Gripping the silver knob, I paused. It didn’t matter that she wore no crown; she would always hold authority over me regardless of title. I returned to the seat and chewed on my lip.
“It seems there is more to her presence than the seeps or the land.” She tilted her head and waited for my response, but I said nothing. “Considering the limited time Audryn is here, perhaps you should spend your time more wisely.”
“My time is accounted for.” There weren’t enough hours in my day to find time to spend with Audryn, no matter how badly I wanted otherwise. On the rare occasion, I was fortunate to get home in time for dinner, but most nights I returned only after everyone had fallen asleep.
“I saw the way you looked at her.” She let out a heavy sigh before fiddling with the papers in front of her. “It is not only time that is precious but also words. If there are sentiments to be shared, you must not hesitate.”
“How long before you knew?”
“That I loved him?” Her eyes looked up; sadness was etched around them despite her tight smile. “Less time than you spent in Rivale.”
7
AUDRYN
The rocky terrain was more of a challenge than I’d expected. The first week, Amalee and I flew to the castle to work with the soil without the prying eyes of the crowded street. Despite many attempts, I couldn’t conjure a single fruit, vegetable, or flower. The poisoned dirt was so different from digging into the void of nothingness below King Sutton’s blue rosebush. The land didn’t sing with life; there wasn’t even a dull hum.
Grave was absent most of the week; I’d only seen him at dinner twice. Reporting my failure was miserable, but he remained encouraging despite the stress marking his face.
“Do you think your brother will be home for dinner?” I looked to Amalee, who’d taken a seat on a stone bench in the courtyard.
She shrugged. “I’m not sure. With the seeps in disarray, I don’t really know his schedule.”
I blew out a breath and dug into the gravel. “Maybe I should’ve tried to work on those first? If they’re returned to working condition, you don’t necessarily need a garden, right?”
“Well, they’re both independent issues, each is as importantas the other. Choosing to focus on one task every other week was the best option given your limited time here.”
Sky walked out the double doors with a cup in each hand, her icy blonde locks gleaming against the midday sun. She ate dinner with us every evening and, as far as I could tell, lived in the townhouse. I wasn’t sure what she did during the day since I’d spent the majority of my time with Amalee.
“Let’s take a break and go into town.” Sky handed me a cup of fresh-squeezed lemonade. I might not have been able to get the ground to yield food, but I’d kept the produce in the atrium replenished daily. “You’ve been at it for days, surely you understand the importance of stepping away and coming back with fresh eyes, right?”
Amalee looked into her cup as if she were considering her girlfriend’s suggestion. She’d become softer in Kuroden, even Grave seemed different. Perhaps the cooler temperatures helped everyone’s mood; it did mine.
“Maybe that’s not such a bad idea.” I sipped, my lips puckering as the tart liquid hit my tongue. “I can practice with the ground in the evening.”
Fisher exited the castle and stood in the doorway for a moment before disappearing back inside. He’d remained nearby, but over the last few days he busied himself indoors instead. I was grateful to have the space.
“C’mon.” Sky pulled on Amalee’s arm. “I’ve spent barely any time with you since you’ve been back. You’re so busy now babysitting.” She shot a glance in my direction. “No offense.”
I waved a dismissive dirty hand.
“I don’t have time to roam the streets with you. There’s less than a month to figure this out,” Amalee snapped. She shook her head and walked into the castle. My lack of success had all of us on edge.
Working my hands back into the ground, I poured more magic into the rocky terrain, but it didn’t budge. There was nodifference whether I trickled only a small amount or poured myself into it; nothing worked.
“Maybe you’re doing it wrong.” Sky stood over me, casting a shadow from the sun. “You’re not from here, and when I use my magic, it feels different too.”
I gazed up at her familiar black eyes; they were so similar to Amalee’s. “What kingdom are you from?”
She plopped down on the nearby bench. “Oh, you wouldn’t know it, I’m from the Oras.”
“A witch? Like afullwitch?” The shock in my voice was far more apparent than I’d meant. I softened my tone and causally asked, “So, how do you like it here?”
“I’ve been here most of my life. My father was a friend of Thalion—Amalee and Col’s father.” She bent down and ran a palm over the gravel. “And when he died, I told my father that I wasn’t going back. He moved and I stayed.”
“Why do you call him Col?” I drained the remaining juice from my cup.
“Because that’s his name?” she drawled and narrowed her eyes.
