I scan the room for dead bodies—bolcranes, ferret-cats—anything to explain that embalming scent. I’ve been around it enough times, with enough owners, to know what it’s used for. The Faelen poor don’t share the frivolous mindset of having stewards prepare their family members for burial. Their slaves do it.
Rasha may be right about this being a bad idea.
Come on, Nym. Just get your abilities and go.
The woman crosses her arms and stands in front of the table. Waiting. I firm up my shoulders and step forward as Myles shuffles behind me. I clear my throat. “I’m looking to regain abilities. Are you able to do so?”
“Depends on what you want them for.”
“I need to help someone.”
“She’s specifically looking to use them on another’s powers,” Myles adds.
The woman appears more interested. “Anyone I know?”
“Doubtful.” My scalp tightens.
“We’d prefer to keep it anonymous,” Myles says.
She shrugs and presses her wide face closer so her gray hair is brushing my cheek. I stiffen and try not to pull back from her black eyes. For a split second something about her looks familiar. I look at Myles before staring back at her.
But no, I’ve never seen this woman before.
“How is it done? How do you give them?”
“Oh, I don’t give them, child. I simply . . .”—she flourishes an arm around the room—“enhance what you already have.”
“Which might be a problem seeing as mine are gone.” I glance at Myles. Did he lead me here for nothing? My nerves are crawling through my skin.
“Are they, now? Interesting.” She walks around the table to a teacup set on the mantel. She picks it up and takes a loud slurp. “Well, no matter. The Uathúil blood within you still exists. What I can give you will attach and turn it into a . . . better variation.” She turns to leer at me, and everything in me swears she meant to say “darker variation.”
I point at Myles. “Did he already have Uathúil blood when he came to you?”
“Only a slight trace—otherwise it wouldn’t have worked. No use trying to enhance what you don’t got. It’d bind to your blood and simply kill you.”
This time I can’t help the quake down my spine. “Will what I get be similar to my Elemental abilities?”
Her eyes flash so sharp I stumble beneath her intensity. With three steps and a slosh of her tea, she grabs the hood of my cloak and pulls it back. She’s faster than she looks for her age.
“A female Elemental. They let you live?”
I pull away. “Just answer the question.”
“They’ll be better,” she says slowly. “Interesting . . .” She turns to Myles. “Do you know why they let her live?”
He shrugs. “A female Elemental’s never been possible. I presume by the time they realized what she was, they were afraid she’d curse them if they harmed her.” He glances at me. “Our people are . . . suspicious.”
“Do you know how I was born Elemental?” I ask the old woman, studying her expression.
“The blood of Uathúils is passed down from either the males or females of their type. In your case, it’s always passed through the men.”
“My father wasn’t one.”
She nods and bends close again, breathing on my skin, my neck, assessing me. A moment longer and she smiles odd and understanding-like. “I see.”
“See what?”
“Nature decided it was time. You need him and he needs you.” She leans back as if this is of great amusement to her. “Oh, what I wouldn’t give to watch that take place.”
“What take place? Who needs me?”
“Draewulf, of course.”
What? I open my mouth but my words are lost. I shake my head. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I just want to separate him from someone’s body—will these powers enable that?”
“Perhaps. Depends on which of you breaks first.”
Good hulls, this woman’s not making a lick of sense. “Depends on who breaks first? And what does Draewulf need me for?”
Her curious gaze is steady on me. “To achieve it, of course. I’ve been wondering how long until he figured it out.”
I might, in fact, bash my head against her face. Slowly, patiently, I ask, “To achieve what? What. Does. He need me for? He already took my powers.”
“Oh, you may not have your powers, dear, but he hasn’t taken them. He has to absorb into a person to do that. As I said, Uathúil powers are tied to their blood. And as for what he needs you for, I can’t be telling you. I will give you a bit of advice though. Interrupt the blood of kings before it’s too late. And whatever you do, don’t let him take the final one.”
Is she jesting? Is that honestly supposed to mean something? The blood of kings? “You must—”
“That’s all I can offer,” she snaps.
“But—”
“Ask me more and I’ll throw you out. Now, did you know how to control your Elemental abilities before they were taken?”
I calm my voice. “I was getting better at it.”
“Then these should be a dose of candy. Although, if you ever . . .” Her voice fades along with her cautioning gaze. She doesn’t finish.