Page 179 of War Queen
That reaction didn’t seem promising. Norah swallowed and nodded.
“Your Northman did this?”
“Alexander…” She glanced down at the ground. “Alexander’s dead. It was his brother.”
Naavi drew in a breath. Her eyes swept their gaze from one side to another, unseeing. “He had a brother?”
Norah nodded. “Yes.”
“Is this brother a twin?” her voice came more urgent now, more concerned.
Norah’s heart beat faster. “Yes, why?”
“Of course,” Naavi said breathlessly to herself. “Why didn’t we see it?”
Norah glanced at Soren, and then back to the Wild woman. “What didn’t you see?”
“It’s so obvious,” the Wild woman mumbled to herself.
Soren frowned. “It’s the opposite of obvious.”
Naavi grabbed Norah’s hand and pulled her toward the forest. “Come with me. Quickly!”
Norah let out a surprised gasp, but she let herself be led, hurrying along with Soren close behind. “We have to stop him,” Norah said as they went. “Not only has he tethered himself to me, but he’s killing seers.”
“What do you mean he’s killing seers?”
“As in, they’re dying,” Soren said irritably.
Norah glared back at him.
“Yes, but how?” Naavi pressed, not breaking her stride.
Norah almost had to run to keep up with her. “He’s put some kind of dark magic into the Aether, a serpent, and it attacks anyone who enters to touch the Eye.” She couldn’t deny the small bit of pride in properly recounting Bhasim’s explanation.
“How did he put dark magic into the Aether?”
Soren snorted. “Aren’tyousupposed to know things?”
“This is how you get forced to rip out your throat,” Norah whispered back at him.
“Why?” he cut back. “Isn’t there supposed to be a magical library somewhere with all these answers?”
Naavi stopped abruptly, and Norah almost ran into her. “How do you know about our library?” she hissed at Soren.
“I might… have told him that,” Norah said quickly. The one time she wished he hadn’t been listening.
Soren looked at her. “Youdidtell me that. And that they have a magic pool.”
She pursed her lips at him. “Can you just… hush?”
Naavi sighed and pulled Norah forward again. “Don’t repeat that if you know what’s good for you. I have to take you to Sana.”
“At the pool?” Norah asked.
“Yes.”
“Wait”—she pulled the Wild woman to pause—“can we use the door?”
