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Chapter Thirty-Seven

A elia

Kaelith eyed me from across the promontory, the breeze whipping off the cliffside blowing strands of navy hair across those predatory citrine irises.

“What?” I barked.

“Whenever you are ready,” he grumbled, sword in hand.

Well, I wasn’t ready. His latest command was to use infernal manipulation—the control over hellfire—to steal his blade. I was already exhausted, and our training had barely begun.

My sleep had been riddled by nightmares, and to say I’d awoken in a bad mood would have been putting it lightly. Finding Reign in my bed had been shocking, upsetting, and oddly perfect, which had translated to little to no sleep for the remainder of the night as my brain battled the conflicting sensations warring in my chest.

I was meant to be with Ruhl.

Or at least that was what my brain told me, but my heart screamed another story— and it had begun screaming louder.

When I kissed Ruhl, I’d felt… nothing. But waking up to Reign, to his strangely familiar touch, the heat of his lips, the feel of his body pressed against mine, it all felt so right.

How much longer could I deny what was right in front of me?

I knew Night Fae had the ability to manipulate through cursed illusions, but to erase all memories of Reign and replace them with false ones? My thoughts scattered, drawn back in time to my first term at the Conservatory. Hadn’t Reign manipulated my own memories? Real or not real?

Closing my eyes, I pressed my fingers to my temples as they began to throb.

“Aelia?” My lids snapped open to find Kaelith waving a hand only inches from my nose. “What has gotten into you today? You seem different.”

“Different how?”

“Your zar , its signature seems more potent today.” Again, he gave me that scrutinizing glare, flaring his nostrils. “Were you practicing without me?”

I shook my head slowly. Not that I knew of anyway. “Kae, tell me everything about cursed illusions.”

His lips puckered, his ruddy complexion paling against the moonlight. “Cursed illusions are beyond your level of mastery.”

“And soul-draining isn’t?” I snapped.

His gaze dropped to the rough terrain beneath his boots. He’d been adamant I attempt the vile ability on a deer we’d found at the edge of the woods. The idea of draining the life out of the poor creature had been completely unacceptable.

“Why do you think the king wishes for me to train in soul-draining, yet you’ve taught me nothing about cursed illusions? Could it be because he’s been using them to infiltrate my thoughts and twist everything to his liking?”

“I do not claim to understand my king’s motives,” he gritted out. “I only do as I’m commanded.”

“How unfortunate for you.” I spun on my heel and marched back toward the manor, a torrent of shadows curling around me. I’d been so angry I hadn’t even noticed their presence until a silken touch brushed across my neck.

“Aelia, we are not finished,” Kaelith howled.

I whirled around, unexpected fury coiling beneath my skin and summoning a tempest of rais and nox to the surface. A blast of light skewered the night sky, illuminating the fortress atop the cliff. “We are finished when I say we are,” I shouted against the wind. “I am the Night Princess, am I not? In the king’s absence, you answer to me.”

Kae’s lips pressed into a hard line before his head dipped. “As you wish, princess,” he hissed.

“That’s more like it. And tomorrow, I wish to learn more about cursed illusions and astral possession.” It was necessary I master the two higher level powers if I hoped to fully control my zar .

I could have imagined it, but the big brute’s eyes widened a fraction of an inch. We’d gone over the basics of astral possession only a few times, yet I was somehow certain I was capable of it.

“Fine,” he rasped. “But if I agree to train you on what you want, you must also practice the techniques I recommend.”

“Fair enough.” Before turning back to scale the never-ending steps, I attempted my most casual expression. “By the way, where is Reign?” I hadn’t seen him all day, which was extremely unlike the overbearing pain in my ass.

“He left early this morning but did not say where he was going or when he would return.”

A flicker of disappointment rose up, but I squashed it down before it became tangible. “And Ruhl?”

“No sign of him either.”

I wasn’t surprised, considering how we’d left things when last I saw him. I’d kissed him like a fool, then admitted I felt nothing. Even if Ruhl truly wasn’t my cuoré, it must not have been pleasant for him.

I supposed I’d have to find some other way to entertain myself in this lonely fortress with both Shadow Princes absent. Marching up the stone stairway, I heaved in a breath, wishing Aidan were here. There was so much I wished to discuss with him. Both Reign and Ruhl promised I would see him soon, that my going to Feywood would only put him in danger. But I needed to speak to the Fae who’d raised me now that I’d learned so much more about my heritage. He was the only one who could fill in the missing blanks.

If the Princes of Shadows refused to take me to see my adoptive father, I’d simply have to find a way to get to Aidan myself.

* * *

Mera placed the steaming bowl of stew in front of me, and I offered the best smile I could manage. I watched the female Kin as she moved around the kitchen, cleaning up the mess required to feed us. Gods, I could have easily been in her shoes if fate hadn’t stepped in all those months ago. Would it have been an easier fate? Yes. But still, I wouldn’t have traded lots with the female. Returning my attention to the present, I found Kaelith plodding into the kitchen for a piping hot bowl. He didn’t remain for long though. Grabbing a bowl from Mera, he stomped out with the food, barely sparing me a glance.

I was aware I’d been unpleasant to him this morning, but my frustration was reaching an all new high. I’d been freed of one fortress only to be imprisoned in another. I wanted to return to the Conservatory, to be with my friends, to discover my lost memories and move on to whatever came next.

I was so tired of hiding. Let King Elian and King Tenebris come for me already.

“Is the meal not to your liking, my lady?” Mera stood by the table, peering down at me, brows knitted.

I glanced down at the full bowl and the spoon clenched in my hand. “No, it’s just fine. I simply don’t have much of an appetite.”

Still, she watched me, the pucker between her brows deepening. “I apologize, my lady, you just seem so familiar. Have we ever met before your arrival at the manor?”

I focused on the lithe female, her deep auburn hair and dark mocha skin. Her face wasn’t at all familiar, and yet, there was something about her brilliant maroon aura. “I don’t believe so,” I finally murmured. But anything was possible given my faulty memories as of late.

“I must be mistaken then.” She dropped into a curtsy and flitted toward the basin where a tower of platters sat waiting to be washed.

I dropped my spoon into the bowl and rose with a sigh. Perhaps I’d be hungry later. I crept toward the basin and moved to Mera’s side. “May I help you?” There was something about the simplicity of the mindless task that seemed appealing. It reminded me of the countless nights I’d spent with Aidan rinsing our plates in the bucket of water I’d drawn from the well.

“Oh, my lady, you mustn’t ruin your hands.”

I turned my hands around, palms up, revealing the angry red marks and healed over calluses from countless hours of training with swords, daggers, battle axes, and more. “You would be doing me a favor by allowing me to help.”

Her head dipped, eyes still wide with disbelief.

As I scrubbed the dishes, my thoughts wandered, and the influx of powers that raged beneath my ribcage finally quieted. Who knew all I needed was a simple, menial task to quell the chaos?

The time passed quickly and before long, all the dishes were clean, and I’d regained a measure of peace. I offered Mera a smile before turning toward the hallway to find my way back to my chambers. Before I made it a step out into the corridor, familiar voices echoed across the manor.

“Ready or not, A, here we come!”

My heart rapped out a happy beat as my feet raced toward the sound. It couldn’t be… I whipped around the corner and found Rue and Symon in the foyer, both waiting with open arms. I leapt for them, grinning so wide my cheeks hurt.

Squeezed between my two best friends, I glanced over Sy’s shoulder to meet Reign’s intense gaze fixed on mine. The shadow of a smile crept across the hard set of his jaw.

“Thank you,” I mouthed, smirking.

With an eye roll, he waved a dismissive hand and disappeared down the corridor from which I’d just come.

Sy and Rue finally released me, their anxious gazes raking over me. “You have to tell us everything,” Rue blurted.

“Yes, and make it quick,” Sy added. “We have to be back to battle Arcanum in the morning.”

“Another trial?”

They nodded in unison. “Draven is furious.” Sy threw his hands in the air dramatically. “Arcanum has had the upper hand in every event so far this term. We really need you back, my little Kin.”

“I wish…”

“Are you finally going to tell us everything?” Rue’s questioning gaze had guilt eating at my insides. “Starting with this cuorem bond with our professor?”

Only the mention of Reign kicked my pulse into overdrive. “I wanted to tell you a long time ago.” Or, at least, I believed I did . “I just didn’t want to put you at risk.”

“Well, after seeing those Night Fae, I’m pretty sure it’s too late for that.” Sy cocked a brow. “So spill, princess.”