But it’s far too late and I’m already plummeting through the open air, Istaria is clutched in my arms. And the thought that I had not allowed myself to process finally shines through.I’m going to die…
Chapter Twenty-One
I’dexpectedfranticthoughtsto fill my mind as I plummet to my inevitable demise. Instead, I’m flooded with pleasant memories—of Byron’s smile and Marvin’s laugh and the stories Byron’s grandfather used to tell me. The way the sun felt on my shoulders, the smell of moist dirt, the sound of the wind moving through the leaves.
I relive all the little things that I hadn’t realized that I loved until now, and none of them have anything to do with the academy.
Which would probably surprise me except I’m currently plummeting through the air to what will likely be my death, so I guess it doesn’t matter, and I don’t actually currently have to unravel what that means.
Suddenly, a whistle sounds overhead I look up just in time to see a figure drop from the balcony, a second later a large-winged shadow takes off, tucking in its wings as it hurtles toward the falling figure who somehow angles itself to land on the creature’s back. As soon as both of them are together they swoop toward us and as they do so I get a look at them and realize that it’s Byron—no, not Byron… Calder. And he’s flying on a yellow dragon.
They plummet towards us, the dragon scooping Istaria and me up in its talons before it extends its wings into a glide. It descends quickly, we are nearing the ground when suddenly a gust of Istaria’s wind bursts through the air and crashes into the dragon. It wobbles and bobs, seems to nearly catch itself before losing complete control and falls down.
I go flying out of its claws in the process, hitting the ground hard. Calder lands next to me, but Istaria remains above us, floating several feet above the ground. The wind becomes visible as it cyclones around her due to the amount of dirt it is now pulling up. Chunks of rocks are ripped up and pulled in around her.
Calder pushes himself up on his elbows, and we both watch as Istaria throws back her head and screeches. Then suddenly her whole body goes limp. For a single second, everything hangs suspended in the air and then there is a loud snapping sound, and a shockwave bursts out. The rocks start flying toward us. My eyes widen just as Calder throw himself in front of me, and then the rocks start descending.
I blink my eyes open, confusion wrapped around me like a fuzzy blanket. Where am I? What happened?
My vision starts to clear revealing smooth cut, white stone walls and draping cloths fixed to the ceiling that cascade around the bed that I’m lying in, offering some modicum of privacy. I groan and start to sit up, but just when I try to raise my hand to rub at my face it snags on something. I lift my head, my eyes widening when I see that my hand is trapped between both Byron’s hands as he lays slumped against the bed.
His face is turned toward me and I can’t help but admire how peaceful he looks right now. There are slight dark circles under his eyes, but all the lines have disappeared. I hesitate a second before reaching my hand and lightly tracing my fingers along the strands of hair that are escaping the tie he has binding his hair at the nape of his neck.
A shuffling sound comes from somewhere deeper in the room.
My eyes flick around, taking in the drapes drifting gently in the soft wind that must be coming from an open window nearby. I gently slide my hand out from between Byron’s and slip out of the bed, a shock running up my legs as my bare feet meet cold stone. I’m dressed in a white overlong shirt and matching pants.
I throw one last glance at Byron who is still asleep and step around the gauzy curtain. I draw up short when I see Menavillion standing there. He looks regal again, a distinct contrast to how he looked the last time I saw him when he was locked in those strange convulsions. He is dressed in a red robe that is crimson like blood, and his hair hangs around him in a flawless sheet. I draw up short suddenly feeling self-conscious about my loose clothes and bare feet. I pull the neckline of my shirt more tightly together so that it doesn’t gap open and reveal my collar bone. I stand up a little straighter.
“My Lord,” I stammer out.
He nods his head in acknowledgement but only spares me the briefest glance toward me, his focus is on something through a gap in some curtains.
“How are you feeling?” I ask moving closer to him so that I can get a glimpse at what he is looking at.
Inside are both Istaria and Calder lying in beds similar to the one that I woke up in. Istaria’s hair for once is still, splayed out on the pillow around her. It’s my first look at her without the curse and I can see her face clearly. She’s truly beautiful. It’s hard to believe that she felt the need to get herself cursed, but I suppose that she felt like she was coerced into a marriage then she would have done whatever she felt necessary to keep that fate from happening.
Even cursing herself.
Menavillion exhales loudly, after a long moment. “I believe that question would be more aptly asked you. After all, you’re the one who fell from the academy.”
I grimace at the reminder and rub at my ribs; through my shirt I can feel a bandage covering the slight cuts the dragon’s talons gave me when it caught me.
“I’m alive which is more than I was expecting. What is going to happen to them?” I ask with a nod toward Istaria and Calder.
Menavillion wrinkles his nose in disgust. “If marriage is such a horrible thing that she would go through all that to be rid of me then I will make certain that she can never escape me. I will go through with marrying her, and she will rue the day that she decided to make our arrangement anymore than amicable.”
I start slightly and turn to him. “You can do that? You have the power to force her to marry you?”
“She was bound to me the moment her father agreed that she would be my bride. As a fae, she cannot go back on an agreement, therefore she cannot escape which is why she decided to stoop to such unholy means.” He shakes his head. “Cultists… besides, I’m doing her a favor, if I left her to the justice of the world, she would be dismembered for dealing in dark magic. As the wife of a high fae, she would be above justice.”
“And Calder?” I ask with a slight swallow.
“He was a crafty one. I would not have known to suspect him had his brother not revealed his part to me. He never actually dealt with the dark magic, which saves him from dismemberment, but I am his vassal lord. I can punish him as I see fit.”
I bite down on my lip as Menavillion finally turns toward me. “But we are straying from the topic at hand. You saved my life, Little One.”
I straighten slightly at his words, feeling my eyes round.
