I’ll figure it out? That was all he was giving me?
“Oh-kay. So, once I follow a body down there, see Ariyon, and switch us back, how do I get the Grim to take my Nightling life?”
He nodded. “Before you ask the Grim to see Ariyon, you ask for an audience with the Quorum. Such a request cannot be denied from a Maven.”
The Quorum? “Okay, and when I meet with them?”
“This is very important, Fallon. You ask to meet with the Quorum,thenyou see Ariyon and switch powers, andonly thendo you actually meet with the Quorum, at which time you will no longer technically be a Maven.”
It sounded like I was tricking them, which I didn’t care about really. I’d do whatever it took.
“Okay, and when I stand before the Quorum?” I had no idea who they were.
“I assume you say you are willing to give up your chance at rebirth to send both you and Ariyon’s body back home.”
“You assume?” I raised an eyebrow.
He shrugged. “I didn’t see that part, but I know you give up your chance at rebirth to save him, and I did see you and Ariyon back at The Academy afterward.”
I sighed in relief. That’s literally all I wanted.
“Are you sure I go dark? I mean, it sounds like I save everyone. So how does that work out? I can’t go dark and be a hero, can I?”
His face fell a little. “I only see snippets in time, but… I’m certain you go dark at some point.”
The heaviness was back. Dying within a year, I was okay with. But going dark? Hearing voices, lighting things on fire with my mind, hurting those I loved—I didn’t want that. I hoped he was wrong about this, that this would be the one time his visions failed him.
Again, Yanric nuzzled my neck to let me know that either way, we were in this together.
I slipped my gloves over my hands and held them out to the Ealdor Fae. When he took them, I squeezed. “I’m so very grateful to you, Emmeric. I was feeling very lost on how to fix this, and…”
I trailed off, remembering what Ariyon had said about Emmeric. “Ariyon said you came to him in a dream and gave him your name. Is there some link you have to him? I mean, why of all people in the realm are you having visions of him and me?”
He smiled sweetly at me, his eyes crinkling at the edges. “Ariyon reminds me of my son.”
I frowned. “What do you mean?”
He looked over at a window and the light streaming through it, as if reliving some memory. “My son was a Maven healer, so I have a special affinity for those who carry the burden of great healing.”
Was.He saidwas. “An Ealdor Maven healer? He must have been very powerful.”
Emmeric nodded. “Lived twice as long as they said he would.” His smile turned into a frown. “The only thing worse than burying your child is knowing you will live forever without them.”
Grief welled up in my chest at his words. So it was true. Ealdors lived forever unless killed. Immortals. Except when they weren’t, like in the case of his son. I still wasn’t sure if being a Maven healer was a blessing or a curse.
We sat there for a few minutes in companionable silence, and then he looked at me with a small smile. “You are very brave, Fallon. Only a small percentage of the people whose futures I glimpse can withstand knowing about them in advance.”
He unfurled his legs and stood, so I followed his lead.
“It was a pleasure to meet you, and I really appreciate you helping me figure this out. Ariyon appreciates it too, I’m sure,” I told him.
He walked me to the door and opened it for me. The sun had set, and I knew Ayden and the others would be worried if I didn’t get back soon.
“The pleasure was all mine.”
After saying goodbye, I met the fae outside who stood in wait. He tipped his head to me and without a word began to walk me back to the gate.
The information that Emmeric had given me settled heavily in my chest. Knowing I would save Ariyon and die a hero were good things. But not having a normal lifetime to spend with my loved ones wasn’t something I could easily process.
