Page 168 of War Queen
Then Lucien cuffed Adrian’s shoulder. “Come inside,” he said, with a slight crack in his own voice, and led them toward the tent.
Norah and Adrian followed and ducked inside. It was bare, save a small seating roll, but it was warm, like a fire was near. It felt nice to be out of the cold.
Finally finding his voice, Adrian said, “Mother told me you’d died.”
Lucien’s eyes found Norah’s, and her stomach twisted. Adrian remembered his mother differently. She prayed he wouldn’t take that from him too. What their mother had done to Lucien, and what Lucien had done in return to their mother, was something she wanted to protect Adrian from.
Lucien said simply, “She thought I did. I was taken away.”
She let out a silent breath of relief.
Adrian gave an uneasy nod. “Norah told me.”
Lucien glanced again at Norah, then back to Adrian. “Then you know my story.”
Part of it.She clenched her hands together.
Adrian nodded again. “You were taken as a slave, led a rebellion… and now you’re a king.”
The corner of Lucien’s mouth turned up, and his eyes narrowed slightly. “And now I’m a king.”
Adrian stood, still staring at him in disbelief—disbelief that he was still looking at his very-much-alive brother or that Lucien had risen to hold two kingdoms. Maybe both.
“Do you want to see?” Lucien asked. “I can show you.”
And there wasthattoo.
Adrian’s brows dipped, and he drew in an air of hesitation, but he nodded.
Lucien pulled his dagger and slipped his thumb along the edge, drawing blood. “Close your eyes.”
Adrian looked at Norah. Her heart raced, but she nodded. He closed his eyes. Lucien took Adrian’s hand, pressing his blood to his skin, then closed his own eyes.
Norah’s heart beat in her throat. She didn’t dare breathe.
Adrian jerked in surprise but didn’t open his eyes. His breath came faster. He moved his head, as if looking around, but kept his eyes closed. “Where is this?” he said aloud.
“Rael,” Lucien answered. He opened his eyes and looked at Norah, then pulled his hand from Adrian’s and held it out to her.
Adrian’s eyes remained closed as he stood, completely enthralled. She couldn’t deny she was curious herself. Slowly, she stepped forward.
He touched his blood to her skin as he took her hand and closed his eyes again. And she closed hers.
Norah gasped as the sight of a massive city lay before her. But she wasn’t walking, she was… flying. Cobbled market streets full of people passed underneath her. The city sprawled as large as Valour in Aleon—larger even—and just as beautiful. It was different than she’d imagined. Tall buildings—sets of stacked sandstone adorned with carved apertures and intricately latticed partitions—lined narrow streets. The golden stone glowed in the light of the sun and held an ethereal beauty.
“You can fly?” Adrian asked Lucien as they all looked down on the Raelean city.
Lucien chuckled. “No. Nowthatwould be power.”
Norah found herself suddenly standing on the cobbled street, now empty of people, and looking up at the sky. A flock of birds flew overhead.
“I see it through them,” he said.
Norah swallowed. His birds.
“You control them?” Adrian asked.
“I can.”
