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My heart stills, my mind whirring. “Who told you?”
Asha snorts. “The perfectly functional part of my brain that houses deductive reasoning skills. Of course I expected you to be searching for a way to make me immortal.”
My words catch in my throat. “I… Why didn’t you say anything?”
She shrugs. “I thought it would be good for you if you learned to bring it up first.”
I narrow my brow. “But you just brought it up.”
“Yes, well, you ran out of time. I was getting impatient.”
I roll my eyes, but before I can tell Asha I wouldn’t have made her immortal without her permission, she coughs.
“Besides, bringing up something you’ve been nervous to tell me provides the perfect segue for a topic I’ve been nervous to tell you.”
I raise a brow. “Which is?”
Asha sighs dramatically, causing her shoulders to hunch.
Then she places both of her hands on her belly.
My gaze follows the way she strokes it protectively.
I think my heart stops in my chest.
Asha just grins up at me maniacally. “You know, I think I’ll just wait and tell you in the morning.”
CHAPTER 121
NOX
Ermengarde castle is abandoned when Blaise and I arrive.
I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised, as I killed its queen.
You can really tell how tiny the population is in Mystral given our queen is dead and life seems to have gone on as usual in all the towns we’ve passed through.
I’m sure eventually someone will make a claim for the throne.
It’s strange being back here, and when I step through the gate, left ajar, it occurs to me that this is the first time I’ve done so willingly.
The castle itself still looks just as menacing as it was the day Abra and the king stole me from my family, the turrets just as sharp as they pierce the heavens.
A chill snakes my bones that has nothing to do with the Mystrian climate, the howling wind that cuts through the grounds, rifling up loose bits of freshly fallen snow.
“You ready?” Blaise asks me.
“No,” I say, but I take her hand, and we step forward anyway.
We make our way to Gunter’s room first. He’s half of the reason we’re here. Apparently, among Blaise’s companions who accompanied her to the Rip was a human by the name of Marcus, whom Abra had poisoned in an attempt to coerce his wife.
Somehow, Marcus’s daughter had figured out how to use Rivrean flax to treat his illness, though he’ll need to take it his entire life unless they can find a permanent cure.
Unfortunately, the flax only grows in Rivre, and the onslaught of Others damaged the grounds. They think it might be years before the field is restored to health. Blaise heard of the problem through correspondence with Amity and immediately thought to come here.
We’d needed to make our way back here eventually, anyway.
As we enter Gunter’s room, I find myself flinching at the scent. It’s been months since Gunter burned his familiar incense here, but the fragrance permeates the room, as well as my childhood, and even a whiff of it feels like being slammed over the side of the head with Gunter’s presence.
