The insurgency spreading through the kingdom seeded long before Father’s death. Knowing that makes me stronger. If only for the fact that it was one thing I knew that my father sadly did not.
“What about Thayden?” Alaric asked. “Any news on him?”
“Nothing there either. But I didn’t think there would be. He’s being careful. He knows he’s being watched. He’ll only step outside his safety zone when he thinks my eyes are turned away.”
“Or maybe we don’t have to worry about him anymore.”
“Somehow, I don’t think so.” It was just a feeling I had, something that stayed with me from the little audience I had with him. “We still need to keep an eye on him.”
My eyes dropped to the ground and I got lost in the clumps of earth that had gathered together from that rain.
What was I missing?
What couldn’t I see?
What were those bastards hiding from me?
And then there was her.
The thing wearing my sister’s face.
“What is it Wolfe?” Bastian asked.
I met his concerned gaze, my mind riddled with conflict and questions. “I saw Zyrra in Morgäven.” That was the first time I’d been able to tell them I’d seen her.
They stared back at me, shocked. The silence that suddenly entered the tent was cold and callous, chasing away all the warmth.
“Why in the hells didn’t you tell us before?” Alaric’s stare was most cutting, though he meant no ill. It was just me who saw it that way. I would always see whatever my mind wanted me to see whenever I spoke about our sister with him. Because of what I had to do. To end her suffering.
“I’m telling you now.” I pulled in a slow breath to loosen my mind. “At first, I thought I was imagining things. Then I realized she was real. Or, as real as the entity bearing her face.”
“Did anything happen?”
“No. She was just there. I was just thinking that she’s the only real lead we have. Since this whole thing happened, she’s the onelink we have with the enemy. We need to find out what she is. Perhaps then we’ll know more about everything else.”
“If the Seer couldn’t tell us then what hope do we have of finding out?” Alaric frowned.
“I feel like that’s the link we’re missing. We don’t know what or who we’re up against.”
“What did she want in Morgäven?” Bastian asked, his brows creasing. I could practically see the questions forming in his mind.
“To taunt me. She wanted me to die. She wanted me to give up and die.”
They glanced at each other.
“So we were right,” Garrick smirked. “Theydoneed you dead.”
“Yes,” I replied.
“For Zyrra to appear to you, you must pose some other threat. Maybe more than just protecting Elariya and disturbing the enemy’s plans for the ring,” Alaric said with reflection.
“I think so,” I pulled in a breath. “I really need to know Zyrra she is.”
“What are you thinking?” Bastian asked, looking me over.
“We need to research.” And speak to Kaem again. He’d been able to see Zyrra, and he knew she wasn’t my sister. “Maybe in the archives. There must be something there. Let’s wrap things up here first. Then make a start tomorrow.”
The marriage celebrations were in a few hours. I wanted to do another sweep of the area. If only to make sure the remaining villagers of Duskmoor were safe for the night.
