Page 59 of Wings of Snow
“It’s theotherrealm, as I believe you Solis fae like to call it.” Major Fieldstone inclined his head to the woman who’d been healing me. “Excellent plan to convey what we’ve learned today to the SF. I’m sure Douglas and Farrah will be very intrigued.”
The female healer laughed. “That’s the understatement of the year.”
“Year?” I shook my head, my brow furrowing.
Haxil leaned over and said, “I believe ayearmeans a full season.”
“Oh,” I replied as fatigue swelled in me. “I see.”
The healer gave me another warm smile. “Since you’re recovering, I better return to the healing center.”
Major Fieldstone’s dagger caught the light again when he rounded the table I lay on. “Of course, you have my gratitude, dear Cora.” The Nolus fairy walked her to the door, talking quietly with the healer as Norivun kneeled at my side.
“How are you feeling?” Worry lines pinched the corners of his mouth as his gaze flew over me.
“Okay, I guess.” My entire body felt sore, as though I’d run for millees after digging in the fields all day, but other than that...
I assessed myself internally. Magic rumbled in my gut, but it felt diminished, as though I’d depleted myself entirely, and I was still recharging. Shifting, I lay a hand over my stomach, and with a start realized my back felt bare since no wings had moved beneath me.
I glanced over my shoulder, and my breath caught. “Where did my wings go?”
The prince’s hand curled around mine, and the feel of his unyielding strength flowed through that simple contact. “Your wings disappeared when Drachu drained you.” His jaw tightened. “It just proves even more that your wings are an affinity. They can come and go, similar to when I choose to shift into my dragon form.”
Some of the panic in me eased as I felt for that strange power between my shoulder blades. A glimpse of it stirred when I focused on that area, but it felt weak. “I don’t think I could call them forth now.”
Norivun growled. “I’m not surprised. Drachu nearly killed you by what he did. I just thank the Mother that we were able to find help so fast.”
A flutter of fear ran through me when I recalled how abruptly the Lochen king had sucked my powers. It’d come from out of nowhere. Drachu had grabbed a hold of all of my affinities—my life-giving, fire, air, wings, warrior—all of them. It was similar to what he’d done at the temple when he’d been battling Norivun, but the second time was so much worse. The Lochen king had done it faster and with greater ease, as though he’d learned following the temple how to better manipulate his control on me.
I gripped the prince’s hand harder. “What do you suppose happened that made Drachu do that?”
Norivun’s lip curled. “I don’t know.”
The door closed in the corner of the room, startling me back to our strange surroundings, just as the orange-haired fairy traipsed back to us.
“That’s the Nolus king’s nephew, Bavar Fieldstone,” Norivun said under his breath. “He’s who we came looking for.”
My eyes widened as I took in the Nolus fairy’s toned frame and bright eyes.
“You’re quite lucky, Ilara, that Bavar was in residence when we arrived at the palace’s doors,” Sandus said gruffly. The guard’s hands were on his hips, his wings tight to his back. “Your pulse was growing weaker with every minute that passed, love.”
“We’re at the palace?” I asked, my voice rising.
Ryder nodded. “The Nolus palace.”
“The Nolus palace indeed!” Bavar said with gusto when he reached our sides. “I have to say, this has been one of the most interesting days I’ve had in a while. When one of the palace sentries alerted me to not one, butsixSolis fae at our doorstep demanding entrance so they might speak to me... Well, I was most curious, especially when I learned it was none other than the crown prince of the Solis continent and his new mate.” Bavar’s smile stretched as he clasped his hands behind his back and gave a deep bow in my direction. “A pleasure to make your acquaintance on this side of consciousness, Ilara. Although perhaps if we meet again, it will be under better circumstances.”
I tried to sit up to properly introduce myself but winced when my stomach muscles screamed in protest.
In a flash, Norivun’s arms were around me, and he lifted me up. He held me aloft in his arms.
The prince’s voice became stiff when he said, “If you have a chaise or chair for Ilara, I would be in your debt.”
Bavar clapped his hands. “Of course! How rude of me not to offer sooner. Now that your mate is no longer at death’s door, I would bet to say that she’s famished as well as fatigued. Come, I shall have the staff bring refreshments while we discuss what it is that brings you to our great capital on this fine day.”
Bavar led us out of the room into a large hall as Norivun continued to carry me. Just to the right were two huge ornate golden-rimmed doors carved with mystical engravings. Sentries stood by the doors, and their pitch-black eyes assessed us when we strode past. Similar to the sentries at the capital’s exterior wall, deadly-looking spears were clenched in their grasps, and their golden-hued skin had an otherworldly glow to it.
“Where are we?” I asked under my breath.