Chapter 11 Audryn
AUDRYN
We’d gotten a late start to the morning, and I was grateful for it.
The moment I woke, exhaustion hit me. I’d lain awake most of the night regretting the decision to turn away from Col and nearly convinced myself to knock on his door.
But when he didn’t look or speak to me at breakfast, I realized the night had ended exactly as it should have.
Black, rocky mountains drew closer as Dysis slowly circled down, and the others landed abruptly on the rugged terrain. We’d taken a different route to the seeps than we’d used to get to the castle. The trek provided a much grander view of the land.
Our slow descent gave me additional time to assess what I’d be working with.
Not only had I never seen an oil seep, but my family wasn’t wealthy enough to purchase crude or its byproducts.
I’d never considered how Rivale obtained the resource, though I was about to get an up-close look at its production.
A dozen people plus my co-travelers stood around an enormous black puddle, all staring into the abyss. Bands of iridescent color floated across the surface of the inky pool.
My wyvern landed softly, and I patted her neck in thanks. I wasn’t convinced she understood either my verbal or mental words, so I continued communicating my feelings through physical contact. If we were bees, perhaps I’d have performed a little dance to express my gratitude for keeping me alive.
“What’s the update?” Col asked nobody in particular.
“Same as a week ago—output is slow, but remains consistent,” the tan man replied.
“Has there been an increase at all?” The king’s jaw clenched.
The man shook his head and frowned at the seep.
“You all have the day off,” Col continued. “Go home, see your families, or relax in the bunkhouse—it’s up to you.”
They nodded, leaving the four of us alone. Col avoided my gaze and gestured for Amalee to follow him as he walked away. I looked at Fisher in question, but he merely shrugged. With hushed voices, Col spoke with his sister, who periodically glanced in my direction, her face remaining impassive.
“Okay,” Amalee said, returning. “Whatever you need today to get this seep working, let me know and I’ll get it for you.”
Zalzre, with his rider aboard, bolted into the sky.
“Where’s Col going?” My brows knitted. We both seemed to want to avoid an uncomfortable conversation, but I hadn’t expected him to leave me altogether. Even if I didn’t want to talk, I wished he had stayed close by.
“Col?” Fisher’s brow rose.
I fidgeted stupidly, and when his gaze shot down, I prepared for the admonishment.
“Where’s your ring?” the guard questioned.
“Should I have worn the enormous rock to work in oil?” I rolled my eyes and pulled my hair back into a low ponytail.
“Well, you’re wearing your mother’s necklace, so yes, you—” Fisher started.
“I don’t think you have any room to talk,” Amalee interrupted. “You showed up last night with my mother as your date, and yet you think you have a leg to stand on?” She cocked her head to the side. “Perhaps I should rot you, so you have no legs.”
“It was an interesting turn of events, Fisher.” I shifted a hand to my hip.
He blew out a breath. “It wasn’t like that. I was simply an escort so Athela didn’t have to attend alone.”
Amalee ignored the guard and returned her gaze to me. “What do you need to start?”
“Nothing—or at least I don’t think I do.” I knelt and dipped my palms into the dark liquid, letting it easily glide over the top of my hands.
Moving my fingers together, I rubbed the oil around.
It was different from what I’d expected; it was syrupy and thick like honey.
The smell wasn’t anything close to the sweet floral scent of flowers or the earthy scent of vegetables and fruit.
It wasn’t even the light scent of a rushing river or the thick smell of a morning after a heavy rain.
It was an unpleasant, pungent sulfur scent, likened to dozens of eggs rotting in a chicken coop.
I wiped a tainted hand on my pants, sat next to the enormous pool of goo, and pressed my palms into the rock.
The ground didn’t react the same as the soil in Rivale.
The stone was dense, and even the loose pebbles created compact layers that didn’t want to budge.
My magic poured in and the ground hummed with life, but it was only my magic reverberating back at me.
I removed my boots and socks. Standing near the pool, I attempted to ground further, but it was futile.
Plunging my hands in the crude in front of me, I strained to convince the flow to come to the surface, but if there was an increase, it was marginal at best. As the day faded and the sun dropped, I decided I’d had enough and moved to wade into the tepid liquid.
“Get out of there!” Fisher protested. “You’re going to ruin your clothes.”
Dysis lifted her head and shrieked at my guard in warning. I ignored his demands and cautiously shuffled the soles of my feet against the slippery stone.
The outer edge of the pool had started as only a few inches deep, but by the time I made it to the center, I was up to my waist in crude.
Helping the people was more important than any clothing I owned.
I’d already failed so spectacularly at growing fruits and vegetables, I couldn’t fail Col with the seeps as well.
“This is dangerous,” Fisher continued to admonish. “You’re risking both of our lives if Prince Sutton finds out you’re doing this.”
“You won’t tell him,” I said, smirking, “and neither will I.” The tar-like vapors crept into each crevice of my nose. I tilted my head back to draw in as much fresh air as possible.
I ignored the sound of wings beating in the distance and pushed myself to increase the flow. The smallest trickle escaped from the fractures at the bottom of the pool. But it didn’t matter—I had failed.
Distant wings turned to gusts above. “What the fuck are you doing?” Col’s words erupted just as haughty as Fisher’s. Zalzre landed nearby. The king dismounted and strode to the edge.
I rolled my eyes at him just before closing them.
Pushing my magic further into the seep, I demanded the crude to rise.
I unleashed my magic, bringing it nearly to the borders of my ability, but the oil refused to obey.
Maybe the issue was my magic instead of the crude.
Maybe the land finally found me unworthy enough to forsake me.
“You didn’t say she couldn’t get in,” Amalee mocked from the edge of the pool.
I opened my eyes and looked at the three people staring at me. “I’m sorry. I—I don’t know how to fix this.” I shook my head, feeling utterly inadequate.
“You only need more time. Today was your first attempt and—” Col started.
“I don’t want to give you false hope,” I interrupted and made my way to the edge. “You should’ve taken Ryder up on his offer. Maybe you can send a missive and still request someone else.”
“You’re the only one I want.” Col’s amber hues deepened to a rich brown as he offered me a hand.
Careful not to slip, I made my way out and avoided the gesture. “I’m sorry.” My eyes scanned between Col and his sister. “To both of you. I really thought I could help. I want to help, I just don’t know how.”
The king ran a hand over my cheek, and I flinched from the sting of his touch; the back of his hand moved to my forehead, and his brow furrowed.
My body and mind were both exhausted. Divine magic didn’t have an endless well to pull from, and the overuse not only took a toll on one’s physical health, but could kill someone altogether if not careful.
“Don’t touch her,” Fisher growled behind me.
“You’re warm.” Col ignored the guard and narrowed his eyes at me. “Have you had any water today? Food? Rest? Your cheeks are flushed.”
“She refused.” Amalee crossed her arms. “Every time I offered, she said no.”
Not only had I not taken a break, but I’d used more magic than I ever had.
“You’ve been in the sun all day and at a much higher altitude, yet you refused water?” Col turned his gaze to Fisher. “Why the fuck are you even here if you can’t keep her safe? I see not much has changed from your role in Rivale.”
“Hey!” I scowled. “Don’t blame him when you didn’t even stick around. You left!” He flinched at the bite of my words, and I saw the hurt flash across his face.
Amalee narrowed her eyes at me, and for a moment I thought she might rot my insides for targeting her brother. But she didn’t disagree with my assessment, and perhaps she held the same thought.
I stomped to Dysis, who had basked on her back for most of the day while Ralti flew off and returned periodically. “C’mon,” I muttered to the wyvern, prompting her to flip onto her stomach, “we’re leaving.”
She dipped her head, and I tried to climb up. But with the slickness of her skin and my crude-soaked pants, I slid down each time. It only took minutes before my burning thighs and arms prevented me from making further attempts.
“Didn’t think it all the way through, did you?” Fisher chided. “Bet you wish you had listened to me.”
“I’ve yet to ever think that! So don’t give yourself undeserved credit.” I sighed and sat on the ground, leaning my sweat-soaked back against the beast. Dysis blew a snot-filled huff out of her nose at the guard.
“So, you’re going to stay here until your clothes dry?” Fisher wiped his face. “Seems like a brilliant plan,” he mocked. “Maybe you’ll be ready by morning.”
I leaned my head back toward the twilight sky. The pink and orange hues beaming across were stunning.
In the distance, Col and Amalee spoke low, and from what I surmised by their gestures, the conversation wasn’t going well for either of them. Even they knew just how useless my magic was in fixing the issues their kingdom faced.
“Let’s go,” Col called out as he strode past me.
My eyes tracked him as he made his way to Zalzre, but I remained seated.
“C’mon, Guard.” Amalee gestured Fisher to Ralti. “I’d like to get back in time for dinner.”