Page 109 of The Witch Queen

“It’s made of the same marble that the floor of the throne room and the foyer of the Eless estate is made from. It also covers the floor of the royal chambers in the palace, where my parents—their suite. The marble is harvested from the caves where the hot springs are and there are many legends about its magical properties. It’s not as significant as your necklace, but I thought it could give you a piece of Thayarian history and lore wherever you go.” Her eyes are bright with meaning, and I know this is her way of showing me she reciprocates my feelings, even if she’s still not ready to say it aloud. I wiggle my fingers on the hand where the ring is placed at her.

“I’ll never take it off.” She smiles again, this time no hint of a blush or lowered eyes in sight, just pure joy that lights up her face. She takes my arm after I’m loaded down with bags again, and together we walk next to Silene and Fionn, browsing shops and talking to one another. The people notice Laurel, bowing or curtseying as she passes by. I can tell it makes her uncomfortable to be so revered by her people, but I try to encourage her to take it in stride, reminding her that their reaction is a form of excitement at seeing their Queen.

Fionn finds a weapons maker that empties his pockets, and between his weapons and the additional purchases Silene has made, Laurel has to aerstep all our bags and weapons back to the palace because we can no longer carry them all. Once we’re relieved of the burden of our purchases, the four of us make our way to the dance floor just as the sun sets. The children have all been sent home, and the atmosphere of the festival takes a noticeable turn. In the shadows of twilight, revelers abandon the propriety of the day, drinking copious amounts of ale and engaging in more sensual activities on the dance floor.

“How late does this thing go?” I ask Laurel, who grins.

“Till sunrise tomorrow morning,” she explains, and Silene cheers while Fionn groans. “We don’t have to stay all night. We can leave whenever we want to.”

“We’re staying all night!” Silene remarks with glee, dragging Fionn to dance with her. Laurel grabs two cups of faerie wine for us, and we nurse them slowly while watching the dancing, the alcohol making me feel lighter. When a song I know from Velmara starts, I drag Laurel to the dance floor with me, and we wow the other revelers with a display of magic while we perform the steps of the sophisticated dance. By the end, Laurel’s cheeks are flushed and she’s grinning wide, unbridled joy on her face.

The music switches to a somber and sultry ballad, and I sweep Laurel up in my arms and spin her around. The people around us pair up, and soon we’re surrounded by couples swaying to the music. Laurel looks up at me, full lips pink and cheeks rosy. She’s breathtaking, and I lower her into a dip, taking her by surprise. It reminds me of the first time we danced, at the Welcome Ball. Just as they did then, my eyes hungrily take her in. She laughs as I pull her up to my chest, and just as I’m about to drag her away to a dark corner to ravish her luscious body, there’s a loud and violent explosion across the meadow.

Hawthorne

The witch and the light bringer were each the half of a powerful whole—the witch’s raw power a question, the light bringer the answer. Without the shared burden of a bond, the power would have corrupted the witch’s mind, making her go insane, as so many others before her. But with her light bringer by her side, she saved the realm from the beasts above.

Unknown Story, Unknown Origin

Screams and moans fill the Valley of Moormyr after the explosion. I push Laurel behind me amidst the chaos, angling our bodies away from the sight of the explosion and wrapping a shield of light around us both. Eyes trained to the opposite side of the valley where people run from, both Laurel and I miss the bomb that detonates right by the dancing area. We’re knocked to the ground, and only my light shield protects us from flying debris. More shrieks pierce my ears as I try to make sense of my surroundings, never taking my hand from Laurel’s.

I light up the meadow with magical orbs to help us see the attackers—and the damage.

Dozens, maybe more, are injured or worse, though water and plant healers have already reached them and are quickly trying to heal those who can be saved. Fionn and Silene slowly make their way toward us through the running and screaming, but their progress is slow. Another explosion shakes the ground, this time from right beside us. Laurel is ripped from me, and the mating bond explodes in fury. I roar, and my light is so bright across the sky it’s blinding. Lightning crackles in the sky above, though I won’t allow it to strike the ground until I know where Laurel is, too afraid I’ll hit her in my heightened emotional state.

My eyes frantically scan the ground around me, and I finally spot Laurel twenty paces away, still lying prone on the ground. With a single step, I’m by her side. Nothing will keep me from her, not the rebels and not the limitations of my magic. I offer my hand, and she grips it tightly as she stands. For a second so quick I almost miss it, she looks up at me with confusion, brows furrowed in deep thinking. But with another round of screams from a smaller explosion, she shutters it away behind a look of pure venom. Laurel is gone, and in her place is The Witch Queen.

We turn together to survey the scene. The valley is in absolute chaos now, and people are panicking as they try to escape, running over one another as they look for a safe route out. Royal Guards have unsheathed their hidden weapons, and some are trying to quell the chaos while others make their way toward their monarch. Around the ring of the festival, shadowed figures appear.

“It must be the rebels,” Laurel whispers, true fear in her voice. “Iknewthis would happen. We have to protect these people.” Without warning, Laurel jerks her hand out of mine and aersteps away, reappearing in the very center of the valley, her body lit up with an ethereal glow. Something in my chest breaks open at her disappearance, and I break into a run, desperate to be by her side again. “Silence,” Laurel commands with the strongest aether-voice I’ve experienced yet. The valley around us goes completely still as her words ring in my head, and I’m taken to my knees along with everyone around me. “You will not harm the innocent here today. If you’re an air channeler, gather as many with you as your magic will allow and aerstep to safety.”

Slowly, people wink away, but it’s not enough. There are hundreds of Thayarians left, terror written across the faces of those nearest me. Royal Guards who took a first round of citizens out of the valley return for more, but they barely make a dent. We’re far from Arberly, and the magic it takes an average magic user to aerstep that great a distance limits the numbers they can bring alongside them. The shadowy figures that line the perimeter return to their slow march inward, and I can tell they plan to circle us. I order the handful of Royal Guards near me who can’t aerstep to focus on the attackers and spread the word. They hesitate for only a moment, unsure whether to take orders from a foreign prince. I repeat the order, voice allowing no room for argument, and they obey.

Across the meadow, Laurel wars with herself, chewing on her lip in a gesture so subtle I’m the only person who would recognize it. But I’ve studied her face closely for months. I know she’s trying to determine what the right strategy is, running through endless possibilities in that brilliant mind of hers. Once again, with barely a thought, I’m by her side, wrapping her hand in mine. Her eyes widen in surprise, but she shuts it down to focus on the attack.

“Get Fionn and Silene,” I tell her, and she nods. They appear at our side, windswept but otherwise okay. “If the four of us go after the rebels and try to lure them into a fight away from here, the Royal Guards can use the distraction to get everyone to safety.” My voice is strong and confident. Laurel looks like she wants to protest, but I cut her off. “Even if they aren’t here for you, they won’t be able to resist the opportunity to attack you if you engage them in a fight, especially the strongest magic users. Some of the combat fighters might stay, but your guards can take them.”

Silene nods her agreement. “It’s a good plan. We’ll lure away as many as we can and then take them on in a fight once we’re isolated enough that there won’t be casualties.” Laurel’s face hardens.

“No, the three of you should stay here to help the Royal Guard. I’ll lure the rebels away alone. I won’t put you three in unnecessary risk. I can take them alone.” Her words are clipped, like she doesn’t even want to take the time to utter them in her impatience to release her fury on the rebels attacking. But the thought of her going after them alone makes my heart race. This is different from the throne room attack where we used her as bait. That was a controlled environment. We have no idea how many of them there are, how many might wait in the shadows to come after us as soon as we turn our backs.

“Laurel, other than you, Fionn and I are the next two strongest faealive. Silene is as skilled a fighter as Fionn. We’ll be okay. You don’t have to do this alone. We’re stronger together.” I keep the pleading from my words, trying to sound like the equal partner she deserves her mate to be.

She hesitates, uncertainty and the desire to do everything herself as clear to me as the mating bond. Her eyes flash to Silene, who resents Laurel’s protection. Silene has spent her life training, trying to compensate for her less than average magic. She won’t be left behind, but Silene can tell Laurel that herself.

“I’ll be fine,” Silene says firmly. “Plus, I have a small amount of thayar concentrate left.” She pulls a vial strung on a leather cord around her neck from under her shirt. “It’s a small amount, but enough to give me a few hours of a boost.”

Finally, Laurel nods, and Silene downs the small bit of elixir. Explosions and the sounds of hand-to-hand fighting continue to ring out around us as we strategize our attack. Thankfully, my order to the Royal Guards seems to have made the rounds, because they’ve set up their own perimeter around the valley, fighting the rebels that continue to advance inward.

“Look over there,” Fionn says, nodding his head toward a stream entering the valley from a canyon carved into the mountain. Dozens of rebels gather there while their lower ranks continue the assault on the valley proper. Laurel nods, staring into each of our eyes for a brief moment before taking my hand and aerstepping all four of us to a shadowy crevice near them.

Fionn takes control of the tactical operation. As he makes quick hand gestures to signal the plan, Laurel only nods, shockingly letting him become the de facto leader. If we weren’t in a life-threatening situation, I’d smirk. With a count of three, Fionn and Laurel step from the shadows and instantly disarm the dozens of rebels around us, dropping their weapons at our feet. Silene and I stroll out and we all arm ourselves, though Laurel and I only take one blade each, reserving our other hand for light weapons.

The rebels stand their ground, attacking us with magic. It causes enough commotion that dozens more rebels abandon their posts around the perimeter of the valley and run to help the group assaulting us.Our plan is working.Laurel and I trade off shielding our small group to conserve our strength, and together the four of us advance. Our shields are impenetrable. Not a single plant, drop of water, gust of wind, or dagger reaches us. The onslaught grows, nearly three quarters of the attacking rebel force now gathered before us to take us out. I scan their faces, looking for Krantz, but he’s nowhere to be seen.Coward.

“Forward ten steps,” Fionn commands, his voice strong yet not loud. We follow his instructions, advancing as a unit as he counts out the steps we’ve taken. It puts us in a perfect position for Laurel to use the plants that grow along the stream to bind the rebels closest to it. At the same time, Fionn sends a slew of weapons from the pile he and Laurel created hurling into the group of attackers. They break their formation to dodge the onslaught, and Fionn’s face breaks out in a satisfied grin. “Another ten steps,” he orders, and again we advance.

As we make our way into the heart of their formation, shouts ring out, and the rebels abandon their attack and run. We give chase, following them up the canyon, keeping as close to the stream as we can. I hurl daggers of light toward them as we pursue, Laurel and Fionn doing the same with their respective magic. When several of them trip, I know Laurel has used her plant channeling to drop them, even while maintaining a shield and weapons made of water and light. Despite her endless well of power, if she tries to keep up using this much aether for what could be an hours-long fight, she’ll burn out. I put up my own shield, yelling at her to drop hers and conserve her strength.

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