Page 82 of Beasts of Briar
I gave a curt nod. “Understood.”
He leaned forward and pressed a kiss to my forehead.
I was about to tell him that I’d be back, that I’d figure out how to get all of us together, when my connection to him snapped, my power bleeding out of me as my eyes shot open and I stared as Driscoll, who was shaking me awake.
I sat up, groggy and disoriented.
“C’mon, let’s get inside,” he said. “You were starting to shake, and you looked like you might pass out.”
Leoni was already grabbing my arm and hefting me to my feet, and I struggled against her, angry that she and Driscoll had interrupted me.
Driscoll gripped my arm firmly. “I am not about to become Spirit Shadow’s dart board because we let you die using your magic.”
I rolled my eyes. When I actually had the time, I was going to make Leoni, Driscoll, and Kairoth sit down and have an actual conversation so Driscoll would stop being so damn scared of him.
“Did you get to see your brothers? Did it work?” Leoni asked as they helped me toward the castle doors.
I nodded.“It’s worse than I thought,”I signed.“They’re starting to lose more of themselves, forgetting who they are, that they’re human. I have to start knitting again soon. I have to find more nettle weed.”
Driscoll and Leoni shot each other concerned looks across from me. “That’s a tall order,” Driscoll mumbled.
“We’ll work on the salve part,” Leoni said. “Starting tomorrow. We’ll figure out a way to keep you from getting sick while you figure out a way to get more nettle weed.”
Chapter Forty-Six
BELLAMY
Iwalked back and forth in front of my bed. Kairoth had been gone for three days. Three miserable days of me pacing in my room, irritating my ankle, while the staff refused to let me leave. I was a prisoner under Kairoth’s orders. He’d told Jerome that if anyone let me leave my room before he returned, he’d have their heads.
My boredom—and anger—were growing exponentially by the day. I’d visited all my brothers at this point, still not able to figure out how in the world I’d gotten them all together in the same dream. I’d gone straight to Jorah first, the eldest of my brothers, and had the same conversation with him that I’d had with Soloman.
Luckily, I think I’d convinced him to hold off a little longer, to let me try and break this curse as long as I promised I wouldn’t do anything stupid.
Leoni and Driscoll brought botany and herbal books every day from the library, and we pored over them, trying to find anykind of plant or herb that could possibly draw out the poison from the nettle weed.
But I was getting fed up. I needed out of this castle. I needed to explore the grounds, the jungle surrounding the castle. There was no point in asking the pixies for help. They were loyal to their master.
I had to get more nettle weed. I didn’t know how much time was left before my brothers lost themselves entirely.
The sun shone in the sky, streaming through my windows and bouncing off the shiny black floors. My brothers wouldn’t be sleeping now so I couldn’t visit their dreams. Not that visiting would help.
I loved seeing them, but I was itchy, anxious, jittery. I wanted to be harvesting and knitting right now so I could see them for real, not just in their dreams. I eyed the two sweaters in the corner of my room. If it came down to it, would I be able to pick two brothers to save? Would that even work? Or did it have to be all of them?
I didn’t have the answers to those questions.
I was feeling better now. My fever was gone, my hands were looking more like actual hands. I had my strength back.
But because Kairoth thought he owned me, I had to stay in this room. It was driving me mad. I thought of the prisoner down below the castle. What it might be like to be trapped in darkness with no visitors all day every day.
I hadn’t thought of the prisoner in a few weeks. I’d been busy, preoccupied with others things, but now I felt empathy toward her. If I could visit her, I wondered if she might have any information. Based on the two conversations we had, I gathered she was from the shadow court. She, more than anyone else, might have the information I was seeking.
It would be risky. I would have to visit her dreams so I could speak with her, ask what I needed to. It would enrage Kairoth ifhe found out. It would be a betrayal to him. I continued pacing, chewing the inside of my cheek.
But I was getting desperate. No one could tell me where Kairoth went or how long he’d be gone. It stung that he hadn’t visited me, told me why he was leaving, but I didn’t want to think about that.
I could be here for days. Days where I would be stuck without any answers or ideas.
It was worth a try.
