Chapter 31
Chapter Thirty-One
ELARIYA
Night had settled over Vyrenth Hollow a few hours ago.
Arielle disappeared after lunch. She held herself together pretty well after our visit to Magdalena, but I could see the cracks in her mask.
I’d given her space, accepting Alaric’s offer to resume our training. It was a good idea to learn as much as I could before we left for Dravkava in the morning.
When I didn’t see Arielle at dinner, I knew she would be on the grounds somewhere… thinking.
She stood alone on one of the upper balconies overlooking the woods below.
The sky above was clear and painted with stars, but in the distance, bursts of colored light exploded over the treetops, scattering gold, silver, and violet.
The Vaelithra festival had begun. I’d lost track of time and everything. There was too much going on to think about a festival. But it was one more thing I would have loved to experience.
Arielle gazed at the fireworks, but she barely noticed anything.
Her hands rested on the stone balustrade and her gaze remained fixed on the horizon. A faraway look was in her eyes, as though lost in a memory.
Or perhaps fear.
It didn’t take a genius to figure out she was thinking about her family. Hells, I didn’t even know if she was joining us tomorrow. Asking her to go to a place like Dravkava, a vampire kingdom, was… well, I couldn’t imagine how she must have felt.
The wind caught strands of her platinum hair and carried them across her face. She made no effort to brush them away.
My heart squeezed. She looked like a woman bracing herself for something she wasn't sure she could face.
I moved toward her slowly. "Arielle?"
Usually, she would have sensed my presence, but my voice startled her and she jumped.
“I’m so sorry,” I said with a soft laugh. “Didn’t mean to frighten you.”
She shook her head and tapped her chest. “No, no. It’s me. I’m extra…” She sighed and glanced back over the woods. “I’m just not myself.”
“I know.” I moved closer and brushed my shoulder against hers. “I think we all know.”
“Yeah. I figured that. I came out here to see the fireworks.”
“Would have been nice to go to the festival.”
“It would,” she replied wistfully.
This was the festival she spoke about several weeks ago. It was almost insane that any of us thought we’d have everything wrapped up in next to no time.
There was so much more at work than no one could have guessed. And we were still not at the end yet. It felt like everything had built to this moment.
A moment where we’d all need each other.
“Has Wolfe said anything to you about tomorrow?”
She shook her head and pressed her lips together.
“I think he’d understand if you didn’t go.”
She faced me, a fierce look of determination alive in her eyes. “There is absolutely no way I’m letting you guys go to that place without me. Even if nothing terrible happens, I need to be there. I’m not a coward.”
“I know you’re not. But I don’t think it’s cowardly to protect your heart.”
The beginning of a smile cracked the corner of her mouth, but it faded before it took form.
“When terrible things happen, like it did with my family, the least a person can get is justice. I have had neither justice nor comfort.” She released a slow breath, pressing her fingers against the stone.
“Sometimes I’m surprisingly okay. I get by for months at a time without thinking about them, then I do and I can’t stop. ”
My heart broke for her. I couldn’t begin to imagine what she was going through. “It must take great strength to overcome that.”
“It takes everything out of me. It was, um… Magdalena who helped me control the grief.” She gazed out to the distance again. “Without her, I’m not sure I could have done it. She was like a mother to me. Wolfe and his family took me in after the incident, but she raised me.”
I prayed she didn’t think differently of Magdalena. She couldn’t help who her father was. “Do you think her father would have had anything to do with the people who killed your family?”
“As the head of House Thagar, he would know.” She swallowed hard and looked at me again. “Or at least suspect. Suspect and do nothing. Vampires only look out for themselves. You can’t trust any of them.”
“I’ve always heard that.”
“I have nothing against Magdalena. I just… wish I’d known about her father.
I understand why she didn’t tell me. It’s not my business, and maybe back then, I would have thought differently of her, in the sense that I wouldn’t have trusted her as much as I do.
” She nodded. “Maybe I wouldn’t be the mage I am today had I done that. ”
“I don’t think you would be, either. And neither would I. I saw how you were with her, and whether I was conscious of it or not, I trusted her, too, because of you.” I nodded. “During a most vulnerable time.”
Having my memories back and intact had made me realize just how fragile my life was. Memories of experiences are what shape us. I had my journals and the word of my family, whom I couldn’t always trust.
When Magdalena began helping me, she was a new person in my life I had to rely on, and she never let me down.
“She’s fond of you.” Arielle drew in a breath. “And me, too. I just have to get over it. She was right. Whatever we feel can’t matter now.”
“When this is over,” I began, “let’s try to find out what happened to your family. Let’s do it together. No matter how long it takes.”
A gentle smile brightened her face. “That’s sweet of you, my friend. But I’m not sure what we can do. Everyone has done everything they could. Not even you can help me with your time magic.”
“Why not?”
“When you freeze time, the threads don’t weave together. The event is missing from the world. People can get away with anything and no one would know. They’d suspect time magic at work. But no one can prove it.”
“What about the ring? Has anyone ever tried to use that? Wolfe told me the ring’s magic could be used to reveal events from the past.”
Arielle sighed. “King Lysander tried. But the ring couldn’t help.
It can only reveal events that exist in the time continuum, even if they’re concealed by dark magic.
My family’s case is different. It simply doesn’t exist anymore.
My parents didn’t protect their home from time magic.
They didn’t think they needed to. Not many people do.
The palace on the other hand was protected.
My guess is, if it wasn’t the dark forces would have used time magic there too. ”
It sounded so hopeless and like a complete lost cause. But I was living proof that lost causes were not always lost. Seeing her look so broken made me determined to find a way. At least to try. “I will still do what I can. Everyone has done everything. But I haven’t tried yet.”
She looked at me, long and thoughtful, her eyes glassy with unshed tears. “You’re a true friend, Elariya. I’m lucky to have you.”
“And I you.”
Someone cleared their throat behind us. We both turned.
Garrick was standing in the arched doorway holding a small bowl of ice crem. “Sorry to interrupt a sentimental moment. Sirril sent this up for you.” He gestured toward Arielle.
She smiled. “Bless his little heart.”
Garrick came closer and handed the bowl to her.
Happily, she dived in and began munching away. I’d devoured two bowls myself, so I knew it tasted divine. It was made with some kind of berry I’d never heard of before from the west, where the woodland sprites lived. Sirril couldn’t wait to serve it to us.
Garrick gazed ahead at the fireworks as another round went off. He glanced at me. “We were all supposed to go to that. Well, me and probably you two, unless Wolfe decided he wanted to take his mage himself.”
I chuckled. “That does sound like Wolfe.”
“Hey, Bastian would have come along with me if I asked him to.” Arielle swatted his arm.
“Bastian doesn’t do festivals,” Garrick huffed. “He’s just as bad as Alaric.”
“He would be there for me.” I loved her confidence in Bastian. It always made me smile.
Garrick righted himself and nodded. “You know what? You’re right.”
“Of course, I am.” She sounded more like herself now, and the spark was back in her eyes.
“Someone needs to stay behind tomorrow when you guys go off. It won’t be him.”
That made her smile even more. “Does that mean you’re staying so he can come with me?”
“It does.”
I was certain Wolfe would have preferred for Bastian to stay because he was the second-in-command and Garrick had his Galdrlore magic that could be useful in a place where we weren’t supposed to use our powers. But I was happy with this. Arielle needed Bastian.
“Also, you know how I hate flying dragons,” Garrick added casually.
“You don’t try to like them,” Arielle scolded, shoving another spoon of ice cream in her mouth.
“I’m good. I have my wings, and if I get tired, nothing is faster than my elk in a battle. Lureen can clear a frontline of soldiers with one swoop of her horns.”
“Lureen?” I cut in, unable to stop myself from laughing. It was the first I was hearing of this elk. “That’s what you named her?”
“What’s wrong with that name?”
Arielle and I laughed.
“Aww, Garrick, you can definitely lighten a bad mood. You and your Lureen almost make me believe we’ll be okay.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll make sure everyone stays in one piece.” He gave her a cocky wink. “You and Bastian will be the next wedding we attend. Got to look our best. No limbs missing.”
In the moonlight, Arielle’s skin went bright red. Trust Garrick to create the best distraction.
“Oh, um, wedding… Us. We’ll see. Right?” She laughed nervously. “There’s a lot going on, and we haven’t really talked about anything like that. You know what Bastian is like. When he needs to focus, he focuses.”
Garrick smirked, then grinned wide. “Don’t worry. He’ll ask you.”
She gazed at him with a curious yet vulnerable look in her eyes. “Do you really think so?”
“I know so. You know Bastian. He’s stubborn as fuck, but he comes around eventually.”
That made Arielle smile. “I’ll wait forever if I must.”
“Gods, don’t jinx it, woman. Why would you say such a thing? You may very well find yourself waiting forever with that guy.”
She swatted him again. “You are so annoying. You were almost nice for five full minutes. Why did you have to ruin it?”
“Me?” Garrick tapped his chest, feigning innocence. “I didn’t ruin anything. You just expect too much of me.”
I laughed. Gods, I missed all this.
Garrick was about to continue, but then the smile slipped from his face, and all the amusement vanished completely from his expression.
His gaze fixed on something beyond us—serious.
My stomach suddenly tightened as I realized something was wrong. Arielle noticed, too. She turned, about to ask.
Garrick caught her arm. “Don’t move,” he muttered under his breath.
Every muscle in his body had gone rigid.
“Garrick?” I began.
His eyes never left the horizon. “Don't.” The single word came out sharper this time.
A chill crept down my spine.
I followed his line of sight, trying to see what had captured his attention.
But I saw nothing. Only darkness. The night stretched endlessly beyond the balcony, broken by distant fireworks bursting above the trees.
Then Garrick's hand found my arm, his grip tightening. “Be still.”
The air changed at that moment, the shift immediate.
The hairs on the back of my neck rose as a shadow drifted across the house.
It was massive. Black against black, blotting out the stars overhead and the sparks from the fireworks.
At first, I thought it was a sentinel. I’d caught a good enough look at them the other day.
But… this one didn’t feel like what I’d seen.
It turned, and I saw that I was right.
The thing had a face. A haunting face of hollow eyes, a rigid nose, and a firm line for a mouth. It was almost human-looking. That made it worse.
Especially when it looked right at us.
It was here for Wolfe. And I guess for me. We had everyone believing he’d gone to the mortal lands to kidnap me.
It scanned over us. Although I was very much here, it was supposed to look at me and see nothing, sense nothing. It wasn’t supposed to pick up that Wolfe was here. But I swore… Gods, I swore it could see right through me.
The chill I previously felt raced through me, crystalizing into icicles.
We all kept still, barely breathing.
It seemed to breathe, too. The face moved. Contorted. Like a person frowning. Except this thing had a sinister look to it that could give nightmares.
Then it just drifted away. It blended into the night, the black fusing with the sky until the stars returned, along with the splashes of color from the fireworks.
Still, we remained exactly where we were. Frozen as statues.
Garrick released me. His shoulders relaxed, and only then did I release the breath I was holding.
“A harbinger,” he muttered. “A mercenary sent from the Citadel, courtesy of Artemyss.”
Shit. I’d never liked him. Even if he was just doing his job, I didn’t care.
Wolfe, Bastian, and Alaric suddenly appeared at the door. They rushed out onto the balcony.
Wolfe came straight to me and took my arm.
“Is everyone okay?” he asked, his eyes darting between us.
“We’re fine,” I replied, leaning into him.
“This one was bigger, Wolfe. Almost didn’t pick it up,” Garrick explained, switching into warrior mode.
“Let’s try not to worry about it. I’m sure Artemyss will send more. Of course, they think I’m here and you’re hiding me.”
“They just don’t have proof,” Alaric chimed in. “I’ll watch the place tonight. Kaem will be back in a few hours. We can take turns with the watch.”
“You sure?”
“Yes.”
“I’ll take the last watch,” Bastian said, slipping an arm around Arielle.
“Just be careful, guys.” Wolfe looked ahead, scanning the sky. “We don’t need the Citadel on our backs any more than they are.”
No. We certainly did not.