Page 18 of Crown of Ellova: Vol 1

Restoring and renewing.

For the first time in hours, I can breathe without an icy grip on my lungs. The air here is sweet and clear.

Nueena and I are a tangle of arms and legs. I roll onto my back, lush clovers grazing my neck, and stare up at the stars and blooming flowers above.

“Nueena,” I say in a calm tone that is far from the panic sinking into my bones as I take her hand, “your navlue tree. It’s been producing fruit, right?”

Her concern shifts to surprised confusion. “Yes, Camarra says in a few weeks they will be ready to harvest for the coronation. Why?”

“We may have a traitor in Ellova.”

CHAPTER 8

Irelive the whole night for Nueena. “When Grayden found me, he tried to make me eat a piece of fruit he said afriendgave him. It looked like it was from the navlue tree.” It all comes out in a rush. “I know what I saw.”

She says carefully, “I believe you but I’m not sure that is possible. No one has access to the throne room besides my family and a few carefully chosen gardeners for historical records. Camarra is only allowed as she is the Court of Green’s Guardian. Even then, I was there every moment the Court of Green was, but my parents will investigate when we return. I promise.” She is not defensive, even when what I speak of is an accusation that one of her court Guardians has committed treason. “You were gone so long. Did anything else happen?”

I bite my lip but tell her about Grayden.

With frozen rage, Nueena squeezes my hand to the point of pain. I place my own on top of hers and her grip relaxes. She stares at me, mouth open slightly, shaking her head, which sends her curls shifting around her.

Nueena goes very still and declares in a low, menacing tone, “Someone needs to kill him.” Anger slowly spreads across her beautiful features.

“And I would truly love to witness that,” I say wistfully.

“Del, I’m so sorry. Did you get to see Leon at all?”

I nod. “It was such a strange night. I spoke with Leon at the wine table and asked about his research for a cure. He spoke of the anafaea flower before Grayden came out, screaming like a child about his meeting with King Zilias and going to war with Kalvorn.” Leon’s scent fills my memory, and I close my eyes to savor it. “He told me he had a safe place that he was going to send me to, me and all those children I lied about having. He promised he’d help my husband find work. He wanted to protect and provide for me. I had no idea he cared that deeply for me. He said we would see each other again. He sounded so sure.”

She pulls me up from where I lie in my pain and she tenderly wraps her arms around me. I mold into her arms, and the comfort of her care calms the storm that the waves of heartache brought.

Since the night Leon and I met, whenever sleep evades me, I think of him. When there were only empty sheets to tangle in and Farren’s warmth for company, the sweetest fantasy has been a place for us to be together. The ache of that loss inside me is a reminder I spent years seeking ephemeral time with a man I knew full well could never be a part of my future. That no matter what happens, I end up alone.

The agony of longing pulls me close, that bitter dream for a place we could be together, somewhere with the magic I desperately need but where mortals could live free of the devastating consequences being near magic would bring.

Of course I had known our stolen midnight moments were finite. He understood, like I did, that the long glances and soft touches were all that we were given in this life, and still he fretted over me. Cared enough to plan for my safety. I must have meant something to him. He felt I was someone he needed to protect and provide for even if we were destined to never spend more than a few minutes at a time together. Guilt and elation war within me.

I was never alone in my longings. We were both lonely together, separated by realms, wishing for a future that couldn’t exist.

Nueena and I break apart and stare at each other. This would bethe perfect moment for her to sayI told you this would end poorly,but she would never. She is too loyal, too kind, although I’m convinced she must be thinking it.

“Well.” Nueena weighs her words carefully before she continues. “Now you no longer have to pretend to be Arra, maybe you can find another way to see him again? Where was he going to send you?”

I can only shrug. “He’s mentioned living in Versairen before and I was to meet with a sea captain for safe passage. He must have a safe place there.” I look down at the small white blooms growing around us. “What would be the point, Nu? We spend a few decades together before he dies? Leaving me mourning him for the next few centuries ’til death takes me from a broken heart over a mortal man as it did with my mother? No, best for me to move on and forget about Leon. Leave tonight in the past.”

“If that is what you feel is best, we will never speak of him again.”

I look up to find her watching me, eyebrows drawn up with sympathy. I don’t want her to worry about me when she has far more important tasks ahead. We should leave. Any more words of passionate healers, insidious princes, and stolen fruit will only bring delay.

She opens her mouth but closes it quickly, turning her head in the direction of Ellova with an exasperated yet endearing smile. Thundering hooves fill the forest; like an arrow from a bow, the rider shoots towards us.

He could find her anywhere.

I stand before Nueena and she slips her hand into my outstretched palm, pulling her out of the flowers.

“Would that happen to be your Zemra?” I ask with a smile.

She lets out a light laugh.“That it is. I was worried about you, and you know how he gets. Once he felt that, there’s no keeping him away.”

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