Titans and send them back to their cage.”
“Why can’t one of us use it? Not Corvina,” Pitch demands, his arms crossed tightly.
Ambrose shrugs. “There is a test for the sword like there is for the mirror and the necklace.”
“This sounds like some sword in the stone bullshit,” Sage grumbles and I grin at her.
Narah says quietly, “The mirror demanded many lives and talked to me when I was close to its hiding place. It said only royals deserve to communicate with it.”
Great. Talking mirrors and swords. Just what we need.
“I’m a royal as well, therefore I should be able to get the sword,” Pitch argues and though Ambrose nods, his eyes stay on mine. We both know that the sword isn’t going to want Pitch when I’m there. Dammit.
“Where is this sword said to be?” Gage asks, the muscles working hard in his face. He’s not pleased about this situation either. I can’t really blame him. It seems to always be me who gets lumped with these quests.
“Near the dragon kingdom, on the edge of their sea,” Ambrose answers, “the water looks flat and waveless even though the ocean around it moves. You can’t miss it. It’s about a day or so’s walk from here if we aren’t interrupted on the way.”
“We should pack and leave,” Jonah interrupts and looks at Jane. “Will you watch the queen while she continues to heal?”
“Yes,” Jane agrees, her eyes flickering to me. “But do not get yourself killed for anyone.”
I avert my gaze. I won’t be letting anyone die for me, especially not those I love.
I turn to Sage and David, asking them, “Will you stay with Jane and Narah? And Echo? I don’t think—” I halt as Echo lands on my shoulder, his big doe eyes staring at me, making me feel guilty for leaving him behind. “Fine. You can come too, Echo.”
I’m sure he grins at me but Sage catches my attention.
“We’ll stay. I’m still weak myself and need to rest,” Sage says, taking David’s hand and smiling at him. She looks back at me. “But be careful, okay? Don’t get lost in the magic. It will tempt you.”
“And I will tempt Corvina back to her home,” Pitch growls, rising from the table. “No magic is going to steal her from me.”
Zander, Gage, and Jonah look at me all at once with worry, but we all know there isn’t really a choice anymore. We get the sword, or we die at Eva’s hand. Personally, I’d prefer to go with the talking sword.
Once we’re packed and ready to go, Sage pulls me into a suffocating embrace. David has to pry her away from me as I struggle to breathe. Dang, Sage’s hugs have gotten stronger since she became a fae.
“Promise me you’ll come back in one piece, Buzzie?”
“I promise. And you’ll promise not to worry?”
“But I never worry.” She glares playfully at me. “Ever.”
“You’re always worrying,” David comments as he tugs her into his arms. “My little worrywart.”
Sage crosses her arms stubbornly. “I don’t worry. I obsessively overanalyse every minuscule detail until I reach a satisfactory conclusion.”
“Because that isn’t worrying at all,” I hear David mutter as I turn to face Narah.
She takes a deep breath and visibly steels herself. “Make haste, Corvina, and stay in the shadows.” Despite her bravado, the fear in her voice is mirrored within her weary eyes.
An unexpected lump swells in my throat as I stare at her. Do I bow or hug her? It’s not like we’re exactly close, but when it comes down to it, I am worried about her. She is my birth mother at the end of the day, and if things go wrong out there, this may be the last time I ever see her.
Before I can make a decision, Narah takes me into her arms. She whispers something in my ear that I struggle to catch. When she pulls back and holds me at arm’s length, her eyes are pure black and the smell of dark magic lingers in the air.
“It’s just a protection spell,” she explains, her eyes turning back to their original colour. “Our blood binds our magic. Use it should you need to. It will not affect me.”
I blink at her in surprise, touched by her concern. “Thank you, Your Majesty.”
“Perhaps when this is all over, you might call me mother, and truly mean it this time.” She smiles at me, tears glazing her lashes. “I would like that very much if it is something you’d dare consider.”
This