Chapter 26
TWENTY-SIX
ARYELLA
I turned thirty and quickly realized I was running out of time for another chance with you.
I was out of options. So, I made the blood oath with Molochai.
I did what I had to do—to ensure I would find you again.
After all the evil he’s made me commit and the monster it made me, I should regret it. But fuck it, I don’t. And I never will.
—EXCERPT FROM THE BUTCHER OF NYRIDA’S LAST KNOWN LETTERS TO QUEEN ARYELLA I
To give his cadets a taste of home, Elias held a ball in the center hall of the Barracks.
On the tenth day of Floris, there was an annual celebration of the gods to curry their favor for a successful crop-seeding and, ultimately, a plentiful harvest comes the following autumn.
It was called Reverie, and every year, elaborate weeklong festivities took place in the Caves.
Today was the first day of Floris. Other than the upcoming second test, Reverie was all anyone could talk about.
“I don’t know why Marin sent me an extra dress.
” Mina frowned at two luxurious gowns spread out on Mavic’s lower bunk.
One was a delicate sky blue with a wholesome portrait neckline.
The other was black and sparkly with sheer fabric wrapped around the bodice.
“And black ? She knows I prefer pastels.”
Mavic earned himself a well-deserved glare from Mina when he plopped down on his bed and caused the dresses to bounce and wrinkle. When I noticed a small, folded-up piece of paper fall to the floor to my right, I snatched it up before the twins could see it.
A few letters were all I needed to see to know who it came from. I’d know that handwriting anywhere.
It was Gemma’s.
Make him cry.
I bit my tongue to suppress a grin.
By him , I assumed she meant Elias. Damond said he would find a way to discreetly tell Gemma my plan. I feared she would be upset with my choices. This convinced me otherwise.
“If you are wearing the blue one, do you mind if I wear the black?” I asked Mina, trying not to sound too eager. “I don’t have a gown for Reverie.”
“Are you sure? That dress is sinful ,” Mina said. “Though I know you can pull it off.”
“Anything would look good on Fera.” Mavic shot me a wink, which earned him a laugh.
Mina groaned. “Can I not have a single friend to myself, or will you try to sleep with every single one of them for the rest of our lives? Have you no shame?”
“I do not have any shame,” he answered assuredly.
Mavic sometimes came back to the room at odd hours of the night after meeting up with one of the other female cadets he consistently saw. He wasn’t interested in me. He just enjoyed teasing his sister.
“Of course you can wear it.” Mina gave my elbow a gentle squeeze. “I think we’re about the same size, but my mother taught me everything she knows with a needle if you need me to tailor it.”
Mina went on about all the things we could do with our hair, and while I was content to listen, I found it difficult for my thoughts not to drift to Shera. It had been only three days, but missing her and having no idea if she was close to finding him made three days feel like three months.
“Fera?”
My attention darted back to the twins, who were both in the process of putting on their shoes.
“Sorry. What?” I asked.
“We’re going to go for a run,” Mavic announced. “Do you want to join?”
It was our one day off from official training, but the second test was in a few days, and most of the cadets were still running through drills.
While Mavic had boundless energy, Mina’s delicate shoulders hung heavy with exhaustion.
She was in no mood for a run, but Mavic kept pushing her to run and fight harder.
To fight at all , even though aggression didn’t come easily to her.
He didn’t show it much, but Mavic was terrified for his sister.
“You two go,” I answered. “I have a few things I want to take care of.”
Like practicing one of my powers least likely to destroy the building.
Fire, water, wind, earth, and ice were out of the question.
There were only two powers I had yet to wield.
Effusia’s emotions and Nyxar’s night. When I searched my wheel for the latter, the spoke was there, but I couldn’t grab it.
My hand fell straight through. It had been this way since I first accessed my power in Tovick.
I wondered if Nyxar, the most powerful of the Selvaren, would only allow me his power once I could wield all the others.
When alone, I’d been trying my hand at manipulating gravity.
“See you later,” Mina chimed as she followed Mavic out of the door.
“I’ll be here,” I called after them.
I counted a full minute to ensure they were gone before getting up to draw the partially open curtains all the way closed. My time was limited, so I grabbed a book, a sturdy wooden cup, and a few other items that were difficult to break and got right to it.
Wielding gravity was like how I wielded the elements. I had to focus on holding it like it was tangible. As if I could pull it out of the ground, run it through my veins and out of my palms like fire, ice, wind, or water. Being unable to see it, however, made it harder to control.
Summoning Aurana required all my focus. I squeezed my eyes shut and glued my feet to the floor, and stretched out my arm until it began to vibrate, the power ready to burst out of me and send the cup flying.
A small gasp stuttered past my lips when the cup wobbled then lifted an inch above my hand. I’d gotten this far twice before, but it felt no less miraculous. The cup jerked and jolted unsteadily, back and forth, up and down, entirely uncontrolled.
I winced and groaned when the wooden cup slipped and thudded loudly across the cabin.
“Shera, I…”
I stopped myself. Reaching for her had become second nature, but she wasn’t near today.
Instead I whispered to Gavin, knowing he couldn’t hear me either. “I know you don’t have magic of your own, but I could really use your poetic words of encouragement right now.” What I wouldn’t give to have the reassuring rumble of his voice send me into my own impenetrable safe haven.
I placed the book in my palm next. With less effort than before, the book rose a few inches, its weight adding a resistance that made it feel a bit easier to control. Difficult but constant. Like pushing against a heavy object. But remove the resistance, and the book would go flying.
“Come on. Higher. Steady,” I growled out in a whisper, then clamped my mouth shut, refusing to let the slightest note of surprise or excitement throw off my concentration. I became so focused that I didn’t hear the creak of the door open behind me before it was too late.
“What the hell ?” Mavic uttered hoarsely, stumbling back into Mina. They had entered without me noticing. Now, they both turned and lunged toward the open door in panic.
“No!” The book landed on the floor with a loud thump as I released it, before reaching inside my temple for Sussurro’s wind and pushing the door shut with a slam. Before they could grab the knob, I summoned Nevelin. Cold ran down my arm, and the doorknob was encased in a layer of ice.
Mina screamed. My stomach lurched at how dangerous what I’d just done could have been. I’d promised myself I would only use my magic when others were at a safe distance, but I didn’t have time to dwell. Mavic pushed Mina behind him and drew his blade. “Who are you?” he demanded.
“I won’t hurt you.” I held my palms up in surrender. “But I can’t let you walk out that door, either. Not until you listen to what I have to say and promise ?—”
“We won’t be promising you anything!” Mavic snarled. “Now I’ll ask you one more time . Who the hell are you?”
My heart filled with dread, not with the thought of them knowing who I really was but that they might hate me for this forever. I had to come clean now . I was willing to risk a lot of things to maintain this ruse until I was ready, but not them.
If there was anyone in this fortress I knew I could trust, it was the twins.
Like removing a mask, I used Autumna’s power of camouflage to change my appearance. As black hair shifted to silver and blue eyes switched to green, Mina exhaled a trembling breath behind Mavic’s protective arm.
“My name isn’t Fera.” I did my best to sound calm. “It’s Aryella. I am your queen.”
Mina’s eyes widened like saucers. Mavic’s, too. They stared at me for so long that I feared I broke them.
“The fuck you are!” Mavic finally shouted.
“Mavic,” Mina reprimanded him quietly. “Just?—”
“No!” he objected, wildly shaking his head. “The queen died in Brinnea the night of the Solstice!”
“Yes,” I interjected. “I did. And then I… came back .”
They stared at me like I’d sprouted wings. I wished I had. Flying away at the slightest inconvenience would make things easier. Cowardly, but easier.
“You need to let us go.” Mavic spared a glance at his sister. “At least Mina.”
“No!” Mina objected.
“I will not hurt you!” I insisted. “Please believe me.”
But the distrust on their faces made it clear they didn’t believe me at all.
“Molochai has dark, evil magic,” Mavic began. “Only Simeon knows the extent of it. How do we know you’re not some sort of shape-shifter or witch or?—”
“Your sister should have had her baby by now,” I rushed out. “Does it have red hair like hers or black like its father?” They still didn’t look convinced. Black hair was common enough, and Marin’s red hair was an easy guess given the two of them. “What about eyes? Hazel, like Caz?”
Mina glanced nervously at her brother. She seemed more willing to believe me than he did.