Isolde pours more tonic into the water. This one as red as a rose in full bloom.
“What is that?” My voice is weak.
“It will help protect you while your magic regains strength. Magic is not infinite like you might think—within this realm or your blood—but it can always be replenished if there is but a kernel left to water.” She brushes her blonde hair back with a wet hand.
“Most of the time I think my magic isn’t there at all.”
Isolde hums, placing the empty glass bottle beside the other. “Just because you cannot see your soul, does that mean it isn’t stirring inside you?”
“I guess not.” I swallow hard.
“The same goes for magic. It’s there, whether you feel it or not. Sometimes deep but ever present. You are your only limit, Elorie.”
She reaches over and brushes her hand through the water, warming it.
“Thank you,” I whisper, appreciating the heat that seeps through my skin, chasing away the cold.
“Humans.” She smirks, glancing at Callum. “Impressed by the simplest things.”
He smiles, so I splash water in his face.
“Hey!” He shifts back, laughing.
“I’m right here. And I’m still in my mind enough to understand when you’re making fun of me.”
“It’s not an insult,” Isolde says, standing. “We would all do better if we spent time appreciating things the way humans do. After all, we are all a bit of stardust to the gods, bound to drift away eventually. Especially now with magic slowly dying. I don’t miss the battle lines, but the Mortal Realm was a good reminder of what deserves appreciation when nothing truly lasts.”
Callum nods. “I saw that on Alyssium too. That’s why I stayed.”
Isolde watches him, lost in thought. Her gaze is steady but distant. After a long pause, she brushes her hands down the front of her dress. “That should be enough to get you better by morning, but you need to rest.”
Callum stands, reaching for my hand.
When he pulls me up, I’m surprised to have strength in my legs again. My cheeks are warm. I inhale as deeply as I did when the obsidian shackles were removed from my body. It isn’t just abreath I take in, but the magic around me. My skin prickles with every sensation.
“Dinner is soon, and the king will expect you to be there.” Isolde watches me as I find my balance at Callum’s side. “You can lie down for a bit, but I’ll be back with your dress. Here, put this on. Dry off and rest for as long as you can.”
She reaches for my nightdress, then shoos Callum from the bathing chamber. He waits in my bedroom while Isolde helps me get changed. For the first time since I arrived at the Ley Court, I don’t mind her help. Something as simple as pulling the dress on overhead takes all my strength.
Isolde helps me to my bed, saying something to Callum before she leaves. But he stays, watching me.
“Are you just going to stand there and stare? I’ll be fine if you have somewhere you need to be.”
He drops his chin, dragging his dark hair back with his fingers. “I’m staying.”
When his eyes lift, I can tell he’s waiting for me to kick him out, but I don’t have the energy, and I can’t shake the emptiness still trying to crawl through me, so it feels better to have him here.
“You’re not wearing armor,” I point out, lying back on my bed.
He walks over and sits down on the edge. His hand is so close that our fingers brush. “I’m out of rotation for a few days.”
His navy-blue tunic draws out flecks of blue in his gray eyes. The tie at the top is undone, revealing a hint of his hard chest. When he’s dressed casually, it’s impossible not to appreciate how beautiful he is. How gentle his fingers are as they brush against mine.
I clear my throat and look away. “What did Hazel do to me?”
“Short answer or long answer?”
“Is that even a question?”
