Chapter 29
‘It has been several months after The Twin’s failed attempt to recreate Tevye. Although they perished, they did create their wall.
The cost? Magick.’
— Written entry from Zaro Lucien’s personal journal
Airess
“Ma’am?”
A voice pulled Airess out of a rare, dreamless slumber. She felt a hand lightly press her shoulder, and when her eyes shot open, she realized she was still in the living room of the guest house.
Airess met the eyes of a servant who looked down at her expectantly, and then glanced over to an unconscious Taryn sleeping next to her.
Heat crept up her cheeks and neck as she took in the position they were in.
Airess had accidentally fallen asleep on the couch with him, her body pressed into Taryn’s, his arm around her.
“It’s time for you to get ready,” the attendant said with a raised brow. Airess cleared her throat and nodded, gently removing Taryn’s arm from her body, careful not to wake him. She knew he needed the rest.
The attendant led her to a room and got to work.
Airess fought the urge to pull her hand away as four attendants filed her nails, scrubbed her skin, combed her hair, and painted her face.
She had only been awake in her quarters for ten minutes, yet was admiring the astonishing difference in everything of the Runean culture.
All the furniture was low to the ground, even the masterfully wooden-engraved bed sat on the floor surface. The room was decorated in a multitude of deeply rich colors, the color palette favoring reds and golds that was showcased on the rugs, bed quilt, and curtains.
Even the art was different here, paintings showcasing nude Fae people–of all shapes and sizes–seemed to be the norm here.
The windows were constantly left open, letting in a warm, moist air she wasn’t quite used to.
It seemed as if the people of Rune had nothing to hide, from the way they dressed, to the openness of their architecture.
Airess did her best to not breathe too deeply as they painted a rose-colored substance on her lips and lined her eyes with black paint. Even the makeup was different here, Rune leaning towards a more liquid kind of makeup rather than the powder she was used to back home–
Not home.
The thought stung worse than she thought it would. Even here, even now, she still felt homeless. Hopefully in time she would settle here comfortably.
Finally, they were done. “Beautiful. You will present nicely to the king.” One of the attendants admired, stroking a lock of hair in awe. Airess stepped in front of the mirror, her mouth parted open at the sight of herself.
Oh, Gods.
She truly did feel beautiful. Different, a little bit bolder than she was used to, but beautiful.
They had lined her eyes with black paint that winged at the edges of her eyes. A translucent golden shimmer had been dusted lightly on her cheekbones, her bare chest, and shoulders. And – wow, her body had never been out on display like this!
She wore a strapless wrapped top that covered her breasts, stopping just before her belly button. The fabric was of fine silk, lined with weaving golden threads.
A matching flowing skirt fell low on her hips, two slits on either side of the skirt. They had given her the sandals with strings that laced up all the way up her calves. Her long hair was left down,
She looked like an entirely different person. Airess stared at herself, and noticed that she felt different. She concentrated on the sensation, and realized it was the hum of power that thrummed beneath her skin. Her Magick felt stronger, more accessible, than it ever had before.
A knock on the door cut her time getting ready short. Airess was escorted out and down to the common room. Taryn was already waiting, sitting in a relaxed position as he looked out one of the windows.
Taryn tensed before immediately standing and turning to face her. His eyebrows lifted as he drank her in, lips parting slightly as his gaze trailed down her body. He walked over to her swiftly.
Taryn lifted a hand to scratch the back of his neck, eyes roaming her figure with adoration. “You are so beautiful.”
Airess’ cheeks heated at the compliment.
“You clean up handsomely yourself,” she replied quietly, taking in his clothing, his hair.
Taryn wore a billowing V-necked tunic with sleeves rolled up to his elbows, the fabric light.
His flowing pants were cuffed at the ankles.
Half his hair had been pulled up, save for a single braided strand at his brow. His elemental earring remained.
She looked at him, truly looked at him, and smiled. He belonged here. “You’ve finally made it home –”
An attendant cleared her throat, shifting awkwardly beside them. “We must escort you to the palace.”
Taryn and Airess shared a glance. She swallowed down her impending anxiety, but she couldn’t help but feel out of sorts.
King Roznarr was entirely different than she had expected, despite their brief encounter.
She thought he would be a cold individual with a commanding demeanor, but so far he carried himself as a casual friend.
Airess bit back her worry and gathered her courage.
I am not my anxiety.
The attendant walked out, Taryn and Airess following through the gardens and into the palace entrance. They were led inside, weaving through several corridors until they were led out to a grand terrace.
“Wait here.” The attendant said, and left.
The terrace was as magnificent as the rest of the palace.
Perched atop the capitol of Rune, they had a full view of the city and ocean beyond.
The pillars making up the balcony railing were intricately curved, the material the same white stucco as the rest of the palace.
Sheer curtains billowed along the railings, the humid wind beginning to make Airess’ hair frizzy.
The table dominating the center of the space was massive and low to the ground, embroidered cushions placed every few feet acting as the chairs they would be sitting on. Colored rugs lined the floors, each one layering on top of the other.
“I’ve never seen anything like it,” Airess commented, stepping towards the railing, placing a hand on the banister as she looked out to the horizon.
Taryn came up next to her and leaned onto the railing, still a little weak, no doubt after all he had endured in the past day.
He pivoted to face her, brunette curls flowing around his face in the coastal breeze.
He met her eyes, and sometimes Airess forgot how beautiful she found his molten irises.
They glowed, stark against his tawny skin. He was so damned perfect.
Taryn flashed a subtle smile, but she knew him well enough to know he was hiding his pain.
“Airess,” Taryn said, tentatively placing his hand atop her own. His touch was warm. Kind. It was a small but intimate action, and one that surprised her.
“I owe you my life for what you’ve done for me.”
Airess pivoted her body to look up at him. She saw the gratitude within his eyes as he squeezed her hand, and for a moment, she thought he might kiss her again. Perhaps he would have, if the double doors hadn’t burst open behind them.
Startled, Taryn and Airess broke apart and turned towards the doors.
In came Ismene, King Roznar, and another Fae female who had to have been the Queen Dowager.
“My lovely guests! You both cleaned up well. Especially you, My Lady,” Roznarr said in Mrkynian, taking Airess’ palm and kissing the back of her hand.
She fought her blush as she nodded in respect. “Thank you, King Roznarr. I am very grateful for your hospitality.”
“Please, call me Roz. No need for all the formalities.”
Airess felt the energy shift in the air immediately, the source of the change coming from Taryn. She glanced at him, shooting him a death glare to encourage him to contribute to the pleasantries, but he didn’t see her look, he was staring at Roznarr’s hand atop her own.
Taryn’s jaw clenched as he looked at the king slowly. “Yes, we couldn’t thank you enough for taking us in so expeditiously.” His tone was biting, unfriendly. Internally, Airess winced. This was not how Taryn should be acting.
Roz dropped her hand and motioned towards his mother. “This is the Queen Dowager, Rumi Tozya.”
The Queen Dowager nodded as she looked to Taryn, and then Airess. She turned towards Roz after her inspection and spoke in Runean, “So these are the individuals you say might be the prophesied.”
Her voice was neutral, but her gaze was unreadable, speculative eyes lingering on Taryn and Airess.
Roz coughed, replying in Mrkynian, “Mother, let us eat our meal before we dive into such a discussion. Please, sit. Enjoy this meal.”
Taryn and Airess shared a glance before sitting down on the plush cushions. What the hell was going on?
Airess blinked her Sight forward, her ability coming easy to her now that the donstenyte poison had worn off.
The first aura she noticed was Roz’s, his energy a striking blue that swirled beautifully around him, matching the same royal azure as his pupils.
Ismene’s aura was the color of lilac. The same color of Esper Crawn’s power. Interesting.
The Queen Dowager’s aura was relatively normal, but the energy flowed slower than the others, as if it were not able to travel freely within and around her. Airess knew this was a sign of a mental blockage.
Airess blinked her Sight away when she noticed Ismene eyeing her wearily and busied herself with a glass of water.
Their food was brought out to them, the scent of heavy spices wafting up to her nose. Plates of diced potatoes, rice, various meats, and fruits were placed all around the table.
They began to dine quietly, partaking in small talk about Airess’ upbringing and eventual move to the capitol. She made sure to give them the short version of her backstory, and spared them the details of her being taken forcefully.