Crystal Storm (Falling Kingdoms #5)(85)

“No. What I want from you is to accompany me to the tavern this evening to meet with my friend Dariah.”

Magnus’s breath caught and held. “The bloodstone.”

She nodded. “I want you there by my side.”

“Why?”

“Because it’s important to me, that’s why. I know you have doubts about the choices I’ve made in the past, but one day soon I know you’ll understand.”

Magnus would go with her tonight. Not for matters of love, since those had locked themselves away in a small bedroom upstairs in a fit of anger and grief.

No, he would go because, in this uncertain time, the bloodstone sounded like a piece of magic worth killing for.

Magnus waited for Cleo to emerge from the bedroom, but she never did. When the sun set, he reluctantly left the Hawk and Spear Inn with Selia at his side. By now, he’d become quite accustomed to the Purple Vine. From its entrance, he could see the sea sparkling under the moonlight, the ships docked at port spilling their crews into the city. Basilia seemed more alive at night than during the day, when there was business to attend to. At night, all those who had toiled during the day now wished to drink and eat and pay attention to other base desires, all of which were catered to within a modest stroll from the docks.

The tavern was packed wall to wall with boisterous patrons, most of whom were already blindingly drunk by the time Magnus and Selia arrived. Still, Magnus wore his hood close around his face to shield his identity. He couldn’t risk being recognized again.

Selia led the way to a table in the far corner, seated at which were a beautiful, young auburn-haired woman and a man with bronze-colored hair that reached his shoulders and eyes the shade of copper coins.

It was a man Magnus recognized immediately.

At the sight of him, the memories of the road camp in the Forbidden Mountains of Paelsia flooded his mind. This man—an exiled Watcher—had been stationed there so that he could infuse the road with the magic required to pinpoint the four points in Mytica where the Kindred would be awakened.

Magnus had not spoken directly to the man at the time, but he’d watched him steal the life from another exile during a rebel attack.

“Xanthus,” Magnus finally forced the name out. “Do you remember me?”

The man rose to his feet, showing off his massive height. The thick band of the gold ring he wore on his right index finger glinted in the candlelight. “Your highness, of course I do.”

“No need for such pleasantries tonight. In fact, let’s forgo the use of my name or title altogether, shall we?”

Xanthus nodded. “As you wish.”

“You haven’t been seen or heard from in many months.”

“No, I haven’t,” Xanthus agreed. “My work for the king was complete, and it was time for me to rest and regain my strength. Please, sit.”

Magnus and Selia took a seat at the wooden block of a table.

“You look lovely tonight,” Selia said to the other woman, whom Magnus didn’t recognize. “Your control over air magic has improved greatly over the years.”

“Do you really think so?” the woman said with a giggle, twisting a lock of her long, silky auburn hair coyly around her finger.

Xanthus placed his hand over the woman’s. “Dariah always looks lovely.”

Dariah? Magnus regarded the woman now with fresh eyes as he realized that she’d used her elementia to shift her appearance to that of a younger, more attractive woman. If he watched carefully, he could see that her features appeared obscured, as if she sat in a shadow rather than beneath a lantern set into the wall, and that she appeared slightly too perfect to be real.

“Dariah tells me that you wish to speak to me,” Xanthus said. “She said it was important that I arrive as quickly as possible. For anyone else, I wouldn’t bother.”

“Tell me,” Magnus said, curiosity building inside of him to a point where it had to be released, “are you still in contact with Melenia?”

Xanthus shifted his gaze to Magnus. “No, I’m not.”

“What became of her? She stopped visiting my father’s dreams.”

“Melenia does what she wants when she wants. She is, I assume, focused on restoring my home to its previous greatness now that the Kindred have been awakened.”

At the mention of the crystals, Magnus waited for Selia to say something, but she remained silent, her curious gaze fixed on them both.

Xanthus took a drink from the goblet before him, signaling to the barmaid to bring over another round for the table. “What do you want from me tonight?”

“One more question, if you don’t mind,” Magnus said, his eyes narrowing. “Are you familiar with someone by the name of Kyan?”

Xanthus returned his full attention to Magnus, his expression grim. “He is free.”

“Yes. Might you have any inside advice on him?”

“Stay as far away from him as you can get, if you value your life,” Xanthus said. “Melenia, believing she was doing the right thing, helped the fire god to steal the corporeal form of a dear friend of mine.” He sent a dark look at Dariah as he drained his drink. “Is this why you insisted I come here tonight? To answer the prince’s questions about matters I don’t wish to discuss with anyone?”

“No, it’s not,” Selia answered on behalf of her friend. “But I find it fascinating to learn more about the fire Kindred, so thank you for that.”