“Well, we have all night,” Aizel responded. “We might as well make ourselves comfortable.”
They walked back toward the horses and found a comfortable spot to sit down.
“Who do you mean when you say ‘the Quotidian’?” he asked.
“Up until a few days ago, I thought it meant everyone on the continent,” Aizel answered. “Now, I’m not sure. I mean, if you are a prince from one of these kingdoms and you don’t even know your people can do magic... I don’t know. That causes me concern.”
Erich nodded. “Yes,” he said, his voice high pitched. “I’m concerned, too.”
Chapter 32
Erich was glad he was sitting down. If he hadn’t been, he might have fallen over from the slamming weight of the swirling thoughts in his mind. “Let’s start with the people you know who can do magic.”
“Use magic,” Aizel corrected. “It’s not something you do.”
“Use magic,” Erich repeated.
“All the Quotidian taskers can use magic,” Aizel said. “That’s why I thought all of you could do it, since those on the island can.”
“There are quotidian people on the Isle of Exile?”
“That’s what you call it? The Isle of Exile?” Aizel’s expression made her look as if she had bitten on something sour. “That sounds horrible.”
“What do you call it?”
“Istroya,” she replied. “It’s been the only home I’ve ever known. I’d hate to think that my home was just called ‘that place where everyone is in exile.’ Although it would be a much nicer home if it didn’t also have a bunch of Quotidian taskers on it, forcing us to work for them.”
“Forcing you...” Erich felt his stomach turn. This was too much information all at once. “What?”
“You seriously didn’t know this? What did you think we were doing in a place called the ‘Isle of Exile’? Having a wonderful time dreaming up new spells to make other people miserable with?”
Erich averted his eyes as shame lashed through him. He’d never really thought about it. He knew—or had been told—that the Majis wouldn’t leave their exile until the time was up, but he had never really thought about what they had been doing all this time. “The latter, I guess,” he admitted. “We’ve all been assuming that you were over there feeding your anger and preparing an evil revenge.”
The look of hurt in Aizel’s eyes thoroughly added to the guilt he was already feeling. She shook her head in disbelief. “That would explain the way everyone’s treated me since I got here.”
“I am sorry about that.” Erich wanted to make amends. To somehow rectify the horrible things he’d said to her and the abominable way he’d treated her—all because he had been afraid of her. The image of the bandit leader, bowing low over her hand and offering his services in honor of her freedom, came to his mind. Even a lawbreaker had understood the situation better than he had.
Rolling forward, he positioned himself on one knee, as a knight would do his liege. “Aizel,” he said, looking down at her face since she was still sitting on the ground, “I will do anything in my power to help you find true justice. For yourself and your people.”
“You believe me?”
Erich thought over the things she had told him. He didn’t want to believe them, but sadly they seemed to make more sense than the things he had previously thought. “I do not disbelieve you,” he answered eventually. It was the most honest thing he could say at present.
Chapter 33
Aizel wanted to march into King Gareth’s pristine palace and slap his benevolent young face. Erich’s sincerity was the sweetest thing she had ever seen.
“Thank you,” she said. “Thank you for listening to me and trusting me.”
“Now what?” Erich asked. “I should get you out of here and back to safety. I’m sure I could find a way to get you back to the Isle of... I mean, to Istroya.” He was looking to the left, his hands counting invisible ideas in the air.
“Erich,” she said his name, hoping to draw his attention back to her. “I don’t want someone else to save me. I left Istroya because...” She paused. She was relieved to finally share critical information with him, but she had already put her sister in danger. “. . . my family is in danger from the taskers and I need to find a way to get them here. Or, I needed to. Now, I’m not so sure life is safer for them here.” She stopped again.
Erich was listening to her, his eyes never leaving her face.
Heartened, Aizel continued. “What I’m trying to say, is I don’t need you to save me. I just... need someone to help me.” She could barely whisper the last words. She had never asked for help. “I’ve never really been in danger from you,” she rushed to continue. “This whole thing has been a ruse. King Gareth wants you dead, and if I don’t succeed, he’ll find another way to do it.”
Erich raised his eyebrows. “What? Gareth wants me dead? Are you sure? That seems a little excessive. Isn’t he all about justice and uniting the kingdoms and whatnot?”
