The thin crescent moon loomed above me. Time was running out.
I propped my arms on the balcony railing and gazed at the faint peak of Nordingaard in the distance.
How was Riyan faring in the place West of the Moon and East of the Sun? Was his spirit merely swirling around in endless darkness like the other lost souls?
I sighed and looked down at my hands. Trusting Daigen was difficult, but if he said following my emotions was the way to Riyan, I had no other choice.
Wings flapped next to me like a whisper. I turned—a raven had perched on the balcony.
I looked over my shoulder to make sure no one was around before I asked, “Erik?”
The raven raised its hackles and flapped its wings. Wrong—it was definitely Endre.
Endre raised one of his talons, showing off a tiny-rolled up piece of parchment attached to his leg. I untied the parchment and a sliver of charcoal fell into my hand.
Was Evereon contacting me already? I unrolled the parchment.
Yoo gud?
I wrinkled my nose. Evereon had said he was one of the few soldiers who could read and the writing was too sloppy for me to believe it had come from the hands of a noble son, even one who had not finished school.
I turned to Endre. “Did Brandt send this?”
Endre bobbed his head and I smiled. “Where was he?”
“Guard-house,” Endre croaked.
Brandt must have been staying with former cadets from the military academy. He was taking a huge risk to send messages by raven, especially a talking one.
All to make sure I was all right. How sweet of him!
I flipped over the parchment and wrote a simple “Good” along with a small heart, in case he could not read.
I secured the parchment around Endre’s leg. “Give him a little kiss for me when you see him.”
It was supposed to be a joke, but my voice came out hollow. Could I still talk to Endre like I had before?
I pulled the twine into a tight knot. “Was it a tough flight from the fortress?”
Endre shook his head and the ruff around his neck fluffed up. His wavy hair used to always be so messy, no comb could fully tame it.
Slowly, I reached over and stroked his neck and tried to smooth the ruff. “I just found out that all you Heaston boys gotto play around while the Ashmore girls were locked up. How many lovers didyouhave?”
Endre looked over his shoulder and narrowed his eyes. I swore he was smiling.
“A-lot,” he croaked.
I scoffed and flicked him on the back of the head. “You men are absolute boars.”
Endre opened his beak and spread his wings, as if to say, “Not me! I am a raven.”
Hinges creaked behind me and Endre took to the skies. Derrick stood in the doorway, gripping the handle of the tower door. He had a red and purple ring under his left eye.
My heart ached. What had happened to him?
He dropped his gaze. “I did not know you would be here, I—”
He caught his words and stopped. He shifted back into the tower, but I reached out my hand.
