Runa digested that bit of information. She knew of the Hunters. She had even spotted one a few times, but she never saw them go up against a witch. “The Coven lost out on the skull, which I assume belonged to the First Witch?”
“Exactly. It was a race between the Hunters and the Coven to get the next bone. One of the Hunters got close, but an elder actually got hold of it first. Her mistake was letting Sybbyl get her hands on it. Then, Sybbyl killed the others and took over.”
“I gather this bone she managed to get her hands on made her powerful?”
The Gira chuckled. “You could say that. There was no other way she could’ve killed the elders. The more bones she has, the more powerful she becomes.”
“What does Sybbyl want?”
The Gira shifted uneasily. “She wants to rule.”
“The witches?”
“Everyone. She wants to make sure witches are in power while those without magic live in fear.”
Runa glanced away. After all the years of people killing those they thought were witches, she could see Sybbyl’s side of things. Maybe it was time for witches to live out in the open. But the thought of the Coven in charge sent a chill of foreboding down Runa’s spine.
“How many bones are there?”
The nymph shrugged. “I don’t know, but Sybbyl has twice been denied a bone. Well, one wasn’t a bone exactly. It was a witch named Helena, who is the Heart of the First Witch.”
“A descendant? You’re telling me a witch of the Coven wouldn’t give herself to Sybbyl?”
“That’s the thing. Helena wasn’t part of the Coven. She stood and fought them, along with a Varroki warrior.”
Now that got Runa’s attention. Morea had told her stories of the Varroki, but she’d thought they were just made-up stories since she’d never encountered one herself. “The Varroki are real?”
“Very,” the Gira said with a shudder. “And extremely powerful. Sybbyl was on her way to take out the Varroki after she wiped out the Hunters.”
Runa frowned. “The Hunters are gone?”
“I was with the Gira and Sybbyl when we attacked the abbey and wiped out any and all who lived there. Sybbyl didn’t care if they were witches or not. She said that anyone who stood against the Coven deserved death.”
The more Runa heard about this Sybbyl, the more she didn’t like her. Though, Runa had never really made any kind of stand in the human world. But how much longer could that continue if everything the nymph said was true?
“Go on,” Runa urged.
The Gira swallowed and glanced around. “On the way to find the Varroki, Sybbyl ordered one of her followers, Avis, to track down your sister.”
“How do you know this woman is my sister?”
“Because she has Gira blood. Something Synne—your sister—didn’t realize until Asrail told her.”
Jealousy that Synne had spoken with Asrail rose up within Runa. She cautioned herself against such emotions. She wasn’t sure if anything this Gira told her was true. While she wanted to believe it, she knew she had to tread carefully.
“You seem to know a lot about my family,” Runa said.
The nymph briefly lowered her gaze to the snow-covered ground. “Your grandmother told everyone what she had done after Sybbyl captured her.”
Runa quirked a brow in question. “Tell me.”
“Asrail saved Synne when your parents were attacked by the Gira. Asrail then brought Synne close to the abbey where the Hunters lived so that she could grow up without the fear of being discovered by the Gira. The leader of the Hunters, Edra, took Synne in and raised her. Your sister had no recollection of Asrail or you until recently.”
Runa tightened her fingers around the hilts of her swords. “I’m supposed to believe you?”
“I’m telling you what I know. I was there to witness most of it. Some of it I heard from others.”
“If Synne was raised as a Hunter, how did she escape the slaughter?”
The Gira shrugged. “I don’t know. What I do know is that after Asrail saved Synne and you disappeared, she was removed as queen of the Gira.”
“What of my sister?”
“She met a Highlander named Lachlan, who had a finger bone of the First Witch in the pommel of his sword. Together, the two of them went north to find the Varroki.”
Runa frowned when the Gira paused. “Is that all?”
“With the help of a young witch named Elin that Asrail befriended, Synne met Asrail on her trek north. That’s when Sybbyl trapped Asrail.”
Runa wasn’t sure what to make of Asrail. She had been queen, but had given that up to save her grandchildren. Then she’d lived alone for years before befriending a witch? That wasn’t something a nymph did. Or maybe Runa was the one who didn’t know what the Gira did or didn’t do. “And the rest? Did Synne make it to the Varroki?”
“She did. As did the Highlander and Elin. Unfortunately, so did Avis, who happens to be Elin’s sister.”
Runa really didn’t like what she was hearing. “Was my sister harmed?”
“Synne and the Highlander fell in love, which was unfortunate because Avis made her watch as she killed Lachlan and took his sword. What Avis doesn’t know is that the Highlander survived.”
Runa didn’t care. The need to avenge her sister was strong. It felt strange to have such intense feelings about someone she didn’t even know. But they were there, nonetheless. “Was Elin part of all of this?”
“No one has seen Elin since, so I can’t answer that.”
“What do the Gira have planned now?”
“They have pledged themselves to Sybbyl because she has the staff. The plan is to use Asrail to draw Synne out, find Avis, and get the sword. Then kill the Varroki.”
“What about the other bones?”
“If there are other bones, Sybbyl will go after them.”
“It isn’t easy for a Gira to live alone.”
“Asrail did it. So did Morea. Others have, too.”
Runa shrugged a shoulder. “You don’t really have an option. You either live alone, or you die with them.”
“Are you…?” The Gira blinked, hope filling her eyes. “Are you going to let me go?”
Runa knew it was the wrong decision, yet she found herself saying, “I am.”
“So, you believe me?”
“I don’t know what to believe, but something is telling me that I need to find out the truth.” Runa slid her blades back into their sheaths. “I’m going to check out your story. If you’ve told me lies, I’ll come for you. There won’t be anywhere you can hide.”
“They aren’t lies.”
“Good luck, then. I hope I don’t see you again.”
The Gira bowed her head. “Half-human or not, you still have royal blood.”
“A lot of good that has done Asrail.”
“It might do you and Synne some good.”
Runa grunted and stepped around the Gira.
She had more hunting to do.
2
Find her.
Brom’s eyes snapped open. He pushed the blanket away and sat up. The woman’s face was etched into his memory. He released a shaky breath. Many incredible things had happened to him over the years since he’d discovered what he was, but nothing like the dream.