“How long have you been here?” Aris asked.
“About three months.” Gritting her teeth, she shoved the words she wanted to say to the back of her mind. “Lyr’s daughter arrived unexpectedly from Earth. Her gift was strong but untrained, so he sought a teacher for her. Iren and I came to live here then.”
Aris frowned. “How did Iren take the move?”
“He has loved being away from Fiorn,” she answered. “We’ve had a few rough days, but he’s thrived away from my father’s strict rules.”
“I imagine so.” Aris grimaced. He’d never gotten along with her father, either. “There is so much I want to know about Iren. So many years… I’m not sure how I can ever make up for that.”
Her heart pinched. She’d wanted him to talk about something more serious, but now that he’d broached the topic of his missing years, she wasn’t sure how to continue. “It wasn’t by your doing,” she ventured.
Aris shook his head. “It doesn’t matter. The result was the same.”
She twisted her fingers together. “I don’t know what to say.”
“Selia,” Aris said softly. “Don’t get upset on my account.”
She snorted at that. “Sure.”
As they stopped at the door in the base of the tower, he surprised her by taking her hand. His hold was light, but it was there. Voluntarily. “I mean it. I don’t know if the mind-healer can help. I don’t know if anything can. But I will do my best to keep from hurting you more. That would never be my intention.”
Her shoulders drooped. “I know.”
“Skizik, this tower is broad,” Kezari said from a few paces away, seemingly oblivious to their conversation. “I could maybe sleep on top.”
The wide stone tower stretched up high in the middle of the clearing. But though the top was at the same height as the branches of the nearby trees, it didn’t appear big enough for a dragon to sleep on. At least not to her eyes. “Let’s go up. It’s a bit of a climb, though, and the staircase is enclosed.”
His hand jerked in hers before he abruptly let go. As he peered at the stone, Aris shivered. “With few windows.”
“Were you…” How could she ask about his captivity without throwing his mind into chaos? She didn’t want to, but it was difficult to suggest suitable shelter if she didn’t know how he’d been held. “Do such structures bring back bad memories?”
His lips thinned. “Anything enclosed, which is nonsensical. The cave was large enough to hold Kezari in dragon form. But I was rarely free to explore it.”
Although his words were even, Aris’s pupils had begun to dilate, and his breathing was growing shallower. Her instinct was to reach out to him, but she held back. “Perhaps I can help,” she offered softly.
“Selia—”
“Not with mind healing. I have an idea, if you’ll indulge me.”
His nod was sharp, but he gave it. Quickly, Selia sent a mental request to Lyr and stood with bated breath until he gave his assent. She hadn’t been sure he would approve such a major modification, but he was eager to see Aris settled. All she needed now was energy. As she stepped through the doorway into the small landing at the bottom of the stairs, Selia reached out with her senses and connected to the power of the world around them.
Magic streamed through, burning in her blood like purest sunlight. Selia smiled with the joy of it, but she didn’t take the time to bask. Instead, she funneled the power through the proper channel in her mind and stretched out her hand. She started up the steps, letting her hand rest on the wall, and forced the image in her mind outward.
Her body jolted as the magic poured free, bringing her inner vision to life. Beneath her fingers, the stone heated, and the slight resistance of rock gave way to the smooth glide of crystal. Although her body shook with the force of it, Selia took another step up. Then another. Trembling, she climbed and transmuted until her chest ached and her fingers stung from the constant heat.
Once she reached the upper landing, Selia slumped against the inside wall and stared at the shimmering crystal that now bordered the stairwell. It wasn’t as clear as a window, but light poured through with hints of the outside world beyond. Would it be enough? Her transmutation abilities weren’t strong enough to change rock to glass, only one kind of stone to another. She swiped the sweat from her forehead. It had been challenging enough to manage so much of that.
Selia drew in energy to replace some of what she’d used, but only sleep would fully rejuvenate her. It would be more than worthwhile if it gave Aris some relief. What else could she offer him? She wasn’t a healer, and he didn’t want her touch or even to talk. But this she could do.
Once her energy settled, Selia pushed away from the wall and started down the stairs. Only to halt halfway down at the sight of Aris climbing up, his hand—and gaze—on the hazy crystal. Surprised wonder filled his face instead of the fear he’d shown earlier. A few steps below, Kezari came into view, a toothy smile widening her mouth she stared at the crystal.
“Do you like it?” Selia asked softly.
Aris paused on the step beneath hers. “I am in awe of it. And you.”
“No need of that,” Selia said, smiling. “I hope it helps.”
His hand rubbed absently at the crystal. “It does. I cannot tolerate the thought of being cut off from nature again. I was denied even the sight of it for so long.”
Oh, how that must have hurt him! Selia’s heart pinched, and she was glad to have eased that burden for him, if only a little. “Let’s go see the top.”
As Selia climbed again, she felt his presence behind her with each step. His energy was as familiar to her as her own, so she could sense his tumult without much effort. The alteration might have eased his panic, but his struggle was still evident. And why wouldn’t it be? With Aris’s connection to living things, it must have been pure agony to be cut off. Not just because of his magic, either. He might have scaled back his expeditions after Iren had been born, but he’d never wanted to stay indoors for long periods of time. He’d spent hours outside each day.
Selia paused when she reached the top landing again, an alcove that opened into the circular tower room. Sitting on one of the padded benches built into the base of the windows, Iren and Eri waited for Selia and the others. How in the world had they known…? She gave a soft snort at her own thoughts. Eri was there, so of course they’d known the right time to be in the tower.
She expected Iren to run up to Aris, who’d frozen at Selia’s side, but their son stayed still. “Eri suggested we help set up the room,” he said.
Selia huffed. “You were supposed to be studying with Lady Lynia.”
“Our help eased things,” Eri said, not a hint of chagrin in her tone.
After a glance around the bare room, Selia lifted a brow. “What did you do?”
Iren did jump up then. Excitement lit his face as he pointed at the ceiling. “We added a door.”
“Irenel Baran,” Selia breathed when she caught sight of the wooden rectangle angled awkwardly overhead. “Please tell me you did not modify Lord Lyr’s property without express permission. I must be mistaken since you have very little of the artisan’s gift and surely would not have tried such a thing.”
Of course, Selia knew very well he would have done it, especially with Eri’s encouragement. He might be the older by five years, but he wasn’t a mature influence. Sure enough, a guilty flush stained his cheeks as he studied his feet. Selia took the opportunity to pull in a few deep breaths. He would admit it fairly quickly if she let him stew. He might be mischievous, but he was honest.
“Answer your mother, Iren,” Aris said.
Although he didn’t raise his voice, Selia and Iren both startled at the sound. Annoyance at his interference flashed through her, followed promptly by guilt. She might have grown accustomed to disciplining Iren herself, but Aris still had that right. It certainly motivated their son, who snapped to full attention.
“I did do it,” Iren said, lifting his chin a
nd squaring his shoulders. “I didn’t think about asking, but I guess I should have. Eri said that if there wasn’t a way for the dragon to get up there, they’d move to the cave area, and—”
“And they don’t need to know that,” Eri interrupted cheerfully. “Trust that it would be bad.”
The brush of Aris’s mind against hers was so light, Selia almost missed the request for communication. “What’s wrong?” she asked.
“Is this the child everyone seemed worried about earlier?”
As the smooth timbre of his mental voice filled her mind for the first time in years, heat slammed into her, low and hard. Gods, she’d missed him. But she was careful to keep her reaction from crossing through their faint connection. “Yes. Eri is Prince Ralan’s daughter. She is a seer, same as he, but I wouldn’t be surprised to find she’s stronger.”
“Wonderful,” Aris answered wryly before ending the link.
That loss hurt, but she didn’t have time to dwell on it. “How in the world did you two manage this, Iren?”
“Well, Eri showed me an image of what we needed and where we could find it,” Iren said. “I did a dual transport spell to switch the stone of the ceiling with a hatch from another tower. Eri said it wasn’t being used.”
“A hatch from…” Selia counted to ten. Then twenty. She choked down a bubble of laughter as she wondered what Lyr’s reaction was going to be. “Did it not occur to you both that this might cause a problem?”
Eri shook her head. “I checked. No one is going to need that tower for three months and nineteen days, and that’s not even the most likely strand.”
“Perhaps Lord Lyr does not want a ladder to the roof in this location,” Selia said, struggling to control her tone. Shouting would not solve the problem. “Did you consider that?”
“He only yells in one strand.” Eri shrugged. “In three, he is frustrated, and in two, he’s amused. In all of them, he’ll assign artisans to fix both towers. No big deal.”
“Miaran,” Aris muttered softly beside her.
Selia had to concur with the use of an expletive in this case. Eri was a force all her own. “I hope your assessment is correct. However, I fail to see why you couldn’t wait if you knew the Myern could solve the dilemma himself.”
“They are clever younglings,” Kezari said before either child could answer. “There are too many trees nearby for me to land on the ground. I would not be able to check on Aris without this hole. How does it work?”
Iren pointed at an indention in the wood. “Direct a bit of magic there, and it’ll slip down to release a ladder.”
The dragon hurried forward, her curious gaze on the spot. Energy trembled through the room, raising little bumps across Selia’s arms, a moment before a click sounded. As Iren had said, the wood angled down, and a ladder slid free. A breeze wafted through the hatch, bringing the sound of birdsong and the sharp scent of forest with it.
“Well,” Selia said.
Part of her wanted to punish Iren for his actions, but an equal part was proud. He’d only been studying magic for a couple of years, yet he’d managed a complicated set of spells on his own. He was innovative and quick-thinking, traits that would serve him well in the centuries of training to come. But he also had to learn not to act rashly.
“I wanted Onaial to be close,” Iren said.
Aris crossed the room to kneel in front of their son. “I appreciate your effort. I have missed you more than I can say, Iren, and it lightens my heart to know you want me near. But I must be honest and tell you that I am not well. Inside my mind, where you cannot see. If there are times when I am distant, know that it is not your fault.”
“I’m eleven now.” The solemn expression on Iren’s face made Selia want to weep. “I’ve learned enough about war to guess the kinds of things that happen to prisoners.”
“I may not always be able to fight back the darkness,” Aris said. “I am not the father you deserve. Not anymore.”
Iren averted his gaze. “I haven’t exactly been great myself.”
Selia shivered as a cool tendril streamed through the open hatch. What was he talking about? Iren might have a bit of a wild streak, but he was an excellent son.
“I can’t imagine you’ve done anything too bad,” Aris said.
Iren bit his lower lip. Then he met his father’s gaze, and his next words came in a rush. “I think I killed someone a couple of months ago. He was shooting arrows at Arlyn and Kai, so I used fire magic to stop him. I’d never used that kind of fireball, though. It was only supposed to burn the bow, but I lost control. Sometimes I wake up hearing his scream.”
Selia gaped at her son, disquiet sliding through her at his words. He’d saved Kai and Arlyn, it was true, and she’d known he struggled with it. But why hadn’t he told her he was still having nightmares? Tears filled her eyes. She should have insisted on a mind-healer, at least for a quick check. Some mother she was.
“Did you eat him, too?” Kezari asked, missing the undertones of the conversation. “That is not always best. There are some beings it is better not to ingest.”
Iren’s eyes widened, and Aris gave the dragon an exasperated look. “Kezari.”
If the dragon noticed the warning in his tone, she ignored it. “Fire is an excellent first attack. Your young one is strong, skizik.”
Aris sighed. “Thank you, Kezari.”
“I…I didn’t eat him,” Iren said.
Smiling slightly, Aris laid a hand on his son’s shoulder, and Selia’s heart squeezed at the sight. “I am proud of you, Iren,” he said. “You acted to save others. How could you think I would be upset at you for that?”
Iren’s lips turned down. “Because I am, I guess.”
“Understandable,” Aris said. “Killing should never be easy, but sometimes it’s necessary. I’m certain your mother would have told you that.”
“Sure. But I worried… I thought your spirit was maybe watching. Disapproving,” Iren blurted.
Selia crossed her arms over her stomach, an inadequate wall for the pain churning inside. “I didn’t know that,” she whispered.
Iren scuffed his foot against the floor. “I wasn’t sure if I should say.”
“Well, you should’ve said something to me,” Eri said suddenly, giving Iren a quick nudge. “I could have told you that you didn’t kill anyone.”
Selia’s brows lifted, and her son spun back to face his friend. “What do you mean?” Iren asked. “You weren’t here.”
“I Saw stuff about Moranaia before we came here from Earth.” Eri shrugged. “In the vision, the man you attacked ended up at a bad guy’s house. The bad guy killed him.”
Aris’s forehead furrowed. “I fear I have missed a great deal these seven years.”
“Nah, it was pretty boring until the last three months,” Eri said with a chuckle.
Relief etched Iren’s expression as he threw his arms around his father, laughing, but he pulled away when Aris stiffened. “Sorry. I just can’t believe it. It wasn’t me.”
A little pale, Aris stood. But he didn’t run away. “I am glad to hear it for your sake. And please don’t be afraid to show affection. Even if…even if it is a struggle for me. It is not your fault.”
“I know. Eri told me—” Iren’s words cut off at another shove from his friend. “Never mind. I understand.”
Suddenly, Eri tugged at his hand. “Let’s go play.”
“But I want to see my father,” Iren argued.
“You’ll see him more later.” Though half his size, she dragged him toward the stairs. Her voice echoed behind their retreating backs. “Lord Lyr will be here in a quarter mark, and now he’s yelling in two strands instead of one. Those odds aren’t good.”
Selia couldn’t help but laugh. She probably ought to make them face Lyr’s disapproval, but Iren needed some relief after the burden he’d carried for so long. She could give him his punishment later. Besides, Lyr would no doubt lecture both children, as would Ralan and Cora upon their ret
urn. Selia’s gaze landed on Aris. A hint of a smile curved his lips as he stared after Iren. She had a feeling they’d both go easy on their son.
Just this once.
Chapter 8
After a solid mark spent staring out the window, Aris could understand why they’d named this place the brooding tower. He could watch the limbs of the surrounding trees as they swayed in a gentle breeze and let his mind roam where it would. Here, he was apart from the world. Even the occasional person walking through the garden below didn’t mar the feeling, for no one even glanced at the windows at the top of the tall tower. He could have been invisible.
The room had grown chilled with the open hatch, but Aris welcomed the coolness. The breeze carried the scent of fallen leaves and damp moss, the essence of autumn. A reminder that he was alive and free—and for the moment, alone. Kezari had flown in search of a stray daeri for her dinner after an exasperated Lyr had left with Selia to discuss the estate shielding. Thank the gods the Myern was a steady soul. Instead of shouting, he’d peered at the ladder, shaken his head, and said he’d find a proper artisan to situate the hatch correctly and replace the one now missing from the other tower.
He smiled at the memory of his son’s guilty but proud expression. When Aris had left for his last expedition, Iren had only begun to show the promise of future power. Now he was using complicated transportation and alteration spells with a skill beyond his years. Aris’s smile dropped. Iren had also been forced by circumstance to seriously injure another.
Would it have happened if Aris had been here?
Foolish thought. If assassins had shot at the Myern’s daughter in the heart of Braelyn, then the danger must have been extreme, not to mention unusual. But he couldn’t dismiss the notion. Nor could he shake the sinking feeling that he’d failed his son in more ways than he could ever know.
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