Blackbird Broken (The Witch King's Crown #2) - Keri Arthur Page 0,95

did you see?”

“Aside from a few … shall we say … tantalizing images of what exactly you plan to do with me when the deal begins, you mean?”

I grinned. “You can’t blame me for having erotic dreams when you can’t keep your lips off me.”

“True.” His amusement faded. “I saw the connection between you and your brother, Gwen. Felt it. I can’t believe he could or would readily betray such a bond. Not without great cause.”

Which was an echo of what Mo had already said.

“I hope you’re right.” And feared neither of them were. “In case you’re worried, the ability to see into each other’s minds doesn’t happen all that frequently and seems to center on memories rather than thoughts.”

“Good, because there’re certainly some thoughts I’d much rather keep to myself.”

I grinned. “Where’s the fun in that? I mean, I’m sure there’s an occasion or two where you’d like to know exactly what’s going on in my mind.”

“Undoubtedly,” he said, voice dry. “But luckily for me, I generally don’t need to access your thoughts to know that. A poker player, you will never be.”

“I wouldn’t be betting on that, Blackbird,” Mo commented, her voice soft and filled with weariness.

I spun in surprise and hurried over to her. “How are you feeling?”

“My backside is numb, my legs are ice, and I feel like I’ve been hit by a train.” She sighed and glanced up, her face pale and drawn. “Which is all pretty normal for an astral event of any length. Help me up.”

I grabbed her hand, waited until she uncrossed her legs, and then carefully hauled her upright. I didn’t let go until she was steady on her feet.

Luc undid the lid of the remaining bottle of water and handed it to her. “Did you manage to contact him?”

She smiled her thanks and took a long drink. “Yes, although he was being his usual tiresome self about it all.”

“Did you ask him about the sword?”

“Of course.” She squeezed my hand and then pulled away and did some leg stretches, wincing with every movement. “He did create a secondary sword for Uhtric.”

“Why? He had Elysian—why would he need another sword?”

“The gifts of gods always come with a price, Luc. Nex and Vita are evidence enough of that.” She grimaced. “Uhtric apparently had no wish to use Elysian unless it was absolutely necessary.”

I frowned. “Then what did the replica do? And was it the one in the King’s Stone?”

“The sword in the stone is the one Uhtric used to mop up the remaining hordes,” Luc said. “I’m certain of that, as we’re the ones who placed it there on his death.”

Mo patted his arm. “And that sword is a replica of the original, according to Mryddin.”

“So why did images in that book I found at Jackie’s show Uhtric using a very plain sword?”

“What book?” Luc said sharply.

“A book of fables that features tales of all the old kings.”

“Ah, there’s your explanation. Fables are not fact.”

“But fables are often based on fact,” Mo commented. “And now that my memory has been jogged, I do recall that Elysian was a much plainer sword.”

“It still doesn’t explain why Blackbirds of the time sheathed the fake in the King’s Stone rather than Elysian,” I said. “Surely they would have known the difference?”

“Yes,” Mo said, “and to me it suggests they did so at the order of the king.”

“If that were true, there would have been some mention of it in our archives,” Luc said. “There isn’t.”

“There wouldn’t be if they were acting under the orders of the king,” Mo said.

Luc frowned. “Why would Uhtric have ordered that?”

“Perhaps he—or more likely, Mryddin, given it is one of his great gifts—foresaw a future in which Uhtric’s line no longer ruled and wanted to protect the three items of power.”

Luc grunted. It wasn’t a convinced sort of noise.

“What is the replica’s power? Did Mryddin say?” I asked.

“It echoes Elysian’s ability to draw on all elements without the need to move into the unseen dimension. It was also designed to react to heirs in the same manner.”

“Isn’t the unseen dimension the only way to close the gate?”

“Yes, and that’s why finding the coronation ring has jumped to prominence. Neither we nor Max can find the true sword without it.”

“Did Mryddin happen to know where the true ring is?” Luc asked. “Because we were certainly under the impression it was the one in our possession.”

“It was placed in the King’s Stone a month after Uhtric drew Elysian; it was in that