Chapter 30 Esmeray
Chapter thirty
Esmeray
I had to admit this all went far better than I anticipated. Sparrow breezed back into the living room, carrying a crate of red wine I knew was as old as myself. Lenna, trailing behind her, held a few more wine glasses for the rest of the group, seeming much more at ease around Sparrow.
Sparrow had that effect on every being she met.
I didn’t know if it was some part of her magic, or just the combination of her sweet face and bubbly personality, but it seemed a small trip down to her wine cellar had given her time to listen to Lenna’s fears, and assuage any concerns the Oracle expressed.
Gods, Lenna was a seer, too.
Lenna had gone back to sit on her pouf after Sparrow poured each of us a glass of wine, but Sparrow patted the spot next to her and announced the couch was now females only, and the males could sit on the poufs.
Lenna smiled at that, the fine lines around her eyes crinkling.
Merrick told me she was fifty-one, which was apparently considered middle-aged in the Slate Kingdom.
I told him when I was fifty-one, I got in trouble with my father for using illusion magic to turn my hairbrush into a dagger because I wanted to learn how to wield one.
Before Lenna and Sparrow rejoined us, Merrick offered up brief snippets on how he found Lenna.
I was surprised he’d been able to track her at all, but Merrick admitted that part was all Laurent.
The ex-Spy Master hadn’t looked particularly pleased Merrick offered up that tidbit, so I stored that kernel of knowledge away for later.
Any being that could track magic was considered rare, and that was a fabulous quality to have in my corner.
The ease that we fell into conversation surprised me, but on more than one occasion, my pulse raced and my palms became sweaty.
After ninety years of weighing every word and half-truth spoken and weaving through court politics, sitting on a purple couch with my dearest friend and Keerian’s closest friends was… overstimulating.
I listened more than talked, my heart panging whenever Laurent or Merrick mentioned Keerian. My mate was out there, and our short time together could end at any moment if Adara figured out that transfer spell. I missed him, I needed him.
The week after our soul tie was cemented had been the happiest week of my life.
We’d flown together through the forest, finding a secluded spot by a waterfall to land.
I’d looked out at that beautiful view breathlessly before my mate kissed me deeply, our tongues exploring, his hands fisted in my hair, and I threw my arms around his tanned neck.
Keerian had hoisted me up, flown us to the top of the waterfall, and we consummated our soul tie right then and there, on the mossy bank overlooking the tumbling water.
That week we lived in Sparrow’s house, gods bless her, she found many an excuse to stay away. Keerian and I hadn’t been able to keep our hands off each other. The thought of him buried deep inside me, stroking me to that point where it felt like we were tumbling off that waterfall into bliss…
The edginess I felt was caused by the lack of him.
“Esmeray.” Sparrow’s sharp voice cut through my thoughts, and I raised an eyebrow at her. She probably knew exactly where my mind had wandered because her voice changed and she said softly, “We will get him back.”
I averted my gaze, my throat tight. Merrick and Laurent exchanged a look as I stood up and announced I was going to fly. Sparrow nodded. I needed to blow off steam before I could even consider laying down.
“Lenna, I put some night clothes in the bedroom for you if you want to get some rest.” Sparrow turned to me as Lenna departed the room, covering her mouth with a hand as a yawn overtook her. “I’m going to lay out some clothes for you too, Meer. I still have your bedroom ready.”
I stretched out my wings. Flying was one of my favorite activities, and after the day I had, shit, after this whole year, I needed to launch into the sky and wear myself out.
Plus, I had a hunch on what waited for me outside of this house, and wanted to confirm if my suspicions were correct.
Or if I was being too paranoid for my own good.
I scooped up two bottles of wine, nonchalantly slipping them into the air next to me.
My illusion magic had been difficult to learn when I first received my power–since no one in history had ever received the type of magic I did–but one perk I found early on was the ability to store things in a weird little pocket of space.
To anyone who didn’t have my type of magic, it would look like the bottles disappeared into thin air, but whenever I called upon it, I could see the pocket shimmering, and beyond it, a small rock alcove that was mine.
It made it much easier to swipe Sparrow’s good wine out from under her nose.
Merrick rolled awkwardly off the pouf, before hopping up and flaring out his grey scaled wings.
“Mind if I join you? I need to get some fresh air, or I won’t be able to sleep.
” I agreed, even though I felt like a small part of his request was due to me being Keerian’s mate and he now felt the need to protect me.
Or Merrick wanted to keep an eye on my behavior.
I grimaced internally. One night of me admitting my side of the story probably did not erase the years that I terrorized the Opal Palace with an array of pranks and complete dismissal of my duties as Princess.
Still, I led him through the house and up the pink and purple painted stairs to the small patio on the roof.
This was my favorite spot in Sparrow’s house.
We decorated it together years ago after one of my more explosive fights with my mother about the training I’d, once again, been caught doing.
I had promptly waned out of the Opal Palace and came straight here.
Sparrow had been living by herself for over a decade at that point, and took one look at my face before deciding we needed to redecorate the patio.
Now, two low backed chairs leaned against a small half wall that Sparrow built flower beds into. Numerous days had been spent on those chairs–me sunning my wings, Sparrow sunning her body–while we shared the good, the bad, and the ugly dealings of court life.
Wooden slats painted a soft green lined the floor, save for two circular areas in opposite corners where Sparrow added bird baths.
But my favorite part was the thin strings of lights we added to two posts above the half wall.
At night, we would light them and sit out here for hours, sometimes in silence, sometimes with a bottle of wine, roaring in laughter, soaking in the view around us.
Sparrow’s home was in a residential district in the city of Florra, one of the lesser known jewels of the Obsidian Kingdom.
Although it was a smaller city than those closer to the Palace, its charm and color had always drawn a more eclectic type.
Surrounding the city, waterfalls, lush forests, and a distant mountain range blended together.
Merrick whistled low as he surveyed our surroundings.
He told me on the walk up the steps that he’d never been in Florra, but that if it was anything like Sparrow’s home, he would love it.
I smiled at that but said nothing–especially because I always thought of Florra as my home more than the Palaces I grew up in.
Hearing him echo that sentiment… I knew that feeling, so similar to when Sparrow and I first came here–like anything was possible in this charmed, peaceful place that captured hearts.
I unfurled my wings, feeling the cool night breeze trail across them.
Next to me, Merrick did the same, sighing, as he reveled in the chill.
“Follow me,” I said innocently before launching into the sky with a swift movement.
He whooped and barreled over the ledge of the patio, reaching my altitude in two pumps.
I leveled out, letting him catch up, as I lazily glided through a bolstered draft that rolled off the far away mountain range.
Merrick shouted over the roar of the wind, “I’ll go slow, sweetheart, so you can keep up. ”
Oh, no. Challenge on.
I shot him a wicked grin before lurching higher into the sky, rolling out into a straight nosedive as I searched for an updraft to ride.
I heard him curse as I dropped low, and before he could collect himself enough to speed up, I found what I needed.
As fast as a loosened arrow, I shot out straight towards Florra’s dense forest with an exhilarated shriek, my black wings sleeker and more agile than his, giving me a massive advantage.
Merrick furiously tried to catch me, but I raced on, more nimble than a falcon, past the sleeping city, towards the twelve waterfalls churning mist into the air on the outskirts of the city.
As the largest finally came into view, its tumbling water crushing the sleek rocks below, I landed gracefully on the lip of the falls, perching precariously on a slick-with-moss stone that time and condensation warped flat, waiting on a defeated Merrick.
My eyes traveled down to the base of the waterfall, where a winding river dumped into the sea beyond the coast.
He landed a few moments later, his chest rising and falling rapidly, though I watched him fight to keep his breathing even. I gave him a simpering look. “That’s for calling me ‘sweetheart.’”
Merrick rolled his eyes, “Well, what should I call you then?”
“My Queen,” I replied simply before leaning back, spreading my arms wide, and plummeting towards the river below.