Page 72 of Crown of Ellova: Vol 1

Down below in harsher script, dated a month later.

“Drystan claims he wants a queen, but what that bastard truly wants is our magic. He wishes to glamour her, to hide her fae nature and make her appear like them, mortal, as if anything she is needs to be hidden. How can you claim to love someone and wish them changed so much?

“I did what Inara asked and made a glamour ring for her. It will give her the appearance of a mortal form.”

As the writing goes on, it gets more and more frantic. Deep scratches into the paper tell of someone desperate to get down their thoughts, weeks after the last entry.

“Zarella has found out about the crown and what I have done for Inara, who I helped Inara become.

“Inara has left Ellova. I hope she is happy. Zarella will not speak to me.”

Tavien scans the few dozen pages until he stops reading and looks up at me with sorrow in his flame-blue eyes. “This may be hard to hear, Della. This is almost three years later.”

“Please, don’t stop reading. I need to know.”

He nods, continuing.

“The bastard killed her. Her precious daughter, Arelia, is missing. Zarella has sent troops throughout the forest to try to find her, but there is nothing we can do. They cannot find her. THIS IS ALL MY FAULT.

“Inara is dead.

“He killed her.

“He killed her.

“He killed her.

“The crown is locked on Drystan but he cannot control it. With no wearer who can control the flow of magic, the crown will take and take and take, pulling magic forever. We can feel it siphoning, stealing.

“I do not know how to stop it.”

Dried teardrops and ink spills blacken the page with a glimpse into her grief.

“We would need to kill him, but the crown defends against harm. Many fae have left Ellova, no longer wishing to live under Zarella’s rule. She is readying for war to get back the crown before it drains all the magic in Ellova.”

Weeks later.

“I am with child. I have a feeling it will be a girl.

“My bones ache from the loss. The healer said my grief and guilt could cause me to lose my child. It would be a fitting punishment for all that I have done.”

Months later.

“I gave birth. Zarella allowed me to stay in Ellova until Naewyn was born but I have been exiled, never allowed to set foot in my home again. It is what I deserve. I deserve worse but Naewyn does not. I am so sorry, Naewyn. May Ellova one day welcome you with open arms.

“Zarella’s troops could not get into the castle. Drystan has many men ready to defend him. Many Horn Court soldiers died.”

There are more sketches of jewelry and a young babe.

Two weeks later.

“Zarella came tonight. She has sealed off the Merawood Forest, using her own magic. I could not bear to look her in the eyes. She held Naewyn for a long time. We did not speak of Inara’s missing daughter, Arelia. She said when she leaves tonight, she will use the last of her magic to seal off Ellova forever, hide it with ancient glamour, and the forest magic will stop anyone looking to harm the fae.

“Zarella had come to say goodbye.

“She left Naewyn a gift she can only open when she is no longer a dewling. I wonder what it is…”

“What was the gift?” Leon asked.

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