Rieka stood up and wiped her brow against her forearm. She made a show of taking off her spectacles and putting down her instruments. “I’m going to take a break to relax my eyes,” she said. “I want to make sure I don’t miss anything. Dane, come with me? Our guests could use some drinks.”
“Aren’s no guest,” Dane scoffed as he followed her.
When they were gone, Aren said to Lake, “What were you thinking? You could’ve gotten yourself killed.”
Lake stared at him out of misty, cerulean eyes, and he studied the way her pupils adjusted to the light as if they had a life of their own. His words had angered her, had hit some kind of nerve.
“Why does everyone insist on trying to keep me out of harm’s way? I’m not helpless and I’m not a child.”
Aren sighed and leaned forward to rest his chin on the ottoman so that their faces were inches apart. “I never said you were helpless,” he said, lowering his voice to a whisper. “I just care about you. Tell me you’re going to go after a monster, and I’ll tell you you’re being irrational. I’ll try to stop you, but if you end up going anyway, at the very least I want to know where I can find you if things go wrong. I just want to be there to pick you up if you fall.” He took a peek at her wound, then said, “Or take you to get medical attention if you get sliced open.”
A silence settled between them, during which they could hear the clatter of dishes and hushed conversations coming from the kitchen.
“The symbols you mentioned earlier,” Lake exhaled. “I wanted to see them for myself. I’ve read a lot about arcane magic.”
Aren perked, surprised at how quickly their argument had ended. He was almost sure that he’d have to spend the next day or two apologizing for something he wasn’t so sure he was wrong about. On top of that, she thought the symbols were important—that he was on to something.
“Did you see them? Do you know anything about them?”
Lake lifted her head, supporting herself on her elbows, then winced at the pain in her back. “I did see them, but I don’t know what they mean. It looks like Old Magic. Have you heard of the istoq?”
Aren cocked his head. “The word is Ancient for a doorway into another world. It’s a device or method used in stories to explain the unexplained.”
Lake closed her eyes for a moment, allowing a wave of pain to wash over her, and Aren placed a hand over hers, wishing he could take the pain away or give her more strength to endure it. “What if I told you the istoq is real?” she whispered. “I’ve found enough evidence in my research over the years to conclude that such a thing exists.”
“Could I look at your notes?” he asked, feeling as giddy as a child being handed sweets. “We could bring up your references, and you could show me how you came to that conclusion.” He furrowed his brows, then said, “But what does the istoq have to do with the symbols?”
“The istoq is a very old idea,” she said, opening her eyes again, smiling at the excitement in his voice. “It deals with magic, which is what we happen to be dealing with with this monster.”
Aren raised an eyebrow at the tight, armored pants she was wearing. “Not to change the subject, but you didn’t tell me you were a Fighter.”
“I’m not, but I can hold my own.” Lake winked. “Just not so well against magic-induced creatures.”
“We should spar sometime,” Aren suggested, nudging her arm with a fist. “I’d love to have you kick my ass.”
FIVE
Kaila found it odd to wake up next to someone other than her brethren. Last night, without her powers to heal her, her body had succumbed to mortal exhaustion and she had fallen asleep where Rieka had tended to her. She remembered Rieka draping a blanket over her, had fuzzy recollections of the girl checking on her throughout the night. Kaila woke before dawn and when her senses pieced together her location, she sat up, holding the blanket close, concealing herself. The cut in her side was more of a dull annoyance that she hoped would be completely gone once she resumed her powers. She also had to sneak home at some point to let Alaric know she was alive.
Kaila was about to set her feet on the floor when she realized Aren was asleep there. He had spent the night next to the large ottoman, a pillow in his arms and a blanket tangled at his feet. She suppressed a laugh, then searched for her top, hoping she wouldn’t wake him.
“It’s on the armchair,” Aren mumbled, “but I don’t mind if you choose not to wear it.”
“You’re awake?” Kaila whispered.
“No.”
“Is anyone else up? Did Rieka’s parents come home?”
“Counselor Darc was in emergency sessions all night, and Admiral Mila is still at sea.” Aren turned onto his back. He was hugging the pillow against his chest, but his eyes remained closed. “Rieka and Dane are still in bed. Don’t tell her father.”
Kaila turned away from him so she could get fully dressed. “I’ll make breakfast before I go. It’s the least I can do.”
“Before we go,” he corrected her before yawning. “I didn’t know you could cook.”
“There’s a lot you don’t know about me, Aren.”
After a quick meal, Aren brought her back to the inn via gree. Kaila found his friendship with the animal charming and realized she had never ridden one before. He waited in the tavern while she went to her room to clean up and change. In private, she absorbed enough of her powers to heal herself and regain her strength. Then, she relinquished them in a silver bracelet she slipped onto her wrist.
When they returned to the Library, Kaila sat at Aren’s desk as he pulled references she suggested from the shelves. She flipped through the books, wondering if she’d be able to find anything on the symbols she’d seen on the beast. The symbols were so old, it was a wonder they had been resurrected at all. Unfortunately, Tiede’s Library, as impressive as it was, might not have the information she was looking for.
Aren placed an armful of scrolls on the desk and took a seat next to her. He wasn’t happy about her working in the condition she was in. He had tried arguing with her, but she wouldn’t hear it, and at last he dropped it altogether. “These are the oldest we have that reference any kind of symbolism,” he said. “I’m not sure what’s in it because I haven’t even begun to transcribe and catalog that entire section.” He thumbed over his back in the direction of the disorganized shelves.
“See if you can find anything on the istoq. The symbol looks like a circle partially overlapped by a dark oval. You’re well versed in Ancient?”
“Not well versed but I can get by,” Aren said, unrolling one of the scrolls and using a weight to pin it open on his desk. He studied the parchment, skimming over the strange words as if it were second nature, while Kaila picked up the paper on which he had sketched the symbols he had seen.
“This one, the leaf,” Aren said, looking at his sketches. “Gives me a headache every time I look at it. I know I’ve seen it before, but I can’t figure out where.”
“Leaves can symbolize any number of things,” Kaila mused, handing him the paper. “Renewal, change, shelter, strength.”
Aren wrote the words as she said them, his clean script flowing across the parchment. “It could also depend on the type of leaf,” Aren said. “Is it poisonous or from one of the noble line of trees?”
“Maybe that’s not the leaf of a tree. Maybe it’s a shrub like the leindra. Leindra leaves are wider than this, but you get my meaning.”
Aren moved some books around his desk, looking for one in particular. “Leindra is symbolic of holiness, purity, divinity,” he said. He opened a book with faded lettering on the sable cover, then flipped through the pages to find the beautiful purple flower. “Have you read this? It’s Tennari; Lady Geyle was reading it yesterday.”
Kaila wrinkled her nose. “I’ve not read it but I’ve heard of it. Plants and seeds and such. I like plants but this book is dull.”
Aren laughed. “I couldn’t agree more.” He then added, so softly that she strained to hear him, �
��Why are you so perfect?”
Kaila placed a hand on his shoulder so that she could lean in and take a closer look. “What was Lady Tiede reading it for?”
Aren shrugged. “She has a lot of interest in plants and their medicinal properties. Rose is renown for their adhesion to all things natural.”
Kaila flipped a page and pointed at a simple white flower with silver leaves. “Look at this beauty: ‘Snow Lady, of the nim family of poisonous, flowering plants. Common to the western Relythaun Wood and the surrounding lowlands. The toxin can be found in all parts of the plant, and if ingested can lead to severe illness or death.’”
“Stars,” Aren breathed. “It’s found near Rose.”
“So it says.” Kaila flipped to another page.
Aren stilled her hand, turning back towards the poisonous flower. “Have you heard stories of the Curse of Tiede?” he asked.
“Terrible fates befalling the Lords and Ladies of Tiede; everyone’s heard of the curse, but they’re all just stories and coincidence. Why?”
“With everything going on, I just wonder if it couldn’t be true.” Aren was silent for a moment, and she wondered what was going through his head. “If you’re promised to someone, is it normal to become interested in someone other than your mate? Sometimes I wonder if Lady Geyle is happy.” Kaila thought about Alaric and the kisses they shared, and a sense of shame overtook her. She removed her hand from Aren’s shoulder. He must have realized he had hit a nerve because he closed the book and turned to face her. “Did I say something wrong?”
Kaila sighed, hugging herself. “No, I just have a lot on my mind.”
“Does it have to do with Nikken?”
She faced him. “You remembered his name.”
Aren smiled, revealing his dimple, and fiddled with a black ribbon tied around his wrist. “I’m just a little envious of the man. Don’t worry, I won’t let it get in the way of our friendship, and I’m sure whatever exhilarating sensation I get whenever I’m around you will fade eventually.”
“Are you trying to complicate my life?” Kaila laughed, nudging at his shin with the toe of her shoe.
“I’m really not,” Aren said, reaching for her hand and placing it back on his shoulder. “I like this. It’s comfortable and I won’t complicate it.”
Kaila rolled her eyes and gave in, bumping her shoulder against his, causing him to knock his notebook off the desk. He reached down to pick it up, and she retrieved the slip of paper that had fallen out. The writing was in Ancient, and she recognized the sweeping, perfect strokes of the fine lettering and had to keep her hand from shaking.
“I’m sorry.” She blushed, handing it to him. “That was probably personal.”
He frowned as he looked at it. “It might be if I knew what it meant.” He held the note so they could both see it. “I translate it as ‘Keep your distance. I only saved your life for her happiness.’ Is that how you read it too?”
“Yes, where’d you find it?”
“Under the door to my room,” he said, tucking it back into his notebook. “I’ve been meaning to figure out who it came from, but with everything going on, it’s remained a mystery. It’s probably just someone’s idea of a joke.”
Kaila was about to offer up some vague guesses as to what it could be when she sensed a diminishing trace of holy Fire in the air. Tanghi had been here. Why had he come to Tiede when he should have been in Trum? For Tanghi to seek her out in Tiede was dangerous. If he found out about Aren…
She had to leave, had to find Tanghi. She had to come up with a story to tell him, to keep him away from Tiede.
SIX
Aren leaned against the balcony wall, looking out over the sea. His brain needed a break. Ever since he had returned from the inn, he had been poring over the texts on his desk, scribbling notes about the istoq and symbols. Lake had given him a lot of information to work with, and he wanted to do as much research as possible while it was still fresh in his mind.
“It’s a lovely day.”
Aren turned, then bowed his head, surprised to see Lady Valine. Her long, chestnut hair was shot through with silver, but in the sunlight it held a coppery quality that was pleasing to look at. She wore it loose and it carried on the wind, but she didn’t seem to mind. She walked over to him, leaning against the wall, as he had, to look out at the sea.
“After the rains last night, it’s a welcome sight,” Aren agreed. “Were you looking to be alone? I can leave if you like.”
She put a hand on his arm. “I’d prefer if you stayed. I dislike coming to Tiede, wandering these rooms.”
“It’s not an easy journey,” he said, turning back towards the sea, trying to ignore her casual demeanor.
“The trip itself is not so bad. I had to come, to tell Vir of the mages. Our Houses are connected by blood, by Vir, but we are still on opposite ends of the chronos. Sometimes, my brothers have difficulty remembering the blood between our Houses. I come to remind myself so I can remind them.”
Aren lowered his head. “I’ve read and heard so many wonderful things about Lady Elleina. I forget that she was your sister.”
“My foolish little sister,” she sighed. “She deserved better, should have married an Illitheien or at least a lord from another House of Light. But Tiede Ren was so charming at the time; it was easy to forget about the curse.”
Aren’s ears perked up. The curse again. “How did she die?” he asked, hoping she wouldn’t think him rude.
Valine laughed, but it sounded like the false sea echoing within a shell. “Only she and the gods know. Perhaps Ren knew but he’s dead too. My brothers and I imagine Elleina’s fear of Ren’s temper sent her into the Wood. She was lost for well over a year, and when she found her way home, she was not the same. She got better in time, and Ren seemed kinder towards her. I stayed for as long as I could—two, almost three years—and she convinced me that she was fine. I should have known better. She was going mad but I wanted to believe her, so I returned home. A few months later, we were mourning her death. Her body had washed up on the Laithe. The rumor was that she had jumped into the sea.”
“I have no words that can express how sorry I am for your loss,” he said. “It’s all history and stories to me, but she was your sister, not a historical figure.”
“She was both, and a legend in her own right. Not a lot of people wander into Tiede Wood and live to tell the tale—though she couldn’t remember a thing about it. I think people are pulled into the place, people who are too curious. Any book on Tiede tells a story of some soul who was lost to the Wood. It’s as dangerous as the stories claim.”
Thinking about the voices he heard the other day, Aren wondered if Elleina had heard them too; he wondered if she had gone off alone because she didn’t want anyone to worry about her.
“Vir seems immune to the call,” she said.
Aren nodded, concentrating on the sound of the sea as it rushed and crashed against the cliffs. She was still talking to him—about Illithe, the grandeur of her House, how different from Tiede it was. “My nieces and nephews have children now, and they run all throughout the House,” Valine said.
Run, Aren.
He imagined himself walking into the darkness of trees and moss, and he looked around. There was a light, small and green and coming towards him. He recalled a beautiful fae with long green hair. She kissed me and everything went black. Footsteps approached behind him, but he didn’t turn around. The sea rushed and crashed, over and over.
“Aren?” a little girl’s voice.
A little girl and her brother, scared of fire.
“Good day to you, little Priestess.”
“Good day.” A pause. “Lady Illithe. You can call me Selina if you want to.”
Aren felt her little hands grab ahold of one of his. A bright light filled his vision, and then he saw the Wood again, each tree and twig and leaf outlined in a brilliant white. He saw himself standing in the Wood, surrounded by faeries peeking at him from behind trees an
d rocks. He felt the knife in his hand, the fear in his chest. It was hard to breathe.
There was a man. The man was a tree, then he was a bear, then a man-beast warrior clad in fur and claw and bone. He wore a helm of iron and gold with horns like spires that vied for the skies. He carried a blade the size of a mountain, held it tight with fingers ringed in uncut ruby and onyx.
Aren remembered a fight. Remembered hands that beat him, gems that cut him. Was it a god? A guardian of the Wood? What quarrel did he have with Aren? Aren shuddered, dropped the knife.
“Aren! Why is he shaking? What’s wrong?”
Selina? How did she get to the Wood? He told her to stay put at the House.
“He seems to be in a trance. Apprentice, can you hear us?” Valine was here too? Damn it, how was he going to protect all of them from this beast-god? “I’m going to count to three; when I say three, you’ll return to us in the House, on the balcony, in the sitting room overlooking the sea.”
The bear-man lifted his sword, and Aren fell to the ground, fumbling for the knife.
“One.”
He couldn’t stop shaking. He was a dead man if he couldn’t get that knife. He laughed, all he had was a knife.
“Two.”
He looked up at the great sword, half-ready to accept his fate. The sword began to glow with a green light that traced the curves and points along the length of the blade. Scrolling lines like vines raced along the flat of the blade, the light emanating from it, pulsing in the darkness of the Wood. The lines tried to rearrange themselves in his head, tried to communicate something. His eyes widened before the wind tore through the trees. Leaves rushed in its wake, and he forced himself to isolate one leaf in his head. It was slender, covered in a fine fuzz, with a long, elaborate petiole scrolling in an unending line, growing and wrapping around his neck until he thought he might choke.
“Three.”
A blade sliced through the air before his eyes, loosing him from the leaf, locking with the man-bear-beast-god’s blade. He struggled to breathe.
A piercing cry rang through his ears, and he opened his eyes again. He was in the House. Valine was gripping his arm and Selina was pointing at the sky. A falcon, its wingspan exceeding the height of a full-grown man, circled the House. It called out, screeching as the wind grew, and the waves crashed harder against the cliffs.
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