"Princess? You're recovered?"
"Mostly. But that creature—it's not attacking her. It's trying to help her." Elaria could sense the creature's intentions now, could almost understand its alien thoughts. "It's trying to heal the damage the Devourer did when it broke the pact."
"How do you know this?" her father demanded.
"I can feel it. The void essence changed me. I can sense void creatures now, understand their purpose." Elaria moved closer despite Draven's protective hand on her arm. "Let me talk to it."
"Talk to a monster?" One of the nobles scoffed. "This is madness."
"No more mad than making deals with the Void King," Elaria shot back. She knelt near the creature, and it turned its multiple eyes toward her. "Can you understand me?"
The creature made a sound like wind chimes. To El
