Chapter 24
Chapter Twenty-Four
ELARIYA
The next two days were one long performance filled with more infuriating wedding preparations and visitors from Thayden's circle.
Today, both occupied the entire morning. I didn’t know how I hadn’t torn my hair out.
Thayden left before lunch, but then his father and Aunt Delia came by, taking over where the others left off.
At least I left the estate, albeit to go to a luncheon, where everyone was determined to remind me how fortunate I was to be in Zyvaris. And that I was even more blessed to be marrying Thayden.
Once again, I'd smiled and played the part, but it was nauseating.
What was worse was going through these miserable days, one by one, and not getting anywhere.
I was still at square one. And Wolfe hadn’t spoken to me. Not hearing his voice was unbearable. I didn’t know how much longer I could take any of this. The pretense had drained me, but I’d keep going. I’d gotten this far.
The chance for a break from everyone came after dinner, and I took it.
I grabbed my journal and told them all I was going to the garden to get air. I went there and stayed out until night approached.
I knew I should go inside, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it just yet, so I ventured to the woods bordering the estate.
I came out here yesterday when I needed a moment to myself. It was close enough to be close yet far enough to take a breath without the worry of having someone breathing down my neck about the wedding or shit I didn’t want to worry about.
Admittedly, I wasn’t completely free from my worries out here. As I walked down the path, I wondered why I hadn’t heard from Wolfe.
I didn’t know if he couldn’t contact me from his side because he was being watched or if there was a problem here.
What if bad things were happening in Galaythia and I never heard from him at all?
No. Don’t think like that, Elariya. If that were the case someone would try to let me know.
Alaric and Arielle would be the first to contact me. And Bastian and Garrick would make sure they did. Kaem would keep them all safe.
Unless something had happened and none of them could do anything to reach me.
I sighed and pushed the thoughts away. None of that was helping.
I knew this mission was going to be hard. If it was going to be easy, Wolfe wouldn’t have freaked out the way he had.
Now I had to face the reality of the situation outside my head. Whatever secret Thayden was hiding wasn't within my reach, meaning I had to step up my game and try harder. Push harder to think and place myself where I had better chances.
A cool breeze stirred the trees overhead as I wandered the winding paths with my journal tucked beneath my arm. These woods weren’t that different from the eerie surroundings of Griffyn Forest. At least they were nothing like the dead woods in the Interstice.
I pulled my shawl tighter around my shoulders and glanced toward the dark sky. It had gotten substantially darker in just mere minutes.
Five minutes more, then I’d head back. I didn’t want anyone coming out to look for me.
I walked toward the lake, the furthest point of the extensive grounds, then I turned back the way I came.
It was dark as pitch now, and the bone-white moon hung in the inky sky.
A cold breeze whispered over my skin along with the slight scent of rain. With my bad luck, I’d probably get stuck out here in another thunderstorm.
I quickened my pace, pulling my shawl closer.
A twig snapped in the distance. I stopped and listened, then scanned my perimeter. Whatever—or whoever—that was, I didn’t want it or them behind me.
Nothing worse than feeling like you were being followed. And shit, I didn’t have my sword. I’d never thought to bring it with me. And if anyone had seen me with it, they would have questioned me to no end.
A breath later, a figure emerged from the shadows ahead, between the pines.
I froze.
Gods, it was Thayden.
Shit. He’d come out here looking for me. No doubt he was going to bitch at me for being out in the woods, and out here so late.
But… he didn’t see me.
Thayden walked right on, moving in the opposite direction—as in not toward the manor.
His gaze was fixed right ahead of him, and he didn’t appear to be searching for me. He didn’t look left or right or turn or scan the surroundings. And he wasn’t calling for me.
He had the concentration of someone who was going somewhere.
I gazed ahead, in the direction he walked. I wasn’t aware of anything else out here. But maybe there was.
My instincts screamed at me to follow.
So, I did.
It was too dark to risk walking and stepping on a twig the way he had, so I slipped into the otherworldly pocket of the shadow’s Obscura.
When I’d practiced this before, I got the hang of it straightaway. It was easier and less draining than phasing. Definitely better than portaling. And the best part was it was something I could do here in the mortal lands.
Shadows were by nature exempt from the magical laws because they appeared in the in-between states. The Obscura was a pocket realm that existed within the shadow. Slipping inside allowed you to move across a distance undetected and fast.
But of course, there were limits. You could only move within the shadow. Where the shadow ended, its Obscura ended, too. Nighttime made it much easier.
I still had to work on suppressing my powers, though. Using the Obscura didn’t require much, but I was still using them by just being here.
Thayden marched ahead through the shadowy thicket of trees, quickening his pace.
I wanted to get closer to him but had a gut feeling I should keep my distance.
We walked past the lake, then through another cluster of oaks. When he parted the twining branches and walked into a clearing, I saw straightaway where he was heading.
A quaint little cottage stood at the foot of the hill, within an alcove of trees.
Four of Thayden’s guards stood sentinel on the grassy patch in front of the cottage, their hands placed on the hilts of their swords. The sight instantly piqued my interest.
They were guarding something. Or someone.
Who?
What?
I hung back as Thayden exchanged words with them. Thankfully, I was close enough to hear.
“Are they all here?” he asked, glancing nervously toward the cottage door.
“Yes,” the closest guard replied, with the same unease I saw sprawled across Thayden’s face.
Something was wrong here.
In fact… I could feel it. Something in the air had gone heavy. Like the dark clouds permeating the sky before a storm.
Thayden glanced over his shoulder one final time before approaching the cottage.
I pressed myself deeper into the Obscura and held my breath.
He strode up the weathered steps and opened the door. For a brief moment, warm candlelight spilled into the night. Then he stepped inside and the door swung shut behind him.
I waited. Waited to see what would happen next.
At first, there was nothing, then…
A strange golden glow flickered behind one of the curtained windows.
My breath caught and wedged in my throat.
The light pulsed once.
Twice.
The gold turned an angry shade of deep violet. It spread through the glass. Moments later, black tendrils of light twisted through it, weaving together.
Holy hells.
Magic.
That was magic.
There was no mistaking it whatsoever. Nothing in the mortal lands created light like that.
Fuck. This was the breakthrough I’d been searching for.
I needed to get closer. To see what the hells was inside the cottage.
I took one step forward, and damn it…
The control I’d been using to suppress my powers was slipping.
Shit. I wouldn’t be able to get close in the Obscura and suppress my powers.
Maybe I could leave the Obscura and find a way to get behind the cottage, out of the guard’s sight.
I was about to do it when something forceful slammed into my mind. It was as loud as a shout, but there was no voice. More like a feeling. Something telling me not to go.
Gods. It was Wolfe.
I sensed him then, strongly. The pause allowed another thought to creep in.
A dangerous one.
I was witnessing magic being used in the mortal lands. Magic that was strong enough for me to feel it in the air.
If I could feel it, the sentinels that guarded the Veil between realms would have picked it up straightaway.
But they weren’t here. They weren’t anywhere.
Whatever was inside there was strong enough to stay hidden from them. And therefore dangerous.
The Obscura wasn’t just hiding me. It was protection. As long as I could suppress my powers in here, nothing would detect me.
But if I stepped out…
It would be disaster.
I’d get caught and whatever was in the cottage would expose me.
I just knew it.
I couldn’t get closer.
Not tonight.
My control dwindled once more, so I did the sensible thing and backed away.
Live to fight another day.
I returned to the manor in no time.
It would have been great to see what lay beyond the cottage walls, but I didn’t return empty-handed.
Now I had a lead.
And I knew for godsdamn sure that we’d all been right about Thayden.