Binding Fate: Betrothed to the Otherworldly Duke

Chapter 12: A Run in With Trouble

"Come and look at this!" Jean's voice crackled with excitement, drawing me toward a particular stall. His eyes sparkled with wonder as he stopped in front of a display that immediately caught my attention. Above a woven basket, glass orbs floated languidly, each one catching the sunlight and splitting it into a dazzling array of colors.

"These are sunspheres. The Glassweavers of the Eastern Shore craft them."

Drawn in like a moth to a flame, I edged closer to the stall. Tentatively, I reached out, my fingers hovering just inches away from the nearest orb. Its gentle warmth brushed against my skin.

"How do they work?"

"Magic," Jean answered. His golden eyes reflected the shimmering light of the orbs. "But it's not just any magic—it's captured sunlight, tamed and harnessed within these spheres."

My eyes widened in amazement, the thought of such a spell igniting my imagination. To capture sunlight, to hold a piece of the sky in your hands—it was like something out of the fairy tales I had loved as a child.

"Wow," I breathed softly, watching the orbs continue their graceful orbit, unswayed by my proximity. Their warmth was soothing, almost alive, ebbing and flowing like a gentle tide.

"Can everyone do magic here?"

Jean's expression dimmed slightly, a shadow of melancholy crossing his features. "No, only certain families in Lumicrestia. The magic used to make sunspheres is a heritage spell passed down through generations."

"They're the only ones?" I pressed, eager to understand the intricacies of this world.

"The Mages, of course, but they usually come from the few noble families who can practice magic," Jean responded, his tone carrying a hint of resignation.

"Is no one else allowed to learn it?"

Jean paused, his gaze distant as if recalling something from long ago. "The First King feared the widespread use of magic. He believed it was what had given Elirius his strength and that unrestricted magical practice could lead to another Unending Night. So, he decreed that magic was to be a privilege, not a right, reserved only for those deemed worthy. And thus, magic became restricted, a guarded secret among the select few."

"Who's Elirius?" I asked, intrigued by the weight of the name.

Jean hesitated, his smile fading. "Elirius was the Dark God who ruled over these lands before the forming of Lumicrestia. The Unending Night is what that time is called, when they blotted out the sun, plunging the world into darkness and despair. It was a period of great suffering."

The gravity of his words hung between us, heavy with the sorrow of history.

"That's when these," Jean said, tracing the air beneath the floating orbs with his finger, "first came into existence." His voice dipped slightly, hinting at a history shadowed by events better left untouched for now. "But let's not get lost in those darker times."

Jean flashed a quick, boyish grin and slid a coin across to the stallholder with the ease of an old friend. "Aeloria has far more light than shadows, you'll see," he promised, tucking the orb into his pouch with care as if it were the most precious thing in the world. "Come on, let me show you the brighter side of the city," he said, his eyes alight with excitement as if he were about to reveal the world's greatest secret.

"Lead the way," I replied, my mind still swirling with questions. As we moved away from the stall, I couldn't help but glance back at the floating sunspheres. They seemed like small beacons of hope, a reminder that even in the darkest of times, light could still find a way to shine through.