The crisp morning air nipped at Nora’s skin as she rubbed her tired eyes. She had kept watch all night, and despite the blanket wrapped around her arms, the morning chill still bit into her. Her breath formed small clouds in the cool forest air. Golden leaves rustled softly along the forest floor, a carpet of autumn’s touch spreading across the woodland. She paused, her gaze sweeping across their small campsite, lingering on Evie’s still-slumbering form.
The events of the previous night weighed heavily on Nora’s mind. The argument, the revelations, the bitter words exchanged—it all seemed to hang in the air like an unseen fog, thick and suffocating.
“Nothing to be done about it now,” she muttered under her breath.
Despite the guilt that still weighed on her, she knew the only way to get rid of it was to give her friend—and, frankly, herself—time to heal.
She moved quietly, gathering their supplies and packing them away with practiced efficiency. Evie didn’t usually sleep this long, and Nora suspected that the siren had been awake for a while. With her back still to the long-dead campfire, Evie was tense, her shoulders stiff, as though she were listening to every one of Nora’s near-silent movements.
Absently, Nora rubbed the center of her chest, where she could feel a faint warmth pulsing beneath her skin. The nymph’s gift had dissolved into her very being, and it was magic she had never seen before. The nymph had infused her with a power she struggled to comprehend. She still didn’t even know what it did, or why she had it, or what good it would do. It was nothing like the rigid, unyielding strength of Destiny’s blessings, but something wilder, more primal.
More powerful.
At times, Nora could almost hear the whispers of the forest in her mind, feel the ebb and flow of hidden currents beneath the ground. Small voices called to her from every direction, more of a pull and an awareness than words, and it left her speechless.
“A taste of magic that was stolen from this world,” Nora whispered to herself, trying her best to remember the essence of what the nymph had said. “What does that even mean?”
If immortals could just say what they meant in a straightforward way, life would be so much easier.
None of this riddle business.
The rustle of fabric drew Nora’s attention, and she peered over one shoulder to see Evie stretching as she sat upright. Their eyes met for a brief moment before both looked away, the silence between them as vast and imposing as the towering trees that surrounded them.
Evie stood, and they worked in tandem. Together, they broke down the camp without a word spoken between them. The forest seemed to hold its breath, as if waiting for something to break the quiet that had settled over them like a shroud.
As Nora secured the last of their belongings to her horse, she heard Evie clear her throat softly. She turned, her heart pounding, to find her friend standing just a few feet away, her expression a mix of uncertainty and resolve.
“Nora,” Evie began, her voice barely above a whisper. “I... I need to tell you something.”
Nora nodded, not trusting herself to speak. She watched as Evie took a deep breath, her fingers twisting nervously in the fabric of her cloak.
“I understand why you did it,” Evie said at last, her eyes meeting Nora’s. “Why you took me away from the court. You said you were only trying to protect me, and I believe you. We’ve been friends—sisters, really—for long enough that I fully trust you to keep me safe. I was just… I was just so angry.”
The words hung in the air between them, and Nora felt her voice catch in her throat. She opened her mouth to respond, but Evie held up a hand, silencing her.
Evie chuckled weakly. “And since you’re a boring old fart sometimes, I’ll say the quiet part out loud. I forgive you. It still hurts, and I can’t forget what happened. But I forgive you.”
Nora felt a wave of relief wash over her, so powerful it nearly brought her to her knees. “Evie,” she breathed, her voice thick with emotion. “I’m so sorry. I never meant to—”
“I know,” Evie interrupted, a small smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. “I know you didn’t. And that’s why I can forgive you.”
They stood there for a moment, the silence between them no longer oppressive but filled with a tentative hope. The siren smiled and slammed into Nora with a hug that nearly knocked her over.
“Thanks, Birdie,” Nora whispered as she returned the embrace.
Then Evie’s expression shifted, growing more serious. She let go and took another steadying breath. “There’s something else,” she said, her voice low. “Last night, the stars spoke to me again.”
“But I didn’t hear you singing.”
“This time was…” Evie trailed off, her eyes glossing over as she lost herself in thought. “This time was different. They asked me to listen. Nora, they didn’t even rhyme.”
If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.
Nora raised one skeptical eyebrow. “Are you sure it was the stars? Not something else pretending to be them?”
“I’m sure.”
Nora bit her lip as she debated what to do. This sent a chill down her whole body, but the stars never really played by the rules.
“What did they say?” Nora asked, her voice hushed.
Evie’s gaze grew distant, as if she were looking at something far beyond the forest around them. “They told me we need to go to Elysia.”
Nora felt her heart skip a beat. The goddess of Life ruled Elysia. With her magic permeating everything, the city was a place of both wonder and the unknown.
Nora wasn’t a huge fan of the unknown. It was part of why she’d pledged herself to Destiny, after all.
Elysia was the heart of the continent, where the threads of fate and politics intertwined in a complex dance of power and intrigue. It was also the last place they should go if they wanted to remain hidden from those who sought to use Evie for their own ends.
“That seems like a death sentence,” Nora muttered. “Evie, that’s incredibly dangerous. The city will be crawling with patrols, and a populated area like that is the last place we want to be if we want to go undetected. You know the Fateweavers are after us. We’d be walking right into their hands.”
Evie nodded, her expression grave. “I know. But the stars were clear. Our path leads to Elysia, whether we like it or not.”
Nora rubbed her eyes and groaned in frustration. She had spent years serving Destiny, following the god’s will without question. But now, faced with this new directive from the stars themselves, she found herself torn between her instinct to protect Evie and her faith in the greater powers that guided them both.
“Damn it,” she grumbled as she searched Evie’s face for any sign of doubt.
“I’m certain, Nora. This is what we need to do. I need you to trust me, this time.”
“But the Tournament of Life is this year,” Nora pleaded. “It’s going to be crawling with security. Patrols every two minutes. Getting into the city without detection is going to be damn near impossible.”
“Oh right, the tournament.” Evie tilted her head, and her eyes shifted out of focus. “I bet that’s a fun watch.”
“Focus, Birdie,” Nora gently chided. “It’s not where we want to be if we want to lie low. There are Fateweavers that stay there year-round as sentries, and it’s almost impossible to go undetected.”
Evie pouted her lower lip, but she simply met Nora’s eye and raised one expectant eyebrow.
“Look, the stars can be cryptic at the best of times,” Nora pointed out. “Maybe there’s another interpretation—”
“No,” Evie said firmly, shaking her head. “Whatever is waiting for us in Elysia, it’s important. The stars said so.”
Ugh.
Those fucking stars.
Nora closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. Every fiber of her being screamed that this was a mistake, that they should run as far from Elysia as they could. But as she looked at Evie and saw the determination in her friend’s eyes, she knew this wasn’t a fight she would win.
The paladin met Evie’s steady gaze, feeling the weight of the moment settle upon her. This wasn’t just about a journey to Elysia. It was about faith—in each other, in the path that lay before them, and in whatever fate awaited them in the capital.
With a deep breath, Nora nodded.
“Alright,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper. “If you’re sure this is what we need to do, then we’ll go to Elysia.”
Relief flooded Evie’s features, and she squeezed Nora’s hand.
“Thank you,” the siren whispered.
“It’s a bit of a trek,” Nora warned. “I was leading us around the city to give us a wide berth, but if we’re going right to it, we’ll need to stay off the main roads.”
“Do you think we can make it in time for the tournament?” Evie clapped her hands together in excitement.
“It’ll be hard not to,” Nora pointed out. “We’ll probably get there right as it’s starting.”
Evie giggled, already back to her former self. “Yay!”
As they mounted their horses and set off down the winding forest path, Nora couldn’t shake the feeling that they were riding towards something far greater and more dangerous than either of them could imagine. The golden leaves of the forest whispered secrets as they passed, and the air seemed charged with a buzzing anticipation.
With magic.
Nora’s grip on the reins tightened as she thought of the danger they were blindly riding towards. But she had made her choice—to trust Evie, to follow this new path that the stars had laid out for them.
As the sun climbed higher in the sky, painting the forest in hues of gold and amber, Nora found herself wondering about the nature of destiny itself. She had always believed that fate was immutable, a fixed path laid out by the gods. But now, as they rode towards an uncertain future, she began to question everything she had once held as truth.
“Evie,” Nora said, breaking the silence that had fallen between them. “What exactly did the stars tell you? About Elysia, I mean.”
Evie was quiet for a moment, her brow furrowed in concentration. “It wasn’t entirely clear,” she admitted. “They spoke of a great change coming, a shift in the balance of power. And they said that we needed to be in Elysia when it happens.”
“That’s not much to go on,” Nora said, unable to keep the frustration from her voice. “Did they say anything about what we’re supposed to do once we get there?”
“We need to look for a man named Cade Stormhollow.”
“Great,” Nora said dryly. “Who is that?”
Evie shrugged. “Whatever is going to happen there, Nora, it’s big. Really big. And we’re somehow a part of it.”
The weight of Evie’s words settled over them, and Nora felt a shiver run down her spine.
That didn’t bode well in terms of general survival odds.
As they continued their trek, the forest began to thin, giving way to rolling hills and sprawling farmlands. In the distance, Nora could just make out the faint outline of Elysia’s towering spires, shimmering like a mirage on the horizon.
“We’ll need to be careful,” Nora said, her voice low. “Elysia is a dangerous place, even in the best of times. And with everything that’s happened...” She trailed off, the implications hanging heavy in the air between them.
Evie nodded, her expression solemn. “I know. But we’ll face whatever comes together, right?”
Nora met her friend’s gaze, seeing the determination and trust shining in Evie’s eyes. Despite everything they had been through, despite the lingering hurt and the uncertain future that lay before them, Nora felt a surge of warmth in her chest.
“Together,” she agreed, a small smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.
So these two are definitely walking into a trap in Elysia, but what's your bet on why?
