AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Ivar’s eyes widened then narrowed. “That is a dangerous mission, Prince.”
Helian smiled down at me, his eyes sparkling with pride. “I know, but we will have two powerful white witches with us.”
I couldn’t help but return his smile as I grabbed his hand and laced my fingers through his.
“We will be here,” Ivar said, “and if you don’t return in four days, we’re coming after you.”
Helian cleared his throat, warily eyeing Ash before facing Ivar. “I appreciate it more than you know.”
Chapter Twenty-Two
Shiri
The next night we landed in Dunhull after the dragons located the hidden village by scent. The satyrs greeted us with warm welcomes and brought us to their village for a feast, which they had already prepared in our honor. Apparently, there’d been satyr envoys at Itarian, who’d ridden all night and day back to Dunhull after they heard we were traveling in their direction.
We were greeted by a satyr named Lars who reminded me too much of Abyssus’s cook, Crispin, from his easygoing mannerisms to his neighing laughter. The satyrs especially loved Tari, for last time she’d been here she’d built them a fortress out of magic that concealed their location in addition to growing them a prodigious amount of food.
After we feasted on delicious fresh fish, pickled vegetables, and pastries, we sat around a campfire with Lars and his wife and a few of their cousins. Lars’s son played tag with other satyr children, running around the campfire while dodging grumbling older satyrs. There were two younger twin girls that made me think of Ember and Aurora. My heart ached so much for them, yet I internalized my grief, letting my sorrow gnaw a hole through my chest while putting on a smile and pretending I wasn’t dying inside.
I leaned back against Blaze’s chest, and he wrapped his arms around me, the tops of his wings draped over my shoulders. Drae sat beside us, while Tari sat on our other side in Ash’s lap. The big shifter wore a borrowed brown robe after splitting open the last of his clothes yesternight.
“Tell us what happened at Itarian,” Lars asked from across the fire while he chewed on the end of the longest pipe I’d ever seen.
“The centaurs threatened to attack us if we didn’t leave,” Tari answered while slowly sipping her tea.
I had already reluctantly finished my tea at Drae’s insistence, though I was thinking more and more about stopping it. I didn’t like how sluggish it made me, and I certainly didn’t like having to coax my siren to come out for several interminable seconds. Just one second could be the difference between life and death when went up against the demon mistress.
“Did you tell them you’re white witches?” Lars asked.
Helian laughed, tossing his silvery hair behind his shoulder. “They didn’t care.”
“Their new chieftain, Cenric, is nothing like his father,” Lars said as he blew out several rings of smoke. “Cenric is very prejudiced against all Fae, and he wants to isolate the centaurs from the rest of the world.”
Drae shook his head. “That attitude won’t work for long.”
Lars grimaced. “Itarian used to be open to trade with all races. Now, they will only associate with satyrs and shifters, though I’m afraid we won’t be welcomed after too long.”
Drae cleared his throat. “They think they can face the threat of demons without help, but we watched an army of demon spiders suck a mage into the ground.”
“Elements.” Lars’s wife, Lynette, gasped, splaying a hand across her heart. “Which mage was this?”
Helian leaned forward, his eyes darkening. “Thorin.”
Lars’s ears twisted and turned as his brows shot up. “The mind spinner?”
Helian gave Lars an accusatory look. “What do the satyrs know about him?”
Lars shared a sly look with his wife before stirring the fire. “Why do you ask?”
“Did you know all the harm he’s done?” Helian’s tone rose in pitch, his features hardening. “That he’s spun the minds of Fae-kind?”
Lars visibly swallowed. “Yes.”
I remembered Isa telling us Retinea tea had been a favorite drink of the satyrs. It suddenly struck me that if the satyrs had been drinking the tea all this time, their minds were probably impervious to the mind spinner’s magic. If that was the case, why didn’t they warn anyone? True, Thorin had mostly worked his magic in Delfi, but every Fae knew about the Crimson Tide. Could the satyrs have prevented it? And what about Crispin and Mrs. Euphemia? Did they know what had really happened in Delfi?
“Then why didn’t you say anything?” Helian jumped to his feet, his hands clenched into fists.
A hush fell about the place as all eyes turned to Lars, and I was keenly aware of the tension radiating off the other satyrs. I looked over at my sister, who twisted the end of her belt around her finger, her nervous gaze flitting from Lars to Helian.
