Chapter thirty - one - A Noctura wish

For minutes I try thinking of how to tell Ivarron that I don’t have what he wanted, that I failed, even when I hated the idea of that the most. I stare back into the palace, watching my brothers though Iker as usual has disappeared. I then wonder what I would tell Freya and whether she’d be annoyed I hadn’t told her beforehand.

A groan rises to my throat as I rest my forearms on the stone balcony, thinking about all my misfortunes. The night blossom with swirls of purples and blues and I just wait, wait for when the aisle of elements will unleash that power into the air.

“I saw you didn’t switch partners.”

I jolt, turning my head at Lorcan leaning by the entrance, stoic and fierce.

My brow lifts. “You danced with Rydan.”

“He tried,” he clarifies, stalking towards me and a smile finally covers his lips. “I’ve never met someone so persistent.”

I chuckle low and breathless, shaking my head as the silence prolongs a bit. Sinking my teeth into my bottom lip, I gaze out beyond the palace walls, the city bright and cheerful. From here I can hear the drumming sounds, the excitement children must feel twirling and dancing over the summer solstice, praying for good fortunes Solaris and Crello will bring.

“Look,” I say quietly, staring up at Lorcan boring his gaze into me. “Balls, parties like these aren’t my thing, I’ve been used to celebrating with my brothers back in our village, never this.”

“The thought overwhelms you.” An observation rather than a question but it’s not that, I’d always craved an adventure, but this... isn’t what I’d expected. In some shape or form I still feel trapped.

“It’s just new to me,” I lie and without meaning to, I place my hand on my heart, remembering Darius’s words. “I suppose if I’d grown up the way you did, I’d be more used to it.”

“Age does not matter, I may have been younger than what you are now when I first came here but I still had a difficult time adjusting.” His brows draw in. “I still do.”

I snort. I find that hard to believe.

“Maybe one day you’ll take over my position.”

My eyes widen so vast that he chuckles. “Someone has to take over when I make it as a General.”

Second in command, which is what my father was, I’d be honoring his title, but did I want it anymore? It’s the first I’ve been so unsure of something I once dreamed of becoming.

“You’ll make a great Venator Nara,” Lorcan’s words soften much like his expression as he clutches my hand on the ledge. Shame paves a line along my skin. Would he still think the same if he knew I’d helped a shifter in stealing from the queen?

He rubs his thumb against mine, slow, steady causing my stillness to grow, my aching desire to run miles. And as his head lowers and lips brush mine, the side of his face lights up in tones of the sunset. I twist around and glance up at the sky as spirals and streaks of fire colors burst through the clouds.

I smile in awe, reminiscing the times I’d spun around with Illias, laughing as dust shimmers resembling snowflakes fell onto us. Now an upper balcony shields me from it, but I can still see the gold specks landing on the ledge.

Sticking out my palm to catch a few, I hum. “They say you should always make a wish on the night of Noctura,”

“Is that so?” Lorcan’s voice is full of curious amusement.

I nod, looking up at him. “For Solaris and Crello to grant it.”

“Well, you should know I’m not one to believe in wishes.”

My forehead screws in deep thought at that, I’ve always been one to believe, if a world such as ours is capable of so many things who is to say wishes don’t come true? “Not even as a child?”

A laugh rumbles from deep within him. “I was always a realistic child, wishing didn’t appeal to me.”

“Then I feel sorry for the boring childhood you must have had.”

He laughs again. “Oh, it definitely wasn’t boring.”

I wait for him to add more to it, but he doesn’t so I close my eyes, focusing my breathing on tune with the warmth of Emberwell and the sounds of distant cheers as I think of a wish.

When I have it, I smile and make one.

***

Walking back inside the throne room, Lorcan briefly touches my waist, informing me he has to go and talk to the General about the city patrolling. I nod for him to do so and then blink as I find Iker half confused, half aware coming from the entrance. I careen past a few people before reaching him. “Iker?” Tilting my head in suspicion I loosely glance at his hand in his pocket. “What do you have there?”

He furrows his brows, looking at me then down at his hand as he slowly drags out a glowing emerald stone.

I gasp, leaping forward and gazing around the hall astutely as if someone had noticed. It’s hard not to when the cuts of it shine the entire floor. “Solaris did you steal that?” I hiss, mouth half open as I usher him to place it back in his pocket.

“What?” He sounds just as startled. “No, I—” Another frown. “A man gave it to me.”

“A man?”

His head bobs but even then, he looks doubtful. “The conversation is a bit hazy, but he told me to hand it to the trapper whom you worked for before coming to the city.”

My body tenses in alarm, recognizing who that man may exactly be.

“Iker,” I say slowly but my voice is full of demand. “What else did the man say?”

Iker hesitates, perturbation lines his expression as he tries to recall. “He said—” A pause, biting his lower lip. “He said it’s one of the rarest stones to exist, but it will help us with our freedom.” He frowns at the end as if he himself doesn’t quite understand and spots blur my line of vision. “What does—”

“Did he mention anything over what to say to Ivarron?”

He nods, pursing his lips. “Just that... the rumors about the Golden Thief’s blood are a myth and to accept this token as a form of payment for releasing us and that if it's still not enough he will personally take matters into his own hands.” Expelling a breath, he goes on, “Shit, I must have drunk something weird, that was the weirdest conversation I’ve ever had with anyone—and trust me I’ve had plenty, you know me—”

Iker’s words drown out, echoing the walls of the palace. I’m not even looking at him, I don’t think I’m looking at anything. Ivarron wanted Darius’s blood, he’d entrusted me to first capture Darius so he could give him that, thinking it’d give him an eternity of living. And for my brother’s I’d not backed out on it, I’d taken the request as if he were asking me to go trap a creature like any other day.

And Darius... a chord of guilt plucks at my heart. He’d lied about his blood then done this? Why did he go through all that trouble? Why didn’t he tell me? In some form it’s like he wants me to hate him, despise every ounce of him and he succeeds every single time but then what was his purpose in this?

“—Let’s hope Idris doesn’t ask any questions over this now, you clearly seem shocked,” Iker’s words draw me back to the real world and I look at him as he sighs.

“Who wouldn’t be?” I answer, absentmindedly. One can only be astonished by news like this. If Darius had tried to use his powers on Iker it’d clearly not worked, maybe it’d been his weakened state from putting on a glamour for so long but either way I’d have found this out. “Just... just hide it away from everyone and take it to Ivarron as soon as you get back.” I turn the other way once he nods in silence. My hand still shines in gold dust as I search for everyone else.

“Trapper?” Iker’s hesitant voice pulls me back and I twist, watching him scratch the back of his head. “Who is the Golden Thief?”

A wicked smile dances across my lips. I wait a few seconds then say, “A dragon pig.”

Iker bunches his brows not understanding my answer and I can almost hear what Darius’s reply to me would be... foul mortal.

***

The contentment I had for my brothers the following morning dwindled as soon as they waved me goodbye from their carriage and the General waltzed up to me, informing me the queen wanted to see me.

Unsettling nausea rose to my throat the second he’d said it and now with palms sweating, legs widely aching, I feel smaller than ever, standing in the throne room.

It’s nothing like last night, where hundreds swarmed the grand hall, instead it’s me and the queen... alone.

She taps her fingers on the arms of the throne and the echoing of her nails blasts in my ears like drums. She’s no longer in red, the gold samite clings to her ebony skin gloriously that I understand why she didn’t wear it last night, I can never outrank her in that aspect, she’s grace and beauty driven with power even if she can’t physically project it.

“Do you know why you are here, Naralia?” She says after what feels like a century of painful silence.

I swallow nothing but dryness. I’ve always had no trouble hiding my nerves, the emotions but right now it’s impossible. “I was hoping you could inform me of it, your majesty.”

She chuckles, rising from the throne and walks down the dais until she's feet away from me. “Something was stolen.”

My heart drums.

“A pendant,” she adds. “And since you were the last to see me wear it, I’m wondering if you might have an idea as to where it is.” Her head tilts, obsidian eyes infiltrating each part of me, waiting to see if I’ll confess, because that’s what she wants. She knew all along of course she did, the door wasn’t locked, she’d purposefully not worn it and watched me the whole night, had me dressed—

She dressed me in gold... knowing it’s a favored thing of the Golden Thief. Yet she saw whom I was dancing with, glamour or not we weren’t discreet, why didn’t she act upon it then?

Exhaling slowly, I stare at her, not balking this time, it takes her by surprise as she straightens and frowns. She begins toying with the gems of her bodice examining me before a creak of the doors grind open and a small voice comes through. “Your majesty Magda is here—”

“Tell her to wait,” The queen says, her eyes rooting me to the spot. “Naralia and I have somewhere to be.”