a touch of anguish that reminded Veronyka that she’d lost the closest thing she’d had to a bondmate during the attack on the Eyrie. During a fight.
But Veronyka wasn’t ready to tell Xephyra to stand down. The other phoenix’s size dwarfed Veronyka’s brave bondmate—and yet she didn’t attack or counter Xephyra’s challenge. The phoenix was doing the same thing she’d done in Ferro—tossing her head and moving with erratic twitches of her vast wings.
She looked confused, like she was trying to shake something loose from her head.
Something, or someone?
Val had interrupted her before, and though Veronyka had glimpsed it, she’d never gotten a chance to try to remove the shadow magic bind.
“I think… I think it’s okay,” Veronyka said hesitantly. She was holding Sparrow’s arm, and she released her grip. She looked toward the village and the stronghold walls and waved off the pair of guards that were pointing in their direction, ready to raise the alarm. A patrol would be due to circle around soon as well, but she thought they had a few minutes. She turned her attention back to the phoenix. “I think she’s just scared.”
Xephyra snapped her beak and expelled a rush of heat in reply—she wasn’t yet convinced the phoenix that had almost burned Veronyka to a crisp could be trusted.
Veronyka closed her eyes and sought their bond, showing Xephyra the memories she had of Xephyra’s own explosive arrival at the Eyrie. She’d been confused too, and scared, and had lashed out with flame and fury. Veronyka didn’t hold back, letting Xephyra see and feel the fear she herself had felt in that moment. Veronyka tried to explain that Val had done to this phoenix what she had done to Xephyra, using shadow magic to confuse, except this phoenix didn’t have a bondmate to help her.
Compassion, Veronyka thought determinedly.
Xephyra huffed, shaking out her wings and casting an appraising look at the other phoenix. The firebird seemed cowed and subdued, emitting low croons deep in her throat.
Finally Xephyra extinguished her own simmering heat and settled back on her heels, her wings pressed to her sides. She looked like a parody of good behavior, but Veronyka appreciated it nonetheless.
With a tentative step forward, she edged nearer the other phoenix. She reached out with her magic and was instantly, powerfully rebuffed.
She caught a clear view of the phoenix’s face, though, and suddenly Veronyka knew why she had seemed familiar before. She also understood why the firebird might have chosen to return here, with or without Val’s influence.
“Xatara?” Veronyka whispered, and the phoenix’s head jerked in her direction. Her feathers puffed up, and a soft croak issued from her beak.
Sparrow straightened. “Xatara?” she repeated, sounding puzzled.
“She was here before the soldiers came to the Eyrie. In the breeding enclosure. She flew away the night of the empire’s attack.”
Xatara tossed her head, agitated again, and Veronyka took a step back, drawing Sparrow with her.
When Xatara settled, Veronyka tried to reach out again—to tell the phoenix she meant no harm, that she wanted to help—but she was blocked once more.
“She doesn’t like you,” Sparrow said matter-of-factly.
“Pardon me?” Veronyka demanded, looking down at Sparrow.
She shrugged. “I asked her, and she said she doesn’t like you. Called you… Blood of the First. Like it was a title.”
Veronyka gaped. “Blood of the…,” she repeated, stunned, but Sparrow tilted her head at the phoenix, then clarified.
“Ashfire. She called you an Ashfire.”
Sparrow didn’t seem to understand the significance of that—or didn’t care—but Veronyka did.
“She won’t hurt us,” Sparrow said, misunderstanding Veronyka’s silence. “She’s just… lost.” Sparrow took a step forward, drawing closer to the giant phoenix, and Veronyka let her. The phoenix inched forward too, lowering her head and peering curiously at Sparrow.
“Yes,” Veronyka admitted, speaking to Xatara. “I am an Ashfire, but I am not like her.” She put a picture of Val in her mind and tried to communicate it, though she didn’t think she got through. “Your bind—her hold on you—I think I can remove it.”
Xatara made no reply, though her dark gaze fixed on Veronyka.
“She will help you,” Sparrow said, and Veronyka realized the words were for Xatara, not her. “If she can.”
Veronyka marveled at the way Sparrow got through when she could not.
Without warning Xatara stepped directly in front of Veronyka—but while the movement startled her, it was not threatening. The phoenix seemed calmer now and had obviously chosen Sparrow as her ally in this encounter.
Xatara blinked at Veronyka, and sensing a shift between them, Veronyka reached again for her mind.