Chapter 14
FOURTEEN
Nova
“Irecognized the first image that flashed through the sentier’s memories,” I told the others. “I’m sure of it.”
We were back in the Rivenholt Palace, gathered in the courtyard outside my brother’s room.
Tall hedges rose on either side of us. A vine-draped fence with a wrought-iron gate blocked off a third side.
An exceptionally private space, yet I couldn’t help the hush of my voice, nor the paranoid glances I kept darting toward the shadows just beyond the reach of the lanterns’ glow.
“And you’re certain it was somewhere in the Above?” my brother asked.
“Yes. I used to practice magic within the white trees of that grove; the small forest around it is usually called the Hollow Wood, though it has an older name I can’t remember.
Orin always said the grove was the safest place to practice, because something about the soil and air made it resistant to any potentially wayward spells.
And he once mentioned that it was also warded against watchful eyes—even divine ones. Whatever that meant.”
“…The place where gods forget?” Aleks wondered.
My pulse quickened. “It’s not far from Rose Point.”
Bastian paced along the flagstones, his expression unreadable.
Phantom let out a restless grumble, rubbing his face against my leg. He was still annoyed about being left behind on another excursion to Midna.
I knew he would insist on joining me on any trip I might take to the Above, too.
The thought alone made me nervous. He was so much more solid in Noctaris—and for good reason; before we’d found our way into this realm, he’d spent much of his existence in the Above as a ghost of the dog I’d been given as a child.
He’d ‘died’ there, but my magic had managed to sustain his life-force because he was a vaehound—born of the energy of Noctaris and shaped by the hands of former Shadow Vaelora.
That link to the Vaelora made him resilient and capable of existing in multiple realms, in multiple forms, but he was truly meant to reside here.
We had that in common.
And I wasn’t sure I was ready to venture back into the light of Soltaris, with or without him.
But it was looking as though we might not have a choice.
“Let’s see what information we can gather about this grove, then,” said my brother with a pointed look in Eamon’s direction. “If some of us have to pay a visit to the Above, then so be it. But no decisions need to be made tonight.”
The discussion continued for several more minutes, but everyone ultimately agreed with my brother’s plan.
I knew they were right not to rush into Soltaris unprepared.
Still, I hated the idea of waiting. Whatever had to be done, I just wanted to get it over with.
The others dismissed themselves one by one.
Phantom followed Eamon out—likely to go pay a visit to Eamon’s little sister, Brynn, who was notorious for spoiling him with treats.
I couldn’t find the energy to get up myself.
Aleks fixed me with a lingering, concerned look as he started to leave with his cousin, but I waved him on.
My brother and I were soon alone in the courtyard.
To my surprise, Bastian didn’t insist on talking more about our plans, or lecturing me about any of the latest rash decisions I’d made.
We sat together for another hour, mostly in comfortable silence.
He pulled weeds from the beds of white and silver flowers, muttering occasionally to himself.
His focus remained razor-sharp even as the hour grew late, but I nearly dozed off watching the moths fluttering around the torches by the gate.
Finally, I peeled myself off my chair and trundled back inside, heading for my room. I’d nearly made it to my hall when I heard Eamon’s voice calling my name.
I didn’t want to stop walking. I just wanted to collapse face first into my bed and ignore all of the questions and uncertainties circling us.
Plus, I had a bad feeling I knew what he wanted to talk about.
Steeling myself, I turned to meet him, all the same. “What is it, Eamon?”
“There’s something else I think we need to discuss, regarding what happened in Midna.”
I kept my face as impassive as I could.
“I didn’t want to mention it in front of all the others, but…”
“But what?”
“It’s about Aleks.”
“What about him?” The words came out harsher than I meant them to.
He was unfazed by my tone, his own voice calm and deliberate as he said, “A sentier is an echo of the most powerful magic any Vaelora has ever been capable of. And he destroyed the one in that palace with hardly any effort at all.”
“So?”
“So, he shouldn’t have been able to do that, Nova.
Not if he’s merely a hollowed-out victim that slipped out of Lorien’s hold.
That sort of skill lies with the Vaelora alone—only one of their own could unravel such a creature.
And even then, I wouldn’t think a Vaelora of the Light persuasion would be able to undo a divine Shadow creature so easily.
Which means something is making Aleksander more powerful than he should be.
And something about the alignment of that power seems… off.”
I thought, unwillingly, of the encounter with Lord Renvar. Of how Aleksander’s magic had seemed alarmingly powerful then, too.
Eamon’s expression darkened. “There may be more of Lorien still clinging to him than we’d hoped. That, or something else is going on. Something stranger. I just…I just want you to be careful around him, that’s all.”
“I can read the energy of objects and organisms,” I reminded him. “And I know what Aleks and his magic feel like; I know these things better than I know myself.”
“Magic can play tricks.”
“Yes, but he’s proven strong enough to break through in the past,” I insisted. “He wouldn’t let Lorien play such a trick on me. I can tell the difference between the two of them.”
“I hope you’re right.” I could tell he didn’t think I was right at all. “But…remain cautious.”
“I will.” I tried to keep the bitterness from my voice, knowing he was only trying to look out for me. “Thank you.”
He gave a respectful dip of his head before walking away.
I stood alone in the hallway for a long moment, willing the tension out of my body through several deep breaths.
I wanted to believe I was right. That there was no chance Aleks wouldn’t find a way to warn me if he posed any danger to me or to all the others I cared about.
But what if I was wrong?
And what if I didn’t realize it until it was too late?
What if he didn’t realize it?
I leaned against the wall, clenching my fist and knocking it against the plaster in frustration.
The more I thought about it, the more it seemed like the only way to be certain Lorien no longer had a hold on Aleks was to put that bastard back in his own respective body.
Then I could deal with him on a leveled playing field—no more guessing or worrying about who I was actually fighting.
I made it to my room but hesitated with my hand on the doorknob.
I was far too restless to sleep.
Aleks had walked away with Zayn, but that had been some time ago; hopefully, he was back in his room by this point.
Without a second thought, I decided to find out.
As I drew closer to that room, I felt his presence without even trying; it washed over me like a sudden burst of sunlight in the middle of a dreary winter day. It stood out within the dark halls of this palace in a way I’d never really noticed before.
Had it always been so easy to feel him?
Or was this another facet of his apparently unexplainable, stronger magic?
His door opened before I had a chance to knock, and there he stood, shirtless, with his pants hanging low on his hips. He didn’t look at all surprised to see me. Butterflies fluttered in my stomach, though all my questions and anxious thoughts weighed down their flight.
“I sensed you coming,” he said.
“Is that why you’re half-naked? Because you were preparing for me?”
“I was preparing for a bath, actually.” He gave me a sly grin. “Though you’re welcome to join, of course.”
Heat flooded me, but I shook my head and told him, “I know of someplace better to take a bath.”
He arched a brow, a curious gleam in his golden eyes. He shrugged back into his shirt, leaving it casually loose and partially unbuttoned. “Lead the way, then.”
I took him to the thermal pools beneath the palace.
“These were once the center of all royal socialization in Rivenholt,” I informed him as we wound our way through steam-filled paths.
Our hands were clasped together, our skin growing damp and lungs growing heavy from the humid air.
“Several of the more private pools were sacred meeting and mediation spots, where rulers would apparently go to try and feel closer to all the divine beings who shaped our world. So, I’m probably violating all sorts of protocol and sacred tradition, bringing royalty from Soltaris down here. But, oh well.”
“It isn’t as though I have much claim to Soltaris anymore.”
“I suppose that’s true.” I mirrored the wry grin he gave me, though my chest tightened when I thought of what had become of our respective kingdoms in the Above. “Either way, it’s not the worst thing I’ve done as the would-be Queen of Rivenholt.”
I lost my bearings at some point, too distracted by other thoughts, and the path we were following ended up bringing us to a dead-end—a small, cave-like room barely large enough to fit us both.
Small as it was, there was an impressive display of art etched into the rock that made us both stop and stare.
I recognized some of the symbols and the inscriptions carved beneath them—the insignia of various noble houses that had enjoyed power throughout the history of Noctaris.
This particular cove seemed to be a visual record of a treaty agreed upon by several of those houses, however long ago.
“It’s haunting to think about all the ones who came before us, isn’t it?” I asked, tracing the time-worn carvings.