Page 20 of Tangled Power
“We talked about this already. It’s a thing. Consider it none of your business.”
“While I’m not one to worry much about mixing of fae lines?—”
Rose cut her off. “Juliette!”
Juliette held up her hand in a gesture of surrender, as if she hadn’t just casually spoken about Rose and Luc procreating. “I find our predecessor’s concern on the matter repulsive. I’m saying I agree with you.”
“You’re also talking about my…relations.” Rose’s anger had her out of sorts, and she fumbled over her words.
Juliette laughed loudly. “You’re a Compass Point now. Who you share a bed”—her gaze slid to their mats—“or bedroll with is everyone’s business.”
“We’ve veered off topic,” Luc cut in.
Juliette sighed. “While I have little concern for the courtly legitimacy of any offspring you might have, I am well within my rights to worry about such an alliance between the Norden and Suden Points.”
“Ask your question,” Rose replied.
“Will the full power of the Suden Point come to the Norden’s aid when threatened?” Her gaze rested over Rose’s shoulder. “I can see by the flash of red in our dear Suden Point’s eyes that it will.”
She met Rose’s gaze again and continued. “Can we also assume that the mysterious dual magics of the Norden Point will defend the Suden?”
“We get it, Juliette. You don’t like that we’re united. How about we focus on all four Compass Points uniting instead of me and Luc against you and Carter.”
Juliette’s laugh echoed through the clearing. “I’ll let that pass since you’re quite new at this. You really should know better, though. You can’t expect us to forget five hundred years of court politics.” Her gaze lingered on Luc again, over Rose’s shoulder. The mistrust between the Osten and Suden was stronger than most.
“We are supposed to work together!” Rose was exasperated. She was too tired for the politics this conversation required. “That’s the whole point of our positions. Only through our combined power can we defeat a god. One or even two of us working together will not be enough to stop whatever Aterra is doing. It has to be all of us.”
Juliette assessed Rose evenly. “How do you propose we overcome broken trust and trespasses against our courts?”
That was oddly specific. Rose would need to look into the Compass Point history a little more closely. She couldn’t say she had learned of the machinations of the courts in great detail as a child. Regardless, who had wronged whom five hundred years ago wasn’t a top concern for her.
“We need to focus on the four of us—on the Compass Points as they stand now. Why don’t we start with you and me?” Rose challenged as she gestured to the open meadow behind them.
Juliette’s gaze was questioning.
“We need to find out how our magic will work together to stop Aterra. I, for one, don’t want our first test to be when we find him. I know it will take time to build enough trust for us all to wield our elements together, but you and I?” Rose gestured between them. “We both have wind—it should be easier.”
Arie may have wanted Rose to learn about Carter’s power, and she would, but learning about the Osten’s seemed just as important. Maybe even more so, given the element also ran through her veins.
She wouldn’t waste this opportunity with Juliette to learn. “You speak of alliances. You and I have the most aligned magic—ever—among the Compass Points. Why don’t we see if we can do something with it?”
Juliette’s eyes glittered at the challenge. “Let’s see what you’ve got,” she said as they moved toward the flat meadow behind them. “Show me your wind as we walk.”
This had been Rose’s idea—she couldn’t hesitate now. Reaching for her magic, Rose felt her water respond, rushing toward the surface. She sighed to herself as she tugged at her wind. It was what she would need for this challenge. With the gentle pull, wind burst forth, spiraling around her. The gust wrapped around her body. She smiled, still impressed that it came after so many years of dormancy. Rose flicked her wrist in a snapping motion, sending her power like a cracking whiptowards Juliette. It enveloped her, sending her long black hair billowing in the sudden rush.
“Not too bad,” Juliette said, a smile forming on her lips. She pushed both hands outward from her hips, readying her own magic. The action seemed defensive in nature—a shield similar to the one Rose had made in her battle with Aterra. A blast of wind swept under her legs. Rose stumbled forward, unprepared for the attack, her arms barely flying out to catch her fall.
She twisted her neck to glare at Juliette from her push-up position.
“Not all wind requires grand hand gestures,” Juliette tutted as she looked at her fingernails. “You should have been ready for an attack.”
Rose scowled, shoving herself back up. “We’re not here to test my magic. We’re here to see if we can work together.” She traced Juliette’s magical scent as she spoke. Sage and citrus. Two smells that hadn’t been in the meadow moments ago.
“I think those two things are the same,” Juliette replied. She snapped her fingers, and another gust shot beneath Rose’s legs.
She was ready this time and jumped the blast, tracking it with her nose.
“You learn quickly. That’s good,” Juliette said as she readied for another attack. A cyclone came spinning across the distance between them. Its movement was jerky, but now that she knew what she was searching for, Rose could mark its progress.
