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I had assumed I was the only one who saw, the only one who was affected by her wickedness. It wasn’t in vain, I simply wasn’t anywhere in the world to know. But he was, and he had seen things. I could tell that by the look in his eyes, by his darkness that bled everywhere. Even in that pitch I could still sense light in him, truth. I felt that warmth of the sun he was hiding inside of him blister against my soul and pull me closer.
“Elara, I have devoted my life to saving all of those who were brought to harm by her. I have devoted my life to killing Queen Dalyah.”
I didn’t even know what to say to that. I looked at the deep indigo line on my arm, at the bruises from the fight in the forest, at the bloody bandage on my hand. Everything hit me in the face with the force of a rampaging water wheel.
“I was going to kill her before she could enact that plan, but saving you… Let’s say that things did not go as planned. I would still like to complete that task. But I am going to need your help to do so.”
My jaw tightened and I forced myself to take slow breaths as I looked at him, this killer who had come to destroy my mother.
To destroy the woman who was slowly destroying everything around her.
I should be outraged at his proclamation, I should be furious. I should revolt and tell the guard. But I sat there, that same feeling that I had before wrapping around me, that he was right, that I trusted him.
“You will need to train me to fight.” I already knew that the training I had was woefully inadequate… and my magic. He had used his so easily, I still couldn’t so much as summon a spark on command with any type of reliability.
“I can train you however you need, but that is not why I need your help.”
“Then why?” It was hard not to ignore the stab of disappointment. He better not be gearing up to ask me to make him sandwiches.
“Because now that you have been bound to me as Requisite and Catalyst you currently have control over my magic, as well as any magic you had before.” He seemed almost upset, angry even, but I could only look at him in stunned silence. He couldn’t be saying what I thought he was.
We had both held magic, we had both used our magic of our own accord. I had seen his.
“You can’t use your magic?” He shook his head.
Catalyst. Requisite.
I couldn’t help but feel as though I had made a terrible mistake claiming him as such in an attempt to save his life.
I hadn’t felt any different, any more powerful. I had seen him use his magic so easily, yet I didn’t feel that strength in me.
In fact, I was not sure I felt anything.
“But… how…” I lifted my hand, staring at the stained bandage as though it would give me the answers.
“I am not sure. But I believe I know who I can ask to find out, and knowing his royal smugness he will make an appearance when he is least helpful.”
I turned to him, expecting some kind of explanation, but he stared back, hands held out, his hand also wrapped and stained with red.
“Will you help me Elara?”
“Help you kill my mother?” Saying it made it more real somehow, but it didn’t make it any more frightening.
“She has killed many, and she will kill many more if we don’t stop her.” He was firm, clearly waiting. He didn’t need to convince me. He was right, and I hated that I knew he was right. “Now, our fates are tied together. They may always have been; but I will need your help to save The Catalysts. To save the F–”
He stopped, pressing his lips together as though he was about to say something forbidden. I guess, in a way, he was.
“The Fae?” I finished for him, and he nodded, his lips still tight as he leaned in, his low voice rumbling over everything as the carriage hit a hole, everything rocking and sending me into him.
“To save us all,” he whispered in my ear before pulling back, his hands still held between us in truce.
“That sounds very ominous.” I swallowed any fear that was trying to boil its way to the surface.
“In this case, it might as well be.”
“What do I need to do?”
“First. Trust me.” He pushed his hands closer to me as he spoke, the offering clear. I only looked at him for a moment before I leaned closer, placing my hands in his.
