Deadliest of Bonds: (The Blight 2), page 32
“I was wondering if you knew whether or not we can feel it when we cross the veil of invisibility?” she asked, signing the words she knew as she spoke them out loud.
During the journey, Fyreen and Ruelle had insisted on learning how to sign so they could understand Zéna better. They had had time to kill, and, with Zéna and Sil’s help, they had learned some of the words. Fyreen felt good about that, even if she was far from being good enough to understand everything.
Zéna looked up, as if thinking it through, and shook her head gently. She started signing and Fyreen focused. She caught only the negation, Zéna was using words too difficult for her to understand.
Clearing her throat, she signed, “Can you repeat it, please?”
Zéna smiled and started again, more slowly. Luckily, Sil appeared next to her and helped, “It is meant to be undetectable. If people could feel it when passing through it, then they would wonder what happened and look further, thus defeating the purpose.”
Fyreen frowned. “But if we can see the land once we’ve passed through, it doesn’t matter if we felt it or not, right? We can still see Hivern.”
“No,” Zéna said. This time, Fyreen understood almost every word and was able to make sense of the signs. “You need the authorization from an adraki to see it.”
“Oh…” Fyreen nodded appreciatively. “That’s clever.”
Zéna smiled with pride and went back to dealing with her sail.
Proud to have understood some of the conversation, Fyreen smiled, facing where Hivern was supposed to be, and waited for the land to be visible for her. After a few minutes, someone nudged Fyreen’s shoulder and she turned to the side to see that Ruelle had joined her, an apple in her hand.
“So,” she began, “excited to see Hivern?” The spark in her pale blue eyes hinted at her own answer to the question.
Fyreen smiled at her friend and looked back at the sea. “I can’t wait,” she admitted. “Everything sounds so…magical. We’ve lived our entire lives in a land where the Queen hunted down magic users and killed them and now, we’re about to go in a place where everyone has magic and it’s used for almost everything, including protecting it. It’s crazy.”
“It is…” Ruelle mused. “Do you think there are oracles like us there? I forgot to ask, but it would be crazy to meet other people like Leethan and me. I never even imagined it would be possible.”
“So many possibilities.”
Ruelle gave a sharp nod of her head and opened her mouth to reply but nothing but a gasp came out. Before the two of them, something had suddenly appeared.
They had crossed the veil.
Fyreen’s jaw dropped as Hivern bloomed before her eyes. One second there was nothing but the sea, the next, a city was there, closer than she would have imagined. They were houses of every color built up and up to follow the slope of the earth. Ships were berthed at what Fyreen assumed was a dock, some with huge sails that rose higher than Fyreen dared to look and other smaller boats that could only carry two or three people.
She couldn’t hear Ash and the sailors speaking together to get the ship ready for berthing anymore. She couldn’t even feel Ruelle’s presence next to her or wonder where Thea had gone to. She didn’t even worry about where Leethan was and if he was seeing this too. She could only stare at the spectacle before her and admire it.
Fyreen had never seen anything like this before. She was completely ensorcelled by the newness of it all, trapped by the excitement bubbling inside her. For a second, she even forgot why they were going to Hivern in the first place. She didn’t even care about her mother or the Inferling or all they had to do next in order to save her people.
She stared at the land that grew nearer as the ship grew closer to the dock and waited.
Suddenly, a loud splash made her snap out of it. She turned abruptly and saw that Zéfan had just dropped the anchor into the sea. He looked at her and beckoned her to follow him. Understanding what was happening, Fyreen gave herself a shake and followed him down the corridor as he went to carry Kirion. Ash had summoned his wings and was heading to the shore with Zéna in his arms so they could get the dragon ready to fly. Sil was waiting for Fyreen on the deck.
“I’ll go help them with Star,” Ruelle offered with a wink.
Sighing heavily in relief, Fyreen smiled. “Thank you.” Then, she followed Zéfan.
When they arrived in Kirion’s room, Zéfan opened the door carefully and stepped through.
“Thank you,” Fyreen found herself saying as she followed him inside. “Thank you for taking care of him.”
“It is no trouble at all, I assure you,” Zéfan replied kindly as he lifted Kirion from the bed and into his arms. The Prince’s heavy head rolled onto his shoulder as Zéfan tugged him against his chest effortlessly and walked back into the corridor.
Fyreen cast one last look at the empty room, checking that there wasn’t anything she was forgetting, before going back to the deck with him. She was still anxious about leaving her brother alone with strangers at the palace but she trusted Ash’s words. Same thing with her mare.
Shouldering her small pack, Fyreen headed to Ruelle who was waiting on the deck with Starspinner. The mare was tapping her hooves on the deck excitedly. She surely couldn’t wait to get back on land. Fyreen smiled at the sight and stroked her horse’s neck gently.
“I’ll be with you soon, I promise,” she whispered, hiding her face in the mare’s dark hair. “They will take good care of you.”
With one last tap on her neck, Fyreen nodded at the sailor who was waiting to take Star’s bridle until they were ready to get her down and the man took the mare away with a smile.
Blinking back the tears that built in her eyes, Fyreen took a deep breath and ignored the squeezing in her chest. Starspinner would be just fine. And they wouldn’t be apart longer than necessary.
Ruelle took her hand for comfort and, exchanging one last look, they followed the others down the rope. Fyreen went just after Sil but ignored her outstretched hand at the bottom with a smile. She merely dropped into the rowboat. A moment later, they had made it to shore and Fyreen stood on shaky legs to jump into the shallow sea, drenching her pants and boots in a second. Turning to Ruelle with a smile, she grabbed her hand and walked back to land with her.
When her feet finally stepped on dry land, Fyreen allowed herself to lift her eyes and see Hivern from up close. Her breath caught at the same time Ruelle whispered “wow” by her side.
The dock was like nothing Fyreen had ever seen and what she had glimpsed at from afar hadn’t given it justice. The buildings were colorful, from a bright blue to yellow, and there were a lot of people in the street before them. They looked happy, striding about to buy fish or talk to one another. The smell of salt and brazed fish floated in the air, warming Fyreen’s heart.
A loud huff drew her away from the contemplation, and the sight of the dragon nearly made her jump—correction, dragons. They were even larger than she would have thought possible, impressive and imposing. How had Thea turned into that?
Their huge heads were lifted in the air, so high that Fyreen had to lift her own. Wide nostrils flared each time they breathed, and their glittering eyes had a spark of intelligence that surprised her. The rest of their bodies was just as impressive, with four large, clawed legs, two long and powerful wings and a spiked tail that could probably destroy a house with one swipe. Glittering scales covered their entire bodies and shimmered in the sun with each movement.
Zéna was already astride the green one—Feulé, probably, as she had told them before—patting his long, scaled neck gently as she waited for the others to arrive, her blond hair floating behind her. The other one was slightly smaller, although impressive as well, and was a deep blue that matched the sea.
Fyreen swallowed hard. She felt like a stranger, something she wasn’t used to. She had always dreamed of seeing the world, but now that it was happening, a part of her was terrified. What if she did or said something wrong? What if the people here didn’t like her? What if it was all for nothing and they didn’t find the Cup? What if Rogan found them all the way here and wreaked havoc on this land that had done nothing wrong, all because of her presence here?
She clutched the vial at her throat as if hiding it with her fingers would keep the Inferling away. Ruelle’s hand slid back into hers gently and squeezed. Fyreen glanced at her friend who wore a reassuring smile on her thin lips. “It will be okay,” she said softly.
Fyreen shook her head, although she was grateful for the comfort. “You don’t know that. A thousand things could go wrong, whether we like it or not.”
“I’m an oracle, remember?” Ruelle teased with a wink. “I know everything will turn out okay. It has to. We’re the good guys.”
Fyreen tried a smile and looked back at the dragons who were now huffing grumpily, as if they were tired of waiting for them all.
A part of her longed to go deeper into the city before them, to explore the unfamiliar streets, discover this new world. She wanted to blend in with those strangers whose language she didn’t understand and learn new things. But leisure would have to wait. They had bigger, more urgent issues.
She glanced around and looked for her friends. Thea was approaching the blue dragon carefully, her hand outstretched to stroke its scales. She had always loved animals and it didn’t surprise Fyreen one bit to see that even dragons didn’t scare her. Especially after she’d turned into one.
Zéfan, with Zéna and Ariella’s help, was putting Kirion on Feulé’s back for the ride. He had found a rope and tied it around them both to prevent him from falling during the flight. Fyreen blushed at the sight. She should have been the one taking care of her brother, not strangers. But since they seemed to be doing a much better job than what she could have ever accomplished, she bit her lip and didn’t intervene.
Where was Leethan? She had seen everyone but him and worry started gnawing at her heart. But then, she spotted him on the side. He was waiting for everyone to be ready, his eyes trailing absently on the buildings around him. After all, if he’d been far, Ruelle would have sensed it and done something about it.
Having seen everyone was fine, Fyreen exhaled deeply in relief and forced a smile.
Finally, Ash walked back to them, his steps assured and an eternal smirk on his lips. “Everything is taken care of here,” he assured them, his eyes lingering on Fyreen who nodded in thanks. “Let’s go.”
They all climbed on the creatures, and Sil helped Fyreen up the blue one’s back. She tried not to think too much on the fact that they would soon be airborne when she had always been scared of heights. Instead, she held onto Sil’s waist and a shiver raced up her spine at their proximity. After the kiss they’d shared, Fyreen felt hyperaware in her presence, especially when they were touching. She liked it. She closed her eyes and rested her cheek on Sil’s back.
Soon, they would arrive at the capital. Then, they would head on the quest to find the Cup. And once they found it, the Inferling and the Queen would be stopped.
She couldn’t let herself forget the goal. And maybe, just maybe, if she repeated the steps often enough, everything would go as planned.
Chapter 42
During the flight to Hivern, Thea was trying not to think about what was next. She didn’t want to start worrying about Rogan’s voice in her head again and the nightmare or what would happen if the Cup wasn’t where Ash and his people expected it to be. She didn’t want to think about what would happen if they did find the Cup. Summoning the Celestling… After witnessing firsthand what the Inferling in the flesh was capable of, some part of her couldn’t help disliking the idea of bringing another powerful being on this earth.
The Inferling had always been depicted as the most dangerous and evil being to ever exist, but Rogan… Thea didn’t agree with that description for Rogan. He wasn’t good but he wasn’t evil either, even if his intentions and means were questionable.
Thea didn’t trust the old texts and legends anymore, especially after the prophecy. She didn’t trust what she’d been told in her youth—what her mother had told her. She knew people lied when it was easier, she did it too.
Trying not to lean too heavily on her mother behind her, Thea glanced to the side at where Ash was flying. Even if there were enough dragons for them all to ride, he had insisted to fly by them on his own. Thea suspected he would rather be alone and free in the sky than crammed up in between people for the entire ride. Which she easily understood as she sat in between Zéfan and Ariella, her legs squeezed against the dragon’s powerful, scaled body. Luckily, the flight wasn’t supposed to last too long, and they would land very soon.
Tearing her eyes away from Ash, Thea glanced around her, at the landscape. She had seen very little of Hivern so far, but she already knew she was going to love this place. There was just something appealing about it, different, colorful, lively. The dock had reminded her of Hillden by the way the people smiled and talked and seemed to know everyone around them.
Eden would have loved this place. He loved meeting new people and had a gift with strangers. He would have been perfectly at ease here, mingling with Hivernians whose language he didn’t even speak. Thea was certain it wouldn’t have bothered him for a second.
But Eden wasn’t here, and she really had to stop thinking about him otherwise she was going to let her emotions get the best of her and it was never a good idea. She had learned this the hard way.
Around them, the landscape was mixed. She saw trees east, plains west and mountains in the north. From up here, it didn’t seem all that different from Estiv, but Thea knew that if they got closer, it wouldn’t be the same.
Soon, a huge building appeared before them, surrounded by a perfect circle of trees—the palace. It was nothing like the one in Citadia. It was wider, higher, more imposing and…magical. Thea could practically smell the magic from here.
The walls were built with dark grey stone and the roofs of the round towers were covered in reddish tiles that gleamed in the sun. They seemed soft and Thea wanted to touch them to see if they really were. She felt ridiculous for even thinking this, but she was in a state of bewilderment that she couldn’t control.
When the dragon dived down, Thea held on tighter, and her heart leapt in her throat. Its massive legs hit the ground much more softly than hers had and it slowly lowered its entire body down so the passengers would climb down more easily.
Thea slid down his scaled flank and landed on her feet, her knees protesting when she fully stood. Her eyes darted to Fyreen, who was struggling to climb down from the other dragon. Then, she glanced at Ash and found him landing softly on the grass a few feet away, his eyes trained on hers. He untied his hair and shook his head to release the strands, the wind carrying his scent to her nose as his wings vanished in a ruffle. Thea forced herself to look away and busied her hands with her pack, checking that everything was still here, even if she knew it was.
“Let’s go,” Ash called once everyone was ready. And he started walking toward the palace.
Thea hadn’t realized that they were already this close to the building, nor had she seen the strange, translucid dome that encircled the trees around the castle. She sped up to catch up to Zéfan, who was still carrying Kirion. “What’s that?” she asked him, pointing to the shimmering veil.
“It is a protection dome,” Zéfan replied amicably. “It works a bit like the veil around the realm, you can only cross it if you have permission from a ruling or soon to be ruling adraki.”
Thea nodded and pursed her lips. Magic again. She had been right. “How does it work?”
Zéfan shrugged. “I am not sure. Some of our people have protection magic, they can create shields to protect themselves and others and this is a stronger, permanent form of this magic. But I do not know how it is channeled.”
“Alright,” Thea said gently. “Thank you.”
She was honestly in awe. Hivern looked so much more advanced than Estiv, and all this because the rulers didn’t condone magic, but embraced it for the gift that it truly was. Thea wondered how her life would have turned out if she’d been born on this side of the sea.
They trekked on for only a few more minutes before they arrived before the protection dome. The dragons had already taken flight and gone back home, and the group was alone in front of the trees.
Ash stopped just before the shimmering veil and grabbed his dagger. He sliced his palm with it in one swift movement that made Thea’s skin tingle with surprise. What the credens was he doing?
She didn’t have time to ask him. He clasped his hands together, smearing his blood on his palms before placing them flat on the veil.
The barrier vibrated so hard Thea could feel it hum under her feet. Her head spun and something in her chest started burning, not painfully though. She placed a hand over her heart and forced herself to breathe. The world around her spun for a moment and her sight turned blurry, the sounds dimming.
It was as if something was shifting inside her and she couldn’t comprehend or control it. She did her best to stay standing and when she finally came to her senses, she looked up to see that a hole had opened in the veil.
Ash’s eyes grew dark as he saw her, but she looked away quickly, brushing his worry away. He didn’t insist and forced a smile, grabbing a piece of cloth from his pack. He made to bind his hand, but Ariella stepped forward. “May I?” she asked.
Ash nodded and offered her his hand that she healed with half a thought. “Thank you,” he said, before turning to the others, his arm outstretched to invite them in.
Thea was frozen to the spot for a moment and she watched Zéfan, Zéna, Ariella and Leethan step through. Ruelle followed close behind, her wide, blue eyes trying to take in everything around her.
Fyreen hesitated when she reached the veil, tentatively stretching her fingers as if to check that it was safe. But Sil grabbed her hand and pulled her through after her, leaving only Ash and Thea out.
