Her words made me freeze.
I wasn’t certain when the chance would come, being as the last chance I’d had was months ago, and that itself was something that wasn’t a frequent sort of celestial alignment.Though I’d have to go through it again—this time without interruption—in order to ascend the throne and substantiate my bond with my consort, I knew it would likely be a few months, if not a year until I could make that journey if I was lucky.
“Yes...”I said.“Are you worried this will affect my studies?Does this affect my?—”
Headmistress Blackthorn steepled her hands together as she fixed her gaze on me.
“Different realms experience different lunar cycles, you know,” she said coolly.“Such as this realm will not see another Blood Moon for a year.”
I frowned.“Oh.”
A year.
A whole year I’d have to wait to ascend.Even if Bane was confirmed as my consort, our bond would not be confirmed by the Kingdom until I had undergone my final transition.
Could I wait a whole year?
What if something happened to my mother?
What if I needed to ascend the throne?
The chances were slim, but not entirely impossible.
“But in say, theTír fo Thuinnrealm, the Blood Moon has not happened yet.”
I squinted at her.“Tír fo Thuinn?”The Land Under The Wave?”
“You paid attention in Laughlin’s class, I see,” she said with a grin.“Yes,Tír fo Thuinnwill be celebrating their Blood Moon tomorrow night.”
“Tomorrow night?”I asked, my voice hitching several octaves.“There is no time, there is no way to?—”
“Mirrors, my child.Has life here at the castle rotted your brain?You can still reach the realms through mirrors, and I assure you, a castle this size should have plenty.”
“But I know nothing ofTír fo Thuinn, or its customs, or its leaders, not to mention how to navigate aworld under the wave.”
Headmistress Blackthorn’s lips curved into a smile.“If only you knew someone capable of navigating the waves.Someonefrom Tír fo Thuinn.A siren, perhaps...”
My blood chilled.
“W-Wanda is fromTír fo Thuinn?”
Headmistress Blackthorn nodded.“I’m rather surprised she didn’t tell you.”
I wasn’t.Wanda and I had a fickle relationship.Sometimes she seemed friendly, almost open, but those times involved alcohol or momentary lapses in judgment.Most of the time she kept me at arms length, the same way she did everyone else, and I surmised that was fine.The thought of asking Wanda Fischman to accompany me to another realm made my heart beat with anxiety.
Because I knew I could not ask Bane.If I were to leave, he could not know.Someone would need to stay here, at Castle Lir.Not to mention telling him of my plans to depart the castle—with his leggy, beautiful ex—would only worry him, and I knew he would try to talk me out of it, just as he would talked me out of going after my answers all those months ago.
Headmistress Blackthorn met my gaze, her grin knowing.
“Well, I just thought you should knowTír fo Thuinnis lovely this time of year.”
She rose gracefully.“Perhaps you could find Desmond and send him in here?I do think I’d like to speak to our newest addition before orientation.”
“Of course,” I said, my voice shaking.I hurried out of the study, off to find Desmond.
And a siren who I hoped could keep a secret.
CHAPTER14
