Chapter 9
Briar
“I am surprised you haven’t brought up training with the other Courts again,” Sawyer said as Briar sat with his brother on the banks of Anahita’s Springs.
The water was said to be blessed by the goddess, and it was where the Water Fae imbued weapons with magic.
Not only water magic. Any weapon could be imbued here.
The element of the Fae dipping the weapon into the waters determined what magic would imbue the weapon.
The Springs were also connected to Briar and Sawyer, the only two known Water Gazers in the realm.
“No one seemed keen on the idea,” Briar mused, watching the images in the water before them.
Of course he’d come here with the intention of seeing if Ashtine was in her catacomb nook, but Sawyer had already been here.
He wasn’t about to send his brother away.
This was the one place they both felt connected to their parents.
Their mother had been a powerful water Fae, but it was their father who had been the Water Gazer.
It was hard enough for Fae to conceive one child, let alone two.
Both of those children receiving the Water Gazer gift contributed to the idea that the Drayce bloodline was blessed and favored by Anahita.
He’d also come here because there was a storm blowing in from the north, and the Springs were more sheltered from the elements.
“Right. It has nothing to do with the fact that you stopped visiting the Wind Court,” Sawyer said, drawing his own enchantment to change the view he was watching in the water.
“What do you want me to say, Sawyer?” Briar asked.
His brother shrugged. “Thought maybe you’d want to talk about it. Sorin is … unavailable, and you’ve been preoccupied. Not to mention that for weeks you’ve been going to the same place on the beach every morning before dawn.”
“Your spying habit is becoming annoying,” Briar muttered.
“You’re just jealous because it’s easier for me,” Sawyer replied, pulling the small mirror from his pocket.
It had belonged to their father, and Sawyer had been enamored with it as a youngling.
It had only seemed fitting that Sawyer have it when their parents were killed, but the mirror was imbued with the power of the Springs.
Their father always told them the goddess herself had given it to the first Drayce Water Prince. That was the legend anyway.
“Either way, I thought I’d let everyone sit with the idea for a while before bringing it up again. I still believe it would be a good idea,” Briar said.
“Quit trying to change the subject,” Sawyer said, dipping a hand into the Springs and letting water pool in his palm. “Tell me about the Wind Princess.”
“There is nothing to tell.”
And that was the truth, as far as he knew.
Sure, he could tell his brother about a kiss that happened over a month ago, but what was the point when it had meant nothing?
At least to her. That was clear by the fact that she never showed on the beach, but he still waited, night after night, despite knowing it was likely pointless.
Ashtine wasn’t wrong. A relationship would break laws of old and likely incite the wrath of the gods.
She wouldn’t risk that. He shouldn’t either, but that didn’t stop him from replaying the kiss over and over.
Each day, the memory of how it felt to touch her faded a little more, and he found himself desperate to preserve it.
He hated that if they were anyone else, no one would care.
He’d spent time with plenty of females. But because of their godsdamn titles, the mere act of spending time together caused speculation.
Sure, the speculations were true, but that was beside the point.
“Fuck!” Briar shouted as something icy hit him right in the face. He lurched to his feet, finding his brother laughing. Looking down, he found the snowball already melting in the summer heat. “Ass,” he muttered, wiping at his face.
“It is rude to ignore someone when in their company,” Sawyer replied, scooping more water and freezing it to snow.
“I swear to Anahita, Sawyer, if you throw that at me—”
But they were cut off by the piercing cry of a hawk.
A cry he knew.
“Is that—”
“Yes, it is,” Briar interrupted, trying to see through the trees that kept the Springs secluded.
What would Nasima be doing here unless Ashtine was with her? But he would have felt her cross the wards.
The hawk finally broke through, gliding above the small body of water in tight circles. Her wings brushed the surface, sending rings rippling to the edges as she screeched another cry.
“I have never seen her apart from Princess Evermorn,” Sawyer said, almost in awe.
“It is rare,” Briar agreed, but something wasn’t right. He could feel it in the way Nasima circled again, her cries almost desperate. Without thinking, he raised an arm. The silver hawk immediately flew to him, taloned feet wrapping around his forearm.
“Briar …” Sawyer trailed off, staring at him. “Tell me again how you haven’t been spending time with the Wind Princess.”
“I haven’t seen her in weeks.”
“That doesn’t erase the past.”
“Nothing has happened,” Briar retorted.
“That doesn’t erase the wish that something had,” Sawyer countered. He said it softly, almost gently.
But this had nothing to do with wants or desires. Something was wrong, and he’d promised Ashtine he would always be there. With her. For her.
It wasn’t even a question when he conjured a water portal, stepping through to the same place he had a few months ago.
There was no hesitation this time. No trepidation or overthinking what he was doing as he strode across the bridge and up the Citadel steps.
And just like the time before, the door was opened by Sion.
“Prince Drayce. Sawyer,” the Wind General said, his features grim.
It was only then that Briar registered how godsdamn windy it was here.
Sure, it was the Wind Court, but these were brutal gusts.
He suddenly wondered how he hadn’t been tossed right off the bridge and into the chasm it spanned.
The clouds swirled just as violently, and Nasima loosed another cry as she battled against the gales, taking to the sky.
Sion stepped aside, letting them in. Briar hadn’t even thought about Sawyer following him, but he should have expected it.
“This is not a good time,” Sion said, shutting out the raging wind.
“Where is she?” Briar demanded.
“You really need to make appointments for these meetings, Prince,” Sion tried again.
“Noted. Where the fuck is she?”
Sion straightened at the tone, instinctively going into a defensive position. His hand twitched toward a blade strapped to his waist, and his features hardened. “She is not available right now. I can send word when she is feeling better.”
“No. Take me to her. It is not a request, Sion. Take me to Ashtine now,” Briar snapped, the temperature in the foyer dropping dramatically.
“Briar, calm down,” Sawyer murmured, bringing a hand to Briar’s shoulder. A little louder, he added, “Nasima came to fetch him, Sion.”
“What the fuck is going on?” Renly demanded, coming up behind Sion. His glare was enough to make any other Fae shrink back as air swirled at his fingertips. “The princess is unavailable. Surely Sion told you this.”
“He did. I did not care. Take me to her,” Briar answered. “Or I will find her myself.”
“They claim Nasima summoned them here,” Sion cut in, eyeing the Drayce brothers.
“Bullshit,” Renly spat. “I know you are a Fae Prince, but that does not mean you get to come to another Court and make demands. The princess is unavailable. If you take one step more into this Citadel, I will assume you are here to harm her and act accordingly.”
“You cannot be serious,” Briar snarled.
Sawyer’s grip on his shoulder tightened. “Do not start a conflict here, Briar.”
“There will be no conflict as long as I can lay eyes on her,” he bit back. “If not her, then take me to Ermir.”
“He cannot leave her side—” Renly started, but a faint flash of light cut him off.
When it faded, Abrax stood between the Water Fae and Wind Fae.
He reared up, Renly and Sion both cursing as they lurched out of the way, but Briar was already moving.
His own water magic propelled him up, and he was scarcely astride the spirit animal when the horse bolted forward.
Staff cried out and jumped aside as they moved through the Citadel.
If he wasn’t so focused on seeing Ashtine, he’d find the scene comical.
A horse galloping through the halls of a palace.
Two Fae scrambled to open the doors that led to the grounds behind the Citadel, and Abrax burst through. Briar didn’t question how he knew where to go. He was too busy using his power to stay astride now that he was back out in the swirling winds.
Abrax skidded to a halt at the base of steep stairs that climbed up a cliff side and into the dark clouds.
Briar knew that at the top of those steps was a courtyard that was believed to be as blessed as Anahita’s Springs.
Skystone was found there. Stone that was said to be wind-kissed by Sefarina.
Briar had never been inside the courtyards.
In fact, the base of these steps was the closest he’d ever been.
Nasima’s cry carried to him again, and it spurred him into motion.
He took the steps two at a time, praying to the gods he wouldn’t lose his footing.
The climb took longer than he would have liked, and the gusting winds didn’t help matters.
He was out of breath when he reached the top, but he found Ermir there, standing outside the archway that was the entrance to the courtyard.
The air around them turned so cold, Briar could see his breath. He wasn’t sure if it was the wind raging or his own fury.
“Why are you not with her?” Briar demanded, staring at the Wind Court Second.