Page 80 of The Demon Tide

And then we’re soaring over the Vo River toward the purple-and-blue-glimmering world of Voloi while Minyl switchbacks around, raising a hand to Trystan in quick farewell as she soars back to the border.

Relief floods me so intensely a light-headed disorientation takes hold.

Noilaan.

I’m in Noilaan.

All the preparation Lukas and Chi Nam and Valasca did to get me here is suddenly circling down, their glaring absence opening a hollow ache in my heart.

You were supposed to be here with me. All of you.

Instead, Lukas is a world away, in terrible danger, Chi Nam is dead, and Valasca—Ancient One knows where Valasca was transported by our incompletely charged portal.

My chest-tightening anguish makes a rapid slide to steel.

I’ll find you, I vow to Lukas and Valasca both, as we soar toward the glimmering city, wishing with everything in me I could send the thought straight to them.

Our skiff turns due south, and a pair of island-mountains are before us, the vertical landmasses rising so high they pierce the clouds. Tiers of onyx castle-like structures spiral up their dark surfaces, their corresponding tiers connected by walkways, like the rungs of some giant’s ladder. A huge bas-relief carving of an ivory dragon wraps around each of their bases, a multitude of living dragons and military air skiffs encircling them.

Ancient One. It’s Noilaan’s military academy.

“That’s the Wyvernguard,” Trystan says, giving me a tense look, and I drop closer to the floor.

We fly past, my breathing measured as I watch its highest reaches near then recede behind us, slumping with relief once we’re well past it.

“Where’s Rafe?” I ask Trystan, desperate to be safely surrounded by family. And desperate to see my beloved eldest brother.

“He’s in the new Lupine Territory northeast of here,” Trystan says, turning to meet my gaze with his kohl-rimmed eyes. “Rafe’s Lupine now.”

Stark relief wells. “And Diana?”

“She’s with Rafe,” he assures me. “And Jarod, Aislinn and Andras...they’re all here. All Lupine.”

“Aislinn too?”

“Jarod recently turned her. They’re all part of the newly established Gerwulf pack.”

I let out a hard, wavering breath, realizing that if Aislinn made it here, that means Sparrow, Effrey, and Thierren are likely here in the East, as well. “Tierney?” I ask.

“She’s in the Wyvernguard. With me. She’s claimed this river as her kindred.” He gestures toward the staggeringly huge river below us.

An emotional laugh escapes me. “Of course she would. The largest river on all of Erthia.”

Trystan shoots me a knowing grin.

“And Sage?” I ask, basking in my brother’s presence despite the dire state of things.

He nods. “She joined the Wyvernguard and settled in the Eastern Sublands with her partner, Ra’Ven, and their child.”

Fyn’ir. The little purple-winged Icaral child.

“Fyn’ir’s under heavy Smaragdalfar guard.” Trystan gives me a tense look.

“Ancient One,” I breathe, remembering how Yvan kept his identity so carefully hidden in Verpacia, wings tightly glamoured down. A sudden longing for him grips my chest as I glance searchingly toward the northeast.

I know it was your fire that I felt, I think out toward Yvan.Please, be alive.

Trystan swerves through the thickening air traffic, rune skiffs of all shapes and sizes soaring around us. “Gareth’s here,” he says as he turns our course due south. “He’s in the Vu Trin navy now. Stationed near the Salishen Isles. And Olilly and Fern are settled here. Jules Kristian and Lucretia. Everyone Kam Vin promised she’d bring east.”

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