The facility’s security guard frowned, and I could only imagine what he was thinking. I would have bet rulibs that the last thing he expected on his shift today was for a group of foreigners, multiple guards, and two royals to show up with an enchanted carpet and an unconscious half-breed stag.
The receptionist cleared his throat. “The rest of you may come with me.”
We followed the receptionist through the back door into a hallway. Gray shiny flooring spread out before us, along with cream metallic walls. The sharp scent of metal grew the farther we wove into the facility.
At the end of another long hall, the receptionist rapped sharply on a closed door, and a shimmer of magic appeared around it. Similar to the front door, another face appeared through a circular hole in the frosted pane, and given the male’s uniform, I figured it was another security guard.
The receptionist drew himself up taller. “Our sovereign and his guests would like to speak with Archon Oniville.”
The guard’s eyes widened when he saw all of us hovering behind the receptionist, and he quickly disappeared from view. Only a few seconds passed before the door opened, and a female fairy emerged.
She had pure silver hair and blazing blue eyes. Small wings graced her back, and she brought a fist to her chest and bowed deeply at Norivun. “It’s an honor, truly.” She slowly straightened. “I had no idea you planned to visit us today, but I’m at your service for whatever you may need.”
I studied the archon’s silvery hair pulled back in a severe bun. Her astute blue eyes traveled over the rest of us before returning to her royal.
Norivun waved toward Jax. “My friend, the crown prince of Stonewild Kingdom on the Silten continent, is in need of our help. Prince Adarian’s mate and another male—still in the front reception area—are both wearing jewelry that we believe may have been crafted in this facility. Rhifilyte gems, mined from Hartivul Mine, are encased in both.”
The archon’s eyes widened, and a surprised huff escaped her. “Ourjewelry with gems fromourmine are on Silten fae?” Her wings ruffled behind her, and she cast her narrowed eyes my way.
“Indeed,” Norivun continued. “Archon Severell’s wand has confirmed it.”
“Is that so?” Archon Oniville stepped in front of me, and her gaze focused on my collar. “May I?” she asked, lifting her fingers.
“You may.” Appreciating the fact that she asked for consent first, I inclined my head, and she ran her fingers along my collar. Puffs of magic emitted from her fingertips, magic that I hadn’t felt the likes of before. With each magical emittance from her, my collar vibrated and tingled.
Eyes widening, she finally dropped her probing hands. “Unbelievable. My magic recognizes the pattern used to construct such a piece. This is indeed a collar from our facility, but how could such a thing have happened?”
My heart leaped at hearing her confirm that my collar had originated here. Voice straining with hope, I managed to get out, “This was constructed sometime in the previous twenty-three to twenty-eight summers. It was placed on me when I was five summers old.”
Her eyes widened even more. “You’ve been wearing such a device nearly your entire life?” She recoiled and brought her hand to her chest. “But that collar is brimming with suppression magic. Why, it must have felt like you were trapped underwater for all these seasons.”
My throat rolled in a swallow. “It has.”
“Can you remove it?” Norivun asked. “To cage a female like this”—his jaw pumped—“is not something I condone, and it certainly isn’t something I would like the Solis fae known for.”
“No, certainly not. I completely agree.” The archon took a step back, her lips thinning. “But from what I just felt, strong magic was used to forge that collar. Only one of our strongest fae would have been able to create that. Not very many would be capable, and I’m afraid I cannot take it off, but perhaps its wielder could.”
“Do you know who created it?” Somehow, I resisted the urge to wring my hands.
“No, but there aren’t many who could have. Maybe five of my employees over the seasons would have been capable of producing what I just felt in your necklace.”
Five? Only five?Hope pounded through me.
“Are they”—my throat suddenly felt dry—“here?”
“Three are here today.” Her wings tightened more behind her. “But two have since retired and moved away.”
“How many of those five are females?” Jax crossed his arms, his black hair flashing ebony in the lights.
“Two.” She cocked her head. “Why do you ask?”
“Because we know for certain that a female forged the anklet our friend is wearing. He’s still in the reception area,” Jax replied.
Her eyes narrowed. “How do you know that a female did such a thing?”
“The semelees told me,” I explained. “I’m able to walk the Veiled Between.”
When her brow only furrowed further, Norivun said, “Elowen’s a lorafin, a rare type of Silten fae. Her particular breed of magic isn’t common, so don’t be alarmed if you’ve never heard of the Veiled Between or the magic she harbors. But I can tell you that if a semelee told her a female forged the anklet they speak of, then it was certainly a female.”
