‘Thank you.’ I incline my head towards our hosts.
‘You must all be tired. Go and drink from the Fade Falls. The Aether in the waters will refresh you, and you’ll need your strength for what lies ahead.’ Reuel waves towards the thundering waterfall. ‘Be careful though, its waters are charmed, intended to restore our kind. A few sips only – drink more, and I can’t guarantee the effect on your mortal frames.’
‘But how can we drink from it? How is any of this possible?’ I ask.
Reuel’s lips lift at the corners. ‘In the same way we are real though not visible to mortal eyes in our true forms. We cloak the island as we cloak ourselves, so mortal eyes can understand. Though, as a Starborn, you might perceive the shimmer?’
I nod.
‘A glimpse of the island’s true appearance. But rest assured, everything here is real, if not precisely as it seems. You can drink our waters, walk our towers… Let the island soothe your minds, refresh your bodies.’
Before I have a chance to question them further, or even to thank them, the brilliant arc of opal flame blazes around us, and the cielsylphs dematerialise. Even Orthriel vanishes.
No one speaks for a minute.
‘Do we trust them?’ Blayze grunts, golden eyes flashing over the island like he expects the host to reappear at any moment. Astrophel is staring after the cielsylphs too, though the expression on his face is haunted rather than confrontational.
I turn to the waterfall. ‘The waters will help us. I can feel it.’ And I realise Icanfeel it, can actually feel the pull of the water. I must be responding to the Star-Aether.
Maris slips an arm around Blayze’s waist. ‘If Leilani thinks it’s all right…’
Blayze shrugs away from her, tightens his grip on his walking staff. ‘Fine. Lead on, Sparkles. Let’s see how charmed this water really is.’
Maris goes very still, and Delphine reaches for her hand, lacing their fingers together. The pearlsprite’s lips pucker, hair flaring momentarily scarlet before settling back to a neutral flax colour.
I turn and lead the others through the blossom-field, moving slowly for Blayze’s sake. His limp hasn’t much improved, and though he’s trying to put a brave face on it, the tightness in his jaw speaks volumes about how much pain he’s in.
The thunder of the cascade grows louder as we draw close. Its waters are not only rainbow-hued like the Opaline River, they also glitter.
The scent of damp grass drifts up as I kneel at the edge of the pool and rake my fingers through the water. It has the slippery, fluid texture of true water, but no temperature. I scoop up a scant handful and bring it to my lips, but before I can drink, Blayze knocks my hands, spilling the shimmering liquid back into the pool.
I flinch, more from the involuntary shiver of pleasure that streaks through me as his warm fingers brush mine than from shock.
He looks deep into my eyes. ‘I’ll go first – just in case.’
‘I don’t think the cielsylphs would—’
‘Can’t be too careful, Sparkles. You’re too important to risk, remember.’ His lips curl, making light of his words, but his eyes burn into mine.
Blayze scoops water into his own hands. ‘Bottoms up!’
He drinks. Almost immediately, his eyes glaze, his face goes slack. He staggers towards the meadow, sits with a heavy thud. Serafine curls close beside him.
‘Quite safe,’ he slurs, with a lopsided grin. ‘Like dreamroot – only better.’ He falls back against the flowers, pillows his head in his arms, closes his eyes.
As soon as Delphine sees Blayze safe, she wades into the pool, keeps walking till the water comes to waist height. She fishes beneath the surface, draws off her breeches and tosses them onto the bank. I catch a glimmer beneath the surface, a flash as blue skin turns to shimmering scales. There’s a splash as her fin thrashes the surface of the water. Tail and hair blush pink with pleasure.
The rest of us ring the pool.
‘Only a few sips,’ Tansy reminds us as Astrophel stoops towards the surface, cupping his hands. I nod as I fill my own.
‘Together?’ Astrophel says. And we both tip our hands.
The water tastes like the air smells: nectar-sweet. And though it’s neither hot nor cold, nor any mortal temperature at all, my body flushes warm as I swallow it. My muscles unspool; the aches in my feet, legs, back and arms from moons of climbing fade. The sense of lightening I experienced the moment I set foot on Nimbi surges.
The whispers of danger are finally silenced, the invisible eyes at last unpinned from my back. No lingering scent of spiced smoke…
It seems Arden hasn’t managed to penetrate Nimbi’s defences. And it’s only in this moment of respite that I realise how heavy a burden I’ve been carrying.
