Together, Queen Solana and I walked off the stage and over to a cordoned-off area where her Royal Guard were waiting.
“That was very brave of you, Fallon,” she admitted.
I nodded. “Thank you.” My body felt relaxed as I turned to her. “Now, when can we leave to see the Ealdor Fae about Ariyon?”
She gave me half a smirk. “You don’t even want to stay for food?”
I shook my head.
“I thought you might say that.” She peered at one of her guards. “Nate, please ready the traveling crew for my nephew and his friends.”
A guard with red hair and a matching red beard saluted her and stepped away. I thought for half a second of going back to Bane Manor to grab that crystal shell and bring it with me. It was, after all, a link to the Realm of Rebirth and thereforeAriyon, but I also feared it. Could they hear me on the other end when I spoke around it? What if it was planted there as a trick for me? Was it a dark artifact that would do something weird to my magic? I just didn’t know, so for now, I was leaving it back.
Solana was still watching me with curiosity. “You know, you seem very invested in getting Ariyon back, which I’m grateful for, but I wonder if it’s just to right your wrong or something more.”
I bristled, worried that Solana may have picked up on my feelings for Ariyon. “I just want to get him out of there. Restore the power I took.”
She nodded, looking relieved. “Good. Because I would hate to think there was anything romantic going on there.” She laughed. “Especially since I’ve already betrothed him to Blair Crawford. They will marry upon graduation, and obviously I couldn’t even consider joining our families in that way…not that it’s even a possibility with your curse.”
The ground felt like it had been pulled out from beneath me then. The breath whooshed out of my lungs as I struggled to comprehend what she was saying. “But they broke up.”
Solana laughed. “Yes, on-off, on-off, that’s their thing.” There was a twinkle in her eyes as if to suggest that’s just how lovesick teenagers were.
No.
I couldn’t grasp what she was saying. “Married at graduation? But his life span…”
He told me he didn’t want to make anyone a widow. Blair? He was betrothed to Blair? Did he know? Did she?
The queen nodded solemnly. “At least they will be able have a few heirs before he eventually passes.”
Heirs. That’s all she cared about? “Ayden will have heirs,” I growled.
She stiffened. “The more the merrier, my dear. Especially since I am unable to have children.” She pinned me with a glare, and I sighed.
We were back to our usual relationship.
Point taken. My mother took her fertility, so now she needed to keep her lineage going. I wondered what she would think if she knew her very own nephew was the only person in the realm who could touch me.
“Your Highness, we’re ready.” The guard, Nate, was back. “We expect one overnight and will be back the following day by sundown.”
Solana nodded. “Go in peace, Fallon. And please get my nephew back.”
I barely heard her. All that was on my mind was one name.
Blair. Blair. Blair.
I couldn’t conceive of that witch marrying my man.
SIXTEEN
FALLON
Hayes, Ayden, Eden, and I had been traveling all night with over a dozen Royal Guard. We all rode in a carriage with a few days’ worth of camping supplies, just in case. The guards flanked us on horseback in a protective formation. We’d gone east, and to a part of the realm I’d never traveled to before. I’d slept on and off, resting my head against the wooden lacquered wall of the carriage, as I didn’t want to accidentally lean on anyone and risk being touched. Every bump woke me, which was often, and I couldn’t stop thinking about Ariyon. My mind spun with the new information about Blair and Ariyon’s betrothal, but I pushed it to the back. It didn’t matter right now, and it wouldn’t help me get Ariyon back. That’s what I needed to put my full focus on right now. The only guy in the world who could kiss me was about to be taken out by some Nightling with a vendetta against his family. I recalled the conversation I’d overheard in the Bane Manor basement and shivered.
“We’re here,” Ayden announced. I looked down at the map in his hands and then peered up and out of the open window where he pointed.
I followed his line of sight to an empty meadow.
