“You’re so young.”
He lifted a shoulder. “When you know, you know. Was the same for my folks.”
Before I could formulate a response, a package resting on the foot of my bed caught my attention from the corner of my eye.
The sweet resinous scent emanating from the box had my heartbeat kicking up a notch, giving away who’d sent it before I’d even unwrapped the folded parchment only to find my name written in block letters.
Nyla,
I hope the books have proven useful. When I can carve out the time, I’ll make sure to send more your way.
As one who prefers bad news first, I’ll start there. I’ve started looking for Tarrin as requested, but the answers seem overtly obtuse. While it’stoo early to come to any conclusions, I thought it best to be upfront. I know this will only make you worry for him more, but I promise I’ll continue to search.
Now for the good news. If I remember correctly, I’ve missed one. Hopefully I haven’t, and your set is complete again.
Endymion
PS: Remember to dispel daily and learn as much about wielding as possible while you’re hidden away safely in the Summer Court. Wymond and Thaddeus will figure it out eventually, but for now, work on honing your magic. They can’t steal powers from you if they’re dead, and the spark might be the only thing that can ensure your safety.
A slurry of emotions muddled my thoughts as I stood there taking in Endymion’s words. I couldn’t tell if it was grief for Tarrin or something else, but my chest ached fiercely enough that I had to rub a palm against my sternum in a vain attempt to soothe it.
Curiosity drew my attention to the thin rectangular box his note had rested upon. Putting the parchment to the side, I placed my thumb and forefingers on each end and shimmied the lid up.
A soft gasp escaped me as I stared down at the blades I’d lost to the woods against the na’li. Putting the lid to the side, I ran my fingers across them as I counted, surprised at how cumbersome their size now felt compared to the ones the commander had gifted me—even though I’d yet to throw them.
Endymion was right. Including the two daggers I hadn’t released that day, there was one missing. Stars, he’d personally recovered them for me and remembered how many I carried. Forcing myself to choke back the emotions bubbling up, I placed the parchment inside the box and pressed the lidback down.
“What is it?”
I jumped, completely forgetting Kaelun was there.
“Nothing,” I lied. “Just something from my previous life.”
It hit me then, how much unintended truth there was in those words. The last time I’d thrown them, I was human. They came from a simpler time when I’d used them for a completely different form of survival than the one I faced now, and suddenly the weight of them was unbearable as the sense of hiraeth that followed me into this new life, strangled me like a vise around my chest.
“Lady Nyleeria?” Kaelun’s concerned voice did little to help.
Box in hand, I threw open the wardrobe, pulled out a drawer, shoved it in a back corner, and hastily covered it. Grabbing clothing from the shelves that were suitable, I ducked into the bathroom, changed, swept the gifted bandolier from the chair, and walked past a bewildered Kaelun.
“I need to throw. Now.”
My shadow valenned us to the same cliff face Artton had brought me to yesterday, the pit of sand still floating high in the air at the other end of the nearly invisible bridge.
I groaned internally. “Isn’t there somewhere else we can go?”
“I’m sure there is,” he said, stepping over the ledge, “but I’m under orders to take you here when you want to train or need to dispel.”
Pursing my lips, I weighed my desire to throw against my newfound fear of heights. “Can’t you just valen us there?” I pointed toward the pit.
“Nope, it’s warded like your residence. No valenning directly in or out.”
With no other choice, I stepped to the edge and cringed when I looked down. Like his uncle, Kaelun stood on thin air, completely unbothered. Gingerly, I tapped a toe where the massive gray rock ofthe cliff gave way to nothingness, only it met resistance as solid as the foot still firmly planted on land. Even with that reassurance, I couldn’t make myself step over the edge.
“Here,” Kaelun said, now right in front of me. “Grab this and look at me in the eyes.”
He held a thick piece of rope between his hands, waiting for me to accept his offer. My eyes darted between the valley below, the rope, and him. Palms now sweaty, I wiped them on my slacks before wrapping them around the rope with a death grip.
“You’re safe,” he said, his voice calm and low. “I won’t let anything happen to you.”
