My fingertips touched the cool surface of my crystal. If magic from the spring captured memories, that meant Astrid’s mind had to be…
I caught my breath—her mind was in the place West of the Moon and East of the Sun. How had she gotten trapped there?
He lifted Astrid’s hand toward me. “Care to take a look? I’m sure she’ll let you in…she’s horribly lonely.”
I shot Daigen a look, but I understood. We did not come to the fortress because Astrid was distressed, we came because she had a memory I was supposed to see.
At least I was beginning to untangle Daigen’s twisted logic.
Astrid’s big eyes flicked up to me. She looked much older than thirty-nine but still seemed even younger than me.
She likely had no idea who I was, even though we had met before. I held out my hand. “Nice to see you again, Astrid.”
Astrid let go of Daigen but did not reach for my hand. Instead, she reached for my crimson cape, gently feeling the wool between her fingertips. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
Did she even know that the scent that lingered on my cape was from her son?
“My name is Serafina,” I said softly. “I married your son…once. I…I am trying to save him.”
Astrid looked toward her bed, where portraits of childlike Riyan were nailed to the wall.
My eyes swept across the portraits of the yellow-haired child that Astrid had painted with her hands. She had screamed in terror when she last saw Riyan, but she would not have painted him as a child if she did not know him, at least a little.
She might even have known him better than I did. Maybe she would show me who he really was, at least a small clue, anything to give my heart some damn direction.
I held down a hopeful smile as my white flame awoke and my crystal warmed my throat. The light between Astrid’s eyes that only I could see started shining and the magical tether between our minds materialized.
She released my cape and lifted her hand. Right before her fingertips touched my palm, a dozen butterfly wings fluttered in my mind.
Astrid let me in.
In a breath, I closed my eyes and the invisible butterfly wings led me into the darkness, submerging me like they pulled me underwater.
The feeling of water all around me made my heart jump. My eyes popped open to an endless black void. My arms and legs flailed, trying to swim through the water but failing.
A tiny light, like a broken shard of a stained glass window, twinkled in the darkness. Maybe I could use it to float on.
I frantically pulled myself toward it. The moment my fingertips touched the cool surface, my body tumbled through a fog.
The smell of fresh dew filled the air and morning mist crept through me. I did not have a body, which meant I was in a memory.
A quick survey of the surroundings placed me in the courtyard of Bloodstone Fortress. Servants in crimson livery milled about, but they looked like plain peasants, not trained soldiers.
Bloodstone did not have an army yet.
A girl that looked no older than sixteen swung a sword at a tree near the tall stone wall. Her golden braids danced along her back as she practiced her steady, yet fluid movements with her sword.
“Good morning, Miss Bloodstone,” said a deep male voice.
Astrid startled and tripped over one of the tree’s roots, landing on her backside hard.
“Fuck!” she cried.
Her eyes popped open and she clapped a hand over her mouth. Standing over her was a tall young man with white hair flowing down his back. His deep blue eyes were wide and unblinking.
“I mean…f-fortunate to see you this morning, Lord Hyton.” Astrid pushed herself up onto her elbows. “I-I did not mean to startle, you are just so…large.”
Her cheeks flushed red and she buried her face in her arms.
