Page 40 of Fae Crown

“You can feelher?” Octavia seemed appropriately horrified by the thought, her mouth slack.

“Yes. Now go. Talk.”

She nodded to herself as if overwhelmed but trying to keep herself together. “Like if he hears something, I can hear it too, if I try to. Or like if someone kisses him, I can feel what it’s like for him—if I want. And it’s the same for him with me.”

I felt my face brighten. “That’s amazing.” Octavio could help us. Maybe he could keep watch remotely while we slept—or something. We could figure it out.

“I already tried,” she said in response to whatever was scrawling across my face. “Since the Nuptialis Probatio started, I’m completely cut off from him. I can’t even hear him in my head like I sometimes can. He must be frantic with worry.”

While I was considering, she added, “I’m in a room full of females who want to kill me, who no doubt have magic that can accomplish the task quite easily, and I’m completely powerless.”

“No, you aren’t.”

“Didn’t you just hear me? I’m disconnected from Octavio. I feel his absence like someone carved out my freaking heart while it still beats. I can barely think lately I’m so out of sorts.”

“You aren’t powerless,” I insisted firmly.

“How can you even say that?” she whined. “Do you have more magic than connecting to the land?”

I can connect to willing dragons too. I can withstand some of the queen’s magic when she tries to force me to do her bidding. I was able to break Braque’s glamor spell over me without even meaning to. Rush is my mate and our bond is strong enough to undo the spell that shut off my magic for most of my life.

Ultimately, I only said, “I’m still learning about my powers.”

She chuckled grimly, dimming her usually bright charm, then scoffed, “Now’s not the time to be learning.”

“No shit. But it is what it is. Regardless, we aren’t powerless. Do you have a blade?”

Her head swiveled so that she fully faced me instead of also keeping watch of our audience. “Hah. Whatever would I need that for?”

I rubbed at the bridge of my nose and sighed. “Look, I’m going to go see if Rush will talk to me again.”

“He won’t.” She smiled sadly. “He doesn’t want you to see what”—she glanced all around us before whispering conspiratorially—“what the queen did to him. It’s written all over his face, and he doesn’t want you to see that.”

“He doesn’t remember who I am anymore.” The admission actually hurt, scraping against my tongue and cheeks as it spilled out.

She tapped the corners of both eyes. “I see things. I watch. So does Octavio. Just because the queen’s made him forget you doesn’t mean his heart doesn’t know you. We’ve all seen how he looks at you.”

She smirked wryly. “Probably another reason why she wants to kill you so badly. But just how no one could ever make me forget Octavio no matter what they tried, you’re still in there for him. It’s why he wouldn’t let go of you last night, at the end,” she added gently.

Involuntarily, my eyes closed against the onslaught of the sudden images that flashed through my memory. As with last night, her hand landed on my upper arm in a gesture of comfort. Also like last night, it wasn’t comfort enough.

“I’ve gotta go,” I told Octavia. “We’ll talk more later.” I stepped away, and her hand hovered in the empty space.

All at once, I couldn’t wait to reach Rush. To force him to face me. He’d shrugged off my earlier efforts, but I’d get him to speak with me now. I wouldn’t stop until he did.

If there was any chance Octavia was right and Icould get through to him, I’d been an idiot for not pushing him harder from the start.

My feet practically skimmed the floor as I rushed toward his roped-in cage. Surprised at my sudden arrival, he faced me without my having to utter a word.

When my mouth opened, however, he turned away.

I scowled and barked in a fierce whisper, “Rush, you have to look at me right now.”

Perhaps it was the unexpected command that had him ruefully turning my way again.

I didn’t delay: “Braque has put a spell on you to make you forget me. We’remates. You love me, and I love you.”

All that came out was, “Braquesqueak squeak squee eak, gibberish, gibberish.” Like when the irksome alchemist hexed me not to disclose I was Zinnia. Although this time Rush was the one enchanted, somehow Braque was interfering again. I sighed.

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