Page 65 of Mountains of Mist and Magic

Triston smiled as she recovered, and then slowly helped her up the bed.

“Don’t you need…” she frowned, wondering why he had stopped.

“Not now, my sweetheart. Soon. But not now. Instead–I want to show you something.” He rose from the bed quickly, and Julietta straightened her gown shyly.

Triston had gone to a bookshelf near his desk and pulled out a large wooden box. The outside of the box was engraved with eels, slithering around the edges. He sat at the desk, and then lifted the lid.

Julietta crossed to the container and peered inside. A small cylinder tube, carved up of conch shells, rested inside. He removed it from the box and pulled out a small piece of parchment from inside the cylinder.

“It’s the map from the diary. It’s waterproof. It washed up on shore a few years ago. I had people looking for it, and it…just appeared.”

She sensed a note of sadness in his tone and put her hand on top of his. He took her hand into his own and squeezed it, before placing a tiny kiss on the backside of her hand. She shuddered, the touch of his lips making her feel good everywhere.

“It must be hard, having to relive this.”

He looked at her, his gray eyes softer than she’d ever seen them. “Yeah. It is. But…having you here makes it easier.”

A knot caught in her throat, and she suppressed the urge to weep. Suddenly she felt…so connected to him. How could she have ever wanted to be separated?

As if he was reading her thoughts, he rose from the desk, and pulled her into his arms. He was so massive to her, and she felt safe and protected in his embrace. It was a new sensation, and she realized she’d never felt like this before.

He hugged her tighter, and then kissed her on top of the head. “I don’t know how I could have even thought separating from you was feasible. I need you more than I’ve ever needed anything in my life. You make…all this bearable.”

Triston spread out the map on the table, and everyone, except for Julietta and Esmeralda, crowded in to read it.

“No pushing and shoving,” Triston said, and Julietta smiled softly at him.

“Everyone sit back down,” Renya commanded, and they all returned to their seats. The air was charged with excitement. “Triston, tell us what we need to know.”

Julietta squeezed his hand for support underneath the table, and he rose.

“I won’t lie to you. This is going to be incredibly dangerous. This map has been around for thousands of years, and many fae have lost their lives in pursuit of whatever lies in the mountains. My parents included.” He gave her another look, and Julietta smiled, urging him on. “But the map shows the course to the mountains of magic, where legends say the gods held court. There are coordinates on the map, but they’ve been added by explorers over the years. I would recommend using my parents’ coordinates. As far as I can tell—they—we—were the closest to the mountains anyone has ever been before.”

“Where exactly are they?” Grayden asked.

“Past the last islands of the Tidal Kingdom, past the edges of the maps that we have. Most of our world has been explored except for the area north of here. Mist and fog cover much of the water, and it’s impossible to know what we will encounter.”

Cyrus stood. “This is going to be extremely dangerous. I won’t blame anyone if they decide to stay here. There are other ways to help our world, and no one will think any less of you. But once we begin, there’s no turning back. So, I want each of you to think carefully tonight, and decide if you feel able to come on this mission. Tomorrow at breakfast we’ll come together and plan. Please be prepared to give me your answer then.”

The rest of the meal was fairly silent, and Julietta ate very little, nervous about what lay ahead. She would go, no matter what. Triston was going, and she wouldn’t be separated from him. Plus, for the first time in her life, she might be useful. Her powers were stronger than most, and there was a good chance they would need them at some point. As scared as she was, she couldn’t stay behind if they might need her.

She pushed around the seafood on her plate. It was delicious, and something she had never experienced before, but her stomach just couldn’t handle it. Instead, she found herself looking around the majestic palace and wondering what it was going to be like to live here with Triston. Julietta let herself imagine what it would be like to dine with him every day, be his partner. It made her…incredibly happy.

Triston must have sensed her happiness, because he grabbed her hand as they finished their meal. Everyone went off towards their rooms, and Triston led her to their corridor. But instead of stopping at Julietta’s room, he pulled her along to his.

“I’ve had your things placed in my room,” he said darkly. “I won’t be separated from you anymore.”

Her breathing hitched in her chest, and she was now even more nervous, but she allowed him to pull her farther into his room.

There were candles lit on every surface of his bedchamber, and the entire air smelled of fresh flowers. There were exotic petals lining the path to the bed, and her trunk was now in the corner of his room. The sheets were pulled back, inviting.

This is it, she thought, summoning her courage. She was scared of this monumental event, but knew that she would be safe in Triston’s hands.

She circled the room, looking at the flowers. They were an entire rainbow of hues, and she stopped to admire them. When she turned back around to comment to Triston, she gasped.

He was on one knee.

Chapter Thirty-One

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