“A monster?” An apt description, all things considered. “A man with glowing red eyes, not quite human?”
“And a magic to match,” he affirmed. “I thought… when I woke up, I thought I’d dreamed it but…”
“It was real,” Vi assured him. “What, exactly, did you see?”
“The sounds of your struggle woke me… But I only saw you on the bridge. I saw you both fall and as I reached out to catch you, a cage of lightning surrounded the man. By the time I had you in my arms, pulled in from the window, he had disappeared with nothing more than a flash.”
“I see…” Vi murmured. At least that explained, somewhat, why there was no body. She’d have to ask Taavin about the magic of the elfin’ra—learn what she was up against.
“What was that thing?” he whispered.
“A creature from very far away.” She didn’t bother launching into a description of a dark god and his acolytes. That was far more than would be useful for Andru in this moment. “Uncle says he’s going to investigate, but I doubt he’ll find anything… What I want to know is how he got here.”
“When you say very far away…”
“Farther than the Crescent Continent.”
“But there is nothing beyond the Crescent.” How wrong he was. But Vi didn’t see the point in correcting him. She never expected to pass up the opportunity to educate someone on geography, but today was turning into a banner one for firsts.
“You say there is nothing. But there are monsters. Trust me on this,” Vi half begged, half commanded. “As your sovereign and your new friend.”
“I do… I have no other choice after what I saw.” He shook his head. “Had I not, I would’ve had a much harder time believing it.”
“I’m glad you can affirm I’m not crazy, then.” On the list of possibly insane things to have happened to her, this wasn’t even at the top.
“It’s just that no one should be coming from the Crescent Continent. Trade was shut down due to the White Death.”
“Which is why I want to know who is getting in and out.” She would be certain to ask Taavin too, at the next possible opportunity. But first, exhaustion was beginning to catch up with her.
“I’ll see what I can find.”
“That’s all I ask.” Vi shifted slowly. Her whole body ached, and her torso felt more jelly-like than she remembered. Every shift and smile hurt her face. But she grabbed his hands with hers. Andru jumped, startled at the touch. His eyes drifted up to hers and they stared questioningly. “Thank you, truly.”
“For Romulin’s sister, I’d do anything.”
Vi hoped it was true. Because she had the distinct feeling that she would be asking more of him in the coming days.
Chapter Twenty-Six
The hoursand her consciousness slipped between her fingers like unformed strands of magic for the rest of the day.
Jayme and Ellene stopped in at some point—either the first or second day, Vi couldn’t quite remember. The conversation was kept light, mostly her friends expressing relief that she was all right. Vi could sense some tension from Jayme, mostly stemming from guilt over not being the one to protect her. But, to her credit, the woman knew it wasn’t the time to dig into Vi about it. After spending so long speaking with Andru, Vi didn’t want to rehash everything. She needed a day to think and the quiet space to do it in.
On the morning of the third day, Vi created that space thanks to Ginger. She told the cleric that she wanted a day to rest and the woman became her sworn guard. Since breakfast, not even one servant had come in. Vi waited until Ginger returned to deliver lunch, knowing she should have a few more hours of uninterrupted time afterward.
Vi sat upright in her bed, as tall as she could manage. The room was cool; winter had finally taken hold in the North. A light breeze tickled between her fingers before the heat of her magic flowing freely replaced the sensation.
“Narro hath,” she whispered.
The light was thinner than normal, faint and flickering like a candle burning the bottom of the wick. But it was enough to carve a hazy outline. Her glyphs hadn’t been this weak since she first began.
Taavin stared at her for a long moment, hovering at the foot of her bed. His emerald eyes looked her up and down. Concern darkened his features.
“I’m fine,” Vi said before he could speak.
“You don’t look fine.” He crossed to her bedside, shifting strands of magic unraveling and then re-condensing until he solidified at her left elbow. It was as if he was sitting on the mattress, half leaning over her. Vi stared up at him; pressed back against her pillows, there was nowhere she could go. She was pinned beneath his gaze. Instead of focusing on his eyes darting all over her, she focused on keeping her magic wrapped tightly around her fingers.Should she have dressed in more than a simple sleeping gown before summoning him?When had summoning him in her bedroom, rather than her study, become more natural? “What happened to your face?”
“Is it that bad?” She smiled tiredly. Ginger had removed the majority of the bandages that morning. “I haven’t had the strength to look in a mirror yet.”
