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Once back in the temple, Yaggir set most of the dragons to work, ordering them to clear away the debris and prepare temporary quarters. While they toiled, Adara, Quye, Yaggir, Diyani, and I found a quiet place away from the commotion, so we could hold a council of sorts.
Adara and Quye told me about their journey through the portal, the civilization they’d found on the other end, and how the dragons there had integrated themselves into society as false gods. I wanted to thrash Yaggir when he admitted he’d been part of the group that had ostracized Ylena and the others, but Adara assured me he’d more than made up for it—without him, she would have never found Ylena and the others, and likely would have never survived the God-King trial, either.
In turn, I told the others about what I’d found searching for the ruins, and also about Mavlyn’s situation. “We don’t have much time left to rescue her,” I told Adara and Quye, who were stricken by the news. “Her trial is scheduled to happen any day now.”
“I can’t believe this.” Adara scraped a hand through her hair. “What was she thinking, going to Talamh and starting up a rebellion right underneath Lady Mossi’s nose?”
“I’m the one who told Mavlyn she needed to go to Domhain and champion the anti-war effort,” Quye said miserably. She seemed even more distraught than Adara. “It’s my fault that she’s in this situation.”
“I understand your desire to rescue your friend,” Diyani interrupted. “But what about the situation here in Hearthfyre? Should we not be working to clear out the shadow creatures and establish a proper base here from which we can fight?”
“That will take months,” Adara argued. “Mavlyn doesn’t have that kind of time.”
“Besides,” Quye added, “clearing out the shadow infestation here in Hearthfyre isn’t the priority. They are only a symptom of the larger problem. Stopping the war and defeating Nox is the only way to vanquish the shadow creatures for good. We can kill two birds with one stone by rescuing Mavlyn and taking out the Mother of Shadows at the same time.”
“Then it’s settled.” Yaggir clapped his hands against his thighs. “We will go to Talamh.”
“Very well,” Diyani said. “But I expect you to help us rebuild Hearthfyre when all this is finished.”
“Of course.” Adara smiled. “I intend to make Hearthfyre my home when all is said and done.”
“You do?” I asked, more than a little surprised. “I thought you would want to return to Domhain with your mother.”
She reached for my hand and squeezed it. “I love my mother, but she is my past, and you are my future. I want to build that future here with you, and honor my father by creating a newer, brighter Hearthfyre where all are welcome—dragons and fae and everything in between.”
I squeezed her hand back, struggling against the temptation to pull her into my lap and kiss her again. “How long will it take you to charge the primal stones?” I asked instead.
“A day.”
“All right.” I turned to Yaggir and Diyani. “Tell the others. We leave at dawn tomorrow.”
36
Leap
It took everything Leap and Ryker had to subdue Tempest. As a Greater Fae who was much older and stronger than them, she made a formidable opponent, and the fact that Leap and Ryker were trying to capture rather than kill made it that much more difficult. But Leap finally knocked her unconscious with a lightning strike, then bound and gagged her so they could take her back.
“I hope you didn’t fry her brain with that lighting strike,” Ryker panted as he carried her out of the forest. “You almost killed her, Leap.”
“She almost killed us, five times,” Leap snapped. If she hadn’t been severely malnourished, Leap wasn’t sure they would have survived at all. “We’re lucky to be alive. And forget lightning—her brain is clearly damaged by shadow magic. She must have been attacked by creatures in the area.”
They returned to the village, where the soldiers were waiting on them. As Leap had half-expected, there were no survivors, but the soldiershadfound an apothecary, and among the supplies was a deep sleeping draught. Leap forced the contents of a full bottle down Tempest’s throat, then packed the rest of the bottles away in his bag.
“What are you doing?” Ryker asked as he hefted Tempest’s body onto Cirra’s back.
Leap gave Ryker a withering look over his shoulder. “I’m taking her back to Uncle Oren, you idiot. What do you think I’m doing?”
“You’re not going alone,” Ryker said, ignoring the jab. “I’m coming with you.”
Leap folded his arms. “And what about the rest of your soldiers?”
“The soldiers can take care of themselves.” Ryker bared his teeth. “The only reason we came out here in the first place is to find Tempest, and I’ll be damned if I let her out of my sight now that we have her.”
“You are unbelievable.” Leap took a step toward Ryker, his teeth bared. He swept one hand toward the field, where the dead soldiers were strewn about. “These fae sacrificed their lives to help you on this quest, and you’re going to leave here without even burying them? Or making sure your wounded are taken care of?” He shook his head. “I feel sorry for House Reatha, knowing that one day they’re going to have a shit stain like you as their leader.”
Ryker snarled, but before he could launch a fist at Leap, the soldier from before stepped forward. “It’s all right,” he said, giving Leap a pleading look. “Let Lord Ryker return with you, please. We can take care of things here.”
