Page 90 of Eluvonia
I can’t help but stare at her, bewildered. “Wait, he’s… still alive? And you… blessed him?”
The earth Ymiral nods slowly, her expression a mixture of fondness and regret. “Yes, even though we do not typicallybless Fae, Julien was blessed with everlasting life.”
I raise an eyebrow. “I’m Fae… and I’m blessed, too?”
Her gaze sharpens, and for a moment, I swear I see a flicker of something in her eyes—a strange, unreadable emotion. “Yes, you are,” she says softly, almost too softly. “For reasons you are not ready to hear.”
I bristle at her words. “What’s that supposed to mean?” I start to speak, but Declan’s hand on my shoulder stills me.
“So, how do we find this Julien?” Declan asks, pushing the conversation forward. “And may I ask why he’s so important?”
The Earth Ymiral turns her gaze to him, her expression softening, though there’s still that distant sadness in her eyes. “He is the key to learning how to save Eluvonia—not only from what is draining the Nexxus, but from the war that is destroying the realm.”
I turn to Kaida, his eyes narrowing, a shadow passing over his face. “Is it the crystals?”
The child Ymiral bursts into a fit of giggles, twirling around us like a spinning top. “Yes and no!” she laughs.
The earth Ymiral raises a hand, silencing her. “I’m sorry,” she says, turning back to us, her voice quieter now. “We do not know for sure what is happening. While yes, the crystals are draining the Nexxus from Eluvonia, something caused them to start doing so… and no, it was not your father.” She hesitates, her voice tinged with uncertainty. “It’s… something not from this realm. I can feel the Nexxus being pulled somewhere off Eluvonia. I just can’t tell where.”
I cross my arms, fighting the urge to roll my eyes. “And how would Julien know?”
“I do not know,” the earth Ymiral admits, her gaze distant,the sorrow on her face deepening. “But the realm speaks to me. It says we need to find him.”
“Well, that’s… helpful,” I mutter under my breath, frustration creeping in.
Declan raises an eyebrow. “So where is he?”
The Earth Ymiral looks at us all with a resigned expression. “He is not on Eluvonia, and I do not know where he went.”
“That’s even less helpful,” I mutter, the words slipping out before I can stop them.
Kaida suddenly straightens, his brows knitting together. “Wait… Julien? Julien Nytheris?”
We all freeze, and the child Ymiral gasps, spinning in the air with excitement. “You know! You know!”
Kaida rummages through his bag, pulling out an old, worn brown book with gold designs along the edges.
“What is that?” I ask, my eyes narrowing.
Declan grins, clearly excited. “You kept it!” he exclaims.
I look between them, utterly lost. “What am I missing?”
Declan chuckles, leaning toward me. “When we were looking for evidence to free you, we came across this journal in Kaida’s father’s study. It’s Julien’s journal.”
My eyes widen as I take in the old book. It’s faded, ancient even. My heart stutters in my chest.
The earth Ymiral chuckles lightly, her voice laced with something almost knowing. “The realm has spoken.”
She turns towards the males, her gaze unwavering. “You may stay here while you research the journal. Hopefully, it can give you insight on where he went.”
The Earth Ymiral turns towards me and her eyes soften. “Except for you, you have training to do.”
I suck in a breath, staring at her in disbelief. “Training?Really?”
She smiles at me, and somehow, that smile is warm, almost motherly. “Come. We start now.”
The child Ymiral floats in front of the Dragons, her voice filled with unrestrained joy. “Come with me! I’ll show you where you can sleep and read!” She giggles, taking off down a path to the left.
