Chapter 4

CHAPTER FOUR

P ower flooded through Rose as she stepped out of the boat and onto Norden soil. The lake water lapped at her feet, her element rising to reach her on the beach. The land accepted her as the Norden Point. It was time to see if everyone else would too.

Three Norden gathered on the property. Her gaze skimmed each of them, eyes wanting to widen in surprise at the last fae in the line of elders. Schooling her features, she stepped forward to greet them. “Meg, Catherine… Samuel.” She nodded to each.

Samuel was the elder responsible for testing Norden magic. He knew she should have been named the future Norden Point on that terrible day. Where had he been? Why was he here now?

Meg and Catherine—long-standing advisors to the Norden Point—returned her gesture. Rose glanced at Juliette, the Osten Point, and Carter, the Vesten, also on the beach. Her gaze lifted to the hill before them, on which Norden house sat. Dozens of Norden had gathered to watch the proceeding. This should help her case. Her water magic display likely delighted these same Norden at the Solstice Ball. And they would have also seen her step in at the Refilling Ceremony when Aiden couldn’t complete it.

She was glad this would happen with an audience—less chance for the elders to weasel out of any accountability for letting the incorrect Norden Point sit for ten years. The fae courts had kept too much hidden for too long. With Samuel there, though, she had some questions that not everyone needed to hear.

As if anticipating her concern, Juliette spoke. “I’m going to give us a little privacy here to start.” The Osten Point’s fingers twitched, and Rose sensed wind magic whipping around them. “A sound barrier,” she said. “I know this is inherently a Norden discussion, but as Compass Points, we’ve never experienced anything like this before.” Juliette leveled her gaze at the elders. “Rose could complete the Refilling Ceremony, and Aiden, the seated Norden Point, could not. We can’t continue to operate under the assumption that Aiden is the Norden Point. And the Compass Points cannot be incomplete, especially with the looming presence of the mist plague.” Juliette gave Carter and Luc a moment to voice their own concerns. Instead, both simply nodded at her statement, a show of their support.

Rose wasn’t sure what she expected, but the remaining Compass Points being united in this was a good start.

Murmurs ran through the crowd. They must have realized the conversation had started on the beach, and they couldn’t hear it. Rose wouldn’t push Juliette now, but neither would she have this entire conversation in secrecy. She felt strongly that the Norden fae needed to know more than just the outcome.

“The Compass Points believe that Rose is the true Norden Point. We would see her take the seat.” Juliette’s voice carried across the metaphorical line that had been drawn in the sand. The Norden elders on one side and the Compass Points on the other. Her eyes narrowed as she said, “It’s time to fix this.”

Rose inwardly cringed. The Norden elders would not want to admit there was something to fix. Rose was still missing a lot of information, but there was little doubt in her mind that the elders knew Aiden was not the correct Norden Point. There were too many signs. The checks and balances in the Norden Point test would have caught such a scheme. At the very least, Samuel knew she had passed the test. And only one Norden per generation passes. She didn’t know his angle—willful ignorance or something more malicious. She wasn’t sure she cared.

Rose would become Norden Point.

“Thank you, Juliette.” Rose spread her arms to the elders. “As the Compass Points say, Aiden has proven unable to fulfill the duties of the Norden Point. I was.”

“It’s not that simple,” Meg replied.

“Why not?” Carter asked, his head tilting.

“Aiden passed the test.” Meg gestured at Rose. “She did not.”

Rose didn’t miss the sharp dart of her gaze to Samuel and Catherine. Rose had seen enough. She wasn’t buying this. Her gaze met Samuel’s.

A weight fell on her shoulder as Arie, in his raven form, landed. The small knot in her chest uncoiled at his presence. She wasn’t sure what those on the beach had put together about him. Right now, it didn’t matter. Right now, he was her best friend—not the Vesten god. And he was offering his silent support.

With Arie’s light press on her shoulder and Luc’s hand slipping to the small of her back, Rose knew she was different from the girl who’d fled here ten years ago. She was not facing this alone.

“I did pass.”

The elders met her words with silence. Samuel’s gaze lingered on the Suden Point’s hand as it casually rested on her. His eyes lifted, meeting hers. She raised her chin, daring him to deny her. Daring him to call her a liar.

“She did pass,” he relented with a heavy sigh.

Catherine and Meg gave Samuel icy stares that might just freeze Compass Lake. The anger in their eyes told Rose everything she needed to know. They were complicit. She wouldn’t waste words trying to explain her tragedy to them. It was clear they didn’t care.

“What’s the problem then?” Rose glared at the elders with more confidence than she felt. The scent of Luc’s magic hit her nose, and the increasingly familiar feeling of his magic wrapping around her made her stand a little straighter. The Norden land below her feet thrummed its approval, sending waves of power through her.

“Why didn’t you take the seat if that’s true?” Meg asked, feigning ignorance of what she clearly already knew.

They didn’t deserve her story, but she wouldn’t be denied because she refused to share information. Rose took a deep breath. “The day I passed—the day I should have been recognized as the next Norden Point…” Her words failed her again. Water rimmed her eyes, and she used her element to stop it from trickling into tears. Warmth flooded her, beating back the bone-chilling cold reliving this night brought her. Luc’s magic circled more tightly, wrapping her in its protective shield. Her voice was even as she continued. “My family was murdered. My home destroyed. The false Norden Point tried to kill me. He thought he’d succeeded until a few days ago.”

If she’d been expecting a sympathetic glance from an elder, she would have been sorely disappointed.

“It’s been ten years,” Meg continued as if Rose hadn’t just relived trauma before her. “You may no longer have…appropriate qualifications.” Her gaze lingered on Luc’s hand where it touched Rose.

Catherine nodded in agreement. She crossed her arms over her chest and looked away from what she must consider a distasteful display of affection between a Norden and Suden. Never mind that it was between the rightful leaders of each court.

Their reaction to Luc, unfortunately, wasn’t a surprise. This scenario had been her biggest fear in acknowledging her feelings for him. The mixing of fae courts was…frowned upon. But Rose had decided they would face this together, as they had plenty of deadlier trials in the short time since they’d met. She wouldn’t let the elders dictate who she could be with based on outdated beliefs.

If pure lines from a single fae court were supposed to be the most powerful, how did they explain her? How did they explain her Norden water magic and her Osten wind magic?

She wasn’t ready to bring that secret out for all to examine. It was unclear how she had both lines, but that wasn’t the point. She was still strong enough to hold the Norden seat. And she had still been taught to hide the duality of her magic because of prejudices like the elders’.

“I guess it wasn’t all an act,” Juliette said, breaking the silence. Her gaze roamed between Luc and Rose for confirmation of the elders’ unspoken accusation. Rose wasn’t sure if she was thankful or angry at the conversation being brought to a head.

“I’m not sure that’s anyone’s business but ours,” Luc stated coldly. His jaw clenched, and his magic gave Rose a reassuring squeeze. Meg inadvertently stepped back when his eyes locked on hers. The ground didn’t shake, but the thick heft of his magic was potent around them all now.

An inappropriate laugh bubbled up as she considered the deadly glare he gave those around him and the warm embrace in which his magic held her. To Rose, Luc just appeared to be working hard to stop that dangerous red glint from overtaking his irises. But this was the Suden Point they all feared—yet she was cocooned safely in his power. She wouldn’t have it any other way.

“How much longer before he really gets angry?” Arie asked into her mind, noting her attention. She couldn’t respond to him now, but a small smile crossed her face as she figured another two minutes max— then his eyes would flash red, and they’d be in for a fun display.

“It’s most certainly our business,” Catherine replied when she realized Meg wouldn’t continue. “The Norden Point must focus on what is right for their court. They must protect the ways of the Norden. They cannot have uncertain loyalties.”

This was a more interesting argument, at least, Rose thought.

“Is that an official part of the test?” Luc pried, a smirk tilting up the corner of his lip.

Catherine’s spine straightened at the challenge. She eyed Luc with more than a little pride. He had trapped her into having to answer in front of the other Compass Points. No matter what she shared, the group included representatives from each fae court. He ensured Catherine was doing more damage, revealing the ways of the Norden ritual with other fae courts, than Rose ever had.

“It is technically accounted for in the second part of the test,” Samuel said, stepping back in.

“And you say Rose already passed the test,” Luc pressed.

“Yes.” Samuel had, interestingly enough, joined team Rose. She wasn’t sure what to make of that.

How had Samuel let Aiden claim to have passed the test? It was a surprise to see him today, because she thought him dead. She assumed him to be a casualty of Aiden’s deadly ambition. Or was it Aterra’s? Not knowing who controlled Aiden’s actions still stung.

“It’s complicated, Rose, but I do owe you an answer,” Samuel said, as if able to see the questions cross her face. “I don’t ask forgiveness for my actions but seek to explain them.” He paused. “Maybe to give you a warning to not repeat my mistakes.”

Meg’s lips pursed, and Catherine rolled her eyes as if she knew that Samuel’s explanation would ruin any chances they had to contest Rose’s claim.

Rose crossed her arms over her chest and waited for him to continue.

“Aiden did take the test, like all Norden. Though I can’t quite see it, I am sure his power was mediocre. At least, that was my expectation of him, having seen his magic as a child.”

“What do you mean you can’t see it?” Rose couldn’t help herself. The elder had piqued her interest already. She didn’t miss the other Compass Points leaning forward too, listening intently to his story.

“There is a shadow over those specific memories,” Samuel said. “A fog that obscures what actually happened and leaves me with a result that, until recently, I believed.”

“Explain,” she said. “And do it quickly.” Luc nodded as he continued to tamp down his power.

“I’m trying, Rose.” Her name was like a plea as he twisted his hands together, considering his next words. “Are you familiar with Aterra’s artifact?”

Her eyes widened, unable to mask her surprise. This was taking a turn. “What?” Rose asked.

She glanced at Luc, feeling his magic flare. He’d lost his internal struggle, and his eyes flashed red at the elder’s words. A smile curled her lip at the accuracy of her guess on how long he’d hold it in.

“Each of the gods left an artifact for their court. A second gift, along with the elemental magic they granted,” Samuel said.

Rose sensed the dagger she had hidden in her boot. She had hoped she wouldn’t need to use it to claim her seat. Her actions at the Refilling Ceremony should have been proof enough. She shrugged. Her words were casual as she replied, “Yes, I’m aware.”

“The Norden have never understood the other fae court’s artifacts. However, there were enough rumors, especially at the creation of the courts, about the power of Aterra’s ring,” Samuel added. His tone was dry, giving no indication he knew his words made Rose’s heart race.

Her body went rigid as she waited for more information. The steady weight of Luc’s hand found itself on her lower back again.

“It was said to be shaped like a mountain, with an onyx gem placed inside the triangle peak.” Rose let her eyes close for just a moment as she pictured where she’d seen that exact ring before. Samuel continued. “The bigger danger is the needle said to snap out of the tip, on the Suden Point’s command.”

A memory flashed to the fore of her thoughts: The Solstice Ball. Aiden stabbing Luc with his ring.

“We think that if the needle point pierces the skin, it can produce the rumored mind shadow of the Suden.” Samuel paused, studying Rose’s features. “I see you might already be familiar with the artifact and the power.”

Rose stilled. She wouldn’t betray Luc’s secret—that he wielded mind shadow—but admitting Aiden was wearing the ring didn’t seem risky. That was where this conversation had to be going. She nodded. She felt Carter and Juliette’s eyes on her as she continued to stare at the Norden elder.

“I won’t belabor the details of the power, but my memories of Aiden’s test were taken and replaced with those of him passing,” Samuel concluded.

Mind shadow was known to cover memories, and she knew from Luc it could also share them. But she hadn’t realized it could replace memories with new ones. She must have said as much aloud.

“The memory replacement isn’t clean. It’s fuzzy for me. I can tell the memory has been tampered with, but it’s enough to force the change the wielder wants, especially in the moment. I believe I was struck with the needle when Aiden wanted me to declare him the future Norden Point. In that moment, I sensed he had passed the test. It wasn’t until later that I realized it might not be true.”

“But you still remember that I passed?” Rose asked.

“Yes, he either wasn’t able or didn’t think to remove that memory.” The elder shrugged. “Maybe he didn’t think it would matter since he assumed you dead.”

It made sense. But Rose was no longer thinking about what Aiden and Aterra had done to the Norden elder. She was more focused on what Aterra had been trying to accomplish when he stabbed Luc with the needle a few days ago. It was meant for her. What memories had he been trying to replace? And what would it have done to Luc if Arie hadn’t been there to help?

“I appreciate the information,” Rose said. She wouldn’t thank him. He said the memory was fuzzy, which meant, at some point, he knew it was wrong. Yet he still did nothing about it until she made her claim known. He may have helped her move things along with the elders today. He may even be trying to do the right thing now by sharing this information, but she couldn’t so easily forgive that he’d let an imposter sit as Norden Point for ten years. The damage was done—to her, her family, and the continent.

She reined in her thoughts as she again registered the Norden fae on the hill before her—her court. She turned to Juliette. “Let it down.”

The sound barrier around them fell as Rose spoke. “I won’t entertain accusations that I am unfit due to my relationship with the Suden Point.” She stood taller as the power flooded her again, the land acknowledging the right of her words, her right to speak before the Norden. She flexed and stretched her fingers, her water magic rippling through her.

She didn’t need it, but given the elders’ fascination with the godly artifacts, she wanted to use it now. She pulled Aurora’s dagger from her boot. It would be another item she carried with her always, just like her compass. “I have claimed Aurora’s dagger. I offer it as further proof that I’m the rightful Norden Point. I passed our test, as Elder Samuel can confirm.”

Samuel nodded, and the crowd began to murmur, finally hearing the words discussed before them.

Meg and Catherine started to interrupt, realizing they’d lost control. Rose spoke over them. “I don’t care about the reasons the elders left this secret buried.” She glanced at the elders as she said, “I’m sure you even thought you were doing what was best for the Norden court. The problem is those assumptions were wrong. The power to deny my claim is no longer yours.”

Her focus returned to the fae on the hill. “The mist plague is here because of the imbalance on the continent.” Juliette and Carter moved closer to Rose and Luc as she ramped up her speech. The Compass Points stood together, uncoerced for the first time in Rose’s existence. “We must maintain our own balance to counteract any selfish acts of the gods. The Compass Points, with Aiden, were incapable. With me as Norden Point, we stand a chance.”

Rose held out Aurora’s dagger again. “I have claimed our goddess’s blessing to the first Norden Point. Only one that can claim the position can wield the weapon. I accept the responsibility to find and bring Aiden to justice and will not do it alone.” She glanced at the other Compass Points beside her. “I claim my place as the rightful Norden Point.” Rose held out her arms again, in a final challenge, and her magic surged, a wall of water erupting in the lake behind her.

The murmurs on the hill shifted to cheers at Rose’s display of power.

“You can’t just do this,” Catherine hissed.

“I can, and I have. Now, if you’ll excuse me. The Compass Points and I have some work to do. We have to rid the continent of a plague.”

No one stopped her as she walked up the hill and into Norden house.