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“Jaqleon’s shredded,” I said to the elves fluttering around me. “And I think Oleander is suffering from blood loss.”
“What about you—”
“I’m fine!” I stepped back from the elf who was shaking up a potion as she eyed me. “Just…help them,” I lamely said, gulping when I noticed the pallor to Oleander’s face as some of the elves helped her sit.
This satisfied them momentarily as they swirled away, crowding around the injured, giving me a moment to finally place myself.
We were in one of the lower levels of the mountain side city that made up Calor Villa. It was one of the levels I hadn’t visited before—we were in some kind of square surrounded by tall buildings that were covered in vines and greenery that I was pretty sure I hadn’t seen before.
I jumped when someone put a hand on my shoulders, settling only when I realized it was Rodaric.
“—knew we should have left a scout outside the tower. Chloe Anderson, are you alright?” His voice was loud over the shouted orders of the elves wielding the potions.
“I’m fine. I have to go—now—but, will they be okay?” I glanced at Oleander, who shut her eyes as she lay down on the ground.
“They’ll be fine,” Rodaric assured me. “It’s more likely the trauma of being cut off from magic combined with their actual injuries. They’ll be given the best care.”
“Okay. Do I need to lock any of the clocktower doors or anything?” I asked.
Rodaric shook his head. “The shop employees will be returning shortly—they’re gearing up now with charms and shields.”
I absently nodded, until I realized what he was saying.Holy—they’re preparing for another attack!
My shoulders hunched at the thought, and I assumed that would be the height of my anxiety, until I heard, “The king!”
The elves turned as one, facing one side of the square.
A moment later, Noctus appeared—wearing his black clothing, holding a sword that gleamed with magic.
Charon, Aristide, and Ker were behind him.
Ker was in her human form. When she saw me, her eyes lit up, and it was a slug to my gut.
I greatly underestimated how much I’d miss them. But I can’t—not yet. I still haven’t figured out a way for “us” to work.
“I gotta go,” I repeated, pulling free of Rodaric’s grasp and staggering toward the gate.
Rodaric let me go, and the shouts were replaced with hissed mutters as the elves organized, electing someone to inform Noctus.
I was almost to the gate—I was so close to it that I could feel the elf magic it radiated dance across my skin—before I remembered the fae.
When I was staying in Calor Villa, Noctus and Charon were keeping tabs on a fae—a male fae. What if…
“Noctus!” I shouted as I swung around, my voice carrying over the crowd.
Noctus flicked his eyes to me, and immediately silence fell over the square.
I gulped, but there was too much at stake to let my awkwardness get the best of me. “There was a fae—a male fae—who left the scene, and waswaytoo relaxed considering he had to have been cut off from magic. He was fae tall and lean with their usual graceful way of moving, but the only somewhat distinctive thing about him was his blond hair, sorry.”
Noctus nodded. “We’ll look into it.”
He opened his mouth to say something, but I couldn’t stay anymore. My brother was a convenient—and truthfully should have been thebiggest—concern, but the truth was I didn’t think I could stay much longer near Noctus, near Charon, Ker, Aristide, near any of the elves, and not get pulled in.
We still don’t have any resolution at this point. My thoughts left me more confused than the abrupt feeling of weightlessness as I stepped into the gate.But I can’t reach out to Noctus—none of the plans I’ve thought of are all that viable.
Still…my heart physically hurt when I stepped into the clocktower. Even though the weird feeling that portal travel always smacked me with was gone, I still felt disorientated.
Calor, nestled into the mountains as it was, had been colder despite the morning sun, and the air had a misty scent to it that rolled off the lake.
