Page 138 of Thorns & Fire
A garbled noise escaped the queen, and she started to squirm against the healers’ grips.Wren surged forwards, helping her sit up, and peered into Reyna’s eyes as her pupils returned to normal size, as she caught her breath.
‘How do you feel, Your Majesty?’Wren asked gently, still holding her trembling hand.
‘I feel...’the queen rasped, taking in the eager stares of the masters gathered around them.‘I feel...like myself, albeit still a little weak...’
Wren nodded.‘That’s a start.Your body will need time to recover, as with usual illness—’
‘And what of your magic, Your Majesty?’Master Crawford demanded.‘Have your seer abilities returned?’
Wren cursed him silently, hating his impatience and insensitivity.The queen had been close to death – did she not deserve a moment to gather herself?
But Queen Reyna seemed to be testing herself, her brow furrowed.‘Seer magic is not like lightning and fire to be summoned.’
‘But can you feel its presence?As you could before?’Farissa asked softly.
Slowly, Reyna nodded.‘I can.’
Master Norlander’s eyes narrowed.‘Perhaps it’s still depleted.Maybe Elwren hasn’t perfected the—’
Queen Reyna gasped suddenly, her hand shooting out to clamp over Wren’s.‘Gold will turn to silver in a blaze of iron and embers,’ she said, her grip almost bone-breaking.‘Giving rise to ancient power long forgotten...’
Wren’s heart sank, her shoulders caving.Gods, she wished the masters weren’t here to see this failure.And Farissa, after all the support she’d given Wren, only to be let down so publicly.
She bowed her head.‘That is a prophecy from the past, Your Majesty.It has already happened...’
But Queen Reyna placed a finger beneath her chin, lifting it with a knowing smile.‘Has it?’
CHAPTER 57
Wren
‘The sweetest peace blooms in gardens guarded by thorns’
– Elwren Embervale’s notes and observations
‘ITHINK WEhave seen enough, yes?’Farissa failed to hide her smile as she turned to the other masters.
Wren’s heart was still pounding, and it was only Queen Reyna’s hand sliding from hers that brought her back to the judgment she now awaited.‘Thank you,’ the queen said as the healers helped her from the stage.
There was a general murmuring of consent before the High Chancellor addressed Wren.‘Thank you for sharing your work with us, Elwren.Do you have the written report?’
Wren nodded, retrieving the carefully bound pieces of parchment in her satchel and offering them to the High Chancellor.
‘If this result can be replicated across all those impacted, then you have just changed the tide of the war,’ he told her.‘For now, you may go.’
Gathering her things with trembling hands, Wren practically fled the theatre, where her sister and two more Warswords were waiting in the foyer.
Warmth wrapped around Wren as the Bear Slayer encircled her with his arms, kissing the top of her head.Wren breathed in the familiar scent of him and grinned into his chest.
‘It worked...’
‘Of course it did,’ Torj told her with a wide smile.‘You made it.’
Wren savoured his touch for a moment longer before she pulled away, aware that they were in the middle of the foyer for anyone to see.
Torj’s arms dropped from around her and she turned to Thea, who was beaming.
‘If I’m not mistaken, Wren just defeated dark alchemy and earned her spot as a sage at Drevenor.We need to celebrate.Let’s go to that tavern Kipp’s always on about.’
