Ariiaya
Anticipation warred with apprehension in her stomach as she handed the letter back to Elijah, waiting with bated breath as he gently broke the seal and opened the letter.
Unable to contain her nerves as Elijah’s eyes skimmed the neat handwriting, Arii began to pace, shoving a fingernail between her teeth. The letter was for him, and she needed to allow him time to process it before she demanded answers.
His voice was careful as he said, “He wants to meet, in two days’ time. Alone.”
“Absolutely-fucking-not! It will be a trap!” She exploded.
Elijah’s expression showed he knew that this would be her reaction. He read the letter again. “It may not be…”
Anger rose like a viper, her voice a hiss as she swept out a hand. “Don’t be naive, Elijah!”
His face snapped up, “This is the first true communication we have had in weeks. I can’t just ignore it.”
“Of course you can, it’s too big a risk!”
She inhaled, a rush of possible scenarios quickening in her mind. Valdis using iron to cage him, torturing him within the confines of a stone dungeon. An army of undead ambushing Elijah, tearing him apart before he could retaliate. It was ridiculous, really. She knew he would not be taken down so easily but her mind was reeling back to Bonemire, to the pain and all she had seen there. The memories almost overpowered her and reduced her to a curled-up ball. Her voice was hardly recognisable as her own as she said, “You can’t go. I cannot let you go. Please.”
As if he could sense the fire flaring inside her, Elijah’s face softened and he placed the letter on the bedside, before taking her hands and skimming thumbs over her palms. “Breathe, Arii.”
She inhaled.
Then released.
Repeating a few more times, she looked up at him. His eyes were gentle. Staring at his face slowly calmed her insides, yet her anxiety still remained. “Could you not send a letter back? Meet at more neutral ground where you can take protection with you?”
“I will confide in Kadec and get his opinion on the matter.” He cupped her cheek, and she found herself leaning into his touch. “This was not how I envisioned our morning ending…” he whispered.
“It doesn’t have to end,” she pointed out, but then sighed. “But it must. We have to speak with Kadec.”
He nodded, dressing quickly. He looked semiformal, yet slightly unhinged as he passed a hand through his hair and draped his jacket over his shoulder. He turned to her, a crooked smile lighting his rugged features as she tried to untangle the wild knots in her hair with her fingers.
She gave up as someone else knocked. She rose on her toes as his arms enveloped her, curled her fingers in his hair as he pressed his lips to her collarbone. The touch sent a delicious shiver down her spine.
“Miss Trillia? I’m here to help you get ready for breakfast,” came Cressa’s voice through the wood.
Destined to be interrupted…
“See you at breakfast,” Elijah sighed against her lips as they broke apart from a kiss that she wished would never end. He moved for the door, opening it and offering a small bow to Cressa as he passed.
The maid stood stunned, blinking rapidly before coming to her senses and hoisting the clothes in her arms. Then her face changed, a wide smile of wicked delight lighting up her features. “A Prince, well then.”
“I would ask that you keep this quiet for now,” said Arii, to stop any more chatter as she headed for the nightstand and mirror. She took a seat on the green velvet chair, surveying the perfumes and glittering hair trinkets laid neatly on the dark wood surface.
Cressa picked up a hairbrush and Arii worried her bottom lip between her teeth as the maid tugged at the knots in her hair and smiled. “Don’t worry, your secret is safe with me.”
Arii glanced at the woman in the reflection of the mirror, eyebrows raising. “Really?”
Cressa placed the hairbrush upon her brow in a mock salute, “Really. Not that I think it makes any difference, Prince Herington can be with whomever he wants until his coronation.”
“Until his coronation…” Arii tested.
The woman continued to work, expertly ridding her hair of the tangles until it shone. “Once coronated, he will be required to begin his search for someone of noble birth to marry.” As she spoke, Cressa’s eyes adopted a faraway look as she stroked the brush down to the tips of Arii’s hair. Then she whispered, “Unfortunately.”
Arii suddenly recalled the woman’s long, sad glances at Kadec as he peacocked in front of the throne last night. Something told her that they were no longer speaking just about Elijah. She was careful, choosing her words with caution as she said, “Prince Kadec… you’re in love with him.” It was not a question but a keen-eyed assessment.
Cressa dropped the brush as she came out of her reverie. “What?”
Arii turned in her seat, “You’re in love with Prince Kadec.”
The woman sighed long and hard, “It’s that obvious, is it?” Her burnished gold eyes shadowed with sadness. So, they had something in common, it seemed. “It’s been years, so many years, yet I cannot stop. It began when we were children. He was – still is – my brother’s best friend, and through that bond he met me. We grew up together. My father is one of his longest standing advisors, but my mother was a kitchen maid. I know there is no future for us, and there is nothing I can do about it.”
“Does he feel the same way?”
“Yes,” her eyes were sad, and she continued brushing, “But he has a long, strong Fae bloodline to uphold, one which I would surely weaken. I’m not Fae. All I can offer him is my talents with a needle and thread, and perhaps bad jokes to lighten the mood after a dark day.”
Arii rounded on the woman with a scowl, “If you love one another, then that should be all that matters–” she snapped her lips shut as her own words dawned on her, and the fact that they also could apply to her situation with Elijah. Clearing her throat, she continued with: “Can Kadec not… bend some rules?”
“Perhaps, but there are much more important things going on at the moment. With the darkness blooming in the north and return of Prince Herington, Kadec must focus on ensuring we all survive the coming storm.” She smiled ruefully, placing the brush down beside Arii’s clenched fists. “Perhaps we can think about our future when that future is a little more certain.”
She was right.
“I’ll draw you a bath, and once you’re done, I will have some clean gowns for you to choose from. Don’t worry, I brought everything but the colour pink.” Cressa tipped her head with a smile, but it did not meet her eyes as she left Arii alone with the chaos of her thoughts.
Elijah
Her skin was like silk, her lips made of satin as they explored his body, her touch confident in bringing him pleasure. He did not remember his mind ever being so quiet, yet so chaotic at the same time. He had wanted to take her, then and there, and gods he had been seconds from breaking his own stupid vow. But against the rampage of his beast he was relentless, telling himself over and over that this woman – this stunning, fierce, incredible woman – her heart forged of steel and her tongue of silver, deserved to be shown just how special she was to him.
To Elijah, who rarely opened his heart let alone shared his bed, this meant that when they finally took that final step, it would be somewhere where he could fully let go. The beast inside – the Fae side of him – was like a pacing wolf inside a cage, desperate to be let free. It was a feeling that he found hard to explain, and for a strange reason he was reluctant to discuss it with Arii, for he only felt that way around her and no other.
Every time they were alone, he feared the very fine tether binding him with his control would snap, and what could be unleased would be devastating. He was not sure what would transpire if he allowed that to happen, so he was trying incredibly hard to pick a time and a place where there would be no… casualties.
Surely it was not normal, this feeling bordering on obsession. He understood why she had attempted to put distance between them before, and one of the reasons was surely because of the distraction she caused him. There was still so much for him to learn about himself and the Fae. The fact that there was a secret society of his kind hiding, surviving until they could finally emerge once more, solidified the urgency for him to focus on the events at hand.
Conflict raged inside him. He wanted to spend as much time with Arii as he could, for these moments could be their last. Then there was the significance of his training, the trials and his growing magic.
And the shadow of madness that would one day bring him undone.
Every day that passed, the stronger his magic was becoming, and Arii’s words early on in their journey rang in his head; “Magic is like a muscle, the more you use it, the stronger it will become.”
He recalled her expression after he had read the note from Lorch. Her violet eyes encased flames, and the hard set of her jaw brooked no argument. So, he agreed – not only to appease her, but to toss the pros and cons over in his own mind.
Now, alone in his rooms, he opened the letter again and sat on his bed, staring at the neat and achingly familiar script.
Elijah,
We were brothers once, and because of this I will allow you the chance to explain your side of the story. Meet me just beyond Border Town in two days’ time.
Alone.
Your brother,
Lorch.
His eyes tore from the letter to the open, velvet lined box beside him. To the oval stone within. He hovered a hand over the Void Stone, watching the little galaxy of stars flare to life at the mere nearness of his touch. A bead of water dripped from his still-wet hair, falling onto the glass surface, and he stared as the orb flashed briefly with light, and he swore he could see thunder clouds rolling inside, little flashes of lightning sparking wildly. He blinked as the bead of water was absorbed into the stone.
What in the hell…
A knock sounded at his door, and Elijah placed the letter inside the box before closing the lid. “Enter,” he said as he stood, buttoning up his tunic.
Roarke came in, his demeanour all business. “I am to accompany you to dinner, Your Highness.”
Elijah shrugged on a royal blue vest over his white shirt, folding the cuffs with deft fingers, “Not necessary, Roarke, but appreciated.”
The two men walked down the hallway, afternoon sun dappling the walls with orange and gold. He could hear excited voices up ahead speaking over one another. As he entered the room, riotous laughter assaulted his ears, and he could not help a smile.
A large table was piled high with an array of food set upon polished silverware. Three whole turkeys basted with herbs sat on a bed of leafy greens, ringed with roasted potatoes in a thick, fragrant white sauce. Bowls of vibrant green salad sat to one side with sliced tomatoes and purple onions sprinkled with a crumbly white cheese. Dishes of thinly sliced venison and freshly baked bread rolls twisted into golden knots accompanied trays of lightly charred vegetables. An abundance of fruits and delicate pastries showered with icing sugar completed the offering, amongst beautiful flower arrangements.
Elijah found his stomach gurgling in anticipation as he joined his friends.
Tikkani threw back glasses of wine as Luc and Quinn cheered her on, laughing. Emerson pinched the bridge of his nose, but Elijah could see a smile behind his hand as the elf shook his head. Krepth and Nem sat nearby, deep in conversation, the Shifter animatedly using his hands to explain a story, while Nem nodded, allowing a tiny smile.
Elijah’s eyes found Arii, in a light, silky dress the colour of a robin’s egg, a dusty shade of blue that complemented her olive skin tone. The bodice hugged her tightly, before flaring lightly at the hips, a veil of tulle draping like mist to the floor.
Her eyes soon found his too, and he could see her cheeks becoming rosy under his gaze. She looked feminine, beautiful, radiant… absolutely enchanting. Her hair cascaded down in honey-tipped waves, a delicate piece of sparkling, layered jewellery woven into her hair and across her forehead. She turned, leaving Kadec and Nocturne by a table of wine, to walk towards him. Her confident swagger and the look on her face had him blinking as words failed to climb his throat.
She threw up a finger before he could speak. “Before you say anything, I was given a choice between this–” She swept her hand down the front of her, “–or something akin to a frilly nightmare the colour of baby vomit.” She glared quickly in Nem’s direction, longingly sliding her eyes over the woman’s attire. “I miss pants.”
“It has only been a few days.”
She ignored that. “There is a positive though.” She grinned, her canines glinting as her hands disappeared into the fabric at her sides, before she swished the dress. “It has pockets!”
Elijah chuckled, watching the smile that such a simple yet unexpected feature brought to her face. Gods, he was finding that he was beginning to live for that rare smile. “Let’s be honest, Nem may have threatened death upon her maid if she was to be made to wear a dress again.”
Arii snorted a laugh, “You know her well.”
“And I know you, Arii. You aren’t completely wretched about wearing a dress.” He accepted a glass of wine from a server, smiling in thanks before bringing the amber liquid to his lips.
Arii tsked and accepted a glass also, unable to mask the humour in her eyes. “Ah, you have uncovered my deepest, darkest secret. I must admit, I do feel beautiful.”
Elijah gazed at her over the rim of his glass, his eyes darkening, “As much as I love the dress on you, I do prefer you without it.”
Her cheeks flared a deeper shade of pink, and he felt a hum of satisfaction from his beast.
“Behave, Your Highness,” she chided, but the smile never left her face.
There was a loud, unanimous cheer. Luc punched the air as Tikkani swigged the last glass in the row before her, throwing her hands up in triumph.
Elijah’s brows rose as he took a seat.
Arii sat beside him, enjoying watching the commotion.
“No liquor from the north nor the west can bring me down,” announced Tikkani, throwing up a hand into a slightly intoxicated salute.
The feeling in the room was light, a reprieve from the burdens they all carried. Elijah knew it would be short-lived, returning with sore heads tomorrow.
Kadec soon joined them, followed by Nocturne.
Elijah kept his gaze from the dark-haired man, for he did not trust himself not to show his dislike. Jealousy was foreign to him, and he was not familiar with preventing it. It was easier to ignore Noct for now.
The maid, Cressa, entered the room and approached Roarke, who stood guard nearby. Similar guards in plain uniform were stationed about the room in silent watchfulness. The curvy, pretty woman handed Roarke a bread roll with melted cheese on top. Roarke tried to refuse, but the woman pressed the snack into his palm. Elijah heard her say, “Eat, brother! Honestly, mother would be turning in her grave if she knew how frequently you skipped meals.”
Roarke blushed as he whispered, “Thank you, Cressa.”
The maid nodded, spinning on her heel to head back towards the doors, but not before her eyes halted on Kadec, and Elijah saw the moment that passed between them.
It was sadness and regret tinged with longing.
The Prince recovered as the maid retreated, to say, “There was the strangest storm last night. A peculiar riot of rain that very nearly damaged my rose bushes in the castle gardens.” Kadec speared venison into his mouth, eyes skipping to Elijah as he chewed and swallowed, before continuing, “Did you happen to bring some bad weather with you, Eliverus?”
Tikkani pointed her fork from Elijah to Arii as she said around a mouthful, “Oh, that has happened a few times, that’s because they were close to fucki–” Emerson slapped a hand over Tikkani’s mouth just in time.
Kadec bellowed a laugh in response as Arii melted like gravy into her chair. Elijah cleared his throat awkwardly, taking a bite of a cinnamon-dusted sugar bun and looking anywhere but at his friends.
How embarrassing.
Elijah pressed his mind to wander, keeping his features indifferent as he thought about how he had adopted a sweet tooth since their arrival here. Then his mind shot back to the conversation at hand like a thunderclap.
Close? How could they possibly know they had been close to…
Arii.
His head tilted in her direction, and he spoke through the corner of his mouth – his voice low so that only she could hear, “And I thought Tikkani was the one without a filter between her brain and her mouth… but you? I’m surprised.”
She huffed defensively, “I cannot control what Nem feels through the bond, let alone what she says to Krepth–” her voice rose slowly and steadily as she sat up in her chair and leaned forward, eyeballing the wolf Shifter across the table, “–who then cannot keep his big fucking mouth shut!”
Krepth’s face lit with a devilish grin and he leaned back in his chair. That only seemed to stoke Arii’s flame as she motioned to her eyes, then pointed at her oldest friend with a very dramatic finger. “Sleep with one eye open, dog!”
Elijah loosed a sigh as insults began to fly over the table, turning from the embarrassing scene to converse with Kadec. He confided in him about the letter, to which Kadec advised it best to send a messenger in his stead. His keen Fae hearing picked up the accented lilt of Nocturne’s voice as the man chuckled and said, “Now, this is entertaining, and it’s worth returning to if you all survive the impending storm.”
His words had Elijah’s mind drifting to dark places, images of the bleak wasteland that Kadec had shown him during the trials levitating behind his eyes. The mood of the room remained light, conversation shifting from their love life to the topic of weddings. Luc described a large wedding in Evergrave, surrounded by friends, family, the entire population of the town, and extending the invitation to the other courts too. Emerson argued a smaller, more intimate affair. Nonetheless, Elijah felt a dark cloud form and linger on his back.
As the dinner concluded and their party shifted to plush lounges in a nook nearby, Elijah tried to keep up a mask of interest to cover the slowly building determination flaring inside his chest. Roarke stood nearby, and he motioned for the guard to accompany him. The man obliged, slipping beside him. “Your Highness?”
“Ready a horse and order a ferry to depart before dawn, Captain. Discreetly.”
The man nodded, not a flicker of a pause as he accepted the undertone of an order in Elijah’s deep voice. For that, he was grateful. He did not need questions being raised, and in that moment, he required unfaltering compliance. The man was a loyal soldier, and Elijah noted to thank him should he return tomorrow.
The night came to an end with the group bidding each other goodnight and heading in the direction of their rooms. Emerson propped up his happily intoxicated fiancé, grinning as the young man said loudly, “I can’t wait to marry you, Emmy,” before placing a wet kiss on his cheek, which earned him a soft giggle.
“Did you touch your wine at all?” Arii observed, silently sliding beside Elijah as they headed towards their quarters. He hadn’t even heard her approach, and he cursed his momentary slip in alertness and hoped she had not heard his conversation with Roarke.
“Though I enjoy a glass or two, old soldier habits die hard. I prefer to remain alert but I don’t mind being your designated arm to guide your wobbly steps, though.”
“My steps aren’t–” she muffled a curse as she tilted, clutching his arm for support. She sighed and pressed her cheek to his bicep, “Fiine…”
He let the warmth of her touch seep through to his skin, but unlike times previously, he found it didn’t quite touch his guilty heart. They walked in silence back to his rooms, the gentle swishing of Arii’s dress like a metronome to the chaos in his mind.
Later, as the stars emerged and the silence of night took hold, Elijah watched as silver light from the rising moon slowly made its way across the dip of her waist and shoulders as they rose and fell in sleep. He made a choice then that he knew would require him to seek her mercy later and do whatever he could to earn that trust back. He had to accept Lorch’s invitation of a meeting. He had to try, or he would spend his days wondering if he had missed an opportunity to prevent bloodshed.
Perhaps prevent a war.
If he could end this war before it was to begin – peacefully – then it was a risk he was willing to take.