As a result, the Steward's head was knocked aside at the last possible second, significantly altering the aim of his energy blast. Instead of ramming into Edith, the burst of energy hit the stands where at least two of the Elders had ironically teleported to escape.
Debris flew everywhere, and Rothario stumbled back against the base of the dais. But whatever damage he'd taken seemed to be minimal as he immediately began struggling against the large statue now barring his path at a slant.
And Edith took complete advantage.
Before the rubble from the misdirected blast could even land, she charged him, letting a loud roar while sinking her fangs into his throat. If Rothario made any sounds of pain, they were cut off by her teeth mercilessly clamping down.
With the tight hold, she aggressively jerked her head from side to side. Once … twice … with the third brutal tug, the Steward's head was ripped from his body, blood spattering as she flung it aside, right into the center of the arena for all to see.
Almost immediately, the beast's form faded away in a puff of smoke, Rothario's body returning to normal—along with his head.
Silence swept over the coliseum, the spectators staring as if they couldn't quite register what had just happened, and Edith shared their sentiment. Had she just won this fight? Was it actually over?
As if to answer her unspoken questions, cheering suddenly sounded in the stands, coming from a group of Dok'aal who'd been teleported in with some of the former prisoners by the soldiers who'd freed them. Their shouts gave rise to even more cheering, proving that this was, indeed, a victory.
Perhaps there was still work to be done in Perosia, unrest that would arise and administrative matters to fix. But the tyrant was gone, and in that moment, everyone was united by a single thought; Bye bye, asshole.
Everyone, that was, except Edith.
Dalia teleported into the arena with Isaac just as Edith's form shimmered, her size decreasing and image returning to normal. In the process, the crowd's shouts grew distant, her mind focusing on one thing alone; Isaac, and her need to tell him her true feelings.
Because this was her last chance.
Thirty-Seven
• • •
“You know, Edith,” Isaac began with his gaze lowered on Rothario's severed cranium, “I'm gonna say this with the utmost sincerity. The next time you're pissed at me, just don't bite my head off.”
He heard Dalia snort at the comment and grinned. But despite his jokes, a whirlwind of contradictory emotions was churning in his gut. From extreme relief, to concern over how well Edith was actually doing after the blows she'd received, it was difficult to focus on whatever sense of satisfaction Rothario's demise offered.
For this reason, he'd remained close to his mate as her body reverted back to its normal form and, proving she'd heard his comment, she smiled at him the moment she was human again.
Yet there was something off about the look—it was distant, weak, with a tired glint in her green eyes as if she simply didn't have any energy left.
Then she collapsed.
“Edith!”
Isaac quickly caught her before she could hit the floor, dragging her body to his. Then, lifting her chin with his rapidly healing knuckles, he asked, “What is it, angel? What's wrong?”
“Too much … magic,” she rasped. “I need the Well.”
“The Well? You mean in Mystikkar?”
“Yes,” she breathed gravelly.
“I'll get you there, just hang on for me,” Isaac returned urgently, wracking his brain for the quickest way to return to Ithelyon.
Yet Edith captured his complete attention by placing her hand over his heart and whispering, “Need to tell you … I love you, Isaac. So much. And I'm so sorry.”
The finality in her tone had his heart frantically picking up its pace. That fear he had about her dying as a result of taking Rothario down? Fuck no, that's not happening!
“Shut it! Don't talk like … ,” he trailed when her head drooped back and her hand fell away from his chest, limp.
“Edith?”
No response.
“Edith!”
Her head lolled as he tried to shake her awake, and Dalia immediately reached out to check her pulse, announcing, “Her heart's slowing down. You have to get her back to the portal sphere, Isaac!”
Before Isaac could respond, Arias' voice commented from nearby, “That would be needlessly complicated considering I just opened a portal behind you.”
The siblings both looked to see the Ancient stepping back from the mystical doorway he'd created while adding, “This will put you in the heart of Mystikkar, Isaac, and I'm certain you'll find plenty of passersby who'll tell you where the Aeonic Well is located.”
Isaac didn't hesitate. There were a million questions he wanted to ask Arias about his reasons for helping and his part in this entire thing, but definitely not at the expense of Edith's life. He barely even got out the word thanks as he hoisted her up in his arms to carry through the portal as quickly as possible.
Having never been to Mystikkar before, Isaac had no idea what to expect. But he soon arrived on a street paved with mosaic tiling in the middle of a vast square. Shops lined the pathways surrounding a large fountain at the center with several blossoming trees possessing light spheres hanging from their branches, painting an idyllic, yet entirely mystical scene.
But most importantly, Arias was right, there were plenty of mages about who stopped to stare the moment he appeared.
Reaching out, he grabbed the collar of the nearest one—a young elven male—and jerked him in, demanding, “Where the fuck is the Aeonic Well?”
The elf stared at him blankly, stuttering, “The Gr-Grand Aerary.”
Isaac had no idea where that was, and didn't trust himself to find it in time. So he growled, “Can you teleport?”
The elf nodded nervously.
“Then fucking take us there! Now!”
Thankfully, the mage didn't hesitate despite his obvious discomfort. In only moments, Isaac found himself cradling Edith in a large, vaulted chamber with several Sentinels standing dormant around a pool of water.
But he didn't care what it actually was, carrying Edith to the edge—just as a hand landed on his left shoulder.
Looking in that direction, he saw Chandra, who stated emphatically, “Whatever you do, Isaac, do not touch the water yourself.”
He had no idea how the sorceress found them so quickly, but didn't ask, heeding her direction while kneeling at the edge of the well to place Edith into the water feet first.
Oddly enough, instead of sinking, her legs floated on the surface as he turned her to slide into the pool entirely.
“Doesn't she need her staff?” he asked before releasing her body.
“She has it,” Chandra promised. “A mage's staff is always with them, even if unseen.”
With a deep breath, he trusted the sorceress' judgment, and let Edith go. As soon as she was free, her body floated across the surface of the pool, and Isaac almost demanded to know why she wasn't sinking.
But soon, a light from the depths of the well started to glow, distracting him entirely. It quickly grew in brightness, then rose up beneath his mate's body so rapidly it exploded from the surface in a blinding wave.
Drawing his arm up to cover his eyes, Isaac cringed, then peered back at the waters once the energy had faded away to see that Edith …
Was gone.
“Where is she!”
“Isaac,” Chandra started, her voice soft. “You'll have to be patient. Edith will return in her own time.”
Standing from his crouch, he approached the sorceress aggressively, demanding, “What the fuck is that supposed to mean?”
In response to his hostility, the Sentinels surrounding the well came to life, all fifteen drawing their blades in perfect synchronization. The sight gave Isaac pause—even without his mute, so many Sentinels would be a huge challenge, and he wasn't teleporting away from this chamber until
he knew Edith was safe.
“And what the hell is their problem?” he added just as lividly.
“Their sole priority is to ensure no harm comes to the well, and an altercation between the two of us would certainly put it in danger. As for my meaning,” Chandra stepped around Isaac to gaze at the waters, “there's much about the Aeonic Well even we don't understand. After my own submersion, I returned unable to recall what happened precisely, yet I possessed a knowledge I've never been able to put into words since. It's simply a part of me now, as it will be a part of Edith.”
Isaac had no idea if he understood what she was saying, but also got the feeling it was something only a mage who'd successfully completed their trials could understand. So he asked the most basic question he could think of that might explain it better.
“It changed you?”
In response, Chandra actually smiled, speaking more sincerely then he thought she was capable, “It gave me purpose and understanding.”
Then he was right. It was something only a mage would get. But in the end, it didn't matter. As long as Edith returned to him healthy and hale, the Aeonic Well could give her coupons for a free meal at some All-You-Can-Eat-Buffet, and he wouldn't care.
The only thing Isaac cared to know was, “When will she be back?”
As a testament to the unknown, Chandra offered, “I'll take you to her quarters if you'd like, as it may be minutes, hours, or even days. She may not return to the Aerary either.”
Realizing he was facing yet another test of patience waiting for his mate, Isaac growled in discontent. Still, he allowed Chandra to teleport them while asking, “Then where the hell will she be?”
Once they'd reached Edith's quarters, Chandra gave a simple, and altogether irritating reply.
“Wherever she needs to go.”
• • •
Ithelyon's two moons reflected in the surface of Lake Keskin with a sheer cover of clouds traveling by the silvery blue orbs as if in homage. It was a serene evening, and even the roar of the waterfall rushing below the vast viaduct lining the edge of the lake was soothing.
It was Chandra's favorite place in all of Mystikkar, despite the history it held for her. There was simply no better location to view the moons, or reflect upon recent events—as well as those yet to come.
Edith had fulfilled the prophecy, slaying Rothario and allowing a chance for peace and prosperity to come to a weary empire. In doing so, Chandra had gained the retribution she'd sought since her poisoning so long ago, nearly costing her life. I do not take threats kindly.
Now, all that remained to be seen was whether the hardest parts lay behind, or ahead.
“I thought I'd find you here.”
The unexpected comment prompted the sorceress to turn her head left where she spied a very random visitor approaching. Yet, unaffected by his appearance, she returned simply, “Yes, I have made a habit of visiting this place in the past, though an apprentice such as you wouldn't know that unless they had something to hide. So I wonder what secrets you hold, Marcus?”
Dressed the same way he'd been the day he accepted his Calling, the human apprentice smirked, then raised his shoulder in a shrug. “People tend to underestimate me. Does that sound like a legitimate secret?”
“Not specifically,” Chandra answered on a flat tone.
“Fine,” he grumbled, and a wash of smoke rose around his body, obscuring it for a brief moment.
When it lifted, Marcus' visage had changed to something much more familiar.
“Ah, I'd suspected you were near, Arias,” Chandra drew out. “I simply couldn't be certain where.”
Coming to stand only a few feet away, the illusionist gazed up at the moons and allowed half his mouth to lift in a smirk. “My farce was ingenious, wasn't it? Even though I was nearly discovered by Edith's fae friend, you know, the one you didn't warn me about.”
Chandra quirked a slender brow, knowing that a fae like Charlotte could sense the true life force hiding behind an illusion if they tried. So Arias would've needed to avoid her at all costs when parading as Marcus.
“If I'd suspected you'd run into her, I would have,” she returned plainly, allowing her piercing gaze to return to the starry night above. “Might I also assume you're partly responsible for helping my apprentice remain secret during her training?”
“Perhaps. But I really only needed to stay a step ahead of the opposition as it were, and she did quite the number on him, didn't she?”
Chandra didn't bother masking her satisfaction over Edith's victory. “That she did.”
“Is that pride I hear in the cold sorceress' voice? Or perhaps you're trying your own hand at an illusion.”
“It's pride,” she admitted without qualm. “Also gratitude for your assistance, however late I may be in expressing it.”
When Arias didn't respond verbally, she let her gaze travel to his face and noticed he looked just as pleased by the outcome. It made her curious enough to ask, “So now that your dues have been paid, and you can lay down your burden, what comes next?”
The Ancient's onyx eyes drifted down to the lake below the towering viaduct on which they stood, and momentarily, he shook his head. “Perhaps oblivion. I can't yet say for certain. But … ”
Trailing, he turned to face her. “I do know the answer to another question you've asked.”
“What question?”
As if the City of Magic had something to do with his response, Arias looked out at the towering, marble spires raising toward the sky, then focused on her and smiled.
“He has never forgotten you.”
It was a completely simple, yet entirely cryptic response, but Chandra's gut clenched regardless. Thankfully, centuries of hiding her emotions—or suppressing them with magic—allowed her to mask the reaction and ask indifferently, “He? Who might that be?”
“Perhaps we'll meet again when you find out … ”
Thirty-Eight
• • •
Mystikkar
Five Days Later
Not long ago, Isaac had routinely spent his days just imagining how good it would feel once Edith returned from training. For ten whole months, he'd ached for the chance to simply get to know her.
But that was nothing compared to the last five days waiting in Mystikkar without knowing a damned thing at all.
Isaac only rarely managed to tear himself away from her quarters, spending most of his time lying around in her bed, or on a pallet in front of the fire, asking himself the same repetitive questions; Was Edith okay? Would she return in good spirits? Does she need me? Being in the dark over such matters was agonizing, and all he wanted was to open his eyes and see her standing there, smiling and ready to start their lives together.
But she never was, and he wasn't the only person eagerly awaiting her arrival.
Chandra had dropped by often enough to check, and offered to show Isaac around Mystikkar in the interim, which helped to pass the time—though it was also extremely strange. The two had always antagonized each other in the past, and now, they barely ever raised their voices, sharing a common anxiousness to see the enchantress again.
After only a day of such civil interaction, they quickly admitted to one another that Edith needed to return just so they could resume their usual bickering.
Even Ulric and Charlotte thought their current friendship was unnerving. The couple had arrived in the City of Magic only a day after Edith disappeared into the Well, and Charlotte made certain to bring all of her things from Nalona, including a few gifts she'd purchased to, in her words, celebrate the hooker's graduation to Arch-hooker.
Other visitors such as Dalia and a few of her Dok'aal clansmen paid a visit to check as well, and Chandra remarked that all of the traffic made Mystikkar seem like an oversized resort.
She also stated that if any celebrations were being planned, they could be hosted elsewhere.
As far as matters concerning Perosia went, Dalia had been named the de facto Steward until a
coronation could be planned. Many of the citizens were even referring to her as Princess Dalia, a fact she found extremely strange after so many years being called Lia by her Dok'aal clansmen.
But she seemed to be taking it in stride, and related that despite Isaac's eradicated identity, several were wondering if he'd elect to take the throne because he was the eldest sibling.
Any other day of the week, Isaac would've said to tell them all to fuck off. Dalia was much better suited for the job, and she was also willing to take it. But he couldn't say yes or no until he knew Edith's feelings on the matter for certain, wanting her to be his partner in all ways.
So for now, he waited, and only managed to tear himself away from Edith's quarters by visiting one of her favorite places in Mystikkar—the Guild Hall Gardens.
There, he sat on one of several benches nestled among tall trees and flowering bushes. It was a quiet night with only a few fairies passing by for company, the flying creatures looking like small orbs of light when they weren't very close. Or maybe they were sprites. Isaac could never tell the difference.
Yet he was distracted anyway, staring down at Edith's puzzle box in his hands—an item he refused to put down. Ever since Charlotte had it delivered with the rest of his mate's things, he'd kept it close, feeling as if the woman he loved might be nearby whenever he looked at it.
“You're still carrying that around, huh?”
Ulric's voice came from directly ahead, and Isaac looked up to see the draconian walking over to take a seat on the bench next to him.
“Yeah, and I'm not letting it go until I know something for sure.”
“I don't blame you. Seems like the hardest part would be not knowing a damned thing.”
“It is,” he enunciated, “and when Edith gets back, I'm never letting her out of my sight again.”
Ulric grinned in amusement. “Charlotte's getting tired of waiting, too. I think her exact words were Isaac needs to put a freaking leash on her.”
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