It was night when she’d survived the run-in with the beast, but now gentle morning light winked in through the long white curtains. Had she slept here one night or more?
A quick check revealed the ring on her thumb was still in place. Someone had placed a heavy blanket over her, the fabric edged with plush velvet and embroidered ice lilies. She pushed the blanket off, trying to keep quiet. She winced as the young woman next to her snorted and rolled over, turning to face Ezer.
Ice filled her veins.
It wasZey.
The blonde Eagleminder from earlier, whose demonstration with the fledgling Ezer had utterly destroyed.
What in the name of the gods am I doing here?
She needed to find someone to explain to her why she washere,with the Sacred…instead of inside the Ravenminder’s tower alone with her birds.
She swung her legs over the side of her bed and noticed she had a trunk.
She nudged the lid open to find it had an outfit folded carefully inside. A quick inspection revealed it was a pair of black leather trousers and a long-sleeved tunic, a heavy black velvet cloak – the clasp at the throat was a pair of dark wings – and a pair of black leather boots that looked to be just her size.
The fabric was lovely, the stitching of every piece of finer make than anything she’d ever held.
A doorway to her right creaked open, and a young woman in a brown servant’s cloak entered. Ezer caught a glimpse of the hall behind her – arched ceilings, a wide white stone hallway – before the door snapped shut.
‘Oh! You’re awake.’
Her voice was delicate, a gentle squeak of a thing that reminded Ezer of a little tavern mouse. Her eyes widened – bright blue, like Arawn’s – and she waved Ezer over. ‘Well, come on! Get dressed andjoin me by the fire before the rest of them wake. They’re not entirely pleased about this.’
She kicked off her boots, leaving them beside the door before she walked as silent as a doe to the enormous hearth with flames flickering merrily on the farthest side of the room. A large worn leather couch sat across from it, with an old wooden table and chairs, and several bookshelves loaded with yellowed tomes.
Like a common area in a dormitory.
Slowly, Ezer stood. She had on her old tunic and trousers, but the brown servant’s cloak she’d borrowed inside the Eagles’ Nest was nowhere to be found. Which meant at some point, someone – gods only knew who – had carried her from the Aviary. Removed her cloak. And tucked her into a foreign bed.
Her stomach churned, for the last face she had seen was that of the prince.
Princes,she corrected herself, because it had been both KinlearandArawn, melding together into one.
With a sigh, she quickly changed into the new clothing, all too aware of how each piece, even the boots, was a perfect fit. She secured the dark cloak over her shoulders with the winged clasp, feeling for all the world like a specter in shadow-black.
A color that stood out, painfully, in a world of pristine, snow-white.
Silently, she tiptoed across the cold white marble floors, making her way past the others still sound asleep in their ornate beds.
‘Um. Good morning.’ Ezer kept her voice low as she approached the young woman, who sat with her head back and her eyes closed, as if she were finally gathering a moment of peace. She had soft brown hair braided in a band across her head and was not much larger in stature than Ezer.
She winked open an eye, as if she sensed the shadow of Ezer standing over her. ‘You’re blocking the fire.’
So Ezer sat down beside her.
The young woman lolled her head to the left, as if she couldn’t be bothered to sit up all the way. ‘The clothingfits as nicely as I’d hoped. Butyou, my friend… well, gods know I can’t lie. You look awful.’
‘I broke my nose,’ Ezer said.
A log split in half, sending a wave of sparks upwards into the hearth.
She didn’t mention the raphon.
‘I can see that.’
Without a word, the young woman reached into her deep cloak pocket, produced a small tin of green salve, and passed it to Ezer.
