Visions of Love and Heroes

Chapter 5

A warm light flickered behind my eyelids. I settled in deeper to my bed, wondering who took the time to place a hot water bottle under my blankets. A chill had seeped into my bones, and I wrapped the blankets tighter, nestling in.

A scent his me. Warm forest and spring rain. My eyes snap open.

I wasn't in my room. I wasn't not at home. Far from it.

For a moment I took in my surroundings, the blanket still wrapped up over my ears. In the wall beside me, there was a hearth, freshly stoked with warm flames licking over a new piece of wood. I yearned to climb out of the bed and spread out before it, a chill sending a shiver through my body.

Next to the bed, I could see a small wooden side table. A candle flickered there, the wax already half melted. I wondered how long I had been here. Beside the candle I spied my aether crystal, somebody must have removed it from around my neck while I was unconscious.

The water. The dark. The deep, deep, current grabbing hold of me...

Or had it?

Clearly, someone had found me. I furrowed my brows. Who?

Only one person had been close enough...

There was a rustle, a soft snore and I finally noticed the heavy boots beside my bed. I slowly pulled down the covers, unveiling to my eyes long legs clad in black leather. My gaze shifted upwards. A brown tunic, the ties loosened at the neck to unveil a muscular chest, a dusting of golden hair across it.

My gaze snapped up. Theo's features were relaxed in sleep, reminding me of some god carved out of stone. For a moment I allowed myself the pleasure of taking him in—something I might have indulged in one or two too many times. 

Full lips, angular jaw. Thick dark brows that contrasted against the shine of his hair. It is pushed off his forehead, the longest strands curling around the base of his neck.

I wasn't exactly religious. Most Mages weren't as our studies usually took up most of our time and energy. But if there were a temple where Theo was named god, I might have considered converting.

That was, aside from the whole elf thing. It wasn't that there were no mage-elf couplings, there had been some. And the halflings from such pairings were said to have a powerful command of the aether, even if the mage council refused to acknowledge them as Mages.

Which was likely why so many had turned over to the elves during the war, effectively turning the tides in their favor.

Theo shifted in his sleep, lips parting. All thoughts of half-elf, half-mage babies aside, I needed to consider my options.

I had nearly drowned. Theo had saved me.

Perhaps there was some hope in this prophecy after all. Saving me had definitely been heroic.

Only, now what? I hadn't planned on him discovering me. I had wanted to observe him, perhaps pull some strings and get him to travel south. But now that he knew. Now that he had me here in his house after saving me from a rather horrible death... I couldn't just disappear.

It was already obvious even if I tried, Theo would still be able to sense me nearby so long as I wore my crystal.

I eyed it on the table, rubbing a hand over my chest where it had been. It glowed a faint blue, warmed from the proximity of Theo. If I didn't wear it, I'd have no access to aether and therefore magic. Aside from our first gifting, all mages needed crystals in order to channel aether.

Elves didn't. Likely why Theo had been unimpressed when he sensed me wearing one. It was something all elves liked to hold over Mages, and little to settle the animosity between our races.

I shifted on the bed, starting to sit up. My outer dress had been removed—likely a necessity to get me out of the water, leaving me in my underclothes and little else. My cheeks warmed, chasing away some of the remaining chill from the ocean as I considered how Theo had seen me in such a... state.

Holding the blankets high up to my neck to try and reserve what was left of my modesty, I took in the rest of Theo's home. Evidence of his unsavory profession was everywhere. The table was covered in goods, leaving little room for any actual eating. Old tomes from the eastern Mage clans, undying flowers in glass jars. Stones of every size and shape. A basket filled to the brim with berries a glowing venomous green.

All items that had been summoned directly from the aether. Illegal items. Things that had no business being in our world.

Things he ensured found a way onto a ship that took them either to the Golden Isles for the wealthy faerie lords, or to the western continent where they could end up in anybody's hands.

"You're awake."

I startled, nearly dropping my protective blanket. Theo was looking at me, for how long now I had no idea. His green eyes flickered in the firelight, unreadable as he took me in.

"You saved me."

There was a pause as we looked at each other, as if both of us were trying to figure out where to go from here.

He leaned forward. "I still had questions. About the vision you mentioned. Of me."

Oh yes. That.

I swallowed. How much did I tell him? I could ruin everything by tampering too much with fate.

"You've heard of the fading. The sickness that is affecting those cut off from the aether?"

He pressed his lips together, not a hint of his earlier drunkenness in his expression. I wondered how much of it was a front, and how much of it was him.

I'd thought I'd had him all figured out. But now with the person in front of me, I wasn't so sure.

"I've heard of it. The sickhouse is full of it here." He leaned forward. "Never heard of an elf getting it."

I clenched my jaw. Sure, he was good-looking, but it seemed the arrogance elves were known for wasn't too far behind. A pity.

If only he knew.

I lifted my chin. "For now."

In truth, my vision had never shown me if the elves had been ill from the fading too. But in my vision, the world had been saved two months ago. Anything could happen.

Theo studied me before leaning back in his chair. He crossed his arms across his chest, which only showed the definition of his muscles. I refused to look.

"And what does any of this have to do with me?"

This was the part, this was where I told him of his wonderful feats, built up his already sky-high ego. Pushed him toward his heroic destiny.

But for some reason, my words got stuck in my throat. I needed Theo to go south, to end all of this before it got worse. Mages were already falling quickly. It was only a matter of time until everyone I loved...

Erinna.

I steeled myself, meeting his gaze. I quickly tried to come up with a way that explained things without giving him too much importance. "You are imperative in the conclusion where the connection between our world and the aether world is restored."

For a moment Theo just blinked at me. Still. Silent. Then a half grin curled his lip.

"So, you're telling me." He leaned forward, the warmth of the fire setting his skin aglow. "I'm the hero."

I frowned. So much for not boosting his ego.

"Yes. I suppose you are."

---

Word Count: 1245

Total: 7164