Her body flickers in and out of view, and I feel my lungs constrict as if I’m being pulled away.
“Carnaxa, listen to me. Trust yourself, trust your magic. It’s as natural as breathing. The journal tells my tale of tears, but you have to live your own fate.” She flickers again. “Don’t trust those who wear the crown of old. His heart may be enclosed in fire, but it’s the ice that keeps it beating with cruelty. The ice that was stolen from me, a blessing that has now been sent to another. Things are not always as they seem and the fire will bleed with the darkness until the true heart is found.”
“I don’t know who or what you are speaking of? Who?” I grab on to her hand tighter, loving how my mother’s skin feels once against mine. “I need you. Don’t leave me.” I feel like a child once again, having my mother here in front of me and wanting so much tostay with her.
Crystal tears fall from her eyes as she brushes the freckles against my neck. “I’ve never left you. Death does not mean an end, for we are all simply changed. I love you, my darling girl. Don’t let the darkness in anymore. Those thoughts were not yours. Trust yourself, and trust where the ripples lead you. A choice was made and will be made again.”
She leans in and whispers, “But this, I can give back because the memories were stolen by a cruel trick, but it was a trick that he learned from me. The last bit of magic stored inside of the stone, when joined with my journal, provided me enough power to then help you as best I can.” She kisses my cheek quickly and a coolness spreads from where her lips touched as she falls back.
She flickers once ... twice ... and then she’s gone and a force pulls me back as I crash into my body.
I wake up still inside the tent, and considering no one has found me, I assume not a lot of time has passed. I pick myself up off the floor, dusting the leathers as I do. The ground quakes. My head has a low hum inside and it’s like a cold sweep takes over as memories play out in my mind’s eye.
Thylas’ small frame against the crashing waves when I found him.
Siphonie, Thylas, and me running through the halls and markets of Antalis.
My mother’s death and Thylas holding me that night and his punishment afterwards.
Meeting Ereon and knowing I would wed him.
The night ofTähtandMarand the kiss that followed.
The kitchen conversations with Ereon, who for once let down his guard.
The feelings for them both that bloomed.
The attack with the men from Lidiens.
The night we all shared.
The twin drop ripples between the three of us.
Sweat beads at my brow as I try to catch my breath, grasping for the memories to slow down and needing to understand all of what’s happened since. I stand on shaking legs as the assault of what was taken from me comes to a halt.
My thoughts are like a spider’s web, everywhere and all at once, connected by a central meeting point — my magic. I can feel the power as it swirls within my veins, the flow of it twisting and turning and combining with the blood itself.
Becoming a part of me. I walk towards the basin of water across the room. I swipe my fingers through the cold clear water and splash my face with it.“She controls the flame.”Is what Ereon said about Anara. The memory of her outside of Thylas’ tent surprises me, but I push it back and let my palms cup the water.
I peer down into it, unsure of how to control anything. It softly expands around my palm and a shiver runs up my arms as the coolness overtakes me. What do I want the water to do? I remember watching Anara twirl her fingers toward the flame and it danced,so I drop the water, cupping only one handful this time. I take a deep breath and let it trickle down in drops.
I raise my palm, wishing for the drop to stop, but it does nothing. My wrist burns where the bracelet is, but I ignore it. I try over and over, lifting handfuls of water. I know Ereon will want me soon and I should get ready, but I want to try one more time.
“Trust yourself, trust your magic. It’s as natural as breathing.”My mother’s words filter through me and I try to feel the magic as my blood pumps.
Cupping the water once more, I breathe deeply and close my eyes. I let the water leisurely flow down my fingers and hold out my hand. A few seconds pass, my wrist burning deeply and I open my eyes. There before me, the water cascades over my fingertips, rolling over itself and never touching the basin. A gasp collects in my throat and I slowly move my hand away, in awe of what’s before me. There, floating in the air, is the water from my hand, and it dances in a pattern choreographed by my fingers.
forty
Ereon
Walking to the front of camp my stomach is in knots over what just happened. Anara, I know what she said, but I don’t believe it — not really. But neither she nor Thylas denied what happened between them when Rhenor mentioned asked. Not that it would take much to come to the same conclusion given she left his tent with almost no clothing on.
My fingers flex at my thighs as I take a deep breath, trying to gather my bearings. I see some of my men already at the entrance, their heads held high and their swords attached totheir backs, ready for whoever might be coming. It can’t be someone who wanted to arrive in secret or we would have never spotted them.
A dark carriage becomes visible along the horizon and I know without a doubt that though the day has already started out terribly — it’s about to get worse. The snow falls harder as the sounds of the horses leading his carriage come closer.
Ryul appears beside me. “Why is the Reph here? Aren’t we on our way to see him?”
