Shadow Wings (The Darkest Drae Book 2)(36)

I closed my eyes, the bright light blinding me with stabbing pain in comparison to my time spent within the tree’s memories. Sitting, I pushed my palms into my eyes and put my head between my knees.

“What did you see?” Kamoi asked in a hushed voice. “Did the tree show you anything?”

I processed what I’d seen, opening my eyes and blinking so they’d adjust. “What happened to her? The previous queen?”

Kamoi’s lavender eyes darkened. “Luna Nuloa?”

I nodded. Her name fit her, like a sliver of moonbeam, delicate but strong.

“She—”

“Highness,” a guard yelled.

A crowd of Phaetyn marched toward us. Drak.

“I thought you said we’d be safe here, Kamoi.”

Prince Kamoi puffed his chest and extended his hand. “I did say that, Kealani, and I meant it. This is sacred ground.”

I let him pull me up, but as soon as I was standing, he released my hand and went to the guards.

Their murmuring was an indistinguishable chorus, but the low undercurrents betrayed their angst. Three of the guards waved their arms at me, and I ran to where Dyter stood by my horse and Tyrrik.

“This is not good,” Dyter said, stating the obvious. “I had no idea I was agreeing to take you into the middle of a war.”

I wrinkled my nose as I thought about it. “Is that what this is? Wait a minute. Can the Phaetyn harm each other? Is that even possible?”

Dyter shrugged, but beads of sweat glistened on top of his bald head. “I always thought the Drae were invincible and the Phaetyn extinct. I know hardly anything about them, except what I’ve learned from you and Kamoi on the journey here.”

I’d stopped listening, realizing I knew the answer, thanks to Ty, aka Tyr, aka Tyrrik. Phaetyn and Drae canceled each other which meant the Phaetyn needed Drae blood to kill one another.

I rested my hand on Tyrrik to assure myself he was still alive but pushed down my worry about his state as I eyed the crowd again. What the hay were they so angry about to begin with?

A second group of guards marched toward us by the sacred tree clearing, and the crowd of angry Phaetyn slowly dispersed.

Kamoi returned to us, shaking his head. “I’m sorry for the interruption, Kaelani—”

I held my hand out to stop him. “Don’t apologize. And don’t call me Kaelani. My name is Ryn. Just Ryn. I don’t have any pet names, except Rynnie, and only Dyter calls me that. You don’t control the people, do you? Is that your father’s job?”

Dyter cleared his throat, and I had a feeling I’d stepped in horse poop again.

“His mother’s job,” Dyter said. “His mother is the queen. The Phaetyn are a matriarchal society.”

Yikes. I winced. “Sorry,” I said with a grimace. “I’ve never been very good at politics.” Or cared.

Kamoi took my hand, and my heart started thumping despite all my bluster. Being that good looking wasn’t fair. His skin was really, really smooth. He led me back past the tree, and I stumbled to a halt. There was a path. A golden path. Like beautiful shiny gold that made me want to walk down it . . . and possibly dig up the sparkly bricks and put them in safe keeping. Drak. There was something wrong with my head when it came to shiny objects of late.

“My mother and father are expecting us. They live just over this way,” he said, indicating another, not shiny, path. “I’m sure they’ll have food and beds ready.”

“Wait,” I said belatedly.

I turned to see Dyter leading the horse with Tyrrik on it. I was about to walk off with sexy-schmexy Prince Phaetyn without my unconscious . . . friend . . . my acquaintance? Gah. I couldn’t leave Tyrrik.

I met Dyter halfway and put my hand back on Tyrrik as I asked, “How long is he going to sleep like this?”

Dyter lifted a shoulder. Right. Dyter doesn’t know everything.

I guess it’d be better to ask Kamoi my questions—at least the Phaetyn ones. “Do the Phaetyn all have the same powers? Can everyone do everything?”

Kamoi tucked a strand of silver hair behind his ear—could ears be hot—and came back to walk beside me. “No.”

“No . . .” Was that a no, I’m distracted? Or a no, I’m not telling you anything?

We started down the dirt path, but the road was narrow, and Dyter and the horse were forced to drop behind.

“So, do you have similar powers?” I pressed. “Phaetyn are all healers, right?”

“Yes,” Kamoi said, his eyes shifting to the left. His gaze returned to me, and he continued, “Phaetyn are all healers, but some have an affinity for animals, some for plants, some for the earth, and some, well, really only one—for people. The queen holds the most power, having the responsibility to protect our lands—”

Smoking bonfires. “Your mom is the most powerful Phaetyn?”

Kamoi chewed his lower lip as if contemplating his response. Or perhaps he was embarrassed by his mother's superpowers.

“Honestly, I think that's amazing.” I rushed to assuage his discomfort. “Does that mean you have superpowers like her?”

He chuckled, a low throaty sound, as he shook his head. Giving me a pointed look, he said, “My only superpower seems to be an inordinate amount of good luck.”