Chapter Forty-Seven Riela
Chapter Forty-Seven
Riela
Garrick and Bria were surrounded by a cluster of Etheri I hadn’t met, but Vastien guided me from the room without waiting
for them. As soon as we turned the corner, his magic rose and swept over me and the flower.
“Well, is it poisoned?”
His eyes narrowed. “And if it were?”
“Then I guess I’m about to have a very bad time.”
Vastien growled a curse under his breath. “Do you know what Garrick would do if Mar poisoned you?”
“Kill him?”
“Yes. Then the Sapphire Queen would be forced to retaliate and the courts would go to war—a war the Silver Court cannot afford
with Garrick unable to stay on this side of the door for more than a few hours at a time.”
I winced, but Vastien wasn’t done. “Mar is intentionally taunting Garrick and you’re letting him.”
“But why? What does he get out of it? Does he want to start a war?”
Vastien stepped us into the restricted library and led me to the table. Frustration shadowed his face. “I don’t know. He hadn’t
yet arrived in the Silver Court when the door stopped working. He’s only here because the Sapphire Queen snuck a message through
Roseguard’s door and pleaded for a place for him.”
Surprise stole my breath. Of course, if Mar was barely a hundred, then he’d only been in the Silver Court during the time
when Garrick wasn’t here. “Why would she do that if she knew Garrick was trapped?”
“It was long ago. No one expected the binding to last. And sometimes, other courts can be better for powerful young Etheri who have tenuous connections to a sovereign, because the fostering agreements keep them safe.”
“Is it common for fosters to stay on as envoys?”
Vastien frowned. “It’s not common, but it does happen occasionally, especially if their home court is in a period of uncertainty.” He caught my questioning
look and shook his head. “As far as I know, the Sapphire Court is stable. But with Roseguard controlling access to Edea, the
queen could be hedging her bets.”
“Are there only two doors between Lohka and Edea or do the other courts have their own?”
“The Blood Court and Silver Court house the only two permanent doors. It’s why the sovereigns of those courts also carry the
titles Roseguard and Stoneguard—because they guard the doors both figuratively and literally. The other courts can occasionally
open temporary doors, but it takes a lot of time and power, so they have standing bargains to use the existing doors.”
“Why are you being so forthcoming all of a sudden?”
Vastien winced. “I’m trying to apologize for earlier.”
I stared at him for a long moment while I tapped my fingers on the table. Finally, I asked, “Have you considered using words?”
“I apologize for hurting you. It was not my intent.”
“Thank you.” I paused, then softly ventured, “Garrick told me about the mage who tried to kill him.”
Vastien’s face clouded with a toxic combination of regret and fury. “So you know why I must not fail again.”
“The mage fooled both of you,” I started, but Vastien shook his head.
“It’s my job to be suspicious, to remain vigilant even of the people Garrick trusts, so I will always be able to protect him,
and I failed. My wariness is not personal, though I’m sorry it feels that way. At any given time, half of the court has some
scheme running that will potentially harm Garrick even as they smile and promise loyalty.” He huffed out a breath. “And it’s
probably closer to three-quarters now that he has returned.”
I frowned. “And you’re stuck babysitting me instead of watching Garrick’s back.”
“Protecting you does protect Garrick. He’s only here because of you.” His eyes narrowed. “Speaking of, how are you feeling?”
“My chest hurts,” I admitted with a light shrug. “How long do you think Garrick will remain with the court?”
Vastien caught one of my hands before I could slide it beneath the table. He scowled. “Your fingers are cold.”
“They do that.”
“We should—” he started, but he was cut off when Garrick and Bria arrived with a thrum of moonlight magic.
Garrick’s gaze found me, then flickered to the flower in my hair. He scowled at Vastien. “Did you check it?” he asked, even
as his magic rose and swept over me.
Vastien nodded, and Bria sat across from me. “Two flowers in one day. Mar is making a statement.”
“I’ll give you this one if you want it.”
Her mouth pursed, but she reluctantly shook her head. “It was a gift to you. Someday I’ll find a way into his glasshouse and
steal one for myself.”
“Or you could just ask him for one?”
Her nose wrinkled, and Vastien laughed. “That’s not Bria’s style.”
Garrick tapped the books on the table. “What have you found in your research?”
Bria sighed. “Of all the sovereigns, Feylan is the best at bindings, especially those concerning blood. Queen Aryu is probably
the next best. It’s possible she would help with the right incentive.”
“I do not want to be beholden to the Sapphire Queen,” Garrick said with a shake of his head. “Her nephew is already causing
enough trouble.”
“From what I’ve read,” I said, “if I can slip through the binding, then I should be able to break it. But none of the books
explain exactly how that’s supposed to work. Teach me, and I’ll try it.”
Bria’s expression turned thoughtful, but Garrick answered first. “No. We’ve discussed this.”
“No, we haven’t,” I argued. “You dictated and expected me to obey. That’s not a discussion.”
“It is with Garrick,” Bria said with a laugh. She slanted a glance at him. “You didn’t tell me she was willing to help.”
“She’s not,” he snapped at the same time I said, “I am.”
We glared at each other. It should’ve been terrifying to stare down an Etheri sovereign, but I’d gotten used to Garrick, and
the jolt skating along my nerves definitely wasn’t fear.
His expression heated, and I jerked my gaze away. His betrothed was sitting directly in front of me. Real or not, now was
not the time to let my mind drift to exactly how good it’d felt to be pleasured against a wall.
I cleared my throat. “What about some way to keep us here without having to touch?”
Bria tipped her head to the side. “If you agreed to a blood bond with Vastien, that would likely do it.”
“No.” Garrick’s deep voice echoed through the room, filled with fury and magic.
A tiny smile flitted over Bria’s lips before she suppressed it. “Why not? Vastien wouldn’t abuse the bond, right?”
The jurhihoigli’s eyes gleamed. “No,” he agreed slowly. “I would only use it as it was intended.”
Moonlight magic slammed through the room, and Garrick’s eyes went fully silver. “Touch her and die,” he warned.
Vastien lifted our clasped hands, utterly calm in the face of Garrick’s fury. “Too late for that, I’m afraid.”
I held my breath as the very air seemed to tremble.
Bria’s smile grew, but there was something wistful in her expression. “There’s another way,” she murmured. “But you’re not
going to like it any better.”
Garrick blinked, then looked at her and shook his head. “No.”
“It’s safe, reversible, and binding,” she argued. “We can try it now, and if it doesn’t work, no one has to know.”
“It is not safe,” Garrick denied with a harsh sweep of his hand. “It’ll make her a target.”
“She’s already a target,” Vastien murmured.
“And she’s sitting right here,” I said, exasperated. “What are you talking about?”
“Don’t—” Garrick started.
“A betrothal binding,” Bria said over his objections. “It isn’t used much anymore, but it was once used to bind partners from
different courts who couldn’t remain together before the wedding. It creates a sense of partnership even across vast distance.”
I looked between her gleaming smile and Garrick’s locked jaw. “What aren’t you telling me?”
“It’s nearly impossible to hide,” she said. “Much like your bond to the door, anyone powerful enough will be able to see the
tie between you. That will make you a target to those who want to hurt him.”
“Vastien is right. I’m already in danger. What else?”
Bria’s nose wrinkled, and she tapped her finger against the table. “You’ll get a little bit of Garrick’s power, and he’ll
get a little bit of yours.”
She paused, and Garrick sighed and said, “We’ll sense each other’s emotions—at a minimum. Strong bonds allow for shared dreams,
among other things. And since I’m a sovereign, it is likely our bond will be extremely strong.”
I pressed my lips together so the instinctive refusal couldn’t escape. Once I was sure I wouldn’t run screaming from the room,
I asked, “But it’s reversible? Easily? So I won’t have to climb a mountain and defeat a dragon or something to break the bond?”
“It’s easily reversible,” Bria assured. “Most people who have broken bonds report being emotional for a week or two, but that’s
to be expected. There are no lingering side effects.”
“What about you?” I asked gently. “Garrick said your betrothal is convenient for you. Are you two bonded?”
She immediately shook her head. “We’re not. As I said, bonds aren’t used much anymore. And the betrothal is convenient, but I’ve been hiding behind it long enough. My father can no longer dictate my path, as much as he may try.”
Her lip lifted in a tiny snarl at the thought, but she shook it off and glanced at Garrick. “You know this is the best way.
Unless you want her to bond to Vastien? That could work, and you and I could continue as we have been.”
Bria’s gaze raked over me with unexpected candor. “I would bond her myself, but I’m not sure that would be enough to allow
you through the door. It would be better if it were one of you.”
“I’m willing,” Vastien said easily, and Garrick ground out a wordless curse.
I considered it. Maybe it would be better to bind myself to Vastien. I’d thought we were becoming friends, right up until he told me he didn’t trust me,
but my emotions were generally calmer around him than around his boss.
“We should find another way,” Garrick gritted out.
Vastien shook his head. “If this works, it solves a lot of our problems. I can go back to gathering information in the shadows,
where I’m most effective. Riela and Bria can research here. And you can do whatever it is you do all day.” He shrugged. “And
if it doesn’t work, then nothing was lost.”
He turned to me with a wicked grin that held far too much mischief. “Lady Riela, will you marry me?”