“I guess we’ll never know.” Liora’s eyes turned glacial.
It made my spine prickle with unease. Liora had never told me exactly what form her magic had taken. Oh, I’d known she’d been a healing prodigy in her clan, but there was something more. I felt sure. Something darker and infinitely more savage. Yet Cai hadn’t believed it would’ve been enough against the eerie? What did that say about me, then?
“We need to move past this.” Adrianna brought her legs in, crossing them. Her shoulders slumped as her eyes met mine. “Serena’s awake, and we’re alive. You know I have to ask you about that, right? How that’s even possible?”
It seemed an explanation couldn’t wait a few hours. And nobody was stepping in to give me more time. My pulse grew erratic, and my mouth dried out.
Come along. You’ll feel better once you’ve told them.
Auntie was right, of course. But … everything was about to change. Rubbing my face a few times, I leaned against Frazer, taking comfort and strength from him. From his warmth and sturdiness.
I started. “I need to tell you something first. Something the others already know.”
Dragging my necklace from out of my cloak, I let the droplet dangle for Adrianna to see. She tilted her head, her nostrils widening as her eyes fixed on it. A tingle of magic rippled through the air. I recognized our trusty sound barrier.
In a hoarse voice, I summarized the magic it seemed to possess and my connection with Auntie. Adrianna stayed quiet throughout. With the fear of stopping in case I couldn’t start again, I filled in the blanks from the eerie attack and relayed Auntie’s words.
A stunned silence followed. Stretching on and on.
Liora broke it. “I suppose we know why Hunter never sensed any magic in you. Because it wasn’t actually in you at the time.”
She wore a frown. Contemplating. They all carried similar expressions. Relief found me: they weren’t turning away.
“And Wilder,” Frazer remarked.
Everyone else looked confused. My cheeks flushed. Frazer had seen Wilder gagging on my blood amidst the other memories, but no one else knew.
Adrianna suddenly snorted and guessed. “He’s tasted you too.”
My throat closed up on me. I gave her a sharp nod to confirm. Liora and Cai looked like they were trying not to smile, but Adrianna was openly smirking.
Embarrassment heated my body. I changed the subject quickly. “What I can’t figure out is how my magic got into the necklace.”
Adrianna cut in. “Actually, I’d say that’s the least confusing thing about all this.”
Adrianna, ever the bearer of good news.
Cai fired two words at her. “How so?”
Adopting her go-to brisk attitude, she replied, “Isn’t the Gauntlet anti-witch, anti-magic, anti-anything they don’t understand?”
“I suppose,” I replied, frowning.
Adrianna nodded. “Well, it sounds to me like your mother wanted to spare you from that.”
“Interesting theory,” Cai admitted.
I resigned myself to the unavoidable. “That would have made my mother a witch.” A disturbing thought.
“Would that be so bad?” Liora quirked her head.
I breathed in deep. There was a faint whiff of stale sweat and dirt, but beneath that was Frazer: cedar, snow and citrus. I latched onto the scents as if they alone could keep me afloat in a restless sea. “I don’t know what it is because I can’t ask her to explain herself.”
Frazer’s head turned so that his nose became buried in my hair. The only comfort he could give me. Words wouldn’t bring her back.
Adrianna looked odd. Almost sympathetic. “It’s completely possible that your mother found someone else to transfer your magic. Either way, whoever did this to you would’ve been incredibly powerful.”
My head rose, dislodging Frazer, and I looked over to Cai and Liora for confirmation.
Liora noticed first and nodded. “I wouldn’t have thought it possible to hide your magic without binding you.”
Her words and their meaning battered against me. “I’m sorry, Li.”
We both knew what that knowledge would’ve been worth to her. Liora’s eyes shone a little brighter. “Don’t be. It gives me hope.”
I blinked and bit my lip. Auntie, is there a way for her to replicate what was done to me?
The answer was slow in coming. I don’t believe it’s the answer Liora is looking for, no.
What does that mean?
Silence.
My jaw tightened painfully. You’ve got to be joking! This is her life we’re talking about!
There is another way, another path for Liora. What happened to you is not something she could imitate.
My heart sank. I didn’t dare look Liora in the eye and steal that hope. Auntie was just wrong—she had to be.
Adrianna’s nostrils flared. “I still can’t smell any magic on her, though.”
“Maybe in time you will,” Cai suggested, his brow furrowed.
“There’s something else,” Adrianna said, staring at me.
I tried not to sigh. What now?
Adrianna continued. “If you’re capable of killing an eerie, your magic must be powerful too. Which means if Morgan gets one whiff of you—”
Frazer cut her off with a snarl. His hackles had risen at the mention of our invisible enemy. “You think those are the consequences the voice spoke of?”
He wasn’t looking at me, but at Adrianna. I felt a swift stab of annoyance.
“Perhaps.” Adrianna rubbed her forehead, smoothing out the silver tattoos and wrinkles etched there.
No one said anything for a while. I was left to stew on the idea of being snatched by a fae for the second time. A morbid tapestry of images flashed into my mind.
Auntie cut in to these nightmares. Focus on the trials ahead. Don’t worry about Morgan finding you. Not yet, anyway.
I didn’t bother replying. I was too mad. Through clenched teeth, I told my pack what she’d said. It was met by a dead silence.
A moment passed. Then another. Finally, Adrianna spoke. “Just one fae’s opinion, but this Auntie sounds like a teasing prick.”
A fevered laugh spilled out of me. The others forced a few smiles, but they were clearly too disturbed to find it that funny.
Once I’d settled down, Liora said, “You should eat.”
Frazer immediately sorted through the pack at his side. My pack. He brought out a bun, still in its linen wrappings. “Take this.”
It was one of my favorites. Doughy, sugary deliciousness with a hidden pocket of honey at its center. My mouth watered at the prospect, and I tore into it eagerly. A bit stale, but oh-so-good.
Cai scanned the canopy above. “We should make camp here,” he said, his gaze settling on Adrianna. “There’s probably only a couple of hours of daylight left.”
Adrianna scowled, unconvinced. “Shouldn’t we—”
“We’re staying.” His expression turned flinty.
Adrianna’s lips pressed together in an obvious but valiant effort not to snap back at our leader.
“Don’t give me that look,” Cai countered. “We’re all exhausted, especially you. How could you not be, flying with a passenger all this time?”
Her expression darkened. “Don’t coddle me.”
“Wouldn’t dream of it,” he replied, as breezy as could be. “Can you take Liora and scout the area for a water source? We might not get another chance tomorrow.”
I could almost sense Adrianna’s pride chomping on her restraint. Control won out in the end. She stood, pulled her flask from her pack, and unfurled her wings.
With that concession, Cai straightened and stretched his legs. He held out his arm, offering it to his sister. Liora stumbled up and grabbed the two drained flasks from the forest floor.
“Can you take ours with you?” Frazer dug into his own pack and mine, bringing out our half-empty bottles.
Liora shouldered two using the flasks’ straps. Then, she took ours with a nod and shot me a small smile. Adrianna picked her up, and they soared up and away.
“I’m going to collect some firewood,” Cai briefed. “Will you two be okay staying behind?”