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Ember nodded. “I understand that. Honestly, I was hoping to have a heart-to-heart with you.”
My brows furrowed as I kept my gaze on hers. “What about?”
Her expression saddened. “The curse. I know you’ve been preoccupied with finding the cure. I’ve been worried it’s consuming you.”
Guilt spread through my body. “Has it been that noticeable?”
She nodded. “Very much so. I don’t want to see you unhappy, Lia. If you want to go after Diawen, I’m sure no one will be able to stop you. If anyone can break the curse, it will be you. I’m your best friend, Lia, and I love you. I just hope you see what’s in front of you before you go out and put it all at risk.”
I couldn’t help but smile. “You sound like my mother. She said something similar to me today.”
Ember beamed. “She’s a smart woman. The question is . . . are you going to listen to us?”
Korra cooed and it warmed my heart. These were the moments I didn’t want to miss. Tears filled my eyes, and they ran warm down my cheeks.
“I know it’s hard, Lia.”
“It is,” I admitted shamelessly. I blew out a heavy sigh and smiled down at Korra. “But I can’t give up on this.”
Ember hung her head. “So, you’re going after Diawen, then?”
I looked at her until she lifted her gaze to mine. “No,” I answered.
Her eyes widened. “No?”
I shook my head. “I won’t go searching after Diawen, but Iamgoing to keep hoping for a change. There must be another way to find the cure and if I get the chance, I’ll go for it. And I’ll do it in a non-dangerous way. No risks to those I love.”
A tear slid down Ember’s cheeks. “I think that sounds like a plan.”
It wasn’t my first choice, but I had to think of Bayleon and Bastian. But most of all, I had to have faith.
Chapter25
Lia
The savory aromas of roasted meat, vegetables, and fruits filled the hallway, a welcome reprieve since I hadn’t eaten anything since breakfast. As I approached the dining room, hearty laughter emanated from within, lifting my heart and making me smile.
When I entered, I was struck by the changes in Bayleon and Bastian—they seemed more relaxed and open, their smiles filled with joy. They were dressed in beige tunics that showed off their taut physiques, paired with brown leather pants. Aidan raised his glass of faerie wine in salute, his smile wide. Bayleon and Bastian bowed to me as usual, despite my insistence that we were equals and they didn’t need to do that.
“It’s about time you got back,” Aidan teased, “we were about to eat without you.”
With a shake of his head, Bastian extended an arm for me to take; I kissed him and then Bayleon, tasting sweet faerie wine on their lips and wishing for more.
Bayleon pulled my seat back from the table and smiled. He had a ruggedly handsome face, framed with tousled, long blond hair that glinted in the candlelight.
“How was your visit with Korra?” he asked.
I couldn’t help but feel my heart fluttering as I sat down. “It was fantastic,” I said, gazing up into his face.
As usual, his eyes were covered by the silver mask he and Bastian always had to wear. Bayleon took the seat to my right and Bastian to my left while Aidan sat across from us and poured more faerie wine into our glasses.
“It’s going to be a long time before I have any kids,” he said casually.
A spark of jealousy ignited in my gut at his flippant attitude, but I quickly pushed it away. If Bayleon and Bastian noticed anything amiss they didn’t let on, instead piling food onto their plates and laughing about stories from their adventures of the day. We enjoyed our dinner together, drinks in hand.
Lifting my glass, I held it out to Aidan. “I’ve enjoyed having you here, cousin. We need to do it more often.”
Aidan raised his glass. “I agree. Next time, you three need to come to my court.” He smirked. “And maybe we can get the rest of our cousins to come. It’s been a while since we’ve all been together without our parents. Traditions are nice, but I think we need to make new ones.”
