Page 87 of Spirit Trials
His mother takes another sip of tea, and I clench my hands in my lap, so I don’t reach across and snatch it from her.She’s going to just sit there and drink tea after an announcement like that?
She's pondering her words.
Thankfully, I don’t startle at the sound of Solace’s voice in my head. Maybe I’m starting to get used to it. I fold my hands together in my lap and then quickly unfold them and run them over my thighs. A warm, large hand encloses around mine, stilling it. I sneak a glance at Rysden, but he’s watching his mom, the perfect picture of patience. Patience has never been a virtue of mine. Right when I think I’m going to lose control and demand she say something, she finally puts her mug down and eyes the two of us. “You two need to consummate your relationship. Tonight.” I nearly choke on my spit. Of all the things I thought she would say.Thatwas not it.
“Mother,” Rysden begins. His low voice rolls through me, and I force my cheeks not to heat any more than they already are. I can’t believe we’re having this conversation.
“Don’t Mother me. The bond between you two...you must understand. There hasn’t been a soul match in over a hundred years. You won’t be safe until your souls are linked. Once you are both linked; you can never be unlinked or untethered. The two ofyou together with your wolves will be incredibly powerful.” Her eyes sharpen. “The king,” she pauses. Her eyes bounce between the two of us. “He will see you as a threat.” Her voice is sharp and so in contrast with the woman sitting here drinking tea like she has not a care in the world. I take a moment to study her, really study her. Her long dark hair is the same shade as Rysden’s, but her eyes are different. They’re a bright blue; I noticed that the last time. But tonight, they’re dull, and she has dark smudges under her eyes. She looks like she’s aged since I saw her last. There’s a weariness to her; I can see it in the set of her shoulders, in the tightness of her skin over her face.
“You saw something.” Rysden’s words are low and even, even though I can feel the tension practically radiating off him.
“I,” she pauses and takes a breath. “Yes.” I go still.
“What?” Rysden demands.
She swallows, and I wonder if she’s going to tell us. “I don’t normally tell my visions.” I think her words are directed at me, but I’m not sure. She stares past us, as if looking into the future. “Meddling with visions is dangerous. There can be no end to the madness. As soon as you change one tiny detail to prevent something in your future, you set off an entire chain of events. Everything changes.” She shakes her head. “Some have gone mad trying to follow visions.” Her eyes go distant.
“You saw something and came here to warn us,” Rysden says in a low, controlled voice. “What was it?”
“You two won’t be truly safe until you bond yourselves.” Her voice fades, and her eyes go distant again. When she speaks, her voice is lower and husky; a shiver runs through me. “A lone girl walks alone on a path in the woods. The moon guides her way, and the stars watch from the heavens. She’s alone but not unprotected.” I watch as her eyes go more and more distant and become almost a milky white. I try not to react, but a shudder slides through me. I feel Rysden’s hand tighten on mine, evenas goosebumps break out on my arms. “She is sought after by all, but no single soul seeks her out. She is alone but one guides her. Her guiding lead, her north star. She will save her, though no one knows.” Rysden’s mother’s voice ends on a whisper, and she suddenly slumps forward. I jump up, but Rysden’s already there. He catches her before she hits the table and lifts her into his arms. I hurry around to help.
“Is she okay?” I ask as anxiety rushes through me.
“She does this after a vision.”
“Where do you want to take her? She can have my bed,” I offer.
“I’ll take her back to her room at the castle. If she wakes up and doesn’t know where she is, she could get hurt. She’s not usually lucid for a while after her visions.”
“Okay. What can I do to help?”
His eyes find mine and soften. “Get some rest.”
I want to offer to go with him, but he’s already striding towards the front door. When he opens the door, two palace guards step forward. He exchanges a few words with them, and one of them closes the door behind them. I didn’t see any alarm in the guards’ eyes; they must be used to this. I stare at the closed door and blow out a breath. I can’t say that I’m not a little uneasy after all that, and I’m not really sure what to do with myself. I’m too keyed up to go upstairs and sleep. Instead, I pace. When I tire of that, I sit on the first step. Eventually, I lean my head against the wall. The door opens, and my eyes spring open. But it’s not Rysden that walks in. It’s Lox and Hector.
Lox notices me first. “Farrah. Are you okay?”
I nod. “I’m just waiting for Rysden to get back. Where were you two?”
“We had business to take care of,” Lox says rather vaguely.
Hector walks over to me and stops just shy of the first step. “Need anything?”
I smile in spite of myself. “No, I’m good. Thank you.”
He nods. “Night.”
“Good night, Hector.” I watch as he ascends the stairs and then turn back to Lox.
“Do you want help to your room? You look,” he pauses, and I fill in for him.
“Tired, anxious, confused?”
He cocks his head to the side. “All the above.”
“Rysden’s mom came here and told us...Well, she said a lot of things, most of which I don’t really understand.”
“The queen came here?” he asks, surprised.
