Chapter 24
Niamh
Ifinished my last bite of stew, and the bowl lifted and flew to an empty basin, the other dirty dishes following.
“What kind of magic does this cottage have?” I asked as everyone sat back, bellies full of good food and wine.
“Not magic.” Nevan raised a finger. “Science.”
“Oh, here we go.” Cillian rolled his eyes, leaning back in his chair.
“Be nice to your brother. He’s brilliant, you know.
” Karina swatted Cillian, and it brought a smile to my face.
I loved the bickering, the clear love this family possessed for one another.
It reminded me so much of my relationship with my parents, with Princess Ashami, who had always felt more like a sister than anything else.
She used to tease me that my hair was so red she was afraid it might burn her, and I’d tease her that her hair was so blond it was blinding like the sun.
“Fine.” Nevan raised his hands. “A little of science and magic. Both are equally important to alchemy.”
Cillian leaned over. “Don’t get him started on the properties of his potions. He will never stop talking.”
Nevan leaned forward, steepling his hands together.
“For this potion, I just used properties from both the suboneous plant and the terretrious metals. I was able to extract fibers from those plants that are known for their ability to lift objects into the air, then I was able to use drops from a pond that I discovered activates the plant fibers to actually respond to commands. The metal components helped bind it all together. It was simple, really.”
“So you commanded the potion to make the dishes go into the basin.”
Nevan nodded. “Coated each dish in the potion and gave the command, and now all the dishes know when someone is done eating, they’re to lift and go to the basin. It’s small scale, but I hope I can use potions like this to do bigger, better things for Fairwitch Isle.”
“Probably poisoned us in the process,” Cillian muttered, though Nevan didn’t seem bothered by the comment in the least.
We had amazing alchemists in Bergenay, but I’d never had time to go to their labs and pick their brains over all the inventions they were creating every day. Despite Cillian rolling his eyes, it was really interesting to get a glimpse behind the process of making a new potion.
“Don’t listen to him.” Nevan pointed at Cillian. “He’s just jealous that I’m the smart one of the family.”
“Excuse you.” Jerome clapped his son on the back. “Where do you think you got it from?” He looked at me. “I attended the University of Magic and Science back in the day, was an alchemist myself.”
“Really? But how did you do that with”—I waved my hand over my head—“Fairwitch Isle? I thought you couldn’t just come and go?”
Jerome pushed his spectacles up his nose. “Oh, I didn’t grow up here. I was traveling through this area when I got ambushed by some brotherhood members. I managed to get away and ran right into Fairwitch.”
My mouth dropped open. I couldn’t imagine how terrifying that must’ve been to be chased by the brotherhood. “Fairwitch just let you in?”
He nodded.
Karina laid her hand over his. “And he bowled right over me.”
“Oh, you liked it.” Jerome waggled his eyebrows.
Cillian made a gagging noise while Nevan just leaned back in his chair and smirked.
I looked at the two empty chairs, wondering what it might be like if Wolfe were here right now. He’d be glowering, probably, and I’d be kicking him under the table to try and get a reaction out of him. And then those lips would twitch, those lips that were so very close to kissing mine.
“Niamh?”
I jumped, looking at Karina.
“I just asked if you wanted any more wine.” She held up a jug.
“No.” I pushed away my glass. I’d clearly already had too much, and it was addling my brain. “I’m okay.” I glanced at a painting of the entire family on the wall behind the table.
Karina, Jerome, and their four boys. I immediately spotted Wolfe as the largest of them, the most serious but with no beard, his face looking so young without it.
The others were smiling in the portrait, but Wolfe’s mouth was in a flat line.
Cillian stood in front of him, handsome features perfectly captured, and Nevan stood next to Wolfe, hair short and styled and those same spectacles he wore today perched on his nose, but he was lankier, less filled out.
The last one must’ve been Lor. He had the longest hair of his brothers, shoulder-length and wavy but with the same brown hue.
His smile was more like a smirk, like he knew some joke no one else was in on.
He had the same blue eyes as Nevan and Cillian, so striking against his pale skin.
“We miss them so much.” Karina’s gaze followed mine, looking at the painting.
Everyone else had gotten up from the table, and I overheard Nevan say, “Even high princes have to do the dishes” as Cillian shoved him.
“I’m sorry about your sons. I don’t understand why Wolfe stays away.”
“He’s punishing himself,” Karina said with a sigh.
“He’s the oldest, and he’s somehow put it on his shoulders to protect all of us, which is impossible.
Our second oldest, Lor, was . . . taken, and Wolfe blames himself, even though it wasn’t his fault.
After Lor disappeared, Wolfe visited a few times, but I think it was too much.
Too painful. And instead of leaning on us like we all leaned on each other, he shrank away, shrank further into himself.
He stopped talking to anyone and quit the royal guard. ”
“It sounds like he loved his job,” I said.
“Oh yes, I was so proud of him,” Karina said.
“He’s always loved being active, training, swordplay.
Lor really admired him and wanted to follow in his footsteps.
But after what happened, Wolfe didn’t feel worthy of being in the royal guard.
” She sighed. “Then Cillian became high prince, and I suggested maybe Wolfe could be his personal guard, protect his brother. I regret that so much. I thought it would bring him out of his shell, but instead it just seemed to make him worse, more obsessive about fixing his past mistakes.”
A tear dripped down her cheek, and my heart splintered as I thought about all the pain this family had endured.
All the pain Wolfe was holding inside. I didn’t realize until now how much he’d lost. Not just his little brother but his entire family.
This loving, wonderful family who he needed—and they needed him too.
“Oh gosh.” Karina wiped a tear from her eye. “Look at me, getting all emotional when you’ve just come for dinner.”
I grabbed her hand. “No, please. It’s okay.” I looked at the painting, trying to lighten the mood with my next comment. “You have four strapping sons, that’s for sure.”
Karina snorted. “If only they could get their acts together.”
“What do you mean?” I asked, staring at each of their faces, my gaze lingering on Wolfe’s.
She huffed. “I want women around. It’s a breath of fresh air having you here for this dinner.
Yet despite how ‘strapping’ they are, none of my sons seems to be interested in love.
” She ticked off her fingers. “Wolfe, as you know, won’t let anyone get close to him.
Cillian has always been more of a playboy. ” She winced. “Sorry.”
“No.” I laughed. “He’s already told me all about his reputation.”
“And Nevan.” She tsked. “He’s so focused on alchemy and potions, he refuses to let anything distract him from his work. You know, he once told me that he wasn’t even sure he believed in love.” She rubbed her temples.
This poor woman. She so desperately wanted her sons to find partners and love, and it seemed all of them were determined to do the opposite.
“Oh.” She touched her forehead. “I’m going to scare you away.”
“Never!” I laughed. “Besides, Wolfe has already told me a lot of this, and he told me everything that happened with Lor, so I was prepared.”
The entire room fell into silence. No—fell wasn’t the right word. It was as if I’d sucked the words, sucked everything from the room, while all eyes landed on me.
“Do I have something?” I patted my cheek.
Cillian stepped forward. “Wolfe told you about Lor? He talked about him? Out loud?”
Nevan and Jerome shot each other looks.
“Well, yes,” I said. “It was my fault.” I could feel myself talking faster and faster.
“When the dragon wasps attacked, I ran away and hid, and Wolfe couldn’t find me, and the entire situation reminded him of what had happened with Lor, and he got scared and yelled a little.
” I pinched my fingers together. “Well, a lot. But I yelled too.” My cheeks heated.
“Not in a mean way, though. I was just letting him know it wasn’t okay to talk to me like that.
But then he told me why he yelled, and it all made sense, and then I felt bad for yelling, and we made up. ”
I gasped for air, thanking the mighty godwitches that I hadn’t just blurted out that we’d almost kissed in the process.
Everyone continued to stare, and Cillian’s mouth had fallen open.
Karina put her hand over mine. “I’m so glad Wolfe has made a friend.” I met her watery gaze. “He’s opening up, and it’s because of you. Maybe the castle had other plans when it brought you here to us.”
I laughed nervously, not sure what that meant but spent the rest of the visit in a fog, feeling like somehow, tonight, something had changed. I just wasn’t sure what.