Page 200 of The Black Witch

“This is dangerous,” Trystan says to her. “Really dangerous.”

“I know,” she replies, the words tentative, but there’s cold defiance in her eyes. “I’ll slip it back after you copy the spells.” She looks around at all of us. “There’s something you should know. I overheard some of the Council members talking about a weapon the Gardnerians have now, something they’re planning to use on the Lupines. It...it upset me. I got scared for...the Lupines.” She steals a quick, troubled glance at Jarod.

Diana makes a contemptuous sound. “They’ve been threatening us foryears.Always trying something new. Nothing ever comes of it.”

“No,” Aislinn cuts in sharply. “Something’s different this time. Especially with Vogel in power. They seem sure of it. Smug, almost. They want to kill all of the Lupines. They want your land. And they want to send a message.”

“Their magic doesn’t work on us,” Diana reminds Aislinn, a tad condescendingly. “And we’ll tear your dragons limb from limb.”

Aislinn looks back at her gravely. “All the same.” She gestures toward the grimoire. “Perhaps this can help with more than just freeing the dragon.”

Everyone is silent for a long moment. We’re officially playing with our lives now, stealing a Mage Council Grimoire and plotting to free a Gardnerian military dragon. And an unbroken military dragon, at that.

“I should go,” Aislinn says, frowning. “I don’t want to chance anyone seeing me with all of you. If anyone notices the grimoire is missing... I don’t want anyone to think I may have passed it to any of you.”

“What you did was very brave,” Rafe tells her.

She nods at him and turns to leave.

“Aislinn, wait.” Jarod steps toward her.

She holds up a hand to stop him, her face pained. “No, Jarod. Please... I have to go.”

“We need to talk,” Jarod insists, anguish breaking through.

Aislinn’s hands grasp at her skirts as she shakes her head from side to side and begins to cry.

Jarod goes to her and takes her in his arms, pulling her close, kissing her head. She clings to him and weeps into his broad chest.

Diana stares at the two of them in shock, apparently having completely missed what’s going on in her brother’s life. Jarod whispers something to Aislinn, and she nods.

“I need to talk to Aislinn privately,” Jarod says, noting his sister’s hurt look. “I’ll speak with you later, Diana.”

His words don’t seem to register with Diana as she stares after her twin brother, almost as if she doesn’t know him anymore.

Jarod leads Aislinn away, the two of them quickly swallowed up by the woods.

“Diana,” Rafe says gently.

Diana whirls around to face my brother. “Did you know?”

“I figured it out. It’s been pretty obvious.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Well, for starters, it’s really none of my business,” Rafe says as he wraps his arms around her. “And besides, you’re the one with all the superior senses, not me.”

“I think her attention has been focused elsewhere,” Trystan observes wryly.

Diana still looks a bit hurt, but Rafe’s embrace seems to mollify her, and she leans into him as if absorbing some of his equanimity.

“The girl, Aislinn,” Andras inquires, turning to me, his voice deep and resonant. “Her father...he is on the Mage Council?”

“Yes,” I reply.

“It will end badly,” Andras predicts, shaking his head. “You cannot break the bonds of your culture. It’s like that arrowhead.”

I glance down at the Elfin metal that still lies whole and untouched on the scorched ground.

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