Page 70 of Born of Starlight
Amara smiled warmly at the compliment, but she batted away his hand with a roll of her dark eyes. Despite that, her gaze remained soft—she truly regarded him amicably.
I was trying to hide my surprise, too stupefied to feel any flutter of jealousy.
Amara answered, “Still a relentless flirt, I see.”
Fen gave her a playful wink. “My charms still haven’t worked on this one.” He threw a thumb in my direction and seared me with a wanton look, trying to make me squirm, I was sure of it. My back straightened, but my expression was unyielding.
“Well, she is a smart woman,” Amara teased before placing her slender dark fingers on his shoulder. “I am happy to see you well, nonetheless.”
Emmerick finally entered the foyer, and Amara’s attention turned to our other guest. Her expression changed but was unreadable.Was it pain? Emmerick stood up straighter before realizing he should bow, and he did so with grandeur.
“High Enchantress Amara of the South Corridor, it is an honor to meet you.”
“Oh, the formality…” I grumbled, throwing my head back in exaggeration but allowing them their introductions. Amara’s hand dropped from Fen’s shoulder before she extended it to Emmerick.
“Sir Emmerick of Luz,” Amara said, suddenly turning serious. “The honor is all mine. I have heard many great things about you and all you have accomplished for the Central Corridor.”
Emmerick’s eyes widened at her compliment, and he bowed again.
“A baker’s son, then a Knight, and now Constable—great things are in your future.”
She took his hand between hers, seeming to hold it too tightly. Amara assessed the metals that adorned Emmerick’s armor. Emmerick looked uncomfortable, but he allowed her to hold him there until she released him.
Unable to think of a single intelligent way to explain myself, I stalled. “I need to attend to the greenhouse. The tower can only keep up with so much.”
“I will come help, Lady Asterie. We can give Lady Amara and Fenris some time to reunite.” Emmerick seemed to want a moment away from the intensity of Amara’s stare.
“Seriously, we’re back to the formality?” I teased.
I crossed the foyer to the double glass doors that led to the greenhouse. Emmerick hurried behind me, without responding, into the glass-topped antechamber. Only a narrow path allowed us to amble through the flora.
Before I could shut the door, Amara stopped me.
“Asterie.” Amara looked at me without malice. “I’ve been warding your tower since we realized you left. I came straight here and waited to allow you through. The others can not Egress in.”
The others. “It would be best not to tell the others.”Those were the words the prophecy had chosen.Was Amara ever part of the prophecy’s wishes?I wasn’t sure, but the tightness in my shoulders slackened in the hope that my dear friend was genuine.
Maybe I could trust her after all.
Chapter19
Fenris
As the boy and Asterie exited, I watched Asterie pick at her cuticles with a faraway gaze. That wall of indifference was cracking, and I wanted to know what she was thinking, to ease some of those worries somehow.
Amara and I were left alone in the foyer as the atrium door clicked shut. It was hard to hold back all the questions burning through me. When we’d worked together centuries ago, it was to even the odds—we never picked a side. We tried to keep the peace between two opposing kingdoms. Brennax and Phynx were at odds, and neither side was willing to compromise.
I wondered how my dear friend had gotten woven into this new political structure. But that was not my first priority.
“I sense something in her that I haven’t felt in a very long time.” I nudge my chin toward the atrium. “Care to explain?”
Amara’s smile dimmed. “I feared you might. You aren’t going to like the explanation.”
I gave her my best ‘try me’ smirk and allowed myself to collapse into the oversized leather sofa, kicking my legs out. I might as well be comfortable for the blow she was inevitably about to deal me.
Amara carefully sat down next to me, hands in her lap. She turned to face me and spoke quietly. “After the attack, the rulers of Phynx decided your power should be destroyed. They ordered me to destroy the half we possessed.”
“And yet,” I mused, “here I stand. If you’d destroyed that part of me, then we wouldn’t be having this conversation. Now, would we?”
