The Story of the Trees - Sword, Ring, and Crown Book One

Chapter Twenty-Eight

We learned, to everyone's dismay, that Emerlee had escaped early in the morning.

"How did that happen?" I snapped, shoveling one of Danela's tarts into my mouth. Crumbs scattered, but Dominic, ever attentive, brushed them away.

"Didn't she have those magic-dampening bracelets on?" I asked, my voice muffled by pastry.

Luis, his expression serious, answered, "The guards said someone teleported her out—from the outside."

I scowled, half-joking to myself that the culprit was probably someone wearing a velour tracksuit. 

Despite the escape, our day continued as planned with training. We piled into a caravan of cars, heading to the city of Lars. The high winds rocked the cars on the road, and I tried to tune out Luke's endless lecture on the rules of Aleria. He spoke of customs, politics, and duties, but all I could think about was the looming pressure of the competition.

When we finally reached Lars in the late afternoon, I practically flung myself out of the car, needing to stretch my legs. My feet crunched in the snow, and I inhaled the crisp air. Lars was nothing like the chaotic beauty of San Francisco; it was too pristine, too orderly, too full of rules. The streets were so clean they gleamed, and an ethereal purple light shimmered above the city, held in place by four towering spires.

Tall Sidhe guards in sharp military garb stood watch. They snapped to attention as Luke approached, their eyes flicking between us. One of the guards handed him a letter, which Luke passed to me without a word.

As I took the letter, I caught the guard's intense stare, his pale lavender eyes sending a shiver through me. A long scar dragged down the right side of his face, pulling his mouth into a permanent smirk. His sharp, angled features gave him an imposing presence, and I his expression felt as though he might consume me on the spot.

Luke's voice broke through my thoughts. "That's Eowyn. He was instrumental in the Battle of the Trees, 1400 years ago. It's rare to get a proposal from an ancient. You should feel flattered."

"Flattered?" I turned my head, noticing that both guards were still watching me. "He doesn't look that old."

"He's Alfar," Luke said. "Not Sidhe like the rest of us. Different lineage. They're former angels, cast down to this realm when they chose neither Heaven nor Hell. Neutral beings. Eowyn was summoned by the Trees to fight in the war."

"Wait—angels? Like...real angels?"

"Yes. They lost their wings when they were cast out." He paused, glancing at me. "He's seen much in his time. You're fortunate to catch his interest."

"Fortunate?" I echoed, baffled. Why did Luke think everyone here was interested in me?

Luis was the first to step in, his voice firm as he looked at Luke with a little snarl. "I guess it's easy to catch attention when you're the only real choice here."

Luke didn't seem taken aback by Luis' jealousy. "I agree, of course. Madeline will become highly desirable as the time to take her place on the throne nears. There would be no other choice to many men."

At Luke's provocation, Luis' hand landed on my lower back, its weight feeling possessive.   Luis wasn't hiding his irritation, his jaw tight as he guided me forward, ignoring Luke's faint smile.

I tugged off my coat, suddenly realizing how warm it was despite the snow. It was also an excuse to get Luis to let me go. His jealousy felt as heavy as a blanket in July. 

"Why's it so warm here?" I could feel a bead of sweat rolling down my neck.

"It's magical energy," Luke explained, pointing to the towers. "It warms the city and allows technology to function here."