16. Emilia
Chapter 16
Emilia
“ I ’ll kill her.” The warmth that overcomes me is the same feeling I get whenever Garrick stands up for me or Father gives me life advice. Milori barely knows me and wants to fight for me. It really is touching.
“That’s not necessary. How did you know something was wrong, anyway?” The thought had occurred to me that his being here meant he was either watching my movements or someone else was.
“Timas has a guard on you at all times. I was immediately informed when you left Lady Dahlia’s room in tears.”
How embarrassing! People were watching me have a mental breakdown. Sometimes, I wish I could crawl into a hole and hide. Leaving the door open, I turn and walk into the small space.
“Yes, well, I had a moment of complete panic and devastation, so tears were a necessary companion.”
Milori walks in and closes the door behind him.
“Lady Dahlia questioned why I wasn’t attending to her last night. Apparently, Sigrid’s excuse was insufficient to throw off her suspicion. She started putting together that I wasn’t always where I was supposed to be when I served her. I guess it was inevitable that I would lose my job. I’m thankful I haven’t been arrested for espionage. But the future of my father is… not promising.” Emotion tightens my throat despite the many tears I’ve cried already. Grabbing a few more articles of clothing, I put them in my bag.
“Timas will not be happy he caused this turn of events.” Quickly, I turn around to face him.
“No, this is not his fault. It’s mine. I should have stayed where I was. I should have focused on doing my job, not dreaming of what could be.” Milori stares at me thoughtfully. It doesn’t matter anymore. Everything is ruined, and I don’t know how to fix it. I need to speak to Garrick.
“I need to find Garrick. At the very least, he will know where I can stay until we come up with a plan.”
“I can see why you would go to Garrick for help first, but… if I may suggest, you should go to Timas first.”
“I think Timas has enough going on with the festival and being a King. He doesn’t need to be bothered by my issues.” Milori makes a sound of disbelief, shaking his head at me. I’m not sure what he expects of me–I’ve been doing this without much help for a long time.
“You still don’t understand. You are not a burden to Timas. You are his entire world. When we find the other half of our spirit, everything in our life pushes us to be intrinsically one. Everything he does from here on out is for you. Every second you are away from him, he thinks of you. Every smile you smile, he memorizes. Every laugh you laugh, he captures and plays again in his mind. Finding a spirit bond is coveted because it completes us so fully we can’t believe we lived without it. He has an Emilia-shaped hole that you fit perfectly in. Your problems are his problems, just like his will be yours. You will be partners, supporting and loving each other until the end of your lives.”
Every word he speaks is filled with so much emotion that it nearly brings me to tears. The longing in Milori’s eyes proves that this means more than I initially realized. I don’t think I truly understood what it was to have a spirit bond. Timas has shown me kindness and tenderness. He has shown me patience and understanding. All he has ever done is offer to help and be there for me, and I have run away. Maybe Milori is right. I know I can trust Timas–he will help me.
“Besides, if you think you are staying somewhere other than the palace, you have another thing coming. Timas will throw a fit even a small child couldn’t compete with.” I laugh, breaking the tension in the room. “You think I am joking? Timas once blew up a chair because the chef forgot to put vegetables on his dinner plate. Vegetables . He was going through that health phase, though." He shrugs like that is normal behaviour, but it just makes me laugh harder. I’m bent in half, clutching my stomach at the story’s absurdity, but I needed that. I needed a good laugh to push all the sadness away. After finally regaining my composure, I stand up and address the matter at hand .
“Ok Milori, take me to Timas. At some point, I will need to find Garrick, though. But I will speak with Timas first.”
Milori grabs my bag and opens the door. Two sentry guards quietly observe the hall from either side of the door. We exit and start walking down the hall, and both guards follow behind us.
“Um, Milori… why are those men following us?” I try to whisper my question, but one of the guards smiles. Because, of course, he heard me.
“They have followed you the entire time. You just never noticed.” Shocked, I look back at them. There’s nothing particularly eye-catching about them, but you would think I would notice them at some point, right?
“The moment Timas found you, you had a detail watching you to ensure your safety. Honestly, I’m surprised he wasn’t lurking around the corner himself, making sure you were well.”
For some reason, that makes me feel incredibly special.
“I’m a really terrible spy,” I mutter.
“I wasn’t going to say it, but…” I look up at him, slightly taken aback, to find he is just smiling down at me, trying to contain his laughter. He’s right, it is sort of funny. Shaking my head, I follow Milori through the halls of the palace. Milori leads me to Timas’ suite, which is set apart from where the human nobles have been staying. I can’t remember much from the last time I was here, as I was frantically trying to return to my duties. Lady Dahlia’s wing is nice, but this side seems extravagant. Periodically, there are domes on the ceiling, letting in the sun. It feels otherworldly, the colours that play off the walls and the floor. Vines hang from suspended pots, making the space feel natural as well. I think the walls are somehow covered in gold, too, unless that is paint? Maybe? Large wooden doors, at least the size of two regular doors each, come into view. If I remember correctly, those lead to Timas’ suite. Two guards are stationed on either side of the door. Both step up and open them as we get closer.
There is something so calming about being in Timas’ space. The doors to the balcony are open, showing a view of the continent. I can’t believe I can say, ‘I flew in through this window.’ My life has certainly taken an interesting turn lately.
“Timas is in a meeting and should be returning soon. Is there anything I can get you?” Milori stands in the middle of the room, observing me from afar. I shake my head and wander around the space.
“May I ask you something, Milori?” He clasps his hands behind his back and prepares himself.
“Of course.”
“Was it hard… moving here to the palace? Timas told me you didn’t grow up in Sonas. I wonder how different a simple life away from the city is to, well, all of this.” In quiet moments, I have often thought about what it would be like if father ever was saved and I had the freedom to choose Timas. I am no Queen. I barely know what is socially acceptable as a human. I was raised in an Orc clan, not a noble house.
“It was a change, though I wasn’t exactly welcome on the small island I lived on. My powers made me stand out, and the further from the city you get, the more judgment there is towards those who don’t fit in. The Fae work to live and sometimes it’s a harsh environment. Anyone who seems to have the upper hand in life is ostracized from the community, which is ironic, seeing as my mother was ostracized for falling in love with a ‘lowly farmer’.” He shifts his feet as he continues to reflect.
“I was lucky to have met Timas the first day I arrived in Sonas. To my ignorance, I insulted him, and we have been friends ever since. I still struggle with courtly intrigue and which fork to use, but it has become a place I consider home. I think time will do that–it will turn something new into something of comfort.”
He’s right. I felt isolated and alone when I first lived with the Orcs, but it became comfortable over time. It became my home. It was not the place necessarily, but the people that made it a home.
“Thank you.” He nods at me in response. Before I can ask another question, the doors fly open to the room, and standing in all his glory is Timas.
“My flower, what is wrong? What has happened?” I thought I had cried all I could, but I was wrong. Seeing the concern etched into his face made me feel it all over again. Within a moment, he was picking me up and wrapping me in his arms. I let go of all the sadness and fear lingering at the surface. I take in his strength to face the situation’s realities. His embrace feels safe, and I haven’t felt genuinely safe for so long. His hand wraps around my back while the other gently holds my head. He doesn’t say anything. He just holds me, which is the best thing he could have done.
“Thank you.” I mumble into his shoulder. He rubs a soothing hand up and down my back.
“Anything for you, my flower. Anything.”
Pulling back, I wipe a stray tear from my eye. Timas wipes away the other side.
“Now, what happened?” So he patiently listens while I recount the day’s happenings.
“I am so sorry, my darling.”
“What’s done is done, but I don’t know what to do next. At some point, Gormash will find out and we will have to face the fact that… that Father won’t survive this.” I choke on the last few words because it all feels pointless now.
“Come here.” He leads me to the plush lounge chair, which can seat two people. He sits down and pulls me to sit beside him.
“I have gathered some information on where your Father is and, as of this morning, I have a contact who can help get us into where he is. Of course I will, no doubt, have to agree to some conditions.”
Milori shifts at this new information. I don’t think he is aware of this latest development.
“Care to enlighten the group, Timas?” Miroi questions.
“Well, had my second in command been available this morning, he would already know, but I appreciate you making Emilia a priority instead. As an aside, one of our scouts is going to need to be re-trained or killed for his severe lack of ability to go unnoticed and instead get beaten down by a Southern Orc spy. I expect you to deal with that, Milori.”
Milori doesn’t say anything, but looks slightly shocked at the information. He simply nods.
“The Orc demanded an audience. It turns out the Southern Orc Chief would like to know how he can help in the rescue of your father, Emilia.” The mention of my chief doesn’t make sense. I was sure he was aware of what happened, but he didn’t reach out to help us or even send people to rescue father when he had the opportunity. A bubble of anger rises in me.
“My chief is obviously out for something else because there is no way this is out of the goodness of his heart. He never tried to help my father before. The only reason it has changed is because you are interested. I may have been raised among the Orcs, but they are a very self-centred race. So what does he want? Because whatever it is, he has no right to manipulate you.” The longer I speak, the more worked up I get. The smile on Timas’ face stops me in my tracks.
“What?”
“Are you afraid someone will take advantage of me? Are you worried about me?” I had to stop and think about that. Yes, I am worried about him. In the short time I have known him, I have started to care deeply for him. Part of me is concerned that this is the magical bond, but the other part of me knows that he didn’t rely on the bond to show me he cares. He has made an effort to get to know me outside of it .
“I suppose I am, yes….” I contemplate how to remove the smug smile from his face. He may have been fully on board with this, but I certainly wasn’t.
“I appreciate your concern, my flower, but I will be fine. This just forces us to act quicker than I was hoping.”
A knock sounds on the door, startling me and interrupting our conversation. Milori answers the door, and an angry voice comes from the other side.
“Where is my sister?” Garrick! He follows Milori into the room while Timas and I stand to meet them halfway. Timas has our fingers intertwined, which draws Garrick’s eye. A flush of heat covers my cheeks. I don’t know why I’m embarrassed. I’m a twenty-five-year-old woman, for goodness’ sake. Get it under control, Emilia.
“I’ve heard you are no longer employed with the Hemmet household.” Garrick looks at me, not with anger in his eyes, but with understanding and exhaustion.
“I tried to beg for my job, but she wouldn’t listen. There has to be another way to keep Gormash happy and his anger away from Father.”
“I think there is.” Garrick turns and sees the table full of fruit by the large open windows. He walks over and throws a few grapes into his mouth.
“Really? You’re just going to say that and fill your face with food? You Orcs are a special breed.” Milori crosses his arms and raises an eyebrow at my brother .
“Unlike your twig figure, this physique requires food, and seeing as I hiked through the whole city today, I think I can take a moment to eat a ‘dak’ grape.” My mouth falls open. What is happening here? Milori may be slimmer in form, but the man looks strong, and I know Garrick can see that.
“Thank you for the compliment. I have been working extra hard at getting the twig build.” No, seriously, what is happening? Are they becoming friends? It seems a strange way to become someone’s friend, but Garrick is odd, so I see it. Timas jumps in and redirects the conversation.
“So what do you mean? There is another way to appease Gormash?”
Garrick sniffs out the cheese platter on the table as well and grabs a handful, shovelling it into his mouth. He usually doesn’t eat like this unless he hasn’t had a meal in a day. Something else is going on here.
“Classy,” Milori mutters. Garrick stares at him, unflinching, chomping on the cheese.
“Our contact requested a meeting with me last night. I had to walk halfway across this island to meet him.”
“Why not take the grove lines?” Milori asks with genuine curiosity. What’s a grove line?
“What’s a grove line?” Great minds, Garrick.
“It is the system of transportation from the city of Sonas to the smaller villages around the island.” Stunned silence falls on us .
“I didn’t have to walk?!” Garrick throws his hands up in the air in exasperation. Shaking his head, he grabs another handful of grapes and throws them into his mouth.
“ANYWAY. Our contact informed me your assignment has changed.” Garrick continues, addressing me. “Somehow, they got wind of you being the spirit bond to the King of the Day Court. They want you to spy on him.” He points at Timas, which makes me stiffen. Garrick is far too relaxed, eating his fill of food while we are in a crisis.
“Why are you so calm, Garrick? Everything has changed! How do we know Gormash will keep to his end of the agreement, and how did Gormash find out about this,” I wave my hand between Timas and me, “because I only found out a couple of days ago.”
Garrick really looks at me, and for the first time, I think he can tell I am not alright. A headache starts at my temples, making me shut my eyes in frustration.
“Emmy, I’m sorry. I don’t mean to act like this doesn’t matter because it does. It's obvious you went through a lot this morning, and I’m sure this isn’t helping. I’m just… hungry.” I roll my eyes at that because he is always hungry.
“I figure this is better anyway, it’s obvious you enjoy being around Timas, and this way, you don’t have to pretend anymore. Lady Dahlia can clean her own underwear now.”
“Wow, so many things are wrong with that sentence. First, I never cleaned her underwear, that was not my job. Second, I refuse to spy on Timas—there has to be another way. ”
“I like this idea,” Timas says way too calm.
“Really? You do?”
“Yes. It means I can finally take care of you, give you all sorts of clothes and jewels, but most importantly, I can be seen with you and tell everyone I have finally found my spirit bond. It means the world to me that you would seek out my help-–I only wish to share with you everything I have, as the bonded do.”
“But then I’ll have to tell them things about you and… and I really don’t want to do that.” He grabs my free hand, looking down into my eyes.
“I know, my flower, and I love that you care for me, but this will buy us enough time to get into Ezuren and rescue your father. We can finish the Spring festival. I can present you to the Day Court people as my betrothed, and Gormash will be none the wiser. After the festival, we will head to the continent and find your father.”
My heart beats faster. I guess I knew he wanted to be bonded to me, but I didn’t think I needed to make a decision so quickly—to decide right now.
“But you barely know me. I understand the bond may be driving this, but isn’t it a bit, I don’t know, soon?” Timas looks over his shoulder at Milori and nods toward the door. Milori, understanding the unspoken words, walks over to Garrick and starts ushering him out of the room. Unsurprisingly, Garrick can carry a lot of food in his arms.
“I know this is hard for you to understand, but for me, you are, and will always be, the only person I want to be with. Yes, our magic finds the perfect person to complete our soul, but it also tells us there will be no other after this. When one of us dies, the other will follow shortly after because we are one. We will commit to each other eternally during the bonding ceremony before the sun. So yes, my darling Emilia, I want to be your bonded, and that won’t change tomorrow or one hundred years from now.”
“I’ll be dead by then,” I whisper. He speaks as if this bond will be the same as two Fae finding their spirit bond, but I’m afraid it won’t be so simple for us.
“You still do not understand. When we become one through the bonding ceremony, we will share not only this palace and the things within it, but also our lifespan. Or rather, you will take on a Fae lifespan to keep our souls united. There have been some instances in the past of a Fae and human bonding, and though we don’t fully understand how the magic works, a spirit-bonded pair will always join their lifespans. This is not the case for chosen bonds.”
“Ok,” I say, just above a whisper. I’m certain he heard me because he is grinning from ear to ear.
“So you will be my bonded, my darling Emilia? You will tie your life to mine for as long as we live?”
“Yes, Timas, I will become your bonded.” Sweeping me into his arms, he pulls me close and kisses me, one hand entwining itself in my hair as the other holds us close. Spinning me around, he seems to come alive. But the voice in the back of my head has doubts. Timas is sure he can save my father, but can he? Is this the right move to openly tell everyone I am the King of the Day Court’s spirit bond? What will the Fae people think? Though the moment feels special, this isn’t the end of our troubles…and an unsettling feeling tells me it won’t be as simple as announcing our betrothal.