Chapter 40

CHAPTER FORTY

G etting settled into their new life at Compass Lake was everything Rose had dreamed of—everything Rose had fought for.

“Are you going to help Darren at all?” Aaron asked as he, Andrew, Luc, and Rose sat on the beach at Norden house. His question was directed at Luc, but his eyes were fixed on his three boys playing in the water. Tara was with them, splashing at David, setting off a battle cry from the others coming to his defense.

“My goal is to stay out of his way.” Luc shrugged. “It’s bad enough that I’m still here.” He scooted his chair closer to Rose and slid his arm around her. “But that can’t be helped. I won’t undermine his authority by offering suggestions.”

“What if I want your suggestions?” Darren’s voice carried across the yard as he joined them on Norden beach.

Rose gave the Suden Point a nod. She would let Luc sort this out. As much as he was no longer the Suden Point, these were his people—and his family. He was still very much Suden and needed to find his place with them.

“You know I’m happy to help you, Darren. It was never my intention to dump everything on you with no support. I just figured Aaron would do a better job than I could in getting you acclimated to everything, and it would be less contentious to have his help since you decided to keep him on your staff.”

“And promote me,” Aaron added. “Something my brother never thought to do.” His words were cheeky, his smile wide as he delivered the barb.

Luc had dismissed the Suden elders as advisors when he took the position of Suden Point. Darren didn’t try to reinstate them, but he was building a new set of advisors, with Aaron as the first. He had put out calls to the rest of the Suden population to nominate two others from various cities and villages across the continent.

“See,” Luc responded with delight. “You don’t need me. I’d only weigh you down with poor decisions.”

Darren glared at Aaron. “We would welcome your input. I already told Rose this in the last Compass Points meeting, but we’d also like to help you with the school you’re building.”

Luc nodded. He had picked up his own project now that he was no longer leading the Suden fae. He had agreed with Rose, suspecting there were many more fae with multiple magic lines in the population. Beyond that, even more half-fae were being actively ignored by the courts at Compass Lake. He proposed to build a school to bring any of the magically inclined, even humans who practiced forms of blood magic, together to learn how to use their power safely—since the traditional court schools hadn’t educated those who didn’t fall into the strict definition of their element.

Rose and the other Compass Points had already begun changing that, but she knew Luc was right—it should be up to the individuals if they wanted to train with a specific court or in a place more catered to their abilities. Housing the school in Compass Lake Village ensured the courts were actively engaging with the community. Even Carter, Juliette, Darren, and herself needed to learn more about the types of magic on the continent to better understand how to support those who wielded them.

If anyone knew how to harness unruly magic, it was Luc. He was also working with his stepfather to teach the classes. After reading the twins’ journal, it occurred to them that he must have been working with humans using blood magic for years.

“Hi, Juliette!” Tara’s yell drew Rose’s attention to the eastern border of her land. Juliette was walking over with Zrak and Lela. They looked tense, but the Osten leader couldn’t let go of her anger at her Lost God overnight. Rose understood it; really, she did. No matter his knowledge, he had put his people in a terrible situation. Rose just hoped the anger wouldn’t pass down to the next Osten ruler—selfishly hoping the Compass Points could find peace with the gods. The pinched glare Lela sent Zrak’s way told Rose she wished for something that might not be possible. She waved at the trio as they approached.

“Are Arie and Aurora here?” Zrak asked.

Rose glanced around to see if Arie in his bird form had snuck up on her. “I think they’re still over at Vesten house.” As she said the words, she saw the tell-tale black bird flying over the lake and Aurora and Carter’s shapes walking the western edge of her property. “Looks like they’re headed here as well.”

Rose marveled at the collection of fae and gods so naturally assembling on her beach. It was as unheard of for the Compass Points to collect like this as it would be for the gods to join them. But Rose found she was in no rush to have the gods leave. They weren’t interfering with the Compass Points’ rule of the continent. They were helping in a way that Rose imagined they originally intended the relationships between Compass Point and patron to work.

Even though Zrak faced reluctance from the Osten Point and her successor, he worked with them regularly to test the Osten magic now that he was no longer…lost. Rose could feel her wind strengthen just by his presence on the continent. She couldn’t imagine what it was like for Juliette. Rose hadn’t asked, but she suspected the strongest among them, like Juliette, would start gathering secrets on the wind from more than just the present.

Aurora spent time in the forge with Rose. It was sometimes forgotten that Aurora was the master-maker of the gods. There was a reason she’d been chosen to make the compass that decided Zrak’s fate. She spent as much time as they could spare working in the forge, teaching Rose what she knew. She even taught Tara when she could—regular weapons-making, not magical. But Rose didn’t miss the gleam in Tara’s eye when Luc talked of the human magic wielders his stepfather was reaching out to. She and Luc would have to speak with Tara about her options sooner rather than later.

“Lost in your thoughts again, Rose?” Arie appeared in bird form on her shoulder and spoke aloud. She’d accept him in whatever form he chose, but it made her happy to know the form he’d lived in for most of their ten years together was a preference, not simply something he used to hide who he was.

“I’m just enjoying how far we’ve come,” Rose said.

“We still have a long way to go,” Carter replied as he and Aurora arrived on the beach.

“Agreed. But we’ve got a solid foundation to lead us.” Luc said. His magic wrapped around Rose as he spoke—a feeling that would never get old.

Rose didn’t want to be a downer but couldn’t help the questions that bubbled to her mind at Carter’s approach.

He shook his head fondly at her. He already knew what she would ask. “It will be fine, Rose. I’ll take care of it.” He looked so confident that Rose could only trust him. “She wanted me to settle things on the continent before assisting her.” He coughed at the word assist. Rose was sure she was missing something, but Carter had been tight-lipped about any further communication he’d had with the Lady of the Veil. It was his business, but Rose couldn’t help but worry about him.

“Arie!” Tara called as she and the boys came up the beach from the water. “You said you’d show me how to make that pasta tonight. Annabeth said I could be in charge of dinner and the boys are getting hungry. Are you ready to start?”

Arie nodded and shifted into his fae form. “I am at your disposal, tiny weapons-master.” He followed her and the boys up the hill to Norden house.

“We had better go supervise,” Aaron said, standing with Andrew.

“You’re welcome to stay for whatever they’re making,” Rose told the group. “I volunteer Arie and Tara to cook for all of us.” She smiled.

“Is that part of your official duty as Norden Point?” Luc laughed.

“I think it might be,” she replied.

There was a chorus of nods, and everyone was headed up the hill to Norden house, leaving Rose and Luc alone on the beach gathering the cups and refreshment plates they had been using. Rose stacked the dishes in a neat pile to carry up before walking into the circle of Luc’s arms.

“Is it everything you thought it would be?” she asked him.

“More,” he replied and kissed her forehead.

“It’s only been weeks since the mist cleared, and already, more progress has been made than the entire decade prior.” He squeezed her tightly. “You’re amazing.”

She tilted her head to look up at him. “I’m only as strong as the partner who holds me up.”

He chuckled. “I choose to believe you because it’s good for my delicate ego.” He bent and caught her lips in a scorching kiss. She met it—tongues sliding against each other, seamlessly picking up an exploration that would never be complete. The spark between them only grew the more they were together. Luc’s hands skimmed her cheek—her neck. His fingers tangled in her hair.

“This continent is lucky to have you,” he whispered as they parted. “As am I.”

She nipped his lip. “I know,” she replied with a wink.

He grinned as they shared breaths.

“Are you love birds coming?” Aaron called from the balcony.

Luc swatted a wave at his brother. “We’ll get there when we get there,” he called back.

“I love you,” Rose whispered to him.

His mouth caught hers again. His answer was in the move of his lips across her skin. “I’m glad, because our paths are bound for this existence and the next.” He smiled as they linked hands and walked up the hill to Norden house.