Crown of Flames and Ash (Courts of Aetheria #2)

Chapter 31

Chapter Thirty-One

A elia

I still don’t understand why she had to come . Over the rush of wind, Sol’s gravelly voice reverberated across my mind.

She is Reign’s bonded skyrider, who he doesn’t frequently get to see .

Because of the life of lies he’s chosen to live.

It’s not of his own choosing.

Oh, so you’re defending him now? His tremendous wing flaps grew more agitated with each beat.

Yes. No! I don’t know, Sol. It’s complicated .

Ribbons of smoke erupted from his immense nostrils as he huffed out a frustrated breath. Things are always complicated in matters of the heart, Aelia. You must be strong enough to discern the truth without relying on feeble emotion .

Feeble? My emotions made me strong, they fueled the fire in my core, compelled me to act. Perhaps, not always wisely… but still. My fingers moved unbidden over the hilt of the dagger sheathed at my right hip. Reign had allowed me to bring one of my mysterious blades on the trip, while the other remained in his possession for safe keeping. I glanced over my shoulder at the shadow prince aboard Phantom only a few yards away. Our flight to Mysthallia had been surprisingly peaceful thus far.

Likely, because we’d remained silent throughout the voyage.

Instead, mostly Sol had occupied my thoughts mumbling about the hardships of enduring Phantom’s presence. Why they couldn’t simply kiss and make up was beyond me.

Things are never that simple and you know it, little Kin.

Stop listening to my private thoughts !

A tendril of darkness floated closer, drawing my attention away from our frustrating mental conversation to Reign’s inky minion. It slid across the back of my neck, raising the tiny hairs across my arms.

“Once we reach the border, we’ll have to ground our dragons.” Reign’s deep timbre reached my ears, as clear as if he stood right beside me. “The Spellbinders won’t appreciate dragons coming into their lands.”

It was embarrassing how little I knew of the neighboring territories that surrounded Aetheria. The continent of Crescentia was a large one, and my knowledge of the people beyond the border of the Alucian Mountains was scant. The three largest kingdoms beyond our courts were those of the Spellbinders, Wolvryn, and Immortalis, but besides their names, I had little idea of what went on in their respective realms of Mythallia, Lunaris, and Vesperis.

I supposed it was fortunate I was finally to visit one.

Phantom veered closer, her onyx wings nearly brushing Sol’s with each flap. I could feel my dragon tense with each inch she drew closer. Did their new incarnations still feel the bond? Somehow, I hadn’t managed the courage to ask, and I was certain he could feel my curiosity through our mental link, but he hadn’t offered a response, which I took to mean he wouldn’t appreciate my questioning.

“How will we travel to see this acquaintance of yours once we’re across the border?” I called out across the blustering winds caused by the dragons’ powerful wing beats.

“Mostly by foot I’m afraid. Unless we can commandeer one of the wild beasts that roams the valley at the foot of the Alucian range.”

That didn’t seem pleasant at all. “Why can’t we shadowtravel?”

“Mysthallia has strong wards which make using large amounts of nox difficult. If it weren’t for these blasted cuffs, I could likely manage it, but unfortunately…” He twisted the silver bangle around his wrist until angry red lines appeared beneath.

“Wonderful, so we’ll be walking then.”

“I’m so sorry to disappoint, princess .”

A grin curved my lips at the familiar nickname and the disdain with which he’d growled it. It had been a long time since he’d used that inflection and, for some absurd reason, it brought a smile to my face. It revived memories of my arrival at the Conservatory and an easier time between us.

“And besides, it’s not my acquaintance, it’s a female friend of Gideon’s.”

“Your Shadow Fae friend from the Citadel?”

“That’s right.”

“Do Fae often associate with Spellbinders?” To my limited knowledge, not many of the kingdoms on the continent interacted.

His brow wrinkled, lips puckering in distaste. “Not at all.”

“So how does Gideon know this female?”

“My, my, aren’t we inquisitive today?”

“I’m always inquisitive.”

“Fair enough, princess. But this isn’t my story to tell. Suffice it to say, they had a chance encounter years ago and have kept in touch ever since.”

“And you’re certain she’ll be able to help me?”

He gave a lazy shrug. “To be perfectly honest, I’m not certain about anything when it comes to you. You’re quite perplexing.”

“The same goes for you, prince of shadows.” I offered a sweet smile, earning a scowl from my professor-turned-mentor.

The towering peaks of the Alucian Mountains stretched below us now, their snow-covered caps glistening beneath the mid-day sun. For a moment, I’d forgotten that once we crossed into Mysthallia the endless day would come to an end, and we would once again be slaves to the typical rise and fall of the celestial bodies. A part of me welcomed the kiss of cool night and the twinkle of a thousand stars that would come.

“Unfortunately, the time has come to ground our skyriders.” Reign’s voice drew me from my wandering thoughts. Night would come soon enough, but now, it was time to walk.

I kept my gaze pinned to the serene blue sky for a long minute after Sol’s glittering form disappeared over the soaring peaks of the mountains. The two dragons split in opposite directions the moment they dropped us off in the shadow of the Mysthallian Valley. Despite the walls Sol erected across our bond, tiny hints of pain rolled through. How could Phantom’s betrayal still run so deep after all this time? Shaking my head to dispel the pointless thoughts, I turned toward the stretch of verdant land before us.

From our perch atop a small hill, the sprawling landscape of Mythallia stretched out below us in its lush grandeur. Towering crystalline spires rose from the earth, their surfaces shimmering with an iridescent glow, forests of luminescent trees with leaves that sparkled like stars stretched across vast swathes of land and rivers of liquid light crisscrossed the realm, their waters gleaming with a soft, silvery radiance. It was breathtaking.

Now with my focus on the present, a thick hum of energy pressed into my skin. I hazarded a glance at Reign from over my shoulder to where he stood, alert and tense, his shadows remarkably subdued.

Something alive with a vibrant and ever-changing pulse resonated through the air, as if woven into the very fabric of the land. “What is that?” I whispered.

“ Lys .”

“Thank you, professor, for that very detailed explanation. Perhaps, you should reconsider your chosen profession.”

A rueful grin parted his lips, and my duplicitous heart flip-flopped at the radiant sight.

“What is lys ?”

“It is the power that Spellbinders wield, gifted to them by Elysira, the goddess of the occult.” He nonchalantly hitched his pack with our supplies for the long trek higher up on his shoulder.

“Oh, so magic?”

Reign shook his head, grunting. “Yes, princess , magic.” He brushed past me, his gaze intent on a shimmering orb at a great distance.

“What is that?”

“That is the Lysial Nexus that hovers above the capital city of Eldra. We want to stay well away from it if we have any hope of summoning our own muted powers. While it strengthens Spellbinders, it has the opposite effect for us Fae. Luckily, Melisara lives far from the sparkling center of the realm.”

I certainly needed to brush up on my knowledge of our neighbors to the west. On the entire continent, honestly. I’d have to add it to my never-ending to-do list.

Reign offered a hand, and I begrudgingly accepted. The rough terrain of the mountainside might prove challenging. “Let’s get moving, or we’ll never reach Thalindra before nightfall.”

His calloused hand closed around mine, and warm tingles alighted across my flesh. His eyes snapped to my own, searching for an answer I could not give. It must have been the lys . I buried the lie, tucking it away behind my teeth and followed Reign as we began the descent through the crumbling terrain.

At least the rest of the land appeared flat once we reached the valley except for those strange glassy spires. “What are those?” I pointed to the glittering, twisting rock formations below.

“Those are living conduits of mystical energy. Their shapes shift subtly in response to the ebb and flow of lys in the realm. Spellbinders draw power from the formations for their incantations.”

“Wow…” I couldn’t help the awe in my voice. The closer we moved, the more impressive they appeared. “There’s something I don’t understand,” I huffed as Reign helped me maneuver across a particularly large boulder. “If you believe my rais is blocked by some incantation, and Spellbinders wield lys , how would they be able to help us?”

“Because some particularly powerful ones can siphon other forms of energy.”

“So you believe this Spellbinder siphoned rais from a Fae to conjure the spell blocking my abilities?”

“It’s a theory.” He smirked.

“One of many, I’m sure.”

His hold tightened around my hand as the descent grew steeper. “And it must have been siphoned from a very powerful Fae.”

“Well, I hope this Melisara can finally give us the answers we seek.”

“As do I, princess.”