Page 90 of Magic Cursed
We come up to an establishment with outdoor seating in long rectangular tables with high-backed chairs. Pergolas with thick vines of sweet-smelling flowers and small yellow fruits hang over each table. Several orbs of golden light are suspended just under the pergolas, illuminating the spaces. Many tables are already full of patrons eating fragrant dishes that have my mouth watering, though I’m certain I’ve never smelled the dishes before. The patrons talk and laugh, as if they have not a care in the world. They all hush when we approach, many bowing their heads to my mother and offering smiles and waves to both her and Daimis. I continue to receive gazes of curiosity, and I note some of unabashed admiration from the men. Daimis must have noticed as well, because he places his warm hand at the small of my back to direct me the rest of the way to our table, and I rather like his subtle claim. I meet his gaze and give him a knowing smirk, and he runs his thumb in a circle on my back, a promise.
We take our seats at the best table in the place when blue and purple light catches the corner of my eye and tinkling fills the air. I jump out of my chair and look up with hope in my heart. Sure enough, Elsie comes swooping down, flying and smiling with her beautiful, deadly fangs shining brightly.
She does a little flip, obviously just for me, and I laugh.
“Thanks to our escapades in Stonemount, and finding the Regent’s journals,” Daimis says. “I was able to give the healers the information they needed to return Elsie’s magic.”
I’m beyond relieved that what Kellan did to her could be reversed. Elsie lands and Tuuk comes waddling over.
“Show off,” I say to her with a wide grin.
“Well, why wouldn’t I?” She flips her dark curls. “I’m magnificent, aren’t I? And flying is just amazing. I think I will never walk anywhere ever again. Walking is beneath me.”
“She’s been like this ever since she got her magic back,” Tuuk says with a shake of his head. I can see that even though he complains, he’s just as happy as I am to see her back to normal.
“Oh, like you weren’t just as excited when they brought you to the smith shop?” Elsie says with a hand on her hip. “Look at his fingers; filthier than normal.” She wrinkles her button nose. “Disgusting.”
Tuuk wiggles his blackened fingers at Elsie, and she flies back with a screech. After I introduce them to my mother and instruct them all to refer to me as Sky, we all sit down and eat one of the most delicious meals I’ve ever had while I marvel at my friends and family, which I only just discovered I still have, all conversing and laughingtogether. My heart is full and I treasure this moment. Yet it’s bittersweet because I fear what’s to come will threaten this bubble of joy. But if I stand back and do nothing, as I have done for so many years, more lives will be lost. And that’s not something I can allow. The people of Thaaryn deserve better and I’m going to make sure they get it.
* * *
Daimis and I climb the steep mountains above the Flynn Fjord in our fighting leathers. It’s a dreadfully foggy day and we can barely see an arm’s length in front of us, but that doesn’t stop us from racing up the face of the mountain.
I place my hand in another hold and push with my legs, hoisting myself up, the wind whipping strands free from my braid. My fingers ache, my muscles are challenged, and it feels great. It has been a week since I was first brought to Crystal Falls and thanks to their incredible healers, I was told just this morning that I am officially completely healed.
Yesterday we received news from Daimis’s informant in Stonemount, who I learned is Amora Nahva. She told him that Kellan has taken over leadership. He has already turned most of the nobles against Daimis. We had expected as much, but what we hadn’t expected was that he is now pushing for war. We also learned that he has rounded up all magic users, even the ones that have been following all of the Regent’s rules, and jailed them, save for Mr. Nahva and his daughter, who he is still using to make potions and spells to help his cause.
What really had me worried was we also learned that there have been sightings of strange creatures in the forests around the castle, described as visions from a nightmare. Oddly, none have attacked humans, but bodies of magic users have been discovered torn to shreds. It’s as if the creatures are ordered to only kill magic-using races and leave the humans be. Daimis and I think that Kellan, with the help of the Ogieer, is bringing in more creatures from another world, like the ones we fought in the athenaeum. So, while my mother is in delegations with the other fae kingdoms, we decided it was time to take action.
I glance to my side to see Daimis has a lead on me. Instead of going for the easy handhold, I jump and just barely grab the one higher up. With protesting muscles, I pull myself onto the ledge that houses the caves of the dragons. I roll myself onto the ledge a half second before Daimis.
I work to catch my breath. “I win,” I say, matter of factly, a smile on my lips.
“I let you,” he says between breaths.
“Liar.”
He chuckles and lightly pulls on my braid.
I stand up and look around at the bones littering the ground. Last time I was here, I was so intent on getting a scale so I could escape to the Southern Isles. In truth, I was running from myself just as much as I was running from the Steel Guard.
“Maybe this was a bad idea,” Daimis says, looking at all the bones scattered at our feet.
“You scared?”
He picks up a jawbone and turns it over in his hand. “Of becoming dragon food? Yeah, a little. The fact that you’re not is proof that there is something terribly wrong with you.” He puts the bone back. “We don’t know that Ruukahn will accept me. Even Laneya said they hate humans. Which, by the way, I’m just as scared of her as I am of the dragons when she finds out we disobeyed her orders.”
My mother forbade Daimis to come, said it was too dangerous. But then I talked him into it anyway. “She’ll have to learn that I’m not really good at doing what I’m told. And anyway, I have a strong feeling about this. We’re taking the right path. I believe that.”
The same magic that runs in my veins runs in Daimis’s. Which means he’s a part of me and I’m a part of him. I believe Ruukahn will see that and accept him as he did me. Daimis might be human, but he’s not like any human in history. “Think about why they hate humans. Humans have only ever tried to hurt them. You’re going to show them that humans can be better than what they’ve seen so far.”
“That’s easy for you to say, you’re already Dragon Touched, you know you’ll be safe around them. What if they decide that I’d make a tasty treat.”
I close the distance and move his hair off his forehead to get a better look at his green eyes rimmed with dark lashes. “Well, you certainly are tasty.” His eyes darken and his gaze falls to my lips. “You know I’ve called you a lot of things, Princess, but coward was never one of them.”
His eyes widen for a brief moment before they narrow. He grabs me and pulls me into his arms. “I’m no coward.” He kisses me, swift and sure, taking my breath away and igniting a spark of desire low in my belly. “Also, now that we know you’re the princess, perhaps it’s time to stop callingmethat?”
“Then stop acting like one,” I tease. “Okay, how about Regent-slayer?”