Kian wasn’t the only person who loved you. Nevyn and I do as well. We’ve worried about you for the last year, wondering what path you were walking, but it’s clear now. I love you enough to say you don’t have to do this, and no one would be angry with you if you didn’t. I would love to see you settle down and be happy with your husbands, with no more battles to fight and no more loss in your future.
But I love the Andinna people enough to ask it of you.
Please, take this risk. For our people. For our future.
Change our course. Find a new path.
With love,
Varon
Mave put the pages down, her heart pounding. She had been groggy when she started reading, but now, she was wide awake. Her husbands weren’t around, so she tried to get up. She was allowed to move around because her wing was carefully bound, but it still ached. She fumbled and fought to get clothing on, only managing her breeches. She grabbed a top and stumbled out of the room, her mind spinning.
A new path. This was a chance at a new path.
She also had hundreds of questions. Avatars. Power like that would be unimaginable. It could swing the tide of the war. Why had no one ever mentioned it to her earlier?
Her first thought was to find Nevyn and Varon. As she made her way into the main room, she found Zayden humming in the kitchen.
“I need Nevyn and Varon,” she demanded as he looked up, and his eyes went wide.
“You should be in bed,” he growled.
“No, I need Nevyn and Varon.”
“Emerian, come get your warrior!” Zayden yelled, glaring at her.
She snarled. She had forgotten he lived in their home now. She hadn’t seen him since he picked her up off the forest floor.
The male walked out of the secondary bedroom, yawning. When he saw her, he narrowed his eye. He wore a patch over the ruined second, and most of the scar was still visible. He didn’t seem to notice her nudity.
“Zayden, help me put this on and let me go and find Nevyn and Varon,” she ordered, holding out the top, a soft fabric wrap, in one hand. She was still holding the letter in the other.
“Why?” he snapped, walking out of the kitchen and coming toward her. “Why should I let you go out there and beat yourself up?”
“Because the healer didn’t say I needed fucking bed rest. I need to see Nevyn and Varon!” she growled. “He’s a priest, and I dream of a goddess. I think I have the fucking right to get his counsel.”
That made Zayden step back and deflate. He grabbed the top, obviously unhappy, and quickly helped her dress.
“Read these. You’ll understand,” she said, slamming the letters onto the table.
“Emerian, shadow your warrior as you should,” her husband ordered in a whisper as she walked toward the door.
“On it.”
As she left, he was right behind her. She had no idea if it was okay for Zayden to read that letter, but she felt better with him understanding, instead of her just throwing what seemed to be a tantrum. She ignored Emerian as they walked until she realized he was useful.
“Can you fly up and check their home?” she asked, looking up the cliff.
“I can.” He jumped and took to the air.
That was when it hit her. Varon had mentioned her brother. She had thought he meant Seanev and had ignored it. Why would he tell Seanev anything about his state as this Avatar thing?
Standing alone, she realized he didn’t mean Seanev at all.
He meant Alchan.
She didn’t wait for Emerian to come back. She started jogging for Alchan’s home, bursting through the door. She found the little ahren in the kitchen.
“Where’s Alchan?” she asked frantically. Lady Lilliana stared at her wide-eyed and terrified.
“War room,” she whispered.
“Thank you.”
Mave was gone as fast as she came, running out. She made no attempt to slow down, even as the running made her wing hurt more with every step. Shoving the door open, she scrambled into the war room, ignoring everyone there. She saw Alchan at his usual spot, head of the map table, looking over everything.
He looked up slowly as everyone else seemed much more surprised by her visit.
“What do you need?” he asked, wary for some reason.
“To talk to you. About…” She swallowed and looked around.
“You read his damn letter, didn’t you?” Alchan growled. “Is that what this is about? Varon’s fucking