I’d get one later.
Right now, I needed some quality time, pouting face down in a pillow.
VYNSIEL
“Titan scum,”Koar grunted, pacing the hall. The big man seemed ready to shift to his dragon form, which would have nasty consequences for the delicate architecture of Royal’s Hall. This lavish building was a place for all elven students — and their approved retinue — to relax, take meals, and study.
The wall of windows along this second story hall gave a pristine view of the Ysalon River. The Mage-glass wall on the other side of the hall was currently opaque, hiding Saldrea’s meeting with a small delegation of titans…
Whom Koar hated with vigor.
Supposedly the titans were here on a mission of peace, led by the titan prince: Bayn. The queen regent — Saldrea’s mother — had invited them to attend the academy. And if that were true, I’d have applauded the queen’s efforts to mend ways with the ages-old enemies of the elves.
But… something was up.
Saldrea and her mother were scheming, and I didn’t like it at all.
Honestly, the titans didn’t seem that bad to me, just big.But Koar had fought their kind in the last war. His hatred for them was as strong as most here in Seial. And that was probably what had me questioning what was going on, because Saldrea had every reason to hate them, but she’d been far too kind. And she wasn’t nice to anyone.
There were rumors that the titans who’d snuck into the palace to kill the royal family over a hundred years ago had had help from the inside. No one spoke it aloud, but in secret, people whispered about the queen regent’s involvement. No one would oppose her though, not now that she’d nearly solidified her power. The crown council would most likely approve her bid to become the next queen within the year.
A potential traitor on the throne.
I didn’t suspect the titans here at the academy were up to anything, but Saldrea…?
God, I hated this post.
I’d had self-respect once. Morals.
Koar was doggedly loyal to the royal line, which in his head, meant the queen regent and her daughter. But I had my reservations. I couldn’t voice them or eventhinkthem most of the time since one of Saldrea’s cronies was a sylph who could read minds.
I shouldn’t even be letting my thoughts wander now, but I couldn’t help it.
More and more I’d been questioning everything in my life.
All since I’d met that strange nymph.
Izzy.
Saldrea had become obsessed with the woman, digging into her background, unearthing everything she could about the woman who’d dared to insult her. Yet there was precious little to know, it seemed. Her name was Izzy Brown,a nymph, probably the daughter of exiles. She’d recently been brought back from the human realm and her power level had only just passed the bar where she might be a threat to herself or others — or exposure of our kind — so she’d been forced to remain here. The only strange thing was some mysterious backer who’d set Izzy up financially while she was here.
But none of that mattered to me.
All I knew was that Izzy’s spirit called to me, even now. And it wasn’t some soft, distant thing, but a persistent beacon. I could point to where Izzy was. My spirit sung with joy, pulled toward her.
But this pull…
It was rare, but some seraphim would connect in spirit, a powerful joining which signaled they’d found their true mate. But I’d never heard of a seraph feeling it for a non-seraph.
Could this be the same thing?
I’d certainly never felt anything like this before, but there were few seraphim here on campus for me to consult. I’d have to go home, and Saldrea rarely allowed that.
Nymphs weren’t known to be strong spirit wielders, but Izzy’s spirit had nearly overwhelmed me. She was strong, determined, fierce. And when I’d seen her stand up to Saldrea, for the first time in my entire life, I’d felt… hope. Then, my spirit had cried out in pain when Saldrea had had her revenge in class. And the princess was far from done with Izzy.
And given this ache in the depths of my spirit, neither was I.
But what was I to do?
