Page 86 of Across the Sapphire Sea
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Elias, Present 1432 Common Era
Elias met Sachi in the hall outside her rooms, and they headed down the staircase to the courtyard.
“Are you all right?” she asked, her eyes glowing with concern. “You look upset.”
Elias gave a sigh. “I suppose I am a little upset.”
“It’s your lover, isn’t it? Valeri.” The gentle twinkle of her voice soothed his hurt feelings. “He makes you sad.”
They exited the castle and continued downward through the courtyard to the gardens. A warm breeze ruffled the flower beds and brought their sweet scent forward. Crickets chirped merrily, no doubt in search of other crickets to make more crickets with. There was no crunch of snow underfoot. Elias’s arms were as bare as Sachi’s in the warmth of the late spring night. He loved it here, but Valeri was miserable.
“He doesn’t mean to. I don’t even know that he realizes it,” said Elias in Valeri’s defense. Valeri had done nothing to bother Elias since their return. Quite the opposite. He’d been utterly devoted to their reading lessons, indulgent in bed as always, but…something was nagging at Valeri. He almost never left their rooms. When Elias questioned him, he insisted he was fine, only recovering from injury, nothing to worry about. But Elias worried anyway.
Sachi took his arm at the elbow. “Then you should tell him.”
“Tell him what?”
“That he’s making you unhappy. And what he could do to make you happy instead. He cannot read your mind, Elias.”
Fair point, though Elias had difficulty imagining that conversation going well. It didn’t help that he wasn’t sure what he wanted. He’d been frustrated by Valeri’s possessive nature. Angry he’d never been allowed friends. But now? Elias almost felt abandoned. Though he was thrilled with each new freedom, he didn’t quite understand the shift in his lover. Valeri had gone from one extreme to the other, and neither brought them contentment.
Sachi let him sort out his thoughts in silence as she led them to the center fountain where they’d meet the others. The pleasant gurgle of flowing water grew louder as they approached, drawing Elias from his thoughts.
Laurence and Remy were already waiting. Aella and Mahu had yet to arrive, so the four of them enjoyed a chat before the lesson began. Elias would miss them, especially Remy, who he’d grown quite fond of. They’d be leaving soon to visit their friends Livia and Clara for a while. Clara, Elias had learned, was the silent benefactor who’d been providing book after book for his new reading habit. One day he hoped to meet her so he could thank her properly.
“How are things progressing with Mahu?” asked Laurence.
Next to Elias, Sachi beamed. “You shall soon see for yourself, but suffice to say, very well. If I had to guess, I don’t think he needs me anymore, but we’ve plans to travel together anyway.”
Among The Vartija, those without fae blood like Sachi’s had to drink from the halflings at most every few decades to avoid the aging sickness. Elias wasn’t sure why he’d assumed a steady supply would be needed, but it wasn’t. Occasional small infusions few and far between was enough to keep madness and death at bay. But since Mahu had deteriorated so thoroughly before gaining access to Sachi’s blood, he drank nightly at first, until his strength had been restored.
“Travel together?” asked Remy. “That’s the first I’ve heard of such plans. Tell us, where are you going?”
“I want to see Constantinople, and Mahu longs to return to Egypt. Can you imagine your feet in the sand while staring up at an ancient pyramid? I’m going to do that.”
Elias had to smile, though it also hurt. He’d known of their planning, and he’d known of Sachi’s wanderlust and deep-seated yearning for travel. He’d be sad to say goodbye to her so soon, but she’d promised their paths would cross again, and he believed her.
It seemed everyone would be leaving them, but Elias had been making new friends at Bran Vigny, so he could take comfort in those budding relationships when Laurence, Remy, Sachi, and Mahu were gone.
And of course, he had Aella, who was even now approaching with Mahu. Bran Vigny was her home, and she’d be there if Elias needed her.
Walking next to Aella, Mahu looked healthy and strong. His long black hair, dark as onyx, rippled in the breeze. Behind the polite smile lingered a melancholy in his garnet eyes that never seemed to vanish completely.
He greeted their group with a bow, which Elias found endearing as, aside from Sachi, he was their elder by centuries. But his generosity was well known, and thus he was generous with his courtesies as well.
Elias glanced to Aella. “How is Ash tonight?”
“He’s recovered well.” She smiled. “Still busily committing every detail of our journey to paper. Well”—Aella turned to Sachi—“noteverydetail, but he does appear to be penning his own novel.”
“I’m so glad he’s better.” Elias would never forget the deadweight of Ash’s body as he forced it through the portal. He repressed a shudder at the memory.
“Shall we?” Aella indicated they leave the castle grounds for the forest.
Elias hadn’t been invited to watch before now, but Remy had told him of their studies. Aella’s habit was to conduct most magical lessons among nature when possible. His excitement was only dampened because Valeri wasn’t at his side to enjoy the demonstrations with him.
“Tonight Sachi has kindly offered to help with the lesson,” Aella began as they reached the copse of enormous evergreens. Old, mature trees with wide trunks that stood a good bit away from each other and left plenty of room for them to maneuver beneath. A dense carpet of pine needles cushioned their feet. The sharp, spicy scent of spruce rose to greet them.
