Chapter 40
Elariya
“Through the Veins of Galaythia”
The elk-drawn carriage swayed gently as we rode beneath a lilac sky streaked with the final blush of day.
Not quite dusk. Not quite full evening, either.
It was dancing between that space where everything shimmered with soft possibility, like the realm hadn't quite decided whether to sleep or dream.
Arielle sat across from me, her legs curled under her and a bundle of the colorful candle jars we'd gotten from the apothecary stacked on her lap. The scent of rosehip and neroli filled the air, layered with juniper and spice.
Outside the wide crystal windows, Galaythia passed us by in golds, greens, and pale blue mist. The forests grew wild out here, branches arcing like arms that reached for the heavens, tipped in leaves that sparkled faintly with residual magic.
We'd done so much today it felt like living out a fantasy.
The library had been amazing and the highlight of the day.
It had multiple levels and dozens of spiraling floors with every book a person could think of on every topic imaginable.
There were books about ancient spells that had been lost for centuries, forbidden rituals that made my skin prickle, and prophecies written in languages that shifted on the page.
There were books about distant realms I'd never heard of, creatures that existed only in shadow, and histories of wars fought between gods and men and immortal beings.
There were books about brewing love potions, summoning storms, the anatomy of dragons, and the secret lives of stars.
There was everything and more. Some books even had personalities of their own. One even tried to bite Arielle when she teased it about having a dull title.
I'd spent ages in the section on magical healing, running my fingers along the spines of tomes that felt like they'd been waiting for me to read them for a lifetime.
After we left the library, we spent some time on the grounds of Hyxian before we headed to the capital for our next adventure.
Arielle took me on a whirlwind tour of her favorite places, which started with the enchanted district, where shops lined cobblestone streets that glowed with embedded starlight.
We wandered through the bustling market squares where street performers made flowers bloom from thin air and musicians played melodies that painted colors in the sky.
We visited a boutique where I got a silk gown for Wolfe's uncle's name day celebration next week.
Once we were done, we stopped by a bookshop café where the tea leaves read your fortune as you sipped.
We sampled exotic foods, watched artisans craft jewelry from crystallized moonbeams, and ended with the apothecary where the proprietor mixed custom perfumes and scented candles.
Every experience from today, each scent and sight and sparkling thread of wonder, had woven into my heart. I couldn't tell if they belonged to me or I belonged to them. But perhaps the most magical thing of all was how I fit in.
The capital was filled with Fae folk and mages from different realms. I felt the sweet relief of blending in rather than standing out.
“Smell this one,” Arielle said, holding up a pale green candle.
I leaned forward and inhaled. It smelled like eucalyptus and fresh herbs, with a clean healing quality that made my shoulders relax instantly. “I love this scent.”
“It's for clarity of mind. Perfect for studying or making big life decisions. Apparently, you just burn it, and you'll know what to do.”
“Have you ever used it?”
She shook her head. “No. I'm always scared such decisions will be influenced by magic, not me.”
“That makes sense.”
She cracked the lid off a rich red candle and gave me a mischievous grin. “This one's for passion, obviously.”
I raised an eyebrow, smiled back at her, and looked from her to the deep crimson wax. “Obviously?”
“Well, let's just say you shouldn't light that one unless you want someone climbing through your window at midnight for bedroom action.”
I laughed, covering my mouth. “Gods, Arielle.”
She laughed with me, then set the candle aside and gave me a knowing look of mischief. “Well, you're the one with the broody Fae prince and his senior guard all worked up just from the idea of you.”
My cheeks flushed, and I gasped. “Um... what?”
“Don't what me.” She giggled, flicking her wrist. “You know exactly what I mean. Garrick watches over you like a mother hen, and he's always looking at you.”
“Because he's supposed to be guarding me and protecting me from danger.”
She gave me a deadpan stare. “Yes. Protecting you from big, scary monsters in the house, like Sirril. Ohwoo.”
I laughed again. I couldn't help it. “Arielle. I'm sure Garrick doesn't harbor such feelings for me.” If he had, I was probably so focused on Wolfe I hadn't noticed.
“Believe me, he does. I grew up around these guys, so I know.
That said, Garrick is the ladies' man. The Fae prince, on the other hand...” She held up a finger and squinted one eye as if she were thinking hard.
“My bet is on him. The whole don't-touch-my-mage threat he gave Garrick kind of gave him away.”
Oh gods. What should I say? She was right. When Wolfe had that outburst, I was more focused on the spell and the Nyzith strands.
His admission to caring about me earlier pushed us marginally outside the nebula of vagueness, but that line was still there. Because of what my father did.
Father's crimes made anything between Wolfe and me feel impossible.
The familiar ache seized my heart, but I tried to focus on the wonderful day I'd had so I wouldn't ruin the special memories, including how the day had begun with Wolfe.
Arielle giggled again. “I also heard about your little... drunken rendezvous yesterday. I'm guessing that was because of him.”
My stomach squeezed and I covered my burning cheeks. “I was kind of hoping we wouldn't talk about that.”
“I've been trying not to say anything all day, but I couldn't resist. It kind of sounded hilarious. I wish I'd been there.”
“No. I'm glad you weren't.” I groaned and buried my face in my hands. “Please don't make me relive it. I lost my mind a little.”
“Oh, I'm definitely going to make you relive it.” She leaned forward with gleaming eyes. “Sirril thought he'd lost you to the dark side. The poor guy wanted to accompany us today because he was so worried about you.”
“Oh no.” Poor Sirril. He'd done his best to help me.
He even turned everything back to normal—no more swallows, no more frogs, and no more furniture running throughout the house.
I apologized profusely to him and the other staff when I saw them at breakfast. “That wasn't like me at all. I always go for a lighter ale, never wine and never anything strong.”
“But I'm guessing a certain someone drove you to drink.” She raised her brows again.
My shoulders slumped, and I gazed at her, wondering what I could and couldn't say.
There was so much about Arielle's personality that reminded me of Emabelle.
When we got talking, I felt the same comfort, like I could be myself and talk to her about anything.
But in all our conversations, we'd never discussed anything like this.
It was new, sensitive territory, terrain I wasn't certain I should cross.
“Hey, in case you didn't notice, we're alone.” She noticed my hesitation and motioned around the carriage and ahead to the elk, who were steadily focused on getting us back to Vyrenth Hollow.
Apart from them, we truly were alone. Garrick wasn't with us. We didn't even have a driver to worry about.
“And I would never say a word if you told me a secret.” She raised a hand and made a show of tapping across her heart thrice, the sign of the mages' promise.
The gesture warmed something deep in my chest, and the last of my resistance crumbled. All the words I'd been holding back began to rise to the surface.
“I... don't really know what to make of Wolfe. Or if I should be thinking about him in such a way.”
“Does that have anything to do with your Thayden back home?”
Hearing Thayden's name made bile churn in my stomach. “No. It's not.” The subdued tone of my voice said it all, and the smile on Arielle's face faded.
“I've wanted to ask you about him. At first, I thought you missed him. I felt terrible that you were taken away from him on your engagement celebration. But then I realized in all the time you've been here, you never mentioned him once.”
“No. There's not a whole lot when it comes to Thayden. Except that he's the most controlling, selfish, manipulative person I've ever met. And I hope I never have to marry him.”
All traces of teasing disappeared from her face, her eyes sharpening with concern. “Oh Gods, Elariya. He sounds awful.”
“He is. I was only supposed to marry him for my family's sake.
With my father gone, things got hard. People didn't want a mage or magical folk in charge of Stormfell.
My mother and his father arranged our marriage to smooth things over.
We'd have an easier life, and his father would take over the South in a supervisory capacity. It was a mutually beneficial agreement. Except, nothing benefited me. All that awaited me was a new life in Zyvaris, where magical folk are despised.”
Her face went grave, the lightness from moments before nowhere to be found. “I'm so sorry. I didn't know.”
“I know. I guess that's one more good thing about being here. A blessing in disguise. I was supposed to marry him at the end of next week. But I'm here.”
“You are here. And just for the record, I'm sure you really could choose to stay if you wished.”
I grinned at the possibility. Staying here would be like going out on my own and spreading my wings.
I loved my family with all my heart, but the thought of choosing to stay here tasted like the same freedom I felt when I flew Hedion.
“I'm not supposed to like being here so much. Everything about the magical realm is amazing.”