Layken’s voice travelled through the door. “Adelway, everything all right?”
Lora gave Eyden a gentle push, distancing herself.Go,she whispered wordlessly.
“Yes, I was having a nightmare,” she yelled back.
Eyden got up, not breaking eye contact. He needed to go, but it was getting harder and harder to leave.
Tonight,he mouthed before Lora disappeared from his view and there was nothing but mist and air.
Chapter43
Elyssa
Ever since the kiss, it was all Elyssa could think about. It was driving her mad not knowing if Amira felt the same. If Amira did regret the kiss, Elyssa would prefer it if she said so outright. Rip the fucking bandage off and move on.
They’d kissed. It was done. It happened. Either Amira embraced it, or Elyssa needed to move the fuck on.
Although Elyssa had been invited to dinner with Tarnan, she had decided to give Amira space and let her attend alone after they’d spent the afternoon in the woods together. Their session had been short, but Amira had managed to make two arrows fly, and Elyssa was damn proud.
Back at the palace, Elyssa decided to use her time to get her head back in the game and do some of her own research in the library.
The library key tucked into her pocket, Elyssa left her room. At this hour, not many fae were wandering about. A guard glanced her way, but Tarnan had made it clear that she was welcomed here.
When she opened the library door, a weird sense of guilt spread through her. Even though she’d been there many times, it had always been with Amira. Sneaking in alone felt wrong.
Elyssa went to light the few candles around the small room. No other light illuminated the high shelves filled with ancient knowledge. It wasn’t the best condition to read in. With her hearing impaired, she didn’t want any of her other senses limited.
In the low light, Elyssa stepped over her pile of books and took out one she hadn’t read yet. These past weeks, she’d found a few spells that Farren would appreciate, but nothing that would make a huge difference. As she flipped through the useless pages, her leg bounced up and down. Had she really accomplished anything in her time here?
Elyssa threw the book on the ground. As her gaze travelled over the books on the shelves, she noticed a small one sticking out. Had Amira read it? Intrigued, Elyssa pulled it from the shelf and sat on the ground.
The book was written in the ancient language Amira had talked about before, but she recognised it. Eyden had taught her some of it. He’d learned it from his father, who had been a scholar. Though she hadn’t kept up with her studies, Elyssa could still remember enough to make sense of the text in front of her.
First, the book spoke about how witches channelled their powers, then it expanded on a few interesting spells. As she scanned the chapter headings, she lingered on the mention of another book that contained a spell which could bind a fae’s power, a spell that made fae even more afraid of the few they’d branded ascursed.Elyssa had thought constantly about what Amira had told her. How had the knowledge about witches become so twisted?
Elyssa scanned the pages, trying to find more information on the mentioned spellbook. A grin stretched across her face right before she noticed a shadow looming over her.
Quick as lightning, Elyssa leaned her hand against the shelf and kicked out with her leg before rolling to the side. A muffled yelp sounded somewhere in the room. Crouching, Elyssa finally got a look at who had disturbed her research. Amira was lying on the floor, her long midnight blue dress flaring out on the ground.
Huffing, Elyssa got up and leaned over her, extending a hand. Amira scowled at her, making no attempt to move. “Sorry, princess, but you should know better than to sneak up on me.”
“Didn’t you hear me come in?” Amira asked, lifting up on her elbows. She didn’t sound mean, but Elyssa hated every word.
“As a matter of fact, no.” She removed her hand and went back to where she had been sitting.
She picked up the book again and took out a piece of paper and a pen from her pocket before scribbling down a few spells.
“I don’t mean to pry,” Amira started, loud enough in the small quiet room for Elyssa to catch every word, “but I have been wondering…is your hearing impaired?”
Elyssa’s pen stilled. She didn’t think Amira had noticed. Did Amira pay closer attention to her than she had expected? Did she care?
“It is, but I don’t see how it matters,” Elyssa replied without looking up.
There was a heavy silence. “It doesn’t,” Amira finally said.
Lowering herself to the ground, Amira sat next to Elyssa. There was a healthy distance between them; it might as well have been the world. “I was worried when you weren’t in your room. But then I noticed my key was missing, so I figured you must be here.”
“If you’re about to tell me I shouldn’t be here, spare me the talk. We both know I won’t listen.” Elyssa watched Amira out of the corner of her eye, and she swore Amira’s lips tipped upwards.
