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The strength to forgive those who chose the wrong path…
That was what Hazel and Vanya had done when they’d saved those Conjurites, what Erol had ultimately done when he’d defeated the dark goddess Cyrene and brought the Conjurites back to the light.
The Fae with their power sought to create a world of abundance, turning to the earth, and using their magic to give back to what they had already received. The result was a lush earth that bore fruit and yielded crops, with rain aplenty and a rich earth that would sustain the Fae for generations to come.
The humans with their power chose to turn the magic inward. They developed the strength to overcome nations, to take land, to increase their own riches. They had always felt inferior to the Fae, and they believed that with their newfound power, they could grow themselves into beings that were more powerful and wealthier—beings that could rule the earth.
Ellie had found this out, first. She’d learned that the humans had had power once upon a time, and that Terra had stripped them of it for their own good.
Power is as terrible as it is wonderful. The Fae understood the responsibility that came with power, but the humans, who didn’t live long enough to truly learn and pass that wisdom to the future generations, didn’t know what it meant. They were in danger of becoming evil through their greed, and their weakness lay therein.Terra frowned upon the abuse of power. She hadn’t bestowed it upon the humans to spoil them, but rather to reward them for the goodness in their hearts. When she looked into them and found none, she—
“Hello?” A deep voice yanked me out of the story I’d been reading.
My head ached dully with the concentration to translate the words from the ancient language. I pressed my fingers against one temple.
Dex appeared in my living room. His brown hair—always cropped short in a cut fit for a general and a warrior—was damp from the rain, and droplets clung to his fighting leathers. His green eyes were the color of the forest.
My heart skipped a beat when I saw him. His muscles bulged under the leather that stretched over the rugged planes of his warrior’s body, and his jaw was set, eyes determined.
I forced my feelings away. I refused to be attracted to him.
“I just wanted to check in on you,” Dex said. “And bring you this.” He held out a flower, the petals decorated with droplets.
I reached for the flower—it was beautiful, delicate. I wanted to smell it, but I stopped myself and retrieved my hand.
“You’re wet,” I said instead.What a dumb thing to say.
Dex lowered the flower, unsure what to do with it when I didn’t take it, and he nodded. “I just finished training the new recruits.”
“In the rain?”
“Few things wait for the rain to stop, and they should learn that they should be ready no matter what.”
I nodded. Dex had trained many a valiant warrior, including the royal guard, and he turned them into the best of Fae. His approach could be rough, but it was tried and true. He was the general and the head of the training program for a reason.
“I’m fine,” I said. “Thank you for taking the time.” I glanced down at my scroll again.
Dex hesitated, hovering rather than turning around to leave. I wished he would—having him here made me feel flustered. My cheeks burned, and heat washed through my body. This was exactly what Ididn’twant to feel.
“How has your day been?” he asked.
He dropped the flower onto the desk before me.
I glanced at the flower before looking up at him, frowning. “It’s been fine,” I said. “I’m deciphering scrolls.”
“What are they about?” Dex asked.
“I can’t very well know that if you stay here and keep interrupting me.” I was hostile. My voice was clipped, and Dex’s eyes grew darker. I took a deep breath. “Sorry, I’m just very busy.”
“Right. You’re too busy with the things that keep you from talking to me.”
“I’m not too busy to talk to you,” I countered. “We’re talking right now.”
I knew how stupid it sounded before Dex snorted.
“So, is it just me you’re trying to avoid, or everyone but Ellie?”
“I’m not trying to avoid anyone,” I hedged.
