“What about painting a target on our backs? Did you somehow forget that? And now you’re mad?”
“Give me a minute,” Fisher muttered to my mother and walked her to the door where she disappeared. He lingered outside.
“You could have killed him—Icould have killed him!” Amalee was shouting, but not at me, maybe at herself. “We should have done something. Anything.”
“And what, take on the land itself? You heard, they’re mated. You can’t deny that you didn’t see the shift in her the moment he …” I stammered, “touched her.”
Sky scoffed. “Something’s all fucked up with that. It’s not a true mating bond. I felt it on the sofa weeks ago. Someone’s messed with her mind.”
“What?” I turned to face my sister’s girlfriend. “What exactly did you see?”
She shrugged. “All I know is someone’s been tinkering around. Someone like me, and they weren’t very good at what they did. I’d need some time to look further, but it’s definitely Macabre magic in her.”
“It changed her mind?” I gasped, realizing she could be someone entirely different from who I had grown to know. “Maybe that’s why she refused to let me help her.”
“Doubtful.” Fisher spoke behind me. “She’s always been stubborn, but I can confirm someone messed with her mind.” He walked up to my side. “Prince Sutton had me take her to a healer. But there was someone else there. She’s from Oras and works for the king. Apparently, the prince too. Anyhow, things were different afterwards.”
“Let’s kill him,” Amalee urged.
Thick beats sounded in the air just before Micah’s wyverndove and landed to a screeching halt. He jumped off and scanned us, checking for potential injuries.
“A dozen gryphons flew in, but are now headed south.” My brother was breathless.
“And we’re just now seeing you?” I huffed.
“You missed the entertainment.” Sky smirked. “Tardy as always.”
“I was coming from the north, and it took a bit for the news to reach me.” Micah panted. “I’ll let you know when I learn to be in multiple places at once, maybe you can mix a magic potion to duplicate me. You’d make a few menandwomen very happy.”
“Thankfully, it wasn’t an attack.” Sky kicked her foot into the gravel. “Though on some level, I suppose it was.”
“I need to figure things out,” I said to nobody in particular.
Micah looked around. “What’s going on? I see your girl created a kick-ass garden for your mother? An early gift to the ‘ol mother-in-law, eh?”
“Yeah, something like that.” My jaw worked as I considered all the options. “If she agrees to leave, she won’t do so without her father or friends. We’re going to need transportation, and a lot of it.”
“Oh, a mission. I’ve missed those.” Micah smiled. “Who’s leaving and what are we doing?”
“Wearen’t doing anything. You need to stay in case things go incredibly bad.” I turned to stand in front of the four of them. “Fisher, are you staying here or assisting?”
“I’m going. I don’t care if Audryn hates me. I will not sit around.” He rolled his eyes at Amalee. “Though, it would be nice to have my own wyvern so I can stop riding with your sister.”
“Sky?” I raised a brow.
“I’m there,” she replied. “If someone fucked with her head, I may need to try to unfuck it, but no promises considering she willingly went back with that asshole.”
“I’d rather you stay.” Amalee’s words were low. “It’s going to be risky.”
“Aww, such a protector—I’m fine, you don’t have to worry about me.” Sky wrapped her arms around my sister and plopped a kiss on her cheek.
“You three leave Wednesday and go to Rynholm, rest up that evening and I’ll meet you in Rivale Thursday evening, we’ll gather along the western coast,” I continued. “I have an idea, but I’m going to need to reach out to a few people.”
“Three days?” Amalee’s eyes tracked to mine. “That’s too long. He could hurt her.” She looked at me with the same big black eyes I was so used to seeing as a child.
I shook the thought away. “We need time. We're going to be outmatched and outnumbered. I’m leaving tonight.”
28
