“Whatexactlydo you mean?” Axel eventually inquired.
“I mean,” Eleana began, “that once I report back to Elion, and the two of you return to Aurum Quarter, we plan to take Solis Quarter and eliminate the corruption spreading through Solis.”
“So, war?” I confirmed.
“Of sorts, yes,” Eleana replied. “Elion didn’t provide me with all the details. And I suspect he won’t until the two of you return to Aurum.”
I rubbed a hand through my hair, shaking my head as my muscles tensed. “Not all have fallen. The small number of Remnant who remain—those here who have been fighting for the light even in the darkness—will need to leave. Not tomention, we will need a little bit more time to get to the bottom of exactly what Lucanus has been doing—how far this corruption has spread.”
“What have you gathered so far?” she questioned.
“The corruption seems to have spread to all those in positions of power, and those who mark as highers—mainly those with multiple affinities and aetherial affinities. The moreprivilegedin the Quarter.”
“All the members of the Royal Solis Guard as well,” Axel chimed in.
“From what we’ve gathered, Solis Quarter believes in five gods as opposed to one, with parents now choosing to tell their children about Aeternus as if he’s more of a child’s tale as opposed to the Eternal being who created Aurelia.”
“How much more time do you need before you return to Guild headquarters?” Eleana asked, her eyes focused on me.
“Is a week asking too much?” I questioned, hating that she had more knowledge in this context than I did, but understanding that it was the way of the Guild when spies were on scouting missions.
Axel and I existed in a state of need to know until we returned to headquarters, in case our cover was exposed.
“Fine,” she answered after doing a calculation in her head. “But a week means backinsidethe headquarters, Blackwood. Not crossing The Rift, notjustdeparting the safe house.Both of you—in front of Elion—in one week,” she confirmed.
“We can do that,” I replied, nodding my head in understanding. “But if that’s the case . . .” I turned toward Axel, who grumbled.
“I’ll go get ready,” he answered before I could say anything. “Evidently, sleep waits for no one.”
Eleana laughed. “You can get all the beauty sleep you need once you’re back in Aurum.”
I huffed a dark laugh at that. “Can we even do that, since it seems we will be preparing to overthrow a corrupt crown?”
She grimaced, “Well, maybe not. But I’m sure you can find sleep at some point along the way.”
“Oh well,” Axel muttered as he turned to head toward the back room, already beginning to assemble his gear for the next phase of our scouting mission. We needed to figure out what Lucanus was doing—why he was aiming to gather more power and what he wanted to do with it.
19
RAELYNA
“I’m sorry,”Sage spoke lowly at the tavern two nights later. “I’ve looked into every possible option, but there’s no way I can get anyone into the Temples without permission. It just won’t work.”
I sighed as I began mixing a drink for an impatient customer down the bar. “Don’t worry about it, Sage,” I comforted. “We’ll figure something else out.”
She nodded, biting her lip nervously as she watched me closely, and I sighed for the second time while making one drink.
“I’m guessing Finn told you about the episode,” I confirmed, and she nodded.
“They’re getting worse, Rae,” she said with a note of seriousness I’d heard from her all too often.
“And what do you propose I do, Sage?” I gestured wildly with one hand as I poured the drink into a decorated glass, the liquid coating the ball of ice in the center. “It’s not like I can control it. And until we find out why it’s happening, I’m not sure what other option I have, other than just to endure it.”
“I know,” she said with a remorseful sigh. “Doesn’t mean I have to like that they keep occurring to you.”
“Well, I can’t say I’m the biggest fan either,” I said with a bitter laugh as I set the drink down in front of the male waiting.
My phone chimed, and I walked away from the counter, glancing down at the message from Finn.
