“I never claimed Iwasn’ta criminal, just that the idealizations programmed into you are false. The Luciens painted the Guild out to the public how they wanted us–themto be seen.”
His jaw tensed. She reasoned he must be getting used to his new reality, a fugitive on the run and all. Hell, she was too. Airess had seen more today than she had in the past ten years. Her lips pursed as she processed his words.
She pulled the reins and signaled her horse to stop. “Alright, if we are going to travel together, I’m going to need some answers to my questions. And not those faulty almost-answers you’ve been giving me,” she lifted her chin. “A question for a question.”
Taryn halted his horse and angled himself to face her. The earring on his sharp-tipped ear swayed as he came to a stop. “Alright. Ladies first.”
“So far I’ve seen you wield wind and water. That suggests you're WindborneandWaterborne. Admittedly, I do not know much about the Fae’s elemental abilities. Is it common for you to wield more than one element?”
Elemental wielders weren’t allowed in Luciena, only a small number of Noborne Fae resided in the capitol as lowborn commoners in the poverty ring, misplaced from the ongoing war on Rune. Any Fae that were capable of Magick were executed, as elemental Magick was illegal.
Fae people were a rare species to come by, even more so if they had Magick flowing in their veins. The fact that Taryn still walked this continent at all proved his resilience.
He shrugged, inhaling a breath before answering. “I wouldn’t categorize it ascommon, but rather a rare capability to be blessed with multiple.” Airess couldn’t help but notice the tension rising within him at the question, but decided to let it go. For now.
He motioned a hand for them to continue forward as they spoke, subtly dismissing any conversation further about his powers.
“And what about your abilities? You said you were powerless, but that display in the caravan obviously contradicts your claim.”
Airess expected this question, having been asked this her entire life. Except now, she was truly confused, her body producing Magick stronger than it ever had after she had left the castle.
“Before I was taken to the capitol to marry Arzhel, my mother had advised me my entire life to keep my Magick a secret. Even as a child, I hadn’t been able to produce much of my power. It had always been so faint.
“I chalked it up to the Gods gifting me with weak abilities, or perhaps the slowly dying existence of Magick as a whole. What I did to you, to those guards… I have never done it before in mylife. I thought I knew my own capabilities, but I’m quickly learning I may know nothing at all. Blasting you was the first time I ever triggered so much Magick at once. ”
“Well, I’mcertainlyhonored.” Taryn said sarcastically with a hand over his heart.
A bitter laugh escaped her lips. Thoughts of her mother and Arzhel surged forward, traumatic memories begging to rise to the surface of the sea of her mind. Airess drowned the memories deep down, as she always had, and focused on her next question.
Whatdidshe know about Taryn? The answer was very little. Airess knew he was ordered to capture her, yet he defied those orders. Taryn saved her while unconscious. He even defended her when she was struck in the caravan, showing some semblance of a moral compass, as skewed as it may be with his thieving habit.
To put it simply, he was a complicated person. She felt it, as if his energy was blocked within him. He was kind, funny even, yet showed traits of immorality. He was a walking contradiction. It was confusing and illogical.
“How did you end up joining the Mrkynian Guild?”
He chuckled, the sound lodged in his throat. Taryn smiled bitterly, silver eyes distant as he no doubt recalled the past. “I sometimes ask myself that same question. I was young. The Guildmaster found me in a time of… need. I bargained my way into the Guild. I would have done anything at the time to find somewhere to belong.”
The words were raw as they left his mouth. Airess let them linger in the air, weighing them in her mind.
He turned to face her then, his gaze lingering on her ivory hair. “Where are you from?”
Airess understood his curiosity. The Elven people were predominantly dark haired, sharing traits of pale skin the color of porcelain. Airess was an oddity amongst them, her white locks, golden eyes and tanned skin making her stick out in a crowd.
“Judla, a small province in south Luciena near the ocean. My father was the Governing Lord before I was moved to the capitol.”
He eyed her wearily but didn’t press her further on the matter.
Airess wanted to say,before the Luciena Guard raided my home and slaughtered my mother and father, but decided to keep it short. She didn’t know him well enough to unpack all her trauma.
“Why didn’t you use your Magick on those guards? You had every opportunity, yet you resorted to wielding a blade.”
“It wouldn’t have been a fair fight,” was all he replied, his tone clipped.
“So youdohave morals.”
Taryn gave her a cutting look. Something flared behind his eyes, but she couldn’t decipher what the emotion meant. The emotion disappeared, hidden by a mask of a smirk. “I suppose as skewed as it is, yes.”
For a moment, Airess caught herself staring. Staring at a male whose deviousness she found endearing. She swallowed and looked forward, but the motion seemed to pique Taryn’s curiosity.
