Chapter 63 Bahira
Chapter Sixty-Three: Bahira
A storm bashes the windows outside Daje’s home, where I wait awkwardly with him and Elora for Nox and Cass to arrive.
The latter keeps trying to catch my gaze, while the former is doing everything possible to avoid it.
Not that I blame either of them. But I refuse to let Elora talk until Nox is here, which makes for tense silence considering she doesn’t know why she is here.
“You know, when you asked if I wanted to come over tonight, this is not exactly what I had in mind.”
I look over at her, taking in her outfit and how her unruly red waves are pinned up in a pretty updo, tight curls framing her face.
She’s wearing a deep green corset, ribbons of the same color cinching her waist. It’s paired with a long khaki skirt, the fabric dusting the tops of her satin-slippered feet.
“What exactly were you hoping for?” I ask with an arched brow, right as Daje says, “I’m sorry. I had to be vague.” He rubs the back of his neck, glancing for the hundredth time to the door.
“Well, clearly, there was a miscommunication because unless you are about to suggest the most uncomfortable threesome I’ve ever been a part of, I’m thinking it’s time for me to go.”
“You can’t leave,” I tell her.
“What other threesomes have you been a part of?” Daje asks.
I roll my eyes and sink farther into his couch, kicking my feet up on the coffee table. I hear a single noise of protest come from Daje and grumble under my breath as I place my feet back on the wood floors. “Where the fuck is Nox?”
“Yes, where is His Illustriousness? He hasn’t shown up in days to help us search for information on the Mirror, and I’m starting to feel like I’m the only one who actually gives a shit about bringing Rhea home.”
“If you care at all,” I counter.
Her jaw slackens as her eyes go wide, but before she can squeak out whatever protest is on her tongue, the door opens and Cass and Nox come barreling in, dripping all over Daje’s floor.
“Shit,” he sighs, running to gather a bundle of towels, two going to the floor and the others to my brother and friend.
“What took you so long?” I ask, moving to sit on the edge of the couch.
“Fucking Kallin,” Nox swears, dragging the towel over his face.
“The bastard knows exactly when I’m not in the mood to speak with him, then ensures that he’s present at that moment.
Between his and Galen’s hovering, I haven’t had a moment to just breathe.
” Huffing, he carefully places the wet towel on top of the one on the floor to catch the water dripping off of him.
“I’ve been chosen to give the closing remarks for Father’s transfer of power ceremony. ”
Everyone in the room cringes, except for Elora, who lets out an entirely animalistic sound. “What? Your father is stepping down?”
“He is,” Nox answers. “It will be announced in a few days.”
Elora’s hands fall to her lap, her nails digging into her palms. “And what, you’ll take his place?
” she snarls, her intensity startling me as she stands.
Her steps are measured carefully, though she doesn’t release the fists she formed.
Daje attempts to block her path, but she pushes him out of the way until she’s right in front of Nox, her face twisted in anger.
“You would dare make a move like that without Rhea?”
“You don’t know what you’re—” My words are halted when Nox holds his hand out.
Elora’s eyes widen, the whites of them fully visible. “Does this have to do with Haylee? And what she offered her?”
Daje leans forward. “Wait, what did she offer her?”
“It doesn’t matter!” Nox barks, a muscle pulsing at his jaw. “And it doesn’t have a damn thing to do with that.”
“Oh, well that’s just great, then,” she says, jabbing a finger in his chest. “So instead of rescuing her, you’re going to play king here?”
“You should really stop talking before you say something stupid,” I retort, slipping into a space between my rage and my need to know what Elora did with the information she gathered on Rhea. “More stupid, I mean.”
“No, you need to stop acting like we don’t have someone we love in the hands of a monster!” Elora’s chest heaves, her eyes turning glassy as she looks back at Nox. “Tell me what is happening!”
Nox shuts his eyes as he breathes deeply, composing himself before reaching into his pocket. “That’s why we are here,” he says in a voice much too gentle, but one that I can tell is sincere. “I promise I will tell you what I can, but first, can you please explain this?”
“What— These are from my notes on Rhea,” she says, unfolding the papers. Her gaze flicks back up to Nox. “What do you think you’re looking at?”
“That’s what we wanted to ask. We need to be sure,” he answers.
“Sure of what? I told Rhea that I had attempted to look her up in the city she was from because I wanted to know if she had living family members she was unaware of.”
“Did you also tell her that you shared your findings with Councilman Arav?” I ask, the weight of everyone’s attention following.
“I never told him.” A line forms between her brows as her eyes dart to every other face in the room. “Is that what you all think? That I ratted Rhea out to the council?”
“None of us believed it—” Daje starts, but Elora shoots her hand out in my direction. “Okay, some of us believed that you might have done it, but only because Bahira doesn’t know you like the rest of us do.”
“Elora, Rhea told me that you knew about her not being from Santor and that you didn’t say a word until she brought things up with you. I believed her then, and I believe you now. But we had to make sure. When it comes to finding out who betrayed us, no one is presumed innocent.”
Cass steps forward, folding his arms over his chest. “I’ve seen the two of you interact enough to know that you wouldn’t intentionally hurt her.”
She catches his meaning, and her shoulders droop.
“The council found out because of me?” Nox nods, and Elora backs up until her legs bump one of the chairs and sinks down into it.
“If they found out, who else did? Is that why they were so insistent that you not marry her? Because they knew you were lying about where she was from?”
“I think so,” Nox answers, his anger evident in the way his tone drops.
“Do you think they are the ones who also gave her to King Dolian?” She asks the question out loud, but she aims it Daje’s direction.
He swallows and runs a hand over his head.
“I don’t know. My father never mentioned anything about her being from the Mortal Kingdom or about King Dolian.
If he or any of the council members knew, I have to hope that they wouldn’t stage a fake attack just to return her to him.
Especially knowing that she must be mage if she can cross over the Spell. ”
“Well, if their plan was for Haylee to marry Nox, then Rhea was just in the way. Why question anything when you can just return her to where she came from?” Elora counters, dropping her crumpled notes on the table.
“I will find whoever orchestrated working with King Dolian and ensure that they pay,” Nox says, pinning his gaze on Daje. “No matter who they are.”
Daje nods grimly.
“So, now that everything’s out in the open, what’s next?
” Cass asks, taking a seat next to me and throwing his arm over the back of the couch.
His clothing is still soaking wet from the rain, and a quick glance in Daje’s direction reveals he is less than enthused about it.
“Might as well take advantage of our covert meeting.”
I shoot Nox a look because not everything is out in the open, but he subtly shakes his head. Apparently, he’s set on Rhea being the one to break the news that she is our newest Void queen.
“What is the status of questioning the guards?” Nox asks, folding his arms over his chest.
“Daje and I have been carefully combing through the ones present the night of the ball, but it’s no easy task.
Kallin has been relatively helpful in confirming which ones were there, but so far, our questioning about Daje’s attack hasn’t gone anywhere.
Based on those we have questioned, I don’t think they were involved with anything nefarious concerning Rhea. ”
“Again, I wonder if involving any council members at all is a good idea,” Elora says, the corners of her mouth downturned.
“We don’t exactly have a choice, especially now. My father has made sure that the council has eyes and ears everywhere. I can’t even move through the palace without him knowing about it.”
“There are ways,” Nox says, a dark glint shining in his eyes before he blinks, and the look dissipates. “In any case, we continue looking for the mole and ways to repair the Mirror. That’s still our biggest priority while I wait for my magic to return to its full strength.”
“I might be able to help with that last part. At least, I have an idea of something we might be able to try, based on my experiments in the Shifter Kingdom. I just need someone willing to have their blood mixed with yours.”
“Please tell me you aren’t considering messing with blood and magic,” Daje jests, planting his hands on the back of Elora’s chair.
“Fine. Then I won’t.”
“It’s forbidden,” he adds, unhelpfully, when he realizes I’m not joking.
“Because of something that supposedly happened thousands of years ago, which I’m still trying to piece together the details of. I was hoping a visit to the archives would be more helpful, but the book I found isn’t complete—”
“You went to the archives?” Nox interrupts.
“Yes, but that’s not important. Back in the Shifter Kingdom, Kai and I explored the use of blood to treat shifters who were stuck in their animal forms. It had mixed results, but with Kai only being shifter, it makes sense it might not work correctly.
It could be different if we try with mage blood. ”