Wystwood

80. A curse of castings

"You seek the name of the Saltsworn!" The Lady of Wysthaven was overcome by some sinister joke that left Ada confused and speechless. "Stupid girl. Such a being no longer exists."

A cold horror swept up Ada's spine, and even Raeph sucked in a breath of disbelief.

"No," she said, wishing that the Lady would stop her cruel laughter. "You're lying! I was told about the Saltsworn. They rule over lands with their magic and can live in homes of iron."

But even as Ada spoke, she was doubting her words. The history of the Saltsworn that had been told to her by the sister-seers still rang so sharply in her mind, but could their story have been another trick from their wicked tongues? The Lady of Wysthaven was only half-fae, so the iron tower held a far lesser power over her body, and though she may rule over Wysthaven, she did so with a vehement and enforced hatred for magic.

Yet still, the bird-seer had smiled her cunning smile, and said to Ada, the question asked of me after the tithe was who they were, not what they are named. Surely that meant the true Saltsworn was out there. Perhaps not in the tower of Wysthaven as Ada had suspected, but somewhere else entirely. Had they escaped Wysthaven altogether when the Lady had banned their magic? Or had they made their pilgrimage to the sea to earn their crown of salt and chosen never to return?

"Magic, iron, Saltsworn," the Lady spat each word from her mouth with bitter distaste. "What could a foolish human possibly know of such things?"

"I don't know!" Ada cried, and to her horror, she felt hot tears prick her eyes. She had come all this way—had risked so much to find the name of a powerful and mysterious entity she knew nothing of—and it was all for nought. "When I ask, nobody is willing to explain, and when I try to learn myself from books and records, all I discover are the cruel dealings that you foul creatures brought to my world. I wish I'd never come to this evil place!"

She immediately regretted her words when she felt Raeph stiffen beside her, and saw a fresh smile curl the Lady's lips as she repeated, "Records of dealings? Where could such a thing be found if not the Stone Circle?"

If there had been any hope in Ada's mind of leaving the tower, it vanished. She had known the Lady was searching for the Stone Circle with a desire to crush it once and for all, and now, a direct line to them had thrown herself at her feet.

"It was the Stone Circle who brought you to Wysthaven," said the Lady with unmasked delight. "How desperate they must be to call upon a human after all these years!"

Ada pressed her lips together, unwilling to say another word, even as the Lady picked up the ebony dagger and a droplet of sweat ran down Ada's neck.

"Well then, let us have a little test to see how much you have actually learned about Wysthaven from the Stone Circle," the Lady mused. "Tell me the two forms of magic."

The ebony blade was a dark promise above Raeph's head, and so Ada whispered, "Agrestal and Sanguinary."

"Good. Now, tell me the main sources used for Casting."

"Plants. Metal and stone—" Ada shivered, watching the tip of the dagger touch Raeph's brow. "And wood."

"Correct! Now, your last question, what is the most potent of resources to have ever been Cast upon?"

Ada swallowed and forced her eyes from the sharp dagger. Above the Lady was a skein of twisted branches, ripping the sky beyond as though it were a stretch of ancient silk. "Wystwood."

"See now," murmured the Lady of Wysthaven. "The Stone Circle has trained you nicely in spite of their futile cause."

"They haven't trained me for anything!" cried Ada, suddenly sick of the fae and their false words. "I'm not like you! I can't Cast magic."