Chapter 21
Chapter Twenty-One
ELARIYA
Ireturned to Stormfell the same way I’d left nearly a month ago. Cocooned within a glow of light. But this time, I wasn’t being taken through the Ghost Roads, and instead of Bastian and Arielle, accompanying me were Wolfe and Alaric.
There had been no question on whether Wolfe was going to accompany me. The Seer had given him a rune to mask his presence from detection through portals. But even if she hadn’t, my husband would have found a way.
The rune just made it easier. Anyone looking wouldn’t see him, wouldn’t trace him.
Alaric was here so the detectors could track him. Proof he’d hand-delivered me to the mortal realm himself.
The day began sad. I never thought I’d be saying goodbye again to people I loved. Arielle could hardly release me when we hugged, and dear Sirril… the heart of our group, he looked different this time. A little hopeless. And afraid.
I didn’t see the dragons on purpose. By the time I’d bid everyone farewell, it felt harder to part from the creatures I’d grown so fond of.
They were the first magical creatures I’d connected with. The first to show me how real magic could be. The first to give me a taste of true freedom.
I’d fight to return to that life.
For now, I had to be strong. No one else could do this task but me.
We stepped out of the portal and right into the living room of my former home.
My mother, grandmother, and Emabelle were already waiting for us. We’d sent word ahead.
Though their faces brightened when they saw us—especially Wolfe—the solemn looks in their eyes told me to brace myself.
Nothing had been said about the situation here, but I was certain there was something to worry about. There always was.
If we received a letter, they would have gotten one, too. Most likely from Chancellor Blackthorne.
My mother was the first to rush up to me. She pulled me into a tight embrace and pressed her cheek to my hair. But she said nothing. I appreciated that.
We might have clashed many times in the past, but she’d always been mindful of my feelings. Telling me it was good to have me home at a time like this, or even that it was good to see me, would have hurt more.
She knew that anything like that would have made me feel worse when it meant saying goodbye to Wolfe.
She did, however, go to him and offer a light hug.
“It’s good to see you whole, your Highness,” she said to him, also acknowledging Alaric.
Wolfe took her hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. “Please, you must call me Wolfe,” he reminded her.
She dipped her head.
“We will keep in touch as much as possible.” Grandmother stepped forward.
“Same here,” Alaric replied, then glanced at Wolfe. “We need to head back. We can’t take the extra risk.”
Because everyone was being watched. We were all playing our parts as safely as we could.
Wolfe walked up to me, caressed my face, and took my hand that should have borne my wedding ring. My finger was bare. The only mark that remained on me was Wolfe’s soul mark, and we were back to the excuse that I’d cast a spell to find my father and it went wrong, marking me.
I’d been stripped of everything connecting me to the magical realm. And to Wolfe.
But one thing stayed. The connection we shared through our bond would stay with us until the officials severed our marriage.
I prayed to the Great Mother it wouldn’t come to that. That I’d find whatever I was looking for well before then.
“I will come for you at the first sign of trouble,” Wolfe promised.
“You must be care—”
“I will come for you,” he stopped me and nodded. “Listen for my voice.”
“I will.”
Kaem found a way for us to share our thoughts through a shield, but it wasn’t something we could use all the time. We couldn’t make the mistake of thinking Thayden would be free of magical influence.
Sharing our thoughts freely would risk exposure, and if anyone were trying to see inside my head, they’d know Wolfe had taken refuge at Vyrenth Hollow and we were all guilty of harboring him.
“I’ll see you soon, Ziyka.”
“I will see you soon, Wolfe Nightblade.”
There would be no goodbyes between us. We’d agreed. And neither of us would acknowledge how cruel fate had been to us again.
Today was the day that my memory was supposed to reset.
I was supposed to forget him. Now we were being separated again. Two realms, two kingdoms, two hearts desperate to become one.
Alaric dipped his head and cast a purposeful glance at my bags. I nodded, understanding him straightaway.
My sword lay in there. I was to keep it with me and tell anyone who asked that it belonged to my father.
Alaric trained me during the little time we had, teaching me skills we both knew I’d need in a place where I couldn’t use the full capacity of my magic.
Wolfe joined Alaric, and the two bowed deeply, then they faded into the air.
I swore I could still feel Wolfe’s gaze, lingering on me in that way that always made me feel alive.
Emabelle came to my side and slipped an arm around me. “Be strong,” she muttered. “Be strong.”
Wise words. I’d been searching for strength all day. But my insides still felt like they were splintering apart.
They broke a little more every time I wondered when I’d see my husband again.
“How are you feeling?” Emabelle asked, closing my room door behind her. “I saw you walking by the woods earlier.”
I was sitting on the window seat, gazing at the said woods beyond.
“I needed air.” I hadn’t been able to sleep all night. Thayden was coming to collect me today to take me to Zyvaris. He’d be here soon.
I was dressed in one of my finest gowns and my bags were packed, ready to go.
I faced my cousin and took in the concern in her eyes. Her raven hair was pulled away from her face and somehow, she seemed wiser than just days ago.
She moved closer and sat on the edge of my bed. “I can’t believe we’re back at this point with Thayden.”
I released a slow breath and pushed a lock of hair behind my ear. “Feels like a nightmare, and I have to act like I don’t remember anything.” I went over the plan with my family last night, telling them what I could while being mindful that the walls might have ears.
I could sense Wolfe in my mind, but he hadn’t spoken to me, a suggestion that it might not have been safe. I'd learned that even the wind couldn't always be trusted, for it might conceal unseen eyes and listening ears.
“I pray this will work out,” Emabelle muttered, lacing her fingers nervously.
“I pray so, too.” I had no idea what the hells to expect. No one did. My family hadn’t seen nor heard from Thayden and his father Mattieu since my wedding day.
Jumping in the deep end of the ocean didn’t even begin to describe what I was about to do.
“How are you feeling otherwise?” Emabelle gave me a once-over.
“Like my head is going to explode. There’s a lot to take in.” I sighed. “Did grandmother finish working on the potion?”
“Yes. Just now.”
My family had been sent a power-stripping potion to bind any powers I’d accumulated while being in the magical realm. The assumption had been that my powers were unbound during my time there—though Thayden knew differently.
He knew my powers had never been bound in accordance to mortal realm laws, and I was certain he couldn’t wait to rid me of them.
Grandmother was to give him the potion so he could personally administer it to me.
It was sealed with a tamperproof cork that would alert the sentinels at the Veil if anyone tried to alter the mixture within.
What no one knew was, my oh-so clever grandmother had a way around everything.
Be it baking a pineapple upside-down cake without pineapples or fooling the most powerful of judges that she was powerless.
That’s what she did twenty-three years ago when she first arrived in the mortal lands as my mother’s guardian and was given the same bottle to strip her powers.
Grandmother altered it, filling the bottle with fruit water instead. She never wanted to be at the mercy of anyone—perfect instinct. The next time she pulled that stunt was two years after when I was born. Then again today.
She was a little like Kaem in those respects.
“Wish I were going with you.” Emabelle leaned against the bedpost.
“Me too. I’d hoped he would allow at least one of you to accompany me. But after the wedding, it doesn’t surprise me.” I held her gaze, deciding to ask her a question that had been on my mind. “Any news of your other plans?” I lowered my voice.
She’d confessed some time ago that she was going to run off with her boyfriend, Phillipe. My mother was trying to arrange her marriage to someone else.
“Oh, right. I forgot I don’t have my human secret diary anymore.” She smiled a little, but the seriousness returned to her face. “There’s no news. Not yet. It may be a while before I hear from Phillipe. But when he makes port next time…” Her voice trailed off.
“You’ll leave with him,” I filled in with a soft smile.
“Yeah. I’m gonna go.”
“You should.” I nodded.
She stood and came toward me, slipping an arm around my shoulders. “I pray you make it back to your love. You two deserve to be together.”
I gazed up at her, appreciating her words. “Thank you. That means a lot.”
Footsteps sounded on the other side of the door. We both straightened and turned toward it.
A moment later, a soft knock echoed against the wood.
“Come in,” I called out.
The door opened and Mother walked in, her face grim and pale. That told me everything.
“He’s here.” She sounded exactly like she looked. Hopeless.
Emabelle’s arm slipped from my shoulders and I stood.
“I’ll be down in a minute.” I nodded.
Thayden was here.
Time to push my fears aside and start playing the game.
I was on my own now.