Page 76 of Crown of Ellova: Vol 1

Before I’m able to speak on his behalf, a voice from behind me says, “I am.”

We all look at Leon, who is dressed. His green sleeves are rolled up, revealing his strong forearms. His eyes stay on me while he walks over, ready for the day. He takes a seat on the couch arm nearest me, looking down at me with affection. “When do we get started?”

CHAPTER 31

An empty room has been transformed into a fully stocked apothecary. The wide-open windows face north, the mountains the only view and the scent of wildflowers drifting in. Three large tables hold hundreds of glass vials. The other ingredients needed are spread out on the workstation in large containers and long jars. Measuring cups and spoons of all different sizes join the organized chaos of the room.

Leon and Tavien go over Tavien’s extensive notes for every part of the elixir, including what he thought the measurements might be, but some experimenting would be required.

“I’m still waiting for a few more books from the Ink Court, but we have enough to get started,” Tavien says, looking pleased. “Everything else we may need is here in this room or can be bartered at the market.”

I sit on one of the stools, mixing some ingredients under Tavien’s careful instructions, and watch them work. Nueena has left for the day. She invited me to go with her but I’m eager to stay at Leon’s side, no matter how lovely the coast is with its crystal cobalt waters and crisp salty air.

The royal family has a lovely sandstone palace in the Court of Shells. Nueena’s family and I used to spend a few weeks togetherthere every summer. Maybe when the elixir is complete, I can take Leon there for a few days. Perhaps it’s wishful thinking, but after the dreary life he led in Adreania for so long, he deserves some time lounging on sandy beaches with fruit wine chilled in ice crushed from the snow-capped mountains in the far east.

Tavien and Leon work in a synchronized flow, Tavien with his wealth of knowledge and Leon with his mastery of medicine. Breaking only when the midday sun reminds us to eat, they create with unrelenting focus.

A large pot sits over the fire, boiling the sweet water from the Airvell River. Leon slowly adds in ingredients and I’m entranced with how swiftly and precisely he works, grinding down dried leaves and pouring in different healing tonics to the base of the elixir. Leon narrates everything he does for me, why certain ingredients need to go in first when creating a medicine such as this, why some of the ingredients are needed at all. He’s never worked with a few of the fae plants before but only needs a quick explanation from Tavien to understand their purpose and how to extract what is needed.

Leon tells me and Tavien of his time as a healer for the mortals, his own recipes for medical miracles. He is especially proud of a tonic he created to help mortal women stop bleeding after birth.

Tavien shares about growing up in the Ink Court surrounded by books with his historian parents. His thirst for knowledge as a dewling was fueled by the libraries surrounding him, and he started school a few years earlier than his peers.

“Then I met Nueena in that forest and I only ever wanted two things: to know everything there was to know, and to be near her. I demanded to attend the palace school. Thankfully my parents and the royal family agreed. We have been inseparable ever since.”

Leon looks up from the large paste he is making. “How long have you been Zemras?”

Tavien laughs. “Much longer than we should be. Technically we broke into the temple. Our parents were furious when we came back soulbonded. The laws surrounding Zemras decree one must be at least seventy to even be seen by your court’s Guardiansand the temple guides. Nueena was forty-four and I was forty-seven.”

“Fae are considered dewlings until they’re fifty,” I add to Tavien’s story, “so it is incredibly young by the standards of our society. Similar to mortals twenty-four and twenty-seven.”

Leon looks thoughtful. “Why were your parents so upset if they supported your relationship so early on?”

“Because we broke a sacred law and even the Realm Keeper’s child must be punished.”

Leon’s eyes widen at that and he opens his mouth to speak, but the door opens and Nueena leans against the doorframe. She wears the massive crown that the Court of Shells gave her last month at their crowning ceremony. It’s made entirely of creamy white pearls, delicate light green gems, and pale purple sea glass of all sizes. She embraces Tavien and they share a long kiss before she heads towards me. I stand, giving her my seat. Tavien follows her and pulls out the pins that hold up the delicate crown. It's beautiful work; their crown maker did a fine job reflecting their court on the headpiece. But I’m confident Nueena will favor my court’s crown above all the others.

“What did I interrupt?” Nueena asks, her shoulders relaxing as he pulls off the crown. Her braids are gone and her hair is in long tight curls down her back.

Tavien remarks, “Ellova’s grave! That’s heavy for a crown!”

She rolls her neck to relieve the pressure. “They don’t call it the Crown of a Thousand Pearls for nothing.”

Tavien rubs her shoulders and she leans back into him, eyes closing, releasing a long breath as he works on the knots in her neck from wearing the crown all day. “We were just telling Leon about our unsanctioned visit to the Zemra temple and the repercussions.”

Just as Tavien did, she laughs at the memory of young love. “Oh, yes, that.”

“What was the punishment for breaking the Zemras law?” Leon asks her with a concerned frown.

“Complete separation for one month. Which doesn’t sound sodramatic, but soulbonded mates need each other like air in the early days, and being apart isagony. Like your heart is being ripped from you. My mother had to stay at the seaside palace; she couldn’t bear my anguish. Said she could hear me no matter how far away I seemed to be. The only reprieve was the letters we wrote to each other that Del snuck us.”

“I will always need you like air,” Tavien says, pulling out her last hairpin and massaging her scalp.

She gazes up at him with adoring golden-brown eyes and blows him a kiss before facing Leon again.

“Why such a harsh punishment? You were in love.” Leon looks between the two of them, but I don’t miss the way his eyes flash to me for the briefest moment at the end.

“It’s meant to be a warning for any other fae who might want to follow in our footsteps. Praise Ellova, we were correct; we were Zemras. But not everyone who enters that temple is as blessed. Guessing wrong has a lifetime of consequences. But that is a story for another time. Dinner is ready.” She takes Tavien’s hand and pulls him out of the room. Leon holds the door for me, and when the door shuts, Tavien sends white flames that glide up the wood frame with a guarding spell before fizzling out.

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