Page 27 of Faeheart
I reached out instinctively, my fingers brushing against Elias’s knee. The contact sent a surge of comfort through our bond, and I felt his gratitude wash back over me.
“So what happened?” Caden asked, leaning forward. “To Lydia and her research group?”
Professor Blackwood glanced between us, hesitation evident in her expression. “They attempted to form a triune bond themselves. Lydia, a fae noble from Briar Hall named Sorrel, and a dryad scholar called Thorne.”
“Wait,” I interrupted, my pulse quickening. “Sorrel of Briar Hall? That was my great-uncle.”
Elias’s head snapped toward me, his brown eyes wide. “And Thorne is my family name.”
“But you said the dryad’s name was Thorne,” Caden pointed out, confusion creasing his brow.
Professor Blackwood nodded slowly. “Yes. It appears that some family histories have been... deliberately obscured. The dryad Thorne wasn’t related to your family, Elias. He took that name later, after the bond attempt.”
“So, what happened to them?” I pressed, feeling Elias’s shock reverberate through our connection. “Did their bond work?”
Professor Blackwood’s fingers traced the aged paper of Lydia’s journal. “Partially. The texts suggest they achieved a temporary connection, powerful enough to demonstrate thepotential of what they were researching. But before they could stabilize it fully, they were attacked.”
“By the Purity Front,” Elias said quietly, his emotions churning with a mixture of anger and shame that I could feel as clearly as my own.
“By its predecessor, yes,” Professor Blackwood confirmed. “The attack separated them physically, which, as you three now know, can be extremely dangerous for those sharing a magical bond.”
Caden winced, no doubt remembering how close I’d come to magical burnout when I’d stormed away from Elias. “Did they survive?”
“Lydia and Sorrel did,” Professor Blackwood said, her voice softening. “The dryad Thorne sacrificed himself to create an escape for them, channeling all the power of their partial bond into a shield that allowed the others to flee.”
I felt Elias’s grief hit me like a physical blow, though it wasn’t for someone he’d ever known. It was for the truth that had been hidden from him, for the history erased from his family’s records.
“And afterward?” Elias asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
“Lydia returned to her family, eventually marrying the man who would become your grandfather,” Professor Blackwood explained gently. “But according to this journal, she never abandoned her research. She continued in secret, preparing for a time when the work could be completed.”
“By us,” I said, the realization dawning suddenly. “She knew this would happen again.”
Professor Blackwood nodded slowly. “I believe she hoped it would. That’s why she left her journal and artifacts for you to find, Elias.”
“But why now?” Caden asked. “Why us specifically?”
“The stars,” Elias muttered, flipping through his grandmother’s journal to a page marked with celestial charts. “There’s a convergence happening this year. The same alignment that occurred when they attempted their bond.”
Professor Blackwood looked impressed. “You’ve been studying her work more carefully than I realized, Mr. Thorne.”
“I’ve been trying to understand,” Elias admitted, a faint blush coloring his cheeks. “Some nights I can almost hear her voice when I read her words.”
“Wait!” I shouted, surprising even myself. “A celestial alignment? You’ve got to be fucking kidding me!”
Everyone in the room turned to stare at me, clearly waiting for an explanation for my outburst.
“Fucking Sage!” I said, turning to Caden. “My parents' advisor, remember?”
“You’ve mentioned her before,” he said, his brows furrowed.
“That old bitch has been making weird predictions since I was a kid,” I continued. “I’ve always just brushed them off. But this year, before I came back to school, she said something odd.” I leaned back in my chair, looking up at the ceiling as I tried to recall her words. “This year, you’ll find what you’ve been searching for. Your place in this world. When the stars align, you’ll find yourself as part of something larger. Three hearts, one storm, and a power that will change the world.” I turned my gaze back down, finding them all staring once more. “Do you think she actually knew what was going to happen?”
Elias’s eyes widened. “That’s... unusually specific for a prophecy.”
“Sage isn’t just any advisor,” I explained, running a hand through my hair. “She’s ancient, like older-than-dirt ancient. Some say she was around when the realms first separated.”
Professor Blackwood set down Lydia’s journal with careful hands. “The fae are known for their prophetic abilities,especially the elder ones. If this Sage made such a prediction, we should take it seriously.”
