Page 24

Elsie

W ith my feelings still bruised from Aruan’s callous words, I arrive at the quarters where Karl and the women are housed. I go to the women’s side first.

This time, I manage to dissolve the archway without breaking into a sweat.

I’m surprised to find Vitai there, having breakfast with our guests.

Karl has joined them too. They’re seated on cushions around a flat rock on which a spread of dishes is set out.

From the way everyone is laughing at what Vitai has just said, he’s doing a good job of entertaining them.

They look up when I enter.

“Elsie,” Sandy, who sits next to Vitai, exclaims. “I thought Vitai just opened the wall for another server. He hasn’t stopped feeding us. You have no idea how glad I am that it’s you.” She jabs Vitai with an elbow. “You could’ve told me Elsie was here before you let her in.”

Oops. I was so excited to test my new powers that I didn’t think before I opened the archway.

Vitai frowns at me, but I simply shrug without correcting Sandy or explaining that I opened the wall.

“Sorry I took so long.” I give her an apologetic smile. “We had an emergency.”

Sandy pushes to her feet. She’s wearing a blue dress that compliments her eyes and complexion, and with her hair hanging in waves around her shoulders, she looks gorgeous, a far cry from the dirty woman with the dull hair and sunken eyes I met at the Phaelix settlement.

It warms my heart to see her appearing so healthy and radiant.

“Are you okay, hun?” She eyes me with worry. “Vitai told us about the rockslides. And was that a sun flare that happened just before?”

“Yes, but everyone is fine.” Not wanting to linger on the subject in case they’re wondering about the cause of the disaster, I address Vitai. “I didn’t know you speak English.”

“I asked Kian to help me so that we”—he motions around the table—“could understand each other. He got the skill from Sandy’s mind and gave it to me.”

Why would he go to so much effort? He didn’t have to.

I study him more closely. “It’s kind of you to keep them company.”

His smile is neutral, giving nothing away.

Sandy takes my hand and pulls me to the table. “Have you eaten?”

“Yes, thanks.” The memory of the agreeable breakfast I shared with Aruan only acts as a magnifying glass on the unpleasant way we parted. “Do you need anything?”

Alexa sits back on her heels. “Everyone has been very kind. Clothes were sent, and food is delivered regularly. Vitai has been very accommodating too. He’s been telling us interesting stories about his fishing adventures.”

Irina grins. “Like the time a finned dragon took his bait and dragged him with his fishing rod and all into the water.” She turns to Vitai. “But you didn’t finish the story. What happened after you fell into the lake?”

Vitai chuckles. “I was lucky I made it out alive. Those finned dragons aren’t fussy eaters.

If I didn’t have the presence of mind to grab my basket of bait when she took off with me, she probably would’ve taken a bite out of me.

Instead, she went after the bait and swallowed everything whole, including the basket. ”

Eucabeth stares at him with a doting expression, hanging on his every word. When he meets her gaze, a blush tints her cheeks pink.

When she catches me looking at her, she averts her eyes and stands. “Would you like a seat, Elsie? You can have mine.”

Her voice is gentle and melodic. It suits her. I’m so happy and grateful Vitai healed her. A lump lodges in my throat just from hearing her speak.

I swallow my untimely emotionality down. “I actually came to invite you for a walk.”

At that, everyone’s eyes light up. They’re on their feet in an instant.

“We can’t go far,” I warn, but they’re already dashing for their shoes that are lined up next to the archway, not paying me any heed.

Vitai, left on his own at the table, unfolds his tall body and stands unhurriedly, stretching to his full impressive height.

Not wanting to be rude, I ask, “Would you like to join us?” I did interrupt their breakfast, and he’s been nice to my uninvited guests.

Eucabeth gives him a soft smile, her doe-like, ochre-brown eyes sparkling.

Is her reaction what I think it is? I hope she’s not falling for Vitai.

He must have a destined mate. Eucabeth knows as well as anyone here the Alit don’t mate with humans.

She was present when Sandy mentioned the conversation she overheard between the Alit and the Phaelix.

I’ll have to remind Eucabeth of this. I’d hate for her to get hurt, especially after everything she’s suffered.

“Please, do,” Sandy says to Vitai. She adds with a wink, “You can protect us if there’s danger.”

The corner of Vitai’s mouth lifts. “Who am I to deny a lady’s request?”

We exit the quarters with Sandy and me leading the way and Vitai at the back of the line.

The group gawks at the window archways that give views of the ocean.

Up here, in the higher part of the palace, the long mossy creepers that grow from the summit hang like strings of beads over the windows.

The roar of the water spouting from the top is louder, but it’s not as deafening as where the flow accumulates in the waterfall that crashes on the broad rock ledge in front of the Great Hall.

The humans chat excitedly as I lead them down the spiral staircase and through the hallways with their illuminating stone walls.

We stop in the Great Hall to admire the statues and the view of the cultivated hills with the wild jungle beyond.

Vitai amuses them by reciting all the names of the kings and queens eternalized in stone.

“These statues are so detailed they almost look real.” Irina trails her fingers over the intricate folds of a queen’s gown. “Who made them?”

“A family of village artists,” Vitai says. “With their power, which is passed down through generations, they can chisel in stone anything they lay their eyes on.”

“ Interesno, ” Irina says under her breath, studying the stern stone faces.

Vitai is generous in divulging information about the Alit and their powers.

I’m not sure the king or Aruan will appreciate that.

They seemed inclined to share as little as possible with the group from Earth.

Maybe Vitai thinks it doesn’t matter if the humans learn more about his culture and people.

Perhaps he figures they’ve already seen a lot of Zerra anyway.

I walk to the waterfall and stop a few paces away, unsure if I can do it. But it turns out to be surprisingly easy. I don’t even have to focus hard for the water to part, revealing the bridge against a peachy, misty morning sky.

Wow. That’s so cool.

“Well done, Elsie,” Vitai says next to me. “Your power is strong.”

I glance over my shoulder. The humans are still engrossed in the statues and the views.

They haven’t seen me parting the water, and the noise of the waterfall is drowning out my conversation with Vitai.

For all they know, it was Vitai who opened the waterfall.

I haven’t told them I’m an Alit. I don’t want them to think I’m not on their side, not when I want them to return to Earth as much as they want to leave this world.

I look at Vitai, who’s fallen quiet. He’s studying me with crossed arms and a deep line running between his eyebrows.

“Any Alit can do that,” I say.

He raises a brow. “Not any Alit. Seeing that we have guests who shouldn’t leave, Aruan put a seal on the waterfall. It takes a great power to break such a strong barrier.”

“Is that why you came with us?” I scrutinize him. “To open the waterfall?”

He doesn’t answer, but I don’t miss the guilt that flickers in his eyes before he wipes it away. “Aruan would’ve opened it for you.”

“But he’s not here, is he?”

He turns his face toward the horizon. “You would’ve found someone in the palace to help you.”

Is it me, or is he hiding something? “Is there something you’re not telling me?”

“It’s not my place to tell you anything.” He cuts a sideways glance my way. “That’s Aruan’s privilege as your?—”

“Mate.” I roll my eyes. “Yes, I know.”

Vitai doesn’t reply.

“Come on,” I call to the group. “We only have ten minutes on the bridge. Let’s not waste it.”

The women stare with apprehension at the sheer drop. A swing bridge with wooden boards and ropes on the sides spans between the palace and the cliff on the other side. A circular platform in the center serves as a lookout point.

Karl goes after Sandy and me, and the rest follow. They cling to the dewy ropes that serve as rails as we make our way to the platform.

Vitai hangs back until the last person has walked onto the bridge, which happens to be Eucabeth, and then he falls in step behind her.

I stop on the platform, gripping the thick ropes in both hands.

Mist hangs over the land. The trees are so tall their tops pierce the white fog that envelopes the sea and hills like a soft cloud.

Above it, streaks of orange and pink are painted across the sky.

A few stars are still visible in the purple band that separates night from day.

I fill my lungs with the fresh morning air, inhaling the scent of forest moss and salty ocean. Like before, the oxygen infuses me with energy. I’ve never felt healthier or stronger.

Sandy leans on the rail next to me. Her gaze is trained on the distance as she asks in a low, serious voice, “Any news about sending us home?”

“I was going to speak to the queen, but then the rockslides happened.” Heat climbs up my neck as I give her only half the truth. “We came back very late. I’ll try today.” I turn around, facing the hills, and rest my elbows on the rope. “Don’t worry. I’ll get you out of here.” One way or another.

She observes me with an earnest expression. “What about you?”

I blow out a sigh. “It’s still complicated.” I don’t want to tell her that Aruan is literally keeping me captive here. For some reason, I don’t want her to have a bad impression of him.

“I’ve gathered.”