Page 19 of City of Promise and Light (Mates of Gods and Fae #1)

Sybil

A fter finishing the last of the coffee, Samian stood, grabbing a few books from the top of the closest stack.

As he handed them to me, I quickly looked over each one.

The books seemed to be beginner guides on understanding magic and the various types of magic found in Nemos, the history of the realms, and creatures that lived in each of the realms.

“Today we will go over any questions you might have and some information about Nemos. It’s important that you have a good understanding of how this realm is ruled. Before we start, do you have any questions?”

“I do, actually,” I said hesitantly. “Since this is a palace and Ambrose mentioned that you work for him, does that mean Ambrose is the king?”

Samian scoffed, his eyes darkening, the act making me feel unsettled.

“No, though he may like to act as if he is, Ambrose is not the king. We are ruled by a kind and compassionate queen. Her name is Queen Cassia Aberra, and she has been this realm’s queen since before the realms were split into three.

Her brother, Dryden, was the king before her; however, he gave up his throne to stay in Mide.

He cared for the humans and wanted to make sure they stayed safe. ”

“Wow,” I blinked, stunned. The stories said that faeries were long-lived, but to encounter someone that was alive before the realms became three felt daunting. “Am I going to meet her? Is Dryden still in the middle realm?”

Samian’s face tightened, his lips forming a thin line.

“No. To both.” He said quietly. “Queen Cassia is indisposed at the moment, though this is something we can discuss later. As for Dryden, no one seems to know where he is or if he is still alive. Now, like you learned last night, this is the Marble Palace,” he said, quickly changing the subject when I opened my mouth to ask another question.

Confused, I sat back, my brows knitting together.

However, I stayed silent, letting him continue.

“We are currently in the city of Volmire, which is made up of a mix of nobility and commoners who oversee the restaurants and stores around the city. Outside of Volmire, there are smaller villages where the rest of the general population live. Each of the villages are governed by a lord. Currently, the lords and ladies closest to Ambrose all reside in the palace.” Samian grimaced as he said the last sentence, his lips dipping with distaste. “Any questions so far?”

“If Ambrose isn’t the king, why is he able to choose which families are allowed to reside in the palace? Shouldn’t that be up to the queen?”

“Yes, it should,” was all Samian said. Leaning back into his chair, his brows furrowed like he was testing the words he really wanted to say.

Finally, his gaze flicked to mine. “Sybil, I don’t know how to word this delicately, so I’ll just say it.

Be careful around Ambrose. He may seem kind and caring on the surface, but that’s where it ends.

Underneath, he is not someone you should consider as a friend and he is not someone that you should ever rely on or enter a bargain with. ”

Frowning, I thought back to yesterday after losing control of my magic.

My stomach twisted as Liam’s wide, terror-filled eyes flashed across my memory.

Ambrose had offered me a bargain then; one he said would protect those around me from being injured if I ever lost control again.

I had forgotten about it in the chaos, but something that felt a lot like unease crawled up my spine, warning me to listen and pay attention to what Samian was trying to say.

“Why should I be careful about making a bargain with him?” I asked, hoping he would tell me more about Ambrose.

“Bargains are not something you can easily get out of. Once you are in a bargain, it is bound by death. Meaning, if you don’t keep up your end of the bargain, the magic of it will take your life instead.

The only way to get out of one is if one of you dies or whoever offered the bargain releases you from it.

That’s why it's essential that you listen to me when I say this. Never, and I mean never , enter a bargain with anyone, especially Ambrose.”

My blood chilled at the warning in Samian’s tone. His eyes were dark and severe while he waited for me to respond. “I’ll try not to,” I laughed, hoping to break the heavy tension in the air.

“No, there is no try in this, Sybil. I mean it. I need you to tell me you understand that.”

“I understand,” I stammered, blinking at the severity of his tone. The weight of his stare felt like it was pressing down on me, and I fought against the shiver that threatened to rise.

Samian exhaled, the tightness in his shoulders relaxing.

“Good. Now, on to the lighter topics of the day. These are the books we will cover first. We’ll focus on learning how to feel for your magic first, then how to recognize the magic of another, especially when someone tries to use it against you.

” Opening the book, Samian turned to the first page and slid it to me.

“Having a magical ability depends on the user’s strength.

The stronger you are, the more likely you are to have a magical ability.

Like Ambrose mentioned yesterday, I can use earth magic. ”

Pausing, Samian put a gentle hand on the wooden table.

I stared in awe when a soft green glow formed a halo around his hand.

Slowly lifting it, a small pink flower bloomed.

My eyes widened at the ripple along the table as Samian plucked the flower from the wooden surface and handed it to me.

Hesitantly, I took the flower, studying the soft petals as a small smile rose on my lips.

“So, does that mean there are people that don’t have magical abilities?” I asked, my eyes still focused on the flower twisting between my fingers.

“Correct. They still have an immortal life, but it is a life without magic.”

Setting the flower aside, I rubbed my thumb along the palm of my other hand, my brows knitting. “How do you know what type of magic you’ll have?”

“We don’t. There are cases where a specific power is bred into families, however, like eye or hair color, a child can be born with a different magical ability.

There are also a few creatures that have abilities outside of their elemental magic.

Take me as an example, I have another ability called soul bonding.

Once I form a bond with someone, I have access to their memories, emotions, their physical pain, even their thoughts.

However, I don’t have access to them for long.

The bond always remains, but I must shield myself from it or it could cause serious issues for me and those I have the bond with. Does that make sense? ”

As he was describing his soul bonding, I thought back to earlier with him and Aster, remembering how odd it felt when they watched each other, their eyes conveying emotions like an unspoken language. Was he using that bond to have silent conversations with her?

I must have asked the question aloud because Samian nodded, saying, “Yes, that’s right.”

“So, you have a bond with Ambrose too.” I blurted, thinking of when we were outside of my ho—Liam’s house. He had done the same with Ambrose before we left. But if he had a bond with Ambrose, why was he so keen to warn me away?

Pausing at my statement, Samian twisted the ring on his finger. “Unfortunately, I do. But it is not because I wanted to. I was forced into creating one with him to show my loyalty. However, there are others that I have bonded with where the bond wasn’t forced, like Aster.”

Nodding, I leafed through one of the books, considering his words—and warning.

Samian had known Ambrose for a long time.

He had a better idea of who Ambrose was than I did.

But my instincts told me that Samian wasn’t telling me everything.

It was also hard picturing Ambrose as someone other than the kind and considerate man from yesterday, shielding me from my father’s scorn—and Liam’s.

Not to mention, he gave me a place of my own, even if the room was too grand for someone like me.

He didn’t have to go through all that trouble.

“I think we should get started with our lesson,” Samian sighed, snapping me from my thoughts.

“The first thing you need to learn is how to feel for your magic. Feeling your own magic and another’s magic will each have a different sensation.

Your magic will feel welcoming and safe, while others’ magic will feel foreign, like it doesn’t belong.

I want you to close your eyes and clear your mind. ”

Exhaling, I shifted in my seat to get comfortable and closed my eyes. Taking another deep breath, I pushed away all the questions and restlessness of my magic to focus on my breath.

Once my breathing became steady, Samian continued in a calming tone. “Good, now breathe toward your center. Tune into the sounds around you. What do you feel? What do you hear?”

Focusing on the smooth feeling of air expanding my lungs, I felt the feathery-soft smoke of power curling and twisting under my skin.

I felt it dance within me, ready to be known.

I concentrated harder on that feeling, and my body seemed to hum in response.

Before I knew it, warmth spread through me, relaxing my body until I was sitting in the middle of a vast field with nothing but sky around me.

Tall grass laid out before me, mixed flowers of pinks, purples, yellows and blues.

The warmth of the sun seeped into my skin, the brightness melting away all my anxiety and loneliness—my fears.

Birds flew overhead, playing in the gentle breeze, their chittering sounding like music in my ears.

A quiet peace overcame me, and I felt a tear slide down my face. I had never felt such stillness before.

I heard a distant murmur calling my name, but it felt like a world away and I wasn’t ready to leave this place. The voice called my name again, and I opened my eyes, finding Samian watching me closely. Something flickered in his eyes, but it was gone before I could tell what it was.

“That was your magic,” he murmured softly, as if the quiet calm of the room was something fragile and frail, something that could be easily broken with words louder than a whisper.

Opening my mouth to answer, I closed it when a blond, slender man walked up to Samian, handing him two notes. He kept his brown eyes averted, focusing on the papers Samian held.

Samian went rigid as he read the first note.

“Seems like Ambrose is ready for you,” he said, his voice tight.

Crumbling the note, he read the other. “It’s just as well.

Your tests have come back,” Standing, Samian pocketed the second note that I assumed was from Aster, tucking it deep within his vest. “We can leave the books here for now. Follow Hale to Ambrose’s office. I’ll find you afterward.”

Unease filled my veins at Samian’s dismissiveness and looked over to Hale who gave me a slight bow and quickly walked to the stairs. I followed but glanced back to Samian as I went, catching him frowning at the note crumpled on the table before I rushed to catch up with Hale.