Chapter 39
For the first time since my less than elegant arrival from the shadows, I looked around me. We were standing in a city square covered in rubble. The light sandstone buildings around us lay mostly in ruins, and nature had long since begun to reclaim what had been taken from it.
My heart ached at the destruction around us and at the knowledge of what had caused it.
This place must have been beautiful once—I knew that deep in my soul just by looking at the ruins and the half-destroyed marble fountain next to us.
The last time water had been running into it must have been centuries ago, and in the cracked basin, a few scattered coins had survived the test of time. “A wishing well.”
“Yes. The Fountain of the Fates was built in the true center of Amalach, and an exact copy can be found in Alaiann, the capital of Galanta. The well is one of the few fixed objects connecting the worlds, even though they aren’t in the same geographical location.
Who knows? Maybe one day, you’ll see its sister piece. ”
I scoffed, “Sure.” As if I'd ever travel to Galanta.
Dion’s gaze roamed around too. “We’re lucky that King Pritatus has no guards stationed in Amalach. Ivreian royals have a tendency to think that entering what they call the Godless City would curse them.”
“Won’t it?”
“No. It wasn’t a curse sealing the downfall of Amalach. Didn’t you listen to the seer?”
“Teachta—ugh. The Bringer of Destruction.”
Dion simply nodded.
“Larithia said it’s a sentient weapon.”
“That’s what everyone says, yes.”
“Is it still here?”
“Yes, Naya. I know it’s here.”
“But why didn’t the royals search for the weapon and take it for themselves or destroy it instead of leaving something so dangerous lying around?”
“They’ve tried, but that’s the thing about sentience. Teachtaire Ollscriosta didn’t want to be found, so the various kings of Ivreia could never get a hold of it to this day. Especially since no one likes to linger in Amalach because of the presumed curse.”
“Are you going to search for it while we’re here?”
“No, I don’t plan to. We’re here for something else.”
We left the fountain behind and soon passed a small sandstone house that wasn’t as caved in as most of the others.
“Let’s build camp in here. We can look around Amalach after some rest, and depending on how things go, start with the preparations for the Rite later today or tomorrow?”
“Are you actually making a suggestion instead of giving me orders?”
“We’ll be a team, won’t we? Guess I need to meet you somewhere in the middle. If I have to fight you every fucking day for the rest of my life, I’ll be miserable.”
My heart fluttered in my chest at his admission.
Not only was he trying to alter his behavior to make this work for me as well, but I also had to admit that the thought of a connection only ending in death slowly lost its horror.
Even though both of us agreed we’d never be anything else but platonic with each other, the thought of having Dion close for as long as possible warmed my soul.
“Yes, we are. And I approve of your plan.”
I climbed after Dion through the half-collapsed doorway leading into the ruin. Part of the roof was caved in, but the rest gave a solid and safe impression. We crossed from the antechamber into a mostly empty room and headed for the second door on the left.
Upon entering the room—a bedroom—I couldn’t help but stare, as none of the furniture was damaged or rotten. The carpet was dusty, but plush and soft. The wooden bed and wardrobe hadn’t been touched by the destruction of everything around us. Even the bedding looked usable. “How?”
“This must have been a house owned by a fae. For them, it’s often customary to use magic to protect certain rooms like bedrooms or especially nurseries. The magic at work here must be either exceptionally strong or the Wielder who created the protection got away and is still alive.”
I nodded, trying to wrap my head around the fact that magic could preserve an entire room for two hundred winters. “Why didn’t they protect the entire city like that?”
“Such shelter wouldn’t have saved Amalach’s people.
The power that was at play during the destruction was different.
The weapon targeted life itself—the decay of the buildings outside appears to be more like an effect that had happened over time because no one had been maintaining those structures.
And apart from that, no one has that kind of power, Naya.
The Wielder who protected this bedroom must have sacrificed a permanent part of their magic so the sheltering effect could last that long.
Else, without refreshing, the protective magic should have collapsed a long time ago. ”
“Permanent—like my dagger?”
“Yes, just like that, but on a completely different scale.”
I grabbed a piece of cloth lying on a small cabinet and wiped some dust from the surfaces to keep myself busy. “You brought your bag.”
“Yes. Remember, I was warned we might have to travel from one moment to the other, so I carried some essentials with me at all times.”
“That’s why you took your bag into your bedroll during the last few nights.”
Dion grinned, giving me another chance to admire his dimples before he turned to the wardrobe and rummaged through its contents. I couldn’t help but frown.
“It feels wrong to go through other people’s belongings.”
“We’re the first people here in two centuries, and I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to sleep in linens that have been lying out in the open for two hundred winters.”
“On second thought, go ahead.”
I put down the now very dusty towel and sauntered over to Dion, who was rifling through the contents of the wardrobe.
“Here, look at this. Do you like it?” Dion asked and handed me a bundle of cloth. The silky material was extremely soft and in a vibrant purple-to-black hue. I untangled the fabrics to find out what it was I was holding.
“So many layers.”
Dion chuckled. “Yes. It’s a ceremonial dress. I found it in here and thought maybe you’d like to wear it for the binding part of the Rite? If it fits, of course.”
“Don’t you think it’s wrong to wear something that’s not mine?”
“Again, the owner hasn’t been here to claim it back in many winters.”
“You’re right. Have you also found something for yourself?”
“Not yet, but I’ll search for more salvageable places and hope I’ll find something adequate. Can’t look like a mercenary who never changed clothes once in months while you dress up as a lady.”
Dion had a smile on his face, and it was nice to see him more relaxed. I could still sense some underlying tension mirroring my own, but it was as if we had a silent agreement to try to put each other at ease.
I folded myself into the open wardrobe door next to Dion and pulled out another dress.
It was much simpler than the ceremonial gown, and the cut was not so different from one of the finer dresses my mother wore when she accompanied my father to work dinners.
The smooth cotton was bright turquoise with aqua lace decorations, and I also found a silky white chemise to wear underneath it.
I stepped away from the piece of furniture and turned my back to Dion. “Keep your eyes on the wardrobe.”
“Who’s the bossy one now?”
“Dion!”
A soft chuckle rang through the room. “Here, better?”
I glanced at the seemingly solid wall of darkness surrounding me that Dion had conjured, and satisfied, I unlaced my own filthy dress.
We’d encountered a river I’d jumped into yesterday before going to sleep, but I hadn’t had a chance to clean one of the three dresses I owned before we’d shadowwalked to Amalach.
“Wait, Dion. You can’t see through the darkness, right?”
“Mmh.”
“Dion, you have to tell me your full name.”
“How is that connected with my hypothetical ability to see through my own magical shadow veil?”
“Because my scolding will have a much bigger impact if I use that instead of a nickname.”
“Very funny, Nayana.”
“So, your name?”
“It’s Dion.”
“I know that.”
“Then why do you ask?”
One of these days, I was going to murder him—and it wasn’t the first time I’d had that particular thought. “Just don’t watch me changing.”
I grumbled when I realized that I’d been playing myself. Because of the magic walls around me, I couldn’t even see for myself if he was watching or not. Dion hadn’t used my Potential this time, and my theory was that I’d only be able to see through his darkness when he did so. Sneaky bastard.
Scowling, I made sure my back was turned to the insufferable man and quickly changed into the turquoise dress. It hugged my curves and was too long for me, but I could easily fix that.
“I’m done. You can drop the wall.”
The darkness disappeared, and I sat down on the bed to cut off the excess material of the dress with my dagger.
I ordered myself to be on my best behavior, but watching Nayana change was too much of a temptation to let pass.
Of course, I could easily see through my own magic, something I was sure she would learn in the future as well.
Amplifier might not be able to wield, but there were enough other facets of magic that they could master in time, even things I couldn’t do. Her talents would grow, I was certain.
As I allowed my gaze to roam over her body after her dress and chemise fell, my eyes got stuck on the gruesome pattern on her back.
I could barely suppress a snarled growl when I spotted her scars again.
I wanted nothing more than to rip Nayana’s father apart and then see him healed, just to torture him over and over again.
And one day, I would just do that. For me, that was non-negotiable.
Soleth Ortha was officially living on borrowed time.