Chapter 21 #2
Jasper didn’t answer for a long moment. “You know, you would’ve learned about it when you took the throne.
” His gaze touched mine for a brief moment, and I knew what he meant.
That Casteel would’ve learned when I took the Crown.
“You don’t travel over or through the Mountains of Nyktos. You travel under them.”
An icy wave of surprise scuttled through Casteel. “The tunnel system?”
Jasper nodded. “The one from Evaemon leads into Iliseeum if—and that’s a big if —you know how to navigate it.”
“Damn,” Kieran muttered, scrubbing a hand over his head. “All those years messing around in those tunnels and we could’ve ended up in the damn Lands of the Gods.”
It struck me as a very odd coincidence that Casteel and Kieran had spent their childhood attempting to map out those tunnels and caverns, and this whole time, they could’ve taken Cas right to this Lands of the Gods.
Had he or his brother been drawn to them?
If so, had it been some sort of divine intervention?
I stayed way too long in the shower the following morning, testing the limits of exactly how long the water would remain hot.
Feeling the warm water pelting my skin and washing the soapy suds away was truly too much of a magical feeling to rush.
The shower felt like it cleansed more than soap, as if it were rinsing away the stickiness of confusion that prevented me from looking past the shock of everything I had discovered and learned.
That could’ve been my imagination, but by the time I forced myself to turn off the faucets, I felt like I could face what today held.
What awaited me in Atlantia.
And maybe it wasn’t just the shower, but all the hours of deep sleep I’d ended up stacking up over the last day or so.
It could’ve been last night, when Jasper had left, and Kieran wanted to discuss the tunnel systems. Casteel had taken the seat Kieran had occupied, rearranging me so I was all but cradled against him as they spoke.
I was amazed by how much they recalled regarding the tunnels, still able to remember the differences in certain underground rock formations and the scents that changed depending on which tunnel they were in.
I’d only briefly been in the one that led to the beautiful, lilac-filled cavern in Spessa’s End, and the other that rested below New Haven, to view the names of those who had died at the hands of the Ascended.
So many more names needed to be added to that wall.
But as they talked, I couldn’t help but wonder if some kind of prophecy did exist. If hardly anyone knew that Iliseeum rested beyond the mountains, then was it possible for there to be a prophecy that no one knew about? Or was that comparing apples to oranges? I didn’t know.
Before Kieran left, I’d asked about the wolven named Sage—the one who was supposed to be patrolling the wall.
She had been found on the other side of the wall, having been struck from behind.
The injury and the subsequent fall from the wall would’ve either seriously injured or killed a mortal, but according to Kieran, who had checked in on the wolven before returning to our rooms with the book, she would recover in a day or so.
Hearing that and learning that there had been no casualties among the wolven or anyone else who had engaged in the battle with the Gyrms had filled me with a lot of relief.
That could’ve aided in me not feeling so overwhelmed.
It also could’ve been the sweet kiss that Casteel had given me after I woke this morning and before he left to shower.
Or how his eyes were pools of warm gold when he looked upon me.
Before he left the bed, he’d told me that his father’s visit had been borne of worry.
That he hadn’t liked how things had ended between them in the Temple of Saion.
I was glad to hear that they’d cleared the air between them—at least a little bit before those creatures showed.
I also shared with him what I had confirmed with Kieran about being able to communicate with him.
Casteel…well, he took in that newest development like he had everything else.
He was curious, awed, and completely unbothered by it, and that helped me be somewhat unfazed by the fact that I had done something that only Nyktos could.
Either way, it could’ve been one or all of those things that’d made me feel prepared for everything Casteel and I had to discuss and figure out.
I found the clothing Vonetta had given me in Spessa’s End hanging among several other brightly colored garments that her mother had given Casteel for me to wear.
The only visible white I saw in the entire wardrobe were two slips.
A smile tugged at my lips, and I didn’t stop it—didn’t even have to think about concealing it like I had when I’d been the Maiden.
Casteel .
This was all him. He’d made sure there was little white to be found in my options.
Gods, I loved that man.
I started to reach for a tunic with frilly sleeves, but a stunning, cobalt blue, buttery-soft muslin drew my attention.
The gown was simple, reminding me of what the Ladies in Solis called a day dress but was far better suited for the warmer climate of Saion’s Cove.
The bodice was layered and cinched, erasing the need for a slip.
The near-sheer gown was gathered at the waist and the hips by a sky-blue chain girdle, and the material bunched at the shoulders. It was sleeveless.
My gaze shifted back to the tunics and the other dresses that featured wide, elbow-length sleeves that offered a bit of coverage.
I hesitated. Normally, I preferred to wear breeches or the lighter leggings and something that hid the scars on my arms, but the color was beautiful.
I’d never worn anything like it. I’d never been allowed.
And I didn’t need to hide my scars.
I grabbed an undergarment and pulled the gown off the hanger.
I changed into the dress, relieved that it fit well enough.
I found a brush and worked out the tangles in my hair.
There wasn’t much I could do with it outside of braiding it, so I left it down and then found a pair of sandals in the wardrobe that tied at the ankles.
I hitched up the folds of the skirt, sheathing the dagger to my thigh.
Casteel was waiting for me in the sitting room, standing before one of the open lattice doors with his arms loosely folded across his chest. A warm breeze flowed into the room and was spun about by the dual ceiling fans.
He started to turn as I walked under the archway.
“There is some fruit. And, of course, your favorite, cheese…” He trailed off, his lips parting until the tips of his fangs became visible.
“What?” I stopped, glancing down at myself while smoothing an imaginary wrinkle from the skirt.
“Do I look foolish? The bodice is a bit tight.” I fiddled with the cowl neckline.
“Or is it outdated? I figure this must be one of Vonetta’s older gowns since she’s taller than I am, but the length is almost a perfect fit for—”
“Unworthy.”
“Excuse me?”
“I am unworthy of you,” he stated roughly. “You are a dream.”
My fingers fell away from the neckline as I looked over at him.
Casteel’s arms had fallen to his sides as his gaze swept over me. His chest rose sharply. “Your hair. That gown.” His eyes heated. “You are so beautiful, Poppy.”
“Thank you.” I felt my throat warm as my heart swelled. “And you are worthy.”
He smiled as he cleared his throat. “Please tell me you’re wearing your dagger.”
Fighting a grin, I lifted the right side of the skirt to my thigh.
Casteel groaned. “Gods, you’re perfect.”
“And you are demented,” I said. “Worthy, but demented.”
“I’ll take that.”
I laughed. “Did I hear you mention cheese?”
“You did.” He extended an arm to the table. “Help yourself.”
I did exactly that, seating myself at the table and immediately reaching for chunks of yumminess.
“What would you like to drink?” he asked, joining me. “There’s water, wine, and whiskey—the three Ws of life.”
I arched a brow. “Wine.”
He smirked as he poured the faint pink liquid and then fixed himself a glass of whiskey. I tentatively tasted the wine, pleased to find that it tasted like strawberries. “What do you think about the whole Iliseeum thing?” I asked since we hadn’t really talked about that.
“Honestly?” He let out a low laugh. “I really don’t know.
I grew up believing that Iliseeum existed in a realm beside ours but not part of ours.
Just like the Vale and the Abyss. And to think my parents always knew?
Alastir? Jasper?” Casteel shook his head.
“But then you really didn’t know Iliseeum was real at all. It had to be more of a shock to you.”
“It was,” I admitted, squinting. “But there is still so much I don’t know. I’m kind of in a constant state of surprise, but it’s amazing to think that at one time, when the gods were awake, they were right there. I wonder how often they interacted with Atlantians and mortals.”
“Not often from what I’ve been taught. But that too may not be exactly true.
” He ate a piece of cheese. “The crazy thing, Poppy? Is that Malik, Kieran, and I must have gotten close to Iliseeum at some point. We traveled those tunnels heading east. We always ended up stopping, though, at some point.”
“Was there ever a reason for you to stop?”
His brows lifted. “At the time, no, but looking back now? Yes. We always started to feel weird, like we needed to go back home. It was something that none of us could explain. We chalked it up to us being afraid of getting caught for being gone too long. But now I think we were being warned away by the magic that guards Iliseeum. It made sure we never got too close.”
“I suppose that’s a good thing. Who knows what would’ve happened if you all had made it to Iliseeum?”