Page 14 of Tangled Power
“I think you got it all,”Arie said aloud.
CHAPTER SIX
“That went as well as could be expected,” Luc said as he opened the door to Suden house that evening.
The Compass Points agreed to leave with them. They would follow Aurora’s magic compass to find where Aterra and Aiden had fled. Carter and Juliette needed time to settle things at their courts, which Rose and Luc also required. Rose couldn’t think of another occurrence when all four fae leaders had left Compass Lake together.
“You’re right,” Rose said, leaning into Luc as he wrapped an arm around her shoulder. “I just wish there weren’t so many unknowns.”
“Any bothering you in particular?” he asked.
“I think, more than anything, I’m worried about what we will do when we find them.” Rose shrugged. “I believe the compass will lead us to Aterra. From how often we saw Aterra with Aiden in the few days here, I assume they will be together. I know the others said our magic would know what to do, but I can’t help but worry about how that will work.”
“For what it’s worth, they’re right,” Arie said as he flew in the door before Luc closed it, landing on Rose’s shoulder. Hespoke to both of them.“We gave the fae leaders the tools, but the execution—you will need to figure that out together.”
“Well, that’s something,” Rose said.
“The Compass Points containing a rogue god was Zrak’s idea. He said the fae leaders’ magic would unite when the time came. I think the time is here—so you should try to test your magic together while you travel.”The bird’s head swiveled.
“That is not very helpful,” Rose replied, and Luc squeezed her shoulder as they headed up the stairs.
“Speaking of which…”Arie started.
“Speaking of you not being helpful?” Rose asked playfully. Arie flicked his wing at her.
“Yes, but you should be more respectful toward me. I’m a god.”
Rose rolled her eyes.
“I’m not coming with you,”Arie said.
Rose stopped in her tracks on her way up the steps. “What?”
“I’m not coming with you,”Arie repeated, apparently taking her question literally.
“Why?”
“I need to find out how Zrak is controlling the mist. I don’t even know where he is.”Arie ruffled his feathers. He looked uncomfortable.“It didn’t even occur to me to look for him.”
He sounded almost ashamed. She didn’t know much about the gods’ relationships, but she couldn’t imagine it was easy to lose someone you’d existed with since the beginning. “Were you and Zrak close?” she asked.
“We were,” Arie said.“I was devastated when he was chosen. I’m sorry to say that losing him made me selfish. It’s hard to learn your time may not be as infinite as you thought.”
That was understandable. Losing someone tended to make the living reflect on their mortality. It must be even stranger for a god who thought mortality wasn’t something they’d ever face.
“Now that I know he can connect to the continent somehow, I have to try to find him,”Arie said with finality.
It sounded like Arie was carrying some guilt about not realizing this sooner. Rose knew the story of Zrak’s sacrifice as well as the next fae. The compass had chosen, and there wasn’t anything Arie could have done. Arie was her family, and she wanted him with them to confront Aterra, but she knew he wasn’t required. “I get it,” she said.
“When will you leave?” Luc asked.
“I’ll leave tonight, but I wonder if I can borrow you, Rose, for a little bit before I do?”He turned his head to look between the two of them.
“Yeah, of course, Arie,” Rose said. “What do you want to do?”
“You two chat,” Luc said, heading to the library. “I’ll talk to Aaron about anything he needs in my absence.”
Arie’s voice took on a mischievous tone as he spoke. “What do you say to some light breaking and entering?”
