Rory POV

It took longer than I thought to find Silas. There was more than one library in Cyran, which made me wonder about the city for hours. The only upside of my lost hours was stumbling into a news stand selling the latest Cyran Chronicle. Athyra’s news cycle in Desfyra is the story of the mighty prince with the aid of the ‘Red Lady’ who was rescuing the citizens of N’ila. There were pictures of Silas and me with the kids from the first raid near Le’Anisa. I looked like a wreck in the photo, but the kids looked happy. A few shopkeepers made the connection between the news story and me as they waved saying ‘Good morning, Red Lady.’

Finally, I found Silas in the old records of the third library in Cyran. He was sitting at the lone table in the darkest part of the library, but that didn’t bother Silas. He had four balls of light orbiting above his head like a halo to see the ancient texts he was reading. Silas didn’t look very princely with dust smudges on his clothes and his nose. I wanted to approach him like I always did when I found him studying, but my mind flashed back to his disappointed face after our kiss. My heart sank. I had been too emotional when he kissed me to process what the kiss meant to him. The only thing on my mind was how impossible all of it would be and why it would ruin everything. Maybe he doesn’t feel that way.

“Are you just going to stare at me, Rosewyn?” Silas asked without looking up from the text he was consumed by.

I closed the gap between us and sat down on the opposite side of the lonesome black table. “Better?” My voice was harsher than it should have been.

“You can’t scare me with your sarcasm, Rosewyn,” he said, casually.

Rosewyn again? He wasn’t calling me Red. Why wasn’t he using the stupid nickname he gave me over a month ago? This might be his reaction to the kiss. A horrible feeling was building inside me. I wasn’t sure if it was guilt for how I reacted or regret for what I couldn’t have. All I knew was I spent my day trying to find this damn elf, and I wish I hadn’t wasted my time.

“Did you learn anything about Loulee, Ramire’s mentor?” I hoped he had some success for both our sakes.

“I learned quite a few things although none of those things are relevant right now.” His words were cold.

“Shall we head back to the villa then?” This library was beginning to feel uncomfortable. A heaviness was weighing me down just sitting here while he had his nose deep in the book.

“Leave if you want to,” Silas answered.

This man didn’t even glance up from his book for a second, which was odd for him. My stomach tightened as if to warn me of something, but I didn’t understand what danger I was near in this library. Something about this place was off. Silas liked his books, but this behavior was weird even for him. I studied him again, and that’s when I realized the whole image of Silas was off. I reached out to touch him, but his image faded into smoke as if he was never there.

“Silas!” I yelled, but no one was around. The librarian and the books faded away, revealing a dark room covered in…soot? “Where the hell am I?”

A vine wrapped around me, trapping me to the chair. “Ooow,” A delighted voice said. “What fun creature has walked into my garden now?”

Garden? All I saw was a dark room covered in soot or… No, it wasn’t soot. It was the Ebony Fungi. A fungus that absorbed magic to become sentient. Its magic relies on illusions it creates when you breathe in its spores. How did I walk into this thing’s trap? Was it when I asked that woman where the last library was on Elm Street? Maybe the woman wasn’t real at all. Damn it. I was a fool thinking Cyran was safe from the magic of wild creatures. Always be on guard, Rory.

The Ebony Fungi shaped itself in the small, elf woman that I met before. “Here I thought those elves had gotten smart and just avoided my domain in their city, but here a…woman has walked in. I am not sure of your species, but I believe you will be very tasty.”

Did it just say it was going to eat me? “Why haven't the elves destroyed you?”

The creature laughed. “Don’t you know? Ebony Fungi are immune to magic.”

Did I know that? If it was important, I am sure Myrra taught it to me at some point. My memory of magical fungi was fuzzy at best, but I think Myrra mentioned that fungi all have weak spots. It was a red spot that they tried to hide in the dark. The vine around me tightened at the Ebony Fungi focused on me. I wish I had worn my armor today, but luckily I still have my dagger hidden beneath my skirt. My fingers slipped into the fake pocket of my skirt to tug the blade free from my thigh.

“Don’t struggle,” the Ebony Fungi suggested. “I can make this quick.”

The black metal of my blade cut my finger as I wrangled it into my palm. Magic was useless, but I could still cut myself free of the vine. My grip tightened on the hilt of my dagger. With one deep breath, I freed myself from the chair. I flipped away from the monster-looking woman figure. It appeared frustrated by my athletics as it continuously attempted to secure me to the ground with its vines. The room was dark. My night vision allowed me to see in the room, but anyone else might have been devoured by now.

“So much for making this quick,” I sneered at the creature.

We were locked in a game of cat and mouse. My long skirt had been torn into a short skirt and my sleeves had cuts in them from the thorns of the vines. I was the mouse in this scenario as I kept hoping to discover a way out of this dumb place. Where was Silas’ smart brain when I needed it? He would have some magic solution to escape while Braxton would come up with some neat strategy. Ema would probably just tire the fungi out, but what should I do? There was no rescue coming, and my speed was the only thing keeping me alive as I chipped away at the fungi with each slash of my blade.

“Die already,” the Ebony Fungi commanded as it flung itself at me.

Dodging it, I realized magic doesn’t affect the fungi, but it will affect the room we were in. Terran magic came to the rescue again as I forced my magic into the ground making the floor of the room crumble as I threw giant rocks about the room. One giant boom and light flooded into the dark room. I created my escape while the Ebony Fungi withered from the sunlight. I ran out of the darkroom onto an empty street.

“Red?” A familiar voice called from a nearby street corner.

My hands were on my thighs as I stayed bent over, trying to catch my breath. Those fungus spores cause people to be short of breath if they survive the encounter. Familiar brown boots came into view, and I made myself stand up straight. His gold eyes looked like little rays of sunshine after spending time in the dark room with Ebony Fungi. “Hi…Silas,” I struggled to say.

“What are you doing out here, Red? This is the forbidden zone.” He looked at me with concern. I was so relieved to feel his concern toward me instead of the coldness I got from the fake him.

“I know that…now,” I huffed. Looking around, I saw all the warning signs that I had missed when I walked this way before.

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“I guess you faced the Ebony Fungi,” he said, looking at the property destruction I caused.

“Yep,” I nodded. I could breathe normally, but my chest felt sore with each breath.

“So, that’s where you were all afternoon. I went looking for you after lunch when I ran into Emera and Braxton. They said something about celebrating tonight with a feast and beer, but they would say what we were celebrating. Emera asked me to find you.” Silas walked toward me, examining me for injuries. “How’s your breathing?”

“Painful,” I answered.

He cautiously went to touch my back and stopped. “May I?”

I nodded. His healing magic filled me with a joyful warmth. It felt relaxing enough to make my knees buckle, but his steady hands kept me up. His face was close to mine. I could see his pleased smile out of the corner of my eye. He hadn’t shaved today, so his jaw was prickly against my cheek. The closeness was enough to make my heart race after that kiss. The kiss I thought ruined everything between us.

He whispered. “I know what happened in Tana Town has affected us and our relationship. It’s made you unhappy, which is not what I intended. I had a moment of weakness being so close to you. We don’t have to discuss it unless you need to. We will just call it my fault for now and leave it for now. We are friends, Red. I won’t ruin that.”

An invisible weight rolled off my shoulders as his words healed my grief over the whole thing. Silas had become important to me. A friend that was nearly as dear to me as Ema. I needed him to be that right now. Complicating my relationship ruined any possible future where his research would free me from being hunted. I wanted a free future more than anything else.

“Thank you,” I answered.

Silas guided me back toward the villa. The sun had nearly set as we made our way back. I told him about the news article and we bought another paper on the way back to the villa to show Ema and Braxton. “Maybe that’s what those two wanted to celebrate with us,” I suggested.

“Or, they are going to announce their relationship finally.” Silas grinned. “I told Braxton that he’s free to leave or go anywhere he wants as long as he comes to visit.”

I laughed. “I told Ema the same thing.” All I wanted for Ema was her happiness.

Silas told me about some of the interesting things he learned about Loulee in the library this morning. Loulee had studied polymorphic spells as well although he never got as far as his student Ramire Bishop. Silas asked me if I could help him try some of the polymorphic spells he copied from Loulee’s work with him. He thinks I will have an easy time with this magic since I naturally shift forms.

“Yeah, I can try, but shouldn’t we find Captain Boom first?” I questioned. My arm was around his shoulders, supporting myself as we walked home. His arm was against my lower back, securing me against his hip. Silas wasn’t shy since we kissed, and I had noticed the change.

We made it to the villa just as he agreed to hold off magic experiments. Opening the door, I smelt my favorite roasted hog! We stepped in the door to find Ema giggling so hard in Braxton’s lap. Well, that’s one way to tell us they are together. She was suckling down a beer, and I suddenly became concerned with how much she had consumed. Ema has never been drunk before. Looking closer at Braxton, he held an ice pack to his shoulder and the man was shirtless…again.

“Ema,” I called to her gently. She had a gold liquid dripping from her mouth, but from the smell of iron in the air I knew it wasn’t alcohol.

Emalynn’s POV

Twenty minutes ago…

Silas and Ro were late. Braxton and I cooked them a freaking feast. Roasted hog, boiled shallots dipped in garlic sauce, sweet corn, mashed potatoes, and yachi pudding were all made by Braxy and I. Braxy offered me the yummiest elf-brewed grape juicy. It made my brain feel fuzzy and my body hot. I have been chasing Braxy around the house so I can kiss him, but he just keeps laughing about how adorbs he finds me. He smells like burning honey from his elfy drinks! It’s better than that damn vomit from when we first met.

Currently, I perched myself on the staircase waiting for him to come out of his hiding place. My tail twitches with excitement as I hear footsteps below. The big guy tries to be sneaky, but he’s tripping over his own boots as he rounds the staircase. I descended upon him with excitement. My prey falls right into my trap. I landed on his shoulders surprising him. His hands grab my ankles to pull me down, but I refuse to go down without a fight as my instincts kick in.

My brain’s so fuzzy that my body acts on instinct, ripping Braxton’s shirt to shreds. He looks better without a shirt in my opinion. His body feels hot as I let my hands roam his chest. There was a desire in his eyes that was stronger than before. His rough hands held my thighs in place as my legs wrapped around him. Touching him felt addicting. I gently kissed him, letting my finger run through his hair. He groaned between kisses, and it felt hot. I was enjoying this with him more than anyone else I had kissed before. We kissed deeper. I felt like I was losing my mind when his fingers ran down my spine. This was so addicting that I didn’t want this feeling to ever end. The bliss he gave me felt unreal, and I was certain no man could give me this feeling.

An idea flooded my mind. I knew how I could keep this forever. I just needed to ask. “Brute?”

His gaze set my body on fire as he stopped kissing me to look at me. “Emera,” he groaned.

“Do you want this?” I kissed him softly. “Like forever?”

His mouth smashed onto mine with passion before breaking away, causing me to moan. “I want…this…as long as…you’ll have me…little archer.”

He just accepted me. Braxy wanted me forevers! “Okay, Braxy. Wish granted.” I kissed his cheek, down his neck, and across his right shoulder until I found a worthy spot. My canines elongated with magic dripping out of them as I bit into his green flesh. A gold liquid spilled into my mouth as my magic plunged into his flesh. His arms wrapped around me tightly as he groaned from the pain. I released his shoulder and licked the wound with my magic to seal it. My body felt hot like I might melt from the magic running through me.

Braxy held me as he groaned still from the pain. For a war general, he didn’t seem to handle the pain well. Tears rolled down his face, which confused me further. I helped the speechless man to the sofa and fished some ice from the freezer. When I returned with the ice, he had finished the grape juicy bottle with a confused look on his face. I ignored it and gave him his ice.

Grabbing a cold elfish beer, I climbed into my comfort place on Braxy’s lap and sipped the beer. He might have said words, but all I could do was laugh. I gave him a few gentle kisses, making him groan again. I think the door might have opened as I was sipping the last half of the beer, causing me to laugh. Those meanies were finally home. I had such great news to share with them!

Ro called out to me, and I just giggled with excitement. “Surprise! Roro,” I smiled. “I marked Braxy foreves.”

“Shit,” Ro said in surprise.