Page 46 of Keldori By Daybreak

I hated the sound of Ferrin’s laughter. It mocked us, jovial and cruel, with each echoing bounce off the high walls and ceiling.

“Truly, Wren, bravo!” He punctuated the words with a sardonic round of applause. “You would’ve done great at Von Leer. Word of advice, next time you apply to college, don’t try to kill the admissions officer, alright?”

“Cade?” Orla’s broken whisper reverberated through the cavern. She abandoned Tiernan to rush forward, but Ciarán blocked her path.

Cade stood tall behind Ferrin, but his tight grimace betrayed his unease. He focused on the stone lantern to his right rather than look at his sister.

“I wish I could say I’m thrilled to see you’ve come home, my niece,” Ferrin continued. “However, Cade tells me you’re just passing through.”

“You tried to kill me.” Orla shoved Ciarán aside but stayed where she was.

“I understand what happened at the Bay of Teeth must have been frightening,” Ferrin tutted, “but now that the Frozen God is freed, you’re safe. You can come back. I’ll make sure no harm comes to you.”

“I’d rather die,” Orla hissed, and Ciarán put a warning hand on her shoulder.

“Ciarán,” I reached out for him through our tether, “get the others down the mountain. I’ll take care of Ferrin and Cade.”

“I’m not leaving you behind,” Ciarán growled back.

“My real body is with Fana. If they kill me, I’ll wake up at the lake, and hopefully by then, you’ll all be far enough down the stairs.”

“Come on, Orla.” Cade clenched his hands in front of his chest, as if he wanted to be ready in case a fight broke out but wasn’t quite sure how to best hold himself.

“He killed our mother!” Orla yelled. “His own sister!”

“My sister betrayed her station,” Ferrin snarled, suddenly venomous. “She took an oath to serve the Quills. She knew that meant she could never be with Oren, and yet—”

He gave Orla a sweeping gesture that made the temperature in my face rise.

“And the Lyrian?” Ciarán prodded at my mind. I glanced at Iseult where she still sat on the ground. She watched the proceedings through narrowed eyes, and her hands glowed silver against the rocky floor, ready for a fight.

“Knock Iseult out if you have to. Just be ready.”

“You swore an oath to Oren too,” Orla seethed at Ferrin. “And you killed him.”

“Bryony and Oren brought shame to their families, and as much as I’ve loved you over the years, my niece, I shouldn’t be surprised that this is what that union amounted to.”

“This is who’s going to stop you,” Orla said.

“Oh?” Ferrin grinned. “You and who? A prisoner, a runaway from Tulyr, the sorriest excuse for a Grimguard I’ve yet to meet, and Wren? Don’t tell me you think this is the ragtag team that’s going to save both the worlds from the inevitable.”

“I’m not with them.” Iseult pulled herself to her feet, hands still glowing and ready.

“No?” Ferrin sounded delightfully surprised. “Staying loyal to those of us who gave you a home the last few weeks then?”

“Depends,” Iseult spat. “Who actually killed my grandfather?”

“What would you like me to say, dear?” Ferrin’s face fell, and he rolled his neck. “He was impossibly obstinate, so I removed him. He had no problem removing people either. Remember how he abandoned you in Tulyr?”

“You did kill him?” Her voice broke with the words.

“If you knew what was out there, Iseult—” Ferrin pointed at the open wall behind us “—if you knew what was waiting for you in Keldori, you would’ve killed the old man years ago to get to it. Ask Wren. She knows.”

Iseult’s hand closed around my bicep, and I braced to dissolve into nothingness at her Skalbreaking touch. I remained whole, however, and she pulled me behind her to lunge at Ferrin.

He snapped his goggles into place and green flames burst in his grasp.

“Now, Ciarán!” I yelled, but he was already yanking Iseult back by her armor and dragging her towards the stairs.