Chapter 12
The intricate enchantments of the ship’s controls were not commanding Durae’s focus enough to ease the knot of twisting snakes in his stomach like he’d hoped they would.
After they’d explored one another, Blaze had brought out his pile of blankets once more and even fashioned the makeshift canopy before they’d fallen asleep.
Durae had woken with Blaze wrapped around him and lingered.
The first rays of dawn had swollen into full light hours ago, but he was still on Blaze’s ship.
He should have rushed back to the inn and apologized to his family.
Instead, he’d written notes and paid Mack to deliver them.
One begged Uleyri for her forgiveness but also mentioned that he’d seen she was on her own adventure, and he needed to follow his.
The other was for all three of his parents.
He promised that he would meet them for the supper Mama had arranged.
He was looking forward to talking to the Celestial Society member who was going to attend.
Now, wearing last night’s cream tunic that had gained several new stains from crawling around on Blaze’s ship and a pair of borrowed trousers, he summoned a bit of magic to help him inspect the craftsmanship before his eyes.
Thin lines appeared in the air, visible only to him, and he checked the patterns for flaws.
The trouble was Blaze’s creation was very new, and Durae wasn’t sure what patterns were right and what might be wrong.
They weren’t completely foreign, though.
He could see the influences of Navisora formulae, but like Blaze had reconstructed them.
That made sense. A few were closely guarded family secrets.
Delight brought a grin to Durae’s lips. He might be falling for a commoner, but Blaze was a brilliant commoner.
Being handsome and good with his cock were nice traits, too.
And he was thoughtful. Kind. Had a beautiful smile that was more timid than the first star after sunset, but lingered like the last star before dawn.
Thinking about Blaze distracted Durae from his spell, and it slipped. The energy dispersed harmlessly into the air. Having seen all he could, he rolled out from under the ship’s wheel and stood.
Blaze was emerging from the house with two plates and a waterskin. When Durae leaned over to take them from him so he could climb aboard, he asked, “What do you think?”
“You’re a genius. Possibly a mad one, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.
” Durae kissed Blaze’s cheek as soon as he could.
He handed one plate back to him and went over to the pile of blankets with his.
The fare was simple but delicious, and Durae tucked in.
Running around, making romantic overtures, and fucking created quite an appetite.
“I don’t recognize some of the enchantments, which makes sense. Can I see the schematics?”
A brief flicker of hesitation clouded Blaze’s expression, but he sat beside Durae. “Sure. Can I ask why?”
“I’m curious how it works,” Durae said between bites. “It’s an awful lot of complex magics working in tandem. Have you had a chance to experiment?”
“The theories are sound,” Blaze said tensely. He furrowed his brow much like he had the night before, but with more wariness than anger.
“Your best shot at winning the award will be a stunning display of this prototype. Can’t hurt to have an extra set of eyes double-check your work, especially when this set of eyes is familiar with the gondolas you studied.
” Durae added proudly, “My efforts have even caught a few flaws before they caused problems.”
“How’d you do that?” Blaze asked.
“I … accidentally threw too much magic into certain enchantments and started a fire.” Durae picked up a piece of bread and used it to push potatoes around on his plate. “Or three.”
“What?”
“I’m not going to do it to your ship!” Durae said. “It’s why I’m only looking, not offering help to finish the enchantments!”
After a long moment, Blaze laughed. “I guess that’s fair. I’ve had a few eyes on it, but only quick opinions. Apart from the committee I presented my thesis to, no one’s really examined my plans. They called it a fine ‘theoretical’ work, but didn’t recommend the university fund my project.”
“They were dreadfully short-sighted,” Durae replied.
“They were concerned that I’d blow myself up if the energies are misaligned.”
“You’re more likely to fall out of the sky.”
Blaze tilted his head. “Am I?”
Mouth full of sausage, Durae had to swallow before he could speak.
“Mm, that’s one of the greater challenges with our gondolas.
You can’t deny gravity forever, and consistently fighting it drains any stored magics.
That’s why we had to construct posts. Our gondolas pass them in order to gain a charge and carry on to the next destination.
Power has been the problem, which has held us back from inventing an airship ourselves. ”
“You’ve been trying?” Blaze asked.
“Not seriously in recent years,” Durae replied. “Research hasn’t been a priority.”
“Your family has the resources to push the field of cosmomancy to the literal stars, and they just stopped because they’d made their fortune?”
Durae frowned at his plate. “I suppose I hadn’t thought of it that way, but that’s not inaccurate.”
“In a way, I’m grateful. Means I can make a name for myself when I get there first.” Blaze winked at Durae.
Suddenly, Kidd burst from the back of the house and rushed to the dock. “Are you dressed? Please be dressed. There’s a pissed-off noble on her way.”
“Who?” Blaze asked.
“Guessing my mother or sister!” Durae shoved aside his plate and started hunting for his boots, but the whole reason he hadn’t put them on was that they were ostentatious and made his insides curl in on themselves just looking at them in the daylight.
They were studded with gems. Why he’d ever let anyone talk him into that fashion choice plucked at his conscience.
The thieves of the market must have been too busy last night to catch sight of the fortune on his feet, or he probably would’ve been robbed.
Blaze was in a similar scramble, shoving the blankets into the cabin and then looking over their appearances. He gulped and motioned to Durae’s stained tunic. Panicking, Durae took it off and threw it off the far side of the ship.
“Durae!” Mama said as she stormed up to the dock. She flicked her hand, and Durae’s tunic floated out of the river and was left in a sopping wet pile on the dock.
“Lady Navisora,” Kidd said warmly, “what a pleasure—”
Mama held up a hand, and whether through magic or intimidation, Kidd’s mouth closed.
She pushed off from the dock and flew up and over the ship’s rail.
Without hesitation, she cast her gaze around the deck, eventually landing on Blaze and scrutinizing him.
“This is where you’ve been running off to? ”
“Technically, the night before last I spent trying to find my way back here,” Durae said.
“You left the dance without telling us where you were going and then sent a note this morning.” Mama strode toward Durae.
Too stunned to move, he remained perfectly still as she approached.
She threw her arms around him and tightly hugged him. After a moment, she held him by the shoulders, fingers digging in a little painfully, but her eyes were filled with the sort of anger that only came from relief. “I was worried sick all night!”
“I’m sorry,” Durae said.
“You should be! We aren’t asking for much, Durae!”
“Aren’t you?” Durae said. “You were trying to arrange for me to court a prince!”
Mama’s mouth dropped open, and her anger shifted to shock. “You’re the heir to a powerful legacy. I wanted you to explore your options.”
“So long as I marry someone and avert my doom, right?” Durae asked.
“It is a mother’s prerogative to worry over the future of her children,” Mama replied seriously.
She released Durae’s shoulders and clasped her hands.
Twisting them, she looked upward for the stars, which hid behind the daylight blue sky.
After a moment, she sighed and met Durae’s gaze again.
“Hawthorn and I had a long talk last night while we waited for you. I cannot help my concerns, Durae, when all signs point to a cataclysm. But disaster is one side of the coin. The other, as your papa reminded me, is change. My heart only wants for you to be happy and safe. But keeping you from forming your own path may bring the doom I worry about in a different way. I am conflicted.”
“You’ve reminded me often of how I was born under the wrong stars,” Durae muttered. “That my every fault was in the making of me.”
“That’s not … I never intended for you to take it that way.
” Mama glanced toward Kidd and Blaze, but thankfully, the two had moved to the far end of the ship and were talking like they weren’t paying attention to every word being said between them.
The illusion of privacy seemed enough for Mama, and she let go of another pent-up breath.
“I found fault in myself for not taking care in the making of you. I thought your life would be better if I had done things right.”
“I wear gemstones on my boots, have a loving family, and all the tutors gold could hire,” Durae said. “My life is charmed beyond measure.”
“I wished for it to be perfect,” Mama said.
“Even the stars do not remain in the exact same orbit, Mama. There is no perfect.”
“I know.” Mama sagged and fiddled with the end of her long braid. “I am sorry that my ambition for you made you think you were flawed. Truly, I only want your happiness.”
“I’m sorry that I made you worry, again. I know I need to do better about telling you where I am.” Durae motioned at the ship. “At least now you know where I’ve been going.”
“I doubt this craft has captured your attention,” Mama said. She regained her more noble bearing. “Can I meet this elf you’re smitten with?”
“This ship would surprise you,” Durae replied. He motioned to Blaze for him to come over. Once he had, Durae took his hand. “Mama, this is Blaze Levimist. Blaze, this is my mother, Lady Maeteyore Navisora, matriarch of the Navisoras.”
“An honor, my lady,” Blaze said with a tiny bow.
Mama gave an amused smile. “From what Durae announced the other day, you’re familiar enough with my son that you may call me Mae, or Lady Mae if you insist on some level of formality.”
“Thank you.” Blaze had a seriousness similar to how he’d been right before uttering the most romantic words Durae had heard.
Durae’s heart fluttered, and his stomach flipped, and he wished his mother weren’t standing three feet away so he could kiss Blaze senseless. It was possible. He’d managed it last night.
“Oh,” Mama said.
Durae blinked and shook himself back into reality. His cheeks were warm inside and out, but he chose to ignore the flush creeping up his body. When he started to let go of Blaze’s hand, Blaze linked their fingers together. His touch was reassuring. “Oh?”
Mama made a dismissive gesture. “Unimportant. However, I would like to ask Blaze a few questions. Without you present, Durae.”
“Mama!”
“I have no intention of scaring Blaze away, but you are my son, and I would like to know a few things about the elf who has so quickly found a place in your heart,” Mama said seriously.
“I don’t see why I would have to leave,” Durae replied.
“Did you think Perro, Hawthorn, and I have been allowing just any suitor to consistently pursue you?” Mama asked. “Many of them were vetted before we ever left Dun Lenorro.”
“They were?”
“Perhaps we should have involved you in the process more,” Mama said. “I worry that we’ve left you too innocent of this world.”
Durae bristled. “My naivety to machinations about my future is not a flaw when such schemes were done in a way to ensure I remained clueless.”
“You have a point, and I don’t wish to argue about this,” Mama said. “Now, if you want me to support your courtship, then I will talk to Blaze alone.”
Before Durae could protest further, Blaze squeezed his hand. “I’ll be all right.”
“Grab those breakfast plates,” Kidd said. “We’ll clean them up in the house.”
Unhappy, Durae grabbed their plates and handed them off to Kidd.
He stepped off the ship and followed him toward the house, though he continued to glance over his shoulder as he went.
Mama had claimed she wouldn’t scare Blaze away, but what if she didn’t approve of him?
What if he had to test the validity of his courage to Blaze so soon in their relationship?
He had meant what he’d said about leaving his family for love if he had to choose between them. But he’d hoped that would never happen or come about when he’d known someone for more than three days. Would he walk his own path if he only had a pair of gemstone shoes to fund his future? For Blaze?
Not just for Blaze, he thought. If Mama were to tell me to end my association with someone kind and wonderful because he failed to measure up in her eyes, then she would want me to make myself small. She isn’t like that. It won’t happen.
But I will shine as I’m meant to and with whom I choose.
Lifting his head, Durae stepped into the house and learned how to wash dishes.