Page 141 of Spring Guardians & Songbirds

Memphis flew in from the open balcony and shifted onto a large cat, striding to me and resting her face in my lap, huffing and letting broken strangled yowls.

Yeah, I know, Memphis. She made a fool out of us both.

The Zephyr general glared at my brother. “I expected it from you. But from you,” he said, pointing to Visha. “Explain this to me again, witch. You not only let Snow go with her crazy plan, but you helped, too?”

My brother put a hand on his chest. “Oh, pet, be gentle with my feelings.”

Caiden gritted his teeth and tilted his head in warning.

The Crafter didn’t even blink as she answered, “She built a convincing case. If we are to further this anywhere, it has to be done this way.”

“Please,” Nia said, standing. “Can we not pretend that any of us would have been able to stop her?”

“She will never find where Silas has hidden the pieces,” Alaric said, shadows darkening with fear.

“What I'm afraid of is that she will,” I added.

“She wants answers. Not to find the pieces,” Visha said. She pushed five envelopes on the table. “She has left tasks for the five of you in the meanwhile.”

Each of us opened our letters and collectively sighed at her very sparingly used words.

Find them. This damned woman.

“She wants me to return to Eldmoor and not come back until I’ve made contact with Urinthia,” Nia said.

Mal flipped the letter back and forth confused. “What did she mean by ‘behave’?”

Cai crumpled the paper and threw it to the floor before standing and stalking out of the room.

His friend leaned down to pick it up and smoothed the letter. “Protect our home.”

Alaric ran two hands over his long hair. “If Silas catches her.”

“She won’t be caught,” I said, half lying to myself. “She hid herself well. I never even doubted she had magic.” I turned to the Crafter. “How are we to communicate in case anything happens?”

“I’ve inked craft on her. She will be able to call you through your bargain.” She pushed a second envelope for me. “She wants you to free her from the bargain till her return. She has signed a temporary blood oath—you need to sign next to her.”

The paper half crinkled from my tight hold. She’s put me on a crossroad. Not only would I ruin her plan if I didn’t sign, but I would also expose her to Silas, too.

I dropped back on the chair, running a hand over my frustrated face. Had it been my fault? For last night?

“What am I supposed to do with ‘behave’?” Mal asked, still confused.

Visha sighed. “She’s left something else for you. Follow me.” The two left, bickering all the way down the corridors.

Soon Alaric and Nia did the same. But I stayed there for a long while, doing what Snow did with utter perfection—overthinking.

Had it truly been because of last night? Had she regretted it?

When I reached the terrace, Caiden stood there. Waiting, it seemed, because he had pinned a glare on me and crossed his arms tight over his chest.

“You do a poor job at hiding how you feel, and I’m not talking about shadows,” I said.

“Sort of was the point.”

“I take it that I have an answer for what is bothering you?”

“Why does the morph trust you? The beast doesn’t even let Alaric breathe near her.”