Map of Ember and Moonlight

Chapter 5

Chapter 5

After a week of being stuck alone in that small port town on the coast of Oria, Amory was ready to get home. Home, for now, was a cottage in the forest north of the city, but he longed for the waters of Ayveri, the smells of the food, the laughter in the streets, and the Fae and human females who warmed his bed.

Here in Escarral, he had to hide his magic. The only time he was truly free to do what he pleased was when he was alone or with Gideon. That bastard was getting himself into too much trouble lately. When they got here, they made an agreement to only foster relations with those who could help them achieve what they were sent here to do, not bed women just for the fun of it. That agreement was only supposed to mean the king and the royal family, but of course, Gideon broke it within the first few days of being on Escarrali soil.

Amory had met with the king twice already, the first being the initial meeting and the second just that morning when he went to deliver the first set of maps to him. Before their first meeting, he had to wait three days while the king was on a riding trip with his youngest daughter, Princess Alyvia. Though he complained at first, it gave him time to get to know the city around the palace.

Amory heard everyone in the kingdom talking about the princess and it seemed like they had only love for her. She was so unlike her sisters, who she loved and admired for their own love for their husbands, children, and home. Alyvia only had affections for training with the palace guard, was apparently exceptional at healing the sick and injured, and liked to steal her father away on riding trips.

With the king being away so often, it didn't help the fact that Amory only had six months to complete what he was to do.

Now, on top of everything, it was raining. The ward he projected kept his pack and himself dry but didn't protect much from the slight chill in the air. Of course, he could diminish that, but he was already almost home.

Gideon was still awake, the lights still on from inside the cottage. Amory was fully prepared to give him a piece of his mind for leaving that town without waiting for him as they agreed. Granted, he wasn't planning on meeting with the king again that morning...or stumbling upon that beautiful young woman in the woods either.

He could feel it as soon as he saw her, her magic. His own swept silence through the trees as he'd paused, his heart hammering in his chest as her eyes darted every which way, trying to seek him out. He remained hidden, though, watching from a distance...the girl who had so much power within her and probably didn't know it.

And it was strange. Her magic was nothing like he'd ever encountered before. He could feel the amount of power she had, yes, but it was almost like it was trapped behind a stone wall she had built around herself...or someone else had built for her. There was a fissure in that wall, though, and even what little magic seeped through was pure power.

He'd seen a little bit of it just a few hours before when he crossed paths with her again. He didn't know what had happened, but he found himself along the shores of Fels Lake after coming back from his meeting with the king. That small orb of light floated above her palm so effortlessly.

But then she had sensed the silence of his presence again.

And he felt the tug toward her, deep in his gut.

With that feeling, he ran.

He'd put off coming back to the cottage just so Gideon wouldn't ask what was bothering him. It didn't help that the feeling his gut only increased the closer he got. And why, exactly, was there a horse underneath the shelter with the other two?