Starlight gilds theParadiseas I step on board, struggling with a dragon who seems to love straining against her lead. The boat looks good as new—possibly better, though I won’t tell Kasmira that—as it bobs in the harbor’s moonlit water.
I suppose I could have taken a sip from the flask Kasmira offered me before I rushed out of the boarding house ahead of her, just to dull the pain of leaving Meredy behind, but this is what I’m learning to do: take the losses and keep going, keep running toward danger while there are people I love left to fight for. Still, there’s an aching, hollow feeling in my stomach as the crew darts around me, preparing to leave.
After leading Nipper down to a damp section of the cargo hold where she can’t possibly set anything on fire and tossing her a couple pieces of Lysander’s leftover fish jerky, I make my way slowly to the tiny cabin I shared with Meredy. With only one bag to my name, unpacking goes quickly, even as I take extra care to avoid looking at Meredy’s cot. Some coffee beans are scattered across the floor, nodoubt having spilled during the storm. I pick them up, blow the dust off them, and pop them in my mouth.
I hope the crew makes quick work of setting sail. We need to reach Valoria before any more attempts on her life are made, if that’s even possible. We know nothing about the extent of the rebels’ plans, and the not knowing is what frightens me most.
As I start to shove my bag under my cot, I realize it’s a bit too heavy to be completely empty. Reaching inside, I grab the fist-sized blue crystal and remove it from its leather wrapping. I’d forgotten about this thing already. I guess my mind was trying to spare me the embarrassment of recalling how much I paid for a piece of junk with powers too good to be true.
But since I’m alone in here, at least until Azelie brings her bags down, I might as well see if it does anything while no one is around to witness my humiliation.
Sitting cross-legged on my cot, I cradle the crystal in my cupped palms as the old man instructed. Nothing happens. I think he said something about closing my eyes and focusing on the person I want to contact, so I try that, too.
“Master Cymbre,” I whisper. “Can you hear me?”
Still nothing. Of course.
This is dumber than the only time it snowed in Grenwyr City, when Evander, Jax, and Simeon tried to build an icy cave to sleep in, and it fell in on their heads.
One more try. That’s all I’m giving this rock before I toss it into the harbor.
Keeping my eyes closed, I let the image of Evander fill the darkness behind my eyelids. His cropped brown hair, eyes of the darkest blue so stark against his pale skin, and the smile that won me over the first time we met as apprentices still awaiting growth spurts. Seeinghim this clearly makes the rest of the world melt away. I forget where I am. I forget why I feel like I don’t belong anywhere anymore.
“Van,” I murmur in a choked voice. “I wish you were here.”
The crystal seems to shake slightly between my palms. It flares with a sudden warmth, startling me into opening my eyes. The rough-cut surface of the crystal glows from every angle as if lit from within. It’s almost uncomfortable to hold, like touching the door of a stove with bare hands, but I cling to it and hastily shut my eyes again.
“Evander?” I ask hopefully, my heart working overtime.
“I’ve missed you, Sparrow.” The achingly familiar voice echoes softly in my ears.
I gasp, amazed, not quite trusting what I just heard. “Van...” A sob catches in my throat as I try to speak. “Where are you?”
The answer takes a moment to arrive. “The island.”
“What island?” I demand, no longer whispering. I don’t care who hears. I don’t even care that the crystal is so hot, it’s probably leaving red marks on my palms. “The one your father used to talk about?” I shake my head, trying to rid myself of the fog of shock so I can focus on what matters: making up for lost time. “I can’t believe it’s you! I’ve missed youso much. I’ll come to you, I—”
“I can’t say where I am,” he answers slowly, the words tinged with sadness. “I’m afraid we can only talk here. So tell me: What’s bothering you, Sparrow?”
Tears sting my eyes, blazing trails down my cheeks when they finally spill over.
He could always tell when something was upsetting me, even when I tried to hide it.Canalways tell, that is. Because apparently, his spirit is out there somewhere. Still, I can’t believe I’m finally hearing him again. I need to hear more, so the doubting voice in the back of my head will shut up.
“This is probably going to be a bit of a shock...” I begin. I hadn’t forgotten how easy it is to talk to him, but I’d buried the knowledge somewhere deep, so I could carry on with the business of living. “King Wylding is dead, thanks to Hadrien, that traitorous little worm. I had to kill him. Valoria took the throne, and now someone has tried to kill her—is still trying, from the sound of things. There are Karthians who want her dead, and there are rogue mages among them...”
The cabin door creaks open. I throw the crystal under my bed, dabbing my sweaty palms on my worn black trousers.
“Azelie, now’s not really a good time,” I groan, hastily wiping my face and turning to her as she sweeps inside and shuts the door.
Blinking, I try to understand what I’m seeing.
It’s not Azelie at all.
Meredy gently sets her bags—one for her, one for Lysander—off to the side of the door. Straightening, she absently rubs the long scar on her cheek as she studies me, looking more nervous than she did the time we were facing down a whole group of Shade-baiters in the Deadlands.
She clears her throat.
I can’t tell if my heart is beating out of control because I just talked to Evander or because I’m so glad to see the girl standing in front of me.
