Chapter 9 #2
“At least you put her in soul sleep.” Arielle’s tone was biting. She was a year older than Elariya but had more balls than most males who’d gone to war. “Though, I’m surprised you didn’t return to us wearing her skin.”
“Arielle, stop,” Bastian chided, tapping a tattooed finger on the table. Like a mediator, he always stepped in when she crossed the line with me. She listened to him. Sometimes.
“He needs her alive, remember,” Garrick taunted with a wicked smile.
Arielle cut him a hard stare before returning her gaze to me. Her long moon-white hair looked brighter against her vibrant blue eyes when she was angry. “How did you capture her?”
“Don’t worry, I assure you she felt no pain.” Only pleasure. Arielle would be appalled if she knew how I trapped the little mage. “And I do need her alive. Taking her skin would have most likely killed her. I haven’t met anyone who survived that, least of all someone who was part human.”
Arielle’s skin grew paler than its usual alabaster shade. I could tell she wanted to rip into me but was holding back, out of respect, or fear that I may do worse to Elariya.
Caring was supposed to be lost on me. The curse was supposed to have stripped away my capacity for caring, so I couldn't let Arielle suspect that something about Elariya made me hesitate.
I tore my gaze away from hers, refocusing on the serious nature of this mission. Everything hung on the balance of whatever happened next. Whatever information I could and would get from Elariya.
Only these four knew about my plans. I'd given the rest of the crew a basic cover story, so they knew nothing about the real mission. The fewer people who knew the truth, the better.
“As soon as we cross the Veil, I’ll pull our prisoner out of soul sleep and begin
the interrogation.”
“In what manner, brother?” Alaric asked.
He didn’t say it outright, but I knew what he meant. He was wondering if I’d
treat her like the rebel and leave her torn apart, screaming and begging.
“I’ll do whatever I see fit.”
“She’s half human. She may not survive whatever you deem fit. We can’t go around killing humans.”
“Then she’d better tell me what I need to know.” I bit down hard on my back teeth, trying to control the tension that roiled within me. Things were complicated enough without my brother pointing out the obvious.
“Something just doesn’t add up,” Bastian cut in, his expression pensive. “I never expected you to find someone like her. And in the human realm?”
“I know, but the wraith led me to her. The evidence may seem thin, but there's no mistake in magical tracking.”
“Sure, but from what you said, she sounds like she comes from a family who only uses magic when they need to. Or not at all.”
“That’s what it seemed to be on the surface, but we can’t go by that. Elariya’s powers were never bound. The grandmother is also suppressing her mage powers. That’s breaking the law.” Though I couldn't blame her for that. Given how deceitful humans were, I would have done the same thing.
“How do you think Elariya came by the ring?” Garrick asked, narrowing his eyes. “Could the grandmother and her mother have been involved?”
“No. They were clear. The blood spell only linked Elariya to the ring. That means she’s the only one who came in direct contact with it.”
“That’s not exactly something we can refute,” Bastian surmised, biting the inside of his lip. “Even if things don’t add up.”
“Exactly.”
Garrick frowned, clearly working through the logic. “But that raises another question, Wolfe. Why couldn't you sense it? An artifact as powerful as the ring would have been easily detected in the mortal lands. You of all people should have been able to pick up its magical energy.”
My breath stilled as I prepared to confess my greatest fear. One I’ve dreaded to even contemplate. “I think it’s possible it’s on another plane of existence.”
They all looked at each other, stunned.
“Do you truly think so?” Arielle asked, the stern look in her eyes softening.
“It’s the only thing I can think of. That’s why I can’t feel it anywhere.
” I’d thought that for years. I never said anything because it practically meant giving up hope.
There were countless planes of existence and realms between realms. There was no point searching through them when you didn’t have a clue where to start.
“It would make sense,” she mumbled and bit the inside of her lip.
“Do you think she’s in league with our father’s murderer?” Alaric asked, straightening.
“That’s what I’m going to find out.” I acknowledged each of them again. “I have the same questions you all do, but I don’t have answers. There is definitely something unusual at work, and I will find out what it is. Right now, I’m grateful we have a lead. We just have to see where it goes.”
They all nodded. Even Arielle.
“I need you guys to cooperate, and I don’t think I have to remind you to keep your silence. No one must learn of my plans. Once we get back to Galaythia we need to be extra careful. Dreynthor will have his spies watching us.”
They bowed their heads again, understanding. They all knew how I felt about my uncle.
“What if the prisoner starts asking questions?” Bastian set his shoulders back and glanced toward the door as if Elariya stood on the other side.
“Let me deal with that. I’ll decide what she needs to know.”
“What will you tell your uncle?” Arielle shifted in her seat. “It’s sad to think he won’t be happy you found a lead to the ring.”
Poor girl. She still had the innocence of youth that made you see the good in others even when there was none.
She even tried to see the good in me. She found it hard to think of Dreynthor as a power-hungry devil because he’d been kind to her when she was little, but she’d seen his true face for herself on multiple occasions.
“I’ll speak to him when the time is right.
” I glanced at Alaric, who was already nodding his agreement.
“For now, we keep everything quiet and pray to the Gods we don’t run into more obstacles.
It was my father’s wish to make Galaythia a kingdom that thrived.
One where our legacy would endure and our people would flourish.
That’s my mission. It starts with fixing what’s broken. ”
An air of reverence settled between us. I’d spoken true of my father and they felt it. A moment of silence passed, then Arielle turned toward me once more.
“My Lord, may I speak freely?” Her voice was soft and careful, as if she didn’t want to disturb the quiet reverence that clung to the air.
“Haven’t you already been speaking freely?” I quirked a hard brow.
Her delicate jaw clenched. “Perhaps, but I still feel this could have been handled differently. Elariya is a mage.”
“Half.”
“It doesn’t matter, Wolfe.” Only Arielle could switch between calling me 'my Lord' and 'Wolfe' with the same dismissive tone, like neither carried any weight with her. She was also the only person I’d allow to get away with it. “Had she been raised in the Ravenwood Realm or any of the other mage realms, she wouldn’t have been treated any differently. I implore you to remember that. Mages don’t just go rogue for no reason. Until we know what happened you should give her the benefit of the doubt. Just because the evidence points to her doesn’t mean she’s guilty. ”
I leaned forward and steepled my fingers, wondering how in the fucking hells she could think like this when she knew what I’d endured. “Give her the benefit of the doubt? Really, Arielle?”
“Yes.” Her breathing stilled and a cautious look washed over her face. “I also may have an idea of how you could get information from her sooner without the use of stronger magic.”
Bastian’s back became ramrod straight, his nostrils flared, and the thunderous expression on his face told me he already knew what she was going to suggest.
“No,” his voice rumbled before either of us could speak. “It’s too fucking dangerous.”
Arielle turned to him. “I’ll be fine.”
“How do you know you’ll be fine?”
“I don’t. But I know you’ll rescue me if I’m not.” The hint of a blush swept over her pale skin. Arielle may have been a master of disguises, but she couldn’t hide her feelings for Bastian. He couldn’t hide his either, though he tried.
Something flickered in Bastian's eyes before he forced the hardness back into his stare. We all noticed he didn't argue further. He didn't need to. At the first sign of trouble we knew he'd move heaven and earth to get to her.
“That doesn’t mean you are safe,” he griped.
“What exactly are you suggesting, Arielle?” I cut in.
“Dream walking.”
“You can’t dream walk without using powerful magic.” Dream walking was also incredibly unstable. My wraith powers prevented me from doing it because you needed to be able to manipulate light.
“I can, by using the ghost roads.”
Oh fuck. Now I knew why Bastian was against it.
The ghost roads were ancient ethereal channels, veins of shadow and spirit that connected the dead to the dreamscape. They weren’t meant for the living.
“No.” I shook my head and glared back at her. “Your spirit would need to leave your body for that to work.”
“That’s why it’s dangerous.” Bastian nodded.
“And out of the question,” Alaric agreed. “Need I remind you that we are still in the mortal realm, where magic is weakest. If your spirit were to drift, we may not be able to get you back.”
“I won’t drift. I’ve gotten better at using ethereal magic. The Phantom Moon’s passing would also help to ground me.”
That made me pause. Ethereal magic was from the realm of the dead. It was usually unstable, but touched by celestial events like the Phantom Moon it became more easier to control. Fuck, her plan may actually work.
When Arielle looked back at me, her face brightened. “This will work, Wolfe. Please trust me.”
“Arielle—”
“If you keep Elariya in soul sleep for three days it could cause serious harm to her mind. You know this. If there’s a way to get the information faster and get her out before it starts doing real damage, you should take it.”
A pang of guilt I had no business feeling shot through me. But she was right.
I’d known from the start there was a risk.
That soul sleep could fracture Elariya’s mind and leave her lost in a permanent haze, where dreams bled into waking and she no longer knew who she was.
She’d be docile enough for interrogation, but the girl I’d taken—the one with fire in her eyes and fight in her spirit—might never return.
The protective cocoon I’d woven around her was meant to prevent that. I’d layered in spells to anchor her to herself. And to me. But here in the mortal realm, without the full strength of my magic, none of it was guaranteed.
I’d chosen soul sleep over locking her away in the dungeon because I needed her magic dormant, contained, and undetectable.
Though it was burned out it didn’t mean her powers had gone away.
She’d already shown she could portal unexpectedly.
Active mage powers could interfere with the concealment spells that kept the ship hidden.
The soul sleep also gave me time to think, strategize, and pull back from the edge I’d nearly gone over when her lips touched mine.
But if there was a better way, I needed to take it. Not just for efficiency. But because the thought of breaking her mind twisted something deep in the dark hollow place where my heart used to be.
Arielle’s eyes pled with me. “Dream walking will be safer and quicker. I could use the blood link from the tracking spell, enter her mind, and find out what she knows about the ring. It could be that simple.”
“Or not,” Bastian argued. “I don’t think you should take the risk.”
“Wolfe, please.” Arielle ignored him and focused on me.
I studied her face, so determined to help someone she'd never met. The weight of what I'd done, what I was still doing, pressed against my chest. In that moment, I didn't see Arielle anymore. I saw Elariya, with those wide, innocent eyes that had stared past the monster in me.
Regardless of her crime, I’d gone to her as the devil disguised as temptation.
Maybe I owed her this small thing, which would also benefit me a great deal. “Okay. Do it.”
While Arielle looked relieved, Bastian frowned at me in cold disapproval.
Maybe he was right. But the fucked-up truth was this was a situation where there were no right answers. Only choices. And I’d already made mine.