31. Thirty-One
When I wake up the next morning, Eris is already gone, probably needing to take another dose of disimulo before her true appearance is made known, and I”m left to figure out what I”m going to do with my day. Eris and I stayed up entirely too late last night and quite frankly, she now knows more about what transpired between Atlas and I than a third party should. After verbally reliving my encounter with him, all I want is to see him again, but I have no idea where his room is, and it would be insane of me to knock on every door until I found his.
So, instead, I take a nice warm bath before dressing for the day. As much as I”m dreading facing the Basilius family at breakfast, I will have to do it eventually. So, I slip on my shoes and as I tie them, there”s a knock on my bedroom door. My quarters seem to be a very popular destination. Whoever is on the other side better come bearing snacks.
I open the door and find Atlas standing in the threshold.
”Good morning,” he says, arms tucked behind his back.
”Good morning,” I offer in return, gripping the lip of the door to control myself from dragging him inside and having my way with him.
”I came to check on you,” he continues. ”I wanted to make sure you were feeling better after that fall.”
”Besides a small bump on my head and a lifetime of this one embarrassing moment to randomly plague me, I”m feeling much better.”
”Good.” He laughs. ”Are you up for a walk?”
”Only if you feed me,” I instill teasing in my tone, but I”m serious. If I don”t get something in my belly soon, I won”t be pleasant company.
With a smirk, he pulls his arms from behind his back revealing a plate of freshly baked, jelly-filled pastries with powdered sugar on top. My mouth instantly waters.
”I thought you might say that.” He extends the plate to me, and I quickly swipe a pastry and take an enormous bite.
”This is so good,” I moan through chews.
”Let”s go,” he motions for me to follow. ”You can eat on the way.”
When Atlas asked me to go for a walk, I expected to take a light stroll around the castle, but after thirty minutes, and no more pastries to be had, we”ve left the palace, and weaved through the city streets, until we find ourselves standing in front of an ancient temple overlooking the frosty lake. Opposed to the Bavan temple we had come across in disarray, this one is in perfect condition, matching the kingdom”s white stone, stained glass windows, and snow-covered rooftop aesthetic.
The moment Atlas tugs me inside the temple, I can sense Enver Sol strongly. It”s weird now knowing my affinity was given to me by my father. The longer I think about it, the more I”m touched by the thought that the Celestial hero who protected the realm from Drogon and his minions wants me to get to know him. To see what he saw and feel what he felt when visiting certain places. His presence was faint in Bava, but here in Elowen, his aura is so palpable, I feel as if he”s walking alongside me.
Atlas squeezes my hand as we trot through a wide hallway with arched ceilings. Every few feet, statues of kings, queens, scholars and mighty warriors line either side of the corridor. I don”t recognize any of them, but that doesn”t make any of them less significant.
Quietly, we follow the long passageway as it cuts to the right and my breath stills. At the end of the hallway, there is a statue I immediately recognize as Enver Sol. Atlas stops a few feet from the figure carved from white alabaster, but I keep walking until I”m face-to-face with him.
Even cut from stone, my father bears warm eyes and a kind smile. His hair rests just below his shoulders and if his height is accurately depicted, he”s tall. Perhaps, an inch or so taller than Atlas. His left hand catches my gaze. On his little finger is a signet ring bearing the sun that matches the same one I saw in the Midorian pool a couple of years ago. It finally clicks in my head that we call it the Celestial Pool and must have been constructed in honor of him.
I totally disregard the rules of not touching any of the statues and place my hand against his, allowing my thumb to skim over his signet ring. In a flash, he”s no longer made of stone. I can see his chocolate brown eyes twinkling, and his bright smile directed at me as he squeezes my hand in return. His dark hair flows as the sunbeams of his crown illuminates his brown skin. But in the blink of an eye, as fast as the vision came, it is gone. I withdraw my hand, placing it over his signet ring again and again and again, hoping to have one more encounter with him, but nothing happens. The sudden emptiness I feel sparks a panic deep within me and tears well in my eyes.
”Shaye?” Atlas slips his hand over my shoulder, drawing me from my unhinged thoughts. ”Is everything alright?”
I whip around and his eyes widen. ”I saw him. I saw Enver Sol.”
”I see him, too,” he says, and I shake my head in frustration.
”No, you don”t understand,” I huff. ”I saw him. The moment I touched his ring, he flashed before me, and I saw exactly what he looks like. I could feel his hand in mine.”
I can tell he”s trying to determine whether he believes me or not. The bump on my head might have him questioning my sanity, but after a moment of reflection he bobs his head. ”You saw him? As if you”re seeing me right now?”
”Yes, that”s what I”m trying to tell you.”
”Did you see anything else?” he asks.
”No,” I sigh, wishing there had been more to the vision. ”But the way he looked at me, with so much love and admiration…”
”There”s a looking glass in Orabelle where the Celestials are,” Atlas explains once I trail off. ”They can see what happens in this realm without having to be here.”
”How do you know that?” I ask.
”It”s common knowledge,” he says gently, as if tiptoeing around the fact that my education was sparse and littered with falsehoods. ”Just because Enver Sol closed the portals, doesn”t mean he can”t watch over us. Over you.”
The possibility that he”s been watching over me my entire life is slightly overwhelming. However, it explains the ability to sense him. He”s been leading me, showing me where to go, and he”s finally brought me home, to Elowen; to my mother.
A tear slips down my cheek and Atlas thumbs it away.
”Do you want to leave?” He dips his head to meet my line of sight. ”I didn”t realize bringing you here would make you cry. I thought you might want to see what he looked like. I”m so sor – ”
”Don”t,” I slip my arms around his neck. ”Don”t apologize,” I whisper and enjoy the gentle squeeze of his arms wrapped around my torso. ”I”m glad you brought me here.”
He doesn”t let me go until I initiate the separation and as I wipe my face clean with the handkerchief he offers, he says, ”If you”re still up for it, there”s something else I think you should see.”
I nod and silently follow him back through the temple and to the main square of the city. Whereas Bava is bright, colorful and lively, and Tronovia is cozy with an old-world charm, Elowen is nothing short of whimsical in a harsh yet elegant way. The roofs come to sharp points and each white building looks exactly like the next. Icicles dangle from the lip of the gutters and with the right sunlight beaming through them, little rainbows shimmer on the paved walkways.
We finally come to a stop in front of an elaborate mural where flowers are scattered along the bottom, some with cards attached. I stare up at the painting and see the Celestial sun with the Frost Elf star at its center.
”What does it mean?” I ask Atlas.
”The sun symbolizes Enver Sol and at the center is the Star of Elowen, symbolizing Sylvane Basilius.”
I turn to meet his gaze. ”What aren”t you saying?”
The corners of his eyes crinkle as he explains, ”This is a memorial.”
”For Enver Sol?”
”For you.”
”Me?”
He nods. ”Well, for the lost princess. The rumored child of Enver Sol and Sylvane Basilius who was snatched in the night and stolen from her home. The Frost Elves leave flowers here throughout the year to remember her, to offer their condolences, and unite in the hope that their lost princess will soon find her way back.”
I tear my eyes from his to examine the mural once more, but I”m not able to do that peacefully because I suddenly feel eyes on me. Dozens of Frost Elves have gathered around and are unabashedly watching me, whispering amongst themselves. Some are smiling, some are frowning, as if they are all trying to figure out if I”m the one they”ve been waiting for.
”Everyone is staring at me.” Alarm rises like bile in my throat.
”I know it”s off-putting when people stare, but give them grace,” he says softly. ”The princess they weren”t sure even existed has finally found her way home.” He grabs my hand and pulls me away from the square. ”Come on, let”s get you back to the castle before Nyx realizes you”re missing.”
”You didn”t tell Nyx where we were going?” I blurt. ”He”s going to be outside his mind with worry.”
”Serves him right.” Atlas doesn”t miss a beat. ”He should be more vigilant, if he is going to protect you from our enemies.”
”I”m safe here, Atlas.”
”Maybe, maybe not, but you know me,” he flashes a look over his shoulder at me. ”I”m always on high alert.”
Impulsively, I cut down an alley, dragging him along with me, and shove him against the wall. I slip my hands over his cheeks and slam my mouth against his. I sweep my tongue inside his mouth and nearly come undone when his fingers dig into my hips. I want to claw him out of his clothes but refrain, not wanting to add being-caught-having-sex-in-a-public-place to my ever-growing list of infractions against House Basilius.
”Well,” his voice is groggy when I reluctantly pull away, ”that was a nice surprise.” He smiles against my lips. ”What was that for?”
”I”ve been wanting to kiss you all morning,” I run my fingers through his hair. ”I haven”t stopped thinking about the cabin.”
”Is that so?”
”I”m not sure where you stand about us, but – ”
He presses his mouth against mine, swallowing what I am about to say. He lifts me up, allowing me to twist my legs around his torso, and turns to pin me against the stone wall. His tongue sweeps inside my mouth and wrenches a moan from me. The way his hands grip my hips sends my heart racing. He pulls back just enough to drag his face down to my neck, leaving a trail of hot kisses in his wake.
”I will never forget the feeling of my fingers buried inside of you or how you tasted,” he whispers, and my body goes taut. ”It took every bit of my will power not to come to your room last night and finish what we started in the cabin.”
”Let”s go back to my room now, then.”
”And forgo the rest of the tour?” He teases with a wicked smirk. ”There”s so much more I want to show you.” He nips at my earlobe.
”Show me later,” I insist, causing him to laugh. I slip down his body and take his hand in mine.
”I am finding it difficult to tell you no,” he sighs.
”Then say yes.”
With a reassuring squeeze, he tugs me back to the main street for us to return to the castle. My heart thrums inside my chest, anticipation growing with each step. Flashes of our time in the cabin play over and over again in my mind, and by the time we reach the palace foyer, I”m fighting the primitive urge to find the closest empty room and shove him inside. I want his lips and hands all over me. This time though, I want to feel every inch of him.
My skin prickles with rising gooseflesh knowing my quarters are just around the corner of this long hallway. Neither of us has said one word since we left the alley, and I can”t help but wonder if he”s having the same lustful thoughts that I am.
Almost there, just have to make this turn and –
I slam into someone rounding the other side and let out a small grunt from the unexpected contact.
”Excuse m –, ” The apology falls dead at my feet when I look up and see the person I ran into is none other than my mother. I”m not sure how to address her or what the customs are when running into a royal in Elowen, so I do what comes naturally. I dip my head and greet her, ”Good morning, Your Grace.”
She waves a hand, ”No need for all that frivolity. Although, I”m sure addressing me as mother would make you uncomfortable, so please, call me Sylvane.”
My eyes slide to Atlas standing beside me, but he offers me nothing in response. I refocus on Sylvane and smile. ”Sylvane it is then.”
”It”s fortuitous that I ran into you,” she says, securing her hands behind her back. ”I was just knocking at your door.”
”You came to see me?” I ask, and I don”t know why that surprises me.
She nods. ”I wanted to visit you last night, but I assumed you needed some space to process what happened in the throne room. My presence might not have been well-received or entertained, if I pushed you too far.”
Very astute of her. ”But today is different?”
She smiles and I can”t help but feel like I inherited that feature from her. ”The city is buzzing about you.”
”I noticed,” I huff.
”Once I heard you were up, I thought it would be a good chance for us to get to know one another.” She motions in the direction I just came from. ”I was hoping you”d accompany me. There”s something I”d like to show you.”
Although I haven”t picked up any suspicious or malicious vibes from her, mother or not, she”s still a stranger and I”m leery of putting unearned trust in her. It would certainly be ill-advised to go anywhere without some form of protection. I”m not exactly sure where Nyx is, but if she desires for me to go with her, she will have to include him in whatever activities she has planned for us.
”No offense,” I say as gently as possible to soften the potential blow, ”but I have learned my lesson about going anywhere without my bodyguard.”
She eyes me curiously before her steely grey gaze slides to Atlas. I realize too late she believes Atlas is my protector and when I open my mouth to clarify we would need to wait on Nyx, she says, ”No offense taken. You are wise to be cautious. After all, I”m still a stranger to you. Although it is frowned upon to allow outsiders to see what I am about to show you, as long as your security can keep his mouth shut, he may join us.”
”Agreed,” Atlas chimes in, clearly willing to go along with the charade.
Sylvane nods before taking off down the hallway, not looking back to see if we are following after her. Instead of going down the grand staircase to reach the foyer that leads to the city, Sylvane cuts to the right and traipses up the blue runner carpet that covers the center of the marble steps. I lose count of the levels once we pass the fifth flight and mentally thank Nyx for insisting on us incorporating cardio into our exercise regimen. Though my heart is pounding, and my knees are aching, Sylvane doesn”t look bothered whatsoever. Of course, she”s probably climbed these stairs hundreds, if not, thousands of times before.
I want so badly to ask her every question swimming in my head:
How old are you?
How did you meet my father?
What is your affinity?
How did you lose me?
Instead, I swallow each one of those impertinent questions, choosing to ask how much further we have to go like a petulant child, but a blast of cold air beats me to it. A sole guard patrolling the top level opens the door and we find ourselves on the castle rooftop. My mouth falls open when I see six enormous blue birds with silver armor fitted to their heads and feet, and leather saddles strapped to their backs, perched and ready for instructions. As one, the mighty fowls glance in our direction.
”What are those?” I ask aloud, not attempting to hide the wonder filling my chest.
Sylvane turns around and grins. ”These are Aviatas. Frost Elf warriors use them during battle or to patrol our borders, but today, we will use them as transportation.”
”Transportation?” My eyes widen. ”You mean, we are riding them?”
”Yes,” she says.
”Is this what you wanted to show me?” I ask. ”Because I don”t need to ride them – ”
”You have never flown before.” It”s as if she”s now realizing this isn”t a common thing but presses on despite that. ”As incredible as the Aviatas are, they are not what I wanted to show you.” She points to a snow-capped mountain in the near distance. ”They will fly us to Fendruil.”
”Fendruil?” I repeat. ”What”s over there?”
The playful twinkle in her eyes has me itching to see what secrets lay behind the mountain. ”I don”t want to spoil the surprise.”
I”m reluctant to trust a giant bird to fly me into the mountains, but the excitement of being airborne when most only dream of such a feeling has me ready to toss my inhibitions to the wind. Atlas slips his hand in mine and squeezes reassuringly. This must be just as frightening and exciting for him as it is for me, especially since he”s always wanted to ride dragons. Maybe this is just a taste of that childhood dream coming to fruition.
I watch Sylvane mount the Aviatas and it”s similar to getting into the saddle of a horse. I follow suit, ignoring the bird”s giant head swiveling to look at me. Once I”m seated in the saddle, I grab ahold of the reigns with a white-knuckle grip and prepare to launch. Honestly, nothing could have prepared me for it. The bird claws toward the end of the landing and lurches into the sky. I bite my lip, refusing to scream in fright, and jerk back when the Aviatas balances out and soars over the city toward the mountain. I dare a glance down, even though I probably shouldn”t, but I”m amazed to see how small everything looks from up here. The streets Atlas and I were just weaving in and out of are busier now, but the only Elves who pay us any mind are the children pointing at us with wide, wondrous grins.
The bird I”m riding flaps its wings and propels us higher. I keep my eyes pinned on the snow-capped mountains in front of me, narrowing my gaze to see if I spot where we might be going. It”s not until we fly a few more minutes that I start to make out a plateau in the rocky cliffside. Our birds speed toward it and come to a perched landing for us to dismount where four Frost Elf soldiers guard an enormous iron gate built into the mountainside.
Sylvane motions for us to follow her and as soon as the guards see her, they crank the door open for us to breeze through. Beyond the gate is a long tunnel carved into the mountain with torches to light our way. It”s so cold in this passageway that I shiver when the wind whistles throughs. Once the gate closes behind us, I see a white glow at the end of the pass, which keeps my claustrophobia at bay. Silently, the three of us trek down the hallway until we make it to the end. My eyes have to readjust to the light but once my sight is restored, I gasp, and I”m left with tears pricking the backs of my eyes.
The piercing roar of a white scaled dragon is what tips me over the edge, and then there”s no stopping the tears that slip down my cheeks. ”Dragons,” I whisper in awe.
My mother turns to me and smiles, slowly lifting her hand to wipe my tears away. Her touch is gentle, albeit tentative, but once she thumbs my cheek she confirms, ”Dragons.”