The future of everyone she cared for weighed on her shoulders. The night of the Third Shadow Winter changed her life. It shoved her onto a path she’d been walking on for years, leading her to a point she could never turn back from. Like a plucked blossom inevitably losing its petals, this moment would seal her future. Whether or not she was ready. But she would hold on to the hope for a life free of fear and darkness. For Lyra, for North Star—and herself.
A breeze swept through the grove, making the branches of the large willow tree sway in a dance to a melody that hummed in her mind. She heard the faint thrum of a harp and the melodious voice of the golden bard from the Moors.
Listen to me, my dearest, lest ye never return whole…
The shallowest of breaths passed through Dyna’s lips and a tremble settled in her chest.
Cassiel and the others shifted closer, enclosing her in a semi-circle. Their presence was like a reassuring fortress, meant to keep everything that would harm her at bay. These were her Guardians. Her friends. No matter what happened, they would be by her side every step of the way.
She straightened her back. “I’m ready.”
Leoake tossed the runes high in the misty air.
Dyna closed her eyes and drew in a shuddering breath, voicing her hope into the world. “Will I find the Sol Medallion?”
Chapter 53
Cassiel
The runes clattered on the ground by the Druid’s feet. Only two faced up. Cassiel hadn’t bothered to learn their meanings during his studies, but whatever they meant, it couldn’t be good. Both Dyna and the Druid had gone motionless. Even Rawn and Zev looked startled. The blue fox whined, nuzzling her chin.
“What do they mean?” Cassiel asked in the silence.
“Eiwaz,” Rawn read, his posture stiffening. “Nauthiz.”
Zev clenched his fists. “Death and shadow.”
Something sank heavily in Cassiel’s stomach. It fanned his ire, fueled by the suspicion that this was another of the Druid’s tricks.
He stepped back and drewEsh Zayinfree. “Throw them again.”
The white flames reflected in Leoake’s aloof gaze. “The runes have spoken, Dark Prince. You cannot change the answer.”
“Cassiel.” Dyna’s hand circled his wrist, and his skin buzzed with the calm she seeped through him. “It’s all right.”
The same fiery look of determination he’d seen on her face in his father study returned. Her resolve mixed with his dread. Everything in him wanted to take her and fly away from the journey she was on, but he sensed nothing would make her turn back.
Dyna continued observing the runes pensively. “If I understand correctly, the runes would face down if the answer was no, or land on their side if the answer was inconclusive.”
Leoake nodded.
“Then this is not a no.”
“It is not a promising yes, either,” Cassiel said, clenching his jaw.
“Runes have more than one meaning,” Rawn added, rubbing his chin as he crouched by Dyna to study them.
“This one.” Zev pointed a claw at the rune that had one straight line and two angular dashes on both ends, pointing in opposite directions. “Eiwazprimarily means death, but it can also mean life and rebirth.”
Cassiel sheathed his sword and strode away, leaving them formulate some other meaning than the one the runes promised. It only served to lie to themselves. He stopped by the edge of the woodland, looking out at the grove beyond. His lungs drew in the scent of rain and wet earth as he listened to the willow branches rustling in the wind. He needed something solid to keep him calm.
Was Dyna headed for her death? He’d predicted it when she first showed them the map. Apprehension gripped his chest, and he couldn’t draw a full breath. Stopping her from going meant he would have to abandon his journey to that island, too. One path led to his mother, and the other led to the loss of his bonded.
Leoake came to stand beside him. “I take it you’re the brooding sort.”
The fae were tricksy, and Cassiel didn’t trust this one in the least. There was something about those gold eyes that made him uneasy. “I cannot decide if you are good or evil.”
“Good. Evil. It’s all speculative.”
