Chapter 32 Sybil
Sybil
Once Daelan and Aster met with Ambrose, the rest of the morning passed in a blur.
Before we knew it, Ambrose sent Hale to deliver a curt note to Samian, Ivara, and me informing us we were to ready ourselves to leave immediately for Ivara’s estate.
Samian and I changed into our uniforms, then met Ivara in the hall.
She wore dark navy pants that billowed, flowing down her legs, cuffing at her ankles.
A shimmering golden shirt wrapped around her, hugging and showing off her curves.
She wore her hair down, the thick black strands wavy and elegant.
We made our way to Aster’s office, where she stood waiting with Daelan, who also wore his uniform.
Aster stood a considerable distance away from Daelan while he grinned ear to ear, though she did not look amused.
If anything, she looked ready to kill him.
I would have laughed, but when her pointed glare found mine, I cringed, remembering my stomach pains and the nausea from a few hours ago.
“You look better,” Aster smirked, her knowing glance trailing down my body.
“As good as new,” I laughed weakly, resisting the urge to gag at the memory of the serum’s taste.
Ivara arched a brow, curiosity coloring her features, but I shook my head.
I would tell her later when we weren’t around Aster.
Daelan and Samian might already know what happened, but I refused to give Aster the satisfaction of letting one more person in—at least not someone she wasn’t aware of.
I could only picture the smug smirk she would flash me while Ivara let out that honeyed laugh of hers.
Internally shaking the thought from my mind, I focused on anyone but Aster.
Daelan flicked his wrist, his air magic filling the air to form a bubble around us.
“Alright, the plan is to meet Kieran and Vivi at the camp. We will go straight to the council room so that the others won’t know of Sybil’s presence.
After that, we will follow Vivi’s lead for the Seelie Court. Any questions?”
We all shook our heads, though my nerves ate away at me.
I had heard little about the mysterious Seelie Court, other than that it was a place full of gods and ancient fae—and apparently phoenixes, too.
Not to mention the fact that both Cassia and Dryden belonged to the court, which meant I belonged to it as well.
Part of me wondered if they would be able to tell that another one of their kind walked among them, but I quickly pushed that thought aside.
From the way Edris and Zarina acted, they didn’t know.
I was just a faerie like Samian and Kieran, and that was fine with me.
Samian rested a hand on my shoulder, offering a warm, reassuring smile before the world fell away and we found ourselves in the council room.
Kieran, Vivi, Orin, and Ezra sat around the table, waiting for us.
Kieran stood from the table, wearing a beautiful black tunic that looked soft, though his face was grim as he walked toward us.
Vivi and Orin were in a quiet conversation, while Ezra sat alone, his face drained from what looked like a lack of sleep.
Dark circles bloomed under his eyes, making his skin look faint.
“Did you tell him yet?” I asked Samian, an unsettling feeling washing over me as I watched Kieran come closer, forcing a smile on my face.
“No,” Samian said calmly, though his voice sounded a touch stiff. “He already gets antsy when we have to go to the Seelie Court. I don’t need him to be even more on edge. We can tell him later tonight during training. I’m sure he will want to work it out then.”
Samian flashed me a look of pure wicked glee with his last statement, and I inwardly groaned.
I could only imagine how Kieran would take it out on me during our training tonight.
Even last night, he seemed to push me harder than in previous training sessions.
My muscles still ached from the constant movement.
Stopping in front of me, Kieran wrapped his muscular arms around my waist, pulling me in close.
I couldn’t stop my heart from fluttering at his touch, and I relaxed into his chest while the others spread out across the room.
Guilt from meeting Hale alone made my stomach twist, but I ignored it.
Samian was right; waiting to tell Kieran was probably the best thing to do.
Vivi walked up behind Kieran, clearing her throat.
Kieran let out a deep exhale, refusing to move, a deep grumble rising from his chest. Smiling, I looked around him, finding her holding two beautiful sets of clothes.
One was dark green, which she handed to Samian, who groaned as he grabbed it and left to change.
The other set was made of deep-purple silk and resembled what Zarina had worn the night before.
I moved away from Kieran, taking the clothes from Vivi with a confused look.
“The Seelie Court is very particular about how you dress,” Vivi said softly, a hint of an apology flashing in her eyes. “It wouldn’t be well-received to talk to Solaris in your uniform. I’ll show you where you can change.”
I followed Vivi to a room across the hall, where she opened the door for me to step in. Following me inside, she pulled a dressing screen from the wall.
“I’ll be right over here once you’re done.”
Stepping behind the divider, I quickly changed out of my uniform and pulled on the clothes she gave me.
There wasn’t a mirror for me to look into, but the deep purple looked beautiful, and the fabric was soft and light.
The shirt was long, reaching to my calf muscles, and the sleeves stretched down to my wrists, thankfully hiding my markings from view.
The front and back panels grew narrower toward the bottom, and gold trim swirled around the edges.
Two high splits on both sides came up to my waist, showing off the pants that flowed down my legs beneath them.
Like Ivara’s, the pants cuffed comfortably around my ankle.
Slipping into the purple silk shoes, I stepped around the changing divider to show Vivi. She hummed her approval as she grabbed a black threaded belt to tie around my waist. “There. You’re absolutely beautiful!”
Vivi grabbed my hand before I could ask her for a mirror, pulling me back into the other room where Samian stood between Kieran and Daelan, who had changed into a dark gray outfit, all of them looking incredibly uncomfortable.
But when Samian and Kieran saw me enter, their eyes widened in awe, their mouths opened slightly.
Daelan whistled, making the other males snap their heads toward him with scowls on their faces.
My cheeks burned red, and I looked down, fighting against the smile that rose.
But Vivi ignored the males, pushing me to stand between them.
I bit the inside of my cheek, focusing on Vivi when she clapped her hands together.
“Alright, so here is the plan. Aster, Orin, Ezra, and Ivara will all stay here in the camp. Aster,” Vivi said, turning toward the now blushing female.
Aster may try to hide it, but I could tell by the way she bit her lip that she was excited to see her mate.
“Bryony is gathering herbs, so I’ll have Orin take you to her.
” Aster took a deep breath, nodding as she stepped to the table beside Orin, waiting for Vivi to continue.
“The rest of us will go with Sybil to meet with Solaris. Kieran,” Vivi paused, pointing her finger at him, “no fights, and I mean. No. Fights. Whatsoever. Same with you, Samian. Last time didn’t go as well as we would have liked, and I don’t need to worry about you two starting a war with whatever god makes you angry today. Play nice.”
The males grumbled but silenced themselves when Vivi gave them a harsh look.
I held back my laugh, though I desperately wanted to know more about their visit.
I knew they had gone; however, no one told me they had almost gotten into a fight with the gods.
Though as much as I hated it, I knew now wasn’t the time to ask.
Daelan snickered in the background, catching Vivi’s attention.
“I don’t know why you are laughing, Daelan Astaroth.
Stop telling your stories and behave. I thought Zarina was going to have your tongue last night.
She may have been lenient, but she is not known for her patience or restraint.
And that’s even toward the other gods, including the king and queen of the Seelie Court. ”
“What about me?” I asked slowly, apprehension now holding me tight in its grip. If Samian and Kieran had issues in the Seelie Court, I wasn’t too sure if my going was the best idea.
Noticing the wariness in my eyes, Vivi came up to me, grabbing both of my hands.
Giving them a reassuring squeeze, she gave me a sweet smile that instantly calmed my fears.
“You have nothing to worry about. If you are respectful toward them, they will be respectful toward you, except for Xandros. The God of War is rude to anything that breathes. However, we will keep you away from him.”
Taking a step back, Vivi checked over everyone once more before nodding her head. I swallowed hard, wiping my clammy hands against my thighs.
“You’ll be okay,” Samian said softly through our bond. “It’s not as bad as Viv’s making it out to be.”
“Then why did she give both you and Kieran a warning?” I shot back, unconvinced.
“Kieran’s warning is because he is an idiot. He and Edris met long ago and have been playing dangerous pranks on each other ever since. They both swear the other started it, and so their foolery will continue until they either die or apologize—which will never happen.”
I sent a small laugh down the bond but quickly let it fade. “And you?” I asked, noticing that Samian’s words had trailed off.
“My issues with them go a little deeper than that, but we can talk about it tonight when we return. It’s too long a story to be told now.”
I looked up toward Samian, though he kept his gaze hidden from me. I could see the deep sadness in his features, in the way his lips dipped, and in how his face grew pale and reserved. Taking his hand in mine, I held it tightly while he rubbed his thumb against my skin.
“Are you ready, Sybil?” Vivi asked softly, breaking my attention from Samian and the melancholy he wore.
“As ready as I’ll ever be, I guess,” I breathed, my heart thumping with a mix of nerves and excitement.
Vivi chuckled and came up to me, putting her hand on my shoulder.
The world seemed to spin around us, making my stomach drop.
I squeezed my eyes shut, hoping it would help fight against the nausea that rose.
When I felt the hard ground beneath my feet, I slowly opened them, gaping at the city in front of me.
Trees with leaves of every color grew along the mountain and throughout the city before me.
The buildings, large and magnificent, were built within the valley of the mountain.
Multiple waterfalls cascaded around the structures, spilling down from the cliffs before us.
A long stone bridge connected the two lands, its length carved with intricate designs.
When I looked behind me, darkened trees that reminded me of the shadowy forest near the palace stretched out as far as I could see, although I couldn’t see much.
Not with the mist hanging so low to the ground.
A shiver shot through me when I felt eyes watching me closely, and I quickly turned back, stepping a little closer to Samian and Kieran. But the air here felt lighter, and my magic seemed to hum as if it demanded to be set free.
“Welcome to the Seelie Court,” Kieran grunted, rubbing his stomach queasily. His throat bobbed, and I remembered what Samian had whispered to me last night about Kieran getting easily sick from transferring. Biting back a laugh, I looked back at the city.
“It feels different here,” I murmured to no one in particular. My wide eyes were still taking in my surroundings.
“That’s because the magic here is wild. The court and the woods behind us were part of the Shadow Forest back at the palace, though the people here had learned to thrive without interference from the creatures that lived within it.
” Vivi explained quickly. “However, we shouldn’t keep Solaris waiting for much longer. ”
Vivi stepped onto the bridge first, Daelan following close behind her. Samian gave me a small nudge, nodding toward Vivi.
“You go first. Kieran and I will be right behind you, making sure you're safe.”
Nodding, I stepped onto the bridge, my legs feeling unsteady, but I kept walking, taking in everything around me.
Mist hung above the bridge, gently wetting my face as I crossed.
Once we were in the city, Vivi slowed down, allowing me to gawk at the stone buildings towering over us.
Beautiful carvings of fae, elves, and gods were scattered throughout the city, each more grandiose than the last.
“These are ancient warriors and gods from the time before the realms were split. They were the ones that helped shape the world as we know it,” Vivi explained, smiling up at the splendor.
I was about to keep walking when a carving caught my eye.
Staring up at the elegant female, her long hair flowed freely around her.
She had a halo of light above her head, while shadows gathered at her feet.
My magic thrummed under my skin as I got lost in the effigy.
Salem appeared at my feet, staring up at the female with blank, depthless eyes.
“That is Nemain, an old goddess of war who died before the realms were split. She was the sister of Morgiana, a death goddess, and Macha, a goddess of the land.”
“She’s beautiful,” I murmured, placing my hand on my chest to still my magic that thrashed inside of me.
“She was wise, too.”