Chapter Twelve
Although Zahra still hadn’t braved the ramp leading into the tree tops high above, she’d discovered a section of the main buildings on the ground.
After weeks of residing at the Roost, she now knew where she could go and where she could not, and she felt confident that no one was going to kick her out if she accidentally erred.
To distract herself from the feeling of Weiyu’s arms around her last night, the way his presence had wrapped her in a thick blanket of comfort and chased away her nightmares, she explored those lower buildings.
One of them—a library—was open to the public. A few people sat at desks reading books or transcribing on large pieces of parchment. It was quiet. Almost reverent. Like she might disturb the peace with the faintest exhale.
She wandered toward one of the walls, admiring the skillfully crafted paintings of landmarks and people.
One of the paintings drew her eye, a portrait of a man and woman standing close together.
There was no mistake about who they were, when she noticed bits and pieces of them woven into the child they’d created together.
Zahra reverently brushed a finger over the woman in the portrait, marveling at how much Weiyu looked like her.
He’d inherited her softer features and the blue-black color of her hair.
Her nose. Her striking smile. But his eyes clearly came from his father.
A golden, shining intensity immediately gave away his identity as the phoenix king.
Her eyebrows furrowed as she recognized something familiar in the portrait. Weiyu’s mother wore a necklace similar to her own. Golden metal vines wrapped around a blue gemstone, seeming to pulse with life even through the canvas of the painting.
She ran her fingers over the painted necklace with one hand while fingering her own with her other. They were similar but not identical, so it couldn’t be the same one.
“Ah... Taken a liking to the previous phoenix monarchs?” a nearby voice asked.
Startling at the unexpected presence, Zahra dropped her hand and whipped around to find the old man everyone called ‘Ye-Ye’ standing a few steps behind her, though she suspected that wasn’t his real name.
“They look like they were in love,” Zahra murmured, turning her attention back to the portrait. “I did not get to witness it all that often in those around me growing up. I’m not sure why I’m surprised to find it here.”
“Mm,” the old man agreed, holding his arms behind his back as he stared at the painting with misty eyes.
“They married young. Had a good six years together before tragedy struck. I wish...” He sighed and shook his head.
“Doesn’t matter anymore. It’s only a shame Weiyu was forced to take up the mantle at such a young age. ”
“How young?”
“The age of three.” He chuckled, his eyes becoming misty all over again.
“Can you imagine a little three year old ordering servants around and getting his way with a single point of his finger? It was my job to keep him in line.” Another chuckle.
“He was an unruly boy. Always ready for the next adventure. It has been a pleasure to watch him grow into the man he is now.”
“That’s a lot of responsibility for someone so young.”
“It is. But it’s all he’s ever known. You can’t miss what you never had.”
Perhaps not, but one could still long for something different. She had grown up always longing for something other than what she had. For love. For acceptance. For a place to call home.
Zahra brushed her thumb along the golden metalwork of Weiyu’s gemstone. The stone warmed in response to her touch. “I noticed that Weiyu’s mother had a necklace just like mine. What is it? Was it passed down from the last generation?”
Ye-Ye burst into laughter as he glanced from the necklace in the portrait to the one she wore around her neck. But slowly, as if noticing her confused expression, his laughter died down, and he stared back at her with wide eyes and a slack jaw.
“You truly don’t know what it is.”
She shook her head. “Weiyu said it was a gift. He didn’t go into detail.”
The old man’s face paled. “Oh, dear boy,” Ye-Ye muttered under his breath as he massaged the bridge of his nose. “I raised him. I don’t know if it’s my folly or his...”
Suddenly, Zahra felt like she was missing some important details. If Ye-Ye of all people seemed concerned about the necklace...
He ran a hand down his face before giving her a pointed stare. “The gem you wear around your neck is no mere trinket. It’s a piece of Weiyu’s Aquatic Core.”
Shock rushed over her, bathing her in chilly waters up to her neck and crushing her lungs with the intense pressure of the realization. It wasn’t... It couldn’t...
As if understanding the direction of her thoughts, Ye-Ye nodded. “I’m sure you’ve noticed the revered looks and bows you’ve received upon your arrival to the Roost. It’s because of the Core you wear.”
Heart pounding wildly in her chest, Zahra ran the gemstone between her fingers, inspecting it more closely. Now she understood why the stone seemed to pulse with life. Because it was living.
The Aquatic Core...
“Why would he give me such a thing?” she asked breathlessly.
Another pointed look followed by a slight shake of his head as if internally chastising Weiyu once again.
“When a phoenix king finds the one they want to be their forever mate, they gift them a piece of their Core. Not only does it lend protection to its wearer, but it also can connect two people’s souls.
” He cleared his throat, speaking past Zahra’s faraway, shocked stare.
“It is also said a non-shifter may develop the ability to shift through the Aquatic Core’s power, but I have not seen such a thing with my own eyes. ”
She could hardly hear the last part of his explanation over the roar of disbelief in her ears. Bits and pieces of his words struck her like a heavy blow to the head.
Mate...
Forever...
Aquatic Core...
She reached out to the wall to brace herself lest she collapse from utter disbelief as her mind tried to wrap itself around the truth. “But...but... Weiyu gave it to me without me noticing after he’d been reborn into a child. By then, he’d only known me for a total of ten minutes.”
He grinned. “Must’ve been one hell of an impression you left on him. Especially for him to stage a dangerous rescue for just one person.” And then he gestured to the necklace. “He has allowed you to wear it—his precious Aquatic Core—even now. He still wants you as his mate.”
Zahra’s thoughts spun more rapidly now, making it difficult to catch onto one long enough to analyze it. “Why hasn’t he said anything?”
“My guess? Everyone at the Roost knows about the necklace you wear. He may think you are biding your time to decide what you want. He may not fully realize that you don’t know its meaning. Especially now that you’ve been here awhile.”
Finally, her spinning mind stilled long enough for resolute determination to take root within her soul. Her posture straightened. Her jaw tightened. Her feet itched to run. Not walk. Not stroll. But a full-on sprint. “Where is he?”
“Last I saw him, he was getting ready for his journey to meet with the griffon king of Duneshard.”
“How long will he be gone?” She realized Weiyu already told her, but she wanted to be certain.
“A couple weeks, I believe.” The man’s eyes flashed with amusement as he pointed toward an indoor staircase at the other end of the library. “Though, you may be able to catch him before his fli—”
Zahra took off before he finished his sentence. She rushed across the room and ran up the wooden stairs curving up the tree with her skirt pooled in her hands to keep herself from tripping.
Although Weiyu could be anywhere, it was as if the piece of the Aquatic Core pulsing over her heart guided her steps. The tension from the invisible cord linking them together became taut, smaller with each hurried stride she took through the treetops.
Weiyu. Weiyu. Weiyu.
Her heart sang his name with every beat of her hopeful, frenzied heart.
All this time, she’d thought she was too lowly to draw his notice.
Or perhaps he may have wanted someone else.
Or even multiple someones because he was the king and she only had her father to use as a bad example. But all this time, he’d chosen her.
From the very beginning, too.
The Aquatic Core pulsed hotter, telling her she was close. She cared for nothing else but the shortening distance between them. Not the people giving her curious or even concerned stares. Not the quick fall to the ground should she trip and fly over the edge of the railing. Nothing but Weiyu.
Finally, she reached the meeting hall and threw open the door, her chest heaving with exertion and excitement.
Dozens of heads turned in her direction.
Soldiers. Friends, too. But her vision zoned in on the handsome phoenix king standing at the front of the room with his back turned to her as he held a large piece of parchment in his hands.
“Weiyu!” she breathed.
Despite his name escaping her lips as a quiet whisper, he quickly spun around as if he heard it. His golden eyes sparked with surprise, made more beautiful and alluring by the way his bangs shifted around his face with the movement.
She rushed forward, tripping on the hem of her skirt in her haste to reach him. He needed to know. She must let him know!
As if he might disappear without a moment’s notice, she threw her arms around his neck while wrapping her legs around his torso.
And she kissed him.
Weiyu grunted in surprise, stumbling several steps back. But then his hands moved to rest on her back, holding her as he returned her kiss with one of his own.
“Meeting.” Kiss. “Adjourned.” Kiss. “We will depart tomorrow instead.” A gasping kiss.