CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
I WATCH THEIR EXPRESSIONS RANGE from shock, to disbelief to determination, and I brace myself for the question I know is coming. I can only hope that my answer will draw them away from the main part of the truth. I may not have wanted to tell them, but as long as I don’t tell them the full truth, I am keeping my promise to my mother.
“You’re a Gallalaus Fae?” Rozen blurts, his cerulean eyes widening with revelation. “Wait, how are you alive? Are you a part of the royal family? What are you doing here?” he questions rapidly, and I’m worried he’s going to pass out from not taking a breath.
Ember’s gaze widens with realization as I shake my head, trying to keep my voice steady as I answer his question. “I grew up with my aunt in Shalo since I was six years old. I don’t remember much of my life before that,” I tell them, which is not an outright lie, but it’s definitely not as much as I do know.
“Maybe she’s a bastard? One of those royals were probably getting around,” Lennox adds before wincing. “Not that it’s a problem or anything.”
My shoulders raise and fall slightly, letting them come to their own conclusions. “No one can know though,” I reiterate. “I was told that my life would be forfeit if the wrong people found out.” My fingers fiddle with my necklace again, the warm metal a comfort to me, and all I can hope is that I didn’t do the wrong thing.
Melissandre steps up beside Ember, nodding. “It’s true. They hunted down every Gallalaus who lived in Damorleia. How they did it is beyond me. But somehow you managed to avoid the mass genocide.” Her eyes widen as she squeals. “Oh my fates! You would be the next in line for the throne!”
My head shakes violently and I feel like I’m going to be ill. “No. I have no interest in obtaining the throne. I just want to escape somewhere and live my life where Nero and I won’t be disturbed.”
Ember pipes up, taking my side. “She’s right to hide. The lords would eat her for dinner without a court and someone to help her. Not to mention if Vathia gets wind of her, they will double their force to hunt her down.”
Melissandre grins sheepishly at me while Lennox’s head falls slightly to the side, assessing me. “So you come down here to train not to get caught because…?”
Ember whispers, “Because she’s leaving Phixmery, right? That’s why you tried so hard to push us away? Where are you going to go? How do you even plan on escaping? They’ll send soldiers after you—you’ll be known as a traitor.” She tucks her short black hair behind her pointed ear.
I glance around the space I’ve created down here, a place I carved out of the earth to help me with whatever I needed, before glancing back at them. Then it hits me. “Maybe I’ll head deep into the Gratandi Mountains, carve out a place to call home. But I can’t be a part of this. Maybe that makes me a coward, but I made a promise to someone.”
They all dip their heads in understanding, if also with slight disappointment. But Roz grins suddenly. “We can help you train. I can teach you to master the art of illusions and getting into people’s minds.”
“And I’ll help you get a handle on the Vopn Fo part of your magick,” Ember states, the determined glint back loud and proud in her gaze.
“And we’ll help anyway we can with your elemental magick,” Melissandre adds, punching her twin’s arm and gesturing towards me.
“Yes, of course we will help. If you want us to, that is.”
Rozen takes a step forward, holding up his index finger and twirling it around. “Although, I can’t say I’m a fan of sneaking down here in the middle of the night. We can come down here after dinner, and I’ll just cast an illusion to hide us, because I don’t know how you’ve been doing this, but I need my beauty rest. You can’t look this good with only a little bit of sleep.” He mimics flipping his short red hair over his shoulder before yawning, which instantly becomes contagious, and I realize how much this conversation has drained me.
“Would we be able to start tomorrow then?” I ask. “Also thank you, I—it was hard for me to tell you. Please don’t make me regret it.”
“We have your back, Ravina. There’s no getting rid of us now. Squad four is four-ever,” Roz says, holding back his laughter. “Get it? Four-ever?”
Ember rolls her eyes, moving away from him, but the tightness of her mouth shows me that she’s holding back a smile as she gestures at the stone wall where the exit is hidden. “Someone mind letting us out so we can get to bed? Apparently the rest of Wing One still isn’t back, and I don’t want to have to deal with Major General Rune’s Physical Training from hell with very little sleep.”
I smile slightly as Nero chitters in amusement. My steps are hurried as I place my hand back on the wall and watch as the stone slides to the side. We all exit and I replace the wall, successfully hiding my—now our—training space. We begin to make our way back towards the main part of the tunnels, where the walls are smoother and it’s more fae-made, when I stumble to a stop.
Standing before me, looking confused, is Bracken. His face lights up when he notices us. “There you guys are. I tried to follow you down here but I lost track of where you were. It was like you disappeared. Why are we down here?” He glances at the guys, giving them harder looks before his features soften as they land on me.
Panic claws in my chest again. “Just out for a late night walk,” I shrug, nearly wincing at my lame-as-fates excuse.
Rozen comes to my rescue, though. “I found this place and wanted to show it to Ember, but Ember wouldn’t come without the others, so we made it a group thing. We’re heading back to bed though. I’m sorry we woke you,” he adds, with a friendly smile, and fates, I’m almost convinced he was telling the truth.
My lungs constrict with tightness as I wait for Bracken’s reply, hoping that he buys it.
He searches my face for something before his grin returns. “No worries, I’ll join you on the walk back though. Maybe next time I can join you?”
Like hell you are.
Nero snorts as he hears my thoughts. “ This male just doesn’t know how to take a hint .”
“ Apparently not. ” There was less anxiety with my friends finding me down here then there was with Bracken down here in the tunnels.
“Ah,” Lennox adds, wrapping his arm around my shoulder, being careful not to disturb Nero. “It was a bust anyway, so we probably won’t be exploring down here anymore.”
“Ah that’s fine.” He waves him off, his eyes narrowing on where his arm is sitting. “Maybe just the two of us can come down and explore?” he throws a hopeful glance at me.
I lean into Lennox and pat his chest and thankfully he plays along by throwing me a soft smile. Lennox has been more of a brother figure in our friend group and, as attractive as he may be, I don’t hold those sorts of feelings for him, but maybe it will be enough to get Bracken to leave me alone. “No it’s okay, it’s kind of boring down here. Thank you though.”
His face twists into a sneer before he masks it. “That’s fine. I’m sure there’s something else we can do, without the group.”
Ember steps forward. “Get the hint, Levine. She’s not interested. Now if you don’t mind, we’re all tired and I want to get some sleep before it’s too late,” she snaps, taking my hand and pulling me past him, Mel, Roz and Lennox following closely behind.
A relieved sigh escapes me. “Thank you,” I whisper to her.
She nods in response and we swiftly make our way back to the South Tower, where Gregor and Bren are still sleeping soundly.
Everyone crawls into bed, and when Bracken tries to come over to me, I shake my head. “I’m not doing this right now. I’m tired,” I whisper loud enough for him to hear, but not to wake the others.
Ember watches him carefully as he stops, nods and heads back to the opposite side of the room where his bed is. “I don’t trust him,” she whispers.
“I don’t either,” I reply.
WHEN I LAY my head down, I pass out promptly and there’s no nightmares, but I wake in my dreamscape to a familiar sight and I nearly squeal with excitement. I’m not sure how I did it, but I found my way back to this place without suffering through a nightmare first.
This time, the white dragon is already laying in its spot, and when he realizes I’m here, his head snaps up. “ You’re not supposed to be here, Little Dream. ”
I tilt my head as I amble close to the great beast. “Why not? It’s my dream, don’t I control it?”
He doesn’t reply but watches me carefully as I approach him for the first time. His scales are as white as the snow and even the thin membrane on his wings is nearly translucent with how pale they are. He snorts, and frost forms at his nostrils, but he doesn’t take his eyes off me. Something warms in my chest as I slowly reach out, placing my hand on his snout. His scales are firm, yet soft and shockingly warm. A purring noise erupts from his chest, which brings a small smile to my face.
“They say dragons are terrifying beasts that are bloodthirsty creatures—at least the one I saw was. You don’t seem too bad,” I murmur.
A warm and intoxicating laugh reverberates through my mind. “ You would be mistaken. They are extremely bloodthirsty. But you’re safe here. Now tell me something, what do you mean the one you’ve seen’? ”
I pull my hand away from him and glance up into lavender-colored eyes with not an ounce of fear to be found. “On my way to Phixmery, I watched a male get snapped up whole by one of your kin.”
He raises his arched neck up, peering down at me from a great height with narrowed eyes. “ What do you mean you’re at Phixmery? You’re not supposed to be there. You’re supposed to be hiding in a village far from the war ,” he hisses, sounding slightly unhinged.
“I didn’t have a choice but to leave Shalo and come here. I plan on escaping, though. I’ve been trying to find my way back here so I can plan. Wait, why am I explaining this to my subconscious?” I shake my head. “It doesn’t matter.”
“ It does matter! ” The temperature drops as frost coats the ground. “ Do they know you’re there? They must. You need to wake up and leave Phixmery, Little Dream. I have business to attend to, and fae to kill. ”
Suddenly I’m pulled out of the dream and I’m gasping for breath, clutching my necklace, which seems slightly warmer than normal. What in the fates was that about? My palm rubs against my face as I glance around the darkened room, seeing everyone still soundly asleep. Fear clogs my thoughts and I temporarily think about escaping now, leaving and never coming back whether I get caught or not.
“ Rav, it’s okay. You don’t need to run. Remember the gut feeling? ” Nero mumbles half asleep.
I nod jerkily, sucking in a breath and focusing on the sense of rightness in my stomach. When I’m calm again, I glance out the window and I notice the moon placement—not too long until dawn. I won’t be getting much more sleep if I try to go back to bed now. Might as well get ready for the day.