“He’s the best of males.” I wiped away a tear that threatened to leak from my eye and whirled toward the warrior. “What about your family? Do they live in Mistvale?”
I held my breath and wondered if he would answer. He’d shared a few things about himself while we’d been hunting the Stone, such as that his mother was Silten, but his father was Solis. He’d also shared that he’d grown up in other areas of the realm, and that he’d spent some of his childhood on the Soliscontinent. But other than that, I didn’t know much about his personal life. I had no idea if he had siblings or what he’d done before he joined the Imperial Council. So much of him was an enigma to me.
Hesitantly, he shook his head. “No, my parents are still in Solisarium.”
My eyebrows rose. “Is that a Solis city?”
“It is. Solisarium is the Solis capital. I spent my academic seasons there and stayed into my early adulthood.”
“Why did you leave?”
He shrugged. “I look different from the fae there. Most looked at me, and treated me, as though I was adefective, so when the opportunity arose for me to join the Imperial Council and return here, I took it.”
“A defective?”
“It’s what the Solis call fae who have no wings or magic.”
“But you have magic.”
He smirked. “I do, but those that judged me didn’t know that.”
“And what of your brothers and sisters. Do you have any? And where do they live?”
He eyed me, his dazzling blue eyes flashing in the fairy lights. “I only have one sibling, a brother, and he actually lives on the Nolus continent.”
My eyebrows shot up. “Your family truly has traveled all over the realm.”
“We have.” His gaze turned intense, and his throat bobbed in a swallow. Like on the Nelive Sea, energy strummed around him, swarming to surround me, and I thought again of what he’d said. Of how he’d sworn allegiance to the Council and how being around me had made him want to break his vows.
Thatthingin my chest, which seemed to tighten every time he was near, itched. I sighed and tried to fend off the strange reactions he so easily created in me.
My attention fell on the windows lining my uncle’s workshop, and I was surprised to see that it was already dark outside. I’d likely missed the supper meal with my parents, but I needed a break from those meals anyway.
Instead, something else was pulling at me, especially after visiting this workshop and hearing of Kole’s family.
Returning my attention to the warrior, I asked, “Do you mind if I visit my aunt and uncle? I’d like to check in with them, especially since it’s been nearly two days since Timith was cured. I imagine by now my aunt’s explained everything to him.”
I thought of Ree too. I’d forgotten to ask my parents if she and Siam could visit me, so I made a mental note to do that in the coming days.
Kole glanced toward the windows lining my uncle’s workshop. “The sun’s already set.”
I shrugged. “That’s all right. Most nights, my aunt and uncle don’t retire to bed early.”
But the warrior’s attention shifted to the windows again and the dark sky outside. The moons were out, and the stars were shining. It appeared to be a typical evening in the capital, but Kole’s aura pulsed, and I wondered if he’d heard me.
“Kole? Is it okay if I visit them? Or, do you not have time or perhaps don’t want to?” I raised my eyebrows.
Kole’s attention drifted to another window, this one in the hallway outside of my uncle’s workshop, and a slight frown tugged at his lips.
He finally looked at me. “Are your aunt and uncle inside their home?”
“I would imagine so. They’re usually inside at this time of night.”
He inhaled and glanced toward the window again. “I suppose so, but if they’re out, we’ll have to return here.”
“All right . . .” I replied warily.
The warrior stepped closer to me and clasped my hand. My heartbeat thudded, but my body didn’t have time to react further. In a swirl of mistphasing magic, we disappeared, only to reappear in my former home’s entryway.
