Page 81 of The Rose in the Shadows

Clay raised an eyebrow as he met my gaze above our horses. “No? So Netta was able to lift herself into the air and fly through the sky?”

I blanked. Netta had beenactuallyflying? A wave of guilt rushed over me, and my hand sought to scratch the back of her ears apologetically. I’d been moving her through the air without even realizing it. That seemed… wrong.

“I didn’t even realize,” I whispered. “I didn’t know I could do that.”

Clay sighed, darkness flashing briefly across his features. “There’s probably a lot you still don’t know that you can do. I don’t think Netta minded too much, though. You probably made her job quite a bit easier.”

I smiled ruefully as she leaned her head into my touch. He was right; at least, I hoped he was.

We rode in a comfortable silence then, and I basked in the feeling of the sun on my skin. A breeze filled the air, brushing more tendrils of blonde hair loose from my braid, but I didn’t mind. I was far too fascinated by my surroundings to care much about my appearance.

Athenia really was quite beautiful.

Everywhere was green, even though the air had developed a chill that warned winter wasn’t too far off. The tips of some trees had painted themselves shades of sun-kissed yellow and bright red, but you could almost pretend it was still a comfortable summer day when you let your gaze wander over the rolling fields. I could see the beginning stretches of the woods in the distance with the crested tops of mountains lingering behind them, and every part of my soul wanted to push Netta to conquerthe distance and show me what waited on the other side of the mountainous range that bordered the outskirts of the castle.

Clay navigated us away from the main roads to avoid any towns where we might be recognized. As much as I enjoyed spending the day without the constant shadow of my guard team, I wasn’t naïve to the fact that the Crown Prince and the last living member of House Hyrax shouldn’t be caught unawares. And I didn’t mind roaming off the path, especially not when the views of the kingdom were this magnificent.

As we reached the top of a peak, our destination, the manor ahead of us, came into view, and my attention focused intently on it.

My blood felt like it was singing. My magic danced just beneath my skin.

It was a sweeping property with large tinted bay windows and dark shutters. Pointed spires stretched towards the sky, threatening to pierce the clouds. The bricks were a pale grey in complexion, appearing worn and dated. Two black gargoyles of winged demons sat on each side of the marble staircase, threatening away all those who dared to enter. And despite the overwhelmingly ominous appearance of the estate, I still pushed Netta closer to it. It called to me in a way I didn’t quite understand. As if it were somehow alive, the house reached out to me, pulling me towards it one step at a time, and I was all too willing to oblige.

This place felt like…

“Welcome home, Thea,” Clay said beside me. “Welcome to Hyrax Manor.”

“Each line has its own estate,” Clay explained as we entered through the heavy doors. “Some have multiple homes that are passed down among the family, of course, but there’s always one primary residence that the head of the House maintains. Council families tend to have estates that are a bit more extravagant than others, but typically, they are a place for the bloodline to convene about issues, gather for celebrations, or store important artifacts.”

We entered a large foyer, which was home to two large Cinderella staircases that kissed each other on the overlooking balcony. Ornate black rugs danced down the stairs, and steel chandeliers hung from the ceiling, offering dim candlelight. I ran my fingers across the etchings on the stone wall, admiringly.

The metal furnishings and dark colors contrasted the pristine marble and gold palace decor that I’d grown accustomed to. Everything about this place stood in opposition to the Dragon’s home. Clay’s eyes scanned the room as he frowned, unable to keep his distaste for the decor private. I might have been offended if my whole body wasn’t still humming with the aura of this place—myhome.

I traced my fingers across the dusty walls as Clay led me through the manor, pointing out the sitting rooms, kitchens, and bathing rooms. It all might have seemed depressingly dreary to anyone else, but I had never felt more at ease. It was possibly the most comfortable I’d felt since waking up in the infirmary those weeks ago. The doubts that had plagued me all morning finally quieted, and that was partially because of the house and partially because ofhim.

Clay was a Descendant of Zion, that was true, but by bringing me here, he had given me the greatest gift I had ever known. We had to be more than just two warring bloodlines.

“This is what I really wanted to show you,” Clay informed me, stopping before one of the doors. “The Hyrax Archives.”

With a sweeping gesture, he beckoned me forward, allowing me to take the lead and push into the room. The smell hit me before I could even let my eyes adjust to the darkness. It smeltold.It was more than the overwhelming smell of dust that startled me, though. There was a wash of pure and ancient power that danced over my skin as soon as my foot crossed the threshold. I shivered against it as Clay set to work, lighting the candles and illuminating the small space. He seemed completely oblivious to it.

Books lined the four walls, tomes that looked far too timeworn to risk running my fingers across them. Blades and weapons, combs, jewelry, jars, and more sat encased in glass containers protected from the air. Stacked along the far wall was portrait after portrait, each progressively older than the last, with fashions that seemed more and more outdated.

But despite all the treasures hidden throughout the room for me to spy upon, only one truly caught my attention.

“That couldn’t possibly be the-”

“The Bident of Hyrax,” Clay confirmed, following my gaze to where the tall, black, two-pronged spear hung in a glass case across the wall. “I wasn’t sure you would recognize it.”

How could I not? It was tattooed permanently across my chest. I shook my head, shocked that such a powerful object sat so carelessly in this empty estate. My mythology lessons had only just started. We’d barely covered Crolun and the rise of the High Gods, but I’d skipped a few chapters ahead one night when I couldn’t sleep and read about the Tokens of the Gods–instruments of power governed by each God and controllable by them alone.

“How is it here?” I questioned, frowning. I still had much to learn about the Gods, but I couldn’t imagine the King of Underworld was happy about being parted with the magical instrument that amplified his power.

Clay shrugged. “Legend says that when Zion banished Hyrax to the Underworld, after the Second War of the Gods, he worried about Hyrax being able to escape with his power of the bident. So the ruling Dragon at the time, Caldrius, risked his life getting it for Zion while Hyrax slept. Zion banished Hyrax and gifted the bident to Caldrius as a reward for his faithfulness. For years, Caldrius attempted to use it to magnify his own power, but as a Descendant of Zion, the magic of Hyrax was toxic to him and ultimately poisoned his mind. He grew cold and murderous, eliminating anyone he viewed as a threat, and he saw nearly everyone as a threat. Eventually, he directed his suspicions towards his younger brother Ennoss, who was widely respected in the country.

"Hundreds stood behind Ennoss, ready to lay down their lives in defense of him, but Ennoss already had witnessed the death of too many of his people. So, instead, he gathered those who feared Caldrius or simply no longer wanted to live under his rule and fled across the sea to an unexplored land. He prayed to the Gods every day while they traveled for the wisdom to lead his people without forcing them into a war with his brother, and when they landed on the shores of their new home, he named it after the Goddess of Wisdom hoping she had heard his prayers.”

“Athene,” I whispered, recalling the name of the Goddess. “Thatis how Athenia was established?”

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