Chapter 52
FIFTY-TWO
Eirabella
Brienne is practically buzzing with excitement as she fusses over my hair, fingers weaving and twisting with practised skill as she talks a million miles a second. Recounting the trial from beginning to end, she embellishes with details that I don’t even remember, which is odd, having been the one who experienced it firsthand (and first foot and head and arms and legs and every other exhausted and sore part of my body). Her energy is contagious, though, and while I wish I could just collapse into Rylan’s bed, wrapped in his arms, and sleep for a whole season, I’m also swept away by the grandiosity of it all. I smile as she asks me questions that I can’t answer because I was too busy doing the trial to be taking notes about the trial itself.
“But when Selene melted the ice under your feet… did you think you were going to die?”
That I can answer. Yes. For a moment, I did think I was going to die. Until I didn’t anymore. And then I didn’t. And if there’s any single lesson I’ll take from the whole experience, it’s that.
“What a dirty little sneak,” Brienne mutters under her breath, making her thoughts about Selene’s gamesmanship clear.
“She just really wanted to win,” I say, wondering if I could have been so dismissive about it if I hadn’t emerged the victor.
Brienne grumbles a few more unrepeatable words under her breath, then stands back, hands on her hips, to admire her handiwork. “Forget her. Tonight is your night! You look absolutely radiant.” She pauses, her voice catching slightly as she continues, catching my eyes in the mirror. “I knew you could do it, though. I never doubted you, not for a single moment. Not from that first moment I saw Mistress Verisya walking you to her quarters that first day. I told the other girls, ‘whoever that is, she’s going to turn this castle upside down.’ ”
Her eyes shine, and I feel a warmth flood my chest. “Thank you,” I murmur, barely able to find my voice. “But if you recall, I could barely turn a glass upside down those first few days.”
Brienne steps closer, fixing the intricate braid that circles my head. “You’re going to take everyone’s breath away. Especially Prince Rylan’s.” She gives me a sly grin, but before I can respond, there’s a knock on the door.
My heart leaps. The man himself. We hadn’t had a chance to speak after the trial. After I had crossed the finish line and Selene had been taken to the healers, King Halford had come down from the balcony to announce me as the victor. And then all chaos had ensued, with me being surrounded by people, each wanting to ask a hundred questions and tell me what was next for me.
Finally, Mathis and Grellor had pushed through the crowd and made sure I got back to my room safely. But only after asking me their own spate of questions. Finally, Brienne had shown up and none-too-discreetly started taking my clothes off and then pointedly asked if they were going to hang around while I disrobed and climbed into the hot bath. Grellor hadn’t needed any other prompting and was out the door before Brienne could even finish her threats. Mathis, though, had stopped to give me a tight hug and tell me how proud he was of me. And then gave me one more hug, saying that it was from Doran.
I jump from my chair, my own excitement spilling over as I rush to the door and throw it open—only to be met with a familiar grin that isn’t Rylan’s.
“Caelum!” I exclaim, a delighted laugh escaping my lips. His mischievous grin widens as he steps into the room, his presence as effortless and commanding as always. I can’t help but throw my arms around him, the tension in my shoulders easing in an instant. “I wasn’t expecting you!”
“Well of course not, I wouldn’t want to be predictable! How utterly boring,” he says, with a dramatic flick of his hair. “Now, let me see how you’ve cleaned up after just laying about in bed all day.”
I pull back, twirling in front of him with a playful grin, expecting one of his usual snarky comments about my appearance. But for once, he stays silent, his eyes softening as he watches me.
“You look…” He pauses, searching for the right words, and I realise how rare it is to see Caelum genuinely speechless. “Incredible. My cousin is… one damn lucky asshole. And you make sure he remembers that, you hear me?” He leans over and gives me a hug that feels surprisingly earnest. But when he pulls away, the smirk is back. “But enough of that, I have plenty of time to steal you from my cousin later. I’m here about something else.”
“Oh?” I raise an eyebrow, intrigued .
He leans in, lowering his voice conspiratorially. “I think I’ve figured it out. It occurred to me when I came to see you yesterday.”
“Figured what out?”
His eyes sparkle. “My aunt’s riddle.”
The riddle. My eyes widen, and a shiver of anticipation runs down my spine. I hadn’t thought much about it after the trials, but now that he mentions it, the memory of my own revelation comes rushing back. We both stare at each other for a heartbeat, and I reach out and grab both of his hands. Then, as if struck by the same revelation at the same time, we both shout, “The stained glass windows!”
Excitement rushes through me, my heart pounding in my chest as the pieces begin to fall into place. Brienne calls after me as Caelum and I race out of the room, our footsteps echoing through the halls. The anticipation is electric, crackling between us like an unspoken challenge, and my mind races with the possibilities.
We burst through the doors of the temple, the grand, towering stained glass window coming into view. The vibrant reds, oranges, and blues of the glass create a kaleidoscope of colours that paint the floor in soft light. The sun is just beginning to set, casting the perfect balance of dawn and dusk hues over the room, and I feel a thrill shoot through me.
We rush to the window, the massive structure looming above us, and I pull the riddle from my memory, repeating it aloud.
“In light, truth is revealed;
in shadow, it is concealed.
Seek where the colours of dawn and dusk intertwine,
and there the future will be unlocked by the flow of water’s strength.”
Caelum nods, his eyes sweeping across the intricate patterns in the glass. “I think the answer is hidden here somewhere—something only visible when the light hits it at the right angle. And only during the day, and is hidden when it’s dark.”
I just nod emphatically. That’s exactly what had occurred to me.
The colours shift as the sun continues its slow descent, and I can feel my pulse quicken, the excitement of the chase making my senses feel sharper. We don’t have much time if our hunch is right. We split up, scanning the glass, our hands moving across the cool surface, searching for anything out of place.
I run my fingers over the stunning coloured panes, the cool smoothness sending a shiver up my spine. The light catches in the corner of my eye, shifting subtly, and then—there. Three faint arrows, etched into the bottom corner of the window. “Caelum!” I shout, my voice ringing with excitement. “Come look at this!”
He rushes over, his breath coming in quick bursts, and we both lean in, our eyes fixed on the delicate etchings. The arrows point downward.
We follow the trail, the excitement mounting between us, and it leads us all the way to the floor. That’s when I notice it—just beneath a layer of dust, there’s a small, loose wooden panel. My heart skips a beat as I pry it open and pull up a single rectangle of worn trimming, revealing a tiny door hidden beneath.
“A little compartment! Oh my gods, Caelum!”
He stares at me with widening eyes and then looks back down at the secret niche in the wall.
“There’s a lock,” Caelum mutters, running his fingers over the small door. “We need a key.”
I stare at the tiny door, frustration bubbling beneath the surface as the seconds tick by. My mind races, trying to piece together what we’ve missed.
“Read the second line of the clue again,” I say, the spark of an idea lighting up inside me.
Caelum looks up, reciting it carefully. “Where the future will be unlocked by the flow of water’s strength.”
My lips curl into a grin, excitement flooding through me. “I think I know what the key is!”
Caelum raises an eyebrow. “What?”
“Let your Aquilith show you how it’s done, Duke Thornehaven.” I step back, raising my hand. Drawing on my power, I form a tendril of water from the air, letting it twist and coil with purpose. I guide it into the keyhole, letting it fill the small space before twisting my wrist, mimicking the motion of a key turning in a lock.
There’s a soft click, and the tiny door swings open.
The water tendril disappears, evaporating into the air, and Caelum and I exchange a look of triumph before peering inside. The small compartment is dark, too dark to make anything out clearly.
Caelum frowns, then smirks. “Guess it’s my turn.” He waves his hand, and a small orb of light appears, casting a warm glow inside the hidden space.
“I forget you have light Strength sometimes.”
“Is it because my personality is so bright?” He chuckles, his eyes gleaming with amusement. “You just thought I was completely useless, didn’t you?”
I roll my eyes, but my heart races with excitement as the light reveals a small, rolled-up piece of parchment tucked neatly inside the compartment. Caelum reaches in and grabs it, carefully pulling it out. Just as he’s about to unroll it, the doors to the temple slam open, and Mistress Verisya strides in, her robes billowing behind her .
“Eirabella!” she exclaims. “Everyone has been looking for you! The ball is about to begin!” Caelum and I freeze, still crouched on the floor, staring at each other wide-eyed, like two children caught in the middle of mischief. Verisya shakes her head, exasperated. “You are a Keeper now. You cannot be running around playing games. You have responsibilities.”
She reaches for me, pulling me toward the door, but not before I cast a glance at Caelum. He’s holding the parchment, his eyes twinkling with amusement.
“You better not read it without me!” I shout, half-laughing, half-serious.
Caelum just grins, waving the scroll triumphantly in the air like a flag. “I make no promises. Go save the world, Aquilith.”