Page 117 of Of Storm and Emerald
It wasn’t much, but it was progress, and the relief on his mother’s face was evident. There were times where his healing would regress, and he would sleep the days away, but overall, he seemed to be improving. But, even with the fluctuation in his health, the sudden respite of the king’s symptoms made Daemon wary. His doctors still weren’t sure what had caused the illness, and now they were unsure what was causing the symptoms to subside.
It was unnerving.
But through it all, his letters to and from Auraelia were what kept him calm and focused.
They let go of trying to keep their correspondence light and free from strife, instead opting for a more honest form of communication.
Daemon kept her up to date on all his findings regarding the treaty–which unfortunately, wasn’t anything they didn’t know already.
It didn’t matter how many times he’d gone through it, it always read the same and gave him the same outcome. When he’d started digging into the document after Auraelia left, his mother had been there to help. Looking over it with him and throwing out her own theories and potential solutions. But as his father’s health improved, and then subsequently declined once more, she’d been too preoccupied to help him. Instead choosing to stay by her husband's side through the ordeal and lending him her strength.
It made his heart ache to see his mother so torn, but it also made him yearn to have that kind of love in his life.
Love he knew he could have with Auraelia, if only he could only find a way around the centuries-old treaty keeping them apart.
When it felt like he could look no further, he turned to Yvaine. Praying that a pair of fresh eyes would be beneficial, but it didn’t yield any new information then either.
“Just start a minor war, that would break it,” Yvaine said one afternoon as she flipped through the pages of a history book on Ixora.
Daemon rolled his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration. “Yvaine, pleasetryto be helpful.”
“I’m notwrong.But I can see how that may cause more issues than it solves.”
“Yvaine–”
“Just trying to lighten the mood, little brother.” She shrugged, and then turned back to the book in her lap.
While he dealt with his dead end, Auraelia was dealing with problems of her own in Lyndaria.
Sinking down into the chair behind his desk, Daemon pulled out her letter. His thumb brushed across her seal, sending tiny pieces of dried lavender fluttering down onto his desk.
Daemon blew out a breath, the lavender petals flying off his desk and scattering across the floor. Standing, he crossed the space to the wall of bookcases where all of his volumes on Ixora and the various courts were housed.
There was a little bit of everything. From the types of fabrics one would find in Pearl, to the warrior histories of Opal. There were countless tomes about the treaties and contracts between each court, and even more on the various goddesses that were worshiped throughout their realm. But the one thing he couldn’t find was any volume pertaining to the Court of Garnet.
Not even a scroll.
Well, that’s strange.
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Auraelia
Thevoicesinthecouncil chambers came to an abrupt halt as she walked into the room. Everyone turned in her direction as she stood in the doorway, Xander and Piper flanking her on either side.
Her jaw tightened and her hands clenched into fists with the realization that, once again, they had been arguing over the Court of Garnet and left her and Xander out of the discussion.
It didn’t make any sense.
As the future queen, that alone should have ensured her inclusion. But Xander was the queen’s advisor, and evenhewas being excluded from the conversation.
All eyes shifted back to where Queen Adelina sat at the head of the table. She sat straight, with a smile on her face and her hands clasped in front of her. To anyone else, she would be the picture of unphased.
But Auraelia saw through her facade.
Worry lines creased the queen’s brow and her knuckles turned white from the grip she held on her own hands.
“Mother.” Auraelia stared her down from where she stood, before turning her attention to the rest of the room. “My Lords. My Ladies. Please, don’t stop on my account.”
