Chapter 25
Elariya
“The Space Between Heartbeats”
Inevitable.
The word had rung through my mind like a death knell, over and over.
Every time I thought I would be free of it, I heard Wolfe’s voice, speaking it to me as if it were the answer to everything.
Inevitable.
The damn word was just as potent as the ghost of his kiss. It lingered on my lips, refusing to let go.
I’d woken before dawn, as I had the last few mornings, and Wolfe Nightblade had been my first thought.
Grandmother had said that of all the Fae, he was the most powerful and dangerous.
She’d been right. I’d known that at the time. But nobody knew just how much power and danger he could hold over the heart.
In my waking hours, I’d found myself torn. I hadn’t experienced that yesterday. Then, I’d only hated him.
With just one kiss, the brazen-tongued male had managed to get into my head and under my skin.
It took time and effort to shove him aside and drag my focus back to the one thing that mattered.
Today, I was leaving.
But the reminder didn’t stop me from thinking about him. I just stopped letting it derail me.
I got up and dressed for comfort in pants and a plain threadbare shirt, nothing that would snag or slow me down.
Then I slipped out into the small garden beneath my window and practiced my time-slowing spell on anything that moved: a pair of butterflies drifting between blooms, and a few spiders skittering along the stone.
It worked. Quicker and smoother than last night. No stuttering and snapping back like time itself were mocking me. This time, the magic slid into place, clean and seamless, as if it had been waiting for me to remember how to hold it.
I stayed outside for nearly an hour, repeating the spell until the motions felt natural and the control settled into my bones.
Then I went back inside, checked the map again, and packed only what I could justify in a satchel without drawing attention. I kept it light, packing my journal and one book from the library. That was all.
I left the spellbook behind.
It would be an asset, yes, but it was forbidden in the mortal lands, and it would be foolish to carry anything that could expose me if I were stopped, searched, questioned. The risk wasn’t worth it.
The timepiece on the wall read seven.
I had roughly an hour before the manor fully woke—before footsteps and voices filled the halls and breakfast became another performance I had to play my part in.
One hour to prepare, then I'd head downstairs and put on a convincing performance. I'd make them believe I was resigned to staying, that I was channeling my energy into mastering my magic instead of fighting them. And when they least expected it, I'd be gone.
My thoughts circled back to phasing.
Last night, after I returned to my room, I’d read more about it until my eyes blurred. I’d been tempted to try, just once, just to see if I could, but I hadn’t. One mistake could unravel everything. One wrong turn into the Void, and the manor would know exactly what I was attempting.
I could just imagine doing something catastrophically stupid like phasing into Wolfe’s bedroom by accident.
So, no rehearsals. And no second chances.
I only needed to do it once. When I left.
That would also be when I’d cast the spells.
One to slow, or stop, anyone trying to track me.
The other for the shackle.
Both relied on the same principle: time could not be followed or wielded by those who could not command it.
The problem was knowing if they worked. Without someone confirming it, I’d still be relying on a wing and a prayer.
I looked down at my wrist, at the shackle I couldn’t see but could feel. The band of magic bound to my skin, tethering me to Wolfe like an invisible leash. Soon it wouldn’t be.
I sat on the edge of my bed and watched the timepiece, forcing myself to breathe steadily as the minutes crawled by. Each tick felt like an eternity, but I made myself wait. Patience would be the difference between freedom and disaster.
Seven fifteen. Seven thirty. Eight.
The manor began to stir around me. Distant footsteps sounded in the corridors below, followed by the soft murmur of voices carrying through the walls.
It was time to get moving.
I stood, pulled in a deep breath, and smoothed my hair back. I’d had it plaited to the side in a fishtail braid.
As I went past the full-length mirror, I checked my reflection to make sure nothing in my expression gave me away.
It didn’t.
Satisfied, I slung my satchel over my shoulder, took one last look at the room that had been my prison, and opened the door.
Time to play the part of the resigned captive one last time.
I walked out onto the landing, and even though my heart was pounding in my throat, I kept going. Just like I’d promised myself I would.
I made it downstairs and headed to the dining room, where I found Sirril setting the table and Garrick already seated, absorbed in some sort of periodical, similar to the kind the papermen printed in Stormfell.
With another deep inhale, I slipped on my mask.
The moment I stepped into the dining room, Sirril noticed me, and a bright smile lit up his face.
“Good morning, my Lady. How lovely it is to see you,” he said, setting down a tray piled high with pastries that smelled impossibly good.
He met me halfway and reached for my hands, squeezing them with genuine warmth. I smiled down at him, but guilt gnawed at my insides.
Since I’d arrived, he’d taken it upon himself to look after me. I wasn’t sure how much he knew, but I suspected it was more than he let on. In my journal, I’d called him the pacifier. He was playing that part again.
“Good morning, Sirril. It’s nice to see you,” I said, squeezing his hands too.
Pulling gently, he guided me toward the table. “Look,” he said proudly. “I made all your favorites.”
When I looked up, I met Garrick’s hopeful grin. He clearly had a hand in this, too.
“Come sit next to me.” Garrick nodded to the chair on his left.
“Sure,” I answered, adjusting the satchel slung at my side before lowering myself into the seat.
Both of them were watching me now.
“Would you like anything else, my Lady?” Sirril asked, clasping his hands.
“No, Sirril. This looks perfect.”
The table was overflowing with eggs, sausages, bacon, and all sorts of goodies. Enough food to feed ten.
“Wonderful!” He clapped. “I’ll make you that chocolate brew you enjoyed yesterday.”
“Thank you.”
He bustled away, leaving me alone with Garrick, who’d already set aside the paper he’d been reading and was studying me carefully.
“How are you holding up?” he asked, choosing his words with care.
I nodded, already prepared. “I’m… here. And I’ve decided that focusing on my training is definitely best.”
Relief flickered across his face. “I’m glad to hear that. Wolfe means well. The situation isn’t ideal but we’ll figure things out.”
“Yeah, sure. Where is Wolfe?” The question slipped out before I could stop it.
“He, Bastian, and Alaric left early. Business.”
Something inside my chest loosened.
Good. They weren’t here.
Sure, I knew that didn’t mean I had an opening. Wolfe and Bastian could be back in the blink of an eye if anything went wrong.
“And Arielle?”
“Here.” A light voice drifted across the room. “Good morning.”
Garrick and I both turned as Arielle stepped into the dining hall.
“Morning,” I greeted her, trying to appear more like my usual self.
She sat across from me, so we were facing one another. A warm smile curved her lips, but it didn’t quite reach her eyes. There was caution there, as if she were choosing every movement carefully, handling me like something fragile.
“You look better today,” she said, studying my face.
“Thanks.” I leaned back in my chair, keeping my expression neutral.
“Elariya was just telling me she’s decided to focus on her training,” Garrick said, motioning toward me.
Arielle’s face brightened immediately. “Oh, good.” She clasped her hands together. “Did yesterday go okay?”
“Yes, it was good,” I replied. “I learned quite a bit. I’m going to finish up today.”
Arielle reached across the table and took my hands. “We’ll find a way to protect your family,” she promised. “I know things feel slow right now, but believe me, we’re working on it.”
“Wolfe would never willingly put your family in danger,” Garrick added.
I glanced at him, the word willingly echoing louder than it should have.
I knew Wolfe would never willingly put my family at risk. That wasn’t what frightened me. It was everything outside of intention, everything that could go wrong despite it.
“I suppose we just have to pray to the gods we’ll figure it out,” I said quietly.
“We will,” Arielle assured me with a determined nod. After a beat, she continued, “Until then, we thought it might be good to get you out of the house for a bit.”
She glanced at Garrick. He lifted the periodical he’d been reading. “They’re preparing for the festival in the city,” he said. “We could go see it. Just for a change of scenery.”
My stomach tightened.
Under any other circumstances, I would have been thrilled. Who wouldn’t be? I was in the Fae Kingdom, on the edge of celebrations I’d only ever heard about in stories. I had no memory of the last festival I went to, so of course going to this one would be a thrill.
But I needed to think about leaving.
“That sounds great.” I gave them a polite smile. “But I think I just need to stay in and practice my spells.”
Arielle continued smiling, but disappointment flickered in her eyes. She knew I was holding back.
“Sure,” Garrick said quickly. “That’s fine. You do whatever makes you feel comfortable. We’ll support you. All the way.”
“Yes,” Arielle agreed, nodding. “Of course, we will.”
“Thank you.” I let my gaze pass over both of them, like I was taking their kindness in instead of using it as cover.
“Do you want me to accompany you, today?” Arielle asked.
I shook my head. “No. That’s okay. But I’ll let you know if I need you.”