a moment."
"I saw that," she said. "You looked deep in thought, but your face was pale." She brushed hair off my forehead with warm fingers. "You're so cold."
"It was—"
The sound of screaming outside the library interrupted me.
"Stay here." When she started to argue, I grabbed her wrists and pulled her closer to me.
"Whatever's going on, someone needs to finish transcribing those songs and sketching the maps. Can you do that?" I looked firmly into her eyes. I needed her to do this. Ryze needed her to.
