Chapter 10
Ican’t believe it.
Looking at the small stone it’s hard to believe that with just one drop of blood I could undo any magic. I could bring the entire cave wards down if I wanted to, but that would be a waste. Whatever this is used for needs to be a matter of life or death.
I nearly drop the stone when I hear Ryder’s voice echo from the other side of the wall. Part of me feels guilty for doing it, but I put the stone in my jacket pocket and decide he can’t know about it. There’s only one person I trust enough to know I have it and it certainly isn’t Ryder Cimmerian.
When I slip back through the opening, he looks slightly relieved, but when he sees I’ve come back empty-handed that relief quickly turns to disappointment.
“There was nothing there.” The lie slips out a little too easily and there’s a small pit that forms in my stomach. I’ve never enjoyed lying, not even to someone like Ryder.
“I just don’t understand. It should be here.”
He runs his hands through his raven-colored hair in a way that reminds me of Damien. There’s an ache in my heart at the image, but I do my best to shake it off.
“I have a theory, but you have to be open-minded.” Finding the Verenite Stone reminded me of something I had forgotten all about.
Ryder looks at me like there’s no way he’s going to believe a word I’m about to say, but I continue anyway.
“So, you know that room with the Grimoire at the Training Sector?” He nods.
“Well, Amaya was reading one of the books and she told me about this island that apparently has a tomb of a dead witch who used to command the demons, or Zurads, or whatever they’re called.
I don’t know about you, but hiding a scepter made from the blood of demons, in a tomb with the witch who controlled them, on an island no one can seem to find, makes a lot of sense to me.
I think her name was Cassiti or Cassie, or—”
“Casstia Nircosa. Also known as the Red Queen because of the ruby that was embedded in the middle of her chest. You’re a genius, Reign! It’s said that ruby is what allowed her to command the army of Zurads. That must be the gem the text was referring to, not the caves.”
“So, you believe that it’s not just a myth, and it really does exist?” I ask, remembering that Amaya assumed it was only a made-up story.
“Oh, I know it does. I’m just not sure how to find it.”
“Do you think your father will figure out that’s where it’s at?”
“Once he finds out the scepter isn’t in the caves, he’ll have everyone trying to find its true location. It’s only a matter of time until someone puts it together.”
“Dang, I was kind of hoping he wouldn’t figure it out and it wouldn’t matter if we found it or not.”
The two of us start walking back through the caves towards the entrance.
“Unfortunately, we’re not that lucky.” Ryder pauses and turns to me. “But because of you we now have a head start.”
“And to think, you weren’t going to let me come,” I tease.
He puts his hands up in the air. “Hey, I’m man enough to admit when I’m wrong.”
“Somehow, I find that hard to believe.”
“It’s just not often I’m wrong,” he says with a sly smile as we continue walking.
“Or maybe all your minions are just too scared to call you out on it.”
“Oh, you think so?” He looks at me with a raised brow.
“Definitely, but don’t worry I’ll make sure to let you know every time you’re wrong.”
He throws his head back, letting out a single laugh. “Oh, I don’t doubt that one bit.”
Again, it almost feels as if we’re two friends joking with one another. It feels oddly comfortable, and I find myself having to remember just how dangerous he really is.
When we get back to the entrance, I’m relieved to see the opening in the wards is still there.
I’m not sure if they’re only meant to keep people out or if they also keep people in.
Either way, I’m happy when we’re back on the other side.
There’s no sign of the others and I wouldn’t be surprised if they’re already back at the palace, telling the king his theory was wrong.
“You ready?” Ryder asks, looping his arms around me.
“Let’s get out of here.”
Between trying to research how to find the hidden island, attempting to translate my father’s message, and training with Artemus, the next month passes by too quickly. We have just over a month until the attack and although I’m back to my normal weight I still don’t feel totally in shape.
“Come to join us?” Artemus asks when Ryder walks out the back door.
“Actually, I’m here to take over.”
As if Artemus wasn’t already kicking my butt enough.
“Yay…” I respond in an overly sarcastic tone.
“Oh, I guess you don’t want to learn how to conjure a sword then.” Ryder turns around and starts walking back to the house.
“Wait.”
“Yes?” He turns on his heel with his arms crossed.
“Teach me.”
“Please?” he adds with an arrogant smirk.
I let out an annoyed sigh before swallowing my pride. “Please, teach me?”
“See? Now that wasn’t so hard, was it?”
“You’re insufferable.”
“Oh, like you’re not?”
“I’m a delight to be around.” I flip my hair over my shoulder and Ryder shakes his head at me.
“Whatever helps you sleep at night, Princess.”
I glare at him calling me Princess, but he seems pleased with himself.
“What do I do first?”
“Come here.” I walk over to Ryder, and he holds out one of his hands, producing his sword of shadows. “Give me your hand.” He puts his hand over mine and slowly guides it over the blade of the sword. “Do you feel that?”
“It feels like hundreds of needles lightly pricking my skin.”
“That’s energy. It’s my power condensed into an extremely concentrated form.”
“Like when I cauterize wounds?”
“Very similar. Think of the sun. It’s a ball of intense heat, but waves still flare from it.
Your sword will be the same. Ninety percent of your power will be concentrated while the other ten percent will allow your magic to breathe.
Just like your body needs a release from your power, your power also needs a release. ”
“I want to try it.”
“Okay, let’s start off small until you get the feel for it. Instead of a sword I want you to try forming a dagger. They already feel like a natural extension of you, so it will be easier for you to conjure.”
I look down at my palm, focusing on bringing my heat to the surface. I imagine what it feels like when I emit the ray of heat that I use to cauterize. Instead of it coming from my finger, I push it towards the center of my hand.
A fiery, glowing rod begins to form in my palm.
“Good job,” Ryder encourages over my shoulder. “Now imagine it taking the form of a dagger. Think of the way it feels in your hand when you grip the hilt. Feel the weight of it balancing in your hand.”
Slowly, the rod begins to transform, and the top becomes sharp like a dagger’s tip. Flames dance around the edges and I wrap my hand around the flaming hilt. It feels comfortable. Right.
“It’s working.” I whisper it as though it will disappear if I speak any louder.
“How does it feel?”
“Natural. Like two hands reaching for one another.”
“Stay there. Don’t let go of it.” Ryder walks over near the body targets and pulls out one of the swords. He places the hilt in one hand and the tip in the other. “Try to cut through it.” He nods to the middle of the steel blade.
I lift the fiery dagger up, bringing it down against the silver blade. There’s barely any resistance when the dagger cuts through the steel as if it were nothing but butter. Ryder holds up the two halves of the sword in each hand with a proud smirk.
“Not bad.”
“That felt amazing!” I release my power, letting the weapon fade away.
“Once you master the dagger, we’ll move onto the sword.”
I can’t deny that he’s a good teacher. Even back at the Sector he had a way of getting the best out of me. I suppose I should take advantage of his expertise with however much time we have left here.
The rest of the house is quiet when I wake in the middle of the night. Before, when I would wake up from nightmares, I would head to the Pit, but there’s no Pit here and something about going out to the training field makes me feel uneasy.
Instead, I take the stairs up to the second floor. A few weeks ago, I scouted out a window that leads to the roof, so that’s what I head for. I do my best to be quiet, but opening the window is louder than I expected.
The night air is crisp, and the smell is comforting. Being out here reminds me of the times Amaya and I would climb to the top of the Archives building in Avelion to stargaze. Somehow, it makes me feel a little closer to her.
I lie back, taking in the sky full of stars. When I was locked up in the cell for those two months I had wondered if I would ever see them again.
“Thought you might be up here.” Ryder suddenly appears on the roof next to me and I jump.
“Don’t do that! I could’ve fallen!”
“If you had, I would’ve caught you.”
Something about his response makes my heart beat a little faster, though, maybe it’s just the result of almost losing my balance so high off the ground.
“Did I wake you?” I ask as I lie back.
“No, I’ve been up for hours. I don’t sleep much these days,” he admits.
Ryder lies down, putting his arm behind his head like he doesn’t plan on going anywhere. I wasn’t expecting company tonight, but it seems I have no choice in the matter.
“Is this how you would spend your birthdays in Avelion?”
I sit up and turn to him surprised he would say such a thing, but then I quickly remember I had told him as much during our run-in on my last birthday. It’s weird to think how different our interactions used to be.
“Surprised you remember.”
“It’s a shame you never wore that necklace I gave you,” he says with a sly grin.
“Can you blame me for not trusting you back then?” I lie back down, searching the sky for a shooting star.
“I suppose not.” There’s a long moment of silence between us before Ryder speaks again. “And now? Do you trust me?”
I look over at him, expecting to see a smug look on his face, but instead, the look on his face is serious. “No, I don’t. But don’t take it personally. I don’t think I’ll ever trust anyone again.” My voice cracks a little and I wonder if he notices.
Again, there’s a long pause in conversation.
“Well, maybe one day that will change,” he finally adds. When I don’t say anything else, I think he might leave me to myself, but I soon realize that was just wishful thinking. “Why does looking at the stars mean so much to you?”
“I don’t know. I guess something about them makes me feel small.”
“You are small,” he says in a teasing tone that has me looking at him with a sidelong glance.
“Sorry, not all of us can be six foot something,” I reply sarcastically.
“Six-foot-four, actually.”
I can feel him staring at me, but I don’t give him the satisfaction of looking back.
“You may be six-foot-four, but your ego is ten feet tall.”
“Ouch.” He puts his hand over his heart as if he’s been hit. “It won’t be for much longer with the way you like to humble me.”
“Somebody has to do it,” I say with a smirk I know he can see.
“Remind me again why it was I sent Artemus to rescue you?”
I know he’s only teasing me, but it’s something I’ve been wondering so I take his joke as my opening to get more answers.
“Why did you do it?” His expression hardens. “Was it because you didn’t want your father to have me as a weapon? Or because you wanted to have me to use against him?”
He sits up, suddenly.
“Is that really what you think of me?” He looks almost hurt.
“I don’t know what to think of you. Are you the prince who throws traitors at a wall, killing them with the flick of your wrist? Or are you the son of a cruel king who is fighting for a better future? Sometimes, I’m not sure which one is the real Ryder, and which one is just a mask you wear.”
“Can’t I be both?” He rests his arms on his knees, lacing his fingers together. “You have no idea what it was like growing up with him.”
He’s not looking at me anymore and it’s like he’s somewhere else.
“Maybe I do know what it was like.” My words seem to draw him back.
“When I was at the Sector, there was this voice that called to me in the middle of the night. I know it sounds crazy, but I followed it, and it led me to a hidden cave that had a bowl of water. When I touched the water, I was thrown into a vision.”
I hesitate, not knowing if I should continue. Once I tell him what I saw there’s no turning back.
He nods as if telling me to keep going.
“In the vision I saw you as a young boy. Your father was ordering you to kill a wolf cub.” I don’t have to go into any more detail. I can tell by the shattered look on his face he recalls the memory.
“How is that possible?” he asks.
“I’m not sure.”
Ryder looks away again, lost in thought. I’m just about to get up and go back inside when he speaks.
“I was only eight when he started making me do that.” I can hear the pain in his voice. “I wish I could say it was only that once, but that would be a lie.”
“I’m so sorry,” I offer quietly.
He finally turns back to me, and our eyes meet.
“I’m not perfect. I won’t pretend to be.
But I would never use you for your power.
” Guilt begins to settle in my chest and I’m suddenly wishing I had never asked in the first place.
Ryder must pick up on it because he quickly attempts to lighten the mood.
“Besides, I need you for more important things like keeping me from getting a big head.”
“If I had known what I was getting myself into, I would’ve stuck with Cylas.”
“Well, it looks like you’re stuck with me now.”