I stared at the bird, half-tempted to rub my eyes just to make sure I wasn’t seeing things. Birds weren’t supposed to talk… unless this confirmed Time’s suspicion that it was a mortal in animal form.

  Questions spun through my head in a dizzying blur, but I shoved them aside and focused on the raven. “That would be appreciated. Since you clearly understand us, let’s start with introductions. I’m Nikolas, and you are?”

  The raven tilted its head, studying me. “You meet a talking animal, and your first instinct is to introduce yourself?”

  I shrugged. “There are spells that could wipe out entire cities and creatures equally as powerful. A talking bird isn’t exactly the strangest thing I’ve encountered. But that doesn’t answer my question.”

  He hummed. “Fair enough. I am Novak, and the woman you captured is my sister, Astra.”

  My eyebrows shot up. “She… is not a bird. Care to explain how that works?”

  Half-siblings, maybe? Though that still left the unsettling question of who had fucked a bird…

  Novak let out a cawing laugh. “It’s quite simple, but showing you is likely the best course of action.”

  He took to the air, and mana exploded from him in a wave. I stepped back as the others tensed, ready for a fight. Then, in a flash of light, feathers and beak twisted and stretched, expanding until a roughly human-sized form landed on the grass.

  Blinking past the dots now dancing in my vision, I took in the man standing less than two yards away. He straightened from his crouch and stretched, his joints popping as he sighed. Long, straight black hair hung to his waist, and flowing black robes draped over his pale frame. Onyx eyes met mine, and he smiled, dipping his head slightly.

  “Just as I can shift between bird and human, so can my sister.” He shot Astra a sideways glance, exasperation clear in his expression. “Though why she hasn’t already is beyond me.”

  She glared daggers at him. “And get these thorns lodged in my wings? I don’t think so.” Her venomous gaze shifted to me. “I tried to save you from those idiots, the least you could do is not injure me for it.”

  Novak sighed. “This is why I told you to leave them be. Whether the resistance leader lives or dies is no concern of ours.”

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  So Henry had been the actual target…

  From the corner of my eye, I saw him tense, pulling Maya closer. Dominicus scowled, pressing his sword harder against the assassin pinned beneath him. “You should be pleased you failed. Nexus needs the change he promises, and it would be a shame to snuff out that hope for mere coin.”

  Disgust oozed from his tone, and Astra grunted. “That’s why I stepped in, and you know it, Novak. Nexus is falling apart at the seams. Those blasted generals are tearing it asunder, and I’m tired of the suffering. Besides, it’s only a matter of time before they turn their sights on those like us.”

  I cleared my throat. “Don’t take this the wrong way, but what exactly are you two?”

  Novak flicked a long strand of dark hair over his shoulder. “Nature herself created us as birds. Through battles with creatures that sought to devour us, we gained levels like any other. Our intelligence grew the longer we survived, until we learned how to become human.”

  So creatures could just… take human form? That was new. Not the weirdest thing I’d heard since coming here, but still.

  Shaking that aside for later, I eyed the siblings and bit my lip. “Your story checks out from what little I know.”

  I glanced at Time. “What about you? I believe her, but my judgment has been… flawed before.” My nifty lie-detecting skill hadn’t gone off, but maybe he sensed something I couldn’t.

  Time shook his head, his previous tension easing. “It’s rare for creatures to reach the level and intelligence necessary to shift forms, but not impossible. She seems genuine in her desire to prevent further chaos in Nexus, and the assassins certainly treated her as an enemy.” He shrugged. “I would free her.”

  I looked to the others, waiting for their nods before releasing the spell holding her in place. Once the thorns vanished, she sat up with a grimace, picking at a scratch on her arm. “These are going to burn like hell until they heal.”

  Guilt tugged at my conscience. I raised a hand. “I can heal them, if you’d like?”

  She considered me for a moment before nodding. “That’d be appreciated.”

  Exhaustion dragged at my bones, my mana running low, but I shook it aside. There should be enough for this. Laying my palm over her arm, I closed my eyes and cast. “Verdant Renewal.”

  Mana pulsed under my skin, languidly spreading over Astra’s wounds. She inhaled sharply but didn’t pull away. Only when the spell faded did I open my eyes—and stared.

  Instead of moss, tiny mushrooms coated her arm, their vibrant tops twisting into various shapes, some even glowing faintly. She turned her arm this way and that, examining them with open curiosity.

  “I’ve never seen healing like this.”

  Novak tipped his head. “I have, though not often. Usually, it takes the form of moss.” His gaze bore into me. “That spell you used… it has a chance to poison, doesn’t it?”

  Astra stiffened, her glare snapping to me.

  I raised my hands in surrender. “It does, but at the time, I thought you were going to shoot one of my friends. Your well-being wasn’t exactly my priority.”

  She couldn’t seriously hold that against me, right? I’d healed her—clearly, I hadn’t meant any harm!