‘We’ll remove the chains from your cell,’ Ezer promised. She bit back a yelp as she settled her aching body on the soft shavings across from the pup. ‘But first, I’m going to need a bit of cooperation from you. How do you feel about haltering?’
Six just watched her in silence.
‘Of course, you don’t understand. But I’ve always spoken to my birds, and I’m to do the same with you. Even if youarehalf cat.’
Six blinked slowly, and she swore the raphon opened its curved beak and yawned.
‘I’m sorry,’ she said, ‘am Iboringyou?’
The raphon just lifted its too-large paw and scratched its feathered neck with sharp black claws, the motion positively catlike.
‘Well.’ Ezer chewed on her fingernail. ‘If we’re to do this, as the ever solovelyprince requests … then we’ll have to speed things up a bit. Yes? I’ve a new halter for you, just there on the hook. Black leather, no chains …’
She mused aloud, talking as much as she would with her own ravens. Six watched her intently the entire time.
You want the birds to see you as a comfort, never a threat,she remembered Ervos teaching her about the ravens long ago. She could still picture him standing there in the tower, while he held a raven on his enormous wrist, and the bird slept soundly.You want the bird to look forward to your time together. Like you are an old, trusted friend, so that when it leaves, it will return. So that when you move to tie the scroll to its leg, it will trust you. It will welcome your touch.
So, for the next two days, Ezer sat and spoke.
Nothing more.
And on the third day, true to Ervos’s word … Six was sitting up, waiting for her expectantly.
‘Hello,’ Ezer said, smiling at the pup. Kinlear had still not returned, and she was beginning to enjoy their solo visits.
Especially becauseherethere was no Arawn to force her to train. And train, they had.
Her body hated her for it.
But her mind …
It was not a safe space to be in, especially when she lay down each night and replayed every second of their session. The earthy smell of him, the feel of his body as he’d pushed her backwards to the mat and whispered into her mind,You’re dead, Minder. Get up and do it again, and this time … don’t hesitate.
And then, each night when she finally fell into bed, soaking wet from a cold shower … it washisvoice that whispered against the walls of her, the speaking stone hot in her hand. They spoke for hours, never going too deep with the truths they revealed about themselves, but she found she was hungry for more of his words.
More of his whispers.
Last night, he’d called her by her name.
Goodnight, Ezer.
Goodnight, Arawn.
And she dared face the truth that shecaredfor him. In a way that was not at all safe.
She’d finally placed the stone inside her trunk so she could sleep, unwilling to go further down the road they were both traveling.
Six’s head cocked to the side now, as she watched Ezer gingerly settle down on the shavings. The white scar on her beak looked almost orange in the nearby torchlight.
‘Training,’ Ezer groaned. Every part of her ached, down to her bones. Even her mind.
Because along with the physical training, she’d still attended her magic sessions each night – the same damned routine with Izill beside her, both of them trying and failing to garner any sort of power.
The gods would not answer.
‘Good thing here, we can hide and be safe from the mean prince,’ Ezer said with a groan. ‘Princes, actually,’ she corrected herself.
Six’s tail twitched once.
