Chapter 6

CHAPTER SIX

“ T hat went as well as could be expected,” Luc said as he opened the door to Suden house that evening.

The Compass Points agreed to leave with them. They would follow Aurora’s magic compass to find where Aterra and Aiden had fled. Carter and Juliette needed time to settle things at their courts, which Rose and Luc also required. Rose couldn’t think of another occurrence when all four fae leaders had left Compass Lake together.

“You’re right,” Rose said, leaning into Luc as he wrapped an arm around her shoulder. “I just wish there weren’t so many unknowns.”

“Any bothering you in particular?” he asked.

“I think, more than anything, I’m worried about what we will do when we find them.” Rose shrugged. “I believe the compass will lead us to Aterra. From how often we saw Aterra with Aiden in the few days here, I assume they will be together. I know the others said our magic would know what to do, but I can’t help but worry about how that will work.”

“ For what it’s worth, they’re right, ” Arie said as he flew in the door before Luc closed it, landing on Rose’s shoulder. He spoke to both of them. “We gave the fae leaders the tools, but the execution—you will need to figure that out together.”

“Well, that’s something,” Rose said.

“The Compass Points containing a rogue god was Zrak’s idea. He said the fae leaders’ magic would unite when the time came. I think the time is here—so you should try to test your magic together while you travel.” The bird’s head swiveled.

“That is not very helpful,” Rose replied, and Luc squeezed her shoulder as they headed up the stairs.

“ Speaking of which…” Arie started.

“Speaking of you not being helpful?” Rose asked playfully. Arie flicked his wing at her.

“ Yes, but you should be more respectful toward me. I’m a god.”

Rose rolled her eyes.

“I’m not coming with you,” Arie said.

Rose stopped in her tracks on her way up the steps. “What?”

“ I’m not coming with you,” Arie repeated, apparently taking her question literally.

“Why?”

“I need to find out how Zrak is controlling the mist. I don’t even know where he is.” Arie ruffled his feathers. He looked uncomfortable. “It didn’t even occur to me to look for him.”

He sounded almost ashamed. She didn’t know much about the gods’ relationships, but she couldn’t imagine it was easy to lose someone you’d existed with since the beginning. “Were you and Zrak close?” she asked.

“We were, ” Arie said. “I was devastated when he was chosen. I’m sorry to say that losing him made me selfish. It’s hard to learn your time may not be as infinite as you thought.”

That was understandable. Losing someone tended to make the living reflect on their mortality. It must be even stranger for a god who thought mortality wasn’t something they’d ever face.

“Now that I know he can connect to the continent somehow, I have to try to find him,” Arie said with finality.

It sounded like Arie was carrying some guilt about not realizing this sooner. Rose knew the story of Zrak’s sacrifice as well as the next fae. The compass had chosen, and there wasn’t anything Arie could have done. Arie was her family, and she wanted him with them to confront Aterra, but she knew he wasn’t required. “I get it,” she said.

“When will you leave?” Luc asked.

“ I’ll leave tonight, but I wonder if I can borrow you, Rose, for a little bit before I do?” He turned his head to look between the two of them.

“Yeah, of course, Arie,” Rose said. “What do you want to do?”

“You two chat,” Luc said, heading to the library. “I’ll talk to Aaron about anything he needs in my absence.”

Arie’s voice took on a mischievous tone as he spoke. “ What do you say to some light breaking and entering?”

The days were at their longest, but they waited for the sun to set completely before Arie judged it was time to go. They left the comfort of Suden house, and Rose walked toward the property’s western edge. Arie remained in his bird form, sitting on her shoulder, telling her each direction seconds before she needed it.

Luc wasn’t with them, but she could feel his power as they walked the property. It trailed them like a secret guard, ready to launch into action should she require it. Rose let it follow them. Luc was likely protective in general over Suden property. His power trailing them was how she knew the moment they approached the edge of his domain. Its potency waned as they stepped toward the property line.

“Arie,” she whispered.

“ Keep going, Rose.”

“Arie,” she tried again. “I’m Norden Point now. I can’t just let myself on to other Compass Point’s properties.”

“ It wouldn’t be breaking and entering if it was somewhere you’re allowed to be.”

She shook her head, knowing she would regret this decision. As she stepped over the threshold from Suden to Vesten property, she gave a slight wave to Luc’s magic. It was silly, but she knew it wouldn’t follow them onto Vesten land.

A new feeling took over as she entered Carter’s property. Now that she knew, Rose wasn’t sure how she’d missed Arie’s connection to Vesten magic. The property felt like him. It smelled like the forest floor, trees, and grass. The scent she’d associated with Arie the first night she’d met him. Rose hadn’t witnessed Carter’s magic yet, but she was sure she’d find familiarity in it too.

“What are we doing here?” she asked, hoping he’d answer her this time.

“I want to give you what help I can. There’s something here that we need to collect so you can take it with you.”

Rose didn’t like the sound of that. “I am not breaking into Vesten house,” Rose said flatly. “That would be seen as an act of aggression.”

“ Give me some credit. We’re going to the Burning Garden at the back of the property.”

Her shoulders sagged in relief, be it ever so slight. An uninvited walk in the garden was less concerning than letting themselves into the house. Her only question now was what they’d be leaving the garden with.

“We’ll want to stop by the shed to grab a shovel.”

She couldn’t stop her eye-roll.

Fires were still blazing in the Burning Garden as she let herself in. Arie flew next to her, landing on various benches and bushes as she moved. Her shoulder was now occupied by the shovel he’d made her grab.

The garden was a thing of beauty, one she had never seen up close, even as a child. Flames danced atop columns every few feet. Greenery ran wild, around and between them. The garden was rumored only to bloom flowers resembling fire—an homage to the Vesten’s element. Rose tracked the scene: the garden in full bloom, the reds, oranges, and even deep yellow flowers everywhere. It was a lovely tribute to Vesten magic.

“ Over here, Rose,” Arie called to her from his perch under a large tree with a long drapery of leaves. She parted the wispy branches like a curtain and walked into a shaded area.

“What now?” she asked, searching the cove. Arie sat on a low branch.

“ Start digging,” he said, gesturing with his wing to a spot next to the trunk.

Rose looked up as if to curse the gods but realized the one she wanted to curse was, in fact, right in front of her. “Are you going to help?” she asked.

Arie flapped his wings, affronted. “ I am helping.”

“How?” she asked. “You could at least change shape into something with paws.”

Arie chuckled. “ I’m here in more of a supervisory role.”

“This had better be worth it,” she growled as she hefted the shovel off her shoulder and started to dig.

“The real gift is spending time with me before I leave,” Arie chattered at her as she worked.

“You better hope that’s not all that’s here, or I might take a swing at you with this.” She waved the shovel at him. Her next scoop brought a solid clang as she hit something hard.

“Here we go,” Arie preened.

“What is it?” She bent down to unearth a small metal box. Flipping open the lid, she saw a gold coin on deep green pillowed cushioning. “I think we have enough coin for our journey,” Rose said sarcastically, picking up the piece of gold. It was surprisingly warm to the touch.

She was about to demand more information from Arie when she heard a rustling of branches on the edge of the garden. Her shoulders tensed as she searched the perimeter for an intruder or, worse, the Vesten Point, but saw nothing.

“ Let’s get going, Rose. We’ve lingered too long.”

Nodding, Rose pocketed the coin and tried to remove evidence of their activity. “He’s definitely going to know we were here,” Rose said.

“That’s not really my problem, is it? You’re a Compass Point now, Rose. You’ll have to think on your feet when he confronts you tomorrow.”

Rose scowled.

“I already have second-hand embarrassment just thinking about your response. It’s good you have the night to come up with something.”

She couldn’t help her gaze lingering on the bushes as they left the garden. She swore a yellow-green glint flashed in them as she turned to walk back to the safety of Suden house.

“So, this is your artifact? The Burning Coin, right?” She’d put it together as they left. She couldn’t sense Vesten magic from it, but she could feel its heat. Rose had been on edge thinking about what she carried the entire walk back.

“Do you want me to give it to Carter?”

“ I want you to study the Vesten magic.”

Not for the first time, Rose wondered what Arie was up to. “Do you know what you’re doing? Not giving this to him will be a major slight, and with you gone, he’ll take it out on me.” Rose had grown used to trusting the shifter god. But she couldn’t even feel the Vesten magic in this—how could she study it? She said as much and added, “I want to unite the Compass Points, not further sow distrust among us.”

“ Of course I know what I’m doing. I’m a god. And you’ll feel the Vesten power in the coin once you start to understand it.”

“That’s circular logic, Arie.”

“You’re already making progress.” He chuckled.

Rose sighed. It was too late to put it back. She’d have to play it by ear with Carter.

“I think you’ll need to know all of the elements to succeed.”

She tried to process what that meant. She guessed it tied back to the Compass Points’ powers working together. Her weapons-making magic and her dual elements left her uniquely positioned to help with this. She sensed and understood more magic than most.

“This coin is the best representation of the Vesten power I have. Once you understand it, you can give it to Carter.”

“You intend for me to give it to him eventually? That won’t be awkward at all…” Rose thought about the yellow-green glint in the bushes. She feared the Vesten Point would have a lot of questions for her in the morning.

“ Of course I want you to give it to him. It amplifies his power. I’m sure he’ll need it. But only when you’re ready.” Arie paused uncharacteristically. “I have a favor to ask before you give it back.”

She couldn’t help but tense at his words—what else would he ask of her?

“I want you to use the coin as a source to make him a weapon on your journey.”

Rose turned her head to stare at the bird on her shoulder. “Is that an official request from a god?” she asked, putting her hands on her hips.

“ No, Rose. It’s a request from a friend—one who has your best interests in mind. I think you’ll need to make weapons for all the Compass Points before this is through, but I leave that up to you. I just wanted you to have the means to evaluate the Vesten magic without being at Compass Lake.” He gestured to the coin in her hand. “This should do it.”

“Fine,” she said, feeling its heat in her fingertips. She’d already come to the same conclusion as Arie. Each of the Compass Points would need one of her weapons, but he didn’t need to know that. She might have told him if he’d explained his plan before making them steal onto Vesten property. “I’ll do what I must to give us our best chance of success.”

“Good job pretending you didn’t intend to make him a weapon anyway,” Arie said, spreading his wings.

Rose hmphed. He knew her too well.

“ Now, I do hate to run, but I hate goodbyes more. I’ll see you soon, Rose. Be careful.”

He didn’t give her a chance to respond before he flew off through the trees.