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11 CAIDEN
Caiden’s fingers drummed on the old oak table deep beneath Vantris. The smell of ancient parchment mixed with the dampness of the basement made him shiver as he thumbed through the ancient texts.
“Find anything?” a deep voice asked.
Caiden looked up to see Roderick standing over the desk. “Not yet,” he replied. “I can barely read this ancient script.”
“Let me look at it.” Roderick pulled a pair of round spectacles from his breast pocket and placed them over his aquiline nose.
Caiden handed him the book. “You can read ancient sylph?”
“A little. Some of the most revered writings on war were written before the Trinity. So, I had to learn,” Roderick replied.
“Huh, you learn something new every day, I guess.”
“It’s not something I’ve shared before. I don’t think it’s ever come up.” Roderick dragged a finger over the script. “This is an old remedy for watery bowels. I don’t think we will find anything about the Trinity Wells in this one.”
Caiden ran a hand down his chiseled face. “I’ve been reading about watery bowels for hours?”
“Perhaps you need a break, my friend. These scrolls will be here tomorrow, I assure you. Come to dinner at our place. Amolie has prepared a lovely pasta, and you look like you could use a glass of wine.”
Caiden rubbed the weariness from his eyes.
“I guess I have been down here a long time.”
“C’mon, it’ll be nice.”
Caiden looked at the stacks of tomes surrounding him. There was so much to dig through and not enough hours in the day to do so. Guilt pulled at his heart.
“Fine.”
“Wonderful, Amolie will be so happy to see you.”
Caiden’s stomach grumbled. “I guess I am hungry.”
“Let’s go.” Roderick ushered him out of the cold basement of the library.
As they walked through the rows of ancient books, a question gnawed at Caiden. “Roderick?”
“Yes?”
“What do you know about Aelia?”
His friend shot him a questioning look, not halting his stride. “What do you want to know?”
“I feel like we’ve met somewhere before, but I can’t put my finger on it.”
“You were the emissary to all the human lands, you probably met on one of your visits.”
Caiden’s mouth twisted as he wracked his brain, trying to remember their meeting. “That has to be it.”
“She’s trouble, Caiden, and she’s taken. You’re better off forgetting her.”
Caiden sighed. “I know, but I see her face every time I close my eyes. I can’t help but be attracted to her.”
Roderick stopped dead in his tracks. The flames of the torches danced across his fearsome face. His eyes narrowed on his friend. “Forget. Her.”
Caiden swallowed hard. “How can I?”
“Find someone else, anyone else, but not Aelia. She is taken, and the Alder King would have every right to kill you if he knew you were attracted to his lover.”
Caiden ran a hand through his golden locks. “You’re right. I know. I need to find someone new.” Even as the words left his mouth, he knew they were lies. He wanted to know Aelia in a way he hadn’t wanted to know any woman since his wife. Tharan was a known flirt who broke every heart he encountered. It would only be a matter of time before he broke Aelia’s. Being the Alder King, he’d be expected to marry for an alliance, and as far as he knew, Aelia had no land, magic, or money to her name. Unless controlling the army of the dead counted. Now that he thought about it, it was a very good thing to have in one’s back pocket.
“You are a Lord of the Stormlands. You can have any woman you want. Cassandra would want that for you,” Roderick said.
“After we find these Trinity Wells. There’s no use in starting something if there’s a war going on.”
Roderick nodded in agreement, and they continued on their way through the ancient library. The smell of old parchment and incense filled the air. Scholars studied at long wooden tables littered with low-burning candles.
“Have you asked any of the scholars for help?” Roderick asked, smiling at the intellects as they passed—some of the younger ones hid coy smiles.
“You’re popular here.”
Roderick smiled incredulously. “They only know me for my love of poetry and history and as the captain of the Stormland armies. They have no idea who I am beyond that. Now, let’s find Ora. She can help us.”
They wandered to the reference desk, where a scholar dressed in heavy brown robes sat, her head covered with a hood. Three silver bars clipped to the hood indicated that she had been training for thirty years.
Roderick cleared his throat, and the woman looked up from the book she was reading. Caiden’s heart skipped a beat when her brown eyes met his.
“Oh, Roderick, I didn’t see you there,” she said in a high-pitched whisper, smiling wide.
“Master Ora, we could use your help locating something.” He leaned against the desk in the way only Roderick could, naturally sensual and sending hearts racing.
“Of course, what is it you are looking for?” Her eyes flitted to Caiden’s momentarily and then back to Roderick’s.
Roderick craned his neck, noting every person, both seen and unseen. “It’s a delicate matter. Perhaps there’s somewhere more private we could go?”
She nodded and closed her book.
“Follow me.”
The pair followed the woman through the hallowed halls of the Great Library, up twisted staircases, and through secret passageways until they reached the inner sanctum, where the scholars kept their private residences. Ora led them through a simple wooden door to a suite with modest accommodations: a single bed, desk, fireplace, and washroom—the only things a scholar needed when the university provided the rest.
Taking a seat on the bed, Ora removed her hood, dark curls spilled over her shoulders. In the dim light, her brown eyes glowed against her tanned skin. Her striking features left Caiden speechless. Deep-set eyes complimented her Roman nose and Cupid’s bow lips. Too beautiful to be a scholar—too beautiful to be untouchable. “This should do for privacy. Now, what is it I am looking for?”
Caiden cleared his throat. “What do you know of the Trinity Wells?”
She arched a brow. “I know they are nothing but a myth as far as most are concerned. A tale used to put restless minds at ease.”
“What if they were real?” Roderick asked.
“If they were real, everyone and their mother would be out looking for them. Did you come here to waste my time?”
Caiden cleared his throat again, narrowing his eyes on the scholar. “Hypothetically speaking, we may or may not have found evidence to suggest they’re not just real, but capable of releasing an ancient evil in the very immediate future.”
She placed her hands on her hips, studying the two men before her. Her angular face contorted as she tried to decipher whether they were lying.
“I assume you’ve heard of Crom Cruach?” Caiden asked.
She nodded.
“Well, we have reason to believe two individuals plan to use the Wells to bring him back,” Caiden said.
The color drained from her face. “No one knows where he’s buried. I think you need a body to resurrect it,” she said.
“There’s no telling what raw magic can do.”
Caiden gazed into the embers of the fire.
Ora’s mouth scrunched to the side as she considered everything Caiden had just told her.
“Then I guess it is serious.” The words rolled off her tongue in an accent Caiden didn’t recognize.
“We’d be grateful for the help, Ora,” Roderick said.
“Meet me tomorrow in the archives, and we will search together. I can’t promise anything. Much of our collection was destroyed during the Sylph and Elven War.”
“Thank you,” Caiden said.
“I live to serve, my Lord.” She bowed her head in reverence to him, and his mouth went dry at the sight of her.
“I’ll meet you tomorrow afternoon in the archives then.”
“See you tomorrow.” She escorted them out of her chambers, back down the twisting staircases, and through the various studies. The smell of old books and leather made Caiden feel at ease.
A breath slipped between his lips as he and Roderick entered the crowded square.
“Somebody has a crush,” Roderick said, elbowing his friend in the ribs.
“She’s very pretty, but I meant what I said. We need to focus on the Wells, and then I can think about romance.”
Roderick clicked his tongue. “There is always time for romance. Even in battle.”
“Not all of us are honey tongues.”
“I don’t even need that gift. I’m attractive without it.” He puffed out his buff chest.
“Yeah, yeah, we all know you’re the most handsome of the group.” Caiden rolled his eyes at his friend. It was true, though. Anywhere they went, lustful eyes fell on Roderick. Between his height, masculine jaw, and piercing green eyes, it was hard to look away from him.
The capital city buzzed with energy as citizens went about their day, working and caring for children, oblivious to the evil lurking outside their doors.
“I’m scared, Roderick,” Caiden said as they turned down a cobblestone street lined with brightly colored townhomes.
Roderick let out an audible sigh. “I know what you mean. I am afraid, too. Afraid I’ll never get to marry Amolie. Afraid there will be no home for our children. Or no children at all if we can’t stop what’s coming.”
“Let’s hope Ora finds something. Let’s hope Aelia and Tharan can find something as well.”
They stopped in front of a townhome painted a bright shade of pink with blue shutters. Roderick bought this place long ago when he was a bachelor. It was where he and Amolie met in secret before they came out as a couple.
“Ah, home sweet home,” Roderick said, turning the key in the lock.
“Like you don’t have another house in the Stormlands.”
“Well, you know what I mean.” He pushed open the door, and the smell of butter and roasted garlic filled their senses.
“Trinity, that smells good,” Caiden said, unhooking his cloak and handing it to Roderick.
“Caiden!” Amolie came bounding from the kitchen, wooden spoon in hand, curls spilling over a hastily tied handkerchief. “I’m so happy you could join us. Lucius has been regaling me with tales of his secret missions while we waited for you.” She gave him a warm smile and pulled him in for a hug. The smell of sage was still detectable on her skin under a medley of savory scents.
Roderick and Caiden exchanged knowing glances. Lucius never regaled. He only stated the facts and the facts alone. But sure enough, as they entered the kitchen, they found the wraith, wine in hand, leaning against the butcher’s block, his normally quaffed hair disheveled.
“Someone is having a good time,” Caiden said, pouring himself a glass.
“The world will end soon, and I can’t stop it. My shadows can’t stop it. So why not drink?”
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you drink before, Lucius. How many have you had?” Roderick asked, chopping up a carrot for Amolie.
“This is my first time. Can you believe it?” He held up his glass.
“He’s only had the one,” Amolie whispered to Roderick.
Caiden rolled his eyes. “Why don’t you sit down? We’re about to eat.”
Lucius sipped his drink and slumped into a chair at the nearby table.
“I have to go on a mission tomorrow. I got a lead on Gideon and Erissa and want to check it out myself. My men do not know them like I do,” he hiccupped.
In all his years, Caiden had never seen Lucius drink; especially not before he went on a hunt. “Is everything alright?”
“The mission in the Land of Myst—far on the other side of the continent. It will take me ages to get there. And… it’s where I got my curse from.” He leaned his head back and extended his long legs out in front of him, practically laying in the chair.
Caiden, Roderick, and Amolie all paused to stare at their friend. He’d never talked about the source of his curse before, only that his mother gave it to him and then abandoned him.
“Is that where your mother is from?” Caiden asked.
He stared at the ceiling, his hands intertwined, resting on his chest.
“I do not know where my mother is, but my father is… alive and well there. He is the reason wraiths exist at all. The master of their power. The keeper of the souls, the one who created the curse.”
Everyone blinked at him.
“Wow, everyone is just coming out of the woodwork with secrets today. First, Roderick and his ability to read ancient sylph, and now you with your weird father… er, maker?”
Lucius pulled his lithe body forward as though it was made of lead. Reaching for his glass, he drank deeply, until it was empty.
“He does not know of my existence. But if he did, I assume he would try to pull my strings and make me a servant like turned wraiths. But I am… as far as I know… the only born wraith on this continent.” Lucius wiped his mouth with his sleeve.
Caiden downed his wine.
“Are you going to see him? Can he reverse it? How did it happen in the first place?”
Lucius shook his head.
“I’ve been asking those questions to myself my whole life.” He drummed his long fingers on the table. “I was looking through some old books to see if I had anything on the Trinity Wells, and I came across the packet the orphanage sent with me to the military academy. And they had what is akin to a birth certificate, where my mother’s name was, and next to Father, she wrote The Master of the Myst. So that’s how I found out.”
“That’s brutal,” Roderick said. “No wonder you’re drinking. I would be, too.”
Lucius pushed a stray piece of white hair out of his face. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to ruin the special occasion.”
“What special occasion?” Amolie asked, tossing noodles in a hefty amount of butter and thyme.
Roderick shot his friend a look that said, I will kill you later. “Well, I guess there’s no time better than the present.” He gently took the bowl from Amolie’s dainty fingers and placed it on the counter before falling to one knee.
Amolie’s freckled cheeks flushed. “Oh, uh. Is this what I think it is?”
“If you want it to be.” He pulled a ring on a silver chain from his back pocket. “It’s an emerald, your favorite.”
Amolie gasped at the ring. “I don’t know what to say.”
A bright smile cut his face in two. “Say you’ll be mine. Forever. Say you’ll have children with me. Say you’ll sleep next to me every night until we take our last breaths.”
“Yes. Of course, yes!” She wrapped her arms around Roderick, and he lifted her. Their mouths met in a passionate kiss.
Caiden and Lucius could only smile at their friends. They’d loved secretly for so long and would now start a family together. Caiden couldn’t help the ache in his heart. He’d once asked the love of his life to marry him on a beach in the Court of Scales in early spring. It had been unusually cold that day, and Cassandra hadn’t wanted to go to begin with, but Caiden begged her for a walk. He had it all planned out. He’d propose where they first met. It seemed only fitting. He could still remember the look on Cassandra’s jovial face when he’d gotten down on one knee and asked her to be his for an eternity. His heart swelled and shrank all at once. He doubted he’d ever feel that way again.
Setting Amolie down, Roderick fastened the necklace around her neck, as was customary, until the couple’s hands were bound.
Lucius and Caiden cheered, hearts full for their friends.
“Do you think your father would perform the ceremony tomorrow? Just us,” Amolie asked.
“I’ll send a messenger over first thing after dinner. Now… about dinner…”
“Of course,” Amolie said, passing him a bowl of chopped tomatoes in olive oil. “Let’s eat!”
Table of Contents
- Page 1
- Page 2
- Page 3
- Page 4
- Page 5
- Page 6
- Page 7
- Page 8
- Page 9
- Page 10
- Page 11
- Page 12
- Page 13 (Reading here)
- Page 14
- Page 15
- Page 16
- Page 17
- Page 18
- Page 19
- Page 20
- Page 21
- Page 22
- Page 23
- Page 24
- Page 25
- Page 26
- Page 27
- Page 28
- Page 29
- Page 30
- Page 31
- Page 32
- Page 33
- Page 34
- Page 35
- Page 36
- Page 37
- Page 38
- Page 39
- Page 40
- Page 41
- Page 42
- Page 43
- Page 44
- Page 45
- Page 46
- Page 47
- Page 48
- Page 49
- Page 50
- Page 51
- Page 52
- Page 53