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“My father was upset that the vision predicted that the dark fae would one day become the supreme power of the realms. But I was more concerned about the plague.”
“What did you do then?”
“I visited the priestess at the Moon Temple and found out that Vaylamorganalyn had left many visions in the scribe’s library. So I crept in when they weren’t looking and took them.”
Hava’s eyes rounded with excitement, and I couldn’t help but smile. Back then, ithadbeen thrilling, sneaking around on my own quest to find answers. But it eventually led me to Dragul Falls and the ending of my moon fae magick and wings.
“I pored through all of them and found this one that was very important.” I pointed to the next page. “It says that there are three god-touched texts that can cure the land. Though she onlyspoke of the first text in all of her visions, it was enough to guide me here. This vision”—I tapped the page I’d read too many times to count—“it speaks of icy waters in a northern realm where streams collide and a river falls. I looked at all the maps, and it seemed the description kept pointing to Dragul Falls.”
“And so you came here,” Hava interrupted.
“I did. And I was caught before I could truly look for the god-touched text.” I held her gaze intently. “But now I have the chance to look again. To find it this time.”
Hava’s expression tightened with concern. “Meck and Ferryn will never let us go there without Goll’s permission.”
I nodded. “I know. We’ll go without them.”
“Without their protection?”
“I have you for protection. You are a good zyfer, are you not?”
As if insulted, she huffed and held out a hand, whispering, “Etheline.” A bright orange flame shot up as tall as a sword in her palm.
Grinning, I assured her, “All we need is you for protection. Besides, it isn’t far at all. I know that well enough from last time.”
“You are right.” She blinked thoughtfully. “It is fairly close.”
“Do you think we could be there and back before dinner?” I asked.
“Yes, but how will we get around Ferryn and Meck?”
Smiling, I stood, then walked back to my bed and tucked the book into its hiding place. She was right behind me.
“Come see.” I urged her to follow me behind the wardrobe screen.
Since the Rite of Servium, I’d been spending an enormous amount of time in my bedchamber, too embarrassed to leave very often in case I’d bump into a courtier and see them smirking at me. Or worse, run into Goll and have to endure his cutting disinterest face to face.
One night after my bath, when Hava had gone to bed, I remembered that time that Goll had taken me through his bedchamber to the secret stairwell that led into the gardens. His bedchamber was right next to mine. That made me wonder about something else, and I was right. I had found it two nights ago.
“What is it?” asked Hava. “Do you need to change?”
“No.” I laughed and passed by the wardrobe cabinet that held my clothes and stepped toward the wall that my bedchamber shared with Goll’s. “Look at this.”
I felt along the seams of the wood until I felt the tiny groove and pressed. The wall swung inward without a sound.
Hava gasped as I stepped through, peeking around to be sure he wasn’t there, and then beckoned her silently to follow. She did, looking around to see that we were now in Goll’s bedchamber. I pressed the paneled door closed behind us.
“There’s another secret passage this way,” I told her, ushering her to the door Goll had taken me through that night.
A pang of longing curled tight in my belly at the memory. He’d been so kind and attentive that night. All a ruse apparently to ease my nerves before the Rite of Servium.
I rushed across the room, glancing at the behemoth of a bed with a silken black coverlet. My heart plummeted at the thought that he slept right there every night and not once had even checked in to see me. Shaking that thought away, I pushed on the secret panel door that opened to the darkened stairwell.
“It’s steep and winding, Hava. We’ll need you to make some feyfire to guide us down. Then we’ll be in the back of the garden.”
Hava whispered and a flame ignited in her palm, illuminating her wicked grin. “Follow me,” she whispered.
Then we both stepped silently along the secret staircase, making our escape out of the castle. My heart leaped withanticipation at finally returning to Dragul Falls to find what I’d sacrificed so much for on my first journey to Northgall.
