ERA HAD NOT eaten or slept in two days, pushing her horse too hard, but with wind at their back. Exhausted, they arrived at the fortress of Dondubhan as the sun set. They clattered across the bridge and beneath the teeth of the gate, through the curtain wall and into the yard. Era rolled off, falling to her knees, and ignored the retainers rushing to her, their questions and worries about what message of danger she dragged at her heels.
She got to her feet, shook helping hands from her elbow. Her vision blurred, shadows walking at her side, the wind visible threads of light, and in the violet bowl of sky the Child Star gleamed to life; there beside it in the east the Star of Second Birds appeared. Era imagined the other stars still hiding, still veiled behind streaks of evening light, and the vast spread of stars rippled in her weary thoughts, as though it were the Tarinnish overhead and every star the tip of a winking wave.
Straight through the queen’s tower Era barged, past startled folk, and into Banna Mora’s room. She did not pause there, either, but headed for the outer door that led to the rose garden.
Just as she emerged, the sun vanished completely and a wind sighed, shaking the cherry trees so petals fell like snow. Warm perfume lit the air, and Era went to the thicket of roses. Her hands trembled and she whispered, I’m here, thank you. Now, please.
Thorns pierced her palms as she pulled vines apart, hunting through the coils. She pushed aside nodding blossoms, their velvety kisses urgent.
here, the roses whispered. saint. poison saint.
Now, Era said again. “Rowan,” she said aloud.
There, a starlight strand of hair, twisted about a thick branch of roses.
Era dug through stinging bites, lips parted so she breathed the flavor of rose wind, tasting their welcome.
She revealed a hand first, too cold and veined with vivid silver-gold blood.
“Rowan,” she repeated.
His fingers bent like brittle sticks.
The rose vines shivered, and Era laughed, a breathy, choking laugh.
Innis Lear always brought him back.
A woman crouched beside Era to help, and a young retainer—they were the baby princess’s keepers. They must’ve seen Era blow past them and followed her.
When the roses let go their teeth from the shifting, silver-shadow planes of Rowan’s face, his lashes fluttered and he looked up with eyes made of starlight.