Chapter 11 #3
Ember swallowed and bit her lip. “Um, yes, sir. They suspect it might be Fae kidnappings.” She cleared her throat and fidgeted in her seat, glancing around them room and hoping that someone would help her out.
“We of course don’t believe that,” Odette chimed in with a smile, “but you seem to know that already.”
Ember’s eyes widened at the frankness in her voice. This was the most she had ever heard Odette say. Her white hair swayed past her shoulders, and she could’ve sworn she heard Fen choke beside her on the couch.
Lord Erevan cocked a brow as he looked at the girl, eying her carefully. “Of course.” He nodded seriously, uncrossing his legs, and leaning both elbow on his knees. “We seem to be in the same predicament.”
Ember scrunched her brow as she slumped in her seat. “I’m sorry I don’t think I follow,” she replied hesitantly.
“Come with me.” Lord Erevan waved for them to follow as he stood from his seat toward the window that overlooked the city and leaned against the wall as they soaked in the view.
The moon reflected off the crystal-clear water below them, and the entire city looked like it could’ve been floating on the fog that had settled on the surface.
A few lights dotted the windows on the houses, and Ember smiled.
It was probably a child reading past their bedtime.
The entire town square was visible from where they stood, shops and carts and stalls in a shape that looked like the sun.
Ember closed her eyes as she imagined what it looked like during the day, what kind of food and drink and trinkets the shopkeepers might sell.
Were there books she had never read before?
All of a sudden, she had the urge to hunker down and never leave until she had explored every inch of this beautiful city.
“Am I correct in assuming this is your first visit to Arcelia?” Lord Erevan smirked.
Ember snapped her jaw closed and nodded.
“I’ve heard stories,” Fen almost whispered, “but I never imagined it would look like this.”
Ember looked over to Odette, and to her surprise, the girl had silent tears pooling on her lower lash. She didn’t blink, hardly seemed to breath as she looked out toward the ancient city, and Ember couldn’t help but wonder if she was seeing something the others couldn’t.
“Why do you bother coming to work in a tea shop?” Killian asked over his shoulder to Asteria, who was still lounging on the couch in front of the fire. “You could open a shop here, so what’s the point?”
Asteria shrugged as she sat up. “You get a bit stir crazy staying in one place your whole life.” She gracefully stood from the couch and waltzed over to where they stood. “Gives me something to do other than stare at the same things every day.”
“Our Asteria has always been a wanderer at heart.” Lady Adalaena smiled as she walked toward them, gently kissing Asteria on the temple. Asteria grimaced as she rolled her eyes.
“These are your parents?” Ember asked, as her eyes widened. “You grew up here?”
Asteria nodded shyly, an emotion Ember wasn’t ever aware she could convey. “With my brother.” She almost whispered it, like it was a secret she kept close to her chest.
“Wicked.” Fen grinned, suddenly emboldened by the fact that they weren’t in imminent danger. “So, you’re rich?”
Ember jabbed him in the ribs with her elbow, and he let out a yelp as he jumped away.
“What?” he asked, as he rubbed the bruise Ember was sure was forming under his shirt.
“You have a brother?” Ember asked, as she scrunched her brow, and she didn’t miss the way Lady Adalaena’s eyes grew misty.
Asteria nodded. “He died, during the uprising—the war.” She spat the words like they left an awful taste in her mouth. “I don’t like to remain here for longer than necessary.”
Ember nodded. No other explanation was needed, she understood that feeling all too well.
“Your city is beautiful,” Odette said quietly.
“I’m still not sure why you’ve brought us here, I’m afraid,” Ember continued.
“Don’t ask questions,” Fen mumbled, as he stuffed chocolate in his pockets and mouth from a jar on a table by the window. Killian jabbed him in the ribs, and Fen yelped, quickly wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.
“You’re both so violent,” he mumbled and stuffed his hands in his now full pockets.
“It’s Fae food,” Killian hissed under his breath.
“Those are silly bedtime stories meant to make young Vala fear us.” Lady Adalaena smiled. “Take as much as you like.”
“I wanted to give you the opportunity to look around the town,” Lord Erevan continued. “You’re free to go wherever you wish, inside the temple and out.” He held both arms behind his back and looked out the window.
“I’m afraid I don’t follow,” Ember said slowly, looking at both Killian and Fen and then to Odette to see if they caught something she might’ve missed. Killian shrugged, and Fen shook his head.
“They want to show you,” Asteria interjected, “that they have nothing to hide. We have nothing to hide.”
“You see,” Lady Adalaena said, as she crossed the room to the open window, “our young are going missing too. Every few days, we have reports of a little one not returning home from school or from playing with friends. It’s concerning.
Our territory is supposed to be protected from outsiders, from anyone who isn’t of Fae descent, but it seems we’ve let our guard down for too long. ”
Ember’s heart sank, and by the looks on their faces, she could tell Fen and Killian were feeling the same way.
If the Fae were truly innocent, and victims themselves, where did that leave them?
Ember brushed the moisture from her lower lash as she leaned on the open window.
People below them were leaving their homes, one by one, and walking out into their gardens.
A distant hum started ringing in Ember’s ears as she watched, like a very soft whisper.
”What about someone that’s Faekin?” Fen said, as he peered out the window.
”Fae what?” Ember furrowed her brow.
”Someone half Fae,” Odette replied quietly. “Not as common these days, and most of the time, they don’t even know what they are. But if they do know, they can get past the wards.”
”We’ve considered the possibility,” Lord Erevan replied, “but unfortunately, it’s hard to confirm. Faekin don’t live in Arcelia, but that doesn’t mean they haven’t figured out how to get past the wards on their own.”
“I don’t know what you expect me to do,” Ember mumbled. “I’m not even sixteen yet. I can’t change anything. I can’t bring them back.”
“We do not expect change from you three,” Lord Erevan replied, “but we’re hoping you can be the beginnings of a bridge. We will not be able to bring our children home until we stop blaming those who aren’t responsible and start looking for other possibilities.”
“I think Chief Thornsten is fairly set on placing all of the blame on you,” Killian huffed, as he crossed his arms tightly over his chest. “A few teenagers with a penchant for endangering themselves won’t change his mind.”
“Perhaps not,” Adalaena replied with a nod, “but planting the seed with someone he’ll listen to won’t hurt.”
Ember squinted her eyes as she watched the women tending to the glowing flowers and the children run through the moonlit gardens.
“It’s the middle of the night,” she mumbled. “What are they doing out in the middle of the night?”
“It’s the best time to harvest from the Flor de Luna.” Asteria smiled. “They’re incredibly valuable ingredients in lots of potions, worth a small fortune.”
“Can I go see them?” Ember asked before she could stop herself. There was something pulling her to them, almost like the tug she felt between Killian and Fen—something otherworldly and mildly unsettling.
“What, the flowers?” Fen asked, as he scrunched his nose.
“The city, Fenrir,” she huffed.
“Of course.” Asteria grinned as she grabbed Ember’s hand. “Come with me.”
Asteria led the teenagers through the temple and down the steps into the town once again.
The energy filling the streets was palpable.
Everyone had seemed to be asleep when they arrived, nestled in their homes, but now giggles filled the air as young Fae ran amuck, and parents sat on the front porches and milled about in the gardens like it was mid-day, not the middle of the night.
“Our sleep schedule differs a little from yours,” Asteria chimed in.
“For those that live in town, most wake during the middle of the night to spend time together as a family outdoors when the weather permits. Shops aren’t open, but there’s something about a few hours in the midnight air that is good for the soul. ”
Ember grinned as she watched a group of children ahead of them playing in the street, hitting a ball back and forth with little wooden sticks.
A woman, who Ember assumed was their mother, carried out a tray of snacks and drinks on the porch and called them all over.
They weren’t all that different from the Vala, not really.
Out of nowhere, a faint trail of glowing blue light appeared in front of Ember. Her heart leapt into her throat as the little blue wisps flew around the ground, creating a trail toward a small flower behind the wall of a beautiful garden.
“Everything alright, Starshine?” Killian asked, as he furrowed his brow.
Ember swallowed as she inched closer to the flower, the humming in her ear now growing louder. “Do you hear that,” she whispered, as she inched closer.
“Hear… what?” Fen asked, worry clouding his face.
“That buzzing,” Ember replied, pointing at her ear, “and those little wisps, you don’t see them?”
Killian and Fen looked between each other and shrugged, but Odette just smiled, cocking her head as if waiting for something.
“There’s nothing there, Starshine,” Killian said gently, as he put his hand on her arm. “It’s late. Maybe we should head back home.”
“No, not yet,” Ember replied, as she shook her head. “Give me just a second.” Without hesitating, she swung open the garden gate, following the wisps to the glowing flower.
“Em, I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Fen whispered, but Ember ignored him. Before she even realized what she was doing, she was in the dirt on her knees reaching toward the flower. Her fingers made contact, and the world went black.