Page 102 of Treasured
Luna’s eyes widened. “He can be quite scary,” she assured her brother. “You should see him with his wings.”
“Wings?” Marius’s attention returned to me, a twinkle entering his eye that reminded me of the young children in my village when I was still mortal. Finally, he looked like a ten-year-old. “Will you show them to me?”
I didn’t enjoy being a spectacle, but this wasn’t just anyone asking. It was Luna’s brother. I would do anything for her, including making him happy.
Rolling my shoulders, I let the shadows slip from my palms. They darkened the room, slowly stealing the light, until it was nearly dark.
Then, I released my wings. They hung heavy on my back, filling the small room. The tips of the dark appendages brushed against the walls, and I stood tall.
“Kydona help me,” was Marius’s only response.
Luna laughed. “Sebastian is rather impressive, isn’t he? He’s very good to me, and I’m sure you’ll enjoy getting to know him.” She glanced up at me. “Will you call for Odette? She needs to know it worked.”
I nodded. “Of course. I’ll give you two some privacy.”
Luna kissed me quickly. Through our connection, she said, I’m going to tell him about me.
Being Made.
Do you want me to stay?
She shook her head. I’ll be okay.
Nodding, I squeezed her hand. “I’ll be right outside.”
Luna smiled, and I moved through the shadows, landing in the hallway.
A novice was walking by. His gray robe was darker than the ones the priestesses wore, and his black hair was in a bun at the nape of his neck. Like all others of his rank, he was training to be a priest in the Second Order of Isvana’s Chosen Ones. We’d met several of them during our stay at the abbey.
“Excuse me?” I raised a hand to catch his attention.
He stopped in his tracks, bowing. “Yes, Prince Sebastian?”
“The witch Odette, do you know her?” When he nodded, I continued, “Please find her. It’s important that she come quickly.”
“Of course, Your Highness. Anything else?”
Chewing on the inside of my cheek, I considered for a moment. “Yes, there is one other thing.”
The novice dipped his head, listening intently as I explained what I needed. When I was done, he bowed again, promising to complete my task as quickly as possible before he disappeared down the hall.
Leaning against the wall, I pulled out a shadow and let it spin around as I waited for Odette. Quiet murmurs of conversation drifted under the door, and the Binding Mark pulsed with happiness.
It wasn’t long before footsteps came from down the hall. Odette ran towards me. She carried a woven basket, and I caught a glimmer of metal poking out.
“It worked?” she asked breathlessly.
“He’s awake,” I confirmed.
The witch grinned, and in her excitement, blue ribbons sparked at her fingertips. “This is fantastic,” she gushed. “There are so many things we need to do. I’ll have to mass produce the cure, get it to others, find out how Marius feels…” She continued muttering to herself as she opened the door and slipped inside. I followed, staying in the shadows as Luna and Odette chatted.
My wife seemed to have found a kindred spirit in the witch. Several times over the next few hours, I caught Luna grinning as she and Odette poked and prodded Marius relentlessly. By the time they decided they had enough information for now, the halfling yawned from his spot on the cot.
“Why don’t we split up?” Odette suggested. “There are a few witches in the abbey and nearby villages that can help me with the magical aspect of the cure. Will you prepare the plant? That way, you don’t have to deal with the smell.”
My nose wrinkled at the memory of that gods-awful stench. I’d been around corpses that smelled better.
“Of course. Sebastian and I will get to work right away.” Luna glanced at me, raising a brow. “If you don’t mind?”