Page 80 of Void of Endings
“What is it with you and your mate beating up on these innocent palm trees?” he asked through a stifled yawn.
Tiernan faced his hunter.
Merrick leaned against the far wall of the courtyard, and though his words hinted at the promise of a taunt, all traces of humor had vanished from his face. His hair was a mess, the single streak of hot pink tangled with strands of white, as though he’d just rolled out of bed. He stood with his arms crossed, easily taking the assault of the storm that continued to rage, his expression unreadable.
A rush of magic confronted Tiernan, a great calm that soothed the volatile chaos threatening to consume him, as Ceridwenfadedinto the courtyard with Brynn right behind her.
Ceridwen slowly approached him, folding her feathery robe around her as the wind assailed them both.
“It’s a bit early for a storm, is it not?” she asked quietly, her gentle voice carrying to him. She glamoured herself a steaming cup of tea, frowning as she looked up to the roiling sky. Then her gaze found him, her eyes narrowing. “Tier, have you even slept?”
“I have not.” He bit the words out through gritted teeth. How could he sleep while Maeve was being tortured? The thought of rest, while knowing hissirrawas suffering, caused bile to scald his stomach. “I will not.”
Ceridwen tilted her head, studying him. She took a small sip of tea. “You’ll be of no use to anyone if you’re exhausted. What good is magic if it’s depleted?”
Her words, always so clever, gave Tiernan pause. Gradually, the storm waned, the angry clouds rolling back to reveal slivers of golden sunlight.
From the corner of his eye, he saw the shadows arrive. They crawled across the courtyard, scaling the walls and sliding from behind the palms, before gathering a few feet from him. Rowan stepped from them, clad in black armor, looking as though he, too, had not slept.
Not that Tiernan could blame him.
Ceridwen’s gaze sharpened, flicking between them both. “What’s going on? What are you planning?”
Tiernan rolled his shoulders back, knowing that whatever he said next was either going to fill his sister with dread or spark her own temper. “We’re going into Suvarese to retrieve Maeve.”
“What?” An emotion banked in her eyes, but she blinked and it was gone.
Merrick strode up, his arms still crossed, a hard line etched into his brow. “Who’swe?”
“Myself, Rowan, and Casimir.” Tiernan didn’t miss the shared looks between his twin, his hunter, and his healer. “I know it sounds like a risk?—”
“That’s an understatement,” Merrick muttered.
“But,” Tiernan continued, “both Rowan and Casimir are familiar with the Spring Court. As well as its dungeon. They’ve rescued Maeve once before, and they’re our best chance at doing so again.”
Merrick cocked a brow.
“What,” he said, gesturing between Tiernan and Rowan, “are you two friends now?”
“Not friends,” Rowan murmured, adjusting the chest piece of his armor.
“But also not enemies,” Tiernan added, and Rowan offered him a slight nod in agreement.
Brynn moved closer, concern knitting across her brow as the heavens lightened even further. “How are you going to get in undetected?”
Rowan stepped forward, tucking his hands behind his back. “With illusion, my lady.”
She balked, her eyes widening. “Illusion? That power belonged to Parisa.”
He bowed regally. “And now it belongs to me.”
“Since when?” Merrick countered cooly.
The corner of Rowan’s mouth lifted into his usual mocking smirk. “Since Aed saw fit to give it to me.”
“Wait a minute.” Brynn stomped forward and jabbed Rowan squarely in the chest. “If you can cast illusions, then that night in Spring, when…”
“When swords fell from the sky like rain?” Rowan supplied for her.
