Chapter 13
Aurora
Camryn leads me down dark narrow stairs off the throne room to a dark alcove. She gives me a look over her shoulder and knocks on the thick door. It creaks open and I step into the room to find Arc hunched over a large stone desk.
He looks up at us with dark circles beneath his eyes. His pale face greys under the low light of the room and I’m speechless at the state of his appearance. Gone is the regal, authoritative handsomeness of the night before. What sits before me is a hollowed shell of a man.
“What?” he grunts.
Camryn scoffs at his abruptness. “Good morning to you, too.” She takes in his appearance and smirks. “Rough night?”
He lifts his eyes from his desk. I clear my throat and take a step forward, not ready for a shouting match this early in the morning. “Did you find evidence that backs up our theory about the travelers?”
Arc closes a leather-bound book in front of him and looks up at me. “While I appreciate your interest, I must remind you, human, that you are a guest in my court, and I do not owe you any information or explanation as to what research I have done regarding my own circumstance.”
“Oh, fuck that,” Camryn says beside me, rolling her eyes. Arc’s eyes snap to her. “You can’t keep us here forever. Her man and the rest of Silverveil know we’re here and I wouldn’t be surprised if they were already on their way,” Camryn says, crossing her arms over her chest.
Arc huffs. “If that is meant to frighten me, you failed miserably. Let them come. No one crosses onto my lands without my permission unless they wish for death.” He returns his attention to me. “You are supposed to be training your friend, finding her power, remember?”
I curl my fists at my sides. “I at least deserve to know how long you are holding us here. Soren will want an update.”
Arc leans back in his chair and takes a breath, studying me. “I need to travel to another part of the realm. You can tell him you will be here for a week. Possibly longer.”
I stare at him. “One week. That is all you get. Then you are to take me and Camryn back to Riverholm.” I stand firm, barely breathing, but seething beneath the surface.
Arc holds my gaze for an agonizing minute before his eyes flash over my shoulder. “As you wish. Now get out of my sight. Caelum can show you to the training room.” He returns his focus to the books and papers on his desk.
I smile to myself before turning on my heels to see Camryn gazing at the winged male in the doorway. He gazes down at her, and I don’t miss how he straightens as she moves toward him.
“Camryn,” he says as he nods to her. Her gaze scatters and Caelum focuses on me. “Fire Fingers, follow me.”
Caelum leads us up several flights of stairs to a room that lives up to its name. It is massive, nearly the size of a football field. It’s constructed from light stone and has a high domed ceiling.
The winged warrior leans against the doorway as Camryn and I walk to the center.
Camryn walks in a circle, eyeing the room.
Her melodic whistle breaks the silence and echoes off the high walls.
“I haven’t been up here before. I guess there are some perks to knowing you, since you’re magical and all. ”
I roll my eyes. “Yeah, it’s quite the honor to be held captive by a loose cannon dark lord.”
A deep chuckle behind us draws our attention to Caelum lingering in the doorway.
Camryn narrows her eyes on him. “What, are you our babysitter today?”
He dips his head and when he lifts it again, his light expression has turned serious. “I will go if you wish me to.”
She glares at him. “I haven’t seen my friend in months, and we’d like some privacy. Goodbye.”
I watch him as silence lingers between the two of them before he finally relents. “Very well. Happy training,” he says before he disappears down the corridor.
Camryn exhales and walks to a bench lined against one wall. I follow her and settle onto the cool stone.
Something about their interactions prickles my skin. But I don’t want to probe Camryn too quickly.
She turns her gaze to me. “What’s it like? Having powers?”
I sigh and tilt my head to look at her. “It’s ... weird. I really can’t explain it. And a part of me believes I’m in some kind of limbo or a coma and none of this is real.”
“Girl, isn't that the truth? I tell ya, when I woke up in the arms of a hot guy with red wings and fiery hair flying through the sky, I thought I was a goner for sure.”
I sneak a glance at the doorway to see if Caelum overheard her remark about him. But there’s only darkness.
I laugh at the truth in her words. What we’ve experienced is absurd, to say the least. But then I think of Soren and his warmth and love, and I have to believe he’s real. I have to.
Camryn smiles sadly, then nudges my shoulder. “Show me something.”
I grin and get to my feet. I extend my hand in front of me and turn my palm toward the sky, feeling my magic awaken. A breath later, a glowing orb of white light appears, hovering above my hand.
“Wicked,” Camryn says, standing and moving toward me. The ball of light reflects in her eyes. “Can I touch it?”
I pause, thinking of how many times Soren has come into contact with my light magic and has never seemed bothered. “Yeah, I think so.” I eye her warily.
Camryn slowly reaches out, her fingertip inching toward my light. I hold my breath as she pokes at the glowing orb, and I watch her finger move through the illumination, unfazed. “Cool,” she drawls.
I release my breath. “Wanna see something really cool?”
Camryn retracts her hand and looks at me. “Hell yeah.”
I smirk and draw back my hand with the glowing ball of light. I launch it high into the air before my arms pull back as if I were holding an invisible bow. A fiery ball heats the skin on the right side of my face, and I release my fingers.
A flame of magic hurtles through the air and strikes the glowing ball of light. There’s a tiny explosion and sparks of orange and white rain down from above, as if a firework detonated.
Camryn laughs, and the sound squeezes my heart. My friend is here. With me. Everything is going to be okay.
“So, when the bad guy comes to burn the world down, you’ll be able to put on quite the show,” Camryn says.
I chuckle. “Maybe it will be a useful distraction.”
Camryn stands and stiffens, her eyes fluttering closed. I stare at her while she takes several deep breaths. After a minute, her eyes flash open. “Yeah, I’ve got nothing. I feel nothing at all.”
I give her a lopsided smile. “Well, everyone’s power is different. Maybe fire isn’t your thing, which is ironic, given your attitude.”
She scoffs. “Thanks, bitch.”
“Whatever it is, I think it will come to you when the time is right.” I sigh. “Until then, maybe we can just do some weapons training? There’s got to be an armory around here.” I look around the expansive room until my eyes spot a large cabinet on the opposite wall.
“Yeah, I guess,” Camryn sighs. “I’m down with playing with stabby things.” She skips to my side as I stride toward the cabinet. I pull open the doors and gaze at the collection of daggers, swords, and blades.
Camryn whistles. “Bingo.”
I grab two swords, surprised by how light they are. I hand one to Camryn, who eagerly grasps it and marvels at the glinting metal.
I spend the rest of the morning teaching Camryn basic attack and defense moves.
I’m not the best with a long blade, and I miss Soren as I’m reminded of our training sessions together.
But I do my best and Camryn is agile and a quick learner.
We are sweaty and hungry when we settle on the bench for a water break.
I startle when my pocket vibrates against my thigh, causing water to slosh over my glass. I dig in the front pocket of my leathers and pull out the communication mirror that I stuffed in my pants on the way out the door this morning.
Soren! I hold the glass in my palm and watch as Soren’s handsome face fades into view. “Aurora?” His forehead creases, and he looks more concerned than he did last night.
“Hi,” I breathe. His voice is comforting, and I smile to myself at how the mirror is like a smartphone in this world, only powered by magic.
“How did you sleep?” he asks.
“Better than I thought. I was exhausted.”
“I’m glad you got some rest.” He smiles at me, but there is worry behind his eyes.
“What about you? Did you sleep?” He looks tired, so I can only imagine it was a restless night.
He looks down and smirks. “Oh, I got a little.” He gazes back up at me with those burning amber eyes. “It’s just not the same without you in our bed.”
Oh, lord. At this moment, I wish my magical power could be teleportation. I’d be in his arms in a heartbeat. “I know,” I murmur. Wanting to ease the growing ache in my heart, I switch topics. “What have you been up to this morning?”
He pauses and looks out of frame. “I’ve been busy preparing myself for travel.”
My brow furrows. “Oh? Where are you going?”
Soren stares at me. “Are you alone?” His voice is barely above a whisper.
I look around at the empty room, save for Camryn swinging a sword. “It’s just me and Camryn here. Why? What’s going on?”
“I’m going to stay at Windflower. I need to be close to you, just in case.”
“You’re going to Whispering Glen?” My heart races at the thought of him being so near me. “But what about training and taking travelers to Eldersmoor?” I hate the thought of taking him away from the plan. I know he is needed.
“Thorn and the others can manage for a while. Plus, I’m not the only sentinel in Silverveil, you know.”
I grin at him. “Just the most handsome.”
He chuckles and I breathe in to capture the melody. “If it’s from your lips, it must be true.”
“Well, I’ve given Arc a week to conclude his own research before he has to release me and Camryn, so you won’t be away for too long.”
Soren stiffens, and his flirtation falls away. It’s replaced with fury. “A week! I should head straight for the mountain and demand you be released immediately.”
“It’s okay, really. I’d be more worried if you did that. I can handle him. He’s intense, but I think I can still sway him to our side. I just have this feeling that we’re going to need him and angering him now could come back to haunt us.” I chew the inside of my cheek.
Soren takes a deep breath. “I trust you, and I know you can handle yourself. But if he pulls any kind of stunt to keep you longer, I will have no choice but to come for you.”
“I understand, and that’s fair.” Trying to lighten his spirits, I bite my lip. “I can’t wait for you to come for me.”
A low grumble escapes his throat and the look he gives me is full of desire. For a moment I wish I were alone, and we could do the fantasy world equivalent of smartphone sex.
Soren and I wrap up our conversation as I watch Camryn twirl around with the sword. Slight guilt prods me about Soren leaving his post with the rebellion efforts simply to travel near to me and sit on his hands for a week.
It’s highly unlikely that he will just be sitting around Windflower waiting for time to run out, but still. All the more reason for me to get on Arc’s good side and persuade him to let us go.