Frowning, Rhain stood. “What do you mean it didn’t work? The Dryads said it would.”
Reyna shook her head, wishing she could turn back time and do things another way. She’d been so focused on sneaking up on Lorcan that she hadn’t considered another way. “It’s not that easy. His blood needs to spill on the throne. Enough to power the magic.”
“How much isenough, Shieldmaiden?” Nollaig asked tensely.
“I don’t know, but I’m going to have to do it tomorrow night.” She sucked in a sharp breath and plopped onto the log beside the fire, not even bothered by the heat of it for the moment. “My father will begin his attack tomorrow morning if we don’t get an owl to him by dawn. I told Lorcan to meet me in the throne room at dusk. He’ll be there. There’s not much he wants more than to drain the blood from my veins.”
“What about Glencora?” Thane asked, taking a step toward her. “Don’t tell me Lorcan got to her.”
She fisted her hands, tension knotting every muscle in her body. “I didn’t find her, and Lorcan didn’t even try to threaten me with her. Are you certain you saw her fly to the tower?”
He furrowed his brows. “I thought I did, but…maybe it was you I saw instead. My only question is, if she’s not in the tower then where is she?”
“Well search the forests for her,” Nollaig announced. “We have some time before we need to head to the tower. Let’s see if we can track down an ice princess.”
“We?” Reyna said with a frown.
“Well, of course.” Nollaig stood and brushed the dirt from her cloak. “You’re not flying up to that tower by yourself again, not when Lorcan knows you’re coming. We’ll all go. We’ll stand together. There’s far more chance of success if we act like a team. Lorcan only has himself right now.”
A silver form whispered through the trees, snatching Reyna’s attention away from the conversation. She leapt to her feet, a cry of relief in her throat. She tossed her dagger to the ground and charged forward, not even caring that her wrist still needed to mend. Her sister was fine. She’d found them. She’d only gotten lost in the woods.
“Glencora!” Reyna shouted, shoving through the brush. She landed in front of her sister, stumbling over a hidden rock. Catching herself, she glanced up with a smile and—
Her mouth dropped open. The whole world went still.
Eislyn Darragh stood before her in a black hoarfrost cloak that rustled in the light wind. Her hair had been shorn close to her scalp, and her parched lips were cracked and swollen. In one hand, she clutched a dagger. In the other, she carried a shield.
Reyna’s thoughts scrambled to understand. Was she hallucinating? Was this some sort of twisted dream? Blinking rapidly, she stumbled forward and reached out for her sister’s arm.
“Eislyn,” she whispered. “Is that really you?”
“Reyna?” Her voice cracked, and tears filled her silver eyes.
With a strangled cry, Reyna threw herself through the woods. Her feet pounded the dirt ground, thumping in time with the hectic beat of her heart. She reached Eislyn and swept her up into her arms, spinning wildly while she clutched her tight. Tears poured from her eyes, mixing with Eislyn’s, their cheeks mashed together.
“Oh, Eislyn,” she cried, struggling to handle the avalanche of emotion that crashed over her. She set her sister down, but she did not let go. She clutched her arm with her good hand and searched her eyes for everything she wanted to know. “Everyone thought you were dead. No one could find you. I thought I’d never see you again. I’ve been sick form worry. I—”
“Reyna,” Eislyn breathed, dropping her forehead to hers. “I’ve come here to remind you of who you are. You don’t need to turn to darkness. You don’t need to let Unseelie into your mind. I’ve never met anyone else who could tear the world apart by the force of her own stubbornness. You’re too strong to bend to his will. Please believe me when I tell you this. Please don’t give up on this world. I’m here to remind you of what you’re fighting for.”
Confused, Reyna drew back. “Eislyn, I thank you for everything you’re saying to me, but I don’t understand. None of this makes sense. You know I would never turn to Unseelie.”
“Wait.” Eislyn blinked back at her. “You’re okay? You haven’t transformed into…”
“Into what, Eislyn?”
“I…I thought you were…”
“Where have you been?” Reyna glanced down at Eislyn’s clothes. They were unlike any she’d seen before. Elaborate designs were embroidered on a type of linen that was not common in Tir Na Nog. “How did you get here?”
Eislyn pressed her lips together. “I went to the Empire of Fomor to find a cure for the Ruin. I ended up finding something else entirely. A prophecy about a darkness that would spread across the world, brought upon us all by an enemy. The Fomorians call her The Namhaid.”
45
Reyna
Reyna stared at her sister. “I’m sorry. Did you say you went to theEmpire of Fomor?”
Eislyn cracked a familiar smile, shyly glancing down at her worn leather boots. “I know it sounds unlikely. Little Eislyn Darragh, the girl who curls up with books inside the library. But I had to do something to help, and it turned out…that was it.”
