Chapter 13
I spent no more than an hour with Ivy and Rydian in his room, strategizing what lies ahead. They didn’t have to voice their tension in order to feel how high it was over the anxiousness of Ezra and Ren discovering my absence.
Thankfully, when I returned to the inn, I discovered Ren’s door was locked and Ezra was sleeping with an arm over his face. Both seemed unaware of where I was the rest of the evening, especially if they didn’t come looking for me. Ren must have filled Ezra in on the turn of events.
But our plan is simple. I’ll travel with Ezra and Ren, behaving like I normally would with the two of them. Friendly with Ezra, continue to hate Ren—easy.
Rydian will follow us to Dryborn through the Veil, ready to assist me if needed, while shifting his form between stops to remain hidden. Though he was adamant about coming, it’s clear he’s anxious about the journey.
His abilities have limitations, as he can’t remain in the Veil for long without consequences.
Any extended time in the Veil drains his power at a much faster rate and could even cause him to emerge in an entirely different location, leaving him stranded until he recovers.
Shifting is similar, only he can’t hold it as long, which is why they choose to use the Veil more.
So, to manage their reserves, Rydian and Ivy will take turns following us.
Ivy left immediately after our conversation to meet Rydian in Dryborn, which is our halfway point, but I’m going to push to keep our stops consistent.
If we coordinate around their abilities, they should remain undetected in the Veil.
We then turned our attention to what awaits at the castle regarding my mother. We suspect Elynor, if she’s alive, might be hidden below. My task is to gather information on her whereabouts and to find the Siphon—if there is one—and relay everything back to Rydian.
We agreed to meet at the Painted Bird to avoid raising suspicion, though Rydian wasn’t thrilled with the choice, given its reputation, but I convinced him that it was the only location that I could go without tipping anyone off.
My thoughts whirl as I revisit our conversation earlier, hours before dawn.
“Why can’t you just walk right into the castle from the Veil?” I questioned.
“Because in the Veil, I can only appear at a location that I’ve previously been in.
Plus I have to be invited inside King Elion’s castle.
He has wards protecting against Shadovar.
I need to be invited in by a resident, as I’ve never been invited into the castle of Elderheim,” he said.
“I would only be able to appear right outside the castle walls, so if you can invite me in when we arrive, we’ll be able to search together when given the chance. ”
Now, I’m sitting by the fire, too anxious to sleep and ready for the day as my thoughts have been racing all morning. Ezra stirs in the bed across from me, lightly rustling the sheets. I watch him by the window, stretched out as he becomes aware of his surroundings.
“Isa?” His voice is husky from sleep.
“Yes, I’m here.” I stand, grabbing his shirt off the floor.
He yawns. “Did you sleep?”
“Some. You stole the bed though. I couldn’t get comfortable,” I say, trying not to look directly at him as I toss him his tunic. “We need to get going. We have a long journey today.”
He catches it effortlessly and uses his hands to sit up, slightly leaning back on them. He blinks a few times, as if doing so will wake him up faster.
“You’re in a rush,” he quips, his tone playful as he pulls on the tunic.
“I’m just ready to be back.” My words are sharper than I intended, but I can’t help but find myself hyperaware of everything now that I know what the king’s doing.
“Are you sure that’s all it is?” He tilts his head, his tone teasing, but it’s enough to make me glance at him with a small grin, hoping it’s enough to convince him. He’s really good at reading me.
“Yes,” I say, walking to the wall that separates ours from Ren’s and pounding on it. A loud grumble sounds from the other side, letting me know I successfully woke the brute.
“I heard about last night,” Ezra says.
“What about it?” I ask, pouring water into two glasses from the porcelain vase off the table, then stretching my arm out to hand him one.
“How did it go?”
“I’m pretty sure Ren slept through it when he should have been with me. He appeared at the last minute and held him down for me,” I say.
“Well, he left that out from what he told me last night. The bastard was sleeping?”
“I heard that!” Ren calls from the other side of the wall, leaving me to share a grin and a small chuckle with Ezra.
“I’m sure he did, and yes, but it’s taken care of,” I say. Though my smile falters slightly when I remember that someone is in the castle siphoning memories. It pulls at me to know that I don’t recall any of my own from Aurelia, having had to relive them through Rydian.
Which I found out was my own ability to Vision Walk, something that I’ve had since childhood, apparently. It was a brief moment, but I was able to do it with Rydian coaching me through the process. I go back to what Rydian said just hours ago.
“You have the ability to wield your power. It’s a small kernel, but it’s there and it’s growing. I can feel it.” Rydian rubbed his jaw, lost in thought. He paced up and down the small room barely holding him in the space. A fire flares beneath the mantel.
“If your memories are being siphoned, it may have pulled your essence out with it, and if that’s the case, I’m concerned.
Why do they need to siphon at all? I understand why they would hide your memories but if they are using this on others, that’s a concern,” he said, talking out loud as he walked to the window and opened it.
“What do you mean growing? I can barely even leaf-whisper, and I can’t talk to animals. The most I can do is form orbs,” I said, crossing my arms. I leaned back, remembering the tingling sensation I get in my hands when I wield my magic.
“You’re from our realm, so you’ll have Aurelia’s magic, not Elderheim’s.
Maybe you’ve just been trying to wield the wrong one.
Try to practice the basic folk magic on your journey—elemental magic since all Fae can do that.
Eventually, you should be able to Veil Walk and shift at some point, but that takes a lot of energy.
Stick with the basics for now,” he said, leaning against the window, when a large hawk landed on his shoulder, causing a gasp to slip from me.
“What is that?” I gaped.
The hawk was massive with a white chest and brown wings. Dark eyes landed on mine before he chirped, gently rubbing his beak on Rydian’s hand. Rydian took a knuckle and gave him a small scratch.
“This is Ire, my messenger hawk,” he said with a smile and handed him a scroll right before he flew from the window again.
My eyes followed him out before I shook my head and returned to the conversation. “That’s easy for you to say. I have a hard enough time feeling my magic, but what is a Vision Walker?” I asked finally.
“Vision Walkers have the ability to see the memories or future outcomes of the person who touches their face with both hands. Though from what I know, it doesn’t always happen if someone touches you.
It’s something you need to focus on in order to see them, like what I did with you last night.
” He stopped pacing. “You didn’t happen to pick up a coin that night at the brothel, did you? ”
A coin? A quizzical look grew on my face. What did that have to do with anything? But thinking back on the night, I did. The black one. My lucky coin, I called it and kept it with me.
“You mean this one?” I asked, pulling out the black coin with a diamond-shaped emblem etched on to the front.
“Yes, one just like that,” he mumbled, grabbing it from my fingers. “Do you know what this is?”
“Of course I know what it is,” I snapped, snatching it from his hands in annoyance. “It’s money, a coin that I just happened to pick up. Why, is it yours? Don’t you have enough money already, King?” My voice dripped with sarcasm.
He barked a laugh. “It’s not mine, but it’s a coin made from the Veil crafted by your Herb Weavers. There are only a few left, but it can help you enter the Veil or communicate through it if you are not familiar with our magic,” he explained.
“What does that mean exactly?”
“As you know, Shadovar are the only ones capable of entering the Veil, so it means that Aetheri can enter the Veil or communicate through it if they have one of these coins. I brought them in preparation for you not having your abilities as a precaution. You should be able to push a thought out to the person you want to communicate with, like leaf-whispering.”
“What?” I gasped.
“Isa?” Ezra is in front of me, touching my shoulder and pulling me from the memory.
“I’ll gather the horses and lead them down to the inn,” I get out. “My pack is ready to go. I’m just waiting on you two old bastards.” I throw him a light chuckle and rush out the door, taking my bag with me.
Feet thud against the cobblestone as I walk down the path, my attention shifting to the auburn-haired boy across the street—Rydian. I scowl just as someone walks past, causing me to lose sight of him, and he vanishes through the Veil within seconds of her passing. How convenient.
Quietly entering the stables, I shut the doors and stride to Bjorn. I saddle him when I hear Rydian appear behind me in a whoosh.
“You’re risking getting caught, you know,” I mumble, throwing a look over my shoulder to find that he’s shifted back into his usual form. Yet for some reason, my stomach flips at the sight of him.
Ignoring that, I turn and continue to saddle Bjorn. Rydian strides up beside me, helping with the saddle and grabbing the second buckle from underneath.
“I know, but Ivy has them distracted. She offered them breakfast and will keep them busy with conversation at the inn.” He gives me a tight smile and then drops it, the conversation suddenly turning more serious. “Be careful.”
I nod, leaning against Bjorn. “I’ll be fine. Just worry about yourself.”
“I know you want to trust them, but you can’t mention anything until we know for sure who’s siphoning your memories, and I don’t want you getting hurt in the process. I’ve waited twenty years for this moment. I’d hate to lose you again after only just getting you.”
I scoff. “You do not have me, let’s make that perfectly clear.”
He steps forward, the movement forcing my head back to meet his gaze. His eyes pierce me, searching my face with an intensity that makes him hard to ignore.
Regardless, my eyes narrow, and I take a cautious step back, the moment suddenly thrusting me back to the Painted Bird where we initially met. Did he know that was me? He seemed shocked at the Silver Lily when I came to kill him, so perhaps not.
He opens his mouth to say something before closing it again, looking off to the side. Then, as if sensing my discomfort, he steps back with a quiet sigh.
“I’m going to try to communicate with you through the Veil today, so try to keep the coin on you at all times if you want to respond,” he says.
“I’ll be prepared,” I reply, turning to the other two horses to finish their saddles.
But before I can take another step, he grips my arm as if reluctant to let me go. He quietly studies me for a moment with an expression I can’t quite name. Something that sends a shiver down my spine. My lips part in surprise, as it’s something I don’t expect to feel.
There’s a quiet intensity in his stare that catches my breath, but all I can do is stand there, trying to ignore the heat beneath my skin and the skipping of my pulse. And he hasn’t said a word.
Then he steps into the Veil, leaving me to blink at the space he was just occupying.
Whatever I felt a moment ago left nothing but a world of confusion as I finish up with the horses. Conflicted feelings continue to rise—I’m still unsure who to fully trust, regardless of the memories he shared with me.
Regardless of knowing that I’m the princess of Aurelia. All it does is urge me to search for the truth as one question bounces around in my head.
Who am I?