Page 89 of Shadow Queen
“Where’s the lord commander?” she asked.
“He’s coming,” Alexander said with a wry smile.
Soren finally emerged from the passage, stripped of his weapons strappings, his guard covers, and even his winter tunic to fit through. Blood smeared his chest from the scrapes of skin. But in his hand, he still managed to pull through his axe.
Of course.
They followed the sisters through the cathedral and down a hall leading to two ornately arched doors. The doors opened as they approached, and Norah saw they were as thick as the walls. As they walked through, she looked around the room in wonder. Moss and trailing ferns covered the stacked stone. In the center was a crystal-blue pool, lit with floating flowers and vining lights from above.
“It’s beautiful,” she breathed.
“It is a place of great power,” Naavi said. She stepped into the pool and waded to its center. Sana followed.
“Come,” Naavi said.
Norah stepped forward, but Sana stopped her.
“Him first,” she said, pointing to Alexander.
But Alexander shook his head. “No. I’ll give you whatever you ask, but only after you give Norah the help she came for.”
Norah’s heart swelled.
“We never said she would get her memories back,” Sana said.
“You said you would look to see if it’s possible,” he pressed.
“We will,” Naavi said.
“Then you will do that first,” he insisted.
Sana pursed her lips, then nodded reluctantly.
Norah wondered what they wanted so badly from Alexander that they would comply.
He nodded to her, and she pulled off her boots and stepped slowly into the water. It was cool, but not uncomfortably so. She waded toward the Wild women, feeling the water move upward, past her thighs and through her clothing. When she reached Naavi, she stopped, waiting.
But Naavi looked at her apprehensively.
“Why do you hesitate, sister?” Sana asked.
Naavi was quiet for a moment. “What if they are back?”
“They are not.”
“But what if they are?”
Sana softened. “Then you will see him.”
“Who?” Norah asked.
The Wild women paused. Norah didn’t understand the reluctance.
“Your father,” Naavi answered finally.
Why would the Wild woman care about seeing her father? But Norah didn’t have time to think about it before Naavi reached out and took her face in her hands.
Norah closed her eyes and felt herself fall into a glowing darkness, her memories swirling around her. Unlike with the traveler seers, there was no blood spell. She couldn’t see Naavi beside her, only her memories being searched before her like the turning pages of a book. Most flew by quickly as Naavi sorted through, but Norah noticed the Wild woman lingering on memories with Alexander, seemingly looking for information. She found the memory of the kiss in Mercia under the tree and watched it slowly—from the initial spark of memory to the kiss. Naavi drew it back and watched it once more. Norah flushed, but she noticed Naavi moving deeper to the memory from within. Then came the memory of Norah at the tree, waiting for Alexander. The vision expanded and shrank as Naavi looked through each detail.
