Chapter 25

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

S till exhausted but floating on the high of seeing Luc, Rose greeted the Compass Points early the following day. They needed to decide what to do next. With Zrak’s unwillingness to help and Luc locked up right next to Aterra, Rose feared that avoiding Cassandra was no longer an option.

They needed more information about what had happened to the Lady of the Veil and her realm based on human desperation. It was clear from the journals that Celeste did something, but what it was and its impacts were still a mystery.

Aaron had left a note last night. He must have arrived before they returned from the Osten caves. Unfortunately, he didn’t leave any books, which led Rose to believe he only had bad news. The Compass Points walked together to Suden house to see what he’d learned.

They took the route through Compass Lake Village, which would lead them around Vesten property to get to Suden house mainly because Rose wanted pastries from the village for their walk.

Rose tried to let her mind wander away from their current predicament. It would be helpful if Aaron found more texts that explained the strain between Cassandra and the continent, but what would they do next if he didn’t?

The walk would help clear their heads and provide fresh perspectives.

They needed to get Luc back. They could try sneaking in again, but she feared they’d encounter the same issue unless they devised a plan to distract Aterra. Her magic throbbed at the thought. She couldn’t leave Luc…again.

It might break her.

While Zrak was being unhelpful, he did seem to have a way to leave the realm. In their overheard conversation, he said he would leave as soon as ‘he came.’ This was hard to plan against since they didn’t know who he was, but Zrak had proved adept at planning this far. She hoped he could take care of himself. Rose shook her head. She needed to focus on something— anything —else.

“I’m not sure we thought this through,” Carter said as they entered the village. His voice was no more than a whisper. Rose looked around, and a hush had fallen over the market. Ah, right, this was their first public outing together at Compass Lake—and the Suden Point was missing.

Enough of the Norden villagers had seen them together when Rose took the Norden Point position, and everyone had seen them leave together to go on their undisclosed mission. Gossip circulated the market now—some Rose could nearly hear on the wind, it was so enthusiastically spoken. The way villagers stopped what they were doing to stare. It spoke to the fact that a group of Compass Points hadn’t entered the village together in a long time.

“Do we acknowledge it?” Rose asked, feeling self-conscious.

Juliette steepled her fingers and made brief eye contact with each of them. “No, this is the new normal we want. We proceed as if nothing has changed. Give them time to adjust, but we shouldn’t make it seem like this is an anomaly.”

Rose’s throat unexpectedly choked up at Juliette’s words. She couldn’t entirely fight the swell of emotion at the matter-of-fact way she spoke them.

This. This was what she’d been working so hard for.

This was what she wouldn’t stop fighting for.

This was the leadership she wanted for the continent when everything was over. The leadership their people and the continent deserved.

Unfortunately, Juliette seemed to notice her response.

“Don’t get soft on me now, Rose. You’re the one insisting on this path.”

Rose nodded and swallowed thickly. She pushed herself to focus on the tactical action their visit required. “Here’s the bakery.” She gestured to her favorite store in the market.

Juliette gave a reassuring smile as Carter opened the door.

“Can I help….” The baker’s voice trailed off as he realized who entered. Rose smothered a giggle. The same baker, a Suden, had been in a state when she and Luc had walked into his shop weeks ago. It seemed he was just as rattled by the rest of the Compass Points as he was by the Suden leader. He coughed and tried again. “Can I help you?”

Carter took the lead. “Can we have an assortment of pastries?” Carter pointed to a few of the ones in the tray.

The baker gave up on words and worked quickly to wrap up the requested items. As with Luc, the baker seemed to need to ask something. “Any progress on the mist plague while you were traveling the continent?”

Juliette nodded. “We’re working together to find a solution. We believe we’ve halted the plague for now, and our focus remains on bringing back those impacted.”

“All of you, together, are working on it?” the baker stuttered. “Even the Suden Point?” His eyes searched the market behind them, looking for Luc.

“The Suden Point is well aligned with our efforts,” Carter said. Rose was about to open her mouth to add reassurance when the shop door opened behind them. Rose’s mouth curved into a smile as Aaron walked in.

Not only was it fortuitous timing since they were on their way to visit him, but also because he was the one person who could reassure the baker about their progress.

“Rose.” Aaron smiled warmly at her before noticing the other two Compass Points. “Looks like we had the same idea,” he added, shying away from the larger conversation.

“Aaron.” Rose stepped toward him, begging him with her eyes to go along with her—to trust her just a little bit more.

He seemed to sense the request in her gaze and nodded, a Luc-like smirk crossing his features.

“We were just explaining to the baker that the Suden Point is working with us to return those impacted by the mist plague to their former state.” She smiled sweetly at him.

“Ah, yes, Christopher.” Aaron stepped around the group and toward the counter to shake the baker’s hand more familiarly. “Luc is whole-heartedly supporting these three. May I also get an assortment of pastries? Extra chocolate ones for the boys, please.”

“If that’s true, where is he?” the baker asked, his brows raising.

“Christopher, you know it’s not the Suden Point’s job to declare his whereabouts to everyone. Trust that he is doing what needs to be done to help restore those impacted by the plague.” Aaron’s words were so genuine. Rose was glad she’d told him more than he needed to know about Luc’s current whereabouts.

“If you say so,” the baker replied skeptically, passing a box to Carter and setting to work on Aaron’s. He seemed to have Aaron’s order ready as he quickly handed him another box from behind the counter.

“Have a good day.” Aaron waved to Christopher as he left with the Compass Points. They stood together momentarily, moving just out of earshot of other shoppers.

“Thank you, Aaron,” Juliette said. “The timing was perfect.”

Aaron nodded. “I’m surprised you’re all out together like this.”

“It’s our new normal.” Rose beamed. “But really, thanks again. We were actually on our way to see you. We received your note last night.”

“I’m sorry, Rose. I couldn’t find anything else at Suden house, but I think I know where they are.” His gaze shifted around the market as he spoke.

“Where’s that?” Carter asked.

Aaron glanced between the other two Compass Points and must have decided speaking plainly in front of them was acceptable. “My father has always had a collection of pre-Flood texts with details to magically improve farming. Of course, they were humans using blood magic to tend the soil, but he always said it was the foundation, the origins of the Suden’s earth magic as we know it. Any I can’t find here must be with him.”

“Really?” Carter’s voice raised in pitch, too excited by half. Rose shot him a glare as he continued too quickly. “What does your father do?”

“He’s an agricultural researcher. He works in programs that try to pair human farmers with fae who can support them with various techniques.”

“No wonder Luc was so passionate about funding that program,” Juliette quipped.

Aaron’s reply was sharper than Rose had heard from him. “He cared so much because he knew it was our duty as fae. It was your duty as leaders of this continent to protect the balance, and supporting farmers in these efforts is a huge part of ensuring we have food for everyone.”

Juliette lifted her hands in peace. “Apologies, Aaron. I meant nothing by it. It sounds like you both had a strong example of the benefit of these programs and how they help the communities.”

Aaron bristled but let it go. “I think they may still be at my father’s house in Loch.”

“Your father lives in Loch?” Rose was startled. They were there recently, and she couldn’t believe Luc wouldn’t have stopped to see his stepfather.

“Yes, but he’s not often home. He spends most of his time traveling to human communities to teach. The texts are there because he still uses them occasionally to reinforce specific techniques with humans. He also tends to carry journals of humans wielding magic when he travels. For the humans more reluctant to accept his help, he tries to show them another human’s perspective.”

That made sense. Rose was impressed by the lengths Aaron’s father went to in order to reassure humans about magic use.

“I’ll have to go get them. It might be a long trip if he has any of them with him in the field.”

Rose’s shoulders fell. So much for taking her mind off their current problems. She couldn’t wait days to try to get to Luc again. Not having a plan wasn’t exactly a strength of hers. None of this was Aaron’s fault though. “We understand, Aaron. But we would appreciate them as soon as possible.”

Aaron nodded.

Rose perked up momentarily, realizing she had a way to speed up Aaron’s trip. “Actually, when will you leave? I can get you some help for your search.”

Aaron looked skeptical. “I can leave today.”

“Okay, I’ll meet you back at the Suden stables. I have to retrieve someone from Norden house.”

It was clear Aaron disapproved of this plan. Likely because he knew the others at Norden house currently were gods. He nodded anyway and left the village with his pastry box.

“Are you sending Arie with him?” Carter asked, a bit of a smile surprisingly present on his face. “He will not like being treated as a messenger bird.”

“Oh, stop,” Rose said, gently pushing Carter’s shoulder. “I’m just going to present him with an opportunity to help resolve the problems on this continent that he did nothing to prevent.”

“Harsh,” Juliette responded with a wicked chuckle as they returned to Norden house.