Page 72 of Kingdom of Spirits
Then Tahlia and Marius told them everything about this unplanned mission in detail. More questions flowed from the knights. Tahlia answered, the tentative happiness in her tired eyes lighting a flicker of hope in Marius’s heart.
Trevain also explained the history of his kingdom.
“And as much as I hate to say it,” Tahlia said in a slightly broken voice, interrupting him when he began regaling everyone with the architectural details of the ruins the varjuline had inhabited, “I truly believe Ophelia cast this curse.”
Maiwenn grunted and chewed the inside of her cheek. “So our new commander woke this plague monster who is set on killing all those with Mistgold blood?”
Her tone wasn’t harsh, only curious, as if she was confirming what she’d been told. Something in the way they’d been calledby Mother Twilight’s belt at Tahlia’s waist had changed the way she looked at Tahlia. Somehow Maiwenn and the rest knew of Tahlia’s sacrifice.
“Did something change between us? I mean, I’m glad but…” Tahlia waited for Maiwenn to answer.
“We all felt your sacrifice. Whatever you did,” Maiwenn said, her gaze flicking from Marius to Tahlia, “I’m not sure what happened, but we definitely felt it.”
“The sacrifice and the Call of the Weaver,” Trevain said. “Our goddess, Mother Twilight, gave Lady Tahlia a belt of our people’s magic. She woke its power by giving all to another. The weaving sent a beacon to those she trusts with her life.”
Atticus and Claudia exchanged a sheepish grin, then looked to Tahlia with respect shining in their eyes. Maiwenn nodded at Tahlia, crossing her arms and smiling. Titus knocked his head gently against the side of Tahlia’s. He was becoming more dragon than Fae, Marius thought, silently chuckling.
I agree,Ragewing said into Marius’s mind.
Marius laughed out loud then.I’ll have to tell him so.
Tahlia reached for Fara, who helped her up. “I think I can ride. Can we move now?
Fara clucked like an old hen. “You shouldn’t be going anywhere. You look like death.”
“Katk isn’t going to wait and I refuse to be left here.”
Titus nodded at Tahlia, then eyed Marius. Marius gave a nod.
“We ride now,” Marius said. “Lady Tahlia, you will be tied to Titus’s saddle. He will hold you fast. I trust him.” He looked to Fara. “Squire, you’ll be with me. Ragewing will carry Lija for the first leg, and then, Sir Atticus and Revel, you will carry her the next.” Atticus’s Heartsworn was nearly as large as Ragewing.
“Aye, High Captain,” Tahlia said, her eyes full of a fevered desperation.
Marius swallowed, wishing there was time to pray to every Old One he’d ever heard of. She was still worried she was going to die. So was he.
“Aye, High Captain,” the other knights echoed.
Marius barked more orders, falling into the comfort of routine and familiar activities. He gave Ragewing a healthy serving of dragonbread and made certain Lija had the same treatment.
“Before we take off, if you see any plants with blood-red leaves, pluck them and eat them. Once the leaves are in your stomach, you’ll be able to communicate with your dragons through your mind.”
Claudia rubbed her orange forehead. “I can’t take any more wild revelations.”
The rest of the knights had gone silent, their dragons turning their attention to Marius.
“It’s true,” Tahlia said, her voice sounding weak again. “I can hear Lija in my head.”
“Lija?” Brutus pursed his purple lips and fisted his hands, which Marius knew was a sign that the warrior was losing patience and more than ready to take action.
“Her name is Vodolija. Lija is a nickname,” Tahlia said.
Then she crumpled to the ground. Marius went cold and hot all at once, his feet moving before he could order himself to keep his distance. He stopped short, Fara’s hand suddenly on his chest.
Titus was helping Tahlia up.
“We’ve got her, High Captain,” Fara said.
Gritting his teeth, he nodded. “Let’s ride. We are running out of time to try to break this curse.”