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I bit my lip and turned to Pirmiith. He was standing by the mast, leaning on it like his legs could not fully support his weight. “Noemdra was right.” I bowed my head. “Tarvelle was loyal to his last breath.”
His lifted his square chin. “Then his death must be avenged.”
“And it will be, but first we need to make sure Collin is safe.” Killian nodded to Nikolai. “Write to Rheih and make sure Collin stays at Sil’abar.”
Nikolai pulled out his notebook and began scribbling.
“Damien also saw what I did at the seal,” I admitted. “He knows I am a magic wielder.”
Gerarda stopped flipping her blade. “What do you mean hesaw. We’re the only two who left that island alive.”
I pointed to my eye. Gerarda lurched back and she looked like she wanted to vomit. “Three of Damien’s Arsenal were there,” I explained to the others. “They each had one blackened eye. I didn’t know what to think of it until I met Damien in that dream just now. He’s replaced the eye Gwyn ruined with his own invention. He can see whatever his Arsenal sees.”
Gerarda’s upper lip curled back. “Or however many soldiers he does it to.”
Nikolai stood from the deck and tugged on his hair. “We have a problem.” He handed Killian the notebook. I leaned over his shoulder and saw that Rheih had written back in her tiny, jagged scrawl.
Collin offered to take Maerhal to picklilthira.
Nikolai scribbled along the pages again, asking where they had gone. I could hear Rheih’s annoyance in her reply.
I am a healer not a minder of Elves and Halflings.
Damn that Mage.
I turned to Nikolai. “Where do those flowers grow?”
He tugged on his hair so tightly it was perfectly straight. “Along the outskirts of Silstra.”
“Damien has five thousand soldiers in Silstra alone,” Elaran said, tying her thick curls back.
Gerarda sheathed her dagger. “And Damien could have injected any of their eyes.”
Syrra wrapped her cloak around her arms and pulled her quiver over it. “I need to get to a portal.”
“Wait!” Vrail shouted over everyone’s bickering. She pulled out a map of the portals and laid it on the deck. “Lilthiragrow on eitherside of the Three Sisters. It would be smarter to send two teams. One through the portal north of Wolford and the other to the portal on the outskirts of the Dead Wood. If we hurry both paths can start here.” She pointed to a sunlit portal along the western edge of the Singing Wood.
Killian pointed to the Dead Wood. “Keera and I will go here. I doubt Collin and Maerhal would have traveled so close to the city, but if they ran into trouble, my crown and Keera’s powers may buy us enough time to get them out.”
Syrra’s jaw flexed. I knew she wanted to rip herself in half so she could assist both teams, but she knew quick action is what counted most. “I will go to Wolford.”
“And we will assist.” Gerarda and Elaran stepped forward in unison.
I nodded. “Everyone else needs to sail for the ports and ready any weapons we have left. I don’t doubt Damien has already sent troops to Elvera too.”
“I’m coming.” Nikolai’s voice was barely a rasp after all the tears he had shed.
I grabbed his hands. “I say this with love, but you’re in no state to help. Bring Lash back to Myrelinth and we will bring your mother home.I promise.”
Nikolai’s lashes fluttered at the words. He knew what they meant for me to say. He let go of his hair and nodded. “I’ll tell Feron to steer his ship home while we head inland.” He pressed a firm kiss to my forehead. “And make sure you come home too, Keera dear.”
“Please tell me you didn’t have to kill anyone?” Killian whispered as I passed him the reins to his new horse.
I mounted my own. “The stable boy will wake up with a headache and assume it was the ale he was guzzling.” I patted the satchel under my cloak. “And I left him more than a fair payment.”
Killian’s shoulders relaxed and he climbed onto his own horse. We left the edge of the Dead Wood just as the suns were beginning to set. Still, I pulled my hood far over my face to shield it from any passersby we met on the road.
Killian removed a gold circlet from the bag he had packed on the ship and put it over his grown-out curls, then pulled his hood over the top.
