The Frozen Prince (The Beast Charmer #2) - Maxym M. Martineau Page 0,51
in a flood, leaving the air biting cold and my skin raw. Gone were the heat of the statue and the eyes of my goddess. Her upturned face was normal, body unmoved. And Ocnolog slumbered on, completely still.
Yazmin approached me as the Council removed their hoods. Extending her hand, she offered me a warm smile and dropped the formality of our ancient language. “We’re fortunate to have you.”
Taking her hand, I stood before brushing dirt off the knees of my gown. “I’m fortunate to be here.” Quiet murmurings sounded from the Council as they grouped together, exchanging smiles and pleasantries. Kaori gave a quick wave before mumbling something to Gaige and retreating down a corridor. Back to Calem, I hoped.
Jitters claimed my muscles, and I let out a steadying breath. “What now?”
Raven tilted her head in my direction, a wave of unruly copper hair skating along the sandy skin of her exposed neck. Muted-yellow eyes devoid of emotion. No upward curl to her lips. She seemed wholly uninterested. As she cupped the side of her face and turned her attention back to Eilan, her reddish symbol dominated my vision.
Yazmin followed my gaze to the group. “Normally, we’d ask you to remain in Hireath with us for at least a few weeks, but I know you’re eager to find a cure for Noc.” She slipped a hand into one of the many thick folds of her mercury robe and pulled out a folded piece of parchment. “Which, I believe, I’ve found.”
“You did?” All thoughts of Raven fled my mind.
Yazmin’s wide smile burned brighter than the gems in the trees. “Yes, but it won’t be easy.” Something foreign flickered through her gaze, and her grin faltered. “The beast in question resides near Silvis’s Ruins, but the taming process is…complicated.”
She handed me the sealed parchment, and I had to fight to keep my fingers from ripping it open. “How so?” Behind her, Eilan and Raven peeled off and disappeared down the same corridor Kaori had exited through, leaving Gaige in an animated discussion with Tristan.
A soft hum worked its way through Yazmin’s lips. “You’ll need a rare ingredient to lure it out. That ingredient can only be found in Oslo’s Ruins just north of here.”
Anxiety gripped my stomach and twisted. Oslo’s Ruins to the northwest, Silvis’s Ruins to the northeast. We’d need days of travel time. There weren’t any easy modes of transportation between the two, and Noc was already going from bad to worse. Not to mention that powerful beasts tended to congregate around sacred locations. Something about the gods’ power called to them, fed their souls, and stoked their magic. Nepheste’s Ruins had Gyss, which were powerful in their own right. Might wasn’t just about physical strength. No other beast could commune with the gods like a Gyss, or alter the very fabric of the universe in exchange for the promised sacrifice.
“It will be all right. There’s time if you hurry, but the beast is dangerous. You might need backup,” she said.
I chewed on the inside of my cheek. “Another Charmer?” My gaze skipped past her to Gaige, who was waving goodbye to Tristan as he left. Tristan sauntered by us with a tight nod, presumably retreating to his secluded home somewhere in the woods away from people.
“No, you don’t want to confuse the beast with the possibility of more than one Charmer.” Yazmin touched a finger to her lips. “Perhaps Noc? His mental state may be deteriorating, but I fear it would only get worse if you two were separated.”
Even with the oath weighing heavy on his mind, Noc was still the deadliest being I’d ever met. And with Kost, Ozias, and Calem—
My heart leapt to the second story where I’d left Calem slumbering in Kaori’s quarters. “I’ll get my things in order and leave immediately.”
Yazmin’s fingers dug into my shoulder with a tight squeeze. “May the goddess watch over you.”
* * *
After changing back into my travel gear, pausing only for a moment to run my fingers over the liquid mercury robe that had been brought up as a gift, I stopped by Kaori’s room to check on Calem. He was still sleeping but much less fitfully, and she assured me she could handle him.
And that, under no circumstances, should he join me on my beast hunt. It made sense, really, but the thought of leaving him here when our enemy was still hiding in plain sight… Or just the notion that he wouldn’t be joining us on our