“Where’s Varissa?” the person asked again. “The high advisor wants to speak with her immediately in the blue sitting room.”
“She’s in the library. Come, I’ll take you to her.” The outer door slammed closed.
Silence echoed around us, and my heartrate notched down a few levels.
“I need to leave,” I said. “Don’t hold me here.”
“We have time. You’re safe enough for now.” Triisa turned back to the box. “Take a second bone. Absorb the vision. I promise, it won’t harm you.”
Not physically, but I was still reeling from the first.
“Hurry,” she said.
“I thought I had time.”
“Each person’s time bends differently, and one stretched moment could be another’s lifetime.”
Enough of her odd statements. Which bone? I closed my eyes and let the fates decide, grabbing the first I touched.
Again, I was yanked from the room and into . . . somewhere.
I stood inside a dark cave with only the flicker of light ahead.
I knew this passage. I’d walked down it during the last raid. Within the cave ahead, I’d spoken with the Liege before I killed him. I sensed I would not be able to leave this moment until I’d seen why I was brought here—the gift or curse of the bone I’d selected.
Whose body was I inside now? I reached out with magic but sensed . . . nothing.
I brought you here.The voice came from behind me, but when I spun, I saw no one.
Who is this?
Proceed. See.
A woman’s voice? I couldn’t tell, but it may not matter. What I had to see was the most important thing.
I hated being back in this cave. My stomach churned as old fear bubbled up like a venomous stew stirred by the memory of Kinart’s death. Eyes stinging, I crept forward, things rattling beneath my feet. If I could hear the sounds, could others?
How deeply was I entrenched in this dream? If I died here, would I ever find my way back?
I had to trust Triisa was guiding this, as much as I dared trust a pixie. She said it was important I see whatever was being offered. To think I cringed from it. I was a warrior. A dragon trainer and rider, one of the best. I’d killed more dregs than I could count, and one day, I expected to ride again, slaying more.
I’d eliminated each Liege I came across. Three was nothing to scoff at. Would Ivenrail’s minions and henchmen fall when he did or rally around someone new? I suspected the high advisor would delight in stepping into the void.
“I don’t like that you called me here,” someone barked from the small cave ahead.
I slowed my pace but kept moving forward. While I could hear and maybe that was all I needed to do while I was here, I wanted to know who was speaking.
“You take too much. Ask too much,” another person said. “You don’t give enough to us.”
I’d heard that voice before—the Liege I’d killed in the cave.Since he was dead, this must’ve taken place before that time. That made me very eager to see who he was speaking with, though I had my suspicions. They were confirmed when I reached the end of the passage and leaned against the wall.
Ivenrail stood in the cave beside the same big, chunky candle, fuming as he glared at the Liege. From here, I could see them both clearly, though I doubted they could view me. I was a spirit, correct? An observer from the future. Neither would know I was here.
That didn’t mean I dared step out and walk among them.
“You don’t control this,” Ivenrail fumed. “I do.” He swung out at the Liege with his fist.
The Liege’s hand latched onto Ivenrail’s, stopping his blow before it could make impact. “I control many things. The number of dregs. The number of Nullens taken. How many of those you are allowed to drain. The Lieges who came before me and those who will follow control the balance of it all. You are greedy. You were only supposed to touch those collared.”
