Something we still need to deal with.
Chapter
Thirty-Three
NISSA
“How is the restoration going in the elemental lands?” Ophe asked, lounging on the bed of her new room in the castle like she’s a queen herself.
I’ve been helping her unpack all morning and am still shocked by how much stuff she has. When I arrived boxes were all over the room, tops ripped open, overflowing with clothing like she dug through them looking for something.
Thankfully we have made some progress. The room now resembling and bedroom instead of storage. It started as a plain room, with a basic human bed and furniture of a human home. No doubt brought to this room from the servants quarters.
There was not a single sign of an element or any life at all. But it is finally starting to look like my best friend’s room with her stuff added in. I smile at the small garden of potted plants that she has placed on top of the dresser. She brought them from the homestead. I used to sneak them into her room, believing they’d keep her grounded — that their quiet roots might protect her when I couldn’t.
“It’s going well.” Cillian and I have been going out every day for the last week, leading the Fae in clearing away anything thatcould inhibit the elements within each land. “We still have a long way to go, but we’re seeing some incremental amounts of power returning. It’s been miraculous to see the elements revival.”
“And how is mated life,” she asks with a mischievous grin.
I just laugh at her, continuing to put more of her clothing away.Seriously, how many clothes does the girl need?
“You never did tell me how you figured out that Cillian was supposed to be King.”
I put down the dress I’m folding and twist to face her, cross legged on the floor.
“Everyone was so consumed with the prophecy revolving around Nova and me. They weren’t considering the princes. It didn’t make sense that there were three of them, and if you read the prophecy it says ‘joined by flame, embraced by sea; Fourbound fates shall come to be’.”
She takes in my words, nodding, “Right, so Caspien is flame and Cillian is sea.”
I smile at her. “That is what I was thinking too. But Aiden was also born on our birthdate and he is a fire Fae. Then I remembered an account of Caspien and Cillian’s births that I read in the ancient archives. It stated that Caspien entered the worldjust asthe full moon crested the sky. Which could be interpreted as the start of our birthdate but if it was seconds before the moon hit peak-”
“Then he was born the day before…” She concludes with bright eyes.
“Exactly.” I smile at her. “And if you consider the birth order without Caspien, it was Nova, Aiden, Me and then Cillian. The witch told me to trust the future king. I didn’t have any connection to Aiden but Cillian and I-,” a whimsical smile blooms on my face. “I just knew we had to be mates. Our connection, our magic- it was just too much to be a coincidence.Hewas the future king I could trust.”
My best friend smiles back at me, “And what about Nova? Do you still think it could have been Aiden?” She lifts an eyebrow at me when I hesitate.
“Okay, spill.”
“There isn’t anything to spill.” I sit up straighter and shrug. “We haven’t had much time outside of cleaning up the lands to do anything else. Today is the first day I haven’t been out there. The only reason I’m not there is because I’m here helping you unpack.”
“Aw, I’m honored that you would put the good of the world on hold for little ol’ me.” She places a hand to her chest.
“Okay, when you say it like that, I feel selfish. Want to go clean up the elemental lands together?” I bobbed my eyebrows up and down.
“Hmm, tempting as that is… no. I think we should go look for information on Nova! We can go to Varethiel, find the old witch, and hear what else she knows.” She shoots me a toothy grin.
“I’m not sure that’s the best idea,” I answer.
“And why not? Cillian got his answer. He’s restoring the energy as we speak. Let's go find your answers. And maybe a hot vampire for me while we’re at it.”
I huff out a laugh. “And there’s the true motive.” I lift a dress, returning to the mountains of clothes to unpack.
Her auburn hair falls around her shoulder as she pops it up and lets it fall back down. “You got your hot mate. The least I can get is one hot night.”
“You’re ridiculous.” Laughing, I shake my head. “We can’t. Cillian would worry. Anyway, I still don’t know what Guardians we can trust. And honestly none of them wanted me speaking to the crone.”
“Since when has something like that stopped you? In fact, shouldn’t that make you want to find out what they’re all hidingmore?” I quirk an eyebrow at her. She is the one that doesn’t let things like that stop her. Not me.
