“I forgot how amazing your house is out here. It's so airy, yet moody—just like you. You know how suffocating the castle can be,” Aerona says.
“You should come out here more.”
Aerona smiles, looking at me. “Briar, I’m so sorry to hear about Maines. Fen was telling me she will recover, but it was close,” she says.
I nod. “Yes, she has a long road ahead of her, but the healers say she will recover.”
“That’s great,” Aerona says, before her eyes darken. “And the Archives?”
I shudder.
“Did you get what you were after?”
I hesitate to respond. The fewer people who know I brought something ancient out of there, the better.
“The trip wasn’t wasted. However, I don’t think Maines’s injury would ever be worth it,” I say.
She leans forward, and I notice Silas tense. I sit further back in my chair, creating distance between us.
“Did you see him?” she whispers. “The serpent.”
“Yes,” I reply. “I did.”
“And did he see you?” Aerona’s eyes widen.
“Yes.”
She leans back, settling into her chair and diving into her own thoughts. Her dark hair pools around her sides as she smooths out her dress. Out of habit, she reaches for the jewel around her neck that no longer rests there. She looks at Fen, noticing that hers is gone, then glances back at me.
“You are quite impressive, Briar.”
“Yes,” Silas says. “She is.”
Rose chimes in, “You have no idea.”
I’m grateful for Rose now, and I can’t help but think that some of this was a test for Aerona’s approval. Seeing her reaction, I know I’ve earned it.
“Oh, I think I’m starting to get an idea.” Aerona smiles in Rose’s direction.
The weight of the Andorwood stone drags me down, and I can feel its smooth edges in my pocket. I slide my hand into the soft fabric of my pants and fidget with the stone. I need to learn more about what I now possess and what the other kings have.
I take the stone from my pocket and open my hand, pointing it directly at Aerona. “I assume you knew what you were possessing when you handed me this—or at least thought you did.”
Aerona tenses, and I see Fen do the same out of the corner of my eye.
“I am aware that I had something of importance, yes,” Aerona responds, sitting up a bit straighter. “However, it wasn’t in my possession, was it?”
Fen angles her head at her mother. “It was my stone that possessed the powers. It has been hidden in plain sight all this time, and you wore a fake. Why?”
“I created a fake to protect you, Fenmore. If someone realized we still had the stone after all these years, they would likely assume I had it and come after me. If word got out, I always intended to tell you to keep you safe.” She reaches for Fen, but she retreats.
Silas stands and begins to pace. “So what does this stone do?”
“That is something I have tried to uncover for years. The stone reacts uniquely to each Wielder. For me, the stone revealed ancient, hidden, and forgotten things. For others, it could reveal different things.”
“Like the Archives,” I chime in.
She nods. “Exactly.”
