Chapter 3 #3
Her gaze fell to the dangling earring on his right ear. A collection of studs and rings went up the cartilage on his—wait, were those Fae ears? She looked down to his full lips that now twisted into a smirk.
“Will you dance with me?” the Fae male asked, his deep vibrato cutting through her entrancement.
That smirk was still present on his lips, and she wanted to ask him what was so amusing.
Airess noted the slight Runean accent gracing his smooth voice and ignored the tingling sensation she felt at hearing him speak.
Airess remembered to nod, forgetting she had stopped dancing in the first place.
He placed a hand on her waist and grabbed her hand with his own, the contact sending a jolt of electricity down her arm. The fabric of her gown felt thin beneath his hand, heat seeping through as if he could brand her by touch alone.
He arched a dark, angled brow at her as they rejoined the dance.
Airess shook her head, remembering to speak. “Apologies for my poor footing, sir—I mean, Lord—”
She cut herself off, kicking herself internally for acting like such a fool. Airess let out a breath. “Forgive me. I don’t believe I’ve ever seen you here before. Are you a lord of new standing?”
Airess realized he was the only Fae in the room.
Certainly he had some Elven blood to have been let in here, knowing most, if not all, Noborne Fae people were left to live in the outer ring.
Taking a quick glance around her, she noticed some people began to stare at them—at him.
This wasn’t good. She needed the people’s attention elsewhere. Would this male sully her escape plan?
The male shook his head and laughed. “I am no Lord.”
Right, okay.
They moved along with the other dancers.
Her dance partner moved with ease, yet she could immediately tell he hadn’t memorized the steps as the other dancers had, only making him more intriguing.
Airess uncovered her Sight and took in his aura once more, enthralled to see the vibrant colors up close.
His aura encased her body like a blanket, the energy behaving in a way she had never seen before.
“I don’t believe I asked for your name, sire,” Airess said as they rotated, her dress shifting with the motion. He placed his hands firmly on her waist as she dipped backwards, and for a moment she thought she saw intrigue flash behind his eyes. The emotion was gone as quick as it came.
She tried her best to concentrate on normal pleasantries, and to understand how this Fae male had leveled up so high in the hierarchy that he was invited to a noble ball.
It was unheard of for Fae to be a part of high society.
Not that Airess cared about such a distinction.
She didn’t share the prejudices against the Fae and Humans like the Elven people did.
Airess had experienced the hatred firsthand due to her halfling status.
The disdain had seemed to lessen as the wedding drew nearer, nobles realizing she would eventually be their queen.
Before she’s made the decision to leave, Airess had always vowed that when she was queen, she would remake the world—one where everyone lived equally. No outer rings. No discrimination based on lack of Magick or difference in beings.
He caressed a hand along her arm as she came up from the dip, causing tingles to flood her entire body. Airess tensed, and an unknown feeling bubbled in her stomach, that made her question if she was feeling attraction or anxiety. Perhaps both.
They rejoined hands once more as the male opened his mouth to speak.
“My name is—” he began, but was cut off by a loud BOOM!
Airess flew backwards as an explosion burst in the room, flashes of lilac light streaking by.
She landed on her back, her head cracking against the floor.
Pain seared through her skull at the contact.
Screams erupted as chunks of marble fell from the ceiling.
Dust billowed, blocking Airess’ ability to see around her.
She groaned as she lay there in shock and brought fingers up to the back of her head. They came back wet with blood.
Airess propped herself up on a jagged pillar now in ruins beside her. Her ears rang. Slowly, she came to stand, suddenly resenting the large, heavy skirts she was dressed in. Her legs wobbled as her blurred vision began to clear. Airess’ stomach clenched at what she saw.
The screams became audible as her hearing returned. Some people ran in different directions, others lay unmoving on the floor.
“Oh my Gods,” she said, remembering to run. She turned, rearing back as she collided with someone. Oh, it was just Esper. She grabbed Airess’ shoulders to steady her, the seamstress’s eyes hardened with determination.
“Esper, are you all right?” Airess managed to blurt out. The seamstress looked clean, not one hair out of place.
“You must come with me!” Esper yelled urgently.
“What’s going on? Where’s the queen—”
“Come!”
Airess lurched forward to follow Esper, her body acting on its own accord. Adrenaline blocked out the pain and panic from the fall. She focused on Esper's tight, gray bun as she led her from the ballroom. They rushed down the empty corridor.
“Where are the guards? What’s happening?”
Esper ignored her as she turned down another hall, the two now entering the servants’ stairwell passageway. Their footfalls echoed against the ceiling of the stairwell as they made their descent, Airess’ heavy breathing audible.
Finally, they reached the bottom of the stairwell. They cut through the kitchens usually bustling with servants, but now completely empty.
Esper and Airess barreled through the door and exited onto the castle grounds outside, the fresh night air caressing Airess’ skin. It was eerily quiet outside, save for the chirping crickets.
A carriage awaited their arrival. Airess stopped for the first time since the explosion, doubt finally overcoming her. It seemed as if her common sense had returned.
“Esper, what is this?”
“Get in the carriage,” Esper snapped. “I’ll explain everything inside.”
Airess walked forward immediately, stepping up into the wooden carriage.
Esper followed and shut the door behind them.
Her body jolted backwards as the carriage began to ride away at great speed.
Airess’ face contorted in confusion as she looked at her legs.
What had she done, leaving the castle like this?
“What—what is this?” Airess began, sitting up slightly. Her head throbbed. She felt the blood begin to harden and cake onto her scalp.
Esper’s expression was unreadable as she pulled out a folded dress and placed it on Airess’ lap.
“What I’m about to tell you will change the trajectory of your entire life, so listen carefully. We don’t have much time,” Esper said as she placed a pair of brown leather boots at Airess’ side.
“My name is Renesper Crawn, High Priestess of House Moros. I belong to an organization whose sole purpose is to preserve the state of the world. That organization is called The Obadiah, and it is one that your mother once belonged to, on the other half of the world.”
Airess sat up, her body stilling at the mention of her mother on her seamstress's lips. House Moros? That didn’t add up. From what she recalled from her studies, House Moros served Inntin, the Mind God, and had been extinct for hundreds of years. The family didn’t—shouldn’t exist anymore.
“Our cause, the entire purpose of The Obadiah, is to preserve the natural state of the world and the lives of the Prophesied Ones. Your mother served her life to our cause, fled her homeland, and relocated to Luciena. She believed it was the best course of action to take in preserving your life. At the time, I agreed it was the wisest move.” A wave of grief shadowed Esper’s face.
“But we cannot always foresee what lies ahead, and terrible mistakes have been made. I broke away from The Obadiah to search for you.”
Airess couldn’t believe her words. It sounded like heretic talk, the way she was speaking. Airess shook her head. “Even if this was true, what do you mean the other half of the world? This earth consists of only two continents. All land has been discovered. And my mother was no Priestess.”
Esper shook her head. “Did your mother ever speak to you about The Tevye Legends?”
Airess recognized the words instantly. Hearing them again opened a floodgate of buried memories from her childhood. She remembered her mother telling her nightly bedtime stories, a collection of fairy tales about a faraway land that was locked in time.
“Yes. My mother used them to tell me bedtime stories as a child.”
“They are no stories, child. Have you ever wondered why she told you to keep your abilities a secret, why you are the only Elve that has The Sight?”
Airess shook her head, speechless. She wanted to deny the words Esper was saying, she didn’t want to believe that any of this could be true.
But when she blinked her Sight forward, and saw Esper’s aura shine bright in truth, she could only come to two conclusions—either Esper was crazy enough to think she was right, or everything she said was the truth.
A knock rapped from the horseman outside the carriage. “About five more minutes until we arrive!”
Distracted by Esper’s explanation, Airess realized they were no longer near the castle as she peered outside the window, the carriage riding steadily through the woods. Her heart thrummed in her chest as panic set in.
“Arrive—arrive where? Oh, Gods, the Luciens are going to be furious.”
Esper placed a hand on her own, kindness and understanding laced in her eyes. “Don’t worry about the Luciens. We have orchestrated this escape perfectly. You’ll be long gone and far too difficult to trail by the time they realize your absence.”
Airess' heart pounded in her chest at the word escape. She shook her head furiously. Although she had every intention of leaving during the ball, she had never planned to survive the attempt. She never planned on dealing with the repercussions.
“No. I can’t leave. Arzhel will kill me for this.”
“You can, and you will. You don’t belong here.”
A silence passed, Airess staring down at the cotton dress in her lap. For once, she felt relief. Airess hadn’t ever pictured her life beyond being the queen she was always groomed to be. She looked up at the stars through the carriage window.
Had the Gods really answered her prayers?
“Where will I go?” Airess whispered as she gazed out the carriage window, finally beginning to accept what was happening to her.
“To Rune,” Esper smiled. “It’s time you meet your people and unite with The Obadiah.
You will be free there. We can train you, sharpen your powers to be the weapon you were always meant to be.
Every minute detail has been planned for this escape.
You’ll stay with a friend of mine at her Inn for the night.
In the morning, you will be transported south.
“The Innkeeper will have everything ready for your departure. You’ll have to lay low and stay out of the public during the day. Here. I’ll help you out of this horrid dress,” Esper explained as she handed her a dark maroon cloak.
Airess turned around so Esper could unlace the corset.
She hurriedly changed out of her dress and into her new one—a much different article of clothing than she had ever worn.
It was made of a soft cotton material, plain, the color of cream.
The dress was simple, something she had seen commoners wear.
The bell sleeves stopped at the middle of her forearm, the skirt flowing straight down.
She was given another article of clothing, a long corset that layered on top of the dress, the dark red color rich.
Esper laced the top layer, the fabric cinching her waist. She quickly shoved her feet in the boots and swung the cloak over her shoulders.
“You’ll want to take off your jewelry, dear,” Esper pointed out. Airess removed them, starting with her earrings and bracelet. She began to unfasten the heart-shaped locket at her neck when Esper stopped her, telling her that it was hers to keep on the journey.
Esper handed her a bag full of supplies and a change of clothes. Airess frowned. “Are you not coming with me?”
“No. My work here is far from over.”
“But I have so many questions for you! I don’t even know where to start.”
Esper smiled sadly as the carriage came to a stop. “If all goes as planned, I will meet you in Rune with the rest of The Obadiah. Then, you can ask me all the questions your heart desires.”
Airess pressed her lips together to keep herself from crying, fear and anticipation overwhelming her. She said her farewells to the High Priestess of House Moros. Esper embraced Airess before she opened the carriage door and stepped onto the streets of Holtzclaw.
“You will find your way. This is only the beginning.”
Airess watched the carriage ride away until she no longer saw it in the distance. As she turned towards the Inn, she couldn’t help but notice the finality in Esper’s tone.
She had a feeling she wouldn’t be seeing Esper again.