“Ahuman!” A man’s voice rings through the darkness. “You’re hiding a human near the veil?”
“Calm down and lower your voice or someone may hear you,” another man answers, and I immediately recognize it is Ryvan.
“But you cannot bring a human to the Silver Moon Ball. Everyone will—”
“I’m going to disguise her with an enchantment,” Ryvan says, cutting him off.
In the moonlight, I can just make out two figures flying ahead. When they touch down before me, the man beside Ryvan stares at me as if he has seen a ghost. “You really are human, aren’t you?” he whispers more to himself than to me.
Ryvan elbows him. “Stop being rude.”
He winces, looking flustered. “Forgive me.” He bows. “My name is Eryl. It is lovely to meet you.”
“Ella,” Ryvan says. “This is my younger brother.”
I smile. “It’s lovely to meet you, Eryl.”
He blinks as his eyes travel over my face. “You are beautiful. I did not think humans could be so charming and—”
Ryvan elbows him again, casting an icy glare in his direction.
“You don’t have to keep doing that, you know.” Eryl rubs his side. “I was just making an observation.”
Ryvan narrows his eyes. “Keep your observations to yourself.”
Eryl huffs out an exasperated breath. “My head is still slightly swimming, you know.” He turns to me. “I had meant to drink the night away, drowning my sorrows and such, but Ryvan interrupted, claiming he needs my help casting an enchantment to hide you away.” He studies me curiously as he addresses his brother. “Who are we hiding her from exactly? Father?”
Ryvan shakes his head. “A witch.”
His jaw drops, and he turns to me, his eyes wide. “A witch is searching for you? Why?”
“She’s my stepmother,” I explain. “She wants to marry me off to an evil man, but I want to escape instead.”
“And… where would you be escaping to?” he asks.
“Ryvan has booked passage for me to Arnafell. After the ball.”
He cocks his head to the side. “Why after the ball?”
“Because I’m going to be his date for the evening so that he does not have to choose a wife.”
His mouth falls open. After a moment, he spins back to his brother. “Are you trying to kill our father? What do you think he’s going to do if you bring a human to the—”
“Father will not find out she is human,” Ryvan counters. “I am going to cast an enchantment to disguise her.”
“Humans cannot cross into our kingdom undetected. They—”
He holds up a hand, silencing Eryl. “I have a plan. Now, are you going to help me cast this spell or not?”
“Fine. But if you get caught, I will deny that I ever knew anything about this.”
Ryvan rolls his eyes. “You know as well as I do that Father can ferret out any secret.”
I step between them. “I don’t want either of you to get in trouble trying to help me. I can just return to my stepmother. I do not think she will—”
“No,” Ryvan declares. “You cannot. She already hurt you, and I will not allow her near you again.”
Eryl blinks at me. “What did she do to you?”
Ryvan grabs his arm and pulls him around to look at my back. He gasps. “I—I am sorry. Please forgive me,” he says. “I did not mean—”
I turn to face him. “It’s all right.”
“I can heal your wounds,” he offers.
I shrink back, remembering how painful it was when my stepmother healed my old scars.
Eryl frowns, and holds out his hands. “I will not harm you. I swear. I merely want to help.”
I cast a worried glance at Ryvan. “My stepmother healed my old scars earlier. The process was more painful than any lashes.”
Eryl steps toward me, his green eyes holding mine. “Then she is not skilled in the art of healing.” He places one hand on his chest. “I am, and I will not hurt you.”
I glance at Ryvan once more, and he takes my hand. “My brother speaks the truth. He is an excellent healer. More skilled that I am in this art.”
I turn back to Eryl and nod. “All right.”
However, I do not let go of Ryvan’s hand. I know that I should, but right now, I crave comfort more than propriety.
Eryl raises his hands, and blue-and-green glowing swirls of magic grow from his palms as he conjures his spell. He waves them gently across my back while I squeeze Ryvan’s hand so tightly I wonder why he doesn’t protest.
Instead, he places his other hand over our joined ones, trying to soothe me. “You are doing well. Eryl is almost done.”
“He is?” I ask, surprised because I do not feel a thing.
“All finished,” Eryl confirms, stepping back to my side. He bows. “Your skin is now completely healed.”
“Thank you.” I manage a tremulous smile as I push down my tears. “Both of you.”
He nods and turns to Ryvan. “Shall we?”
Together, they raise their arms and begin speaking the words of an enchantment. Blue-and-red glowing mist swirls around their hands, growing and merging into a giant orb. Together, they cast their magic toward the sky, and it suspends above our heads, spreading in every direction and enveloping us and the cottage in a giant bubble. The mist fades into darkness as soon as it touches the ground.
Ryvan turns to me. “You are now hidden from her magic as long as you stay within the barriers.”
“All right.”
Eryl darts a glance at Ryvan then turns to me. “How exactly were you going to get to the ball without wings?”
“I—” I search Ryvan’s face for an answer. “We had not discussed it yet.”
Eryl shakes his head. “Then you are fortunate that I am here to help you both. Tomorrow, I will help you get ready and escort you to the ball.”
Ryvan claps a hand on his shoulder. “Thank you.”
Eryl sighs. “What would you do without me?” He dips his chin in a subtle bow. “I will return tomorrow.”
He bows low and flies off, leaving Ryvan and me alone.
A cool breeze buffets the forest, and I wrap my arms around my form, trying my best not to shiver pitifully. Ryvan removes his tunic and drapes it over my shoulders, wrapping the fabric around me while he gathers wood to start a fire.
He leads me into the cottage and guides me to sit before the fireplace. I watch as he stacks the wood. Just when I’m about to ask how he means to light it, he conjures a ball of flame in his palm with an incantation and directs it to the hearth.
I sit down beside him and offer him his tunic. “It’s cold. You should put this back on.”
He shakes his head. “No. I am fine.”
“Are you sure?”
He nods.
Now that we have a fire, I’m able to see more clearly. The flames cast a warm glow over his bare chest. I knew he was strong, but now that he’s only partially clothed, I’m surprised by how muscular he is. His shoulders are broad, and the thick cords of his muscles flex when he moves. He has not an ounce of fat on him.
“Ella?” he inquires, and I realize that I’m still staring at the planes of muscle composing his abdomen and chest.
I quickly avert my gaze. “Yes?”
“Would you like me to stay with you tonight?”
“Won’t your father worry if you are gone for so long?”
He shrugs. “It is a risk, but I do not want to leave you here alone.”
A smile quirks my lips. “I’ll be fine, Ryvan. Really, I will. Besides”—I sigh heavily—“I need to get used to being on my own.”
His expression falls. “Yes, I… suppose you do.”
“Go on,” I tell him. “It’s all right. I will be fine.”
He stands hesitantly. “You are certain?”
I give him my best reassuring grin. “Yes.”
