Page 51 of Compass Points
His hand brushed hers as they continued their walk. “What I don’t understand is what about the Norden Point instills that fear? He’s a bastard, to be sure.” Luc stopped them both, gently pulling her shoulder so they faced each other. “How do you know him? He couldn’t have been Norden Point when you were here.” Luc looked up, like he was trying to do some rough math about their ages.
She took a deep breath. He hadn’t pieced the whole thing together yet. “The story I told you about the night I met Arie? That night, the Norden Point—Aiden then—killed my family and tried to kill me as well.”
Luc sucked in a breath as his fists balled at his side. Rose smelled the scent of pine and cinnamon start to work its way around them as Luc worked to control his building anger.
“How could he do that, Rose? People would know. How did he become Norden Point?” Luc said through gritted teeth, barely leashing his rage.
“We were friends.” She weighed her words. “He was my only friend, really. My father was the Norden house caretaker, and we were the only two children on the property. I don’t know if you’ve met Aiden’s parents, but they are…” She fumbled for the right words. “Not the most nurturing.”
“You will likely be unsurprised to hear that his father is no longer alive.”
Rose wasn’t surprised. Though the current Norden Point didn’t have to die for the next to take over, Aiden’s father would have still been in his prime. He would have been unlikely to have stepped down for Aiden so soon.
“Did Aiden kill him?” Rose asked.
“If he did, it hasn’t been proven. Though I’m not sure if anyone thought to investigate it. You know how the fae are; anything that happens to a different court isn’t our problem. We just assumed the Norden would take care of it.”
“I think the Norden elders have turned a lot of blind eyes.” Rose felt her words almost a betrayal of her people, but she was sick of covering for them. The Suden Point cared more for her well-being than the Norden elders. The elders had failed her.
“Forgive me, Rose, but I have to ask. The fae courts are so secretive. I’m not prying for intel when I ask, how do you know you’re the rightful Norden Point?”
Rose gave him a half smile. She trusted him enough to tell him the entire Norden testing ritual, but that wasn’t what he was asking. “I had just finished my test. The elder told me. Aiden’s father was still hemming and hawing about it not being sure, but before we could settle it, my body was gripped with a fear I’ll never forget. I ran to the cottage to check on my family, but it was too late. Needless to say, I never returned to confirm my status.”
Luc bowed his head for a moment, acknowledging her loss. He took her hand as they stood facing each other. “I’m so sorry that this happened to you, Rose.”
“Even at his worst, I didn’t think him capable of what he did. I still think…” She choked off her words but knew she had to get this out. “I hate him. I hate him completely but will forever wonder if he was himself that day.”
Luc stared, shock apparent on his face as he waited for her to continue.
“His eyes. It was always his eyes. Sometimes…I know this sounds ridiculous, but sometimes they would flash grey. The longer they held grey, the less he seemed like the Aiden I knew.”
“His eyes change color?” Luc asked quietly.
“I know it sounds unbelievable. Have you never seen it?”
“I think I saw it once. In that first meeting. But I haven’t seen it since.”
Luc reached for her hand. His thumb softly moved up and down where it rested above hers. He paused the motion when she asked, “Is he doing something with the Norden power?” She looked up into his eyes.
“I honestly don’t know. The secrecy of each fae court makes it challenging to tell when they change things.”
“How can you take this so calmly?” Rose asked.
“You saw my memory. You know the sense of wrongness I felt even at that first meeting. I assure you, it’s only gotten worse over the last eight years.” Luc wiped his hand down his face, but this time Rose took no joy in it. “I didn’t know why, but this…” He gestured to Rose. “This makes sense.”
“What do you mean?”
“It was never supposed to be him. It was always supposed to be you. Whatever the gods started, the imbalance has only worsened with the wrong Norden Point in the seat. The plague of mist, whether it’s Zrak or not, it’s all connected. You have to know that.”
Arie circled above, not providing any entertaining commentary for once. Rose wished he would. She’d suspected that the imbalance had to do with her on some level, but she’d also thoroughly convinced herself that that couldn’t be the case. That if something were wrong with the Norden Point, others would know.
Well, here Luc was, telling her that others had noticed. And now she had to decide if she would keep pushing her past away.
She’d paused too long. He continued to fill the silence. “I don’t think you came here with me to take your rightful place as the Norden Point, but I think you should. You came here to find a way to stop the mist, to save Tara. Your magical blades will help, should you choose to make them, but I think the only way to stop the mist permanently is to have the rightful Norden Point in the seat.”
“I never wanted to believe that this was the cause—that I could be the cause.”
He put his hands on her shoulders, forcing her to meet his gaze. “This is not your fault. No one would blame a sixteen-year-old kid for running after your experience. This is Aiden’s wrong. I’m just asking you to help right it. If you still don’t believe I want what’s best for you, at least believe I want what’s best for the continent, for my people. I want to stop the spread of the mist plague, and I believe you are the key to that.”
