Page 44 of Unseen Eye (Aetherian Chronicles #1)

He pours himself another glass, and begins to swirl it, a flicker of bitterness in his eyes.

“When I killed Eamon, my father’s only response was to lecture me.

He said I was reckless, that I needed to act with my head, not my emotions.

Killing Eamon seemed like a mere technicality to him—expected, but somehow unsatisfactory.

As if no amount of skill or restraint would ever be enough for him. ”

My heart tightens. “What did he want from you?”

“Perfection, maybe,” Callon says, his tone hollow. “Or something he thinks I’ll never be. Whatever warmth he had went with her. Now he’s just… cold, distant, calculating.”

I frown, recalling Drystan’s presence in Astermiri. “He didn’t seem cold to you either time.”

Callon blinks, his face unreadable. “My father and I have an understanding when other courts are involved. We both know how to play the game—and we do it well. But there’s a difference: his act is real; mine’s an act that I hate to admit is getting easier.

” He glances down, jaw tight. “To be blunt, as you put it, I don’t think he cares much for you.

He barely cares about me. He probably enjoys having you here only because he knows it irritates Baron.

” He finishes what wine he has left. “Honestly, I was shocked he fought that night. I haven’t seen him pick up a sword in years.

My heart aches for him, and before I can think better of it, I reach out, covering his hand with mine. “Callon… you’re nothing like your father. You care, even when it’s inconvenient or risky.”

He looks down at our hands, his expression shifting to something quieter, more open—a side of him I’ve started to see more often, yet it still catches me off guard.

Then door bursts open with a dramatic flair.

“About time you came back,” Izzy begins, “thanks for the heads-up, jackass.” Her eyes scanning everything with practiced precision. She smirks when she notices me pulling my hand away from Callon’s.

“Thanks for waiting!” Theo calls out, stumbling in behind her, catching his breath.

“Learn to keep up,” she shoots back, barely sparing him a glance. She takes Callon’s wine glass, pouring herself a generous amount. “Did you two have a good day?” Her gaze sharpens as it lands on me, and I struggle to keep a straight face.

“Yes, Mother,” Callon replies smoothly, his voice laced with playful defiance.

“Funny, I don’t remember signing your permission slip,” she retorts, raising an eyebrow.

“What can I say,” he says with a shrug, “I forged it.”

I laugh, enjoying the sibling-like ribbing between them, full of teasing and banter but laced with unmistakable trust.

Izzy laughs, genuinely amused. Theo plops down beside me and grabs one of Kendry’s storybooks, flipping through the pages with a thoughtful expression. “I remember this one,” he says.

I smile, peering over his shoulder. “It’s the one about the young knight who saved the village from the shadow beasts.”

Theo turns his focus to me, his playful tone softening. “Are you okay, Eva?”

I roll my eyes, grabbing the wine bottle from Izzy and topping off my glass. “I’m really getting tired of that question. Let’s just say it’s been one hell of a day.”

“You,” Izzy says, pointing directly at Callon, “start talking.”

With a deep breath, Callon begins recounting the day’s events. I relax a bit, grateful that he leaves out the more sensitive details like my breakdown or making out… Izzy’s expression shifts from guarded to contemplative as she listens.

“Anything useful in the journal?” she finally asks.

Callon hesitates, then shakes his head. “Nothing concrete yet—mostly just stories and personal notes.”

I chime in, “But there was something strange. Kendry had ingredients from Skorda, Coire, and even Catalpa. Rare stuff.”

Theo’s frown deepens. “What does that mean?”

Callon’s gaze darkens. “It means Kendry was using those ingredients to suppress Eva’s affinity, making her seem ordinary.”

He glances at me for confirmation, and I give him a slight nod, allowing him to continue.

“There’s also evidence Kendry was connected to the Survivors. We’re still working out how deep it goes.”

Theo’s eyes widen. “That’s... huge.”

“There’s more to dig into,” Callon says, shifting the mood. “But for now, what matters is that Eva’s here with us, and between the four of us, we’ll figure this out.” Standing, he raises his glass. “For tonight, we drink. I’ll be right back.”

I can’t help but watch him as he leaves, feeling the undeniable pull of his presence.

Izzy gives me a knowing look. “So… what actually happened?”

“Nothing,” I say quickly, glancing away.

“Right.” She smirks. “Subtlety’s not your strong suit.”

“Fine, Miss Observant.” I smirk back. “But it really is nothing.”

Theo glances between us, thoroughly lost. “I’m so confused.”

“General Obvious strikes again,” Izzy teases him. “It’s a wonder you made it through the ranks.”

Callon returns with more wine and another bottle of something stronger.

“Oh man,” Theo exclaims, grinning, “Cal’s breaking out the good stuff. Whatever we’re celebrating, I’m in.”

Izzy gives Callon a sidelong look. “What exactly are we celebrating, Cal?”

He shrugs, a glint in his eyes as he glances at me. He pours the drink, handing each of us a glass. “To new beginnings,” he says, locking eyes with me.

“To new beginnings,” I echo softly, clinking my glass with his.

Izzy takes a sip, not convinced. “It’s not every day we get to drink the good stuff. What’s the real occasion?”

Callon grins. “We’re alive, we’re together, and we’ve got a shot at changing this mess.”

“Good enough for me,” Theo says, taking a generous gulp.

“I think it’s more than that,” Izzy teases, shooting Callon a knowing look. “I think someone’s feeling particularly inspired.”

Callon rolls his eyes but smiles. “Maybe. But sometimes you take the small wins.”

Theo laughs. “Here’s to surviving the day and figuring out this mess.”

“Cheers to that,” I say, feeling a warmth spread through me that has nothing to do with the alcohol.

The heat from the drinks quickly spreads through the group, loosening tongues and relaxing stiff shoulders. Theo kicks things off with a story about their last mission in the mountains, his animated gestures making Callon duck to avoid getting smacked by Theo’s wild arm movements.

“And there we were,” Theo exclaims, “standing face-to-face with the biggest troll I’ve ever seen. Cal had already taken out two of its buddies, but this one was different. It had a club the size of a tree and a face only a mother could love.”

Izzy bursts out laughing. “More like a face not even a mother could love. That thing was hideous.”

“Trolls are real too?” I exclaim, feeling more than a slight buzz at this point.

“Honestly, Eva,” Izzy says, unable to stop her laughter, “are you going to react like that every time we mention anything?”

“Absolutely,” I reply, mimicking the gesture of my mind being blown, nearly tipping over, but something catches me at the last second.

Callon chuckles, taking another sip of his drink. “I remember that troll. Izzy, ever the diplomat, tried to negotiate with it first, thinking it might be smarter than the others.”

“Hey, you never know!” Izzy defends herself, grinning. “I thought maybe it had some common sense.”

“Right, because trolls are known for their diplomacy,” Theo teases.

Everyone laughs, and I lean back in my chair, letting the camaraderie wash over me. For the first time in a while, I feel a genuine sense of belonging.

“Your turn, Callon,” Theo says, nudging him with an elbow. “Tell us a story.”

Callon thinks for a moment, a mischievous smile playing on his lips. “All right, how about the time Izzy tried to infiltrate a bandit camp disguised as a fortune teller?”

Izzy groans, covering her face with her hands. “Oh no, not that one.”

“Yes, that one,” Callon insists. “So, we were tracking this group of bandits who had been raiding villages along the border. Izzy gets this brilliant idea to go undercover as a fortune teller to gather intel.”

Theo snickers. “A fortune teller? More like a fortune disaster.”

“I had it under control!” Izzy protests, though she’s clearly amused.

Callon continues, ignoring her. “Izzy puts on this ridiculous outfit, complete with a scarf and fake jewelry, and marches right into the bandit camp. For a moment, we think she’s a genius.”

“And then?” I ask, leaning forward, completely engrossed.

“And then she starts making these wild predictions, like telling the bandit leader that he’s going to find true love with a griffin.”

Izzy chimes in, laughing. “I had to say something outrageous to keep their attention off you guys sneaking around the camp!”

Theo adds, “And it worked, until the bandit leader decided he wanted a demonstration of her ‘powers’ and demanded she read his fortune by the light of a bonfire.”

Callon chuckles. “So, there we were, trying to figure out how to get her out without blowing our cover, and Izzy is doing this elaborate fortune, stalling for time.”

Izzy grins. “And then you idiots lit a building on fire, and all hell broke loose. But we managed to take down the bandits and free the captives.”

We’re all laughing now, the tension of the day melting away with each story. I feel a deep sense of gratitude for this moment and these people who have quickly become so important to me.

As the night wears on, the stories grow more ridiculous, and the laughter louder. Theo leans back, grinning as he launches into a tale about the time he got lost in a forest and stumbled upon a group of pixies.

“They were relentless,” he says, shaking his head with mock despair. “One of them kept pulling on my hair, calling it ‘sunshine thread,’ while another tried to convince me to stay and become their ‘champion of love.’” He makes air quotes, rolling his eyes.

“They wanted you? They wanted YOU to be their ‘champion of love’?” Izzy interrupts, smirking.