Page 67 of A Tale of Treachery

“Follow your breath. In through your nose and back out. Do you feel your chest and stomach expand with every breath? Take the thoughts in your head and release them every time you breathe out.”

The world melted away with his words, and when he went silent, my mind was empty. I followed my breath and slowly unfocused, separating from my body.

“Very good,” Ryken praised.

I smiled at his approval.

“Now focus on a place that you’ve been before. A place that you want to go to again. Can you see it in your mind? What does it look like?”

I conjured the image of the clearing in which Eulalia and I would often meet. I tried to picture the crystal leaves, the petrified tree trunks, and the dark moss that spread beneath the forest floor. Tried to feel the moon’s rays as they cut through the shadowed wood, but only blackness remained, my mind a blank slate.

I couldn’t see anything, couldn’t picture the destination. I was in a dark space, with nothing but shadows.

A sliver of something bright caught my eye in the darkness, and I inched closer. It was a cord, silver entwined with gold, and it was beautiful. I reached up and tugged on it, pulling it close to me.

Ryken drew in a sharp breath, as if he’d been punched, and my eyes opened.

“I think we’re done for the night,” he grumbled.

“What? Why? I barely even got to try.” Disappointment swelled through me. I needed to learn how to sift. My freedoms were diminishing with each day, and having that ability would broaden my horizons.

Ryken replied with a grunt and released his hold on me, avoiding eye contact as he exited the bed. I wrapped the sheet tightly around my body and watched him dress in his leathers.

“Where are you going?”

He slid his weapons back into place, the whisper of steel on leather breaking the silence between us, and when he was fully dressed and cloaked, he stalked toward the bed to hover over me, pinching my jaw between his fingers and locking my eyes on him.

“We’ll try again later,” he reassured, dragging his thumb along my lips.

“Where are you going?” I repeated the question firmly. Was his reaction about the cord I’d grabbed?

“You know where I’m going. I’m on a mission, and although you’re a very distracting little crow, I need to get back on track,” he teased before planting his lips onto mine.

I kissed him back with all that was in me, pressing my swollen lips to his and threading my fingers through his hair. I wasn’t willing to let go, not yet.

We broke apart, and he pressed his forehead to mine. His muscles strained like he was fighting himself on whether to stay or leave.

“I’ll miss you,” I whispered, knowing our time together would end as soon as he found what he was looking for.

He backed up and cleared his throat, swallowing as if he couldn’t get out the words he wanted to say. A blush crested across the apples of his cheeks, and he scratched the back of his neck. “About that…you wanted a plan, and I have one. When I return to my land, I want you to come with me,” he stated, his voice filled with something akin to hope.

I thought about it, chewing the inside of my cheek. I wanted to see where this would go with him, but would I be able to leave my home? I had friends in Cambriel, even if they weren’t being very friendly at the present moment. Redmond was here. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized that I no longer felt welcomed here. I no longer belonged. Would it be that much of a loss to pack up and leave?

Who would watch the portal?

I shook my head. It didn’t matter. I would be safe in the fae realm, and wouldn’t have to sit around, waiting for Aiden to fix the situation he’d put me in. My magic would be welcomed there. What was holding me back from leaving?

Nothing, not really.

“Could I bring Redmond with me?” I asked, knowing I wouldn’t leave without him.

Ryken hummed, his posture relaxed. “Of course you can bring Redmond with you. I like the man, and he would be a useful ally in my world.”

I beamed and threw my arms around Ryken’s neck. A new adventure was waiting, outside of Cambriel. Redmond would be thrilled to study the magic the fae possessed, the different plants and wildlife that lived in Faerie. It would be the opportunity of a lifetime for him.

I just had to find Ryken’s power first.

“Then yes, I will leave with you,” I breathed, kissing him slowly, leisurely, like we had all the time in the world. We would soon.

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