Free Leoht (BloodRunes: Book 3) by Laura R Cole

thinking that it was only a truth serum. Layna felt rather
betrayed that Aria could think such a horrible thing of her at all,
and hurt that she would be open to being convinced to use even a
truth serum.
    Gryffon had always been there for her, even
when she thought he might turn her in because of her talent, but
now it seemed that he was growing forever more distant. She could
tell that the Three in her head were a source of great discomfort
to him, and she didn’t know how to explain to him the incredible
bond that it was, but that it didn’t diminish her feelings for him
in the least. She was extremely gratified and happy that he had
seen fit to risk himself to bring her to the source as the Oracle
said to save her, but saddened at the rift that her new friends had
caused.
    When they arrived in Endlyfta, Gryffon made
immediately for the council hall and requested that he be able to
speak to them as soon as possible. They were not in session and had
to be gathered for the meeting, so they had a few hours to kill
before they could relate the important information that Katya had
given to them.
    They wandered to the stables where if Aileen
and Charles had kept to the schedule they’d been keeping before
Layna’s near-death experience, they would be gathered to visit with
Echo. Sure enough, the three of them were huddled around under an
apple tree.
    Charles took a huge bite of the apple he was
working on and exclaimed around the chunk, spewing half-chewed
fruit in all directions, “Ho there! Layna! You’re alright!”
    Layna smiled at his sincere pleasure at her
recovery. “Yes, thanks to Gryffon and Katya. But I think they got a
little more than they bargained for.”
    “Oh?” commented Aileen and Echo’s ears perked
up. Charles just continued to munch on his apple, though he did
give her a small hug as she came close. She warmed at the
gesture.
    “Indeed. The source of the river actually
holds the essences of the Three and it was them who helped to cure
me.”
    “Really,” said Aileen excitedly, “you found
the Kiani Stones?”
    “Not only that,” Gryffon interjected before
Layna could answer, “but they talk to her in her head now.” Layna
wasn’t entirely pleased with the tone of voice he used to convey
this, and her heart constricted painfully in her chest.
    “What?” Aileen’s voice squeaked out and Layna
looked at her curiously. The cool calm exterior of the woman that
Layna had never seen rattled in the least was having her voice
crack over the thought of Layna having the Three in her head? Maybe
Gryffon’s reaction wasn’t so strange after all. Layna sighed.
    “Maybe it would be better if we didn’t go
around telling people that…” Aileen had backed up a pace and had a
look of a frightened deer in her eyes. “Are you okay?” Layna asked,
“I swear, it’s still me, it’s not like they’ve taken me over or
anything.”
    Aileen bit her lip and the calm mask came
once more into place, “Of course you are, dear, I’m sorry. My
reaction isn’t towards you…” she paused, “I was just surprised is
all. The Kiani Stones haven’t actually made contact with people for
hundreds of years. The fact that they would now is disturbing.”
    Layna relaxed. “I know, apparently they made
a mistake by using our world as a prison for a rouge dragon, only
he wasn’t properly contained and they feel responsible for a lot of
the evil that has gone on here since they left. I guess your
predictions of how bad this situation was weren’t that far off
after all. The Sleeping God is that rogue dragon.”
    Aileen lapsed into thought and Charles cut
in, “What the blazes are you talkin’ ‘bout?”
    Layna quickly filled them in on the
information the Three had provided her. “I don’t think that we’re
really supposed to be going around telling everyone this
though…”
    - Your trust in us is well-placed,
Host-of-Elders. -
    “Um, thanks,” Layna replied.
    Aileen had remained silent during