Chapter 43
Chapter
Forty-Three
NISSA
The last time I was carried through the doors of the dark castle that looms over us my life had changed in so many different ways.
Cillian has explained what happened that night and everything they did to help Ophe and me.
I owe Aiden and his team, Hazel specifically, a debt of gratitude.
Hopefully what we came for will suffice as a thank you.
We are led past the council room that we met in previously and are welcomed into a study that has a large sitting area carved from rhyolite rock in front of a warm, natural fae fire. Aiden is leaned back with his ankle over his knee, showing off more tattoos that creep up his exposed ankle.
Hazel and Enzo are seated in surrounding chairs. Enzo stands, looking behind us as we enter. Hazel remains sitting, smiling up at us politely.
Cillian grips Enzo’s forearms in greeting and moves casually to sit on a couch for two across from Aiden. Caspien would have baulked at the fact that Aiden and Hazel didn’t stand, but Cillian is unfazed.
We have spoken at great lengths about this meeting and how we want to present ourselves. How we want to address Varethiel's current problem with the storms starting again. Another example of a stark difference from how Caspien would have handled things.
“What do we owe this pleasure?” Aiden’s tone is even but tinged with suspicion. I can’t blame him, his history with the Vaylor family would have me cautious too.
I speak up, my back straight and hands entwined in my lap, “Well, first, I wanted to thank all of you.” I look between the three of them.
I catch Aiden's eyes moving up and down my body intently. “Catch” is probably the wrong word, because he isn’t hiding it or trying to be subtle.
But like before, it doesn’t feel sexual, it feels…
protective, like he’s checking for any injuries that remain.
“I’m glad to see you doing so well,” Hazel says in her melodic voice, smiling at me. “The poison from the blade is powerful.”
It seems sincere. I return her smile. “Thanks to all of you. Without your assistance in finding me, the medical help and”—I focus this on Hazel—“helping enchant the sirilis, it all could have been a lot harder—a lot worse.”
“Right, well, anything else?” Aiden begins to stand, dismissing us.
I almost laugh at his impatience. He seems to not like wasting time. Or maybe he’s just tired of dealing with the Vaylors.
“Actually yes,” Cillian replies.
Aiden lets out a long breath before sitting back down. Hazel looks amused, but Enzo returns the uneasy look.
“We’re aware that the storms seem to be starting here again. Since we believe we’ve discovered their cause, we think we have a way to stop them here as well.” Cillian pauses.
“And what is that?” Aiden asks, seemingly bored with the line of conversation.
“We’ve discovered a prophecy that was hidden—” Cillian begins.
“Right, the mirrored princesses. What of it?” Aiden asks calmly. I had suspected he knew when we thought he was involved in Nova’s death but the confirmation uproots me.
“You knew?” I blurt out. “But you never reached out to me, tried to connect with me. Bring me back. Well, not until…”
Cillian’s hand wraps around mine, protectively. As if he feels like Aiden still has some type of right to me, even though the Goddess clearly made us mates.
He shrugs a shoulder. “I had no desire to make you my queen. I can rule without taking some female hostage—”
Hazel snorts a laugh, and we all turn towards her.
“As my queen,” he finishes as he glares at her.
“Sorry.” She laughs again, putting her hands up.
Enzo looks equally amused, while Aiden looks like he could burn them both alive on the spot. I wonder what they are going on about.
We all turn when we hear a commotion through the door to the hallway. Enzo quickly stands, but Hazel speaks up again. “No, I’ll handle it.”
“Probably a good idea,” Aiden grumbles under his breath as she breezes out the door, closing it behind her.
“I don’t care about some prophecy claiming I need a queen, mate, or whatever. I can rule my kingdom without all that.” He shoots an intentional look at Cillian, staking claim to half the Two Kingdoms.
“That’s actually why we’re here,” Cillian says.
Aiden raises a single eyebrow.
“As you clearly know, the Goddess intended for you to rule your kingdom.” Cillian pauses.
The silence is thick in the room.
“Obviously the priestess got it wrong when they believed you were meant to be with Nissa. But we believe Gaia still wishes for you to rule even if Nova isn’t…
” He squeezes my hand. “We want to officially make you the King of Varethiel. Not just in title but you will have all the say, all the power over it—without Vaylor involvement.”
It’s Enzo’s turn to laugh. “What’s the catch?”
Aiden says nothing, watching us intently.
“No war? No arguments?” Enzo asks, more serious. “You want us to believe a Vaylor walked in here to just hand over half the world that you rule?”
“We don’t want a war.” Cillian focuses on Aiden.
“We want what’s best for the Fae across both kingdoms, no matter what king rules them.
We don’t know why but it is clear in the prophecy that our world needs you on the throne as well.
The storms are starting back, but only here in Varethiel.
We want to do whatever we need to make them stop. ”
Enzo looks at him like he’s grown a second head. Aiden seems bored.
“It’s true,” I chime in. “We’ve already been working to restore the energy in our elemental lands.”
“It won’t matter if I rule over all of it,” Cillian says, giving Aiden the same rationale he gave me outside of his office that day, “if we’re all too weak to protect ourselves against an outside attack.
We’ve stopped them in Solevara, but I don’t believe they’ll stop here until you’re in full control.
We can work together, rule as allies. I’m not my mother or brother.
I don’t care about power. I care about the Fae. ”
Again, Aiden just stares at us like he has better things to do.
Cillian stands. “We’ll let you think over everything. I’ll be in touch to discuss the logistics and what changes need to be implemented.”
Aiden and Enzo follow Cillian’s lead, standing to escort us out. Aiden reaches for the door to let us out.
I stop him before he steps through, “One last thing. How did you find me and Ophe? Who was the lead?” I search Aiden’s face and catch a spark of something in his eyes.
“That information is—” He breaks off, looking into the hallway. He drops his head and rubs his eyes, mumbling something into the wind.
I can’t hear what he says because the blood is rushing in my ears. Blinking, a hand pressed to my chest, I look past him into the hallway.
To a Fae who is supposed to be dead.
Nova is standing there, staring back at me.