Chapter 3 #2
“Don’t worry about that now,” Arielle said with a quick shake of her head.
“Let’s take one thing at a time. I’m more concerned about you.
We haven’t spoken about you getting back your memories or how you’re feeling.
I considered getting a healer to look at you, but I suppose your mother can do that when she gets here. ”
My heart warmed at the mention of my mother.
I couldn’t wait to see my family. “I’m okay as far as my memories are concerned.
Maybe just a little shaken. Not in pain or anything.
When my memories returned, it was as though the curse never happened.
Like a block was removed and suddenly, I was whole.
But some of the things I remembered weren’t exactly great. ”
She faced me, brows knitted. “Like what?”
“Thayden.” Understanding formed in her eyes at the mention of my former betrothed’s name. “The stuff I wrote in my journals was mild compared to what I actually remembered.”
“What did you see?”
“He killed too easily. Mostly for spite. And he didn’t care who he killed. The more vulnerable and helpless the easier.”
Like the stable boy, a day shy of fourteen, who was killed because he dirtied up Thayden’s clothes. He was found dead in a bush.
I didn’t see Thayden kill him, but I knew he did it. He’d beaten that boy senseless the day before.
The old beggar woman in Zyvaris, where Thayden lived, was a similar story. She mysteriously drowned running an errand for Thayden that went wrong.
I saw him beating her. I stopped him but couldn’t save her. By the time I told my mother, she was already dead, washed up on the river bank the following morning.
Again, there was no proof Thayden killed her, even with what I saw. And no one was going to punish a highborn nobleman like Thayden or seek justice for an old beggar woman and a poor stable boy.
“Blessed Mother,” Arielle muttered, tapping a hand to her heart almost in prayer. “Thank the gods you didn’t marry him.”
“I know. But I’m sure he’s lying in wait for the next opportunity to get to me.” I’d always heard how fond he was of me. It was true. He’d been looking at me differently from the moment I’d turned twelve. Then, as the years went by, those looks became something of an obsession.
But he didn’t strike out as much as he did during the last reset when he threatened my family and hit me the day before I was supposed to marry him.
That whole thing was him unleashing his fury because I’d been with Wolfe.
“Let’s hope we don’t have to deal with him. We need to focus on your powers. I wanted to go back to Hyxian today, but I have to wait for approval from Magdalena.”
My breath hitched. “Why do we suddenly need approval?”
“Until the trial and the outcome, everything that’s been sanctioned by Wolfe, like your placement at the academy, has been frozen.”
Gods. This was just what we needed. “So, I can’t have lessons with Magdalena?”
“Not exactly, but she has a heart. At the same time, I know she has to think of her reputation. The Archmage can’t be seen to be supporting a…” Her voice trailed off.
“A criminal.”
“Yeah. Teaching his mate falls within that category. But let’s not worry about that until we have to. I know Magdalena will do her best if there’s any pushback.” She seemed sure. I hoped she was right. I needed Magdalena. We all did. “There’s also much we can do together. Your powers grow daily.”
I was inclined to agree. “They feel stronger now that my memories have been restored. I wouldn’t have been aware of this, but each reset seemed to break the alignment I felt from one month to the next.
” Simply because I was either not allowed to practice magic as per the laws of the mortal realm, or I’d forgotten what I’d learned.
“I imagine you’ll feel even stronger as the days go by, and more aligned. There’s no stopping you now, Elariya.” The smile she gave me was filled with awe and confidence.
I returned the smile, pushing aside the ache in my heart. “It will be great to see just how much I can do.”
“And Alaric training you is probably even more important now.”
“How so?” I couldn’t imagine how learning to use a sword would help me with my powers.
“He’s come up with a rather remarkable idea. I think you’ll be pleased. And training with a member of the Bloodsworn is bound to level you up in everything. It balances you and helps you focus. That’s exactly what you need.”
“I just hope it helps. Wolfe needs the ring, and we’re already too late.”
“We can’t do anything more, Elariya. And there was nothing we could have done differently. It just wasn’t possible.”
“I don’t know about that.” I swallowed hard as guilt rose within me. “I caused him to lose a hundred years of his life.”
“Elariya, no. Don’t do that.” She shook her head, and a look of pity filled her eyes.
“You know I’m right.”
“The benefits outweighed the cost. Wolfe would agree. I know you made mistakes, but that opened the door for you two to get married and for your family to be safe, and visit, whenever you want to see them. Those are good things.”
“Not at the cost of his life. He’s my husband, Arielle. I just want him back.”
She slipped her arm around me. “I know. And we’ll do our best. We’ll do our very best. I promise you.”
I believed her. I believed everyone, especially I, would do their best.
I just worried it might not be good enough.