Never Yours ✔️

Ch. 37

"It works for a few days, a week at most, and then they die."

Lara glared down at the line of dead plants on the floor. Arysa sighed.

"Thank you for trying."

"It was worth a shot." She smiled sorely.

Arysa turned away, her eyes flitting to the window, to the dusty cluttered streets outside.

"I don't know how much longer I can keep doing this."

Lara stepped up beside her and her presence lessoned the loneliness in Arysa's heart, if only a little.

"We're close, Arysa." She said. "We've almost figured it out."

"And then what?" Aryss breathed. "What would change?"

"Everything."

Arysa left her with the plant corpses and returned to the castle. She headed to the west wing, nearly abandoned except for the recent renovations she'd called for.

She knocked on one of the bedroom doors and it crept open at the hands of a curly haired five-year-old. Arysa smiled gently.

"I'm looking for Taz and Clare." She said. "Do you know where they are?"

The little boy nodded and went running off into the room. Arysa waited and soon enough the child returned with the teenagers at his heels.

"Lady Arysa," Taz said in surprise. "I'm surprised to see you here."

"Are you and the others taking to your new living arrangements well?"

Taz nodded. Clare rolled her eyes.

"Why are you here, Lady?" Clare asked.

Arysa motioned them into the hall and shut the door behind them.

"I need to ask you about the object you sent me after."

Taz's brows furrowed.

"Can't figure out how to use it, can you?" Clare taunted.

"It was a book." Arysa replied. Clare went quiet. "Dedicated to someone named Aelyn."

"A book?" Taz murmured. "A book about what?"

"That isn't important. I want to know what you know about Aelyn."

Taz shook his head. "Nothing. Never heard of them."

Clare wouldn't meet Arysa's eyes. Arysa crossed her arms.

"Clare?"

The girl exhaled in annoyance.

"You're Arysa Rosewood, right?" She asked.

Arysa nodded.

"Then I think you already know the answer to your questions."

Arysa pressed her lips together. "What noble family gave you that book?"

"We don't know--" Taz started but Clare cut him off.

"The Windsvales."

Taz looked at her in disbelief. "You never said--"

"It was a well-guarded family secret." Clare retorted. "But seeing as Lady Arysa here has gone to our village and returned without our parents, I don't think that matters anymore." She turned her eyes to Arysa. "They gave the book to my father. He had worked for Lord Windsvale before retiring to the countryside and he had been a trusted servant. So when Lord Windsvale asked for a favor, he couldn't refuse. He said someone would come for it, and that we needed to keep it hidden until that day came. But no one ever came for it."