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

Chapter 41

Chapter Forty-One

R eign

“You better be careful, brother,” Ruhl whispered, his dark eyes twinkling wickedly beneath the full moon. “With all this skulking around in Shadow territory, it’s only a matter of time before you’re caught.” He leaned casually against the rough bark of the gigantia tree nestled within the depths of the Twilight Forest. “And then what would you do?”

“Don’t worry about me, little brother.” I stalked out of the shadows, eyes fixed on that irritating smirk. Ruhl was always cocky, and now with his recent triumphs at the Citadel, his arrogance had only heightened. “I’ve been doing this for a long time.”

“A lot more, recently, in fact.” He pushed off the tree and crept closer. “Late night visits to Gideon? Or is there some other female you’re courting on this side of the river?”

I snorted. “You really are keeping close tabs on me.”

“As, I imagine, are you. Or why else would you have requested this secret rendezvous?”

Clenching my jaw, I forced a calmness I did not feel. Just the idea that Ruhl could have overheard something about Aelia in the last trial had my nerves scattered. Surely, he would have told Father by now if he had. But I must be sure.

“I only came to ensure your mirror image did not divulge any secrets of mine in the last trial.” I crept closer, erasing the distance between us. “I know how these events work, and if there was even a hint?—”

“Relax,” he barked. “Apparently, my own fears and weaknesses are more than enough to bring me to my knees. Yours did not need make an appearance.”

A satisfied grin curled my lips. “Why, Ruhl, you have weaknesses? I don’t believe it.”

That smug smile vanished, a sickly pallor tingeing his cheeks. An odd sense of foreboding surged in my chest as I regarded him. “What?” I snapped. “What did you see?”

“I don’t know…” The cocky brother I grew up with was gone, replaced by a serious male I barely recognized. That haunted look in his eye only intensified the dread uncoiling in my gut.

“Tell me.”

“I already said I don’t know.” He paced a quick circle around me, dragging his hand through his hair in a move so similar to my own, it was oddly disturbing. “This dark, mirror-image of myself said things…” His lips thinned, words falling away. “I don’t know what was real and what was simply the machinations of our twisted professors, but?—”

“What did it say?”

“That both the Light and Shadow Courts would fall, and I would be too weak to stop it. That I would never sit the throne of the Court of Umbral Shadows.”

I shook my head, driving back the ominous words. “It’s only your own fears playing tricks on you, Ruhl.”

“I’m not so sure.” He lowered his voice to a deadly whisper. “My mirror image said it was the Court of Infernal Night to bring about our downfall. That I would die at their hands before I became king. Why would that be a fear of mine? The demons of the Night Court have been extinct for ages.”

Icy fear crawled up my spine as Aidan’s admission and Melisara’s words echoed in my mind. Zar . Aelia. The twilight prophecy . Noxus , what if it was all true? What if Aidan was right, and I was the catalyst in all of this? This cuorem bond with Aelia would ignite the flame of an all-out war between the realms, because I would never let my father have her. I would rather plunge the entire continent into darkness than betray her again.

Which meant there was only one option left.

I spun on my heel, turning toward the river.

“Reign? Where are you going?” Ruhl trailed behind me, his frantic steps echoing the mad hammering of my heart.

“There’s something important I must do,” I called out over my shoulder. Ruhl lengthened his stride, running up beside me. I halted, fixing my gaze to his to impress the importance of my words, “Don’t tell anyone else what you saw, brother, especially not Father. If what your mirror-self predicted was true, I believe I know how to put a stop to it.”

“How?”

My head whipped from side to side, anguish eating at my soul. “I’ll be in touch if I’m successful.”

He slowed as we reached the edge of the forest, where the rushing river loomed just ahead. I could feel his dark gaze boring into the back of my head as my shadows hissed and spat before morphing into wings.

Leaping into the cool, night sky, I hazarded one more peek over my shoulder. Ruhl stared up at me, his dark eyes glinting beneath the pale light of the moon. There was no telling if he would keep quiet, which meant I had to move now.

Fate's pieces were falling into place with alarming swiftness, and if I wished to prevent plunging our courts into eternal dusk, Aelia had to make her choice tonight.

I stole into Aelia’s chamber, the spelled door easily opening with a wave of my hand. I knew granting myself private access would come in handy one day. Better to save my reserves of nox to shadowtravel us both back to my rooms once she was awake.

Both females were fast asleep, their quiet breaths filling the air. Creeping toward Aelia’s bed, I avoided the faint rays of the twilit sun and bent over her still form. Her dark, raven hair spilled over the pillow in a perfect halo, the sliver of platinum bisecting her long locks like a streak of moonlight slicing through the veil of night.

I stood there for a long moment, just watching her, taking her in. Gods, Aelia was a marvel, not just in her breathtaking beauty, but also in her indomitable spirit and the relentless fire that blazed in her heart. I loved Aelia. For the first time in my tormented existence, I truly fucking loved.

And now, I may be forced to give her up.

Her dark lashes fluttered, fanning across the soft skin beneath her eyes. Slowly, they opened, lifting to meet mine. “Reign?” she whispered, her voice rough from sleep.

“I need you to come with me. It’s urgent.”

Her head bobbed drowsily as she drew the covers back, revealing a gauzy nightgown. Forcing my gaze to remain locked to hers, instead of wandering south like I truly wanted to, I offered her my hand which she surprisingly accepted. I pulled her close and my shadows closed in around us, their excited frenzy whenever she was near only solidifying my resolve.

Not a single doubt existed anymore. Aelia was my fated mate, my cuoré . And I would do anything to save her.

“What’s happening?” Her sleepy gaze lifted to mine as we were plunged into darkness.

A moment later, my shadows dissipated giving way to the dim lighting of my bedroom. I drew in a breath, the cool darkness a respite from the eternal light of court. Aelia stepped free of my hold, her bright eyes alert once more as they scanned my chambers.

“What are we doing here?”

I motioned to my bed before thinking better of it. “Please, sit. We need to talk.”

“That sounds ominous, Reign.”

“I wish it weren’t.” I pressed my palm to the small of her back and steered her toward the oversized bed.

She dropped onto the edge of the mattress, one hand curling around the ornate bedpost. “What is it?”

Noxus , I’d had nearly a quarter of an hour to plan and practice what I wanted to say, and still, all the words stuck at the tip of my tongue. I folded down beside her, anxiety lashing at my insides like jagged lightning tearing through my beloved night sky.

She angled her body toward mine, fingers knotted in her lap. “You’re making me nervous, Reign. What is going on?”

“I went to see Ruhl tonight.”

Her brows shot up, nearly reaching her hairline. “And? Does he know? Did he hear my mirror image blathering on about the prophecy?”

“I’m afraid it’s worse than that.” My shoulders rounded, the weight of the entire realm poised on my back. With a steadying breath, I recounted the details Ruhl had shared.

When I finished, Aelia stared up at me, dark brows drawn. “You truly believe that there are Night Fae still out there somewhere simply because zar was used to bind my powers?”

I nodded. I didn’t quite understand it myself, but I was certain somehow all of this was connected. Ruhl’s vision, Aelia’s zar and the rare cuorem bond between us.

“But how could it be, Reign?”

“I don’t know.”

“And what can we do to stop it?”

I took her hands, lacing my fingers through hers, then brought them palm up between us. Those familiar sparks skimmed over my skin, the ones I’d fought so desperately to ignore. “Do you feel that?”

Her cheeks rosied, chin slowly dipping. “I thought you didn’t…”

“I’ve felt them since the very first day we met, princess.” My lips slid into a smile, unbidden. It was true. I’d felt an instant connection with the formidable little Kin that day at her cottage, and it had only grown every day since.

“Why didn’t you say something?” Her bottom lip trembled, and I could practically feel the rush of emotion surging between us.

“Because I didn’t want to believe it was true. Because I didn’t think it was possible.”

“What is causing it?”

I held my breath, the air electric between us. “The cuorem bond, the Twin Flames. I’m sure you’ve heard stories of fated mates? It’s a profound and mystical connection believed to exist between two souls, making them perfect counterparts of one another.”

Aelia’s mouth curved, a faint breath catching.

Forcing my tongue to move, I continued. “It’s more than just a romantic or emotional attachment; it is a cosmic and spiritual link that ties two souls together across time and space. It is said that those bound by the cuorem are predestined by the gods themselves, their spirits eternally entwined.”

“By the gods?” she squeaked.

“According to myth… A true cuorem bond hasn’t been seen between Fae in decades.” I shrugged, dropping my gaze to our intertwined hands. “I did some research.”

“How long have you suspected?”

“It was actually Elisa who first mentioned it.”

“The healer?”

I nodded again. “She noticed I was particularly taken by you from the start. But back then, we didn’t know exactly what you were. A cuorem bond between Fae in general is unusual, but between Light and Shadow is unheard of.” My thoughts flickered back to Aidan’s admission.

Aelia was born of both Light and Shadow. Her parents were forced to go into hiding to protect her because of the prophecy. When they could no longer hide the truth, they bound her powers and left her in my care.

“So we are fated mates?” Her mouth curled around the words as if she were tasting them, rolling them across her tongue.

“I believe so—no, I’m absolutely certain of it.” My lips melted into a smile once more. I hadn’t realized how much keeping the truth from her had been weighing on me. Nor did I expect the rush of relief and excitement at finally telling her.

Her head cocked to the side, brows knitted. “How can you be sure?”

With our hands still interlocked between us, I leaned forward until our lips brushed. My heart punched my ribs, pulse hammering in my ears like a relentless drum. It took all my restraint to keep the kiss chaste and not fully capture those tempting lips with my own. Tiny sparks of rais and nox zipped between our palms, and a rush of heat raced below my waist.

“Because, princess, as heart-stoppingly beautiful as you are, and as mesmerizingly handsome I am, that is not normal.”