eyes were dangerous, while Lomay’s twinkled at a joke she clearly did not know. She couldn’t take it anymore, they needed to go. “I think Eleana used something like this,” Kiora said, running her finger over the bowl in front of her. “It acts similar to the Wings, right? Only less powerful.”
“Exactly,” Lomay said, dragging his gaze away from Alcander. He waved his hand over the top, and the water reflected a view of trees and deserts and seas far below them. “We are here.” The basin zoomed in closer to the dry and cracked ground that hid their camp. “The Manor is over here.” The picture then slid in the direction Lomay was pointing, until they were looking down over the roof of the Manor. A small lake sat between it and the edge of the forest that surrounded it. “It is a few days flight from where we are now.”
Kiora’s heart sunk at the distance. A few days!
“Rumors have swirled around the Manor for some time,” Lomay said. “Although I do not put much stock in rumors, something very dark has that place. Last night I visited the Wings to try to get a better understanding of the Manor. Anytime I became too specific with my questions, the picture would darken, or I would lose it.” His eyes met hers. “It takes some very powerful, very dark magic to hide something from the Wings. Whatever secrets that Manor holds, someone doesn’t want them discovered.”
“But Dralazar—” she began.
“I don’t think Dralazar has any idea what he is sitting on,” Lomay interrupted. “He needed a place, and he used the first thing he could find. The holder of the Manor’s secrets has power Dralazar can only dream of.”
“Alcander said it was connected with the Shadow,” Kiora said.
“That is most likely,” Lomay conceded. “But it is the how and the why that I am not sure of. And those are the most dangerous questions when left unanswered.”
“Then what can we do?”
“We need to talk to someone who has experience with the Manor,” Lomay said.
“No one who goes in there comes out alive,” Alcander objected weakly as he stared into the basin.
“There was one.”
Alcander thought for a moment before his head jerked up. “Niall?”
“Yes. I thought it foolishness at first. But after the Wings, I think it is our best approach to find out what we are dealing with.” Lomay groaned, his back popping as he rose. “The camp where Niall resides is here,” he said, pointing to the basin. “A day’s flight.”
“What about Drustan?” Kiora asked.
Lomay hesitated. “I had hoped he could gather more information for us, but I suppose you need him.”
“When are we leaving?” she asked, anxious to be on their way.
“As soon as I get word to them you are coming.”
* * *
KIORA HAD GIVEN UP trying to eat. The food tasted like cotton in her mouth, and her stomach was knotted so tight she didn’t think she would be able to keep anything down anyway. All she could think about was Emane and the days it would take to reach him. She had excused herself from the table, despite the disapproving glance from Alcander, and had come back to her room to wait for Lomay to finish the last minute details.
She picked up Epona’s book and sat on the bed, trying to find anything that would allow her to communicate with Emane over a great distance. She had heard Emane’s thoughts, but despite her attempts at calling him, nothing ever went though. The page on calling was nearly identical to what the Book of Arian had said. She flipped through the book but could find no more on calling than she already knew.
She slammed the book shut and dropped her head onto the back cover. So much magic, but never enough to do what she wanted. She pulled open the back cover, running her finger along the frayed remainder of the missing page.
A familiar, raspy whisper caused her head to jerk up. “Tell no one. Don’t forget.” It stirred around the room as if blown by winter winds. She could almost feel dry leaves and beetle feet scraping against her skin. She looked around, wanting to ask what was so important about that place, the place in Meros where magic didn’t exist. But the voices faded, still whispering, “Don’t forget . . . don’t forget.”
Frowning, Kiora looked back to the missing page. She reached her finger out to brush the fraying paper again—then another vision rushed in