Page 38

Chapter Thirty-Eight

A elia

“You cannot be serious?” I watched as Sy dipped his toes into the icy waters, a bubble of laughter working its way up my throat.

He flitted across the sandy shore, completely bare, arms waving wildly. “I am one hundred percent serious, my little formerly rounded-eared friend. Do you have any idea when the last time was that I gazed upon the Shadowmere Sea?”

Rue stood beside me, her head falling back as she cackled, the beautiful sound echoing on the wind. Gods, I’d missed her, and I hadn’t even realized how much until this very moment. We’d spent the day catching up on not only the past two months but on everything I’d kept from them before that.

“Never?” I offered.

“That’s correct! I’ve spent my entire life landlocked within the impenetrable barriers of the Court of Ethereal Light.”

That wasn’t entirely true, as the northern coast of the territory lay along the sea, but few Fae lived in the inhospitable mountains along the shoreline.

Symon continued to flap imaginary wings as he splashed amid the white-capped waves, the moon glittering across his bare shoulders, and Rue and I merely stood there watching him, our feet buried in the black sand. For the first time in as long as I could remember, I felt truly weightless. As if carrying all those lies, keeping them from my best friends had been slowly smothering me. I faltered when I reached the part about the cuorem, and my friend took over on the explanation she’d received from Reign while they hunted for me.

Despite her assurances that Reign was in fact my cuoré, it was impossible to process when my mind was so filled with memories of Ruhl and me together. Though now I couldn’t help but question every single one.

Amid the echoes of laughter along the shore, Rue’s hand found my shoulder with a gentle squeeze. “You’ll figure it out, A, I know you will. And we’ll be there for you every step of the way.”

I offered her an appreciative smile, twisting to face her. “Have you learned how to skulk into my mind too?”

She slowly shook her head, curly blonde locks bouncing across her shoulders. “No, but I know that look. And it may seem as though the future is bleak right now, but you know what they say, even the longest shadow fades with the coming light.”

A smile parted my lips, and I pulled my friend into a tight embrace. “Thank you, Rue, not for that beautifully poetic reminder, but for everything from the moment I set foot on Conservatory grounds all those months ago.”

During our catch-up session, Rue had filled me in on her reunion with Devin, the trials, Liora’s antics and more, but she’d never once mentioned Heaton. I’d dreaded bringing him up, but how could I not? He’d held nearly as an important role during my time at Luce as she had.

“Rue,” I whispered, hating to dispel this happy moment between us, but pushing forward all the same. “Have you heard anything of Heaton?”

Her lips thinned, all the joy in her face vanishing at her brother’s name. “Nothing.” Her voice was barely a sigh on the wind.

“I’m so sorry.” Taking both her petite hands in mine, I squeezed. “I swear to you we will find him. The first chance I can risk it, we’ll go back.”

Her head whipped back and forth, her bottom lip trembling. “We can’t chance it, Aelia. Not after everything we went through to get you back. Heaton would never want that. We just have to accept that he’s gone.”

“No,” I growled. “I don’t accept that.”

“He must be resting in Noxus’s arms. There is no other explanation as to why he’d still be missing.”

“Helroth could be keeping him prisoner, like he had me.”

“But why? He’s no one of importance.”

My head snapped back as if the insult had been levied on me instead of her brother.

“I spoke to Lawson a few weeks ago. He’s searched everywhere, all the other Light Fae camps along the borders. He’s gone.” Her voice cracked, and pure misery drove deep into my soul.

I held my tongue for now, refusing to bring more pain to my friend, but I made my own silent vow to the gods that if Heaton still lived, I’d find him before this was over.

“What are you two doing over there?” Symon called out from the shore. “You seem much too serious!” He stood up, exposing miles of pale golden skin. I barely squeezed my eyes closed in time to avoid his male parts. “Come in with me, the water is perfect.”

“Perfectly freezing,” I shouted back.

“It’s refreshing.” He grinned, the toothy smile warming my heart. “Come on!”

Rue glanced at me, wiping away a runaway tear. “I’ll do it if you will.”

“Are you crazy?” A chill skittered up my spine at the mere idea of the frosty temperature of the waves.

“Possibly.” She shrugged, turning her gaze to Symon. “But look at him, look at how much fun he’s having.”

“Until some abominable sea creature emerges from the briny depths and eats him in one swallow.”

“Oh, Aelia,” Rue giggled. “We’re much too close to the shore for the Venquis to get us.”

My eyes widened in horror. “Such a creature exists? I was only joking!”

“I wish I were.” Her slim shoulders lifted again before she shrugged off her jacket and began to untie the laces of her tunic. “Either way, I’m going to risk it.”

“You are braver than I.”

“We both know that is completely untrue, Aelia Ravenwood.” She stopped undressing and slapped her hands on her hips, demanding my full attention. “You are the bravest female I know. Now, remove those breeches and get in the freezing sea with your best friends.”

With a rueful smile, I shook my head, watching Sy just over her shoulder, splashing water in our direction. “Well, when you put it that way, how can I say no?”

“Exactly.”

Before I’d gotten my tunic over my head, Rue was already racing toward the shore. Sy greeted her with a wave of water, and she let out a squeal at the icy embrace. A second later, she was completely submerged, the two laughing like mad.

As I untied the laces of my pants, a whisper of shadow caressed my skin, freezing my fingers. “You know, you can heat up small patches of the water with your rais .” My breath hitched at the deep voice, then again at that frosty touch, and a ripple of goose bumps puckered the skin of my now bare arms. I didn’t dare turn around or glance up the cliffside, because I knew very well who I would find perched over the ledge.

Reign.

And I was also half naked, only a scrap of lace concealing my breasts and my breeches hanging low on my hips. I took a step back, hoping to hide beneath the jagged side of the overhang as the shadow curled around my arms like a slithering snake. “I appreciate the reminder. I’d forgotten since my training in the past few weeks has consisted mostly of defensive maneuvers.”

I waited for the wriggling creature to respond, suddenly feeling quite foolish.

“You should try sending one of your own shadows in response.”

Right, as if standing here bare beneath Reign’s ever-looming presence wasn’t difficult enough, I was supposed to also figure out how to summon a shadow messenger.

“Well, if you can’t do it, princess…”

“Oh, I can do it. I’m sure I can.” Nox had always felt natural to me, it was the zar I was struggling with.

“Then do it.” With that last hiss, his dark minion slithered up my arm, across my chest and beneath the fine hairs at my nape before returning to his master. Another chill coursed up my spine, as if warm fingers had grazed my skin.

“Infuriating male,” I muttered as I crossed my arms over my bare chest. I glanced across the beach to signal to my friends it would be another moment, but Rue threw me a knowing smile before I opened my mouth. Her gaze darted up and over my head to where Reign likely stood before returning to meet mine, and her grin only grew wider.

Wonderful, now my best friend was trying to play matchmaker.

“I can’t hear you, princess,” Reign bellowed from overhead.

I poked my head out from beneath the precipice, keeping the rest of me hidden from sight, and shot him a scathing glare. His lip twitched, but he didn’t dare release the full smile. Smart male.

Closing my eyes, I focused on the well of power that now lay at my fingertips. As always, the rais surged the brightest. Bypassing its familiar feel, I dug further, searching for the cool nox, the energy that felt like a second home. Was it because of my mother as I’d claimed to Reign, or was he right, and the connection I felt with Noxus’s power was for a completely different reason?

Burying the pointless thoughts for now, I summoned the icy shadows to my fingertips. They danced across my skin, a soft hiss trailing their movement. But somehow, their effect was nothing like that of Reign’s teasing tendrils. No shortness of breath, no manic heartbeats, only their steady power skimming my flesh.

What sorcery did this prince possess over me?

Whispering my intent, I threw my voice into the shadow and watched as it scaled the cliffside and hit its mark. The corners of Reign’s lips kicked up as my dark minion delivered the message, then his gaze heated as it razed over me.

Good gods, that look was more lethal than any of the terrors that resided within the Court of Infernal Night.

And just like that, I was more than warm enough to brave the glacial waters of the Shadowmere. Sloughing off my breeches, I raced toward my friends in only my brassiere and panties, refusing to turn around to meet the gaze I felt scorching over my bare skin. Once I reached the shore, I dove in, the chilled waters dousing the inexplicable burning heat surging over me.

I still couldn’t believe I’d said that to him… Had I lost my Raysa-loving mind?

Tell me, Reign—are your shadows this bold with everyone, or do they only crave my light?