Chapter 18

Iwalked across the roof of the palace as stealthily as was possible while wearing a tight silk nightgown, trying to avoid the jagged edges of the tiles. I still managed to stub my toe though, and, cursing quietly, wondered why anyone would think this shitty stone was suitable for a roof. It was probably to deter idiots like me sneaking around. And idiot I was – my damn toe was now bleeding all over the wretched tiles.

I had awoken from the vision in the early hours of the morning. I’d spent twenty minutes unsuccessfully willing myself back to sleep, already drained from the day, but then decided an old school spying trip was more productive than letting my thoughts run wild in the comfort of my own bed.

The new moon provided a small level of discretion, the lack of lighting allowing me to not-so-gracefully fumble across the roof to track Xylan’s presence while avoiding the guards stationed below. I sent a blessing to the Goddess Wystia for the phase of the moon before catching myself. Considering the new revelations from the most recent vision, I was unsure what I should call her. Goddess? Queen? Or maybe great-great-great grandmother? I had no idea how many ‘greats’ there should be as I didn’t know how many years it’d been since that Royal Forum. I’d guess it had to be under the two hundred and twenty-five-year mark, as I had never heard of a sighting of the Svaxlyn? Was that even the name?

But knowing the age of the training program in the Isles, the maths didn’t add up to that. It had to be longer than that. I really needed to get closer to Qynthia and start getting answers from the Nyarelle archives. My mounting pile of questions was becoming overwhelming.

But that wasn’t a problem for tonight. Tonight, I wanted to find out more about the king I had shared an unforgettable lip-locking session with.

I stopped directly above the window to Xylan’s room. It had felt as easy as breathing to track him down, but the overwhelming pull to him was clouding my judgement. I battled the urge to enter the room and entwine myself with him again. That wasn’t a good idea.

It took a minute to get myself under control, and once I had I recognised a second presence in his room, pacing up and down in agitation. I could sense Xylan was sprawled out on his bed, his body unmoving and relaxed. That other presence better not be a woman, or I swear to the Goddess –

I cut myself off. I don’t have a right to be jealous. I released a frustrated breath, closed my eyes in concentration and willed my mind into stillness, allowing my sharp hearing to take over.

‘You did what?’ A woman’s voice shrieked in disbelief. Orlandia. Relief flooded me. The woman was his twin. Not a potential liaison.

‘In my defence, I didn’t do anything. She made the first move. I just … didn’t stop her,’ Xylan replied smugly.

‘Seriously? Day one, Xy. Day one and you’ve already crumbled. I know we agreed we needed to build a strong relationship with her, but planting your lips on her the first opportunity you have? Come on. She’s a married woman. And now she’s not talking to either of us,’ she said. Oh. She was reprimanding him.

‘Oh, and you think it was helpful when you questioned her loyalty to the man she’s married to? Come on Orla, you know better than that,’ he answered.

I sensed her body wince as she stopped pacing. ‘In truth, it wasn’t the best tactic.’

‘No shit,’ he retorted, sitting up straight. ‘She’s a physical mage. You know what they’re like. They don’t communicate like we do. Only with people they explicitly trust. And us? She doesn’t trust us as far as she can throw us. We’re royals from another Dom. She was raised as a Salistyan. You think a few years on the Isles and here in Arlom are going to override that appalling upbringing? You’re a fool if you thought you would get the answers out of her by simply asking. But her body? A physical mages body doesn’t lie. That’s where you find the truth of her feelings. And I did.’

My breath hitched, an overwhelming feeling of hurt flooding my body. He knows I’m a physical mage and he manipulated me with it? Lured me into that kiss to gain information on where my loyalties lie? To see if I would crumble into a heap at his feet?

No, I realised, I’m not just hurt. I’m furious. It took everything in me to hold my magic at bay. To stop the fire that desperately wanted to escape, the water that wanted to pour from the sky, the earthquake that wanted to start in a split second, the tornado that longed to rival any that had come before.

‘What was that? Did you feel it?’ said Orlandia.

I froze, my heart accelerated, awaiting his reply.

‘It felt like her. But what would elicit anger like that? At this time of night? Unless …’ His words died off as I sensed him jump to his feet. ‘Please tell me you shielded this room before you came in?’

‘Come on, Xy, it’s not amateur hour here. It was shielded before I even stepped in the room,’ she scoffed.

He released a sigh, sitting back onto the bed. ‘Good. Maybe I’m freaking out over nothing. This connection is overwhelming my senses, more than I’d prepared for. I’m trying to fight the pull but … Merlot, give me strength. It’s difficult. Give me a day of gruelling sessions in the ruins over this any day of the week.’ I felt a caress on my mind as he talked, the one I’d experienced at the Temple. I closed the barrier in my mind, blocking the entrance to stop the humming on my neck. Now was not the time or place for my mind to be taken over.

‘You need to fight it. If you don’t, there’s no saying if we will get the result we want. You need to be honest as early as possible to gain her trust. You trained your whole life for this, Xy. This isn’t just about Marlyst anymore, it’s about Fyriane. We can’t risk you royally fucking it up so early in the game,’ Orlandia warned.

I don’t know why I’m so disappointed. I should’ve known. They may be fun to hang around with, but they were never going to be my friends. They’re royals, after all. Every one of them had their own damn agenda.

‘Easier said than done,’ he muttered, so low I had to focus to hear it. ‘I can’t wait for the day you experience this. And on that day – mark my words – I’ll be merciless when I remind you how you once told me to simply ‘fight it’. No one can fight fate, Orla. Not even me.’ His laugh sounded miserable.

‘Not even for your Kingdom? For Fyriane?’

Xylan’s body stilled. ‘I would do anything for my people.’

‘Then we need her on side. And then you can get what you want. Until then? Keep your hands to yourself. It’s not just the husband you need to be worried about. I have my eye on the lover too.’

My face heated, furious. How dare they talk about me like this. As though I was a prize to be won over.

‘That guy is a possessive piece of shit. I fucking hate the way he looks at her,’ Xylan responded, revulsion thick in his voice.

‘And he loathes the way you look at her. But she cares about him, so don’t do anything rash. Pull yourself together. Don’t turn into a jealous asshole like Father. You’re better than that.’

With those parting words, I heard Orlandia leave the room.

I left too, teleporting to the Isles. Making it a step outside of the Temple, I unleashed a storm over the Isles that continued until dawn.