Chapter 4

CHAPTER FOUR

R elief flooded Rose as she leaned her weight against the closed door. That wouldn’t be the last she heard from the elders. She needed a way to share information with the wider court, not just those who felt too much self-import and demanded it from her as she walked home. Mentally, she added this challenge to her to-do list.

She pushed herself off the door and took in her new home. If Suden house was a sprawling manor, all wood and natural light, then Norden was a castle fortress. It had high ceilings and stone walls and generally gave a feeling of austerity. Soft chatter and banging pots emanated from the kitchen. She headed in that direction.

It was quiet as she wandered through the main level of the house. Rose remembered the house being formal as a child, but this was something else. It seemed like Aiden hadn’t added any personal touches to the decor. Most of the rooms she walked through felt like a prison, no different from Aurora’s cell under Mount Bury. Perhaps, for Aiden, it had been one.

She ran her hands against the walls as memories crept in—memories she’d repressed for so long. A smile threatened as she thought of Aiden chasing her out the back door toward the caretaker’s cottage. Or of her sneaking into the classrooms downstairs where his parents had him hole up with tutors for hours every day. She’d try to make silly faces at him to make him laugh during his lessons.

Her words to the elders had been true. Aiden did what he could for the Norden in the end. She would no longer push away happy memories of her childhood friend—her friend with bright blue eyes, before the grey-eyed god took over.

“Hello?” she called as she neared the kitchen so as not to startle anyone.

The noises came to a halt. She stepped into the room. It was so bright and clean compared to the rest of the house she’d walked through. The staff was larger than she’d thought—ten Norden fae were gathered eating a meal.

“I’m Rose, the Norden Point,” she said.

The group burst into a flurry of introductions.

“I’m Annabeth, the cook.”

“Walter, the steward.”

“Harriet, the housekeeper.”

The others added their names and responsibilities. Rose tried to memorize each one as she shook their hands. She hadn’t had time to worry what they’d think of her. Having been Norden Point for a half-day, she’d barely had time to meet them before leaving to hunt Aterra with the other Compass Points.

“We’re so glad you’re back,” Annabeth said. “We saw the three of you arrive in the village this afternoon. Did you have a productive trip?”

“We believe we found the cause for the mist plague and have a temporary solution,” Rose said. “We’re still working on the longer-term impacts.”

“That sounds like progress,” Walter said.

“Do you want anything to eat?” Annabeth asked.

Rose’s stomach rumbled.

“I’ll take that as a yes.” Her smile was authentic.

“I can show you a room for your things if you’d like,” Harriet offered, gesturing to Rose’s bag.

“Yes, please. Annabeth, do you mind sending the food up? I’m pretty tired. I’ll just have a snack before going to sleep,” Rose said as she followed Harriet out of the kitchen.

“It’ll be wonderful to have you back at the lake.” Harriet’s words didn’t hold the undertone of malice she felt when she talked to the elders. They seemed genuine.

“We still have a lot of work to do,” Rose replied.

Harriet nodded as she led them up the stairs. Rose’s gaze swept out the back window as her hand rested on the staircase railing. While she let memories of her childhood friend sweep in tonight, she had yet to do the same for her family. There was a warm glow emanating from the caretaker’s cottage out back. It had been rebuilt after the fire. A family lived there now—a new caretaker for the property. She wasn’t yet ready to think about the happiness she’d had there. Or the devastation.

A final glance around the first floor left her feeling maudlin, no matter how welcoming the staff. Norden house didn’t feel like a home. There was nothing to be done about that tonight. Hopefully, Arie and Aurora would arrive soon enough to fill that void. She would add the rest to the list of things to worry about after she retrieved Luc and saved the continent.

Reaching the second-floor landing, Harriet led them left. Rose had never been allowed to explore the upstairs bedrooms so freely. Harriet explained some were studies, others were sitting rooms, and many were spare bedrooms for visiting Norden. She led them into a wing with its own door. This felt similar to the space Luc claimed in Suden house.

As children, she and Aiden would sneak up here when playing hide-and-seek. They gave each other extra points if they hid in this off-limits area. Not that it was off limits to Aiden —it was his home even before he stole the position of Norden Point. But his parents were never too fond of them playing in the family’s private space.

Finally, Harriet opened the door to a large room in what had to be the northwestern corner of the house. The room had a southern-facing window looking out over the lake. Doors opened to a balcony on the bed’s left side, providing peaceful views of the still water. Rose’s gaze lingered on Suden house directly in her sights as she surveyed the familiar shores of Compass Lake.

She could admit it now—she had missed this place.

“This is perfect,” Rose said. Harriet excused herself quickly, promising to return with food. Rose was thankful for the private moment. Emotion overtook her as she looked out on the lake.

She may not want to face the memories of what happened to her family, but the loving home she grew up in before that fateful day didn’t deserve to be forgotten. Working with her mom in the forge was a treasured part of her childhood. Her mother’s instructions on weapons-making were still ones she clung to. She missed swimming in the lake instead of looking at it, as she’d had to do at the Lake of the Gods.

Her magic loved it here, and it would love it even more when Luc and his magic returned.

She folded her arms over her chest as she did a final survey of Compass Lake. The lights were already out in Suden house. Talking to Aaron tonight had been difficult, but it was a good start. She would need his help for what came next. Rose was headed beyond the veil. Whether Zrak took her or the veil-cat-shifting Vesten Point, she would get there.

Rose tossed the small bag she still carried from travel into the corner of the room. Rooting around, she pulled out a change of clothes and readied herself for sleep. She caught her reflection in the mirror in the connected washroom. It was no surprise that she looked as tired as she felt. The woman staring back at her was no longer daydreaming about what went on inside this fancy house. The Norden house and court were hers. No matter her current grief, she welcomed the responsibility of being Norden Point.

If initially reluctant, her strides with the other Compass Points proved she was right for the position. Her perspective was good for them, and she was coming to rely on the relationships she developed with the other court leaders. As she’d said to the elders, she had already learned much from Juliette and had no doubt she’d learn more. And though many underestimated Carter’s strength, she valued the calm reassurance and quiet challenge he offered.

Ready for bed, she slipped under the blankets. She doubted she’d be awake when Harriet returned with the food. It was her first night on a mattress since Sandrin—with Luc. The now familiar pang in her chest, that space shaped for Luc’s magic, threatened to make itself known. With it, the fears and worries she wasn’t ready to confront.

If only she had as much confidence in herself as Luc did. She pulled the covers tightly around her shoulders, reminding herself that she would get Luc back—end of story. She must have convinced her body as well as her mind because she was asleep as soon as she nestled into the pillows.

“Forgive me, Rose. I know you’ll come for me.”

Rose fell to her knees, mouth open to scream, but no sound came out. The familiar ache in her chest throbbed, demanding her attention. She rocked forward, collapsing into herself as fear, heartbreak, and anger struggled for dominance.

Her chest pulsed.

No, not her chest. The heart of her magic.

Part of her knew she still slept, but another part pushed away the messy emotions and focused on her internal lake of power. She followed the familiar wind, this time a gentle breeze across her lake, deep in the center of her magic.

For all her emotional turmoil, this was a place of peace. The waters didn’t ripple with her changing moods, and the wind didn’t rage, threatening the trees along the shore. It was a place of stillness—one she desperately needed.

Rose knew the other Compass Points didn’t begrudge her grief, but they also needed her to push them forward. Carter wouldn’t have shared his shifted form, and neither would have shared their knowledge about the Lady of the Veil without her prodding. They were making progress. She wouldn’t leave them to be consumed by grief now.

She had worked too hard, and they had too much left to do. Not just saving Luc and the continent but also shaping the future she desperately wanted.

Rose stood at the lake’s edge. Dreaming or awake, her magic thrummed in her chest. She was so close to that place where Luc’s magic should be. Her gaze searched the water’s depths again for the familiar tunnel that led to Luc’s power. This was the place—the ache she constantly felt. Unsurprisingly, there was no dark pit at the bottom of her lake now.

She let out a breath. Had she expected one?

She sat down on the shore, her fingers digging into the sand. Rolling up her leggings, she dipped her bare toes into the water. Simply touching it enhanced the feeling of peace in this place. Ripples cast out from where her foot broke the surface.

It felt good. She let her head fall back as she dipped the other foot in. The hum of her magic pumped through her body as naturally as blood.

The water called to her. Placing her feet in it wasn’t enough. It was a siren song she couldn’t and wouldn’t ignore. Before realizing what she was doing, she stood and dove in. Every inch of this place was hers. Nothing could stop her.

Easy strokes led her to the center of the lake. She couldn’t keep her gaze from dropping to the lakebed below—a final check for the connection to Luc’s magic. No dark shadow was waiting there, but she found herself diving below the surface anyway—just in case.

Her water magic granted the ability to breathe underwater. She could stay below as long as she desired. Diving to the bottom, her gaze raked the earthen crater base.

What was she looking for?

The water rocked with her body’s disturbance of it. The sand on the lakebed shifted with her waves. Her gaze locked on a dark streak that emerged through the dirt.

She dove deeper so her hand could brush over the streak. It was smooth and solid, like a diamond pressed under hundreds of years of pressure. It hadn’t been here before. She was sure of that.

Intrigued now, she created more waves with her magic and brushed the sand back to further uncover more of the new material. This had to mean something. She pushed her water magic further, removing the sand from the lakebed, fully revealing what was beneath it. The pattern of black fissures spread out in spider-like webs across the entire lake floor.

Whatever this was, it was new, and she refused to discount the fact that it was right where Luc’s magic should be.

Her fingers stretched to trace another streak of the material. It was hard and unyielding, unlike the wet dirt she could usually sink her toes into. The way the material cut across the floor was like a work of art. It was all jagged edges and strong lines, much like the image of Luc’s uncompromising cheekbones or the arch of his brow when she amused him.

Now, she was just seeing what she wanted to see.

Rose swam a bit higher, leaving the material uncovered so she could see the entire pattern from a single vantage point. It was so much a part of the lakebed that Rose wasn’t surprised she hadn’t noticed it from the surface. More lines branched out than she’d initially realized. This new solid material was wholly interwoven with her lake.

She dove back down, her hand reaching again to touch whatever it was. It may have been new, but it didn’t feel unknown. It felt distinctly a part of her, like the lake itself. Examining the material, she would swear it was a smooth black…stone. It brought forth an image of the onyx gemstone in the Suden ring.

“I know you’ll come for me.”

Her breath caught. Her head swung around, searching for the voice she would know anywhere.

She pushed the water from her face with her magic so she could speak. “Luc?” She ran a hand through her hair as it fanned behind her in the water. Maybe she was losing it. Was Luc talking to her? She needed more rest.

Wasn’t she asleep now?

Nothing made sense.

“You’ll come for me.” The voice echoed again, shortening its refrain.

“You’re right. I’ll come for you, Luc. And we will have words when I get there,” she couldn’t help but reply.

His soft chuckle was a physical sensation as it ran along her skin. Gooseflesh pebbled where the words caressed her. Even under the water, she felt it—felt him. She loved and loathed the sound all at once.

How dare he laugh at her—if it was even him. Was it perhaps her mind’s conjuring of him?

The fact remained that no matter how much she claimed to understand his decision, his choice still gnawed at her. Why hadn’t he said something about his plan? Did he know he could cut a hole through realms? Or had it all been a guess?

Luc didn’t do much without careful consideration. He might not have known he could do it, but he must have suspected. And he hadn’t told her.

She shook her head again.

“It had to be done, but I’ll spend the rest of our existence making it up to you.” As her finger caressed the smooth black stone again, a tendril of something wrapped around it.

“That’s a start,” she said for the first time, not feeling foolish. The tendril of magic worked its way up her hand, her arm. She would know this feeling anywhere. She’d become so familiar with it before Luc had thrown himself and his magic into another realm.

His confidence in her might be so absolute as to know she could cross realms to bring him back, but if she had a chance to evaluate the risk, to know what he was thinking… She might not have bet on it as he did—not when the cost could be his life.

“I’ll always bet on you,” the voice said as if reading her very thoughts.

“You left me,” she whispered.

The tendril inching its way up her arm halted. She had its attention. She’d come to rely on his power’s presence like she did her own magic. Then, he’d unceremoniously severed what they’d built when he went beyond the veil.

“Our connection spans realms. You know that.”

Did she? The tendril retreated. The black stone—the rock floor itself—seemed to stretch upward—elongating in impossible ways. A shape pushed up from the lakebed like a hand desperately reaching for her but unable to break through.

“Acknowledge it, Rose. Let me make it up to you.”

Her finger itched to touch the material as it moved. The shape stretched like a finger pointing, a mirror of her own action. Its cool, smooth surface connected with her flesh. That presence—that heavy, insistent magic—wrapped around her skin, her hand, her arm. It moved much quicker this time, as if afraid she’d stop it.

She wouldn’t.

Its caress was more a presence than the chuckle that had danced across her skin. His magic had a weight all its own, one she was intimately familiar with. She needed to smell it—to prove to her mind what her body already knew. A deep inhale in the space she’d created with her magic brought the familiar pine and cinnamon to her nose, the strongest she had scented since the cavern. Her nostrils flared at the smell she thought she’d lost. She choked back a sob as a tendril of magic—his magic—circled her body.

“But…the end of the battle… You’re gone… The connection was gone.” She couldn’t string a complete sentence together with his magic on her skin.

“Let me in.” His magic teased every one of her senses, alighting her power in a way she hadn’t felt since they fought side by side under Mount Bury.

“How is this possible?” Whatever this was, she would wring it for every moment of Luc she could.

“You know how. You need only to accept what you’ve already worked out.”

His magic—and it was his magic. She couldn’t mistake it as it wrapped tighter around her, cocooning her in its presence. It held her steady and kept her safe as she let herself fall apart and pulled herself back together.

Time passed, but she knew she needed to return to reality. Their journey so far had only been their beginning. She knew that. They would have an entire existence together. She just needed to bring him back.

She knew how … Whatever that meant. She would follow his magic—this unique connection of theirs—back to her partner. They would save the continent together and have the existence they deserved. The Lady of the Veil couldn’t keep her away. She nodded to herself. The tendril retreated across her skin, releasing her as if knowing she was ready to leave.

Her fingers stretched, rethinking her decision to let Luc’s magic go. She threw herself forward, wanting to hold onto the connection—whatever it was. Her body flailed, and her eyes snapped open to find herself sitting in bed at Norden house.