When I went downstairs to search for him, Garrick told me Wolfe had been called away for the day.
It wasn’t the first time that he had to leave early on business, but there was something about the way Garrick said it that felt wrong. Or maybe that was just me.
I wasn’t myself.
Last night messed me up. I was so sure of the power that surged through me I fully believed I’d find the ring.
I was still in shock that I hadn’t.
And Wolfe…
He looked so heartbroken.
Then there was that thing with his blood. The spell…rejectedit. His explanation made sense, but it had little to do with why the spell would reject his blood.
If anything, I would have thought it should have helped. But it didn’t. Nothing helped. Not even my attempt to weave through the strands of time.
More than anything, I’d wanted my memories back.
I wanted my life back. But I wanted Wolfe to have his life back too—the curse removed and the kingdom restored, in his hands.
Telling him I loved him was the best thing about last night. The next best thing was just being with him. We felt like two people lost in the throes of love.
I wished I’d told him I loved him sooner. He’d shared his feelings repeatedly, and in so many ways.
I wanted to wait until I could say the words and I knew it would mean something to him. Last night felt like that. And I really wanted to see him.
I’d even searched that connectionthingwe were supposed to share, but I couldn’t sense him anywhere. So here I was, just standing here.
Arielle looked up at me and sighed with uneasiness. “Elariya, please try to focus.”
“I can’t focus. I can’t even think straight.”
“If we keep on training, we’re actively doing something.”
“Well, I can’t do that,” I scoffed, pushing away from the wall. “The spell should have worked.”
“But it didn’t.” Her voice raised a notch. “Now we have to keep going. If you need more skill to find the ring then training is the answer.”
“It didn’t feel like I needed more skill.”
“But we know you still need more skill because you have to get your dragon.”
I gazed back at her, all my thoughts and feelings colliding in a chaotic mess. But deep down, there was a lone pulse. Like knowledge.
Something that told me I was right.
I walked over to Arielle and sat in front of her. “I don’t know how I know, but I think we were on the right track all along. Memories first, dragon next, then retrieve the ring.”
“Elariya, we were just assuming. Not even the Seer gave a straight answer. I can only imagine that wherever the ring is must be hard to find because of the powers after it.”
“I know, but please, humor me. Let’s just explore some… ideas. Can we do that please?”
Her shoulders sagged and she nodded, setting the book down. “Fine, what are you thinking?”
“It’s more likefeeling. My Grandmother always told me to trust my feelings and right now I’m as unsettled as all the hells.”
She made a face at me. “I can see that.”
