Chapter 26 #3
I move my cheek to her lips and she plants a warm kiss there. It thaws the icy part of my heart that’s tucked this harsh reality away.
“Thank you for not saying you were sorry for me,” I whisper back to her. I didn’t want her pity, I’d spent years pitying myself.
She nods, her head hanging low next to mine.
“Sometimes,” she says quietly, “we just need to be heard.”
She squeezes my hand before moving away slightly.
As she nods, she wipes away a stray tear and speaks, “It is this way to Naaveen’s, you were correct.”
Relief that she didn’t press for further details floods over me, washing me in something akin to moving forward. It’s forgiveness for myself.
“But Kassiel,” she adds, “I will kill him for what he has done to you.”
Her eyes have turned to stone, cool and hard. She looks like she’s vowing to the goddess herself. A sense of twisted pride seizes my heart and I grab her hand again before we move forward to speak with Naaveen.
After our conversation with Naaveen in his cottage, we decided it best to call The Hidden together for an informal meeting.
“What stones specifically, do you know?” The fiery haired Jessamine asks me.
I didn’t have to explain aspects of the binding to Euron again thankfully as Alora states the facts and left out a lot of other parts.
“Just that they were black onyx, but I’m not sure why they glowed red.” It’s the truth, I’d never seen anything like it before.
Helena paces in the background as Jessamine and Naaveen peer over an opened book together, scouring for any mentions of the Siorai Ban.
The older white haired lady, Helena, asks me something next. “But you said that you thought it was weakened with the Blood Moons? But why?”
I shrug while lost in thought.
Jessamine pipes in again, “Well he has to have the stones near him, I’m sure he wouldn’t go through all that trouble just to lose them?”
Alora nods in agreement. I’d noticed her quietness looming, and a few times, I’ve found her to be watching me. Her foot taps the floor incessantly. Something I’ve learned she does when she’s nervous or wandering her mind.
“So we go look for them.”
All faces turn to look at who speaks which is none other than my fierce warrior, Alora.
She pushes herself upwards from her chair. “We don’t know what they do exactly, but whatever they are, we need them. It’s got to be part of why the king remains strong. If we’re to free Kassiel, we need those stones.”
Naaveen mutters in agreement.
I look at the different council members who whisper back and forth to one another.
Watching them interact, magical and reguls alike, it’s inspiring. Both have their equal measure, the same fairness of opinion. Knowing that there can be continued unity even after the king falls, it’s good enough reason to at least try.
Jessamine trails her eyes over to me and smiles softly before squeezing Naaveen’s hand.
“Then we go, we must leave right away then.” She says.
I watch the women discuss what to do as Naaveen flips through his book. The old weathered pages crinkle with each turn of the page.
“What do you look for, Naaveen?”
He glances up at me, his brown eyes warm and inviting, “A way to save you. If we can save at least one person, it makes the king that much weaker. If he loses his executioner, it ruins his appearance of strength.”
He resumes his flipping. He and Rune would get along—they both seem to believe in the good in the world, and damnit if The Hidden can pull off this, then maybe I would too.
“What if the king became aware of your magic, Alora? We can’t risk it, we can’t lose you too.” Helena’s firmness strikes around the room. She has a point and I can’t say I love the idea of Alora getting too close to Euron, especially if Orlin’s suspicions will be on high alert.
“It is the only way,” Alora demands and the rest of the room pauses to listen, “I will go, appearing as a willing consort to the king. And the only way I accomplish that, is by showing him I’m interested in him and revealing my magic. I won’t discuss this further. It’s too important to me.”
Her eyes flame with the same hardened expression as before and she looks at me reassuringly.
I hate it, but she’s right.
They all look at me, eager to hear what I have to say, “It’s a risk, always with Euron, but I can confidently say he would be willing to do anything to keep her in his proximity.”
“Then so be it.” Alora adds, offering little space to interject.
Jessamine moves towards her, “If you go, I go too. You’ll need all the help you can get to keep safe.”
And with that, the plan hatches. The ruse of Lady Orlah is formed. An educated merchant’s daughter eager to find a position within the courts. A tail as old as time for young unmarried women.
Except this time there’s a catch. While Alora distracts the king, the rest of us will scour the castle, specifically the king's room and office for the unmistakable leirunes, as I’ve come to learn their name thanks to Naaveen. And once we’ve located them, we’ll get the fuck out and won’t look back.