Page 47 of A Storm in Every Heart
I look from her to the trunk. Aurelia might look tiny, but she’s full-blooded Fae and actually much stronger than me. She’s also talented at magic and often makes things fly around the house without warning.
“Sure,” I say, heaving a breath. “Thanks.”
She puts the blue flower back in her mouth, then flicks her index finger at the trunk, making it rise into the air light as a feather. I trail along after her as she directs the trunk down the many flights of stairs.
“Why didn’t you wait for someone to help with this?” she asks.
“Shhh,” I hiss. “Keep your voice down.”
She laughs, but lowers her voice when I shoot her another deathly glare.
“Are you trying to leave before any of us notice?” she whispers.
“Please don’t say anything.”
She shrugs. “It’s not my business. I would avoid the kitchen though if I were you. Beatrix is already awake.”
“Thank you.” I sigh. “It’s not that I don’t want to say goodbye to anyone, it’s?—”
She waves me off, and her motion makes my trunk sway wildly through the air toward the wall before she stops it at the last second. “Oops. I need to work on talking with my hands. Anyway, I was just going to say I get it. I wouldn’t want to see anyone after last night either.”
My eyes bug out of my head. “Excuse me?”
She laughs again. “Oh, please. This is an entire house full of people with Fae ears, and frankly you were loud enough that I bet even Alix heard everything.”
I take a deep breath through my nose and close my eyes. “Perfect.”
We reach the bottom of the stairs, and Aurelia puts my trunk down near the front door. “Don’t worry about it. It’s not like the rest of us haven’t snuck out of someone’s room early in the morning.”
I look sideways at her. Whose room is she sneaking out of? And who is “the rest of us” supposed to refer to? I desperately want to know, but I want to avoid getting caught more.Priorities.
“Right,” I say with a deep breath. “Well, you’ll have to fill me in on that when I get back.”
“Of course.” She smiles secretively and pops the flower back out of her mouth before holding it out to me. “You should take this.”
I wrinkle my nose in disgust and lean back from the unpleasantly wet stem. “I’m alright, but thank you.”
She shoves it at me. “Seriously, take it. There’s a reason it’s called a ghostleaf orchid. If you swallow it, you’ll turn invisible. You never know when you might need to make a quick escape…or sneak out of the house unnoticed. Just make sure you chew really well. You have to break the fibers down for it to work. Otherwise, it just tastes good.”
I frown at it, then take the wet stem gingerly with two fingers, already sure that I won’t be putting it anywhere near my mouth. “Thanks.”
She waves a dreamy hand in the air. “You’re welcome. Safe travels.”
I turn back, wondering if I should ask her to let Alix and Daemon know where I went, then change my mind at the last second. I’m sure they’ll work it out on their own…but hopefully not before I’ve crossed the border out of Vernallis.
Elio, the emissary from Hydratta, spent the night in a private room in the barracks. I really don’t want to creep into his bedroom so early, but I will if I have to. I’d do just about anything to get out of here unseen.
Fortunately, that’s not necessary.
As I near the barracks, the tension in my shoulders eases, and I exhale deeply, relief washing over me. The short, balding man is already stepping out of the building. He halts mid-step, his eyes narrowing as they lock onto me, acknowledging my approach.
“Good morning, Lady Odessa,” he says with a deep bow.
“Just Odessa,” I correct, wringing my hands in my skirt. “Listen, by any chance are you ready to leave?”
His brow furrows in confusion. “Now? It’s barely dawn.”
“You’re already awake, though.”
