11. The Spark
CHAPTER ELEVEN
THE SPARK
Spring gave way to summer. Things were—dare I say it?—good.
Our lessons became less and less about magic as time passed. The more I told Riel about Earth, the more fascinated he became. He was especially interested in how reliant we were on technology. Trying to explain the Internet was a real challenge; at one point, Riel started to muse about its potential, and I had to admit that people mostly used it to share memes and start anonymous arguments with people halfway across the world.
The closer we grew, and the more I learned about the fae and their world, the more I dreaded going home. Eventually, I would be going back to the White House and resuming my healing sessions, because that was what all this was for. Although that should have been my top priority, I found myself less and less desperate to get my magic back. I’d even begun racking my brain for excuses to stay. It was as though I didn’t know how to function without some degree of anxiety, so my mind offered up some new things to worry about.
I stretched out in bed while I pondered my situation. Even if I appreciated my newfound freedom here—and the unique connection I’d found with Riel—I was nothing more than a temporary guest. Riel and I were… well, we were literally from two different worlds. There was no way that I could both convince George to let me go and Riel’s family to let me stay. No matter what I did, things couldn’t continue like they had been forever.
The whole situation was hopelessly frustrating.
Deciding that my brain needed a break, I hopped off the bed and went to sort my laundry. Luenki came by every so often to collect it. She was the only one besides Riel who had shown me real kindness here, even going so far as to fetch me a pain-relief tonic when the cramps were bad during my last period. I wanted to make her job as easy as possible.
As I got my worn clothing together in a neat pile, I recalled earlier that day, when I’d finally seen magic up close. I’d been thinking about how weird it was that the fae didn’t sling it around at every opportunity. My curiosity only grew seeing the soldiers practice outside. It had been my intention to see some magic when I asked my first question of the day that morning…
“You never did explain the light that those soldiers were making the other day,” I remarked casually, easing myself out of a cross-legged position in favor of stretching my legs.
Riel cracked one eye open from where he sat across from me. “Light is a common side effect of making magic. They practice to improve their speed and accuracy during combat.”
“Is there more to making magic than just flashes of light? How is it used offensively?”
Riel gave up on his meditation, opening both eyes and stretching his arms outward until his shoulders—or perhaps his elbows?—made an unnerving crack that resonated like a gunshot in the small clearing. I cringed in disgust, pulling a face that Riel found amusing.
“It’s not just light, though that could be useful in blinding an opponent,” he revealed once he finished laughing at my dramatic reaction. “The aggressor will cast something like fire or lightning. Something that will at least hurt, or ideally, kill. Making magic isn’t the only kind that can be used offensively, but it is simple and effective. I mentioned that things created using magic will not be identical to the real thing?”
He waited for my nod before continuing. “Making something entirely from mana is the perfect example of that. Mana flames will possess the same properties as real fire, but it’s not the same. It will burn, but it may take on a unique color as a result of being channeled through the caster. I suppose the best example would be to show you.”
I perked up. “I think that would help,” I reasoned, trying not to show how excited I was.
Riel raised his right arm, then began to move it in an arc over his head starting at the opposite shoulder. I leaned forward a bit, holding my breath so that I didn’t miss anything. First, I felt a tingle in the air. My hair began to stand on end just before a misty pale blue light coalesced around his fingers, as though he were pulling it from a pocket of air.
He drew his hand downward, and the light solidified before my eyes. The air sparked and crackled with electricity, the only warning I had before a controlled streak of lightning leapt between us. I fell backward in surprise. Riel chuckled at my reaction and dropped his hand. The light winked out of existence.
“Oh my God,” I breathed, understanding all at once why magic was such a big deal. Healing was one thing, but if this was a small demonstration of the things the fae could do, the world should be scared of them. By keeping their abilities under wraps, they had an extra line of defense. Even a country as power-hungry as the U.S. would think twice about trying any kind of political takeover when they didn’t understand their enemy’s strength.
Riel observed me, perhaps wondering where my thoughts were running off to. I crawled back to my spot in front of him and sat back on my heels with a grin.
“That was amazing,” I exclaimed. “I can’t imagine what it would be like to throw lightning around. Geez, healing is so lame by comparison.”
“Not at all.” Riel gave me a soft smile. “A healing ability of your caliber is more than impressive. One day, I would rather like to see you in action.”
I wasn’t used to receiving praise like that. And the way Riel talked to me, it felt like he respected me, like he considered me to be an equal. That wasn’t something I was used to either, and it made me feel confusing things.
Dear God… was I developing a legitimate crush?
I mean, he was gorgeous. Anyone with functioning eyes would get it. Hell, if the rest of Earth understood what the princes really looked like, there would probably be a dozen fan clubs, regardless of Solois’s winning personality. Not to mention endless amounts of digital art of them in the nude. Possibly even together. Aaand that was the line—no more of that, no sir.
More important than his looks, he gave me a safe space here. Our connection was something special, wasn’t it? At least, it was for me. I couldn’t remember ever having someone like him in my life. The things he made me think and feel—the way I got butterflies even now, just thinking about it—made me wonder if this was on its way to something more than friendship. I liked him, very much. And despite being a complete virgin, I knew enough about relationships to know that “like” led to another L-word.
But… that just brought me back to my earlier concerns. This thing between us couldn’t last. And if I tried to express my interest, that would ruin everything, wouldn’t it? He was twice my age and a frickin’ prince; it was unlikely that he felt anything romantic for me in return. For all I knew, he had a million women that he acted the same way with. He might tease, but it was innocent. Or was it? For all I knew, that was some kind of fae courtship ritual. Maybe I was supposed to reciprocate? The stakes were too high to risk getting things wrong.
Shit, this was bad. I wished I had my phone to talk to someone about this mess. Luenki! Maybe? No, bad idea. She was busy, I knew that much, with what little I’d seen of her over the past few weeks. Plus, she was probably sworn to let the royal family know anything I told her. It would be bad if I confided in her and then word got back to Riel that I…
Belatedly, I realized that I was manhandling the undershirt in my hands. I quickly dropped it onto the pile of clothes I’d collected and balled my hands into fists before they could do more damage. This was why girls hung out in packs. What I really needed was some good, old-fashioned, heart-to-heart girl talk. I’d never needed it more than now.
In hopes of clearing my head, I went to the window to get some fresh air. I could see a portion of the courtyard and some amount of the land beyond the wall from my room, including the outline of Miderrum in the distance. Today, the horizon was shrouded in mist, but a dark shadow in the distance caught my eye. I shielded my eyes and squinted to get a better look.
It was hard to see, but I could make out movement, glints of light, and dots of pastel colors that could have been avida . Didn’t that look like an approaching army? I was just starting to wonder if I should tell someone when a horn blared out, making me jump. No one rushed to defend the castle, so there was probably no cause for concern… but Riel would know for sure.
I went to find him, kicking the laundry pile closer to the door on my way out. His room wasn’t far from mine—he’d shown me where it was during one of the tours. The hallways all looked similar, but he was on the same level, just the other side of the building. One, two, three… there, the fourth door. I retraced my steps in my head to confirm before I dared to knock.
At first, I heard nothing. Wondering if I had the wrong door, or if he wasn’t in, I tried knocking again. That time, a muffled response filtered through the door. It sounded like an invitation to come in, so I tried the door and, finding it unlocked, pushed into the room.
“Riel, did you see—” Hand still on the doorknob, my body came to an abrupt halt. The prince stood by the open door to his bathroom, holding an article of clothing in his hands. His hair was wet, slicked back against his neck, and his ears were free of the usual adornments, which suggested that he’d just finished bathing. That, and the fact that he was half naked.
I thought perhaps I’d willed the sight into existence through an as-yet undiscovered power. He had no shirt, and his pants sat low on his hips, revealing a significant amount of skin. There was no over-the-top brawn weighing down his body; he was built like an animal, lean and powerful, with subtle hills and valleys to his musculature. His chest was as flawless as the rest of him, and there were two identical glints of silver there that could only be… God have mercy, the man had pierced nipples.
All at once, I realized I was staring. Then, to my utter mortification, it registered that he stared back. The look on his face was incredulous, like he couldn’t believe the nerve of this human to be peeping. But as I gawked, mouth ajar, his expression began to morph into a delighted smirk that sent something quivering in the pit of my stomach. Without being conscious of the movement, I shut the door. Even face to face with the wood grain, all I could see was his pale, toned chest, like it was permanently burned into my irises. My thoughts short-circuited.
“You might as well come back and see the rest.”
The amusement was audible in his voice, adding insult to injury. Face burning with the heat of a thousand suns, I spun on my heel and headed back down the hallway with purpose. What sort of grand cosmic joke was that timing? And since when did I become the sort of person who would take advantage of another’s nudity and gawk? Did I have zero self-control?
If I was ever brought before a judge for my actions, I’d probably argue that the fae just have an undeniable allure. Would that hold up? Not a chance. I walked a thin line right now—one that, if broken, could very well start the next world war. Worlds war?
Well, that decided it. I was fucked.
I’d only just begun to panic when a knock at my door interrupted my budding plans of sneaking out in the dead of night and returning through The Rift to avoid embarrassment. I had a sneaking suspicion I knew who it was and briefly considered pretending I was asleep before I built up the courage to answer the door. Walking the plank over a vortex of hungry sharks might have been less nerve-racking than the walk across my room.
As expected, it was Riel. I tried not to be disappointed that he had donned a shirt. Too nervous to look him in the eye, I inspected the floor instead. He leaned against the doorframe ever-so-slowly, taking up much of the limited space between us and angling his body so that it hovered over me. His scent overwhelmed my senses—something fresh and zesty, like lemongrass, calling to mind a sea of sunny meadows in the springtime. My throat moved, but no words emerged.
“Good evening, eseri ,” he greeted me in a very different tone from the cheery morning greetings I had come to expect from him. With the way he leaned forward, his voice was much closer to my ear than I had expected. Holy shit , I thought as my heartbeat sped up. This was bad. Indecent, even. I could close the door? No, I couldn’t; he was right there. Maybe I could come up with a distraction. Was it too late to pretend to be asleep?
“Y-yes, hello. Sorry about that… earlier.” Well, I wouldn’t be composing award-winning sonnets anytime soon, but words were a start. I wanted so badly to give in to my instincts and invite him in, but instead, I continued to study the floor, refusing to allow my gaze any higher than his boots. If I looked into his eyes, I’d end up climbing the man like a beanpole.
“Not at all.” He lingered in the doorway a moment longer before easing back to give me some space. I filled my aching lungs with oxygen for the first time in several seconds. Good heavens, the man had the power to make someone forget how to breathe. “What did you need?” he asked, his voice mostly back to normal.
I risked a glance at his face and saw nothing out of the ordinary there, which got me wondering if I had somehow misinterpreted his intentions. Had that not been the moment of intimacy I’d thought it was? Was my heart racing for no reason?
“Um…” Although thoroughly baffled, I pushed some strength into my words. “I just saw something from my window, and I thought I would ask you about it. It’s probably not important… sorry to bother you.”
Riel frowned. I stepped aside to let him in without a word, and he made his way to the window to peer out. He had no difficulty picking out what I referred to—his senses were keener than mine, and the marching army had come into view by that point.
“My father,” he stated, pivoting away from the window. I couldn’t tell anything from his tone, but his movements, which had been languid moments earlier, were now tense. “He’s been away on business,” he explained, mouth set in a tight line. “It would seem he has returned.”
He hissed something under his breath and strode back toward the open door. “Stay here until I come for you,” he ordered, suddenly appearing more of the prince he was than the friend I had come to know. I reared back at the sudden shift in mood. He paused to spare me a brief glance before adding in a gentler tone, “Keep the door locked.”
With that, he vanished, leaving me to wonder what this all meant.