The Awakening

Chapter Forty Three

"Lugh?" Moments of silence hung between them as they lay on the bed in the dim light.

Avelon glanced at Lugh, studying the lines of his face and his closed eyes.

She could hear the faint, rhythmic sound of his breathing, but it only made the silence more suffocating. At some point she thought she might doze off, but her thoughts kept her awake and alert.

Balor had struck a nerve within her. Poison. The Fae of Vexar were being poisoned, and she had no idea whether any Fae knew. And if so, how many knew? Was it just Balor or were more Fae aware of what was going on right underneath their noses?

"Hmm?" His chest rumbled in response, eyes opening slowly to peak down at her.

She frowned, considering her thoughts again and drawing a singular conclusion. Balor was powerful, but he would not be the only Fae to know about the poison. There had to be other Lords and Ladies that enforced the idea of poisoning the food.

"What's wrong?" Lugh mirrored her frown. His hand sliding over his chest to cup her cheek. A gentleness that made her breathing quicken.

"Do you know of a poison that has the ability to block affinities from being used?" Her voice was barely above a whisper, but it felt loud in the quietness of the room. She was not sure she wanted to hear his answer, but she had to ask.

Lugh's body tensed instantly. He had been gone to receive a shipment on behalf of Balor- he had to know what was being received.

"Ciorra incapacitates anyone if they ingest enough...but it doesn't entirely block affinities." He said, his voice lower than usual, a dark edge to it. He was evading her question with an answer that would be sufficient enough for a Fae that did not know more than they should.

He knew something. Avelon blew out a breath.

"No, not ciorra." she said softly.

"Your father is poisoning food. Well, actually, the entire food supply in Vexar is being poisoned to stop the use of affinities." She sat up, her hands running through her tangled hair. Her frustration was clear in her voice.

"I don't think it's just him, though." She pinched the bridge of her nose as she waited for his reply.

Lugh was silent beside her- unnervingly quiet. She shot him a glance. His face was pulled tight in concentration as he stared at the stone ceiling.

"Are you hearing me? The Fae and Vexar are being fooled into going through the rituals. The awakening. Its some sort of sick entertainment. Or survival of the fittest to thin out the weak from the strong. I'm not entirely sure." Avelon's hands flew around in the air as she explained.

"If word got out that the food is being poisoned." She considered.

Lugh's eyes widened.

"Mandaelin." He spoke the word in a hushed tone, sounding unsure. "It's the only spice that is vastly traded around the continents for its ability to enrich the food." Lugh murmured, "But I'm not aware of anything specific being used to suppress abilities."

Avelon shot him a questioning look. "What shipment did you retrieve for your father?" she asked, already suspecting the answer.

Lugh sighed, sitting up beside her. "A crate of pure Mandaelin. It's in everything—palace chefs are under strict orders to use it. Anyone who doesn't..." He did not finish the sentence, but the implication was clear.

"If it's the spice causing it, then not all Fae are ingesting it, though. Some Fae are still able to use their abilities. If ingesting a poison is the cause then there has to be something that counters it. There's something we're missing... It doesn't add up." Avelon's mind raced, but then she stopped, standing abruptly.