“You’re here because the king heard what you did in the prison.”
My eyebrows pinch as I try to remember, but the obsidian clouds my mind.
“What did I do?”
“You don’t remember?”
“Not clearly.”
Callum’s expression is calm but strong. There’s no weariness in his gaze. His eyes are bright and stirring with power in a way I’ve never seen them. His aura hums around us. The air breezes, even though we’re underground. He’s brimming with magic.
His eyes glow brighter. His skin warmer.
I’ve known him my whole life, but I’ve never known him like this.
“Bring her up,” someone yells from the top of a staircase before Callum can explain to me what’s happening.
He frowns, but he doesn’t hesitate. He doesn’t fight for me. He makes his choice and leads me out of the cell in chains.
Chapter 8
Elorie
Rumors of KingMalachi Adira run wild on Alyssium. The Prince of Light, as he was once called. The Ley King, who ousted his tyrant father. A kingdom’s hope or downfall, depending on the storyteller. Equally worshipped and hated as magic has continued to slowly fade after the fall of King Erdem.
I’ve been mostly indifferent about my feelings toward the king until now. The thought of a king on a throne, thriving in the Ley Court as he comfortably oversees the realm of Lyrichia, was a distant thing. Except now I’m here, reeking of vomit and covered in dust, awaiting his judgment.
When Callum retrieved me from my cell, I thought I understood magic in the realm from looking into his eyes. It isn’t until the doors to the great hall swing open that I’m faced with the aura of true power.
Royal magic.
The room glows with small orbs dancing overhead. They’re pieces of sun that bathe the room in a warm glow, highlighting every soft edge in the gold-and-cerulean-adorned space. Polished floors reflect the light streaming through the windows,and they’re almost too bright to stare directly at them after being in the dungeon. Much less after years of being deprived of real sunlight, desperate for every ray that filtered through the cloud cover on the island.
My eyes squint at the brightness, and I curl back, pausing at the door. Until the Fae at my side shoves my shoulder, forcing me forward.
Callum’s eyes cut in his direction, but that’s all he does. He says nothing as I’m dragged through the room.
King Malachi looks younger than I expected. If he were human, I’d guess that we’d be around the same age. But I know he’s not, given Fae appearances make the years irrelevant and deceptive.
He sits on a throne at the head of the room, and once we lock gazes, it’s impossible to look away—to see anything apart from him. His golden-blond hair hangs to his shoulders, and his blue eyes are piercing. They match the royal blue cape tied at his neck.
The air around him glows, but it isn’t from the orbs overhead or light streaming through the windows. His very presence is reflective. Brimming with light, overflowing with his magic. I’ve heard he’s a light wielder, which is extremely rare. His magic is what earned him his Prince of Light nickname. But I’ve never quite understood how light-wielding works, or why the Fae seem to fear something that I would think would be good for the realm.
Not until I stare into King Malachi’s wild blue eyes and sense the depth of his power reaching for me. A very presence in this room. Heady and overwhelming.
“Why is she in chains?” King Malachi doesn’t tear his gaze off me, even though it’s clear he’s speaking to someone else.
“What she did to those guards?—”
“Release her.” He waves a hand, then reaches for a small blue orb hanging around his neck.
He spins the orb between his fingers, watchingme with unnerving intensity. I have no idea what magic that orb holds, but I don’t miss that it has its own pulse. My throat thickens, making it harder to swallow.
“Wilhelm.” King Malachi waves Callum forward while two other Fae start to unlatch my chains. “You know this girl?”
“Since her birth.” Callum steps forward and nods once.
In the years I’ve known him, Callum hasn’t said many good things about the Crown, even as he donned the royal armor. He avoided insulting the king directly, but I never missed how careful he was with his words.
