Page 174 of Cursed Evermore

He nodded his appreciation at my acknowledgment. “Maybe that something else has to do with the dragons. Maybe they're part of the tracking spell.”

“And that's where I'm stuck, because I still need a tracking spell.”

The room fell silent except for the distant rumble of thunder. Then, as if the weather could sense the gravity of my situation, lightning illuminated the mountains across the sea. The oncoming storm had arrived in earnest—a possible omen of the chaos yet to come.

“I've thought of everything, but I'm drawing a blank,” I continued. “The only things that may work, work against me because of the curse. Death magic doesn't typically play well with our Fae abilities.”

“Then we have to find a way that works,” Bastian stated boldly. “I have to believe the ring wouldn't be guiding you if you had no hope.”

“I'm trying to believe that, too.”

“What aboutyour mage?” Garrick said with a hint of sarcasm. “The fact that she saw the Nyzith strands suggests the ring was trying to tell you something about her too.”

“That makes sense,” Alaric cut in. “Like maybe her magic needs to be stronger for her blood to work. What if the burnout and the Ruskiel's attack are still affecting her? That would certainly weaken the components of the spell.”

“That's possible, although she's been restored,” Arielle answered. “A spell of this complexity may require a lot more from her.”

“Or perhaps there's something more she can do,” Garrick suggested, focusing on me. “Your mage is quite an interesting creature.”

His 'your mage' taunt and the look he gave me suggested he was still pissed about our fight. If he was trying to get an apology out of me, it wasn't going to happen. He was my subordinate, and if I felt I needed to put him in check, then it was what it was—even if I'd been an asshole.

“She is rather interesting,” Bastian agreed with quiet unease. “She seems to possess rare abilities unusual for mages. She heard the dragons' song.”

“Mixed beings tend to have powers we don't understand,” Arielle replied. “Hers may have been dormant and suppressed because she's lived in the mortal realm.”

“It makes me wonder what other powers she might possess,” Alaric spoke carefully.

“I think we're all wondering the same thing,” Garrick replied.

“I'm sure we'll know sooner or later.” I took back control of the conversation. “For now we can't make any assumptions, so let's focus on what we currently know.”

I didn't like them talking about Elariya and trying to pick her apart, but they were right to be curious.

I was curious too, and I also believed there was more to her that I needed to find out.

Her mother had told her that if she followed the Nyzith strands, it would lead her to her destiny. Since I'd kidnapped her and blackmailed her into helping me, I couldn't help but think her destiny was to be free of me. But the ring had brought her to me. And with me was where she would stay, whether destiny liked it or not.

“Have you tried to locate the Seer again?” Arielle asked, cutting into my dark thoughts. “We could really use her help. Perhaps we should focus our efforts on finding her. I'm not sure we'll be able to figure this out on our own.”

“I'm still looking for her. I've sent an echo raven to the Primordial Realm with an urgent message. But you know what the seer is like. You'll never find her when you need her. She'll come to you when she's ready.”

“But she would be able to decipher the parts we can't.”

“I agree, but trying to find her may take too long. I don't have another six months at my disposal. There's no telling what could happen even one month from now.”

Dreynthor would grow stronger, more Fae would die, the rebels would grow out of control, and I might end up forced to marry a woman I didn't want in order to stabilize my kingdom.

“If the Seer turns up, it will be a massive advantage.” I released a weary sigh. “Until then, we work with what we have and try to figure out what we're supposed to do.”

“We can do that,” Arielle said, giving me a gentle smile that showed her support. “What should we do first?”

“I need you to continue working with Elariya on expanding her magical training. Strength in magic will always be an element we need. Push her limits in whatever ways you see fit. I want to know exactly what she's capable of.”

“We'll resume our training tomorrow. However, utilizing the resources at Hyxian would be useful to us.”

The mage academy would indeed be an asset, but I would have preferred if Elariya stayed at Vyrenth Hollow where she was safe. “I'll think about it.”

“Elariya would like to go, even for a day.” There was a spark in Arielle's eyes, something gentle that spoke to the civil parts of me. I caught the subtle shift in her expression, the way she watched me with that perceptive gaze that saw too much—seeing past my carefully constructed barriers to the compassion I couldn't quite suppress.