Page 112 of The Awakening of Essensia

His heart stopped.

She continued, as though she hadn’t noticed blood no longer pulsed in her son’s veins. “A few weeks before he died, Kolborn mentioned a certain glow. A shame. He was a good informant.” She sighed and began adjusting the rings on her fingers. “Lorven is an adequate replacement. He did what Kolborn never managed.” She paused, twisting her rings.

Elijah bit his tongue. He couldn’t let her know how desperately he needed answers, how desperately he wanted to leave this room and find Vaelira.

“She attacked another recruit,” she said, lifting her gaze. “Can you believe it?”

He shook his head stiffly. His body wasn’t his own. It felt like he was separated from it, as if someone was forcing his muscles to move.

She tutted, the sound sharp and cold. “You spend quite some time together. At the tavern, at that little townhouse you bought for the disgraced Commander… skulking in alleyways,” she ticked each one off on her fingers. “I find it difficult to believe it never came up.”

He clenched his jaw, ignoring the prick of anger at being watched. He could deny it, but her expression told him everything. She knew, and he would get nothing if he denied it now. “I had hoped she could help stop the violence in New Town,” he said plainly.

The Queen frowned. “What do we care for the filth? Let the peasants kill each other over their petty grievances.”

Elijah studied her. She had to have heard about the chapel. She had to know it was more than that.

“We must keep our focus where it matters,” she said. “Your father is gravely ill.”

“What does that have to do with Vaelira?”

When her eyes met his, he saw something he’d only seen once before, the day before Laurence died. Desperation.

She leaned forward. “She will heal him and in return I will spare her life. It is what the gods want. I know it in my bones.”

Elijah shook his head in disbelief. “How do you even know she can heal him?”

“Priestess Dastane came to see your father. She told me I must place my faith in the gods. I prayed, all day and all night. I prayed even when my body could no longer keep me upright. I lay on the cold stone and prayed until sleep took me. And when I woke, I prayed again. The gods have rewarded my faith.” Her gaze dropped to her hands, and she twisted one of her rings. “The Three see all.” She looked up, a crease forming between her brows. “I have spoken with the Priestess again. She told me this girl is a gift from the gods.”

“The priests led the mage hunts. How can you trust anything they say?”

“The Priestess would not lie,” she said, eyes flashing. “The girl was created by Embral as a gift. She will cure your father, and afterwards, she will serve the Crown. Balance, as Issar intends. The First Three will it.”

Elijah noted she had conveniently not mentioned Kharos, the God of Destruction.

He drew in a long breath and leaned back. Beyond her fevered beliefs, it made some sense. Mages had once been healers before fear and ignorance drove them to extinction. Now, the price of essensia was death. It was the oldest law, but laws could be changed, and when he was King, he would change them. He would change them for her.

In the meantime, the King would owe Vaelira his life. His father would pardon her, Elijah was certain of it. She could help freely, and with the King’s blessing, the summoners wouldn’t stand a chance.

He would finally prove them all wrong. prove he was worthy of the crown, the first Mage Queen at his side. “What do you plan to tell the council?”

“The court is a nest of cowards,” she said. “They have been circling since the chapel collapsed. The girl will be easy to blame. Once I show them her power, they will believe whatever story I give them.”

“Revealing her power could sow distrust.”

“Better distrust than open rebellion. Fear of mages still runs deep in the old families, deeper than their fear of me. Let them think we have leashed one of these summoners.”

“I still think it is a risk. There are too many ways it could go wrong.” Once they saw her power, panic was more likely than the quiet fear his mother hoped for.

She considered him for a moment, her eyes narrowing. He kept his expression smooth, refusing to let her see through the façade to his racing pulse beneath. She clicked her tongue. “Fine. We will tell them, not show them. Anyone who dares call me a liar can hang.”

She rose and crossed to the door.

Elijah hesitated, but only for a moment. He would fix this, and when Vaelira looked at him again, it would be with gratitude. Not fear.

27

Splintered