Page 66 of Feathers and Thorns

Luscinia hurried down the alleyways that led to the outskirts of Edras Mora. She was running out of time. If she stayed in Entheas any longer, she risked sending herself to the afterlife.

Before leaving Soren and Rook with the Oculus, she had outlined the basics of Adriel’s plan. She would have given anything to stay a few moments longer, but she would be of little help if she were dead.

She flew through the doorway of an abandoned home on the edge of the city and padded down the cellar stairs as swiftly as her armor would allow. She weaved through the random items that had been stored there over the decades and pushed aside the tapestry that hung on the wall to reveal a portal. The golden light shimmered as she stepped through and felt a sharp tug behind her navel as her body was displaced.

Her feet landed firmly on the soft, white sandy beach of the Esinian Isles. The gates to all eight province capitals, as well as the larger gate to Anistera, lay before her in a circle.

She ran for the archway, feeling the seconds winding down until her time was up, and hoped her tardiness did not raise suspicion.

Luscinia walked through the blinding light and onto the rocky cliff in Anistera. She schooled her features into a stony mask when she arrived to find ten of her brothers and sisters, all Adriel loyalists, surrounding the gate.

Adriel, who stood in the center of the group, took a step forward, his lips turned up in a satisfied grin that said, “Gotcha.” She wanted to smack the smugness right off his face.

“Running a little late, aren’t you, sister?” he asked.

“Just dealing with a few stragglers,” she replied nonchalantly.

“The orders were given to return to Anistera three hours ago,” he stated plainly. “Care to explain how you deliberately disobeyed a direct command?”

“Must not have heard it,” she said, her hand tightening on her blade.

“Funny how you happened to stay in the same city Soren had been spotted in,” he mused, looking at his well-groomed fingertips.

“If you look up the meaning of the word coincidence, it may help you to understand things better,” she replied with a bright smile. She was sick of pretending she agreed with this monster.

“Enough of these games,” he spat, gesturing to the guards on his right.

They parted to reveal Horath and Malik, their skin showing obvious signs of torture. She resisted the urge to run to them.

“What have you done?” She was seething now and could feel the anger rippling beneath her skin, her hatred clawing at her willpower to demand justice for her friends.

“You see, I knew something had been off with you recently,” Adriel explained. “So, I thought I would question a few of your friends regarding your recent whereabouts.”

“We are sorry, Luscinia!” Horath cried.

“We didn’t mean to tell him anything!” Malik finished for him.

Luscinia’s eyes went dark, hatred for her wayward brother filling in all the gaps where light might have slipped out.

She softened her gaze when she looked to her friends. “All is forgiven. We will find a way through this.”

Adriel laughed at the sentiment. “Kill them.”

“No!” Luscinia shrieked, running toward her friends.

Two more of her siblings stopped her in her tracks, and she tried to get through to them. “Nakir, Ansell, please don’t let him do this! Don’t you see this is wrong?”

Their eyes were blank, no emotion resting behind their gaze. The siblings she had once known were gone, replaced by Adriel’s dark influence.

She looked on, horrified, as Horath’s and Malik’s throats were slit and they slumped forward, blood gathering at their feet. She continued to watch as the crimson pool expanded and bathed her armored boots in waves of red.

“You are a monster!” she screamed. She managed to shift out of her siblings’ grip and lunged for Adriel, slashing out, her sword catching him on the cheek.

“You insolent bitch!” he bellowed, grasping at his face. “Throw her in with the rest of our traitorous family.” The cut was already healed, but his face was still marred by the Oculus scar, which made him look even more menacing, but Luscinia did not balk. She would not give him the satisfaction of cowering before him.

“You know, I was happy when I thought Celandine was dead,” she spat. “Because at least I knew she would finally be free of you.”

Luscinia’s world was rocked when Adriel’s fist connected with her face, shattering her jaw.

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