Does my aunt know?
I assume so.
Lydel’s protection is gone. My mother gave her life to form that barrier.It was time to place some wards, then. I’d speak to Vexxion about it the first chance I had.
I don’t believe she expected her spell to last this long. She hoped it would keep your court safe until you could claim it and you soon will. Once you have, it’ll take considerable power to breach your barriers.
Would Ivenrail soon steal that power?
I couldn’t imagine what it would feel like to claim the core. I had more power than I knew what to do with now. Could I manage more?I could share power with my sister.
I don’t believe that’s possible. What you can do is sit with your friends and ask their thoughts before you begin making decisions. A strong high lady seeks other opinions before forming her own.
I don’t feel like a high lady.
Which is why you’ll make a good one,he said with pride I wasn’t sure I deserved.
Time would tell. If I’d grown up here, this might feel natural. Instead, I’d stepped into a role that, with one unknowing misstep, could result in the death of everyone I loved.Maybe I should tell them to leave. They don’t need to die along with me.
If they’re true friends, they’ll refuse. You’ve never been facing this alone.
You’re right. They’re my family. If our positions were reversed, I wouldn’t consider leaving them to face the king. I’d want to stand by their sides.
Claim your core,he said.Learn how to wield it. Your mate will teach you how to build wards strong enough to hold the king back.
My mate. I’d barely had time to think about that, but in my heart, I knew it was true. I didn’t need a mark on my wrist to prove he and I were destined for each other.
Build your army and prepare for what’s coming. Your friends are eager to help.He continued flying out over the sea.
Aren’t you worried about the blue sea creatures attacking us?
They only swim in the channel between Lydel and the mainland.
Why?
Out here, they’d face bigger predators.
My heart quivered, but if Madrood thought it was safe to be here, I’d trust him.
And for now, there wasn’t a flock of birds in sight. Maybe they didn’t like facing the open ocean either, which made me wonder what sort of terror lurked in the water.
Sunlight danced off the ocean’s blue-green surface, a canvas speckled with tiny jewels. Madrood’s rhythmic wingbeats created gentle updrafts that lifted us higher into the clear azure sky. My skin tingled from the sun's warmth while cool drafts snuck under my tunic to keep me from overheating.
Ivenrail’s going to overrun my small island,I said.I should’ve paid more attention during classes. I focused on hand-to-hand combat and new tricks I could use to train dragons. I’m not the right person to lead an army.
A high lady doesn’t need to lead the charge,he said.In fact, she shouldn’t. Her death could mean utter defeat. A clever high lady delegates tasks like this to those who have the skills to do what she can’t.
Brodine could be my general.If he could control his urge to slam through everything without thinking first.
Perhaps. I sense Reyla has incredible power. You need to help her hone it.
Another thing I needed to make time for. I wanted to spend every moment with Vexxion. The world around us was determined to tear us apart in more ways than one.
Did Reyla still haveEmber’s Shadow, and if so, why keep it hidden? I wouldn’t take it from her, though I was eager to borrow it.
Do you know more about her past than us?I asked.She was found sitting on a tree branch, crying.
No, I don’t.
