Chapter 29
The Apples
DELILAH
There were no flying lessons or daring maneuvers on the ride home.
Titus flew Draxxinar while I cuddled in closely to his chest, somehow managing a much-needed nap.
Sometime while sleeping, Titus removed my Fire Fae glamour, and we landed on the main platform outside the castle doors in Embris soon after.
As soon as we entered, a swarm of important-looking Fire Fae surrounded Titus, some of which I recognized from the SkyGuard Feast— undoubtedly needing his approval for many trivial things while he had been away.
I waved goodbye to him as I slipped out down the hall.
On the way, I stopped in the kitchen to greet the fire sprites, who insisted I take a platter of food to my room with me, but I wasn’t going to my room—not yet.
Because talking to her always felt like breathing fresh air, and I’d had far too much of Titus’s smoke in my head.
I knocked lightly three times on her door. The door opened magically, and I could see Calpurnia having tea with Cercies.
“Lila!!!!” she squeaked. “How was your trip?” she asked.
Cercies set down his cup, picked up his sheathed sword, and strapped it onto his back.
“Oh, I can come back, I didn’t mean to—” I began to say.
“Not to worry. I was just headed out anyway. I have to return to Dragons Maw for a while, but I’ll be back in the morning for your training,” he informed.
Then he kissed Calpurnia goodbye while giving her a firm, one-handed grip on her backside.
She responded with a jolt and squeaked at the touch at first, then leaned in wholeheartedly to his kiss, but he was the first to pull back, leaving her feeling a bit off balance.
As he departed, she gazed after him down the servant hall, wearing a dreamy expression and a smile.
“I brought food, but it’s mostly desserts,” I said.
She shook off her daze and said, “Oh yes, come in, come in—tell me everything! Did the lingerie work? Did he mark you?” She giggled in excitement.
I set the tray on her table and we sat. Shit, I couldn’t lie to her— and worse, I wanted to tell her. She was my only friend. But could I trust her not to tell Cercies for fear it would get back to Aurelius?
“How about first you tell me everything! I have barely spoken to you since you found your fated mate. How is it going?” I asked while shoving a chocolate muffin into my mouth.
She let out a wistful sigh. “Nothing I’ve experienced compares to this feeling.
He’s blunt and ill-mannered and wouldn’t recognize romance if it hit him square in the face.
We can only be together in secret, plus he’s often away because he’s stationed at Dragon’s Maw.
Still, despite all that, I’m absolutely smitten with him. I’m just unsure about the future.”
I replied with a sympathetic frown. “Sorry, Cal. Maybe Titus can figure out a way around the rules for Cercies to be able to take a mate, officially, so you can be stationed with him.”
She sighed. “I’m not going to hold my breath; besides, I like being here with you.”
I shifted my weight.
“Which reminds me, I wanted to talk to you about something,” I said.
Her eyes widened. “Sure, anything!” she replied encouragingly.
I looked down at my nails and picked at them nervously.
“In my past life, I was sick—like, really sick and everyone around me had to take care of me. I lost my independence and it sort of messed with my head. It made me hate myself. So as much as I have appreciated all of your help getting me adjusted to the way things work around here, I think I can manage on my own now. I like being self-sufficient.”
She offered a kind smile and nodded, yet I could sense her underlying disappointment. “I understand, Lila,” she said, gently taking my hand. “But I love being your handmaid. I don’t know what I am going to do to fill my day now.”
I gave her hand a gentle squeeze. “You can be my friend,”—I needed her.
“And hopefully this will free up some of your time so you can figure out your relationship with the General. But I am still going to need your help with my makeup for formal events because you know I’m hopeless.
” We both laughed, and she agreed in the politest way possible.
“You were the only one in the Lady’s wing, so now I only have meal service to worry about if they need me, which most of the time they don’t,” she explained.
“Wait, the Lady’s wing? As in where female guests stay?” I asked pointedly.
She tilted her head and gave me a confused look. “What? No. Royal guests stay on the second floor. You have the Lady’s wing— the fourth floor, opposite side of the High Lord’s. As in the Lady of Flame.” She articulated that last part, Lady of Flame.
My heart skipped a beat. “What? No, that can’t be right.” “See for yourself. Go explore the other half of your floor—maybe wear that outfit he’s so fond of,” she smirked.
“Yeah, thanks for that by the way. I should have known matchmaker was one of your many talents,” I said with a slight eye roll.
“You’re welcome,” she replied while batting her long lashes.
I yawned and noticed the sun was lower in the sky. “I need to freshen up and rest before dinner with Titus tonight. I’m glad I got to see you, Cal.”
“Would you like me to draw you a bath and set out a gown?” she replied enthusiastically.
I gave her a disapproving look.
“Sorry—old habit,” she said quickly. “Let me know if you need me for anything, anytime, Lila,” she added warmly.
“You do the same,” I replied with a smile.
I left the tray of fancy desserts and walked to my room.
It was exactly how I left it except…the lighting looked different.
I looked up and all of the cruel firefly lights had been replaced with black volcanic glass chandeliers with candles that burned but never dripped, like the ones from the party.
Calpurnia called them Everburn candles. My heart exploded. He did this. I knew he did.
I bathed and rested before slipping into a simple red silk dress. I styled my hair to the side to cover my mate mark and tried my best at some makeup. It wasn’t as good as Cal’s
handiwork, but it would do. I finished the look with my pearls and headed out for dinner when I noticed a note under my door.
~Lady Delilah, meet me in my quarters. I’ve been working on something to aid in your training. – Gleeda.~
That was odd, but it was on the way to the balcony, so I figured I had a few extra minutes to spare.
To my surprise, I found her room with the double arched doors all on my own, and I knocked.
“Come in, child,” I heard her say, then I opened the heavy door. “Well, don’t you look lovely,” she stated.
“Thanks, Gleeda. You do too, as always,” I replied. “You wanted to see me?”
“Oh yes. I’ve been working on a training elixir and I’ve finally perfected it. It’s to help you build muscle and get stronger at a much faster rate, as well as recover faster from physical soreness,” she explained.
“Oh, great. Thanks. Are there any side effects?” I asked. I couldn’t help but wonder if this was Titus’s doing so that I would retrieve the dagger more on his timeline than my own.
“I would not give it to you if there were anything concerning. The only thing you may experience is an increase in appetite,” she added. “Now let’s see that burn.”
My eyes widened, my back stiffened, and I couldn’t help but show the pure panic I was feeling.
“The High Lord requested I take a look at it, my dear,” she replied, instantly calming my nerves.
I moved my hair out of the way, and she studied the blistered sore on my chest.
More wrinkles formed between her brows.
“Well, that is unusual, isn’t it,” she stated. “I don’t know. Is it?” I asked.
“Would you say that this is healing slower than a burn typically would in the mortal realm?” she asked.
I paused. I hadn’t thought about it, but it should have been scabbed over by now.
“Yes, it did seem to be healing slow, even by mortal standards,” I replied.
Her eyes narrowed deep in thought. “Hmm. Does it still hurt?” she asked. “It’s very tender,” I confessed.
There was a look in her eyes like she suspected something but was not telling me. She shook her head and offered a comforting smile.
“The High Lord probably just got a little carried away. I’ll give you some ointment and bandage it. Come back twice a day to change the bandages,” she instructed.
I nodded, and she began to clean and treat my wound.
“I did have one other concern, but it is a private matter,” I stated, nodding to the fireplace.
She caught on immediately and held out her hand, extinguishing it, and then formed an iridescent bubble around us.
“You can speak freely, child. This sound shield will keep all words between us,” she said as she seated herself in her rocking chair.
I took a breath and cleared my throat. “You know how you restored my ovaries when I got here?... Is there any way to…prevent pregnancy…for now, until I’m ready and things are more certain.”
She nodded and leaned back in her chair.
“Ahh yes. Such herbs exist, but they are banned and are considered illegal here in this Kingdom.”
“What? Why?!” I asked.
She sighed. “The Fire Fae believe that power is, above all, the most important. It may seem that they worship a God Dragon, but make no mistake—they worship power. There is power in numbers. As rare as Fae children are, they do not want to prevent any from being born, so the council made an amendment to the holy tomes, and it was written into law.”
My eyes widened and panic began to rise in my chest. Of course, I wanted to be a mother, but certainly not right now, with the war and my shaky relationship with Titus. Bringing a child into this mess would almost be cruel.
She continued, “Which is why if you are looking for such herbs, you only come to me.”
A mason jar of dried herbs suddenly appeared on the bedside table to my right.