Chapter 3 #3
Well, bully for her. But Feo wasn’t Kianthe—and they never would be.
Kianthe hadn’t wanted to become Arcandor, and her position was nothing she could have trained for or anticipated.
From the moment Feo became an alchemist, they dreamed of competing for the position of Alchemicor …
right up until they were exiled from the Magicary.
And yet, some dreams never vanished; they just faded until the timing was right.
“He should have been happy for me,” Feo said darkly.
“He was. Have you forgotten how he bragged to everyone when you broke ground on the Academy? Or how he petitioned to myself and Parliament for your school to become a sovereign nation within our borders, even though he was the one who lost land?” Reyna narrowed her eyes.
“He was so proud at what you’d accomplished. I’m only sorry you didn’t notice.”
It was a curious thing, a shattering heart.
The walls Feo had so carefully erected crumbled.
Memories came flooding back of those first few seasons—before the school picked up speed and Feo got so busy, before Realm leaders started requesting Feo’s time and presence, before the Magicary welcomed Feo back with a sincere apology and a desire for collaboration.
Wylan had slid them lunches amidst dozens of alchemy circles. He’d kissed them goodnight after an exhausting day of magic use. He’d been there every step of the way… and then, slowly, he wasn’t.
It was an easy conclusion to draw, as Feo’s own fame climbed.
Feo just hadn’t considered that conclusion was wrong.
With shaking hands, they set down their nearly empty teacup beside the small plate. They wished they hadn’t eaten the scone, because they suddenly felt sick.
Sympathy flashed across Reyna’s face. She pressed her lips together, her voice soft. “Wylan is a generous man, but no one deserves to feel ignored by their partner. If you want my honest opinion, it’s not that he was jealous of who you’d become. He simply hit a breaking point.”
Feo drew a slow breath—but it hitched in the middle, almost like a sob. This was ridiculous. It didn’t matter why their relationship had soured; it was already over, and nothing would change that now.
They attempted diplomacy. “That could also be the case. I suppose.”
Reyna raised an eyebrow. Her words held a bare hint of sarcasm. “It very well could be. But everything is merely theory until proven true.”
Feo pushed to their feet, trying to wrangle their brain back into alignment. For someone supposed to steady the world, Reyna had done exactly the opposite. They ignored her dry humor and replied, “I think I should return to my school.”
“Mmm. The safe option.”
Irritating. Feo clenched their fists. “What else am I supposed to do, Your Excellency?”
Reyna pushed to her feet as well, one hand on her hip. “You came to me, Alchemicor.”
Feo had. Their voice softened. “What am I supposed to do?” Now it was more of a plea.
Reyna smiled. “You’re supposed to heal your broken heart so that you can hold space for Wylan’s happiness. You’re supposed to move on.”
“If it hasn’t happened by now—”
“You haven’t been trying.” Reyna gathered their dishes, strolling to the back room.
Feo found themselves following like a puppy, desperate for wisdom from someone who could see the truth clearly.
“You holed yourself up in your school because there, you weren’t reminded of him at every turn.
But you’ve missed all the other important things in life: your community, your friends, your town.
There’s a life outside of you and Wylan, and it’s time you remember it. ”
Reyna put the dishes on the wooden counter, then flipped a lever to allow fresh water to pour into the metal sink.
While it filled, she turned back to Feo, wiping her hands.
“Time and intention, Feo. That’s what it takes to recover from heartbreak.
If you return to Tawney, you might see Wylan after a time and realize you two have a new kind of friendship. ”
A new relationship. Feo’s soul rebuked that entirely—they didn’t want something new with Wylan. They wanted what they had once. A relationship. Passion. Love.
But that wasn’t fair or appropriate.
Wylan was no longer theirs to miss.
“Intention, huh?” Feo said, leaning against the island in the center of the storage room.
It was dusty with flour from the morning’s baking, dusting the sleeves of their shirt.
They wrinkled their nose and wiped it off.
“If I’m attempting to recover from heartbreak, how about we locate a new partner for me? ”
“Oh, certainly not. You aren’t ready for that.” Reyna chuckled, setting the dishes in the sink and shutting off the water. “But there is a bonfire scheduled in eight days. Most of the town will be there, and they’d love to see you. Perhaps you can stop by.”
Her tone was as warm as the summer sun. It was almost like she hadn’t just gutted Feo, slapped them, and then hugged them.
Of course, Feo didn’t know what they’d been expecting.
They considered it. “Okay. I’ll make adjustments in my schedule.”
“Everyone will be delighted,” Reyna replied.
Feo wasn’t sure that was true… but even an awkward bonfire was better than sitting in their tiny cottage, pining over a man they couldn’t have.
What the hells.