They didn’t say anything for a couple of minutes. Rhay appeared deep in his thoughts when Amira decided to finally ask him something that had been on her mind since their first encounter. “You’re an empath, right?”
Rhay didn’t seem surprised by the question. “I am. Like my father and his father before him.”
She hesitated. Maybe her next question was too intimate. But Rhay seemed to understand what she wanted to ask next.
“I’m a level four,” he said. “Level fives are very rare. The Queen of Sapharos, Kaede Garrock, is one of them.”
The kingdom of Sapharos was known for their excellent strategists and advisors. Their patron was the God of Strategy, after all. Amira wasn’t surprised the former King of Turosian, Karwyn’s father, had employed Nouis and his son since Rhay had mentioned they were originally from there.
“How does it work, being an empath? Do you just have to be in the same room as the person whose emotion you want to read?” Amira asked.
“Reading emotions like that can be very confusing. I can sense some of it but it gets tangled with other passing emotions. Lust especially tends to take over when I enter the room.” Rhay winked.
Amira didn’t dignify his pretentious joke with a reply. “And when you touch the person, you can sense the nuances in their emotions?”
“Most of the time, yes. But some fae are better at hiding their emotions.”
His answer made Amira wonder for a second. “Can you learn to block an empath’s power?”
Rhay looked a bit uneasy. “It can take a lot of practice, but yes. Karwyn and I trained each other. But even without the training, we promised to never look into each other’s thoughts or emotions. It would be a betrayal of our friendship.”
Amira was surprised to hear Karwyn and Rhay were apparently close friends. The two were polar opposites.
Rhay gave her an appreciative look, as if he was seeing right through her. “You, on the other hand, are really easy to read.”
Out of reflex, Amira crossed her arms against her chest. Her move made Rhay laugh and he kept walking.
“Are you saying Karwyn can read minds?” Amira asked, surprised again. No one had ever mentioned to her that Karwyn had a second power. If Karwyn already possessed two powers, why would he care about gaining more through his marriage to her? Royal fae were usually blessed with one power at the highest level. But if Karwyn was a level five both in a mental and an elemental power, he was pretty much guaranteed to win the contest.
Rhay looked back at her. “He has been blessed twice, yes.”
“How come I haven’t seen him use any of his powers?” Amira thought of Wryen and how much he enjoyed showing his fire to the world. The smell of burnt flesh infiltrated her nostrils, almost causing her to gag.
Rhay ran his hand through his hair, trying to focus on Amira with his glassy eyes. He shrugged. “Consider yourself lucky you haven’t seen his powers yet. He uses them only when necessary.”
Amira wanted to push him with more questions, but Rhay put his hand right in front of her face to ask for a minute. His bronze skin looked a bit sickly in the candlelight. He held his stomach with his other hand and let out a few quick breaths. “Damn that wretched girl who stole my crystal. I could really use it now.”
Amira put a concerned hand on his back. “You only have yourself to blame for downing all those drinks. I don’t think a crystal could have saved you.”
Rhay stood straight and let out a roaring laugh. “You’re absolutely right, but it’s always better to find an excuse.” He gave her a half-smile. “Come on, I want you back in your room before sunrise, or Nalani is going to tell me off.”
“Well, she should. You didn’t tell me your parties were that scandalous.”
Rhay shrugged, provoking a giggle from Amira. “You’ll get used to it, princess.”
They were laughing when they reached her door. Amira felt completely exhausted by the night but Rhay now looked like he could party on for days.
Gently, he took her hand and kissed it. “I’ll see you tomorrow. Sleep well, princess.”
He was about to leave when Amira turned to him. “Wait. Can I ask you a question?”
Rhay stared right at her with his ocean eyes. The colour reminded her of the natural pool in Amryne. “You can ask me anything, princess, but I’m not sure I’ll have all the answers you’re searching for.”
“Do you think I’ll be happy here?” she asked in one deep breath.
She could see the surprise painted on his face. He took some time to answer. “I think it depends on what you want out of life.”
“The truth is, I don’t know.” She lowered her face, almost ashamed by her lack of ambition. Rhay gently grabbed her chin and raised her head.
