He reached for his tea. Sinking back into his chair, he took a leisurely sip, waiting for my response. I wasn’t sure if anyone had refused to answer him before, and I suspected I wouldn’t be the first.
“This week,” I said.
“What day, exactly?” Anticipating my answer, he set his tea back down and sat forward in the chair.
“Three days ago.”
His expression softened. “Whatdate, Nyleeria? Please, it is important.”
“Like I said, three days ago.”
“Nyleeria, almost a week has passed since we met. I need you to tell me the exact date.”
His soothing voice did nothing to ease the panic that kicked in. “A week? I don’t understand. How has it been a week? Oh gods, the twins. I need to find them, I?—”
He clasped my hands in his. “Take a deep breath, Nyleeria.” He squeezed gently, coaxing calm into my veins.
The king waited patiently for my breathing to slow before he continued, “You reacted to the tonic differently than anticipated. It should have only taken effect for the night, at most. I had the healerscheck on you to understand why, but they’re at a loss.” He paused. “I am sorry, Nyleeria. It was not my intent.”
I took a moment to let the information sink in. Somehow, I had anticipated the contents of the canteen would affect me, and at the time, I had been grateful for the blackness that followed. But a week. An entire week just…gone? I released my hands from his grip and tried to calm myself. Somehow, I knew answering his questions, working with him, was the only path forward. Possibly the only chance of seeing my siblings again. I’d have to accept his apology and be more discerning in the future.
“The eleventh,” I said, voice rough. I cleared my throat. “My birthday was on the eleventh.”
“Thank you,” he said, then seemed to contemplate the answer. “Did anything unusual happen that day?”
I turned the memory over in my mind, double-checking the details before I answered. “No. It was the same as previous years. There was nothing different—at least not of consequence.” Truthfully, the only difference had been Eithan’s imminent departure, and I wasn’t about to get into those details with a stranger, king or not.
“Okay. Thank you.”
The king stood, then made his way to the escritoire, picking up a weathered book that rested on the corner. Returning to his seat, he took a breath, as if preparing himself. “I spoke the truth the day we met, Nyleeria. I have been searching for you for a long, long time. Longer than you’ve been alive.” I looked at him, confused, wondering how that could be. He couldn’t have been more than ten years my senior—at most.
“Nyleeria, there are ancient things at play that are larger than you and I. The information and histories are too vast for me to impart all at once, but I will hold true to my promise. Before I continue, you need to know that there’s no going back. I’d like you to take a moment to decide if this is what you want.”
His words held a gravitas to them like that of an omen, but I hadalready passed the point of no return the second I saw my parents seated on that couch.
I took a second to appreciate this moment, knowing deep down that everything up until this moment would be considered thebefore,that my next words would seal everything else in theafter. Bracing myself, I said, “I want to know it all.”
“Then let us begin.”
Chapter 9
Fated Lines
“Do you see this page?” the king asked as he handed me the book.
My hands dipped before they adjusted to its unexpected weight. It wasn’t a book so much as an ancient tome. Its pages were worn and smelled of autumnal leaves, the kind that crackled underfoot. Luckily, they weren’t as brittle.
I peered at the ghosted lines scrawled across the parchment, trying to discern what the markings depicted. It took a moment to reveal itself to me, but the bisecting nature of the markings finally gave it away. It was a map. A growing sense of familiarity crept over me as my fingers traced the details.
My heart stuttered, and I blinked, trying to refocus, unable to believe my eyes. This wasn’t any map—it was a map of the mountains I roamed, of our training ring.
As I continued to study it, I could have sworn there was a mark in the center of the ring, which was odd considering there was nothing in the middle of that clearing. How was every other detail a true representation except that one? Pulling the tome closer, I squinted, trying to see if the light was playing tricks on me. My mouth wentdry, and I tried to swallow to no avail as I stared at the map in disbelief. Staring back at me, in the center of the ring, was a speckled pattern identical to a birthmark of mine that had long since faded.
It was me. This map showed whereIhad been on my birthday.
I shot up, causing the tome to tumble off my lap. The king caught it before it hit the ground and placed it safely on the table, then stood to face me.
I looked at him, wide-eyed. He held my gaze in silence, allowing me to unravel the truth.
