The Bound (Ascension #2)(33)

“Merrick,” she snarled.

She hated that man. Usurping her authority, looking down on women, shadowing the King like a watchdog. He was dangerous, and the King didn’t even see it.

He ignored her distaste. “I don’t know,” he finally said. “My father’s dying wish was for an heir. If I can’t get one with Kaliana, then what? I let the Dremylons die out after nearly two thousand years of rule? I allow Kael’s children—Creator help us all—inherit the throne? If it comes down to it and it’s the only way, I would have to.”

Daufina reached out and placed her hand on Edric’s shoulder. “Then, make certain that it is not the only way. You have not been to her quarters since Cyrene left…since before that.”

“How can I when I am so in love with someone else?”

“Tell me,” she said, reaching out and bringing his chin to face her, “do you love her more than your country? Would you give it all up for her?”

What she saw in his eyes scared her witless. Because she knew…deep down, the answer could be yes, if only Cyrene asked.

“Don’t even think it,” she breathed. “Make your country whole again.”

Edric nodded, resigned to his task, and left her chambers.

She swallowed hard in his absence. What kind of spell had Cyrene Strohm cast that could corrupt him so?





A few hours later, the boat docked on the outskirts of a large estate that Cyrene could just barely make out over the horizon. A dirt path disappeared into a thicket of woods, and it all appeared so calm and serene from the water.

Once the boat was tied down, the crew lowered the gangway and began hoisting the horses from below deck back onto solid ground. Orden paid the Captain a fat sum for his worries, and their group disembarked shortly after. Then, the captain and his crew untied the boat and were careening back down the Huyek River.

“Gildan then?” Ahlvie asked.

Orden’s gaze rose to the property on the hill and then frowned. “Yes. We’ll head northeast until we reach the trail that leads into town. A day-and-a-half ride if we set out now. Who will take the horses?”

Ceis’f spoke up, “Avoca and I will scout ahead. We are familiar with the woods and twice as fast.”

Avoca pursed her lips but didn’t disagree.

“No,” Cyrene said. “Ceis’f, you will go with Orden. He already knows this land and is an excellent scout. Avoca will stay with Ahlvie and me with the horses.” She turned her attention away from Ceis’f before he had a chance to disagree. “Is there anything else we need to know?”

Orden sent her an amused look but didn’t comment on her taking charge. “Just stay away from the property. That house belongs to Lord Barkeley, and he doesn’t take kindly to strangers, so step lightly.”

With that, Orden and Ceis’f gathered small packs from the supplies provided in Eldora and set off. Ceis’f glanced back once at their party, but he left albeit reluctantly. Avoca gave Cyrene a curt nod. Whether for getting Ceis’f to go or for taking charge once more, she wasn’t sure.

The rest of them finished tending to the horses and then cut a wide path around the plantation home. If this Lord was half as bad as Orden had made him seem, she didn’t want to have a run-in with him.

The three of them set an easy pace, and by the time the sun was setting low on the horizon, they had put the Lord’s manor behind them. Soon, they caught up with Orden and Ceis’f, who had prepared a fire in a clearing. They sat on opposite sides of the fire without speaking or looking at each other. It must have been a long afternoon if even Orden was testy.

After setting up a rotating watch schedule, Avoca let the men cook a small dinner with what they had caught during the day and then insisted she and Cyrene had work to do. She forced Cyrene to hand over the Book of the Doma and dragged her off into the woods. After a short trek, Avoca found what she had been looking for—a rivulet that barely trickled water.

Avoca turned to face Cyrene and contemplatively stared at her before speaking, “You have not touched your powers since we were bound. Why?”

Cyrene should have known this was coming. Of course, Avoca would notice that she hadn’t used her magic. There was so much to discuss between them, but the magic was the most obvious. Cyrene wavered on what to say and then final blurted out, “I…I can’t.”

“What do you mean, you can’t? I watched you kill all those Indres.”

“I know, but I can only feel my magic in life-or-death situations. I reach for it, like I did with the Indres, but it’s just a flutter, like a butterfly in my stomach. Then, it’s gone.”

Avoca stared at her with wide eyes. “Have you ever been able to reach them without your life being in danger?”

“No,” she admitted.

“Well then, this will not be of much use,” Avoca grumbled with a sigh. She sank to the moss-carpeted forest floor and set the book down next to her. “Sit.”

Cyrene did as instructed. “Why won’t the book help me?”

“Because you are blocked.”

“Oh,” Cyrene whispered. “But how do you know it won’t help with that?”

“Because, when Doma ruled the world in our distant past, they did not have blocks. It was not heard of, just as it is not presently heard of in Leif society. I fear your block comes from the corruption of Byern.”