Page 70 of Flame and Sparrow

“You just said there was no need,” I pointed out.

“True, but I’m afraid I’m a creature of manywants.”

“You could have gotten her killed,” Mairu snapped. “As though we don’t have enough things to deal with around here.”

He waved a dismissive hand. “Nymth was in the Death God’s territory already. I told him to keep an eye on our intrepid little court candidate.”

“Nymth?”

“One of the two Miratar spirits that serve him,” Mairu explained.

“And the one who informed me that Zachar was apparently in a bad mood, so a rescue mission might be in order.”

I pondered the implications of this for a second, and then asked, “So it’s true what I’ve heard—that you can communicate your thoughts through the connection you share with your divine court members?”

“Of course.”

So, he was partly the reason I’d made the foolish decision to seek out the Death God…but also the reason Dravyn found me and rescued me when he did. This sent another ripple of confusing thoughts through me; I was veering wildly between feelings of gratitude and fury today.

Mairu appeared unimpressed by the Ice God’s explanations. “It was still a foolish thing you did.”

“Aren’t you supposed to be in that room with Dravyn,” Valas asked, “having that oh-so-important meeting that you two decided to exclude me from?”

“We both know you have no real desire to be in it.”

“True. As long as you give me the highlights.”

“Which we will.”

“Then go already.”

“Already gone,” she said, flashing him a rude gesture before she turned and walked away.

Once she disappeared as Dravyn had, I wandered toward the closest window, bracing my hands against the sill as I peered out. The golden creatures I’d spotted earlier were back. Out of all the incredible scenery beneath me, nothing seemed to draw my eyes the way those horse-like beasts did.

“Theselakir,” Valas said, sidling up beside me.

I appreciated having a name to give them. If I was honest, I appreciatedmostof the things he’d told me, even if it had led to some unfortunate decisions.

He was a conniving, tricky bastard—but he’d made a point earlier: I never would have ventured into the Death God’s territory and witnessed what I had if he had not given me the information he did. And he may have been chaotic, but I had always been good at imposing order upon chaos. So he could be useful, too.

I watched the doors Mairu had passed through, studying the countless carved symbols decorating them until I found my voice again.

“What happened at the last ascension trial?” I asked.

“You really want to know?”

“I wouldn’t have asked if I didn’t.” I turned to face him more fully. “Which god were they ascending to serve?”

“The Death Marr.” The surprise must have been obvious on my face, because he added, “And it was arguably too soon for him to have been trying to create a Miratar spirit, given that he was so young and barely in control of his own magic. Nevertheless, the potential ascendant made it through the initial trials, and almost to the end, but….”

“But?”

“Then she failed the last test in the Tower of Ascension. She tried to flee back to the mortal realm afterwards, and, well…”

“You can’t go back once you’ve started.”

Unless the God of Fire wants to break the rules for you, I mused—and then immediately shook off the memory of Dravyn’s words. I still didn’t know what to make of them and his unexpected offer.

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