Page 132 of The Storm of the Empire

“I can’t believe they said the eggs were stolen from here.” Faolan scoffed.

“It’s not like they could be honest without raising more questions,” Kiera said.

“We’ll work on a team to help them, and I want everything brought to me in a report before it’s written down. Nothing on paper.”

We all nodded.

“What was that Luka was saying?”

“It’s the same thing he said the night I told you about. I didn’t catch it all that time, but I’m sure it’s the same.”

“Luka, do you know what it means?”

He shook his head. “No. It was told to me by two fae draped in light. I didn’t remember that the last time or even that I’d said anything, but this time, I was able to keep one foot in each world.”

“Really?” I gasped, grabbing him.

He pressed his forehead to mine. “Yes.”

“With the stone?”

“I’m sure of it. I could feel it like a tether to you and this world.”

I kissed him hard, so relieved. I felt it wash through him, too.

“Well, that pauses that issue at least for now. Keep me updated if he gets worse, both of you,” Nyx said.

“Of course.” I slid my hand into Luka’s, squeezing it.

“Do you know why you burst in here?” Nyx asked after a moment.

“I was on my way to Kiera’s office to meet the rest of them, and I don’t know—” He stopped, tilting his head as if he was listening to a far-off voice. “Can I look at Kol?”

Nyx gestured for me to go ahead.

Luka approached him in his bed and gently turned Kol’s head to one side, combing his fingers through the tangled mess of hair to find a patch that was shorter than the rest. He pulled the strands aside and saw it. My heart missed a beat.

“Gran, come look at this,” he barely managed to get out.

Everyone crowded around behind Gran as she bent over Kol.

“There’s something under there.” She put her hand over it and muttered some words. Kiera stepped closer to assist her, and together, they worked to extract the thing out of his skin with magic. Finally, she stepped back. “Got it!” A shard of what looked like the Draco Fulgurite that blocked both Zaria and Luka, floating above her palm.

Luka blinked, not used to seeing such magic.

Kiera went to a cabinet and fetched a jar, then transferred it safely and sealed it in.

“They like to use this stuff, don’t they?” Gran mused, shaking the jar before bringing it to her nose to smell. “It smells like it’s laced in poison. It might have been keeping him sicker as well. I’ll have it tested.”

My stomach clenched. Could it have to do with the book Luka was carrying around?

“What will happen now that it’s gone from his body?” Nyx pushed.

“It’s hard to say. Maybe it will allow his mind to accept our healing better now,” Gran speculated, but it was clear that no one really knew.

“How long will that take to work?” Nyx asked, not willing to settle for anything other than positive news.

Gran turned to him, taking his hand. “He will heal as the Goddess wishes?—”

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