Chapter 23 #2
We get to a forest with thin trees spaced far apart, from where I can hear the ocean roaring. Azur leads us to a clearing, where he pierces the tip of his finger, then rubs it on something invisible, and a fence surrounding a large wooden house appears.
We’re by a gate with a plaque with the drawing of an eye and a drop of blood, and for some reason I chuckle. “How fancy, you have royalty blood.”
Azur rolls his eyes. “Like I said, my family had access to this house.”
His family. Perhaps he does descend from some kind of royalty. Astra’s question on whether he’ll explain this house makes sense now, and I realize then that she might know who he is. I suppose I’ll have to ask her later.
We cross the gate, Azur opens the door to the house, and where I expected dust and dirt, I see the interior of a cabin with clean chairs, a sitting room, and a large kitchen with three tables.
A staircase leads to the upper floor, where there is a corridor with doors, I suppose leading to the bedrooms.
There’s no doubt that this is some kind of royal hideout, in fact quite similar to the one on the Queen’s River. The only thing I’m wondering is to which court Azur belongs. But I also want to understand the deal with the Sea Court.
“Right, so what happened?” I ask.
“Hang on,” Lidiane says, then pulls her transcending note, and her eyes widen.
“What’s wrong?” I ask.
“Renel, Tarlia, and Ziven. They’re fine now,” she says. “But they faced the Witch King.”
I’m horrified. “What? Where?”
“The Misty Court. But they escaped. They’re now by the Queen’s River, near a circle further west than the island.”
“I’ll get them,” Azur says.
“Would you know where they are?” Lidiane asks.
“I’ll find them.” He kisses her lips briefly, then disappears.
Nelsin grimaces. “How did the Witch King cross the Charmed River? And even if he walked there, how did he get so far south?”
Shit. I think I know the answer. “Crisine was in his prison. She was a good transcender. I guess he did absorb her magic.”
I feel Astra catching a breath. “So he could go anywhere.”
Ferer looks around. “Is this house really warded?”
“Nobody knows we’re here, so…” I don’t even know what I’m saying. “Let’s hope for the best.”
ZIVEN
The cool night air makes me shiver, or maybe it’s the memory of the Witch King and his cruel face becoming ice in front of me. I still can’t believe I did that. Can’t believe it worked—partly, at least.
Renel hugs Tarlia, and then I look around to see if there’s a rock where I can sit, feeling oddly awkward, and not willing to face Mirella.
A thud behind me makes me turn, my heart beating fast.
My shoulders sag when I realize it’s Azur, except that he notices Mirella and his body turns rigid at once.
“Why is she here?”
“She’s with us,” I say.
Azur glares at Mirella, who shows the palms of her hands. “The reason I followed Zorwal was to try to defeat him. I wasn’t working with him willingly.”
His stare doesn’t change. “Really? And does that wipe away all your years of cruelty? Your mockery?”
She steps back. “I never did anything to you.”
“You never even directed a word at me because I was too beneath you. But you know what? I wasn’t beneath you enough not to see the way you taunted others, the way you tormented Renel.”
Renel waves a hand. “Come on, now. As if you cared.”
“I do care,” Azur says. “Cruel people will be cruel. I won’t take her.”
I don’t think it’s fair, and say, “You can’t blame her for what she did as a child, when her mind was poisoned by Zorwal and who knows who else. Whatever she did, she more than paid for it, and she’s not the same person.”
Azur tilts his head and narrows his eyes, as if it could help him see through her. “Is that so? Tell me, Mirella, are you a different person?”
She looks down, then faces him. “I think I am.”
“Why? What changed?” There’s a certain edge of mockery in his tone that I don’t like.
“I spent years on that dreadful island. Years. I didn’t hate being a bird, or monster bird. It felt good. But the loneliness…” She closes her eyes, perhaps unable to continue.
Azur raises a hand. “Oh, but that’s not an excuse. Cruelty can be quite a social activity, you see? You get to join others who are just as cruel as you, and then delight in terrorizing those you consider inferior. It can be quite a bonding experience. Isn’t that how you bonded with Marlak?”
She shakes her head. “We practiced magic together. That’s how we bonded.”
Azur sneers. “Yes. I saw you practicing quite a lot, practicing suffocating Renel—or making him float. Either him or some lower fae.”
Mirella takes a deep breath. “Fine, you don’t need to take me. Can you just tell Marlak where I am? And that I was never his enemy?”
“No.” I take her hand. “I’ll stay with you. We can go somewhere else.”
Azur shrugs. “That works.”
“No!” Tarlia steps close to Azur. “The Witch King is out there. Zorwal’s his accomplice, and she defied him. She could be in danger too.”
Azur closes his eyes. “The island’s compromised. Everyone’s at a house that’s connected to my family, and I don’t want her there.”
Mirella extends her hand. “Let’s make a deal. I can promise whatever you want. I need to see my brother.”
Azur points at Renel. “Look. Your brother’s right here. The way you pretend only Marlak is your brother also disgusts me.”
Renel shrugs. “I don’t care, and don’t want anyone upset on my behalf. Especially you.”
Azur frowns and asks Renel, “Really? You want me to take her to my house?”
“She did help Tarlia escape. Regardless, aren’t you glad you don’t need to listen to my opinion anymore?”
“I’m more than thrilled,” Azur says, then glares at Mirella, and extends a hand. “Promise you won’t use your magic against me or Renel, and that you won’t try to contact Zorwal.”
She takes his hand. “I promise.”
He glances at Renel. “Don’t make me regret this.”
“Me?” Renel points at himself. “What did I do?”
Azur huffs. “Let’s go.”
The ground before me disappears, and then I fall onto something. Wooden floorboards. Mirella pulls me up, a small smile lighting up her face.
I’m about to thank her, when she sees Marlak and runs to him, and they embrace. I notice that I’m in a large wooden house with two floors, then look at the siblings embracing again. Mirella has tears in her eyes, and so does Marlak.
I remember when we traveled to the Icy Lands, all his desperation to rescue her, his relief when he found out she was alive. At last, they’re reunited, after more than twelve years apart. It’s the kind of joy that’s contagious, that warms my heart and almost brings tears to my eyes.
And yet the old habit of observing, noticing, hasn’t left me, so I look at the room. Azur is looking at Lidiane, while most of the others stare at the pair of siblings with a similar emotion as mine. Then I notice Renel, his lips parted, a tear running down his face, but it’s not the same emotion.
It’s not joy, but it’s not anger either. It must be some deep, buried feeling that’s surfacing. He turns around and walks outside. I want to follow him, but hesitate. Indeed I see Tarlia walking outside, and decide she’ll probably be a better person to talk to him.
For so many years I wished I had siblings, a bigger family, but the truth is that a family can be quite thorny and complicated.
RENEL
Of course I’m happy Mirella’s back. I’m happy she’s been reunited with her beloved brother. And yet.
For a second, I’m a child again, feeling like there’s a glass between me and my brother. I can see through it, but he doesn’t see me. I can call him, but he can’t hear me. I’m invisible. Silenced. Forgotten.
I walk outside the house, and for some reason the memory that comes to me is my mother, always telling me that I was just as special as Marlak. Just as special as anyone. But she’s gone, and thinking about her opens that old hole that always wants to devour me.
Special was not something I ever felt like, and I don’t know if I even wanted that. But it’s not that I wasn’t special, but that I was less than special, the other, the forgotten one, or the hurdle.
The king favored my brother and cast me aside, but I hated that king anyway.
What hurt was to see my brother casting me aside.
It shouldn’t hurt anymore, when I spent years sitting on the throne that should be his.
My share of revenge should have filled the void—except that it never did.
If anything, it only dug an even deeper hole.
I take a deep breath and look around. The outside of this house has a garden encircled by stones, some of them warded.
Meanwhile, the ocean roars not far from here, while my head buzzes.
I’m such an idiot. Why should I care if Marlak and Mirella adore each other while they hate me? Do I even like them?
“Renel.”
I turn and see Tarlia looking at me, so insanely beautiful under the stars, lit only by the faint glow of the moon. Now my tears feel truly ridiculous, and I chuckle. “Dust can get in the eyes, you know?”
She approaches me and places a calming hand on my arm. “It does. It’s why it’s good to shed some tears and get rid of some old dust.”
At least she makes me smile. Why should I even care about what Marlak thinks?
The door of the house opens, and I scowl wondering why my brother decided to follow me. But it’s not him—it’s worse.
I huff. “Oh, leave me.”
Azur walks toward us, wearing what looks like a brand new black hat. “Are you all right?”
“The ghouls didn’t kill me, so I’m great.”
Tarlia squeezes my hand and says, “I’ll go inside.”
She runs in before I can ask her to stay, leaving me here alone with Azur.
I glare at him. “What do you want?”
“I…” He presses his lips together and looks down. “You asked me to bring her.”