Maybe this book would not turn out to be exactly what we needed, but I couldn’t give more blood and stay awake. If we had to ask for the shadow’s help again, it would be in a few days.
The shadow vanished. I sighed and made sure my hand remained far from the book. “Thyra, can you read it?”
The weight of the tome lifted from my lap, but before my sister could find a place to set it, Astril bit into her arm. “Let me put this on that cut. It will heal quickly. No questions from others.”
I allowed her to cover my cut in vampire blood, and it worked its magic, sealing the wound quickly. I still felt woozy, but at least I was no longer bleeding. “Thank you.”
Astril looked to her sister. “Livia, can you get something to clean her palm?”
“I’ll be back.”
When three remained, Thyra studied me. “Are you strong enough to continue?”
“I am.”
My sister opened the book, and Astril leaned closer, her ruby lips twisted with disgust.
“That book is made of fae skin.”
“What?!” Thyra’s spine straightened in her chair.
“Shadow Fae skin, I believe. It’s unlike anything I’ve smelled, but it somewhat smells like your blood.”
My stomach churned. But then, something worse happened. Two tendrils of shadow appeared from the back of my hands and floated towards the book. They touched it. Caressed the paper.Paged through the tome. All three of us watched, mesmerized, not knowing what to do.
As it turned out, we didn’t need to do anything. The shadows stopped in their own time and, like the figure I’d summoned, disappeared.
Thyra leaned forward again and took in the page the shadows had opened to. A grin spread across her face. “Finally, we’ve got something we can work with.”
Chapter 15
VALE
Istood outside the walls of Myrr with Lord Balik, his sons, and their guard, and watched the dragon’s approach.
Early yesterday, Arla had delivered the note telling those at Valrun that it was safe to journey south. Most would arrive in the coming days, but those who were injured, ill, or simply could not make such a long journey were arriving today, on dragonback.
“It’s been a very long time since I’ve seen a dragon shifter.” Lord Balik shielded his eyes as he took in the sight.
“She’s half fae,” I corrected him. “Prefers to be called dragon-fae.”
“Whatever she likes to be called, she’s a dragon where it matters.”
Rynni thought differently. The fae of Vitvik hadn’t accepted her, and according to the healer, the dragons of the Flame Court would have been even less welcoming because she was a small dragon with little firepower.
The dragon was a minute from the gate when I stepped forward and waved my arms in the air. A roar indicated that she’d seen me, so I moved back into place, standing with the lords and their guards.
Lighter than one would think, Rynni landed and lowered her massive body as close to the ground as possible. Two fae slid off, the only able-bodied riders to make the journey in case something happened during the flight. With Sian and Filip, I rushed forward to assist.
“Good flight, I hope?” I asked one of the fae rebels, as he urged Ratha, the ancient whisperer, down Rynni’s front leg. The second rebel was assisting a young mother with a fresh babe wrapped against her chest. The other new mother and youngling were present too, her little one making faint crying noises from his swaddle.
“Uneventful, which was the best we could hope for,” the rebel answered.
“And the rest of the rebels?”
“They left town a bell before us. All are on their way.”
“Thank the Fates.”
