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Sulfur.
Heart beating faster, I changed direction, following my nose toward the rotten egg scent. I could barely see where I was going—the light of the moon was too far away—so I moved carefully, straining my ears for the sounds of nearby predators, stumbling over rocks several times.
But eventually, I turned a corner, and there it was, nestled between a trio of massive boulders.
A hot spring.
Excitement buzzed through my veins, and I stripped off my clothes, flinging them aside as I waded into the scalding water. The temperature would have been unbearable for a fae, but I groaned, sinking into the bubbling depths as the heat penetrated my bones. I hadn’t sought the springs before, afraid that they might have been corrupted by the shadow creatures, but it seemed this was one of the few places their taint hadn’t been able to compromise. The hot springs might smell terrible, but the waters had special healing properties, and the high temperatures worked wonders to rejuvenate exhausted dragons.
I wished I could stay in the hot springs forever, but I only allowed myself to enjoy the waters until I had enough energy to fly. The springs were rejuvenating, but they couldn’t sustain me forever. I still needed to find food. Sighing, I reluctantly left the water and dressed, then shifted back into dragon form and headed for the border.
I would make it to the Gaoth Aire, where I hoped to find game to sustain me for the next few weeks. And then, when the time came, I would return to Mount Furian to open the portal for Adara and Quye.
25
Adara
“Einar!”
I shot upright in bed, my eyes flying open as the shout burst from my lips. Heart pounding, I looked around the dim interior of the hut, trying to make sense of my surroundings. It took me a minute to remember that I was on the dragon island, staying in a hastily erected shelter with Quye.
“Adara?” Quye asked sleepily. She sat up as well, rubbing her eyes. Moonlight streamed in through the window, setting her white hair and pale skin aglow. “Are you all right?”
“Yeah.” I scrubbed a hand across my face, anxiety still clawing at my insides. “I just… I think Einar is in danger. I had a dream about him. He was covered in these disgusting black worms… and… and…” A wave of nausea swept through me, and I swallowed. “I think they were draining him of his life force.”
Quye’s eyes flickered with concern. “What do you feel through the bond?”
“I’m not sure.” I closed my eyes, concentrating on the connection. I could feel Einar’s presence still, but it was faint, weaker than normal. “I can barely sense him.”
Quye came over and pressed a hand to my chest, closing her eyes. Several seconds passed before she opened them again. “He’s still there,” she said. “Whatever he was fighting must have drained him, but he’s a tough old dragon, and he’s been through worse. He’ll survive.”
“How can you be so sure?” I asked.
Quye gazed steadily at me. “Because his love for you is stronger than any shadow creature. He’ll do whatever it takes to make sure he’s ready and waiting for you when we return. I’m far more worried about Mavlyn.”
The conviction in Quye’s voice filled me with shame. What did it say about me that Quye had more faith in Einar’s love for me than I did? Was I even worthy of such steadfast adoration?
“Wait a minute.” The rest of her statement caught up to me. “What do you mean, you’re more worried about Mavlyn?” I seized her hand. “Did you see something?”
Quye shook her head. “Not exactly. My vision is clouded when it comes to certain matters. But I know from checking in on her in the dream realm that she is in Talamh, and that Nox is there too.”
My stomach sank. “Do you think she’s in danger?”
“We’re all in danger of some kind,” Quye reminded me. “There’s no sense in worrying about Mavlyn or Einar or anyone else. You need to focus on your training with Ylena so you can prepare for the Umnar.”
I knew she was right, but even so, it took me a long time to fall back asleep, my mind churning with worry for my friends. I was several days into the fasting period, and the humidity and constant heat made it even worse this time around.
Only a few more days, I reminded myself. Only a few more days, and you’ll be back in Einar’s arms again. I held that vision close to my chest, sinking into the faint but steady bond that tethered me to Einar. My last thought was of him before I finally fell asleep.
* * *
“Concentrate,” Ylena said sharply.
I opened my eyes and turned to see her glaring at me from the open doorway. She’d been having me come to her hut every day to prepare for the Umnar, assigning me daily tasks either mental or spiritual in nature. Today’s task involved visualizing the future, something I was having a lot of trouble focusing on given how insistently my body was protesting in the present. I’d decided to sit outside on the porch so I could smell the ocean breeze, but even that didn’t seem to help much.
“How can you tell I’m not concentrating?” I asked, frowning back at her.
“Because I could hear you muttering swear words under your breath from inside,” she said dryly, and I blushed. Her expression softened a little as she came to sit beside me, crossing her legs the same way I was. “I know it’s difficult to focus when you’re hungry,” she said, “but that is part of the challenge.”
