After Wilder’s confession, Frazer thawed a bit and even offered to help. Adrianna claimed that job and insisted that my kin stay with me. So I had to watch them take on all the responsibility while I wasted away, utterly helpless.
The following day, I was sitting in my favorite chair with two blankets covering me and a book on my lap, as Frazer stoked the fire. No doubt for my benefit. Because despite the blaze licking up the chimney, my fingertips were like icicles as they caressed the pages of The Darkest Song. I’d had a hard time putting it down lately. For some reason, it comforted me. Frazer was just talking about making lunch when the door clicked open. I didn’t bother looking up. Wilder had told us the pass phrase days ago and we’d kept it locked. I knew it could only be one of two people.
The sound of a throat being cleared dragged my attention toward Adrianna. She was in the doorway, smiling.
“What is it?” I asked.
She moved aside. Cai and Liora walked through; they’d returned with only one day to spare.
Rallying, I scrambled to stand. Frazer’s arm was instantly at my elbow, supporting, lifting. My book fell to the floor as Liora walked straight over. I held out my arms and we collided in a fierce hug. Cai wasn’t far behind. He enveloped us both.
“We’re sorry it took so long,” Liora breathed into my ear.
“Quests are a lot longer and a far sight more boring when you don’t have wings,” Cai said cheerfully, rubbing my back.
I pulled away to stare at them both, and their smiles warmed the very bones of me. For the first time in days, I wasn’t numb.
“I take it you got the items?” Frazer asked.
Cai hitched his bag higher. “They’re in our bags. But we’d only just returned our weapons when Adi found us, so we haven’t had time to show them to Goldwyn yet.”
I stilled and exchanged brief glances with Adrianna and Frazer.
Cai continued, oblivious. “We should probably go see her now—”
“Goldwyn’s not seeing anyone,” Adrianna said, sadness inflecting her voice. “Show them to Wilder instead.”
Liora took her in. Then Frazer, and finally, me. “You need to tell us something?”
Adrianna laughed weakly. “Where do we start?”
Liora’s bright eyes found mine. A plea for information.
“Wait.” Cai showed us his palms. “Before we learn things that will undoubtedly make our lives more complicated and horrible, can we have something to drink and a whole ton of food? Because I’ve had enough stale buns and dried meat to last a fae lifetime.”
He stuck his tongue out in disgust.
Liora clucked her tongue. “Such hardship.”
A little smile nudged my cheeks. It felt forced.
Adrianna stalked over to the kitchen and without looking back, said, “Kitchen is through here. I’ll make us some coffee—we’ll need it.”
“How reassuring,” Cai joked sarcastically. He still dumped his bag on the rug and trailed after her.
Liora looked around. “Adi says you’ve been keeping the feather and nightshade in a safe? Where is it?”
“It’s the trunk in the bedroom,” Frazer said, pointing the way. “Pass phrase is valo.”
“Okay. I should go put our stuff in the safe, but just know that whatever’s going on, we’ll fix it—together.” Liora’s hand squeezed my wrist in a quiet promise. She didn’t seem to need a response as she disappeared into the bedroom with their bags.
Her words lifted my spirits, but not enough to sustain my strength. I fell backward into squeaking springs and reached for the blankets that now scattered the floor.
Frazer was already there, covering me, tucking me in. “Fussy,” I mumbled.
“Just doing my brotherly duty,” he said with a one-sided smile.
I suspected he did it to make me relax. Because underneath that mask, the bond rang clear with echoes of a pulse-pounding terror. I wanted to tell him how sorry I was, but the apology got lodged in my throat.
Recognition flickered on his side of the thread as my emotions leaked through. Frazer’s eyes burned brighter in response. Throat bobbing, he leaned down and swiftly kissed me on the top of my head.
Stunned into submission, I didn’t move or speak until everyone had gathered around, minutes later. Liora slumped on the floor in front of me, leaning against my legs. She must’ve been desperate for answers, but restrained herself with typical calm and poise. To keep my mind still, I lazily braided her red-gold curls.
Cai and Adrianna brought through multiple slices of date cake, muffins, and ginger biscuits. All sweet, fattening, and necessary. They’d also found a coffee service set, one that seemed oddly formal for a male like Wilder. A space was cleared on the rug, the tray set down, and my pack settled in a circle below me.
Adrianna poured coffee into cups and balanced them atop plates, each set with goodies. No one spoke as she handed out nourishment.
Cai’s patience broke first. “So, before we start with the tale of inevitable woe, am I right in assuming Wilder’s hiding the spell thingamajigs because you’ve told him what we’re doing and who you are?”
All eyes on me. “He knows everything.”
Cai said rather bluntly, “All right. Who wants to start?”
Frazer’s eyes lifted to mine. I nodded. No words necessary.
He began recounting the drama of the last thirteen days. I curled my feet up and carried on plaiting Liora’s locks—it kept my hands busy and distracted me from their reactions. But it soon became hard to ignore the color draining from Cai’s face, or the shaky rise and fall of Liora’s shoulders as she fought back tears.
Frazer finished and Liora spoke thickly. “Poor Cecile.”
Cai bobbed his head in a stupor. “I can’t believe it.”
The weight of sorrow and fear caused a stiff pause, one in which Liora set her plate down and swiveled around on her knees to look at me. Her expression intent and blazing, she said, “We might’ve been too late to save Cecile, but I know how we can help you.”
That got everyone’s attention. Adrianna seemed interested; Frazer, desperate; and Cai looked oddly guarded.
“Well, what is it?” Frazer urged, bowing forward.
“There’s a spell that can sustain you,” Liora began, not breaking eye contact with me. “It won’t last forever, but it gives us time.”
“A spell that’s incredibly dangerous,” Cai whipped out.
Liora turned to meet her brother’s stare, and said sharply, “It isn’t dangerous for the caster.”
Cai looked like he’d been force-fed poison; he slammed his plate down so that coffee and crumbs flew this way and that. “That’s not what I meant, and you know it.”
It must be bad.
Liora drew herself up and went on calmly. “She deserves to hear her options. You can’t deny her that choice.”
“I’d be the one rutting casting it,” he said angrily.
Frazer confronted Cai. “Don’t you want to save Serena?” His whisper sounded dangerous.
Exhausted, despairing, my head wilted and fell into my palms.
“Don’t. You. Dare.” Cai’s magic rumbled overhead, a storm brewing.
Blood whirring, some ember of my magic crackled in response. Lightning to join thunder.
Heads twisted in my direction.
Adrianna grasped Cai’s arm in warning. “Before this room is obliterated into teeny tiny splinters, d’you want to explain what you’re referring to, Liora?”
“It’s called twining,” she answered.
Cai groaned, and his magic blew out. Mine with it.
Liora continued. “It was discovered when a fae-witch was watching her mate die. She got so desperate, she bound their life forces together to give them time to reach a healer.”
My body went cold then hot in the space of a breath.
“I’ve thought it might come to this,” Liora added in a murmur. “I’ve told Cai that I want to be the one to help you.”
Cai burst out, “Li! Your energy’s already too fractured by the binding—”
“You don’t know that,” she retorted. “What’s the alternative? We let our best friend die on us?”
My heart twisted and glowed at the same time. “Li, I can’t let you …”
“Let me. Let me.” Liora confronted me, eyes wild.
I leaned back, alarmed.
That instantly broke something in her and with a shaky breath she said, “You need help. And we need you. There’s nothing more to be said. I can do this,” she added oh-so-quietly.