“Okay, so how does this work again?” Ser Aeron asked, stretching out his arms and tilting his head side to side like he was getting ready to fight someone.
“The runes have set a perimeter around the room; no one will be allowed in or out without my permission. If you are all willing, I will place a rune on your forearm that will grant you the ability to come and go freely. But, from what Xander said, it’s not going to be pleasant. So I understand if you decide not to.”
Daemon stepped up first, rolling his sleeve to his elbow to expose the intricate lines of ink that were scrawled along his skin. The idea of possibly marring the beautiful artwork permanently, of causing him any pain or discomfort, made her hands shake and bile rise in her throat, her dinner threatening to make an unwanted reappearance.
When she met his gaze, it was soft and trusting. Like he knew she was spiraling and beginning to doubt herself. “You won’t hurt me, my star,” he spoke low enough to where only she could hear as he gently unwrapped the bandage from her hand. “I trust you; you just need to trust yourself.”
Nodding, Auraelia pulled her dagger from its sheath, wincing as she reopened the cut on her palm. When the blood began topool, she dipped her finger into the warm, crimson liquid and took a deep breath.
The moment her finger touched Daemon’s skin, there was a sharp intake of breath as his muscles contracted, and she almost stopped right then. But when they relaxed, and a soft glow began to illuminate the path that her finger made, she breathed a sigh of relief.
Once the rune was completed, every symbol in the room shone brightly for a brief moment, like they were all connecting to one another, before dimming until all that was left was her blood against the black ink of his arm.
She looked up expectantly at Daemon, searching his face for any sign of pain, but all she saw was awe. “Are you okay?”
“Never better.” Daemon pressed a kiss to her cheek, then rolled his wrist around like he was working out a kink and stepped to the side. “Who’s next?”
Ser Aeron stepped forward, his arm extended, and sheer determination was in his eyes.
“Are you sure?” she asked tentatively.
He bowed his head to her. “Not a doubt in my mind, Your Majesty.”
When she finished with the commander, Auraelia walked over to where Piper was fidgeting on the couch, pulling at her fingers as her foot bounced against the floor. “You don’t have to do this.”
“I know, but I want to. Ineedto. I need to hear what that bastard has to say.” Venom dripped from her words, and Auraelia knew it had more to do with Xander than anything else that had transpired. Straightening her spine, Piper rolled the sleeve of her tunic and extended her arm toward Auraelia.
Taking the seat next to her friend, she gently laid Piper’s hand in her lap to repeat the process. Only this time, it was different.
With every movement of her finger across Piper’s skin, flashes of memories scrolled through her mind like living portraits.Scenes from when they were girls running through the gardens. Images of training on the pitch together throughout their lives. Of countless nights staying up laughing with each other. It was like reliving her life through Piper’s eyes. But then, the visions shifted.
The images were distorted, like staring through ice on a window or trying to peer through fog. She could make out shapes and identify some of the people that danced across her vision. Could recognize the sounds of clashing metal and distant screams. But it all passed by too quickly for her to discern any real information.
When the final line of the rune connected and her mind cleared, she looked up to find Piper’s eyes as wide as hers felt.
What in the…
“Did you—?” Piper’s words came out in a rush of air.
“What wasthat?”
“I—I’m not sure.”
They stayed that way for a few moments, staring openly at each other like they could figure it out if they just stayed still.
She could feel the eyes of everyone else in the room digging holes into her spine, but she didn’t care. They finally broke eye contact only when Ser Aeron cleared his throat. “Shall we?”
Pushing up from the couch, Auraelia walked over to the desk where she had placed the box of crystals Caius had given her.
Here goes nothing.
“Where is he?” Auraelia seethed as she paced the room. It had been hours since she’d summoned him with the crystals, and she didn’t understand what was taking so long.
Did she do it wrong?
Were the runes keeping him from entering?
Auraelia ran over every instruction that Xander had given her. She’d done it right. Followed every step, down to the last detail. When she thought over what Caius had said about the crystals, it should have worked. He’d said all she had to do was hold them and think his name, and he would come. So why wasn’t he here?
