Page 33 of Ignite
I glance down at Brielle, and she gives me a soft nod. Trusting has never come easily to me, but if this is what it takes to get Graylen back, then I’ll do what has to be done.
Fourteen
Saphirus
The healer returnsand shuffles over to Brielle as Willow and Aster lead Leda and me out of the room.
“Where are we going?” Wariness creeps into my voice, and I don’t try to hide it.
These people are still warriors, chosen by Eurydice to bond with a wyvern. They were skilled enough to get us away from Daimon—one of the strongest fae in the realm, if notthestrongest. They’re able to keep their village safe and protected within this island. They know the borders from their patrols.
They could be our strongest allies…or another enemy to add to the list.
“You’ve only seen a small portion of Kauri,” Aster says lightly. “Penyth is training their Riders in separate teams, but here in Kauri, we fight together. As one. I want to show you just that.”
Leda coughs, failing to cover a small gasp. I give her a look, and she raises her brows, slowly shaking her head.
“We’re going to fly?” Leda questions.
A smile tugs at Aster’s mouth, and he nods. “We aren’t just a village of warriors; we’re a village ofRiders.”
Calix joins us, a grin on his face.
“Scared, Le?” Calix teases. I raise a brow, my gaze turning to Leda. Le? “Never thought I’d be braver than you at something.”
She rolls her eyes and mutters, “Cocky little shit.”
My brows jump up as I watch them with curiosity. Calix is a flirt with anyone who has a heartbeat, but the way her cheeks are redding slightly isdefinitelynew. Now that I think about it, I don’t remember him ever flirting withherlike this.
Calix winks, and Leda huffs.
Her nostrils flare, and she tilts her chin down as she grits out, “I’ll talk to Adrian and see if there’s anything he can tell us.” The words tumble out a little too fast. She’s hardly finished speaking before she spins around and walks down the length of the limb to its trunk. Without so much as a second glance, she disappears into the trees.
She’s all too eager totalkto them. I wouldn’t be surprised if a scream or plea for mercy soon rose from where the humans were being kept.
The unsaidanything he can tell usmeans anything about Moros.
“Ready to see Zephyr and Arryth?” Willow asks, her eyes softer than they were in the healer’s cottage. “We’ll find the rest of your group first.”
A flurry of excitement stirs in my stomach, and I nod, ready to be out of these trees for a little bit. My head is spinning with all that Brielle, Willow, and Aster discussed with us.
I need to think—to process what the hell we’re going to do about all of this.
We weave through the trees, over thin bridges that connect one trunk to another, and pass cottages built throughout.
“Whereiseveryone else?” I keep my voice low as Calix and I trail behind Willow and Aster.
“The others are…exploring with some of the villagers.” Calix roughly scratches his jaw. “I wanted to wait on you and Leda to see how Brielle was doing.”
I quickly update him on Brielle, and he fidgets beside me, a restless energy pulsing off of him—a feeling I know all too well.
As much as I want to hop on Zeph and fly off of this island for good, I can see the deep circles that still rest beneath Calix’s eyes. And I can’t deny that it’s going to take Brielle a few more days to recover from expending so much of her magic.
Calix is strong, but his usual luster has dulled, the spark behind his eyes dimmed. Brielle isn’t the only one who needs a few days to recoup, I realize.
I tug at my magic, reaching for the affinity that first found me. Shadows twirl around my fingers, eager and hungry.
I swallow and release them. Everyone else looks like they could sleep for four nights straight with how depleted their magic is, but mine…feels stronger than ever. Ready to fight.
