21. Nahomie
Nahomie
“Roièssa, care for a stroll through the garden?”
“I care to know where my husband is.”
Annoyed by Tassarion’s absence, I stomped through Everthorn Manor, too agitated to fly.
My sandals sank into the plush rug with every step as I navigated my way through the darkened corridors.
I itched to yank every last one of them open.
For now, I let them be, resolving to adjust to the ever-present darkness.
The familiar thick fog of the manor began seeping out from the floorboards and the walls, trailing me wherever I stepped.
Irritated to the point of combustion, I abruptly stopped walking, thrusting the taloned point of my wings at the fog.
“Enough. Find someone else to shadow. This dawn I’m not in the mood.”
The fog shriveled back, flinching from my aggression.
Pulling away from me, it faded until it disappeared altogether.
Whirling around, I huffed, continuing to stomp through the manor.
I had no actual destination, but walking the long halls of this colossal manor was just the release all of my pent-up frustration needed.
“Roièssa, I think a stroll through the garden will help,” Obsidian tried again.
The gargoyle trailed me, easily keeping up with my gait.
When I decided to walk, he took it upon himself to do the same.
Except with every step he took, minor tremors in the floor followed.
It didn’t help that he’d also brought Coralai, one of the Gargorètti females.
And she was just as heavy-footed as he was.
“Hèls. Or a flight beneath the surface of the Ouanaviel Sea,” Coralai grumbled.
I’d been in a mood all dawn and she wasn’t impressed in the slightest. I shot her a glare from the corner of my eye without responding. The female gargoyle glared back, as if biting my head off would bring her the greatest joy.
“I think both of you can piss off. I didn’t ask you to come.”
I kept walking, trying to create distance between myself and the two imposing gargoyles.
“Oh, come on, Roièssa. Don’t be that way,” Obsidian pleaded. “We’re just trying to help.”
I noted the amusement in his tone. The light teasing that let me know he didn’t take me the least bit seriously.
“Okay,” I griped. “So help. Where in the stars is my spouse?”
Tassarion had been gone for three full dawns.
Each dawn that passed, there was a flighty unsettling inside of me.
A restlessness that demanded satisfaction.
I needed him to come home. To lay eyes on him.
I didn’t know where he was, what he was up to, or if he was safe.
If he were okay. The past couple of dawns I’d felt nothing but rage and emotional turmoil down our bond.
Whatever Tassarion was going through, he was doing so in great agony, and I couldn’t stand it.
“Roi Tassarion will be home before you know it?—”
I whipped around, shoving a pointed wing at Obsidian.
“You did this. You told him you’d found Marcèllian.
He left and hasn’t returned since.” I crossed my arms, bubbling with fresh fury.
Obsidian’s eyes flashed as he looked at the talon pointed at one of his eyes and returned his gaze to me.
“What you can’t seem to comprehend is, I may not know where he is, but I can sense him.
Feel him. His ethèr won’t rest, Obsidian.
He is in anguish. Torment. And I can’t do anything about it. I can’t help him!”
I spun away from Obsidian and Coralai. Tears spilled down my cheeks.
My bond to Tassarion was unnatural, unhinged, and unbreakable.
There was another kind of magic at play between us.
I’d known of many Seraphim and Mortents who’d bonded before with nothing strange happening. Bonding between ranks was normal.
But with Tassarion... My blood called to him. My very bones ached for him. The tether of our bond was ravenous, intensifying every dawn. Even apart, there was a profound craving for him that left me in emotional shambles. And these ignoramus gargoyles thought me a fool for it.
“Roièssa.”
A large but tender hand of stone rested on my shoulder. Then I was embraced from behind, which only made me cry more. Why was I so emotional? Why did this matter so much to me?
I wanted to lie to myself and pretend this was all contractual. This was just Tassarion and I making the most of an arranged wingbinding. But... it wasn’t. I did care. This wasn’t just an arrangement anymore.
This was real.
“He will be okay,” Obsidian whispered, still hugging me. “He will come home.”
I sniffled, wiping my tears with the back of my hand, unable to feel relief from the pressure in my chest. I wanted my husband home.
Obsidian shuffled to my side and took my hand in his. He gently pulled me into a stroll, keeping me walking. Distracted. He gave me a soft, reassuring squeeze, continuing to hold my hand. We both let our wings drag onto the floor as we kept walking, swinging our arms.
“Floating, soaring, all the right sensations,” I began singing, finding myself skipping along to keep up with Obsidian’s enormous strides. At the sound of my voice, Obsidian and Coralai released a pleasant sigh. “Draw me, drown me, in your intoxication.”
We reached the end of the hall and entered an open courtyard with the most beautiful pond and sculpture of a Mortent angel at its center.
I brushed my eyes over the scenery, relishing in the onyx roses, lavender flower petals, and charcoal stones that made up the walkway.
Sandals slapping against stone, I carried on.
“Let our souls be twined, let our fantasies unwind, in this darkness that we both don’t want to fight...
” The song poured from my lips, my volume growing as I walked on with the Gargorètti.
Without a thought, I twirled, then reached for Obsidian’s hand again.
“May we bask within the music of the night.”
I held out the last note before falling silent. Obsidian tugged me along into a new hall lined with gilded doors. Behind each door, I heard endless singing.
“Where are we?”
Coralai answered before Obsidian could.
“We are in the Cherubim’s quarters, Roièssa.” She shuffled to my other side, her eyes glittering like bright jewels. “This is where the performers of the Opèr live.”
“Oh?” I asked, gazing at Coralai. Her eyes danced with mischief. “But why would you bring me here?”
“Originally I was going to bring you to Roi Tassarion’s personal biblion.”
I snapped my head toward Obsidian, my jaw hanging. He was going to bring me to Tassarion’s personal library? In his lair? Had the gargoyle lost his mind?
Oblivious to my shock, he kept talking.
“But then you started singing. I thought this would be a better use of your time. Your voice is delightful. There’s something about it that is ethereal and moving. Utterly prepossessing.”
I flushed, flattered at the rich compliment, though I never felt this strongly about my voice myself.
“Again. Why? I have no business in these parts.”
“Sure you do,” Coralai cut in. “You have a beautiful voice.” She blinked her warm amber eyes at me, full of sincerity. I blushed. “I’ve only ever heard Cherubim sing like this, which is natural because artistry is their ethèr. But you... This is natural for you.”
“And what in the stars do you all hope for me to do exactly?”
I looked between the gargoyles, completely caught off guard.
Obsidian and Coralai shared a look. Then they turned to me and grinned.
“We need you to train this one. We’ve heard her practicing and...”
Coralai looked at Obsidian.
“You need to help her, Roièssa,” Obsidian finished, looking embarrassed on behalf of the Cherubim. “She’s not entirely a lost cause, but...”
“She’s no Na’Kayla. And since she’s?—”
I frowned. I knew my meddling with that performer and devouring her by blackfire would come back to bite me. Stars. If Na’Kayla was the star singer, that meant this Cherubim had to become just as prominent. I pinched the bridge of my nose.
“I get it.” I sighed. “I permanently removed Tassarion’s favorite singer. I took away the pride and eternal joy of the king.”
“Wrong,” Obsidian said. He looked at me resolute, with a knowing look in his eyes. “The king has one pride and eternal joy. His Everheart.”
Bile spilled in my gut, souring my mouth with acid, triggering my jealousy.
“His,” I breathed. “Everheart.” I blinked, processing this information.
Then I remembered Tassarion calling me his Everheart the dawn Obsidian told him about Marcèllian. I felt all seven of my hearts being re-arranged in my chest as I dwelled on that thought for a ridiculously long time. My lips quirked into a sheepish grin.
“His... Everheart,” I repeated.
The Gargorètti’s lips curled in a sneaky smile.
“Awoui, Roièssa.”
It felt like the clouds in my mind had parted, making way for sunshine.
I squeezed Obsidian’s hand, giggling before remembering why I was here.
“This Cherubim. Which chamber is hers?”
The gargoyles pointed to the largest door at the very end of the hall.
“What’s her name?”
“Vivienne.”
I nodded in acknowledgement, eyes on the Cherubim’s door. I fyused, shedding my Seraphim skin for my ethèr, embodying my blackfire. The hall instantly illuminated with blackfire as my lavender starlight collided with the sun pouring through the windows.
“Leave me. I will go and remain with her awhile. If she doesn’t reject me. If she does? That is neither my fault nor my problem.”
I made my way to the door. Knocked three times. Hard.
There was no answer.
I knocked one more time.
This time the door cracked open, revealing a Cherubim mid-yawn, her big and bright, multi-colored eyes looking up to see who’d come to visit. When she saw it was the Gargorètti and I, her eyes widened in panic.
“Phantimèssa,” she whispered. “Please. I’ve done nothing?—”
“I’m not here to hurt you, Cherubim.” I tilted my head at the Lowerrank. “My wingmate has stepped away from Everthorn Manor for a bit. When he returns, the Opèr must continue.”
“I don’t want to end up as serpent food?—”
“And you won’t. Now,” I said, walking closer to her door. “Let me in. When we’re done, you’ll do well enough to make the king forget both the Cherubim who came before you, and the endless burdens he bears while fighting to keep all who dwell in the manor safe.”
Vivienne blinked up at me, unsure.
“You are really here to help me?”
“Indeed, I am.”
The Cherubim broke into a smile that lit up her entire youthful face. It was pleasant to see. I found myself liking the little angel. She pushed her door wide, gesturing for us to enter.
“Come on in, Phantimèssa. I really need help to master, All I Ask of You.”