The Storm Crow (The Storm Crow, #1)(85)

“I take back everything I ever said about Caylus,” she whispered.

I grinned and pulled open the door.

The humming crashed into me like a strong wind, then settled into a steady flow that reverberated in my chest. It was oddly comforting, like a lullaby without sound. Kiva watched our backs as we crept slowly down a narrow set of stairs toward a dim light. The staircase was short, the room surprisingly warm as we reached the bottom.

Shadows flickered on the wall in the light of a single torch, sparking familiarity. The room buzzed with magic so thick, it was nearly tangible. As I turned the final corner and my eyes adjusted to the faded light, I froze.

The room was full of crow eggs.





Thirty


Eggs of every kind were scattered across the floor on a bed of hay, illuminated by the soft glow of a lamp. My eyes couldn’t move fast enough, taking in the shiny red shells of fire crow eggs next to the pure black of shadow crows, which blended almost seamlessly into the sparkling night sky of the storm crows.

Razel hadn’t destroyed the eggs on Ronoch; she’d stolen them.

My throat burned. I gulped down a mouthful of air and looked at Kiva, who stared openmouthed.

I blinked. Then blinked again. When the scene didn’t dissolve, I dropped to my knees beside the vibrant forest-green shell of the egg of an earth crow and laid a hand over it. The same hum I’d felt from Res’s egg rushed through me, softer but clearly magic.

I touched another and another, the same reverberation emitting from all of them. Laughter choked my throat, soft and tentative as the truth of what I was seeing began to settle.

Resyries wasn’t the last crow.

Rhodaire, our way of life, everything, could be rebuilt.

My heart had become a drumbeat in my chest. “We can’t leave these here.” I turned to Kiva. “We have to—”

The words froze in my throat, blocking the warning I tried to cry. Kiva recognized it an instant too late, stopping halfway in her turn as a sword point appeared at her ribs.

Shearen stood behind her, a dangerous smile darkening his face. Even his eyes seemed full of shadows. “You weren’t supposed to see these yet.”

I rose unsteadily to my feet, mind racing.

His smile widened. “Imagine my surprise when I went to your rooms to get you and found you gone. I’ve no idea how you found this room, but it seemed like the natural place for you to come. Her Majesty says you’re drawn to the magic.”

“Just run, Th—ah!” Kiva cried out as Shearen’s sword dug into her side.

I stepped forward, but Shearen raised his eyebrows as if begging me to give him a reason to push the sword in.

I backed off, barely keeping my voice even. “Don’t hurt her. We’ll come willingly.”

He laughed. “I’m sure. You first then, little Crow Queen. Throw away your quiver and friend’s sword, then shut the door once we’re out.”

I locked eyes with Kiva, and she nodded. Slowly, I removed Sinvarra and tossed it aside. Her eyes followed the sword mournfully, and I flung my quiver beside it. Shearen moved back to let me pass, and I slid around them and climbed the stairs. Shearen marched us down the hall and back the way we’d come to the main corridor.

Forcing myself to take slow breaths and stay calm, I worked through our options. Shearen wouldn’t kill me. If I could get him away from Kiva, we might have a chance. I slowed, my gaze sliding toward them. There was no way. Shearen would cut her before I could act.

“What did you mean we weren’t supposed to see the eggs yet?” I asked. A small stain of blood had bloomed on Kiva’s right side. Fury twisted through me.

Shearen smirked. “We know you hatched a crow.”

My heart stumbled, and me nearly along with it. They knew about Res. Frantically, I reached for the cord between us.

It was quiet.

My breath caught, panic rising to fill my throat. How had they found out? Had someone seen the storm and investigated? Panic rose like a wave, my breathing turning shallow. Why couldn’t I feel him? Why—

“Thia,” Kiva hissed.

I jerked back from the edge of my spiral, sucking down a sharp breath of cold air. Losing myself to fear wouldn’t help. But Res… And if they knew about him, then—

My stomach dropped. Caylus. Razel might not hurt the crow, but she had no reason to spare Caylus.

“Thinking about your inventor friend?” Shearen asked, directing us down the hall toward the throne room with a sharp prod into Kiva’s back.

I snarled. “If you’ve hurt—”

Shearen laughed. “You’re in love with him, aren’t you? Does Eri know that?”

Eri. There was something in his voice when he said the nickname. A familiarity Ericen and I didn’t have. What had Shearen said to him out on the tower? They’d almost looked like friends.

“He won’t like what you’re doing right now.” I tried to manage the panic threatening to overtake my voice.

I tugged along the cord again, praying the silence had been a fluke. There was no answer, but the cord hadn’t broken. It felt like it did when Res was asleep but without the gentle contentment, as if I were linked to a stone wall. I pulled harder, trying to wake him, but got only fuzzy humming in return.

“Last I heard, you two weren’t on talking terms,” Shearen said.