Wild eyes filled with terror gazed down at me. He grabbed my shoulders, his grip like steel. “I thought you were dead.”
I shook my head rapidly. Tears formed in my eyes. Shaking and still processing the craziness of what had just happened in Silventine Wood, I gazed up at Kole’s shining cerulean irises.
A grin bloomed across my face. “I got it, Kole. I found the Stone.” Tears of happiness cascaded down my cheeks, and I held the glimmering gem up to him, revealing the coveted relic as it glowed as brightly as a sun from within and bathed the realm in a plethora of starlight colors. “I can save my uncle!”
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
Kole’s face entirely closed off, his telltale mask falling into place. “You found it. You actually found it.”
“Yes!” I jumped in excitement, and magic from the Stone hummed in my grasp. “Now, all I need to do is return to Whiteolf.Legends of Our Realmsays I must be in close proximity to a fairy if my wish is to affect another. But I can save my uncle, Kole. He’s not going to die!”
Kole’s throat bobbed, and a crack in his mask appeared, but instead of the joy I expected to see, he looked...devastated.
My smile dimmed. “Aren’t you happy for me?”
He abruptly tore a hand through his hair. “Prim, I’m so sorry, but?—”
“Is this her?” another male said.
I jolted and peeked over Kole’s shoulder.
Behind Kole and walking toward us was a male who was just as large and just as broad as Kole, but instead of alsoseeming surprised by this stranger approaching us, Kole nodded and replied stiffly, “Yes, this is Primelle Hollaran.”
The second the male came to stand beside Kole, he gazed down at me with sparkling brown eyes. Blond hair, similar in shade to Opalin’s, covered his head, and his light-brown skin shone in the twilight.
Instinctively, I shielded the Stone from him, slipping it beneath my cloak so he couldn’t see it. But that was pointless. The brightness of the Stone and its constant emittance of starlight made it impossible to hide. It glowed right through the material.
“Who are you?” I demanded, all manners leaving me in my shock. I surveyed our surroundings. Snow glittered in the glowing moonlight, and I wondered if there were more than Kole and this male about.
But a quick check of the area confirmed that it was only the two of them.But where did he come from?Kole obviously knew him, making me think this new male had traveled here with him.
The male bowed at me but chuckled, apparently finding my bluntness amusing. “Jamie Axthrower at your service. A pleasure to meet you.”
Axthrower.Sure enough, a huge ax was strapped to Jamie’s back. “You’re an Imperial Warrior as well?”
“Indeed,” Jamie replied.
I supposed that made sense if he and Kole knew eachother, and I deduced that Kole must have mistphased Jamie back here with him.
I looked at Kole for confirmation, but he stood rigidly, not making eye contact, and I wondered if he was allowed to tell me anything about why Jamie accompanied him. Maybe his orders forbade it, and it briefly occurred to me that something had to be going on because Kole had just started to apologize to me.
But apologize for what?
I cocked my head at him. “Is Jamie here to do Imperial Council business with you?” My eyes went wide as it suddenly occurred to mewhythat might be. I whipped around, and magic surged out of me automatically, searching for a threat in the area. “Are there more of thosethingshere? Did you need Jamie as backup?”
“No, Prim, that’s not why.” Kole sounded resigned. Apologetic. And again...devastated.
Unease grew in me anew, strengthening with each second that passed. Frowning, I peered up at the warrior, but Jamie cut in. “How much have you told her, Kole?”
Kole snarled in his direction. “I’ve told her nothing. She saw it with her own eyes in Inisville.”
Jamie crossed his arms but didn’t say anything further.
“What’s going on?” I suddenly felt entirely discombobulated. Kole’s somnolent energy wasn’t helping, but whatever had caused two Imperial Warriors to venture here today didn’tmatter. I needed to save my uncle, and I needed to begin the long journey home on my carpet. Or rather,Kole’scarpet. It didn’t matter why Jamie had joined Kole, or what they’d been assigned to do in this Wood, or why Kole had even bothered returning here if he had other business to tend to. Essentially, it had nothing to do with me, but just like I’d predicted, the time had come where the warrior and I would have to say our goodbyes.
“I need to go back to Whiteolf.” I glanced down at the carpet, and a thought struck me. It would take me days to venture back to the capital upon it, but maybe, just maybe, Kole would mistphase me there before he had to return to work. I bit my lip, hating to ask that of him, but I was desperate to return. I had no idea how much time my uncle had left. “Would you be able to transport me there? Please?”
Jamie scoffed. “Of course, he’ll transport you there. He’ll mistphase both of us to Whiteolf.”
