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“You think some of my kind are chasing Princess Salia’s heart friend?” Laxmi asked.

“Unfortunately it seems so,” Matthias said. “Will you help?”

“Of course I will,” Laxmi said. “But do you know where she is?”

“Not yet, but we’re going to find out.” He nodded to where Darya was standing with Salia. He had the Seeker’s pendant around his neck and was holding Salia’s hand while he concentrated. “Darya should be able to locate her by scrying with the pendant.” Read the rest of this entry »

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“That might be tricky. There’s enough storm affinity children the right age that we’ve never been able to narrow it down much.” Matthias looked back at where Salia was talking animatedly with Karilya and cleared his throat. The girls looked up at him.

“Tell us about your dream, Salia,” he said.

Salia’s eyes darkened. “It was dark and she was running. Someone was dragging her by the hand and they were running from something. Whatever it was, it wanted her.” She gave a perplexed frown. “It felt cold.” Read the rest of this entry »

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The moment they arrived, Salia raced away from Valeria’s side and pounced on Karilya. Valeria let her go, turning instead to Ystelyan and determinedly keeping her expression neutral as he introduced Julie. The young woman certainly didn’t look evil and she had left that dragon of her own will, but she had still been involved in the death of Kidran. And if Valeria understood Ystelyan’s message, Julie had more to answer for than that.

All she wanted to do right now was grab the girl and tear her to pieces – but it wouldn’t make the pain less. And there was the glowing bird on Julie’s shoulder to consider. She had not been involved. Valeria could not condemn her for the crimes of another. Read the rest of this entry »

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By the time Matthias finished explaining what Jayden Emms had done Julie, had her head in hands and her shoulders were shaking. Lydia wasn’t at all sure if she was laughing or crying until she raised her head. She was laughing, but it was a bitter kind of laughter.

“I always did say your own cleverness was going to blow up in your own face spectacularly one day, Matthias,” she said. “But I never imagined it would be like this. You knew he was dangerous. What on earth possessed you to give him any authority?” Read the rest of this entry »

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“So it is you, Caroline?” Matthias said. “We thought it might be. Must be strange being what you hunted.”

“Call me Julie, please,” she said. “I’m still getting used to these memories–” She broke off as Marian ran towards her sobbing. Read the rest of this entry »

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Not long after the reception ended, Adrian turned up at their doorstep. “Kay didn’t find out anything useful from Robert,” he said. “She was exhausted though and fell asleep almost as soon as we got back to the house we’re staying in.” He chewed on his lip. “Do you want me to come with you to Ystelyan’s?”

“It’s not a bad idea,” Matthias said. “But I’m not sure that he’s expecting you.”

“He should come,” Kyle said. “He might not be expecting him but he won’t mind, and it’s good manners to introduce him.” Read the rest of this entry »

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The newcomer narrowed his eyes at that.

“I doubt it, Matthias,” he said. “But it’s worth a try. What the hell are you up to? Don’t think I don’t know you’re responsible for all this and it’s some sort of power play.”

Wait, Lydia said telepathically. He thinks you planned this mess?

Apparently so, Matthias replied before speaking aloud. “I’m flattered, Garrett. But you’re clearly overestimating me. Planning something on this scale is beyond me. And even if it weren’t, do you really think I’d kill millions of people around the world for a mere power play?” Read the rest of this entry »

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As Lydia reached her parents’ table, Adrian leaned across the table and spoke quietly to her mother.

“I was wondering if you would object to having Lucas have a look at Kay?” he said. “I’m worried about her now I know it’s not just me who thinks her behaviour is odd.”

“Of course,” Sonia said. “But what will you do if someone has interfered with her mind?” Read the rest of this entry »

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Matthias looked up as Karen and Kyle approached. “You two look worried. What’s up?”

“Do we know why the Aylmers aren’t here?” Karen asked.

“Ah, you noticed.” He shook his head. “No, last we heard they accepted the invitation. I’ve sent a couple of the cousins to check on them because being this late to a meeting is very out of character for them.”

“Yes, we thought you’d have noticed,” Karen said. “But we’d thought we’d better mention it.” Read the rest of this entry »

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The evening reception was being held in Brierthorne’s main dining hall, though the tables had mostly been cleared to one side. It made sense: the dining hall was the only room other than the gym big enough to contain everyone who had come and was closer to the kitchens.

Karen negotiated the crowd carefully, trying to avoid anyone who might snark at her for having pretended to be a wild or gush at how wonderful it was that she and her siblings were alive while singling out astrals from other families who would be uncertain about how to respond to the current crisis but amenable to persuasion about not panicking. It wasn’t proving easy as no one wanted to discuss what was happening outside the walls of the school at the moment. There was a definite air of people desperately pretending their world wasn’t ending and that things would soon be back to normal. Read the rest of this entry »