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Chapter Forty-Nine: Rhea

SUNSHINE,

LEAVING YOU THIS MORNING WAS NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE. I’VE FOUND THAT WAKING UP TO YOUR KNEE DIGGING INTO MY SIDE AND YOUR HAIR SPLAYED ACROSS MY FACE IS MY FAVORITE THING. I’LL BE WITH MY FATHER MOST OF THE DAY TODAY, BUT IF YOU NEED ME, LET BARRON KNOW. HAVE FUN TRAINING, AND I’LL SEE YOU LATER TONIGHT.

I LOVE YOU.

ONLY YOURS,

NOX

Smiling, I lay the letter back on the table at the side of the bed and stretch my arms overhead. The council’s reprieve did not last more than a few days before they proclaimed that Nox should return to his duties as heir. Apparently, there is a lot to catch up on from the four years he was gone and the advisors are eager to make sure Nox does so.

Moving from the bed, I walk into the sitting room, grabbing some stationery from one of the bookcases and taking a seat at the larger square table. Tapping my pen on the corner of the paper, I smile as I remember all of the notes we passed when he was still a nameless guard and I was a lonely prisoner.

Nox,

How absolutely lovely it must be to wake up that way. I’m sure you meant that with no sarcasm at all. I, too, am spoiled by sleeping next to you, but for far nicer reasons. You make me feel safe. Waking up and knowing it’s your body that warms mine and your heartbeat beneath my ear provides me with a sense of security I’ve never felt before. If I forget to say it, let me remind you now: you are my home.

Tonight, I was thinking of meeting Elora at her family’s bookstore and then going with her to a tavern. Maybe you can meet us there?

I love you too.

Forever Yours,

Rhea

I dress in my training clothes and boots, slowly tying them the way Nox showed me, before pulling my hair back into a low ponytail. Tucking the dragon pendant under my shirt, I grab the note and leave Nox’s room, softly shutting the door behind me. My steps are quiet on the red rugs that line the hallway, the scent of blooming flowers and tilled earth heavy in the air from the open windows down the hall.

Barron stands near the top of the stairs, his smile wide as he greets me. “Lady Rhea, good morning.” The guard has become a welcome, friendly face each morning that I leave.

“Good morning, Barron. How are you?”

“I am doing well, thank you.”

“Nox said if I need him that I could let you know?”

Barron nods, already moving to take a step down the stairs, but I reach out and gently touch his shoulder.

“I was just hoping you could give him this letter,” I say, waving the folded cream-colored paper in front of him.

Barron chuckles, gently taking it from my hand and placing it into a leather pouch attached to his belt. “Of course, My Lady.”

We walk down the stairs together, parting ways when we reach the first floor. More people than usual pass me in the foyer as I make my way to the exit, and I remember that Nox had told me today was public forum day, a time when those of the kingdom could come and talk to the king and queen. Rushing towards the doors, my mind occupied with thoughts of Nox, I don’t have time to stop when a man abruptly steps into my path. My body crashes into his with a grunt, but I’m able to brace myself against his forearm to keep from falling over.

“I’m so sorry, are you alright?”

I look up and find blue eyes and a vaguely familiar face. It takes me a second to remember his name. “Yes, I’m fine. You’re Daje, right?”

He nods his head and grins before his eyes dart over to a man who steps up beside him. The older mage’s facial features are harsher than Daje’s though they share the same skin tone and shape to their lips. He eyes me curiously before clearing his throat. Daje hesitates another moment before he gestures with his hand to the man. “Rhea, this is my father, Councilman Kallin. Father, this is Rhea. She is—”

“Courting the crown prince,” he cuts in.

I offer him a smile, but it falters under his scrutiny. His gray eyes pore over every part of me, criticizing what he finds with a downturn of his lips and a pull of his brows. His tawny skin shows signs of age—wrinkles lay on his forehead and around his eyes—while his head is balding of the dark brown hair present. His magic is a heavy presence, not as strong as Nox’s but one that feels as if it’s sitting on my chest.

“We have been trying to meet with you, but the prince has been reluctant to do so. Any idea why that might be?”

I try to answer, but only a sputtering noise comes out. The way the councilman is looking at me, it’s as if I truly am a threat to the safety of this kingdom. I choke on my own anxiety, unable to answer him beyond the opening and closing of my mouth.

The councilman humphs in disappointment before turning to look at his son, dismissing me entirely. “I’ve got meetings most of the day.” He walks away without another word, going down the long hall that I know leads to the council room.

I watch him until he is gone, my fingers trembling at my sides as my heartbeat pounds loudly in my head. If that was my first chance to show Nox that I could handle myself in front of the council, I have failed miserably.

“I’m sorry about that. My father isn’t one for easy chit chat,” Daje says quietly before pursing his lips.

I manage a small huff of breath in response. We stand awkwardly in the center of the palace foyer, the swell of people here forced to move around us.

Finally, Daje gestures towards the doors. “I’m heading to the training grounds.”

“Oh, so am I.”

“Would you like to walk together?” Waiting for me to nod, he turns and leads us through the double doors and down the steps at the front of the palace.

If I thought that standing in the middle of the foyer was awkward, the silent walk to the training grounds is even more so. My gaze keeps darting his way, tracing the side of his face and the tension that lines it. He catches me on the last look about halfway to our destination.

“You can just ask,” he says with a sigh.

Confused, I look down at the leaf-covered stone walkway. Perhaps he means that I can ask him for help preparing to speak with the council? It isn’t a terrible idea, as he might have more insight into how I should prepare for a meeting with them.

“You want to know about Bahira. I assume you’ve heard what happened between us.”

“That you like her?” It doesn’t exactly seem like information that needs extra clarification, and that thought must be painted across my face because, for a moment, Daje looks completely caught off-guard.

“You haven’t heard what happened at the Summer Solstice celebration?” When I shake my head, Daje snickers to himself. “You must be the only one in the kingdom who hasn’t.”

“And, of course, I’m now wholly curious about it,” I tease, earning a small laugh from him.

He runs a hand down his face before letting it fall to his side. “It’s not that interesting. I proposed to Bahira, and she was taking some time to answer. Then the magic chose her to go to the Shifter Kingdom, and she left—our future hanging somewhere in the balance.”

Well, I certainly wasn’t expecting him to say that . “How did you propose to her?” I can’t imagine someone needing time to answer a question like that. Even with my anxiousness at becoming a future queen of the Mage Kingdom, if Nox proposed to me today, I already know that I’d say yes. When I cast a glance his way, he is grimacing like the memory causes him pain.

“Maybe proposed isn’t exactly the right term. I gave her a choice.”

“A choice? I suppose that’s one way to word asking someone to marry you.”

“It’s not— We have history , and Bahira seems so intent on making herself suffer when she doesn’t have to.”

My mouth twists to the side. “No one chooses to suffer. Or at least to do so without reason.”

The training grounds come into view up ahead, the grass bright under the unobstructed sunlight. Warmth caresses my skin as we step past the shade of the trees, my magic stirring in response.

“It’s hard to explain. Bahira is smart—brilliant, actually. She’s tenacious and driven, her mind as beautiful as she is. And she is beautiful. In a garden full of flowers, she would stand out amongst them all. Nothing compares to her.”

“Did you tell her all of that?”

“Of course I di—” Daje chokes on a breath, inhaling deeply before dropping his gaze from my own. I watch as a range of emotions flickers over his face, each one a little more devastating than the last.

We continue trodding across the thickly bladed grass field to where Cassius is waiting, a small gathering of curious children surrounding him. His blue magic glows in his hand as he lifts water from the small pond next to him and shapes it into different animals mid-air, all to the children’s delight.

“If you didn’t know about Bahira, then why did you keep looking at me like you wanted to ask something?” Daje asks quietly at my side.

“Oh, it was actually about your father. I was going to ask if you had any tips on winning him over when it’s time for me to speak with the council.”

He laughs nervously as his hand rubs the back of his neck. “If I ever figure that out, I will let you know.” I blow out a breath and smile slightly, our steps slowing as we near Cassius and his group. “How did you convince Nox to let you talk to them, anyway? The council, I mean. He seemed pretty dead set on not letting that happen.”

I shrug as I look up at him, his sapphire-blue eyes rivaling the beauty of the sky above us. “I just told him why it was important to me that I try, and he listened.”

The children surrounding Cassius are from the orphanage in Galdr, a place that Cassius has special ties to. He told me that his mother had grown up there and that she had spent a lot of her free time volunteering any way she could until her death when Cassius was fifteen. He tries to give the children there as much of his free time as he can as a way to honor her memory.

They were practicing making shields with their magic, and when one little girl was left without a partner, I volunteered to step in. Truth be told, I needed the practice as well. The little girl, Starla, had been less than enthused by our partnership. She let her displeasure show with her sharp tongue and by occasionally blasting past my flimsy shield to pelt me with her magic. Despite her fiery disposition, she carried a sadness that seemed much too heavy for a child her age.

“Do you know her story?” I ask Cass after the lesson ends and the children leave with the other instructor, Dilan.

“Her mother died two years ago from an illness. No other family came forward to claim her, so she went into the orphanage.”

“No father?”

Cassius uses the leverage of his arm on me to guide us towards the archery area. Wooden targets with blue and red paint are stationed at increasing distances across from the table that holds the bows and arrows.

“No one knows who he is. When her mother started getting sick and neighbors stepped in to help, they tried to get any information they could from her, but she was apparently very tight-lipped. Starla says that her mother told her what he looked like and that she would know it was him when she saw him. Of course, Starla is keeping that information to herself. Honestly, it seems like a shitty thing to tell a child.”

My fingers drag along the smooth wood of one of the curved bows as I think his words over. “Perhaps she just wanted Starla to have a memory of him. In case someone ever came forward?”

“Maybe. Still seems like a lot of unnecessary pressure,” he says, rolling his shoulders back and then gesturing with his toe where he wants me to stand. “I’ll be going to the orphanage to hang out again in a few days if you want to come. I’m sure they’d love to see someone other than me show up.”

“I’d love to.” Choosing a smaller bow, the curves of its light brown wooden limb arched so that it looks a bit more heart-shaped than the others, I grab a quiver and meet Cassius at his imaginary line. “Maybe Nox can come too? I’m sure the kids would love to see their prince.”

“He always comes when he can, though I imagine his days will only grow more hectic now. He’s got not only his own duties as prince but obligations to the council to fulfill as well. Nock your arrow like I showed you.”

Cassius has been beyond patient in helping me learn the basics of preparing to shoot an arrow from a bow. Tucking away my thoughts on the council, I extend my left arm forward, gripping the bow in the middle where it curves back towards me. Laying the shaft of the arrow in a small divot in the wood, I line the nock up on the string and begin to pull it back to my jaw. My arms strain from the tautness of the bow, my hands already wavering. I haven’t even been able to release the damn arrow yet because my muscles still aren’t strong enough to hold everything steady in order for me to aim it.

“You’re shaking less than you were before, Blondie. It’s progress.”

“I guess,” I huff.

“Don’t let your shoulders round in—pull them back. Good.” He walks around me, critiquing my form and telling me to make small adjustments while I keep the string drawn. “Okay, for fun, let’s release the arrow today.”

“ For fun .” I mimic his voice, causing him to laugh.

“Just try,” he insists. Blowing out a breath so harshly that my lips flutter, I eye the closest target in front of me. “Shooting an arrow has a bit of an instinctive element to it. Slow your breathing down. Focus less on how your muscles might be fatiguing and more on where you want the arrow to go. Think of something that makes you happy to quiet your mind as you focus on the target.”

I heed his instructions, images of all the things that make me happy playing in my mind. Warmth rises inside of me as my light magic flares, the darker half still hidden within that imagined well. At least my practice with keeping the shadows suppressed has gotten better. I suppose I could be proud of that. Taking a slow and steady inhale, I hold it for a few seconds as I stare the target down, before releasing the arrow with my exhale. Despite the prep and the small bit of confidence I was feeling, I tilt my head back and groan in defeat when I see the arrow sticking out of the ground a few feet short of the closest target. Over and over, I nock an arrow and release it, only for it to repeatedly fall short. The muscles of my shoulders, back, and arms scream in pain, but I keep going at Cassius’ behest until all the arrows in the quiver are gone.

“It’s alright, Blondie,” he cajoles, patting me on the top of my head twice. “You can only get better from here. Besides, there is no time to fret about it because you and I are going to go for a run.”

“What?” I shout, but he is already jogging backwards, waiting for me to join him.

I sigh again, laying the bow and quiver down on the table and then falling into stride with him, which he’s obviously altered so that his long legs take shorter steps. We jog for what feels like years—having to slow to a walk multiple times instead—yet my exhaustion is married with a sense of accomplishment. I am not barred inside a stone cage anymore. I am free to move and explore and live , and for that, I will always find a way to be grateful for this torture.

Though, to be clear, it is torture.

After running, Cassius finishes our session with a series of Forms until I’m left lying in the soft grass and gazing at the sky above with my entire body coated in sweat.

“How much do you hate me?” he asks from where he sits next to me, his elbows resting on his knees. His bright blond hair gleams under the sunlight where it’s gathered on the top of his head messily. Long tendrils that have fallen from the ponytail frame his handsome face, his eyes as light as chips of ice.

“I don’t hate you at all, Cassius.”

“Cass. Please call me Cass. Only my father calls me Cassius, and it’s usually when he’s scolding me.” He flashes me a big smile, bumping my boot with his own.

“Okay then, Cass, I don’t hate you. In fact, I wanted to thank you. I’m grateful to you for taking the time to train me, for always being so kind.” I look back out at the bright blue sky above us, tracing over the small white clouds streaked across it. “What has Nox told you about me? About where I come from?” I don’t know why I feel compelled to ask, why it matters to me if Cass knows my history.

“Nox is like a brother to me,” he starts, drawing my attention back to him, “and I know him as any sibling might know another. He is different after meeting you. In a good way,” he quickly clarifies, holding his hands placatingly out to me. “But I could tell something was wrong between the two of you when you arrived at the palace. Then, when you went into that deep sleep and days passed, he needed someone to talk to. Someone who he knew wouldn’t judge his decisions but also would tell him their honest opinion.” I move up to sit as his expression grows more serious. “He’s told me what is surface level about you—your true title and where you come from, what you escaped. He only told me those things because he needed me to vow that the fierceness with which I protect him, both as my brother and as my prince, would get extended to you .”

Nodding, I tuck the loosened strands of hair from my braid behind my ear. “I’m not upset that he told you about me. I trust in his decisions, in him. And I trust you.” I look down and play with a blade of grass as a blush blooms across my cheeks. “On the many lonely nights in my tower, when all there was to do was daydream, I would often wonder if making friends was an art that was lost to me. I had spent my entire life isolated and alone. Before Nox, my only companions were a guard in his fourth decade who could only visit for an hour every few days and a fox who I had to keep hidden. But you’ve never once made me feel odd or different or questioned why Nox might be with someone so clearly unequipped for… just life ,” I say with a forced chuckle.

“Give yourself some credit, Rhea,” he counters, and I startle at his use of my actual name. “I’m not being kind to you because you happen to be with my brother. I like you because you are a good person . Because you see Nox like no one ever has before. The more I’ve gotten to know you, the easier it is to see how and why he’s so in love with you.” My smile wobbles as my watery eyes hold his. A moment passes before he clears his throat and hops up. “Shall we make our way back?” he asks, extending his hand out to help me up. My muscles ache, but I direct my magic to soothe them as we enter the cover of the trees. “Any plans for tonight?”

“I’m going to go to a tavern with my friend Elora. I invited Nox to join us, and you can come along too if you want.”

“Which tavern?” he asks, the question going unanswered because I realize that I never bothered to get that detail from Elora. Cass chuckles after a moment of my silence, his elbow gently bumping my arm. “Don’t worry, I’m sure Nox will be able to find you, Blondie.”