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

Chapter 40

Chapter Forty

A elia

“Are you sure we should be here?” I whisper-hissed as Rue tugged me through the forest that encroached on the west side of campus. The same one that had hidden Lucian and Kian before the latter’s untimely demise. My skin prickled at dark memories of the Fae who’d made my first few months at the Conservatory a nightmare.

Always avoid the Fae forests . It was a warning driven into my head by Aidan since the beginning of time.

“Yes, of course, we should!” Rue cocked her head over her shoulder, pulling me faster through the dappled light. “We survived the second trial without getting sent to Arcanum. I consider that a win that must be celebrated.”

She wasn’t wrong on that count. The idea of spending a day, let alone weeks at the ominous Citadel sent a wicked tornado of dread whirling through my insides. One of our teammates, Jacarta, had suffered such a fate and, according to Symon who’d heard from one of the Shadow Fae students, after only one night, she’d attempted to escape. Malakar caught her before she reached the river, and her punishment was to spend the night alone in the Twilight Forest. Another round of goosebumps rippled across my skin as memories of the gloomwhisper and its poisonous claws surged to the surface.

Poor Jacarta. Not that I’d ever been particularly close to the female, but I wouldn’t wish death at the hands of that beast to my worst enemy.

“Come on, we’re almost there.”

As if confirming her announcement, hushed voices rushed across the crackling foliage overhead. A rainbow of leaves shielded us from the midday sun, blanketing the woods in a murky film. A chilly breeze lashed strands of dark hair across my face, reminding me winter drew closer by the day. Unlike in the Shadow Court, snow never fell upon the goddess-blessed soil here, but the temperature did drop according to Rue. In the past few days, the balmy weather had taken a decided turn.

“Where exactly are we going?” I huffed out.

“You’ll see.” For someone with such short legs, the female was fast She jerked me forward, winding us through the sea of ancient, towering trees. If we hadn’t been moving so quickly, I would have taken a moment to admire the colorful foliage and matching barks of every shade. From the deepest ochre to the most brilliant fuchsia, it was nothing like the common dark greens and patchy browns of the Feywood Forest.

The tangle of seemingly endless trees finally gave way to a clearing. The familiar voices rang out clearly now, one in particular. “Finally, you made it!” Symon waved from his perch atop a moss-covered boulder rimming a hidden gem nestled within the deep expanse of the forest.

A tranquil hot spring shimmered with an ethereal glow at his feet. Surrounded by a circle of trees whose multi-colored leaves filtered the sunlight into a soft, golden haze, the spring looked like a natural basin carved from the forest’s heart.

“This is beautiful…” I murmured as Rue urged me closer.

The water, infused with a natural luminescence, radiated a soothing warmth, casting dancing reflections on the surrounding foliage.

“Come on, Aelia, the water is just perfect.” Sy dipped a toe into the shimmering pond before jumping in.

My head bobbed up and down, releasing Rue’s hand to join Sy along the water’s edge. I moved closer, the air thick with the scent of wildflowers and the earthy aroma of damp undergrowth. I was so enthralled by the breathtaking scene that I hadn’t paid any attention to the other initiates filling the spring, half-clothed and others already completely bare.

My beaming smile morphed into a scowl when my gaze landed on a familiar blonde male with plaited hair. Belmore. And Ariadne beside him. At least both were in swimming attire. A prickle of awareness skated up my nape, and I barely suppressed a groan. As if the idyllic tranquility couldn’t possibly be further shattered, another familiar giggle twisted my lips into a full scowl. Liora. And who was sidled up beside her on the edge of the crystalline water? None other than my mentor.

My mentor, who’d mysteriously vanished in the middle of the Umbral Trial.

I supposed I should have been relieved they were both still clothed. Reign’s eyes lifted to mine, and something unreadable flashed across the pulsing darkness. A hesitant smile slashed across his lips before he whispered something to Liora. Red-hot jealousy flared at the intimate gesture, igniting something dark and powerful in my murky depths.

“What are they doing here?” I hissed at Rue who’d joined me along the shore.

She shrugged. “Heaton probably invited Liora, but I’m not sure why Reign would be here.” She dug her pointy elbow into my side. “Maybe he came to see you.”

I threw her my best eyeroll before plopping down on a moss-covered boulder, removing my boots and dangling my feet in the divine warmth. I nearly moaned when my toes hit the tepid waters.

Symon and Rue had already stripped down in that brief time span, both up to their necks in the spring, laughing and splashing water at each other.

“You’re not going to join them?” Heaton sauntered over, dropping onto the giant boulder beside me.

“I didn’t exactly bring any bathing clothes. Gods’ forbid my best friend tell me where we’re going so I can be prepared.”

“That does seem like my sister, although it’s not like she’s bothered by such things.” He wrinkled his nose before diverting his gaze. Rue had zero qualms about nudity, much like most Fae. Still, I couldn’t imagine it was pleasant seeing your sibling bare in front of other males.

“What about you?”

He angled his body toward me, tiny droplets glistening across his bare torso, his trousers rolled up to his knees. “I’ve already been in, as you can see. Now I’m attempting to dry off so that I can return to campus. I only wanted to see you before I left.”

There was something about his tone that had dread pooling in my core as my eyes rose to meet his. “You’re leaving?”

He nodded slowly. “I received word yesterday. An envoy from the Royal Guardians will be arriving today to escort a few fourth-years to the front lines.”

“Oh, gods, Heaton…” My hands curled around his, dropping them into my lap. “Where? And how long will you be gone?”

“I don’t know,” he murmured. “I assume we’ll be stationed along the border of the Wilds. That’s where the most fighting has been taking place.”

“Against what?”

“Those horrible creatures our parents used to warn us about when we were only children.” He shrugged.

“None of this makes any sense.”

“As Draven said, it’s not our place to question the king. He has asked for reinforcements along the border, so we are to obey.”

I stiffened my bottom lip, forcing an encouraging smile—or at least trying to—despite my insides crumbling. “You’re going to do great out there, Heaton. And you’ll be back here before you know it, leading our team to the end of another term.”

“From your lips to Raysa’s ears.” He squeezed my hands before releasing me, crossing his arms over his chest. “At the very least, I hope to find Lawson.”

A dark shadow loomed closer, drawing the glimmering light from above, and I realized why Heaton had relinquished my hands. Reign stalked up, Liora no longer pinned to his side. A tiny petty part of me wished to snatch back Heaton’s hand if only for Reign to feel an ounce of the envy currently consuming my chest. From my peripheral vision, I could just make out his precious new acquisition bare from the belly button up, splashing in the glistening pool with Sy. From the sound of it, my flirty male friend was laying on the charm. And for some ridiculous reason, it rankled my nerves.

“So now you’re accompanying your acquisition to initiate get-togethers?” I smiled up at my professor sweetly, baring my teeth, completely bypassing any form of pleasantries. I knew very well how childish I was acting, but I simply couldn’t stop myself. He’d never taken me to any of the gatherings my first term. Not to mention the fact that I was still angry about his disappearance yesterday. What if something had gone wrong? What if I’d needed him?

Heaton glanced between us before he slowly retreated. “I’ll give you two a minute alone,” he murmured as he slunk away.

That blanket of shadows curled around us as Reign perched on the edge of the boulder, piercing gaze intent on mine. “I ran into her when I was looking for you in the dormitories. She asked me to accompany her, and I came, assuming you too would be here.”

A likely story. A surge of jealousy filled my core, the likes of which I’d never experienced. What was happening? Why was I letting Reign get to me like this? Ever since that night at Melisara’s, my feelings when it came to my professor seemed even more out of control.

“And what about at the trials yesterday? You were gone before I got out. Even Ruhl waited…”

His brows furrowed, the shadows keeping us hidden from curious eyes growing darker, more violent. “Ruhl did what ?”

“I may have siphoned some of his nox during the trial. He waited for me when it was over and sort of… thanked me.”

He barked out a crazed laugh, his head falling back with the sound, but the mirth didn’t even come close to reaching those icy orbs. “Are you out of your mind? After everything I’ve gone through to protect your secret… Did he realize what happened?”

“I don’t think so.”

A snarl curled his lips as he regarded me, long and hard. “And Ruhl does not thank anyone. He was likely trying to discern what had happened by pretending to get in your good graces.” He dragged a hand through his wild hair, tugging at the ends. “Gods, Aelia, how could you be so na?ve?”

“I had no other choice. His nox called to me Reign!” Even hidden behind his shadows, I dropped my voice to a whisper before continuing my tirade. “And besides, if I hadn’t ended the trial when I did, he would have heard what my mirror image was saying, about the prophecy, about my blood! Either way, the truth was about to come out.”

“For Fae’s sake, you should have come to me first thing this morning,” he growled as he stood. “Now, I must go find him and discover if he’s put any of the pieces together.”

“Then I’ll go with you.” I slid off the mossy boulder and stood in front of him, toe-to-toe.

“No.”

“Why not?”

“Because the more he sees us together, the clearer it will become.”

“The clearer what will become?”

“My feel—that you’re not simply some first-year I’m bedding, Aelia.”

I snorted on a laugh, forcing myself not to focus on that tiny slip, on that sliver of hope it kindled. Sometimes I wished it were as simple as a physical attraction.

A moment of weighty silence passed between us. I could beg him to allow me to come, or I could simply follow him. Either way, I was too angry with him right now to beg so I’d have to find a way to skulk across the river later. “Where were you yesterday, anyway?” I hissed. “You never answered me.”

His lips drew into a hard line. “I had an important matter to attend to.”

“What was it?”

“Aelia, contrary to your opinion, not everything in my life revolves around you,” he barked. “It was a private matter, just leave it at that.”

His spiteful words stung, leaving an invisible lash across my heart. Bastard prince .

He must have read the hurt on my face, because he began to open his mouth—to say what I would never know, because in that moment, the thunderous flap of mighty wings drew my gaze overhead. From between the thick canopy of leaves, two forms took shape.

“Skyriders,” I whispered.

Reign’s eyes tipped skyward, following mine. “Not just any skyriders. Those are Royal Guardians.”

My breath hitched, frantic gaze scanning the idyllic spring. “Where’s Heaton?”

I sprinted across the mass of initiates gathered around the crystal-clear pool, my pulse rising with every step. He was gone.