Embers to Flames (Fates Entwined #1)

Chapter Six

Cleaning up after Mikyl is not uncommon for me. The last time he had gone into a rage like this, I spent hours cleaning up and tossing out broken furniture. I finally called in Eulee after the guards left. She lays quietly in the corner now, watching my every move as I sweep up the broken glass and towel up the mead that had sprayed on the wall and floor.

Just as I am about to attempt lifting the table off its side and back on its legs, there is a knock at the door. Eulee lets out a soft growl. I stop and stand like a statuette.

Who could that be at this hour?

“Rose? It’s Theo.” His compassionate voice echoes through the wooden door .

I still hesitate to respond. “Theo? What are you doing here?” I ask curiously. Still not having opened the door. I don’t want him to see me in this sorry state.

“Can you let me in, Rose? Please. I heard what happened. I’m here to help.”

“I’m fine. Thank you for checking on me, but I don’t need anything.” Tears well up in my eyes and I stifle back a whimper of soft sobbing. I’m only realizing now just how much my body really does hurt. The adrenaline must be wearing down.

“Please do not feel the need to hide from me. I’m only here as a friend….” He pauses.

I slowly stand up and stride towards the door. Lifting the latch to pull it open. Theo stands before me, his wings tucked in. He stares at me in shock and amazement when he looks at my face. The blood trickling from my nose has started to crust over. A lump is forming on the right side of my forehead, accompanied by a dark bruise. I still use my left hand to clutch my ribcage on the right. The only wound that I don’t seem to have after the events of this evening, is a burn where my hand had grasped hold of those hot coals. I don’t have the energy to even try and understand it.

“By the God’s… what did he do to you?” He reaches for me and puts a hand on either of my shoulders. A sense of calm rushes over me at the feeling of his touch.

“I’m fine… truly.” I try to sound reassuring. I know he can see right through my lie .

“Nonsense, sit down. Let me have a look at you in the light.” He nudges me towards the fireplace. “I can fix this. Here, sit down.” He pulls the chair over. I’m too tired to protest as he edges me into it and then kneels down in front of me, so our eyes are level, and gently brushes back the strands of hair that have fallen into my face. I wince as his fingers graze over the bruise on my cheekbone. He pulls out a vial of liquid from his pocket.

“This won’t hurt. It’s just a tonic gel. By morning, you’ll never even know there was a wound here.” He says as he applies the liquid carefully with his fingertips, the coolness brings relief to my throbbing skin.

I grimace at the pain in my side. “I hope you have something in that pocket for my ribs.”

“No, but I do have a little thing I like to call, magic.” He twiddles his fingers in the air with a proud smirk across his face. “Can’t tell anyone though.” He winks.

“I’ll promise you anything to just take away the pain.” I reply sheepishly.

With curved raised eyebrows he starkly responds, “Anything?” I bite my bottom lip, and he gives me a dimpled grin. “Just relax, close your eyes and it will all go away.”

I flinch at the sound of it. What he had just said. “What did you say?” I ask, needing him to repeat it.

“I said… close your eyes Rosanhi. Close your eyes and it will all go away.”

It can’t be… my dream. The mystery man from my dream ?

No. It must be a coincidence.

I sit, staring at him. Unable to do as he has asked.

He chuckles, “Or don’t, but you can’t freak out.”

He places a hand over my right side. A glowing white-yellow light emits from his palm and a warming sensation flows over the injured area of my body. Suddenly, the pain I had felt just moments ago was now nearly gone. I inhale deeply. A slight twinge remains, but the sharp agony has disappeared.

“How did you…” I start.

“I told you,” He responds to my question before I can even finish it. “Magic.”

“Can all Elves do that?” I know I shouldn’t be asking. Elves are so secretive, but he replies as if he has known me and trusted me for years.

“No, not all. Just like not all Elves have wings. I’m special I guess.” He shrugs his shoulders before standing to his feet, reaching out a hand to me to help me to mine as well. “If there is nothing else…” He starts before trailing off as he turns around and notices the large table still on its side. He goes over to it and picks it up as if it weighed nothing at all. My mouth gapes open as I watch him effortlessly move the table back to the center of the room.

I finally manage to speak, but the only thing I can think of to say is, “Thank you for… well for everything. You didn’t have to come, but I’m glad you did.”

“I can stay, if you want me to?” He says kindly .

“No, no, you really don’t have to. I’m tired. I think I’ll just go to bed. I have a lot to process and figure out before tomorrow.”

“How about I come by in the morning, give you a ride to my uncle’s?” He winks and motions back towards the wings with his thumb.

I offer a smirk back, “you can’t always be my ride …” I pause, thinking and then take a deep breath, “… alright fine. It is late though so I guess you can stay. But you sleep out here. I’ll make you up a cot.”

“I’ll be your personal guard for the night.” He puts up his hands in an innocent manner and winks at me.

“I don’t particularly need a guard, or haven’t you met Eulee?” I point over at her and let out a giggle. She’s been quiet this whole time. Silently observing Theo and me. He walks over to her and gets down on her level. They stare into each other’s eyes briefly before she finally licks his face. I’m astounded.

“Wow. She doesn’t normally take to men so easily.”

“You’re forgetting, my sweet. I’m not a normal man.”

Bathed in the warm glow of candlelight, the chandeliers above sparkle like stars, casting a romantic haze over the enchanting ballroom.

Where am I?

As I stand there, a sense of expectation hangs in the air, like the sweet pause before a symphony begins. From across the room, I see a man. He’s moving toward me with an effortless grace. It’s… not just any man… it’s not a man at all… it’s an Elf. Theo.

His eyes hold a depth that whispers secrets of a thousand stories. His bare chest shows a trilogy of endless markings across his upper torso and down both his arms. They… they look like flames. He approaches me, and with gentle confidence, offers his hand. His touch is exhilarating. He spins me around the ballroom so naturally. With such ease. He shifts his hands down to the backs of my upper thighs and lifts me up. Instinctively I wrap my legs around his waist.

“That’s my good girl.” He says with a growl.

I take his face in my hands. There is nothing but breath between our lips. He tightens his grip on the cheeks of my ass and pulls me into him, closer. I can feel my pelvic muscles tighten and pulse with wanting. I lean in further… closing my eyes softly…

I wake up to the sound of… singing.

“In the twilight under the stars… A melody of ancient wars…”

I put a hand to my forehead. No bumps, no bruises. I twist my torso, and my spine cracks. No pain though.

Wow… fu lly healed.

I’m so happy to be back to normal that I almost forget why I’m back to normal to begin with. Then I hear the singing again. I’m still dreaming. I must be.

“Through the mists of time they call… to hearts that listen, one and all…”

Theo.

What is he doing in there?

I creep out of bed and make my way over to the wardrobe and open the cabinet door. I pull out my blue dress, along with a white lace up bodice. My boots still sit on the floor at the end of the bed. As I’m slipping the dress over my head, I take notice that Eulee is not in here with me. I slip my feet into my brown leather boots and tie them up the side. I open the door just enough so I can get a peek into the other room. There is Theo. Standing over the hearth… cooking. Still singing…

“A timeless song, both bold and free… A gift to you, from me!”

I’m enthralled by his voice. So sweet, so humble. So… mesmerizing.

“I know you are listening, Rose. Come on out for some breakfast.” He purrs out the words without even turning from the pan he has over the fire .

“I was trying not to interrupt… what is that you’re cooking? It smells delicious.”

I step out into the main room and take a seat at the table.

“You’ll see,” he says, turning his face towards me and giving me a toothy grin.

He already has a kettle of coffee piping hot on the table and I pour myself a cup, he watches me as I mix a splash of cream into the piping hot liquid.

On the table there is a spread of toast and jar of apple butter, along with a small bowl of— those —red berries. I feel my cheeks flush just thinking of the first time he’d given me a taste of those berries. I look up from my cup of coffee and he sets a plate in front of me. Eggs, salted pork, and little roasted potatoes.

“I’m impressed. How do you know how to make all this?” I say, stuffing a bite-full of eggs and potatoes into my mouth. I really should be more lady-like. I’m just so incredibly hungry.

“My mother taught me when I was younger. Elves didn’t always have humans to serve them… remember?”

“Mm-hmm…I f’rgot,” I muffled with a full mouth. Theo chuckles and again bares a grin that spreads from ear to ear.

“Slow-down love. I knew you would be hungry. It’s the healing process. Your body used a lot of energy last night to heal so quickly. The food will replenish that energy.” He goes back to sipping his tea.

“What song were you singing earlier?” I ask as I finish my plate and wipe my mouth with a rag .

“Just an old Elvish hymn. Nothing too interesting. Maybe I’ll teach it to you one day.”

“Well, it was beautiful. Your voice is very calming.”

He looks deeply into my eyes without blinking. It feels like mere minutes have passed when I finally find my senses and shake my mind back to reality.

“We should get going. Erhorn won’t like it if I’m late. Umm… where is Eulee?”

“I let her outside hours ago. She wanted to hunt early today.”

“Oh, she did huh? And she told you this?” I ask with a giggle.

Theo nods shamelessly. I roll my eyes as I don on my overcoat and scarf giving him back a playful grin.

“Let’s just go.”

The flight over is just as stimulating as it was yesterday. With the hard muscles of Theo’s arms wrapped around my torso and my face nuzzled into his chest, I can feel the warmth from his body. His aroma has my muscles tensing up deep in my lower stomach. I wonder if he finds himself just as aroused as I am with his body so close to mine.

Gods above I would give anything to know what he is thinking .

We land just outside the back kitchen door to Erhorn’s mansion. Theo reaches for the door handle to open it for me .

“Have a good day, Rosanhi.” He says with a wink.

I hurry inside to find Lenna and Ava are already in the kitchen preparing tea and breakfast. They both pause what they are doing and take long looks in my direction as I enter the door.

“Would you look at that Ava… we actually beat her today,” Leena says with a smile. Ava looks up and smiles too. But she still doesn’t say anything.

“Yes, yes… let’s not talk about anything that has happened in the past twelve hours. Okay? Do you have Erhorn’s tray ready?”

Lenna takes a long glance at me; a look of curiosity settling on her face. “Not quite, but he was asking for you.”

I make my way into Erhorn’s study and find him sitting behind his desk warming up his sealing wax with one hand and holding a rolled-up parchment in the other. I stand in the doorway, waiting for him to acknowledge me.

“Ah, Rosanhi… come in, come in.” He waves at me to enter and then points toward the chair in front of his desk. “Give me one moment dear girl, I need to get this sent off with the courier.”

He stands up and walks towards another door where an elven guard stands waiting patiently. Their voices become barely audible whispers. I strain my ears, but their words are muffled, and I can’t make out what they are saying. So, I sit with bated breath, trying not to fidget as I wait for him to rejoin me .

I’ve been in this office a thousand times over the past three years, and never once have I really looked around. I always just sit the tray down on the round table that dominates the center of the room, then take my leave. But glancing around at the room now, I’m noticing so much more.

The room is lavishly adorned with intricately carved wooden furniture, each piece handmade and unique in design. The woodwork is rich mahogany, dark as a full-bodied wine, it’s surface polished to a mirror-like sheen. Against the far wall, there stands an imposing bookcase filled to the brim with wondrous texts of all sorts. Ancient scrolls, heavy tomes bound in leather, and parchment papers are filled with indecipherable Elven runes. Their worn spines and faded covers hint at the plethora of knowledge contained within each one.

There are maps and paintings too. My attention is drawn to one particular painting that catches my gaze from atop the mantelpiece. The painting depicts a sprawling Elven city, grand and beautiful. It teems with life, light shimmering down on ivory towers, brilliant green foliage spilling over the city walls while waterfalls cascade down into azure lakes. I can only assume it is the city of Zorrina, which lies in the heart of what we Humans now know as, Edwardian—The Elven Realm.

Erhorn steps back towards me, his hands folded behind his back. The look on his face is morose. “I was deeply sorry to hear about what happened to you last night. Although, from the looks of you, it seems you came out unharmed? ”

“Yes, well… just lucky I guess.” I lie. I’m not sure Theodas is allowed to do what he did. I don’t want any trouble to come to him. Not after all he had done for me.

“Ah yes… I’m sure my nephew’s visit with you was also helpful.” He cock-eyed a smirk towards me. He knew. Even if he couldn’t say it, he knew.

“Yes, sir,” I reply guiltily, looking at the floor. As if not looking at him made my thoughts any less loud.

“Good. Well now, as for your husband… he is going to be taken to the capital for trial. As I’m sure you have been told, he is being charged with the murder of that man down in Mara two nights past. A few witnesses have finally come forward.” He pauses before continuing, “As for the events of last night… well, I’ll leave it up to you to decide.”

I steady myself, the weight of his words sinking in. It’s a struggle to keep my composure, to stand firm when all I want is to collapse under the weight of uncertainty.

“Can I see him, sir?”

“I think I can arrange that. I will warn you though, I’ve gotten reports that he isn’t in the best of health this morning. It seems his body is going through a sort of—purification. It’s unfortunate for me to say, but I believe your husband has been a victim of the Auraroot.”

I don’t know why a look of disbelief spreads across my face. My forehead wrinkles and my eyebrows curl down as I look up at Erhorn.

“Are you… sure? ”

“He hasn’t admitted anything, but I have seen studies of the root’s after-effects in Humans. This is what the body goes through once it has been deprived of the root for too long.”

A part of me had always suspected. A part of me had always known. The missing money, the long nights away, the lack of intimacy in our marriage—it all made sense.

“Take me to him.”