Page 175 of The Edge of Darkness

He handed me the weapon, and I was surprised at how light it was in my hand. It was sharper than any blade I’d ever seen. So sharp in fact, that the edge was slightly translucent.

“It’s beautiful.” I twirled it in my grasp, feeling how it cleaved the air without a sound. “I bet it cuts through flesh like butter.” The moment the words were out of my mouth, I felt everyone’s focus shift to me. When I looked up, Silas was staring at me like I was a complete stranger who had just shown up and taken a seat where his Dionam had previously been. Nivelle seemed to be more perplexed by the idea of a knife flaying flesh with such ease. After her brief assessment, she shifted her focus back to the dagger.

Remic, however, allowed a one-sided grin to surface. He didn’t find the notion off-putting in the slightest. “Should I ever come across a malevolent spirit, I’ll put it to the test,” he mused.

“I hope I’m there to see that,” I said, passing the weapon back to him.

“Perhaps you will be, and if so, I’ll toss it to you to make the kill.”

I grinned, then noticed Silas shift, straightening his back as if he was slightly uncomfortable. It was the way in which Remic and I spoke that seemed to bother him. Perhaps it was the easy flow of our conversation, or the understanding we had of each other. Remic wanted to protect me, but he knew I was perfectly capable on my own too—and he treated me as such. Not that Silas didn’t, it was just that he and I hadn’t had the time, nor the experiences, to help form that connection yet.

My grin slipped away, and I wiped my hands on my pants, as if it would wipe away any lingering awkwardness. “So, how long do you think the others will be gone for?”

“They’re usually pretty efficient, so I don’t think it will take too long.”

“And they’ll know where to find us?” Silas asked.

“I’m sure Niall will reach out to one of us at some point,” I answered.

“Ah, yes, the mind-walking. I always forget about that.”

A sudden tinge of panic unfurled in my gut, and I lifted my eyes to meet Silas’s.

The thought of Remic knowing Silas and I shared that particular bond made my heart hurt. I knew how badly Remic wanted for me to be the one he was meant to protect above all others. He and I already shared a deeper friendship than Silas and me, but still, if I could spare him any further disappointment when it came to who my Dionach actually was, I would.

Silas understood my worry without me having to say a word—I could see it in his eyes. The mind-walking would be something that would stay between him and me.

At the sight of Silas’s slight nod, I relaxed.

“Mind-walking?” Nivelle turned to me and folded her arms. “Is that what Niall did to me?”

“Did you hear his voice in your head?”

“Yes, at the trial. He told me to ‘relax’ while he explained who I was to the court.”

I raised a brow, fighting a grin. “Did you panic?”

“No, of course not.” The nervous shift in her stance told me otherwise.

“Don’t worry. It’s a harmless act. He can’t tap into your memories, or anything like that.” I’d hoped to reassure her, but instead, she frowned further, as if she hadn’t thought of that possibility until just now.

Her reaction prompted me to think of something I also hadn’t ever considered. “Speaking of tapping into memories, are there any fae who are capable of reading minds or going through someone’s memories?”

Remic turned contemplative. “I’ve only met a few. Niall had one on his council for quite some time, up until he died about twenty years ago.”

“Oh. Is there a way to tell when someone’s in your mind like that?”

“A skilled fae could sift through your more prominent thoughts, and you’d never know. But digging into latent thoughts takes more power, and you would feel the violation. But if you have your mental shield up, it’s enough to keep them out.”

“That’s reassuring.”

Remic offered a slight grin, then stood, facing me and fanning his wings out behind him. “Before the others finish, I’d like to show you the coastline. I think it is something you would enjoy.”

I smiled up at him. “I would like that very much.”

Silas got to his feet as well. “On your lead,” he said, nodding at Remic.

With a powerful flap of his wings, Remic launched us into the air and we soared, higher and higher, our hair whipping behind us.