“I do not have a v’airsell nioll, Roriethiel. I have no notion of what it means to have a partner in life.”
“You must protect the dasllerel tíeka.”
“I do not wish to be ordered by you. Tell me why it is important. You act just as the sioskallos, and I will permit no one to speak to me as if I am a child.”
“Do you not see that it is difficult to find happiness with someone sometimes?” Rorie asked, though it hurt him to think of a world without Renny. Still, he had to be practical. Not everyone was equally blessed by Bétea. If each soul were paired with someone of Renny’s kindness, beauty, and intelligence, then they would surely not be willing to share their body with a random person.
“We have many laws to protect v’airsell niolls. Tell me, does the council?”
“Are you trying to imply that Renny is not as devoted to me as I am to him?”
“It is a simple inquiry and has nothing to do with your relationship.”
“They do not have a population of mulish, argumentative bemollos, so they do not need them,” Rorie responded. It made him feel rather small for choosing pettiness, but he could not take back the words. Renny would not be pleased to know he was acting so rashly. It reminded him that in his world, they probably had laws to protect v’airsell niolls for impulsive fairies rather than bemollos. “Speaking of which, you must choose a Llaidir Sioskallo.”
“Tradition does not dictate it.”
“I have read the books; I know that, but if you intend to revert to the ways of ancient Fae, you must announce it.”
“I have yet to decide on the subject.”
“Why not? It is not so difficult. Most of your sioskallos are awful anyway.”
Drekkoril’s brow lifted. “Only most? Or is it just the ones that disagree with you on a topic?”
“You are trying what little patience I have.”
“While you do not understand the pressures I face daily.”
“I know a great deal more than you give me credit for,” Rorie snapped. Answering Drekkoril’s question on the dasllerel tíeka, he saw no reason to continue to cross swords with the man. With a sharp turn, he stalked away. Shaking off the feathers Drekkoril always ruffled, he tried his best to ignore his guilt over the fact that he’d not managed to further their relationship. It was something he must try harder at in the future.
Chapter 15
Rorie woke and instead of stealing a kiss or demanding Renny hold him tighter, he sat up straight. The pulse of his realm was different, and not in a pleasant way. There was a thrum of magic that permeated everything, and for every day that Rorie had lived, it had brought him joy, but this morning it was fear and a sense of wrongness inside him. It was nothing he remembered, and he wondered how that could be. If it was the time after his memories stopped, should the dream not have ended?
“You okay?”
“Something does not feel right.”
“How so?”
There was tenderness on Renny’s face, and he threw himself into his arms. “Can you not feel that the pulse of magic is different?”
“I’m not sure I can, but I’ll admit that I don’t feel as juiced. You know, like the realm isn’t pumping up my magic as much. Does that make sense?”
“Yes, we must find Drekkoril.”
“We need to get dressed.”
“Of course,” Rorie remarked. For once, he did not purposely remove his kiot’rs slowly to please Renny. Instead, he pulled his clothing on quickly and was happy that Renny did the same.
Renny grabbed his hand and led him to the door. “We’ll figure this out, don’t panic.”
“It is not a panic,” Rorie confessed, trooping toward the siofllar’am where Drekkoril spent his morning receiving the sioskallos. “I feel more saddened, I suppose, but there is fright too. I cannot explain it fully.”
“I think you’re doing a wonderful job.”
“Always you support me, Renny.”
