Crystal Storm
Page 83

“Xanthus,” Magnus finally forced the name out. “Do you remember me?”
The man rose to his feet, showing off his massive height. The thick band of the gold ring he wore on his right index finger glinted in the candlelight. “Your highness, of course I do.”
“No need for such pleasantries tonight. In fact, let’s forgo the use of my name or title altogether, shall we?”
Xanthus nodded. “As you wish.”
“You haven’t been seen or heard from in many months.”
“No, I haven’t,” Xanthus agreed. “My work for the king was complete, and it was time for me to rest and regain my strength. Please, sit.”
Magnus and Selia took a seat at the wooden block of a table.
“You look lovely tonight,” Selia said to the other woman, whom Magnus didn’t recognize. “Your control over air magic has improved greatly over the years.”
“Do you really think so?” the woman said with a giggle, twisting a lock of her long, silky auburn hair coyly around her finger.
Xanthus placed his hand over the woman’s. “Dariah always looks lovely.”
Dariah? Magnus regarded the woman now with fresh eyes as he realized that she’d used her elementia to shift her appearance to that of a younger, more attractive woman. If he watched carefully, he could see that her features appeared obscured, as if she sat in a shadow rather than beneath a lantern set into the wall, and that she appeared slightly too perfect to be real.
“Dariah tells me that you wish to speak to me,” Xanthus said. “She said it was important that I arrive as quickly as possible. For anyone else, I wouldn’t bother.”
“Tell me,” Magnus said, curiosity building inside of him to a point where it had to be released, “are you still in contact with Melenia?”
Xanthus shifted his gaze to Magnus. “No, I’m not.”
“What became of her? She stopped visiting my father’s dreams.”
“Melenia does what she wants when she wants. She is, I assume, focused on restoring my home to its previous greatness now that the Kindred have been awakened.”
At the mention of the crystals, Magnus waited for Selia to say something, but she remained silent, her curious gaze fixed on them both.
Xanthus took a drink from the goblet before him, signaling to the barmaid to bring over another round for the table. “What do you want from me tonight?”
“One more question, if you don’t mind,” Magnus said, his eyes narrowing. “Are you familiar with someone by the name of Kyan?”
Xanthus returned his full attention to Magnus, his expression grim. “He is free.”
“Yes. Might you have any inside advice on him?”
“Stay as far away from him as you can get, if you value your life,” Xanthus said. “Melenia, believing she was doing the right thing, helped the fire god to steal the corporeal form of a dear friend of mine.” He sent a dark look at Dariah as he drained his drink. “Is this why you insisted I come here tonight? To answer the prince’s questions about matters I don’t wish to discuss with anyone?”
“No, it’s not,” Selia answered on behalf of her friend. “But I find it fascinating to learn more about the fire Kindred, so thank you for that.”
“The Kindred have been awakened,” Dariah said, her voice filled with awe. “Is it true?”
“It is,” Selia said, smiling sweetly. “Xanthus, you’ve been exiled how many years?”
He looked at Dariah, who nodded. “Selia is a trusted friend,” she said.
“Very well. I left the Sanctuary twenty years ago.”
“Incredible,” Selia said, shaking her head. “All exiles I’ve ever heard of had their magic fade to a mere trace in a quarter of that time. Yet yours remained so powerful that you were able to bless the Imperial Road with it.”
He nodded. “Melenia ensured that my magic would not drain away over the years, nor would I be at risk of death as a mortal. That promise was put to the test not so long ago, when a dagger found my heart.”
The barmaid brought their drinks, and Magnus was dismayed to see that his was a mug of ale. He pushed it away from him.
“Not to your liking?” Selia asked. “Oh, that’s right. You prefer Paelsian wine.”
Magnus eyed her. “How do you know that?”
“Because you return to the inn smelling of it every evening.” She followed this harshness with a charming smile. “Gaius had a great thirst for wine in his youth, despite all the laws against it. His father was constantly furious at him for disrespecting the goddess. Paelsian, Auranian, Terrean, Kraeshian . . . whatever he could get his hands on. I’ve never tried it myself. Never wanted to. I prefer to keep my mind clear and sharp.”
Even with that said, Selia called a girl over and ordered two bottles of their best vintage. Magnus didn’t try to stop her, and when they arrived, he uncorked both bottles himself and drank deeply from one of them labeled “Agallon Vineyards.”
There truly was no escape from the rebel.
Selia raised a brow when he quickly drained the first bottle. “Wine won’t ever make your problems disappear. It will only magnify them.”
“Excellent advice from someone who’s never tasted a drop.” He sighed. “I grow weary of this horrible day. How long must we remain here tonight?”
“Not much longer.”