Page 92 of The Call of Crimson
She scurries off.
“On that note,” I say, shoving off the wall, “I have a room to break into and clothing to steal.”
“Let me help you,” Aurelius calls as I move down the hallway.
“That’s not necessary,” I toss over my shoulder, forcing my pace faster to put as much distance as possible between myself and the disaster he represents.
If I hurry, I might even salvage my afternoon—retrieve my stolen clothing, drown myself in a bath, and pretend for just a few minutes that my heart isn't still trying to claw its way out of my chest.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
BREYLA
“Ihave a new book for you,” Rowina says, dropping a heavy tome in front of me.
Aurelius had joined me this morning in the library, intent on sharing my space, regardless of my desire for the opposite. He sits across from me, lazily flipping through a book, its cover weathered and clearly well-read.
I had been reading throughThe Genealogy of House Mordetfor a third time, trying to decipher if there was some hidden reason she had given it to me.
As far as I could tell, there wasn’t.
“What’s this?” I ask.
“It’s the history of magic in the four kingdoms,” Rowina explains.
I examine the title, flipping through a few pages. “These look like stories.”
“What is history but a collection of stories?”
“No new reading assignment for me?” Aurelius teases.
“No,” Rowina states, her tone cold. “Go find your own book, Prince.”
It had been raining all morning, so Darian had canceled training, using the opportunity to check in with his troops stationed away from the capital.
Having nothing better to do, Ayden had joined us for library time.
“And what will you be reading today, Prince Ayden Liam Mordet II?” I ask, trying to keep the humor out of my voice.
His lip twitches at the use of his full name and title. “I see you’ve been paying attention to your reading.”
“Well, what did you expect? You’ve left me with little else to do.”
“If you’re bored,” Ayden purrs, “I can think of a few things to occupy your time.” His sultry tone should make me weak in the knees, but I’d grown accustomed to the flirting and filthy words that seemed to be a part of all the Mordet children.
I was starting to wonder if dirty talk was a new category of magical Gifts that went unrecorded in history.
I yawn, the rain lulling me into a tired contentment. “No thanks.”
I turn my attention back to the book in front of me, consuming the history I had already learned as an adolescent.
The Fall of Magic
When the Fae first arrived in the kingdoms of Prudia, Rimor, Lennox, and Meloria, their beauty was unlike anything the humans had ever seen. The Fae were quick to display their superiority and power through magical Gifts.
It was soon discovered that the Fae could choose to bless humans with a piece of their Gifts, allowing them to wield magic. Over the years, humans began developing more Fae-like qualities. Their lives extended, often lasting well into twocenturies. They became more resilient, quicker to heal, and possessed keener senses.
The humans became less… human, but not quite Fae. Their lives and abilities still paled in comparison to those of the Fae.
