15. Elorie #2
Greer frowns. “I’m thankful he got to you in time.”
“He’s lucky the prison let him out. I swear Wilder has no sense of self-preservation.”
Perame chuckles, her dagger spinning between her fingers. “Not when it comes to you.”
For a moment, I think it’s a jab. But Perame’s smile is real. Appreciative even. She must notice my hesitation because she pauses the blade, her expression softening.
“You bring out something different in Wilder, that’s all.” She shrugs.
I glance up at Callum, who has yet to say a word. “Thank you for keeping your promise. You got the villagers out?”
“Yes. Letia is with them now in a wing on the east side of the mountain,” Callum says, and my gaze moves up to the stone walls.
“We’re in a mountain?”
“In it. On it.” Perame sheaths her dagger. “The palace is built into the stone and trees as much as possible to preserve the natural elements within the territory. Queen Delayna’s idea.”
She frowns at the mention of Wilder’s mother.
“It’s beautiful.” Gazing up, the jagged nature of the walls makes more sense.
They jut in different directions, while the halls twist and turn with what seems like no rhyme nor reason. They’re built into the landscape.
Movement pulls my attention to the door as two more Fae walk into the room. Perame’s twin brother, Atlas, and Rior.
“Why are we all here?”
Callum leans closer, dropping his voice. “Wilder didn’t say, but it looks like we’re about to find out.”
Atlas eyes Greer as he steps deeper into the room. His fingers thread into his dark-red hair, tying it back off his face. He winks when he catches Greer’s gaze on him, so she immediately turns away.
“Vaelier warriors are worse than the ones in Lyrichia,” she grumbles.
Atlas chuckles at the back of her head, not the least bit put off by her annoyance.
“You might be right when it comes to my brother. His escapades are prolific.” Perame smiles, turning to me. “It’s good to see you again, Elorie. I knew he’d find you.”
At that, she darts across the room to meet up with her brother and Rior, who sit at the opposite side of the round stone table in the center of the room.
It’s the color of obsidian, but there’s no resistance from my magic as my fingers graze over it.
Greer sits to my right with Callum at her other side.
Wilder aims for me as he finishes his conversation with Aurora, who appears more annoyed now than she did when he introduced me.
“I’m guessing you met Aurora,” Greer whispers, leaning closer.
“I did. She seems… focused.”
“She’s terrifying.” Greer watches Aurora finally take her seat a few chairs down from Wilder’s court, but a few more away from the three of us.
“I don’t really blame her,” I admit. “Running a court that’s not yours for a century would be difficult. Especially with the realms falling apart and the Well tearing into it. It couldn’t have been easy.”
“So diplomatic, even with your mate’s ex.” Greer winces when I glare at her. “Sorry. Maybe they weren’t—”
“I don’t want to think about it right now.” Especially when I know the answer with how Aurora’s eyes track Wilder circling the room.
He takes the seat next to mine, draping an arm across the back of my chair.
“We can talk later if you want.” He must read my concerns through the thread because it’s impossible to close them off now that the mating bond has ripped them wide open.
“I’m fine,” I lie, knowing he sees past my forced smile.
But he doesn’t push.
“Why is everyone frowning like it’s the end of the realm?” Atlas is the first to speak, grinning wide as he laces his fingers behind his head and leans back in his seat.
Perame’s nose wrinkles while Rior’s eyes narrow at his friend.
“Maybe because it is.” Greer is the one to answer, her tone pure annoyance. “So what are we going to do about it?”
Atlas leans forward, seeming to view Greer’s annoyance as flirting. His tunic opens the slightest with the movement, revealing the rune markings on his chest. I didn’t realize he had any, but there’s a dark line of marks that starts at his throat and trails down.
Before Atlas can say more, Wilder cuts in.
“The reports came back from Tael.” He frowns, glancing at Aurora. “A part of their territory has gone dark.”
My eyebrows pinch. “Dark?”
“It’s when a piece of the realm dies.”
“Like Alyssium?”
He shakes his head. “Alyssium is without magic, but it’s not dead. Life can be sustained there. The northwest island of Tael is unrecoverable. If it continues to spread, Lord Kave will relocate as many as he can to our shores.”
My chest tightens. “And Lyrichia? Is the same happening there?”
“One can only hope.” Aurora’s hate is unflinching.
Greer leans forward, but I speak first. “There are innocent Fae in Lyrichia just like there are innocents here. Fae who had no choice in what their Crown did to desecrate their kingdom. You wish that on them?”
Aurora’s lips thin as she watches me. “Do you know what those innocents have done to our people? Our kingdom? How they slaughtered. Pillaged. Raped—”
“That’s enough.” Wilder cuts her off. “If we spend all day listing the sins of the two kingdoms, we’ll never leave this room. The Well has claimed dark land in both realms. Our spies hint that the isles off the southeast shore of Rohldova share the same fate.”
“You have spies?” My heart races. “So the Arches to Lyrichia aren’t closed?”