“Thank you,” I say. Although I can sense his discomfort—his praise is a tight, reluctant offering—I appreciate his effort.
“And it means you will not make a complete fool out of me at the ball.” Then, as if I’m not standing right here, he adds, “Still can’t believe my uncle is forcing me to go to the ball with a human.”
“I’m sure you’ll survive,” I say dryly. “Bye, Reü.”
Ready to catch up with Seniia for lunch, I skip down the hall, then trail to a halt at the top of the spiraling heartstone stairs as I observe Llyr several floors below. With the hood of his cloak pulled up around his face, he scans his surroundings, then disappears into one of the many doors lining the hallway. I frown at his furtive behavior. What is he hiding?
I tiptoe down the flight of stairs, careful not to make a sound. Reaching the floor where I observed Llyr, I glance around, but the hallway is empty. I creep down the hall toward the door and pause behind a cascade of star jasmine climbing the wall joist. Its tiny white flowers brush my skin, and their fragrant perfume fills my nostrils as I peek through the greenery toward the door where Llyr disappeared. From what I can tell, it’s some sort of storage room.
“Why are you here?” Llyr’s voice drifts from the door, which is slightly ajar.
“I could ask you the same. It’s another moon and a half yet.”
A knot of tension tightens in my gut. I know that voice. It haunts my waking thoughts as much as my dreams. Aster.
“They were going to kill her. I had to act,” Llyr says solemnly.
“Couldn’t you simply take their memories?” Aster’s voice is sharp. “Make some good use of that gift of yours.”
A chill runs down my spine. Llyr can take memories? Like the Umbra?
Llyr lets out a heavy breath. “Too many were involved, and too much had happened before I was even aware of the situation.” He pauses. “Besides, I can only remove so much memory—and I would have to touch them all long enough to do so. And with the umbra already hunting her—"
My tension spikes. Are they talking about...me? Burn me! What possible connection could I have to their clandestine meeting? Parting the vines, I peer through the crack. Llyr is half hidden, while Aster stands with his back to the door, gazing through the arched window down at the beautiful gardens below. Even with the windows shut, I can hear the rush of the five massive waterfalls.
Aster turns to face Llyr. “The shadowborn are gathering, and if the rumors are to be believed, they will join him.” His brow is furrowed in thought.
“There is no way for you to know?” Llyr’s voice, tight with worry, betrays his concern.
Aster shakes his head. “Once they turn, the light of their thread extinguishes, and it’s impossible to make them out in the weave.”
As I lean back against the wall, my forehead puckers. What are they talking about?
“It is almost time,” Llyr says. “After all these years, you will finally have what you need to defeat him.”
Defeat who?I frown.
Aster makes a noncommittal sound.
I can hear Llyr’s pacing. Heneverpaces.
“We aresoclose, Aster, but dear Mah, this is harder than I thought it would be. Twenty years of watching over her, and now...” He pauses, and I risk a slight movement, leaning forward to catch a glimpse of him.
“My mind knows it is the right thing to do, and I should have faith in Mah’s plan, but...” Llyr turns quiet again, then shakes his head. “My devotion to Mah is my only anchor in this life, so why do I wish the situation were different? How can devotion and duty feel like betrayal at the same time?” He buries his face in his hands, clearly troubled by whatever it is that’s weighing down on him.
My chest tightens. I didn’t know Llyr could sound like this—so broken, conflicted. Granted, the list of things I didn’t know about him seems to grow by the heartbeat.
Aster places a hand on his shoulder. “Maybe some prices are too high, even for the greater good.”
A look of confusion crosses Llyr’s face. “What price areyoupaying? I can only see you growing stronger from this. It will let you join the ranks of the higher—”
Aster silences him with a wave of his hand. “It doesn’t matter. Mah...” Aster’s eyebrows knit together, a slight frown etching itself onto his beautiful face. “I’m starting to think she either has a wicked sense of humor or has other intentions entirely...”
“What on Rea makes you say such things?” Llyr sounds offended. “She is an honorable goddess!”
Aster scoffs. “Then you clearly do not know her well enough. It wouldn’t be the first time she and Zerex didn’t see eye to eye.” His eyes narrow. “I did not expect this one though.”
“What?” Llyr barks. “The shadowborn? They are not her doing!” He steps closer to Aster.
