Chapter 42
“Are you sure?” Rydian grinds his teeth, anger palpable across his face.
“Yes, I’m sure. There are two maps. I know it. The other one must be for the passages in his archives. I can feel it. I know I’m right.” I pause for a moment, holding his gaze. “I think we should get it tonight.”
Considering I’ve already done it one other time by myself, I believe we could slip in and out without getting caught. He just doesn’t know that yet.
Rydian walks around the table, and I lean in on my hands, attempting to read his expression. His face twists with anger, mind whirling, as if he’s racking through every possible outcome.
“We can’t confirm that just based on your intuition. I know you’re eager to find your mother, but we can’t go in there based on a feeling,” he says.
“We have to at least try,” I press.
My mother is in that castle somewhere, I know it. And then we can leave for Aurelia—I can leave with him because I know he’s who I want.
“I’m not saying I don’t agree with you. I’m saying let’s wait until we can get Ren and Orin here to formulate a plan. We can break into the archives to see if we can find the other map in a few days. It’s too risky to do it by ourselves.”
“We can’t wait—we should do it tonight. Please.”
“No, we shouldn’t. Don’t be impulsive. We need to wait for the others,” he clips, though he’s not doing a good job of convincing me.
“If you don’t go with me, I’ll be going by myself. Either you join me or not at all, but I’m going tonight whether you like it or not,” I sneer, instantly regretting my words.
He straightens and lowers his brows, a dark shadow spilling across his face, reaching my side of the table.
I regretted the words as soon as they left my mouth, but I couldn’t stop myself.
Shame runs through me, and even though I realize my mistake, I stand my ground with a lift to my chin.
A gasp slips from me when he grips my jaw, dragging me closer to him. Although firm, he doesn’t hurt me.
“You think you can threaten me, Isa?” He scans my face. “Do you think I’m going to allow you to leave? You’ve clearly misjudged my affection for you.”
I only chuckle at his words. “I’m going. Please don’t make me fight you—or beg you, as much as I’d love to right now.” I smirk, but he doesn’t take the bait.
His eyes remain fixed on me, sharp and unyielding, while the war inside him plays out across his face, as if struggling with his decision with a shake of his head.
“Please, don’t do that,” he whispers, his forehead resting against mine, stealing my breath.
“Do what?”
“Don’t force me to do this. Your safety comes first, and I can’t risk us going in there without a plan.”
“I’m not forcing you. I’m asking you to go with me. Please. It’s better if we do it together, wouldn’t you agree? We’ll do what we did last time, only now we know there are other wards there. We’ll be careful,” I whisper.
His expression shifts, brows drawing close together as he searches my face, flickering with something raw—fear, I realize.
It’s brief, barely there before he masks it, but I see it, and suddenly, I feel the struggle he’s trying to hide. It’s stifling and raw, settling at the edge of my temples, filled with an emotion he forces himself to bury. He’s wrestling with the guilt and pain of losing me not once, but twice.
The realization hits me hard as my chest tightens, my breathing suddenly impossible as his memories of the battle come flooding back to me. As easily as if I pulled them from him myself. My breathing stalls, images and emotions flying across my mind in a whirl.
I felt it then just as I do now.
“It wasn’t your fault,” I whisper, forcing him to look at me, his jaw tightening from restraint.
“What happened at the battle wasn’t your fault.
It was an impossible situation. But if we steal the map tonight, I’ll leave with you.
For Aurelia. We can continue the search from Aurelia if it’s what you want because it’s what I want.
I want that with you. I want to be with you, no matter the cost.”
His blue eyes find mine as he searches my face again. Only this time his expression is softer, with more understanding before he drops his head. He nods on an exhale, and without a word, his grip loosens, and he takes a large step back to study me before turning for the stairs.
“Then we’ll leave tonight. We only have a few hours left so we better get going. Grab your weapons. We leave in ten minutes.”
Ten minutes go by when I whirl to the front of the archives, cloaked in the Veil.
It’s like second nature to me as my essence continues to grow, feeling it become a part of my body as if it never left.
Conjuring my magic up is as easy as a thought, my hands warming at the thought of it while we wait.
We should be in and out in a matter of minutes. Two stand in the hallway, guarding the doors near the edge of the stairs that lead down into the courtyard. One on each side and far enough away that it would take them a moment to become alerted of the doors being opened.
Standing in the Veil allows me to see anyone in it, as it’s like sharing the same space.
I look at Rydian now, who’s armed to the teeth, hood drawn low over his brow.
But his jaw is firm as he glances at me, still wary of doing this tonight.
He can’t shift in the archives, so he has to stay in his true form.
“We’ve been here for ten minutes with no shift change,” he says.
“A few more minutes,” I plead.
We came to the agreement that if there was no shift change, we would leave and wait for Ren in the next couple of days to formulate a plan. I agreed only because I was determined to get the second half of the map tonight.
Then the doors begin to open. The two guards from inside the archives walk out, leaving us just enough space to squeeze through without alerting the two in the hall.
Rydian’s gaze meets mine as we silently walk at a quick pace to catch the doors right before they close—we’re in.
A sigh of relief escapes me just as the Veil flutters out like the first time we came, leaving us out in the open. I share a look with Rydian when he nods.
Striding to the back once again, I see large bookcases line the entirety of the wall, spotting the section holding the rolled parchment off to the right. Rydian goes straight for them.
“No, not there. I found the first map on his desk. I think it will be over here,” I whisper, and he quickly nods, meeting me at the edge of King Elion’s desk as we quietly go through it.
I spot the first map we made a copy of and push it aside, pulling it up to see if anything else lies under it, quickly spotting its twin.
The second map—I gasp at the sight of it.
“Here, it’s right here. I found it,” I mumble.
I knew there was a second one. Relief shoots through me, and a second later Rydian begins to roll it up. I glance down at the drawers again and begin to dig through them when I spot a chest nearby. I open it, and my eyes flare wide at what’s inside.
“We have to hurry,” he warns, and then my stomach drops at the sound of a door opening, only to find that the archive doors are still closed. Worry etches my face, and I frantically glance around when a low chuckle sounds from behind us.
“Look what we have here,” he drawls.
Rydian’s head snaps toward the sound coming from the shelves, and I realize that it’s a door, a hidden passageway, when I turn to face the voice.
A voice I recognize.