THE ELEMENTAL CHRONICLE

Twenty-Seven |

Twenty-Seven |

I trailed back to my bedroom, my head heavy with thoughts.

That determination and adrenaline from winning against Orris was slowly fading with a new wave of dread filling me. I took my time bathing and changing into an emerald afternoon gown (decorated with golden embellishments and different sparkling sapphires) and my boots before wandering down the hall to fetch a night snack.

The day had passed so quickly, which had only a slight sentiment of panic rising in my blood. Tomorrow I'd have only six days, the day after it would be only five days—and so on. Not to mention the threat of war was only growing over the days. Bram had never been able to send word back to Erik, how long until Erik would stop waiting?

It was only a matter of time before he acted.

There was not enough time.

There was never enough time.

"Ara!"

Happiness bloomed in my chest as I turned, a bright smile on my face. Aldrich jogged over to me before panting hard, his hands resting on his knees as he struggled to catch his breath. I was grateful to see him, after the earlier actions I wasn't sure where we stood.

"Are you off to fetch a snack?" he asked, straightening himself.

I nodded. "How did you know?"

His cheeks blushed. "You weren't at dinner."

Ah.

My eyes slid to the stained-glass windows of the hall.

Honestly, I had been too much of a coward to go to dinner.

I was afraid I'd no longer be welcomed as part of the family. I had told them my home was Ipuina after all. I knew the weight of my words. Not to mention accusing Uncle of using me as a pawn—which he admitted. A faint throb vibrated through my head, and I sighed softly.

"Forgive me."

My eyes widened as I looked back to him. "Pardon?"

"Forgive me little cousin," he spoke softly, gently. "I've been terrible to you. The line between duty and family has always been a blurry one for people like us but I prided myself on being different. Better than the likes of the Yarrow. Yet, when it came down to it, I so easily offered you up for duty instead of coming to you as family."

My heart hurt at his words. I stepped forward, grabbing his arm. "Do not ask my forgiveness Aldrich. I hold no contempt for you. In fact, I worried you were angry with me."

"What?" he gasped. "Why?"

"I'm ashamed to relive it," I muttered, dropping my gaze and my grasp. "I should not have been so cruel to consider you as the crown prince before my cousin. That was wrong of me."

He laughed, surprising me. "It seems we both misused our duty then."

I smiled at him. "Indeed. Truce then?"

"Truce."

We began walking down the hall, this time side by side. As we walked, he told me of the library and how he personally saw to removing each and every one of those bookmarks. He told me that they'd been placed in the books by his mother after my father went missing which is why he believed Uncle was startled by the request.

I said nothing, knowing the deeper reason why he was dissatisfied by the request. It was to keep the books safe from any fae that wished to read of all that father recorded and that was wrong.