“I won’t, I swear,” I said. “I wouldneverhurt him. Never. Nothing in this universe would make me hurt him. I love him.”
She lifted her palms up—the drakcol version of a shrug. “That may be true, but they will not believe you.”
“Then I need you to get a message to him. You have to tell him I’m here. My Sunshine will not abandon me.”
Laughter slipped out of her lips. “And how would I speak to a prince?”
“Right.” Fucking nobility. Legs trembling, I hobbled to the bed to sit down. With a grimace, I rearranged, wings sprawled and tail wiggling. God, I hated the extras. I had no idea how to use them, and with each movement, they brought new sensations that seared my brain.
“Perhaps you could reach out to Seth Harris?”
Her brow furrowed. “The human?”
“Yes.”
“He’ll be even harder to contact. The royal family has closed wings around him. No one is allowed to see or talk to him.”
“Why?” Kal was ridiculously overprotective of Seth, but there was no reason for him to be completely isolated, not that he would mind.
“I don’t know for certain, but the rumor is it’s about his soul. He has the darkest warrior soul ever recorded in our written history. I imagine the Ranks are requesting to study him, and Prince Kalvoxrencol has probably refused. If Prince did refuse, the Ranks might appeal to the Cohort for access to the human, but I truly don’t know. The palace hasn’t released any information about him besides his soul testing.”
Poor Seth. My dude was introverted to an extreme, not even mentioning his anxiety. Being studied wouldn’t be something he was interested in, especially not for this soul crap.
“So not Seth,” I said, thinking. “Maybe Wyn?”
“Who?” she asked.
“Ensign Wyn. He works for Seth on NAID’s—I mean Edith’s independence.”
“It will take some hunting, but he’s a more likely candidate to be able to speak to. I would have to find him among, what I imagine to be several Wyns in connection to the palace. It willtake time.” She crossed her arms. “You stole my brother’s body, and now, I have to help you.”
“Not intentionally,” I said. “I didn’t mean to take him. Not that it actually makes a difference. I did steal his body, and I am so sorry. I didn’t have a choice in the matter. The Crystal shoved me in here.” And I didn’t think I wanted to be in this body or any body for that matter, not that I would tell her that.
She didn’t reply, nor did she meet my gaze.
Man, I wished I didn’t need her help. I felt guilty for taking her brother and now using her, but I didn’t have a choice. I sucked for even using that excuse, but it was the truth. I needed her to get back to Fyn. Somehow, someway, I would find a way to repay her.
Tinlorray took a deep breath. “I know exactly what Yolkeltod would say if he was here.”
“What?”
“‘Tinlorray,’” she said in a whiny voice, “‘he needs help. You can’t abandon him. I’m dead, but he’s not.’” She shook her head, tears sliding down her cheeks again. “He was a warrior soul, but I’d never met someone so kind. He helped everyone and everything in trouble. I cannot tell you how many injured animals he brought home over the cycles to patch up. He saw his soul as a mark to protect anyone who needed it, and stars, he did.” More tears coursed down her cheeks in a never-ending river.
“I think we would’ve gotten along.”
“Everyone liked him.”
Chewing on my bottom lip, I debated about asking her for yet another favor, but in the end, needs must. “Perhaps I could see the Crystal. If Zoltilvoxfyn is acknowledged as my soulmate, I can see him, right?”
“Getting access to the Crystal is not easy. For royalty? Yes. Us? No. We have to apply to the Ranks for access. If they allow it,we have to wait for the appeal date. The Ranks have three days a cycle where all the petitioners come to the Grand Sanctuary. And for you, it would be harder to become a petitioner.”
“Why?”
“You’re in the first phase of adulthood. Our guardian would have to approve, and there is no way she will with the current questions regarding your sanity.”
That was right. Drakcol only recognized mated people as full-fledged adults. My mouth opened. “Monqilcolnen.”
“What?”