Mjolnir.As she thinks his name, there is a rumble in the sky, and something inside her settles.
I’m here, Death Bringer.
And there, above her, is the shape of a dragon, circling around the castle, storm clouds gathering in his wake.
She lets out a relieved breath. That, at least, is something to be thankful for.
She walks with more purpose to Astrid’s wing. It’s quiet, the tiniest breeze twining through Skylar’s fingers. Although she knows Fionn and their familiar guard Astrid’s door, it’s like the rest of the castle inhabitants have been warned to stay away.
Tonight, however, there is already someone below Astrid’s window, his back against the stone wall. He clearly hasn’t shaved in days, and he looks like he hasn’t slept, either—he must have Teleported straight here.
“You’re back,” Skylar states, when she’s close enough for him to hear.
His posture doesn’t change. “Yeah. Miss me?”
Kaida looks up, her tail swishing hopefully, and Skylar knows she’s waiting for Bastet.
I don’t think he’s in the mood to play, Little One.
There is a low, annoyed growl.
I will go and find an inspect, Kaida declares. Skylar frowns down at her.An inspect, Kaida insists, and with it she sends an image of an enormous ant, totally out of proportion.
An insect, Skylar corrects.
Kaida growls again, the spikes on her tail thumping the ground.
Zryan laughs, the sound weary. “She’s a fierce little thing.” Kaidalooks up at him, her bright gold eyes narrowing—a gold that will fade, according to Mjolnir, as her eyes find their true color. Then she pounces off, tiny puffs of smoke curling from her nostrils. She probably has enough fire to singe an ant, to be fair.
Skylar glances up at Astrid’s window. “Have you said hello?”
He pauses for a fraction of a second. “She won’t want to see me.”
“I’m not so sure about that,” Skylar says quietly.
Zryan sighs. “It’s better this way.”
And Skylar gets it. “Complicated” doesn’t even begin to describe what must be happening with the two of them.
She moves to the wall, slides down against it. After a moment, Zryan does the same, so that they’re sitting shoulder to shoulder.
“Where were you?” Skylar asks, bringing her knees to her chest.
He hesitates. “Someone needed to tell the queen what happened.”
Skylar frowns, thinking of Ottilie, before she realizes. The witch queen. He went to tell Astrid’s mother. He flew to Arturea. No wonder he’s tired. She wants to ask him what it was like. If he saw the mountains, if the cold was unbearable or a release. But she knows now is not the time.
“Anything of note happen while I was away?” he asks.
“Oh, you know. Never a dull moment and all that.” They are quiet, watching Kaida play in the grass, the sound of night birds filling the space between them. She can hear the steady beat of his heart, if she lets herself. The energy within her is a low-level hum all the time now, like she can’t shut it off.
“Zryan?” He glances at her, waiting. She falters. Because, alright, he might not be as bad as she first thought, but he’s still one of them, isn’t he? Yet she can’t stop thinking about what Luc said at the ball. And Zryan is one of the very few people who might know the answer, isn’t he? “What do the Champions do at the Heart?”
“Where did you hear that word?” Zryan asks slowly.
She twirls a hand in the air. “Came to me in a dream.”
He lets out a huff that could possibly be a laugh. “Okay, then. Well, the Champions are sent to the Heart to protect it. One of the many defenses around it to keep it safe.”
