Page 37 of The Curse of a Kingdom
“How have you been feeling? Has Leela taken good care of you?” It was hard to hear him, and her brows met in the middle as she came closer.
“I think I heard you right, but yes, she’s been wonderful. You didn’t need to force her to keep me company, though.”
He scowled. “She said that?”
“Oh, no, no. I just—”know you“—figured it out.”
Arkimedes’s wings expanded, so large they barely fit in the area he stood. He flapped them and soon he was landing on her balcony. Her heart threatened to leap out of her chest. She would never be tired of the vision that was him flying.
He tucked his wings behind his back but didn’t put them away, like he would have if they were back home. “Have you left your room again?”
She had been dreading the possibility of this conversation ever since she’d woken the morning after the attack, not wanting to explain or lie about how she was able to use magic, especially since she didn’t know the answer to that. “Other than the garden walks Fael takes me on, no.”
Arkimedes focused on the landscape, his jaw clenching. “I’m not talking about him taking you anywhere.”
“I know what you are asking. I’m not sure if you are ready for my answer.”
That called his gaze back to her, and she struggled not to squirm under it. “How did you do it?”
Nava shook her head, letting the silence wash over them. “It smells like smoke. Have there been fires in the forest?” Her eyes cut to him.
His frown deepened, and a lick of mistrust reappeared on his handsome features. “You can smell it?”
She shrugged. “I’m sure anyone can smell it. It’s pretty strong, no? I mean, I don’t see any smoke around, so maybe not . . .” Oh, she had not missed the babbles.
“No, it’s not apparent to anyone. But there have been some fires. We don’t know what’s causing it.” He squinted at her, clearly forming his own wild ideas inside that thick head of his.
They didn’t know what was causing them. She did. “Before you try to blame it on me, I have nothing to do with those fires,” she said sharply. “I have been stuck in this room for days.”
“You can also leave this room, apparently.” He reached to her wrist, touching her bangle with a finger. “It’s active.”
“Yes. It works just fine. It just doesn’t work one hundred percent with my magic.” She fidgeted, trying to prevent anything else from spilling out. It was difficult when it was second nature to want to be open and confide in him.
“So you can bend a magic-canceling jewel and can smell a forest fire that is miles away.” Arkimedes was close enough that she had to crane her head back to meet his gaze.
“My magic works with nature.” She hesitated when his attention burned through her. “Um, you could bring me along. I’m sure I can help.”
“Isn’t all of our magic supposed to work with nature?”
Nava scowled. “I’m not exactly like you or—other magic wielders. I guess it’s of no use to explain since clearly you are mocking me.”
“No. I want to understand what you mean.” If he did, why was his voice loaded with irony? “If you aren’t the one starting the fires, can you find who is? Are you a soothsayer?” His skepticism dripped off every word, and it grated on her nerves. Sure, this Arkimedes didn’t remember her, but that didn’t mean he had to be such an ass.
“Stop mocking me.”
“I’m asking questions.” His voice dropped an octave, becoming dangerously low. His aura billowed out. “How can you do magic with the jewel on?”
“I don’t know.”
“Liar.”
“I don’t!” she huffed, crossing her arms over her chest. “My magic is earth-based, not fire, water, air, or dark.” Though, that was a lie as well. Nava didn’t feel so connected to fire but had been able to call it before.
The kingdoms rarely specified the inclination of one’s magic, but magic wielders usually had an inclination or two. It had always been one of Nava’s favorite subjects when reading her mother’s books.
“You won’t leave this palace,” he said.
“Why the hell not?”
