Page 48 of Hidden Kingdoms

“I thought you said you weren't going to lie,” I scoffed.

“And I thought you would have more questions than this,” he teased, changing the subject once again.

“I do. But it’s hard to know where to start,” I admitted. “If you and Big Man are both from Royal Lines, does that mean you’re more powerful than the rest of the people here?” Kaius grinned at my nickname for Bastian.

“It does, though there are others, ones who don’t follow the rules.” His eyes grew intense as he looked at me, and I knew we were both thinking the same thing. I had released an enormous amount of magik back in that room, but I didn’t want to consider what that meant.

“Who are they?” My voice was quiet as I tried my best to ignore the ice that had stolen into my bones, my feet turning numb through my stupid thin shoes.

“Here in Incaendium there are four. Two are healers—which comes in handy. One is a water witch who has her own space farinto the east, she rarely comes to this part of the kingdom. And the last is the Commander.”

“Ah, the one who makes the guards shit their pants at the mention of his name.”

He laughed flashing his perfectly straight white teeth and a grin stretched over my own face as the sound danced around us as I mulled over the information. “The very same.”

“What’s a water witch?”

“Now we’re getting to it, Goldie. Each kingdom holds sway over a specific element. Here in Incaendium, it’s?—"

“Fire.” I interrupted, the image of Bastian surrounded in flames burning in my mind, an awful reminder of the dreams I suffered through.

Maybe that was why I reacted so intensely to him.

“Yes.” He frowned slightly at my reaction. “Fire. Every Fae can manipulate their energy and turn it to magik, and we can also draw power from items like gemstones when they need to. Their strength depends on their power level, which is determined at birth. Some Fae have been able to grow their power, but it’s not easy, nor is that knowledge widely available. Higher power level Fae and those from Royal Lines hold a deeper connection to the element that’s connected to their kingdom. So, for Bastian and those from here, that element is, as you rightly said, fire.”

“So, the water witch? She’s powerful, but not from this kingdom?” I asked, my mind whirling with new information.

“Yes, her kingdom—Aquia—holds an affinity to water.”

“Why is she here and not back in her kingdom?”

“I don’t know, I’ve never met her. We just know that she lives here and hasn’t caused any trouble so far, so we let her be.”

“Does it not weaken her, to be a water witch in a fire kingdom?”

“No.” He shook his head. “Your connection to your element stays with you no matter what kingdom you are in.”

“What are the other elements?” I felt like I was getting somewhere now. This was the sort of information I needed if I was going to understand this place even if it was a struggle to comprehend any of it were true.

And obviously get out of here.

“Earth, Air, Water, Fire, Prophecy, Death and Animalia.”

Prophecy.

The word was like a whip crack through my mind, and I willed my features to remain neutral as memories flashed through my mind of the things I had seen. Things I had been told. The readings that always rang true, the mental assault of images that would flood my mind on a moment’s notice from catching a stranger’s eye.

You’re a seer, Elodie,Briar’s voice echoed in my skull so loud I was sure Kaius would catch it.

“What’s yours?” I asked, ignoring her voice and letting curiosity burn through me.

Kaius crouched down into the flowers and picked out the smallest bud. Standing back up, he held it in his open hand. His palm glowed slightly, magik pulsing, and I watched in complete awe as the small bud grew before my eyes, expanding until it split apart revealing a beautiful white peony. It was magik like I had never seen before. He handed it to me, my fingers stroking over the velvet smooth petals as the remnants of his energy soaked through my fingertips.

“Thank you,” I marvelled, gazing at the flower.

“I’d better get you back before they bring lunch or he’ll have the entire guard out here looking for you.” I knew it couldn’t last, being out in the world, and we turned back to the steps, the peony clutched gently in my hand and a million more questions on my lips.

“Kaius.”

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