27. Chapter Twenty-Six #2
But, as he’d said, there wasn’t much more information than what he’d given me.
It shared a couple historical instances of the bond, but in both, the pair had been in love and had used it to their advantage.
Speaking in one another’s minds had let one warrior couple become nearly undefeatable in battle.
Another, a king and queen from the original Emberglade line, had used the ability as well as their emotional connection to better rule their people.
There was no account, at least not in this book, of the bond being broken.
My heart sank. I spent another hour flipping through other books, not finding anything else useful. Abandoning my efforts, I’d returned to the kitchen to bake a loaf of bread.
Archer didn’t bother me the whole day—not for training or a public appearance or a meal. I took each of those alone in his private dining room. Either I never saw when he left his own bedroom, or he kept himself secluded all day, taking his meals there too.
More days passed similarly, but with Archer leaving for meetings and running into me only in passing.
He’d been too absent to push me to train with him.
Sometimes, Owen and Lily visited and sparred with me, explaining that all of them, but especially the prince, were being tasked with frequent shifts of guarding the castle or venturing into the city proper to search for the escaped prisoner.
Something about the way Lily offered this was odd—her tone, her expression—but I didn’t know her quite well enough yet to read her mannerisms accurately, and she didn’t offer more information after that.
It was a relief, not having to endure Archer’s presence when I couldn’t stop thinking about the phoenix shifters he hunted.
Somehow, while being subjected to his feelings of despair and guilt and grief, I’d started to see him almost like a friend or member of my own community, someone who wasn’t heartless and cruel.
Someone whose dreams and fears mirrored mine in more ways than I’d ever imagined.
But his capture of the phoenix shifter mother had reminded me who I was dealing with.
Whenever I could, I slipped back to the library.
More than once, I found Dell perusing the books there, and each time, I’d forced myself to smile and exchange niceties, even though every look from him made my skin crawl.
“Hear about the phoenix shifter who escaped?” he asked the first time I encountered him.
“I’ve heard she’s quite terrifying,” I’d said. “I hope we’re safe.”
“I’m sure they’ll catch it.” Dell studied me carefully. “Your prince is quite talented at that.”
I fluttered my lashes. “He’s talented at many things. It’s nice to hear I’m quite safe with him.”
After that, our other meetings were briefer. But he always watched me with cunning in his eyes, and each time, he always steered our conversations toward phoenix shifters.
I continued to fail to find anything useful in the main library on blood bonds, so I started to focus on whatever afflicted the phoenix shifters.
Historical accounts didn’t show anyone ever losing their magic in such a way before, and I didn’t find a record of a curse being cast that would harm such a large group of people in that way.
Every story shared about curses that were wielded against an individual or an entire family, spanning generations, but nothing as vast as what harmed my people.
Knowing that every curse came at a price, I imagined the cost for such a large scale one would be much too high.
Unless… One afternoon, the thought that started to take root in my mind was unnerving. What if the curse was cast by a group of people, such as the entire royal family. Maybe that’s why Emberglade has been cursed with revenants, as the price for what they did.
Although that wasn’t right. Archer, at least, couldn’t have caused the revenants when he seemed truly convinced there was a necromancer at work.
And yet the idea that the royals had cursed us was a possibility, and it made me dizzy just to contemplate.
Maris had said that Prince Archer would be the downfall of the phoenixes if I didn’t ruin the throne.
Maybe his side of our joint prophecy was already coming to pass.
Maybe it was a curse that would eradicate us.
But if that was the case, they wouldn’t view the phoenixes as much of a threat anymore. They’d be sitting back, waiting for us to perish as the curse progressed.
And there was the fact that not all Phoenix shifters were affected, or at least, not to the same degree.
I had fully functioning magic, only with the cost of bearing the pain of those I healed.
Some weren’t affected at all yet. It was why we’d looked at the suffering almost like an illness or plague.
Our kind didn’t become ill when our magic lived in us at full strength, and other types of fae also rarely become sick, but we were familiar with illness and disease due to our roles as healers.
I was going in circles with my thoughts, my mind spinning back to where I’d begun and my research all utterly fruitless.
I groaned, slamming a book on the table before me a little too loudly. A librarian cast me a sharp glance over his shoulder. His eyes widened when he recognized me as the prince’s betrothed, and he walked away quietly.
Abandoning my research for the day, I returned to Archer’s quarters as the sun was low in the sky. Unfortunately, my room was not empty. Orchid already had a dress laid out for me, and while the maid was currently absent, the prince was there, leaning impatiently against my wall.
“Where have you been?” he asked, his green eyes watching me closely.
Lately, he was on edge. Tension and anxiety filled me whenever I was in his presence, and whenever he smiled, his grins were more mask-like than ever, never reaching his eyes.
“Reading in the library.”
Archer shifted on his feet. “It’s not really safe to wander the castle alone.”
“I already feel like a prisoner. I can’t live confined to your quarters whenever you’re not around.
And lately, you’re always gone or drinking yourself into oblivion.
” I ran my fingers along the silk Orchid had left for me, admiring the shades of violet that melted into deep indigo at the hem of the skirt and the silver floral design stitched into the fitted bodice.
“Does this mean we must attend another dinner?”
“Another party,” the prince muttered.
“The king is finally relaxing after the horrifying phoenix shifter’s escape?” I glanced over my shoulder at Archer, trying to read his expression.
Something shifted in his mood—a spark of fear that he swiftly tried to conceal, even to me, with a smirk. “I suppose so. I’ll call for Orchid to help you get ready.”
Then he was gone. I’d expected him to be annoyed or angry at the reminder of his failure.
Fear was odd, unless he was scared for his safety.
That had to be it—he knew the phoenix had every right to hate him and see him as a target.
I’d become so accustomed to their hatred and cruelty, I’d forgotten it was rooted in fear.
Archer
“How long before we can make our excuses and leave?” Owen muttered as soon as he found me at the party, a drink already clutched in his hand like a lifeline.
Though I was weary of pretending like everything was normal, Owen had never loved these parties, preferring to keep to himself.
His white knuckles told me he was entirely out of his comfort zone, and his eyes kept roaming toward the exit as if reminding himself it was near.
I smiled and nudged him in the side. “A few more drinks and none of us will care. Drink up, friend.”
Owen sighed and rolled his eyes, but when I grasped drinks for Isoria and me from a passing tray, he clinked his glass to mine.
“Oh good, you’re here.” Lily appeared at our side, slipping her arm through Isoria’s.
“Father couldn’t make it tonight and I have endured far too many conversations already about different fighting tactics and theories about possible conflict with Brighthollow.
” She turned to Isoria with an eager smile.
“Tomorrow? I’m free. Could we steal Archer’s quarters and have some proper girl time?
Or you could come riding with me if you’d like some fresh air. ”
Isoria’s alarm came clearly through our bond. “I’m not much of a rider.” Of course not; you transform and fly, I thought. “But I’m sure Archer would let us use his quarters.” She tossed me a too-sweet grin, like a besotted fiancée.
“Or we could go out and explore the city,” Lily continued, her excitement building. “I know you haven’t seen much of the Upper District. I could show you some of my favorite shops—Archer has plenty of spare coin to spoil his beloved with.”
My own discomfort grew. How do you plan to lie your way through a heart-to-heart with Lily when she demands to know every detail of our romance? I asked Isoria.