I looped the peach bag over my shoulder and hugged her too. “You two have been the best friends I’ve ever had. In my whole life.”
Orla slapped my shoulder. “Don’t say things like that. It makes it sound like you’re not coming back. I expect to see you again.”
I huffed a half-laugh. “Fine. I’ll see you both soon with wild stories of my adventures in Kerebos.”
Brielle smiled her precision-perfect smile. “And bring your husband so we can give him a hard time about not telling us about his curse.”
I turned around and saw Ivodar already sitting on South Wind. “Maybe we should trade. She’s a little smaller than mine.”
North Wind made a loud, offended sound and shook his head. Suddenly, I was more anxious about upsetting him than climbing up on him. “Sorry, North Wind.” Apologizing seemed important. “I’ve never done this before.”
He bent his head down. I considered running away from him, but he moved slowly, as if trying to convince me that he was safe. He rubbed his nose against my shoulder.
“Talk to him,” the stable fae whispered.
Right.No fear.I took a deep breath and turned toward his face, now on eye-level with mine. “I really need to get to Kerebos as fast as possible, and everyone is saying you’re the one who can make that happen.”Like so often, once my mouth started going, everything else started to relax. “I’m too scared to even touch you, but I really want to help Bylur, so I hope you might work with me to get me to the border.”
He rubbed my arm with his nose, and I risked petting his neck. “Now I just need to figure out how to get on you.”
Orla elbowed her brother. “Dedalus will help.”
Dedalus’s permanent scowl settled on his sister, but she grinned back at him. “Won’t you?”
“Of course,” he growled.
I bit my lip so I didn’t burst out laughing. I avoided looking at Dedalus, but faced his sister. “When I get back, we should invite your brothers and Bylur to join us for tea sometimes.”
“Yes!” She clapped her hands and laughed. It was a nice sound, but I knew her well enough to know it was forced. This was taking too long. I needed to get going.
Dedalus cupped his hands and bent down to my knee. “Put one foot on my hands and be ready to swing your leg over the saddle when I lift you up.”
I swallowed an extra gulp of air as he lifted me up and into the saddle in less than a second. Then he slid my feet into the stirrups and adjusted their length.
Brielle gasped and waved her hands. “Wait! Don’t go!” she cried, running toward the stable. I had to pick my jaw up. I never thought I’d see her run.
Dearan patted North Wind’s side. “He’s going to go fast, so hold onto the reins or the saddle. If you need a break, just tell him, and he’ll stop. He knows the way,so you don’t need to worry about anything besides staying on.”
“No other horse could get you there so fast,” the stable fae repeated.
Brielle came rushing back, completely out of breath, with a small jar in her hand. She passed it up to me. I bent down to reach it. “It’s a salve,” she said, “for your legs. You’ll need it before you get to anyone who can heal you.”
“Heal me?” This felt like a riddle.
Dearan’s broad smile ran across his face. “You’ll know when you need it. Just tuck it in the bags for now.”
Kusan patted my knee. “I’ve given Ivodar food for two days. We’ll be cheering for you until we see you again.”
“Thanks. Your bread and pastries saved my life.” I smiled at her and glanced at Ivodar, who nodded at me. “Thanks, everyone. I’ll see you all again soon.” I patted North Wind’s upper back. “I’m ready if you are.”
He lifted his head, shook it with a majestic energy, and then charged forward.
Chapter 28: Bylur
Iexpected a dungeon cell, either that or a blade across my throat, so I wasn’t surprised when they locked me behind bars a hundred feet below ground. The stone floor smelled of body fluids, so I stood. If Daneira kept her word, I’d be dead in three days. I could stand that long.
Would Auria learn to use the key before I died? Would I know if she did? And would she have talked to Parcival yet? He would give her the documents I’d arranged that assigned all of Umbran properties and powers to her, but she’d spent more time with the Luxar and Artifex siblings than anyone else. She might not even tell Parcival I was gone.
But when he realized, he would help her. And I would use my magic’s last breath to permanently house a portion of magic in her key. She would always have access to my power, even if I died in three days.
