Page 24 of What Lies Within Blood & Heirs

He obliged her, dropping it in.

They hovered over it, watching the arrow remain perfectly still inside the glass when she asked, “Can we try it?”

Aiden’s grin cast wrinkles beside his eyes. “Play later. I haven’t created anything in this world. Nothing can be found.”

This world?Alora’s eyes snapped to him with a look of shock.

By the way Aiden’s lit up, he noticed her confusion. “Big ol’ Gray and Scary, his mother created this place long ago. It was only a world of the sea. She didn’t have time to do anything with it before…” A twist of sorrow contorted his expression. “Garrik remade the Cursed Sails, and Airathel gifted it to me as a home when my ship could no longer sail between realms. At first, you entered through a door at the castle. And then after … well, after Garrik returned to us, he moved it to my tent. Like Eldacar’s library, it goes wherever he tells it to go.”

Bits and pieces. It’s all she ever received of Garrik’s past. None of them gave more. Not even Garrik had spoken much of it. Other than inside the Dawnspace. Other than when his arms had been around her days before in her tent.

Alora shifted on tired feet. An uncomfortable shiver ran down her spine. “You knew High Queen Airathel?”

Seemingly colorless in their luster, Aiden’s sorrow-filled eyes drifted to the ship’s windows as if he were locked in a daydream. “I was one of the many blessed to have known her well. After one feisty redhead and I joined Garrik’s ranks, we moved into the castle. She loved us like Garrik. All of us. Perhaps that’s why she gifted this realm to me.”

Alora could only imagine a love like that. Loving strangers like they were her own faelings. Like they werefamily.

Ignoring a sudden ache in her chest, she placed her hand on Aiden’s shoulder and spoke softly. “She had the gift to create worlds?”

Wander captivated him. “Oh, yes. She made quite a few of them. Though perhapsworldsis the wrong term. More like chambers between time.” He held up his hand and waggled his fingers through the air, emphasizing one finger with a ring that appeared like the crash of the sea. “And this ring is a key to mine. Bonded to the wearer. You wouldn’t be able to use my ring unlesshewho created it allowed you to access its magic.”

“Yes, I’ve made objects like that before.” Alora smiled and pivoted her gaze to Jade, who lay with her ankles crossed on Aiden’s bed, reading the book on Soulstryker. On her finger, Alora’s starfire ring, which protected Jade from being burned, danced with sparks—stars—and flickers of flames inside a crystal shaped like a dragon’s claw.

“I did hear a tale about that.” Aiden grinned and nudged Alora with an elbow. “Thank you. She may never tell you exactly what it meant to her, but it was quite possibly the nicest gift she’s ever received.” And then she saw it. That softened gleam in his eye, staring at Jade. The way his feet shuffled. How his shoulders dropped. Even the subtle smile as his eyes raked from her boots to her fiery red hair.

The sound of Alora’s inhale stirred him. He turned to the shelf as she stifled the mischievous look in her eyes, but she said nothing. Aiden was close to touching an amulet, glowing turquoise with symbols and runes etched into the glass when he hissed, closed his fist tight, and pulled it to his body.

Alora about called out, but he rapidly shook his hand and swallowed hard, turning his eyes back to her. His face a work of carved stone.

The look in his eyes made her consider stepping back. “Are you okay?—”

“Old injury,” Aiden cut in. The stone of his face softened, and he wiggled his fingers before twisting the black scaled ring on his left middle finger. “All is well.” He turned and pulled open the door to his bedchamber. “But that’s enough show and tell for today. I need a drink! I have a four-century-old bottle below. You must try it.”

On bouncing steps, Aiden skipped down the hall and out onto the quarterdeck before bounding down the slick wooden staircase out of sight.

It still haunted her—Garrik’smangled body. What he’d had to do to settle the debt of Zanayr and Nalani’s grandmother. Even as she and Thalon had walked the scorched streets of Alynthia’s lower class to that burned-out hovel, the memory of Garrik’s charred skin haunted her.

Thalon had built the pyre for Zanayr and Nalani’s grandmother. It was only when Alora’s starflames had ignited it that she realized what Garrik had meant in the forest.

There is not much time left.He’d meant the grandmother.

For as soon as Thalon’s portal had closed and they heard the broken sobs from the bedchamber, she knew.

And after the pyre burned to its last ember, sending her to the Stars Eternal, the four of them returned to camp, bound by Garrik and Zanayr’s deal. Though it would take Zanayr a lot more convincing of Garrik’s true intentions. Only time and action would heal that festering hate for the demon Elysian knew.

After all, it had for her. It had for everyone there. Eventually.

Alora sat in the dirt, leaning against one of the wooden pillars holding her High Prince’s tent up. Alone. The cool breeze tickled white locks across her face, and she tucked the strands behind her ear with a smile, remembering icy hands doing the same.

Can you hear me?she called out to him, hoping he was listening as she opened a door in the wall of flames, allowing him inside her mind. She’d been asking for the last hour. Each time, only silence answered.

Half expecting silence again, her body loosened when Garrik’s heavily muffled voice, far away, finally returned.

Missing me, clever girl?

Alora rolled her eyes and scoffed.In your dreams.

A strained laugh seeped beyond her wall of flames.

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