lips barely moving. “Master Commander of the Aeternae army.”
“And the Unending,” Phantom added, giving me a sideways glance.
Thyme and Eldfenn were talking, and they seemed like good friends. There was a certain closeness between them. A kind of brotherly affection. Thyme’s tunic was simple but elegant, his chest covered with gold buttons and medals of distinction. A simple band of gold served as his crown, settled atop his curly blond hair. His inquisitive blue eyes wandered around the room with glimmering curiosity, while Eldfenn’s gaze was dark and brooding, his hair long and black. The similarities between him and Valaine were undeniable—not to mention the Unending.
All her reincarnations bore at least parts of her likeness.
“What do your parents think of Aelyn?” Eldfenn asked his friend.
Thyme wore a confident smile. “They like her. Well, my father approves. My mother still needs some convincing, but neither protested when I announced the engagement.”
“That is hardly an encouragement,” Eldfenn replied.
The image shifted around us. We were now sitting between the Lord Supreme and the Master Commander. I watched their exchange as if it were a tennis match, my head turning with every line. Valaine and the Reapers didn’t move an inch.
“Aelyn is a beautiful and intelligent Aeternae. Her dynasty is noble and just. After all, the Dratch dynasty has been by my parents’ side since the empire’s inception,” Thyme said.
“Your parents must have trouble letting go of their precious baby boy.” Eldfenn chuckled. “Although, to be fair, Aelyn hasn’t been properly vetted. The Dratch dynasty may be an ally, but at least two of their younglings have been arrested on suspicion of consorting with Darklings. They pose a risk.”
Thyme rolled his eyes. The subject clearly bothered him. “Not Aelyn. She’s good and pure. She would never—”
“Why won’t you let me check her out then?” Eldfenn replied. “I’ll be discreet. You know me. She won’t even know I’m looking into her. Let us get this risk off the table, Thyme, so we don’t have issues going forward.”
“You don’t like her either,” the Lord Supreme concluded. His lips were pressed into a thin line. Anger circled him like a starving vulture, waiting for him to give in.
“I cannot trust someone I haven’t vetted myself. Especially someone who claims to love you. You are my closest and dearest friend, and I will not apologize for my desire to defend you and keep you safe. It’s a central part of my oath as well, if you remember.”
A side door opened, and in came a diaphanous creature. A young Aeternae woman with long ruby-red hair and emerald eyes. Alchemist fires burned in them, as if the mysteries of the universe had gathered inside her, twinkling with every glance. She wore a long silk dress—layers of white and deep green tailored to her delicate figure. Her gold-threaded shoes clicked across the mirrored floor, the fabric bouncing around her as she moved.
“Thyme, my darling!”
“Aelyn!” he exclaimed. “You’re early. I wasn’t expecting you back from Astoria so soon.”
“I jumped out of my carriage and onto Lieutenant Farris’s Vision,” Aelyn replied. “It was taking forever with the convoy, and I was dying to see you again!”
Thyme leaped down from his throne and took Aelyn in his arms. They kissed and whispered sweet words to each other, while Eldfenn averted his eyes. For a moment, I thought he’d seen me—or at least that’s what it felt like. We weren’t really there. Our eyes seemed to meet, before he turned his head and offered Aelyn a polite bow.
“Milady, welcome back,” he said.
“It is good to be back,” Aelyn replied.
The memory faded, the colors melting and mixing as we were transported somewhere else, to another time. We followed Eldfenn into what looked like Thyme’s private office. The walls were covered in shelves from top to bottom, thousands of books and scrolls having found their home here. Thyme sat behind his desk reading a message written in black ink on brown paper.
Eldfenn stood across from him, hands behind his back as he waited.
“You went ahead and investigated Aelyn, even though I asked you to leave her alone,” the Lord Supreme said, his voice low and cold.
“I had to, Your Grace,” Eldfenn replied. “It is my duty to—”
“Enough!” Thyme shouted and sprang from his chair. “You did this behind my back! Unsanctioned! I thought you were my friend!”
“I am your friend,” Eldfenn said, calm but somewhat tense. I could tell from the muscle throbbing in his square jaw. “And I was sanctioned by your mother, Lady Mira Nasani.”
Thyme