Leena
I knew the moment Oz and Calem returned that something was wrong. They’d pulled Kost, Noc, and me into our sleeping chambers—a few dark tendrils still clinging to their frames from their shadow walk to Hireath—and closed the door. With quick, stilted words, they revealed that a mysterious package, one likely left by Yazmin, had made its way undetected into the keep. Kaori and Raven had discovered it first, then showed it to Calem and Oz so they could inform me. For the time being, the parcel was safely under guard in my quarters, unopened and awaiting my return.
But that was days ago, and while Isla insisted we were making great time on our journey back to Lendria, it felt more like an eternity. Anxiety gnawed at my insides, and I often found myself pacing, unable to focus. All I could think about was that parcel, and my mind continuously served up horrendous worst-case scenarios. What if the box contained some disastrous beast just biding its time, waiting to unleash fury the moment I pulled open the twine? Or maybe it contained proof that Gaige wasn’t missing, but rather captured by her hand—or worse, killed. Noc had tried to soothe me, but there was little that could assuage my fears short of unboxing the damn parcel myself.
So when Hireath’s western cliffs finally came into view, I was hit both with relief and a renewed sense of restlessness. Noc, Calem, Ozias, Kost, and I took the first rowboat toward the sheer, gray cliffs with Isla and her troops following suit behind us. The aroma of salt and seaweed filled my nose as tumultuous waves crashed into the slate rock face, obscuring the hidden staircase from view. Only a Charmer would know how to safely pinpoint the entrance. After rounding the bend, the rocky slabs making up the winding stairs came into view, and we were able to safely deboard on the water-slicked stones. It would take time to ferry all the troops and supplies, but a safe return to Lendria was more than worth it.
The moment we reached the open lawns of Hireath, Isla began barking orders at the troops behind her. They worked quickly and efficiently to erect tents and set up camp, and a handful of them returned to the boats to usher in more soldiers and supplies. The Cruor assassins looked on from their own encampment, uncertain whether or not to help. Oz signaled for Emelia and Iov, and they appeared in a plume of shadows beside us. He gave them orders to assist in any way possible, pointing out Isla as their leader, and they disappeared as quickly as they’d came.
“Welcome back,” Raven called as she approached us from the direction of the keep, Kaori beside her. “Glad to see Rhyne has joined us.”
I allowed for a tight smile. “Thanks, I’m glad everyone is holding up here. Where’s the package?”
Kaori grimaced. “In your room.”
“Thank you for handling that.” I glanced around at the flurry of activity. There was so much to do, so much to organize. Noc watched me closely and let his fingers graze the back of my arm. Just the smallest of reassuring touches. “I’ll open it shortly.”
Kost cleared his throat. “No word of Gaige?”
Another punch to the gut, and I sucked in a breath.
Raven shook her head once. “No.”
Noc eyed his brother, a glimmer of sadness in his gaze. “Go on. Speak to the sentries. See if they have anything more.”
“I’ll come with you.” Calem clamped a hand on Kost’s shoulder. “We can do a quick perimeter check. Maybe they missed something.”
Kost nodded without speaking and backstepped into shadows, Calem a breath behind him. Both Oz and Noc tracked their invisible progression before sharing a somber look. Noc rolled his head from side to side, easing tension from his shoulders.
“We’ll find him,” he said.
Raven clenched her jaw tight. “I hope so. Though, he’s going to get an earful from me when he does return.”
“The transition is hard. Even more so for Gaige,” Oz said. He eyes lingered on the plethora of beasts intermingling with the Charmers. Their presence was a constant reminder of what Gaige had lost. It would be enough to send me running from Hireath, too.
“Yeah,” I said. For a moment, we simply stood in silence and let the sounds of the clearing wash over us. The crashing falls were a constant backdrop to the bustle of activity on the lawns. Canvas flapped against the breeze as Rhyne’s troops erected tents near the assassins. Isla moved away from the closest one, her confident steps thudding against the ground, and approached us. Beside me, Oz stiffened. Raven quirked a brow as she took in his sudden stillness, and then she rounded her gaze on Isla.
“We’ll be done setting up in no time. Are there any strategy meetings planned for this evening?” Isla asked.
“No. We have a separate matter to attend to first.” Noc peered at me for a moment, and I nodded. I didn’t know what was in that package, and the last thing I wanted was to put our new ally in danger. Noc and I could examine the contents ourselves and report back to the group after. “We’ll convene in the morning,” he added. “Once everyone has had some rest.”
“Good. If I could get a tour of the place, that would be appreciated.” Isla nodded to the castle and the surrounding woods. “I’d rather be prepared in case we get any surprise visitors.”
“I can do it,” Oz blurted out, then blanched.
Raven stared at him for a long minute before pivoting toward Isla. “How about we show her together? I’m more versed in the castle layout than you. I’m Raven, by the way.”
Isla gripped her extended hand tightly and smiled. “Isla. That would be wonderful, thank you.”
“Come on, Ozias.” Raven beckoned over her shoulder as she and Isla strode away, first in the direction of Cruor’s forces. “Why don’t you introduce her to some of your brethren?”
Oz practically tripped over his feet as he went after them, leaving Noc and me alone with Kaori. Noc’s gaze followed his brother, a slight smile tugging at his lips, before returning his focus to us. His expression sobered.
“Let’s deal with the parcel.”
Kaori glanced between us. “If…if you could just fill me in as soon as possible…”
There was a slight quiver to her tone that stole my attention, and a tightness formed in my chest. Her face was carefully blank. Forced, even. Only her voice betrayed the worry she felt. Worry I also shared, but I wasn’t entirely certain it was for the same reason.
“Of course. Why don’t we plan to have the Council meet in the library within the hour to discuss its contents?”
Placing a hand over her bestiary, she nodded. “Thank you.” And with that, she strode off in the direction of the library, her glossy black hair swaying behind her.
“You ready?” Noc asked, jutting his chin in the direction of the keep.
Chewing the inside of my cheek, I stared at the towering castle nestled against the falls. From the outside, it appeared peaceful. The network of homes tucked away in the trees were full of life, and a warm, buttery glow flickered from the windows. Charmers and beasts alike milled about the wooden bridges. Despite the horrors we’d faced, we were surviving. Finding joy where we could. I couldn’t let Yazmin jeopardize that. And if she truly did send the parcel…I needed to know what she was planning.
“Let’s go.” Hand in hand, we walked toward the keep and made our way to my quarters. Attendants tipped their chins in polite bows before dispersing, giving us privacy as we closed the double doors to my room. Unmoving, a Havra stood near the exit, her four, deerlike eyes riveted to the low table in front of the hearth. This must’ve been the beast Kaori had stationed to monitor the package. With the ability to materialize through walls, the Havra would’ve been able to safely flee if something dangerous had emerged. Fortunately, that hadn’t happened, and the small, slender beast took one look at me before fading into the wall, presumably returning to Kaori.
With the beast gone, the fist-sized parcel stole my focus. Resting on the coffee table, it appeared unassuming enough. Just a box wrapped in faded-brown paper and tied off with twine. A tiny bit of parchment was attached to the string—addressed to Hireath’s new Crown—and I kneeled before it to get a closer look.
Noc inched toward it. “How do we know it’s safe to open?”
I assumed Kaori and Raven had done their due diligence, perhaps summoning a Dosha to test the paper for poison before bringing it here. But I doubted they examined the contents further out of respect for my privacy. Channeling power to my Charmer’s emblem, I focused on the beast realm door and wrenched it open. After searching for a few moments, I found my Bockular munching on grub beneath a shade tree and called him to my side.
He manifested on the table and looked up at me with giant, glass-blue eyes that dominated most of his tiny face. No larger than a teacup, my hedgehog-like beast rolled onto his hind legs and shook out his rainbow quills.
“Hey, Cushy.” I gently poked his soft underbelly, and he let out a playful squeak. “Can you examine that box for me?”
Snout rounding on the parcel, he gave it a quick sniff before placing his abnormally large hands on its sides. His eyes homed in on the package, and his body went still.
“What’s he doing?” Noc asked.
“Checking its contents. Cushy can see through barriers, so long as he’s touching them. Though anything beyond a few inches and it’s much harder for him to get a clear picture. Either way, he’ll share what he finds with me like Felicks does with Kost.” I tapped my temple, waiting for an image to form in my mind.
When it finally appeared, my breath caught.
Cushy released his hold on the parcel and crawled toward my frozen hands. With a quiet chuff, he nudged my fingers.
“Leena?” Noc asked.
I couldn’t think. Couldn’t breathe. All I could see was the outline of two book-shaped pendants wrapped in cloth. Panic clawed up my throat. They were bestiaries. Bestiaries. Our pendants could only be removed by a Charmer’s hand, which meant this gift had to come from Yazmin. Even worse, it meant there were Charmers in the capital.
Living Charmers.
Slowly, I extended my shaking fingers and opened the beast realm door. I sent Cushy home without a word before dropping my hand to the table.
Noc settled to his knees beside me and grazed my arm. “Leena, what’s wrong?”
I couldn’t bring myself to answer him yet. Not until I knew for absolute certain, with my own eyes, what was inside. Gently, I tugged at the twine and peeled back the paper. The lid was all too easy to remove, and I peered down at the very thing I’d hoped I’d never see: two bestiaries laid upon ivory cloth, just as Cushy had shown me.
Noc stilled, his hand on my arm going rigid. He’d know exactly what it meant to receive a “gift” like this.
Ears ringing, I brought shaky fingers to the first of two bestiaries, their chains still intact. I could feel the grooves of a name etched into the leather, taunting me with a truth I wasn’t sure I wanted to unearth. Tilting it toward the crackling fire, I examined the gold lettering of our ancient language.
Verlin. I inhaled sharply, dropping the pendant back into the box. Slowly, I willed myself to examine the second one.
Sabine.
My world slipped out from under me. I barely remembered my parents, but I’d never forget their names. My aunt had made certain of that, always reminding me that they’d been named after members of the first Charmers Council. She wanted me to know where I came from. And now, with my mother’s bestiary clasped tight in my hand, I could feel her. It was as if she were there, running gentle fingers through my hair as I bounced impatiently in her lap. I heard the soft hum of a long-forgotten lullaby. Felt the warmth and security of her hug, as if she’d be able to protect me from anything.
Noc curled his fingers over mine and held my hand tight. “Who do they belong to?”
Rounding my gaze on him, I didn’t even try to stop the flood of tears. “My parents.” A sob racked my chest, and he pulled me to him. Burying my head in his tunic, I tried to lose myself in his embrace. To find security and stability when the very foundation of my world had just been annihilated. They were still alive. My parents were alive. Snaking my free hand back to the box, I secured my father’s bestiary and held it close. I could feel their power humming from the pendants. Their ties to the beast world. If they’d died, the books would’ve gone with them. But here they were, warm against my palms.
Yazmin had been right. She’d found them.
Suddenly, my ratcheted breathing halted. A wet cry died in my throat.
How many others had she found?
Over the years, a number of Charmers had “died” on beast hunts. Wilheim couldn’t have possibly captured them all. But…I didn’t know. And if there was a small force of Charmers being held captive in the capital, how could Noc not have known? His parents?
I jerked my head upward and took in my anam-cara’s expression. Pain. Sadness. Concern. And yet… “You didn’t know. Promise me you really didn’t know.”
He didn’t flinch. Didn’t balk at my need for reassurance. Instead, he pressed a feathery kiss to my forehead. “I swear on my life, Leena, I didn’t know.”
My eyes slipped closed. There was no way he would’ve lied to me about something like this. But someone was responsible. Someone knew.
Varek. Even if he wasn’t the first one to capture Charmers, he was still aware. He was the one holding them prisoner after they’d been missing for decades.
The grip on my parents’ bestiaries grew tighter. As much as I wanted to rush off and confront him immediately, to find my parents and release them from whatever hell they were living in, something felt…off. How did Yazmin get their bestiaries in the first place? Did they willingly give them to her? Or did she remove them by force?
There were too many variables at play, and I wouldn’t be a pawn in her games. Not anymore. With the backs of my hands, I rubbed the tears from my cheeks. She wouldn’t win. Not now, not ever. One way or another, I’d stop her and save the Charmers locked away in Wilheim. And I wouldn’t do it alone. Gazing at Noc, I let out a steadying breath before pressing my lips to his.
Together. We’d handle Yazmin’s latest ploy together.