Black Crown (Darkest Drae, #3)(54)

“Maybe we should wait another day,” I said uneasily.

Tyrrik’s smile disappeared, and he shook his head. “We can’t afford to put off our trip to Azule any longer. We have to get there before the army arrives to smooth the way, and every day we wait is another day for Draedyn to plan. We need to get those boats in the water and bring the human warriors back. Time is everything if we want to be on the offense in this war.”

I sat down and scooted close to the trunk, the pine needles poking and scratching my legs and knees. I placed my hands on the trunk and then rested my head on the rough bark. “Tell me, tell me, tree of pine, tell me, tell me how to find . . . Lani?”

Tyrrik snorted.

“Not my best rhyme,” I grumbled. Desperation obviously didn’t make me brilliant. I closed my eyes, burning with fatigue, and felt my Drae shield slip as my energy sought Tyrrik’s. As soon as the shield around my mind fell, I caught an image of the Phaetyn army marching. “Whoa!”

I straightened and grinned at Tyrrik. “Phaetyn powers and Drae powers don’t mix.”

He raised his eyebrows. “I’m fairly certain every Drae and Phaetyn know that, my love.”

Shifting my butt on the gray stone, I glared up at him. “No, I mean they don’t mix, and I’m mixing them. Stay close by. I’m going to have to let my Drae shield down to talk to the trees.” I bit my lip as nerves twisted my stomach. I didn’t like the thought of dropping my Drae barrier, but Tyrrik was here.

I relaxed the tendrils of my Drae power from where they’d been wrapped around my mind, letting them crawl and wind with Tyrrik’s onyx energy. With a deep breath, I placed my hands back onto the rigid bark of the tall evergreen.

Hundreds of Phaetyn were marching through the Gemond mountains with Queen Lani, their expressions concentrated and serious as if they each understood the task they’d chosen to undertake.

The tightness in my chest unfurled and I sighed, my shoulders relaxing. I had no idea if the Phaetyn had passed this way or were yet to come, but the healers from Zivost were, in fact, coming to join us.

I withdrew my hands, and my skin brushed the pine needles closer to the surface. A new vision filled my mind’s eye.

This tree, this copse of trees swayed in the wind. The Phaetyn passed by, and there near the edge of the trees, stalks of tiny pale bluish-purple flowers sprouted through the rocks.

I blinked, and my vision cleared. I glanced over the cliff edge at the flowers and then met Tyrrik’s gaze with a grin of triumph.

“How long ago?”

“Not long.” I pointed at the cluster of blooms swaying in the breeze. “Those flowers were fresh in the tree’s vision, just like they are today. I don’t know how long these bloom for, but they looked the same.”

“Leave your Drae shield down while we fly and only your Phaetyn veil up. Maybe then you’ll see her gold power.”

“Stay close,” I said, knowing he would understand my nervousness. There was no way I wanted to lead my father to the Phaetyn.





21





The mountains blurred beneath us, but just like the trees had said, eventually on the horizon ahead, I saw shimmering gold.

There it is. I sent Tyrrik an image so he could see the Phaetyn power himself. I was counting on my ancestral power to get us both through Lani’s barrier while in our Drae form.

We descended and landed just inside Lani’s golden ancestral veil without a hitch. Five Phaetyn froze, their mouths gaping as they stared at the two Drae in their midst.

Could be worse, I decided, considering we were their natural enemy.

One of them crumpled to the ground, and I frowned. Maybe that Phaetyn was prone to fainting attacks?

Tyrrik and I shifted back to our other forms, and three of the remaining group of Phaetyn screamed and ran. I sighed. The Phaetyn were definitely terrified of us after Draedyn’s attack and my role in handing Kamini over.

One stood rooted in place, blinking, trembling, his fists clenched to his sides.

“That’s your fault,” I said to Tyrrik. They probably think you’re the emperor. I waved at the single Phaetyn and said, “Hey there, friend. Is Lani around?”

His shoulders relaxed, and he closed his eyes. “You”—his voice trembled as he spoke, but he held my gaze—“sh-shouldn’t b-be allowed t-t-to d-d-do that.”

Tyrrik slid his arm around my waist, and his irritation flashed through me before he spoke. “I always believed the Phaetyn would have incredible distinction for color. The idea that they can confuse black and emerald green makes me question their intelligence.”

I snickered to let the Phaetyn know Tyrrik was joking, or rather he should’ve been joking. We both knew the Phaetyn were necessary even if there was no love lost between our races. Plus, as long as they could tell the difference between an injured person and not, I was happy.

“If you can’t help, friend, that’s al’right,” I said to the guy.

Why do you keep saying friend, my love?

Shh, it’s working.

We both turned toward the sweating and shaking Phaetyn.

See? Looking away from the terrified man, I squeezed Tyrrik’s waist and, tilting my head toward the crowd, said, “Let’s go and find Lani.”

We didn’t have to in the end. Lani marched through her people, silver robes billowing behind her.