Crown of Ellova, Vol. 1 (Crown of Ellova Duology)

Chapter 19

CHAPTER 19

T he view is incredible. No matter how many times I’ve stood here, it never fails to amaze me. The mountaintop overlooks the lush Merawood Forest that starts the fae realm, a sea of deep green under a crystal-clear blue sky. The tallest tree towers in my backyard as a marker to my home.

Like an ink stain on parchment looms the unrelenting black iron wall hides most of Adreania. The Iron Castle stands to the left, before the Elbasan Sea. The deep green-blue waters peek out between breaks in the wall.

To the right is the border of Kalvorn. Mountains with snow-dusted peaks separate the realms.

Three kingdoms built to keep all others out.

Leon is looking at Kalvorn with an unsettled expression. “Grayden wants to go to war with them. He’s already preparing his armies. He will say it’s to seek justice for his missing father but all he truly wants is more power, to invade and steal. More lives he can reduce to ash.”

I huff a laugh. “Grayden is an atrocious excuse for a man but he doesn’t have the manpower, the support of his people, or the crown. I’d like to see him try. ”

“Do you think Ellova would intervene or fight with Kalvorn if he did try?”

I wish I could say yes. “The fae do not concern themselves with the bloody affairs of mortals. They have kept out of sight for a reason.”

On the landing is a little hiding spot Nueena, Tavien, and I sometimes visit to sneak away or stargaze; the large tan pillows we sit on are propped up against the stone walls. A small drink cart is tucked behind a large rock with crystal goblets, unopened wine bottles, and a forgotten wheel of cheese. I head to the door hidden by hanging purple flowers. He follows me but I turn back, rounding quickly on him.

“Remember your blood oath, healer. You are a guest and that is a privilege. One I can take away at any moment.”

He nods again and takes a step closer to me, sending my heart racing at his nearness. “I will be on my best behavior.”

I need to speak with Nueena before anything more happens between us. He stares at me with an intensity that makes me wish to hide from him and yet, at the same time, shove him against the violet buds and finally see what a kiss from him would taste like, feel like. He gazes as if he can see straight into me. Can he sense how fast my heart is beating?

“Um, turn around, please,” I ask, needing to break the connection.

He does so quickly and without question. I push aside the hanging flora to reveal a round wooden door. Old and cracked, no handle, just a small hollowed circle in the center. I slip off one of my bracelets and place it into the circle. It glows for a moment, recognizing the key, and cracks open. I return the gold band to my wrist and push the door open all the way.

Gratitude that I’ve finally returned and the sharp sense of coming home overwhelm me, bringing back the ache in my head, causing me to sway before strong hands wrap around my waist. Leon draws me against his broad chest before I can collapse over the threshold.

“I didn’t say you could turn around. For a healer you have poor listening skills.” There is no venom in my words. The back of my head makes a home between his neck and shoulders. I should step forward but the pressure of his hands on my waist is alluring, his chest warm against my back.

The bright sensation of being safe and treasured entices me to relax against him.

I risk the betrayal of emotions clear on my face as I turn my head and look up at him. Most of his hair is still tied up, but a few strands have come undone on the trek up the mountain, one gray lock falling in front of his distressed face.

“Apologies, my dear.” A flutter starts low in my belly at the words my dear. “When you didn’t say anything, concern got the best of me. It feels pointless to ask as I know you are not, but are you all right?” He takes his hand and presses it to my forehead. “No fever. Clear eyes. Can we stop and rest?”

“No, we need to go. Come on.” My first step is steady and I’m careful not to stumble as I walk.

Before us is a long, dark hallway straight into the mountain. I summon some light crystals. A speck of brightness appears in front of us, slowly growing in size. The white marble walls reflect the faint glow of the small ball of luminescence that bobs merrily before us.

He stares at it, so I offer some explanation. “Inside is a crystal that produces light. They can get bigger or smaller on command, or by using magic, depending on how powerful the person using them is. Not a specific magic, more of a right the fae have. You may need to ask me for assistance with running water or doors, as they run on the same magic.”

He smirks. “Far more convenient than oil lamps and candles.”

We walk in silence again before I stop abruptly, turning to him. “You can keep your name, but if anyone asks, make no mention of Adreania. You are part of the Ink Court. That is the court of healers and scholars. You are here visiting from the Eastern Library.”

He nods.

“Good.” We continue down the long tunnel. Above, a few small fae spheres of golden light join in the illumination of our path, bouncing along with us.

I will one of the lights to grow larger and brighter for Leon. It flares merrily, a chance to show off. It burns luminously before I pull the magic away from it, taking the light with me. It returns to floating above me, with the faint glow of before.

“What is Ellova like?” he asks nonchalantly, but I can hear the edge of unease to his tone. It must be terrifying for a mortal not only to learn the fae are real, but to travel to an entirely new realm, future unknown. He has had to leave his entire life behind him and now is someplace new with only me to guide him.

No explanation of my home will do it justice. The beauty of it, the kindness of those who live there, and the magic that flows freely, so all I can say is, “That is something you will need to experience yourself.”

Leon chuckles. “Helpful.”

I can tell him one thing. “Ellova is everything Adreania is not. Wealth is not hoarded like a spiteful dragon. No one in Ellova is without their most basic needs. Everyone is taken care of; no one knows of empty bellies or cruel leaders. Ellova has structures in place to help take care of others, and if they cannot take care of themselves, others will. No one is just looking out for themselves. The needs of the whole come before the wants of the individual.”

“Sounds like a dream.” He looks thoughtful at the vision I have painted for him.

We finally come to another round door and my eyes fill with tears. Home, finally home.

An identical door stands before us and I throw it open. It slams into the side of the wall, but I’m already walking towards the enormous pool of water in the center of the marble and gold room. Giant plants of all shapes, sizes, and colors grow in golden planters along the wall. Gold pillars hold up a glass dome roof, sunbeams streaming through it. One wall is made entirely of stained glass images depicting the six courts, bathing the room in a rainbow of color. The soft chimes of the alarm I have knowingly triggered can be heard from the hall .

Slipping off my dusty and sweat-filled tunic reveals a small undershirt made of a deep yellow lace. “We need to wash away our travels.”

He pulls off his filthy shirt and boots. The fluttery sensation from earlier returns and heat rises within me as I take in his shirtless form. His muscles draw my eyes, and the low vee at his hips makes my heart pound.

I turn away so he cannot see my blush, but I can sense his eyes on my body. I kick my boots off but leave on the leggings, and dive into the pool.

The clear water is cool and welcoming. The magic penetrates me; the tingling of soft healing around me soothes my bruises, the tight muscles relaxing after the agonizing ordeal that has been the past day.

I break the water as the first honeyguards arrive. Leon dives in behind me and swims to my side.

The High Court protectors, honeyguards, surround us and have arrows ready to fire, swords drawn. When they see it’s me, they all lower their weapons. A few give a wave or a shout hello as they stroll back to their post nearby. As they leave, their leader, the commander of the Ellovian armies, enters.

Commander Lillian strides over to me, her determined footsteps echoing off the ornate walls. The long sword that never leaves her side swings gently on her hips over leather pants, shining onyx epaulets reaching to sharp points. Her all-black attire stands out among the lush green of the plants surrounding us and adds to her vaguely threatening appearance. She has no color to her pale cheeks, as she would not have needed to rush here like her guards.

She’s tall and slim with long, wavy dark brown hair. Her beautiful sharp features make her striking to look at; her nose has a slight roundness to the tip below high cheekbones, her dark lips in a frown.

“I would ask you to use the main entrance or announce your arrival beforehand. I do not need the wards going off in the middle of my lunch.” There’s not much bite to her voice, though, more of a vague annoyance .

“Hello to you too,” I tease.

“This him?” she asks with a sharp nod to Leon, but doesn’t actually look at him. He looks quickly at me with a smug smile spreading on his face before dunking under the water.

“Maybe,” I say and float on my back, bobbing on the surface. I hear Nueena before I see her, the vibrations of her heels as she enters the room echoing through the stone and into the water. She kicks off her shoes and sits at the edge of the pool, her legs dipping into the water as I swim over to her. Her hair is in hundreds of little braids with rubies and scarlet beads woven through. The gown she wears is not the soft purple of her own court but instead the deep red of the Court of Swords. She must have been meeting with them at the Larissian Fortress today about her coronation.

“Della, is that your blood?” She gapes at the soft pink rivulets of water that trail down my skin. Nueena waves her hand and the remnants of the gore are gone. “What happened?” She searches my face before skimming over my body for any visible injuries. “Is everything all right?”

“Nu, something has happened.” My words are soft. I raced here to tell her, but now that I’m standing in front of her, the words won’t form. Where do I even start?

“She brought a pet,” Lillian adds unhelpfully, looking down at Leon swimming low in the pool towards me.

Nueena peers around the floor of the room. “You brought Farren? He hates the—” The words die on her lips when Leon returns to the surface. He pushes his wet hair back with both hands and looks between us and then to the shining crown on her head, and he bows deeply, his nose nearly touching the water.

The ancient crown upon her braids is made of mangled metal scraps left over from the swords forged to protect the realm of Ellova during the war with the mortals, a crown that once belonged to Zarella. From afar the pieces seem randomly placed, but up close there are intricate designs. It comes to a point above her forehead, polished so brightly my reflection is mirrored back at me.

She grabs my arm and squeezes it with excitement. “Is that—?” Her head swings between the two of us in quick succession. The delight on her face bleeds into concern. “Del…I…I trust you have a reason for bringing him here, but I don’t think that was a good idea. You know mortals are forbidden.” She looks between us.

I turn to her, grasping her hand, which she squeezes back. “I need to talk to you,” I whisper. “Lillian can stay, but send your honeyguards away.”

Nueena nods and turns to Lillian. “We will no longer be needing guards.”

Two fae women and one male leave us without a second glance.

“Please close the doors and wait outside,” Nueena adds as they exit.

The male nods and gently closes the wide doors.

Once the door is closed, Leon and I swim over to the carved staircase that leads out of the natatorium pool to meet Lillian and Nueena by the main doors.

I pull out two thick bathing robes from a large chest. Leon takes one. It has six tree roots connecting with a sun and a tree, the Kingdom of Ellova’s crest, embroidered on the back, and we each slip one on. The magic heats from the inside, drying out our clothes and hair.

I guess it’s time for introductions.

“Ummm, this is Leon. This is Nueena, Future Realm Keeper of Ellova.”

She gives him a sincere smile. “It’s nice to finally meet you.”

“I feel like I’ve been spoken about for a while.” He looks at me with a confident smirk. “I had no idea I made such an impression.” Leon will likely never let me forget this and I can only imagine this is just the start of my friends bringing up my small obsession with him in his presence.

I look away to conceal the budding flush that paints my cheeks. “This is Lillian, Nueena’s commander.”

She does not extend her hand.

“Nice to meet you both,” Leon says.

Nueena is the first to speak. “We have heard wonderful things about you, Leon, and I am glad to finally meet you, but what happened that brought you so far from your home?” Her concern warms my chest.

I take a deep breath in a pathetic attempt to steady myself, but it only adds to Nueena’s troubled expression. I start to undo the braids that keep the crown hidden. Nueena and Lillian’s faces shift from curious interest to shock when the crown is slowly revealed. Nueena’s hands migrate to her mouth, and she holds her breath until all of my hair is down. Fully on display on my head is the stolen fae crown, no longer black, the similar shade of my copper locks.

Nueena is the first to speak. “Is that—? What? How? When? Del, what?—”

I save her any more questions. “I was heading home after we parted last night and two men showed up in the woods, pulling along a cart carrying Jedrick. I knocked them unconscious and tried to bring Jedrick here but he died. When the crown fell off onto the forest floor, the ground started to decay instantly and caught fire. It spread so fast I was terrified it was going to burn the forest down, destroy the wards, and corrupt the protection of the Verge. The burnt ground spread out like claws, scorching everything, just like the markings we saw yesterday at the Divide. I didn’t have time to think it through; I just grabbed it and put it on.” The tale comes out fast and broken, distress in every word. “It seemed like the only option, but now it’s stuck, and it fucking hurts. Then Grayden’s guards found us. Theirs is the blood you saw. The crown’s magic fought back and saved us.”

Nueena is silent as she stares at the crown in wonder.

When I am met with silence, I continue to blabber on. “Maybe your mother knows something we don’t. We can search the whole library in the Ink Court. There must be something. Some way to remove it. It’s gold again, not black, so already it’s an improvement.” It all spills out and panic takes over my voice, pitching it higher and higher.

“Um, Izadella?” The three of us turned our heads in Leon’s direction. “Are the plants normally like this?”

We follow his line of sight. All the plants have turned slightly brown and are wilting on the edges. Another surge of panic rises up in me as the brown spreads on the leaves. A pathetic whimper escapes me: the plants’ decay is my doing.

Nueena ignores the plants and pulls me into a tight embrace, and I sink into it. We hold each other for a moment before she steps back.

“Ellova’s grave, calm yourself, Del. The crown is out of Grayden’s hands; it’s in Ellova. That’s the most important part of this. We can figure all the rest out later! I’m just glad you are safe.” She presses her cheek into my head as I melt into her again, holding tightly as relief floods me. I knew she would understand, but I still feel overwhelming relief. She raises her hand, sending a wave of magic towards the plants. I look back at Leon, who is examining the plants, where black ends have returned to their green and plump state.

“Interesting” is all he says, holding a leaf between two fingers, turning it slowly over.

Plants changing colors is not something I can worry about at present.

“We need to speak with my parents,” Nueena says, “now.” We break apart and I pull my hair into a pile on my head, hopefully concealing the crown from anyone else we may pass in the hallway. She turns towards Leon.“ I do not wish for you to feel unwelcome here, but some concerns will arise with your arrival.”

“I understand. Izadella has informed me that mortals are forbidden, and I fully understand the health risks of staying too long. There was also mention of a possible dungeon,” Leon says, trying to lighten the somber mood around us.

Nueena purses her lips to hide a grin and moves in front of me and Leon. “I need to glamour you both. The crown is emitting too much magic. Any fae will be able to sense you have more magic than you should for being half-mortal. It could raise suspicion.” She turns to Leon. “And you are not emitting any magic, so that also needs to be concealed.”

Leon agrees, “That would probably be best.”

She raises both hands and, in a fluid motion, swipes the air, sending a burst of light above me. I turn back towards the large mirror. Lilac sparks fall like stars over the golden crown, dissolving into my skin and clothes. The faint tingling sensation fades when the last of the light flickers out.

“Have your parents returned from the Larissian Fortress yet?” I ask Nueena.

Lillian rings a bell for assistance and looks back at Leon before answering, “No, but they are on their way back. Should be arriving any moment. We can discuss this in Nyvenah’s chambers.” Mistrust is crystal clear on her sharp features. “In private.”

I almost laughed at the exchange. “Welcome to Ellova, Leon.”