Chapter 29
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Gray
Old paper, perhaps parchment, rustled in my ears, and dust tickled the back of my throat. Timelessness mixed with earthy richness tinged the air with ancient power. I’d never felt so small just standing in a place before.
Slate squeezed my hand at my side as I glanced around us.
We stood in a soaring stone room that stretched as high as a skyscraper.
Rows and rows of books lined the walls on wooden shelves, wrapping around us in an almost protective shield.
Something about the sheer mass of these books seemed to radiate power and strength, or maybe it was the contents they contained.
“Welcome to the Wind Kingdom,” Brecken said as he waited for Slate and me to finish taking in our surroundings.
“Care to explain to me what the Wind Kingdom is?” I asked, glancing at the strange man that Chrome had abruptly dumped me onto.
Brecken huffed. At nearly seven feet tall, he towered over us.
He lowered his bearded chin and shook his head in a disappointed manner.
His blond hair was pulled into a knot at the back of his head, displaying his pointed ears.
Thick beige robes draped over his broad shoulders, but black ink marked his neck with sigils.
“Such a shame. However, it is what we wanted, after all.”
I arched a brow in Slate’s direction, wondering what the hell we’d gotten ourselves into. Slate offered me a half-smile. “We’re safe. I promise.”
“No one can even see our home unless granted permission by our magic.” Brecken looked down at us. The energy radiating from his aura imposed his ancient authority. Like this library, he felt timeless. “No one can enter without my approval.”
“Ah, so like a glamour, then?” I asked.
“Partially,” Brecken said. “Your glamours are built from your specific energetic sources, correct?” When I nodded, he continued, “So only certain wielders, either Elemental and Kinetics, have the ability to construct shields and glamours dependent on the magic source?”
“Yes,” Slate and I both said simultaneously.
“We Druids draw our magic from the elements, but not in the same way your Elementals do. Our powers are granted to us by the gods—specifically, the gods that created Arcadia. While we have an affinity for one element over the others, we aren’t relegated to one specific element like Elementals.
We hold the ability to let the elemental energy flow through us as its conduit.
We have to ask for permission, and if granted, we are able to wield the gods’ energy at will. ”
The way that Brecken explained it made it seem like they had contracts laid out with these incorporeal gods. I doubted that was the case, but I had questions.
“Out of curiosity,” I asked, “why are Druids granted so much power? What makes Druids more special than Celestials?”
“We are not more powerful than any other being in Arcadia. However, our role is to protect the magic of the realm. We are to ensure that the light and dark aether remains balanced so all may flourish in our world.” Brecken adjusted his feet to stand shoulder-width apart, holding his wrists behind his back.
“Each being within Arcadia serves a purpose. Without one, the realm cannot withstand. I may not be fond of Celestials, but without them, Arcadia will permanently fall to the power of the Tempests.”
“Are there any Celestials still in existence?” I knew the answer, but I needed additional confirmation.
“There are—two. Well, technically, just one. And I’m looking at her now.” Brecken’s gaze didn’t waver from me, his eyes holding centuries of wisdom far beyond my comprehension.
“And the other was Chrome.” I swallowed. My heart stung at the use of the past tense. “Is there a way to restore him?” I hadn’t heard my voice sound so fragile since I was a teenager, with hope cracking in my words.
“No. He is forever gone, until his next lifetime. But in this one? He cannot be spared,” the Druid said with finality.
I wanted to argue, to deny it, but I pushed the urge down, refusing to appear petulant to such an ancient being.
“It’s beautiful here,” Slate said, sparing me from having to respond. “I’ve spent time at the Celestial Castle for the past few years and have learned a lot about the realm, but with the Syphon Bond affecting the land, I didn’t want to risk exploring too much.”
Brecken’s green eyes scanned the space around Slate’s body for several silent moments before he responded.
“You’re her Guardian.” For the first time since our arrival, the ancient man appeared surprised.
“This is the first lifetime that you’ve agreed.
In the past, you’ve refused on various accounts.
” Brecken’s dark lashes brushed against his high cheekbones before he took in a deep breath.
When he opened his eyes, the green within them sparkled just a tad more, the faintest of smiles accompanying them. “We may have hope for Arcadia yet.”
Slate and I were exhausted, and Brecken seemed to know it without either of us having to say anything.
I assumed it was due to the range of his abilities that he could somehow sense our energy.
Either way, I was too wiped to really care or question him as he led us up a limestone stairwell to the guest quarters where we’d be sleeping.
I was almost too sleepy to acknowledge the space around us as we began our climb.
Hanging moss blanketed the stone walls, while thick wooden limbs served as rafters above.
The narrow spiral staircase led upward until my legs wobbled from the lactic acid.
Fucking hell, these stairs were steep. And dangerous.
The stone steps were uneven, curving higher and higher into what felt like the clouds. My body had officially tapped out.
“Please tell me you don’t have princesses or anything walking up these deathtraps called stairs in high heels and a dress,” I grumbled to Brecken before me.
“Of course not. Our women don’t wear dresses, and our men protect them, even from treacherous steps, which are by design, by the way. They serve to slow any invaders if they were to ever get past the wards,” he said without looking over his shoulder or slowing his pace.
“Well, that’s nice, yet kind of insulting in a way. So you think women are clumsy and can’t handle a flight of steps with grace?” I asked, somewhat offended by the conflicting scenario.
Brecken grunted. “Trust me, our women are anything but clumsy. They’re warriors like the rest of us. But regardless, we value and cherish them. Without our women, we’d be nothing.”
I tripped up a step at his statement, my heart twisting at the sad but beautiful reality that there were societies out there in the world that didn’t see women as less than or weak. How did one begin to instill such a value into a group of people without causing resistance?
An arm wrapped tightly around my waist, followed by a strong torso pressing firmly against my back. “I got you,” Slate whispered into the top of my head. My heart hammered, and once again, guilt writhed wildly in my chest.
I steadied myself, carefully placing my shaky hand against the stone wall, trying to avoid touching him. “Thank you,” I replied before carrying on up the stairs.
How many more steps could there possibly be to reach the guest quarters? And a better question, how the fuck was I going to make it back down these bastards tomorrow without plunging to my death? Heels or no heels.
The answer to the question came a minute later when Brecken stepped off the stairwell onto a landing.
It was carpeted with bright, vibrant reds and contrasting blacks, and like the stairs, the walls were covered in shrubbery.
Small orange orbs floated above the hallway, illuminating the walkway and the doors.
Upon closer inspection, I realized they were small flames, like those of fire Elementals.
These seemed to glow a bit brighter, and I couldn’t put a finger on how or why they were so different, both in their energy and output. “Follow me,” Brecken said.
I trudged after Brecken, Slate trailing close behind me.
A few doors down, he stopped before an arched doorway.
Beautifully detailed designs were carved into the stone frame.
What appeared to be symbols of some sort lined the wooden door in the stone, and I wanted to ask what they meant, but tiredness won out.
The only things I craved were a bed and sleep.
“This is your room, Your Majesty. Forgive me for our ill preparation; we weren’t expecting you today.
Until we can arrange for the royal quarters to be properly cleaned and prepared, this will have to be where you sleep.
” Brecken stepped forward and, with a wave of his front two fingers, wove intricate patterns through the air.
A pale, blue light cast from his palm, leaving thin lines behind that showed his design.
With a click, the door unlocked and then opened on its own.
I glanced at Slate, who appeared unsurprised, casting me a knowing smirk. “Uhm,” I started, confused by a multitude of things that just transpired. “I appreciate your respect, but I’m not a queen here. At least, not your queen, so there is no need to go out of your way for me.”
Brecken tilted his head to the side. “You’re the true Celestial Queen.
The Celestial throne is yours not only by birthright, but on a spiritual level.
Chrome is meant to share it with you, but you are the true leader.
You may not be a Druid Queen, but our people have always been allied, despite our differences.
Honor and respect are our highest values. Without that, we stand for nothing.”