Page 41 of Severed Heir

“Take it,” he said. “No need to explain right now.”

A dark ring flickered beyond the trees, spitting Antonia onto her knees. She shivered violently, brushing snow from her cheek. Behind her, Cully stumbled out, clutching his parchment and quill like weapons.

“The journalist insisted on coming,” Antonia groaned. “I told him I’d throw him into the void if I lost focus. He insisted. Lucky for him, shadow travel is one of the safer portals.”

I leaned toward Kian, voice low. “I need to hide this. I don’t think I can.”

“Yes, you can,” he muttered, then cleared his throat. “I’ll help. But why are you still letting them torture you?” He shook his head. “That part I don’t get.”

Antonia’s gaze snapped to us, narrowing when she saw Kian’s jacket on my shoulders. “Two Lynches weren’t enough, Sev? Had to go for the younger brother, too?”

“Gods, she’s exhausting,” Kian muttered. “Street rats in Ravensla have deeper voices. And she won’t shut up in my head.”

Antonia barked a laugh. “Oh, don’t lie. You love it, Kian.”

“You made it painfully obvious it was you I was bonded with,” he shot back. “Now kindly shut it.”

I nearly laughed at the thought of Kian and Antonia being bonded through their minds. At least now I knew it wasn’t her voice inside my head.

Antonia turned to me, her grin sharp as glass. “Just a heads-up, Kian, Severyn was with Damien when he died. I’d watch yourback. She’s got a gift for leaving men in pieces. Next thing you know, she’ll be on her knees for your father.”

Kian stiffened. “Leave my brother out of this.”

I tugged his jacket tighter. “Come on,” I said. “The North isn’t kind this time of year.”

We kept moving, our boots crunching over the brittle ground with every step. Overhead, streaks of blue threaded through the darkening clouds, swallowing the last traces of light. The sun was nearly gone, dipping below the horizon. Beneath us, metal rail tracks groaned underfoot, the sound echoing into the empty wilds.

Myla shaded her eyes, scanning the jagged rocks ahead. “Fraser should be here by now,” she muttered. “First mission without backup. Fantastic.”

Cully hugged his parchment for warmth, teeth chattering. He hadn’t been home more than a few days in three years, but it was long enough for the North’s brutal cold to feel foreign again.

Even Antonia’s usual snark faded as she stared out across the endless stretch of snow and stone. “He’ll find us,” she said, pushing forward. “I just want warmth.”

We pressed on, heads bowed against the biting wind.

“That mountain,” Cully said after a beat, voice shaky, “that’s Skia. Tallest peak in all of Verdonia. Some say a snow dragon still lives up there.”

The mountain peak flashed into view, lit for a heartbeat before the clouds swallowed it whole again.

Myla said, “Skia? Isn’t that your dragon’s name, Sev?”

I opened my mouth, mentally flipping through a dozen half-baked lies. But Antonia swooped in, sharp as ever. “His name’s Naraic. Gods, you’re all idiots.”

Cully froze mid-step. “Naraic? The Gemini dragon?”

Of course he knew that. Why wouldn’t he?

The weight of every secret I hadn’t meant to spill pressed in. Maybe it was time to give them something. Just a piece.

“Yes,” I said, and tried to keep my voice steady. “His name is Naraic.”

Cully didn’t bother to journal any of this. He just hugged himself tighter, stuffing his hands under his arms. “Feels like I don’t even know you anymore,” he muttered. “You’re a dragon rider? Isn’t he dead?”

“He wasn’t dead.” I forced a hollow laugh. “What about you, Cully? Besides flirting with Myla, what have you been up to?”

Antonia snorted. “That’s all he’s been doing. Maybe he missed home so much he wanted to feel snow tickling his balls.”

I didn’t rise to her comment. Feeding the fire would only make it worse.

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