The inclination to discover what each one did threatened to burst from Orelia, but she tamped it down. She needed to focus. They had spent over a month on the road and had finally reached their destination. Now wasn’t the time to indulge in curiosities.
“Face each other, please. Extend one arm and rest your palms against one another’s.” Gretern turned her back to them and rummaged through a drawerin the desk.
Vade turned a hand over, and Orelia placed her palm on his.
She caught his eyes going to her visible bit of cleavage as a smirk tugged at his lips. Orelia subtly cleared her throat, pulling his dark eyes to hers. She snickered quietly at the wicked look he gave her that said he couldn’t wait to continue what they’d started in the forest after this was finished.
Gretern approached and wrapped a moss green linen cloth around their joined hands. She tied the ends in a loose knot and let the fabric fall over the sides.
The druid placed one hand under Vade’s and one hand on top of Orelia’s. Gretern began reciting an incantation in the same unfamiliar language she’d used with the squirrel. As the words flowed out of her mouth, pink light grew from under her palms. The light twisted into multiple strands that wound up Orelia’s forearm, then Vade’s. Warm in their touch, the coils tightened until they rested snugly against both their arms, tethering them together. Gretern spoke a few more words, the lilt of her voice spiking at the end of her incantation. When she was through, the light seeped into their arms and disappeared.
The druid stepped back and bowed her head to them both. “It is done.”
A rush of relief washed over Orelia. No longer would her foolish mistakes put the man she loved at risk.
Vade smiled in equal relief.
“Devlin said you would be able to help us, and we are so thankful,”Orelia said.
Gretern’s eyes dimmed. “We were so saddened to hear about his passing. He was an extraordinary druid. I learned everything from him.”
The two women exchanged pained smiles of solidarity. The kind offered in grief, brought on from fond memories of the one who had been lost.
Vade clasped Orelia’s hand and turned to speak to the druid. “We appreciate your help greatly.”
Gretern nodded politely. “Safe travels wherever you go, my friends.
The two of them made their leave, but they didn’t make it down the Keep steps before a dozen uniformed batalins stopped them, each gripping a glaive in their brawny hands.
A carriage pulled by a team of draft horses waited behind the guards. Bannerman sat atop more horses, each carrying a white banner marked with a silver dragon head that rippled in the breeze. When the carriage door opened, King Aradonis stepped out. His jeweled, silver crown glinted in the sun, nearly blinding Orelia. He ran a hand over his groomed salt and pepper beard, his pointed ears sticking out of perfectly coiffed salt-and-pepper hair. He straightened the immaculate silver and white jacket hanging off his broad shoulders, fixing the cuffs of his sleeves. The obsidian gems making up the buttons of his ensemble swallowed the sun, stark against his light-colored apparel.
The most powerful ren in Nivinia locked his ocean blue eyes onto Vade and spoke in a voice of polished gold. “We need to talk.”
thirty-five
Hand in hand, Vade’spalm began to sweat against Orelia’s.
“Your Majesty,” he said, bowing slightly.
Orelia dipped into a curtsy, never having imagined she’d ever meet royalty. “Your Majesty,” she repeated, losing her balance slightly as she tried to keep her spine straight and knees bent. No one had ever taught her how to properly execute a curtsy. She nervously waited for the king to acknowledge them.
“Rise,” the king said, lifting his hand. He nodded politely to them both, then turned his attention to Vade. “I would like to speak with you privately.”
“Where I go, she goes.”
Orelia stopped breathing, shooting Vade a side-eye. To demand anything of the king was insubordination.
To her surprise, King Aradonis only tipped his head. “Very well. Marquin, please come with us.” He gestured to one of his High Guard batalins waiting by the carriage. The man sneered at Vade before motioning for a few more guards to join him.
“The gardens are lovely here, so why don’t we walk and talk,”Aradonis said.
“As you wish,” Vade responded.
Orelia stayed behind Vade as he walked side by side with the king, a handful of the High Guard trailing behind her. She noted two swords with the most intricately carved hilts she’d ever seen on the king’s hips. Gemstones of every kind Nivina offered were encrusted into the silver hilts, but she didn’t spot any fire opals.
She smirked, knowing she had the rarest and most expensive jewels in her possession. She could almost hear the gemstone crown clinking in her pack.
Aradonis walked with his hands behind his back like the man at his side was no threat. He may have been relaxed in his posture, but Orelia had no doubt he was fully aware of everything in his surroundings.
