Page 19 of Spring Guardians & Songbirds

Nia’s expression turned cold. “If Snow had decided to attack Adriata there would be no war. When Silas attacks next, there will be no realm to hold up a war.”

Once she was done explaining all that had happened, from the Isjordian soldiers they had caught in Myrdur, Snow’s already planned return, the change in their plans from destroying Isjord to taking it from Silas, Aryan Krigborn kidnaping Snow and the purposeful attack on Adriata to Silas’s plan with the Octa Virga, both Mal and I were stunned into silence.

“How many pieces has Silas found?” Mal asked. “Supposing he has already found the one in Isjord and considering he might have the Solaryan piece with how strained their relationship with the sun kingdom had become. So, two?” he estimated, sobered up all of a sudden. Nia opened her mouth to speak, but my brother beat her to it. “What does Snow want?”

“To find at least one piece, then Silas won’t be able to complete the sceptre.”

He shot back to his feet, fidgeting back and forth. “How is he locating these in the first place if no one is meant to know their locations?”

“We don’t know for sure. Some think that Urinthia might have something to do with it.”

I shook my head. “Not the Grand Maiden I know.” Urinthia and I had a long history. That woman had no desire to cause chaos though she fed from it. She was a politician. She knew well the inevitable costs of war. All she wanted was to keep her family safe. To keep Red Coven safe. Meddling with Silas would ruin all of those chances.

Nia glanced at the two of us and said, “We have someone who might know her better.”

Mal barked out a ridiculous laugh. “Of course you do. Sounds like the Snow I know. Who is it?”

“Her daughter, Visha Delcour. She is Snow’s Crafter.”

The answer to my equation.

“Snow has her?” Mal asked, sharing a look with me. Was this why Urinthia had hid her daughter away? She had not been hiding her at all. Snow was.

“No, she came to find Snow. Walked through the zgahna and travelled the inside region all by foot for gods know how many weeks. To find Snow.”

More pieces were beginning to slide into place. Snow had a mighty powerful hand on her side. “Is she the one who put the craft on her?” I asked.

Nia shook her head, lacing her hands nervously. I knew she wasn’t supposed to tell us all this and I had probably already gotten her in far enough trouble to earn her friend’s anger once again. “No. That was Lysander, an old Crafter and friend of Alaric’s, Pen’s father. Alaric met him in Myrdur and served under king Jonah before accompanying Serene to Isjord. Snow has had the seal since she was born. Her magic manifested the day she took her first breath.”

Some things were not making sense. “She has old markings of gods on her back, Nia. Only a prime Crafter can use them.”

“He was the bastard son of Donovan Delcour, Urinthia’s father, and someone called the violet witch.”

Macaria had a son with Donovan?

“Urinthia’s second in command was her father’s lover?” Mal asked, narrowing his eyes on Nia.

She nodded. “She abandoned him in an orphanage so she could keep her position in Red Coven, apparently Lysander was a threat to the Delcour lineage. His daughters would be direct heirs to the title of Grand Maiden. And very inconveniently for them he did have a daughter. Though none of them know.”

“Penelope.” Not only was she a Delcour, but she was an heir for the Grand Maiden title. “And this seal is meant to keep her magic in control?”

Nia let out a long, tired sigh. “Not exactly. Not in control. It empties her magic in Celesteel’s realm. Like a gate—it pours it out of her and back into Caligo.”

“But she uses it.”

“She draws back from the gate, like fractions of it. What you saw that day was a fraction of what she can do. At least in control of it.”

“What happens if it breaks?”

“It won’t break.”

“How are you so sure?”

“Because she knows what she can do if it does break, and she knows how much she will hate herself if she lets it break.”

“How is she?” I finally asked. I don’t know how I resisted without asking first thing. Hells, I missed her terribly.

My brother snickered. “She put a dagger through your gut, and you want to know how she is?” After his outburst, he rubbed a hand over his eyes and took a seat again. “So, how is she then?”