“I’m not killing my child,” Chalcedony snapped.
“You don't have to make a decision yet. You have time.”
“Are you okay?”
Chalcedony followed Coal’s voice out of the nightmare.
She didn’t remember moving, but she was already sitting up in bed.
“Chaley, do you need me to get Luister?” Coal looked down at her from the side of the bed.
“I’m fine. It was just a nightmare.”
She felt like she’d just gone asleep, but the early morning sunlight was already spilling through the window.
Her explanation did nothing to calm Coal’s fear. He was still standing above her with worry etched all over his face. She pulled him back down onto the bed and wrapped herself in his arms. She wanted to drown out the memories of the nightmare with something comforting. “Last night was incredible,” she whispered in this neck. “What other tricks did you learn?”
The corner of his lips lifted into a crooked smile. “Well…” he began while something began buzzing from the other side of the room.
“What was that?” Chalcedony sat up, eyes wide and alert.
Coal hopped off the bed, his feet made a loud thud as he landed on the floor. “I think it was Jade’s phone.”
Chalcedony watched as he pulled the phone from the dresser and began gazing at the screen. “What does she want?” Chalcedony asked after she couldn’t take the silence any longer.
“Jade wants to know if I'm coming with you to the accords.” The artificial light from the small screen illuminated his face. “She wants me to come since I’m their prince.”
Chalcedony rolled her eyes and fell back onto the bed. There were no princes. Queens do occasionally have male children. Tetrick was proof of that, but being a prince would indicate Coal had a chance of becoming king, and that would never happen.
But Queen Isis and Jade were making it a point to break all of the rules.
“I’ll stay home if you want me to,” Coal said, but Chalcedony could hear the disappointment in his voice.
“Of course, you can come.” Chalcedony had to swallow back her resentment. “Who am I to stop you from doing your princely duties?”
“You don’t have to be condescending,” he quipped.
“I have to get dressed.” She threw her legs over the side of the bed. “We’re going to be late.” There was an edge in her voice, but she couldn’t muster the energy to care.
“When he finds out you're lying, he'll leave you.” Deedee’s voice resounded in her mind as she walked to get her clothes. “You’re not the only one in his life anymore. He has family and power now.”
Chapter Fourteen
The Marriot hotel buzzed with energy. A family of four and an elderly couple sat in the dining area bent over their breakfast. A woman stood in front of the registration desk, talking to a male employee. A group of six businessmen and a woman, all wearing ill-fitted dark suits, entered the revolving doors, pulling their luggage behind them.
All had expressions of pure terror on their faces when Chalcedony, Coal, Djamel, and Avonnah appeared in the middle of the hotel lobby. She had called her shadow guards, Djamel and Avonnah, away from border patrol specifically for this meeting. She didn’t expect any trouble, but she still didn’t trust Queen Isis or Jade, and she wanted the backup.
“Queen Chalcedony!” a voice exclaimed from behind the registration desk. The humans sprinted out of the hotel, almost tripping over themselves to find the nearest exit. “You were supposed to use the back entrance.”
“What would be the fun in that?” Chalcedony asked. Watching everyone run in abject terror had lifted her spirits. The hotel employee wore a well-fitted pair of blue pinstripe pants, a vest, and a matching jacket with a golden name tag with ‘Harold’ written on it. With his attire and curved ears, he looked like the very definition of a human businessman. He had even had a plastic surgeon put a little fat in his cheeks and chin to make his features less angular, but he was still a little too thin and a little too tall. Too perfect to be human.
If she had been in her territory, she would have snatched him away to the weavers, but this was Queen Isis’s region of the human realm.
She had probably just blown his cover. Good.
The elf gave Chalcedony a thin smile. “You’re right. Silly me for thinking I could have the fey queens meet here and expect discretion.”
Chalcedony narrowed her eyes and grew three feet, towering over the elf. “You’ve lived with the humans far too long. You forget your place, rogue.”
He stumbled away. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry,” he apologized, cowering.
Chalcedony stalked towards him as he tried to back away. “I’ll be happy to put you in your place for you. I have a special room in the weavers just for rogues who need to behave.”
“Chalcedony.” Coal pulled her arm.
Still filled with anger, Chalcedony looked at Coal. He had to have heard the way the elf had talked to her. There was no way she could allow him to get away with that.
“Chalcedony, calm down. You’re shifting.”
“So . . .” she began before she remembered the warning Luister had given her: no more shifting. She was lucky she still had a few weeks left to phase.
‘You could still kill it,’ Deedee’s voice mocked as a wave of guilt flooded Chalcedony. How had she forgotten already?
“Where are the other queens?” Chalcedony asked the elf masquerading as a human while she shrunk back to her normal size.
Harold took deep breaths, apparently trying to calm himself.
“Come on now,” Djamel said. “She didn’t even touch you.”
Harold ignored Djamel and pulled at the ends of his suit jacket. “This way, Queen Chalcedony.”
Their steps were muffled by thick orange and brown carpet as they followed Howard along the empty hallway to a conference room near the very back of the hotel. Two long tables set facing each other. Queen Isis and Jade sat on one side while Queen Tasla sat on the other. As expected, Alisha stood behind Queen Tasla, but Tetrick stood on the opposite side of the room, flanking Queen Isis. His face was as stony and unreadable as ever. Alisha’s eyes were filled with cold fury as she stared at her brother. Chalcedony felt an unexpected pang of empathy for Alisha. Chalcedony didn’t know much about Alisha, but she knew the overbearing princess loved her brother. At least Tetrick had gotten what he wanted. He was out from under the thumb of his mother and sister.
Before she could look away, Tetrick caught her gaze. A silent understanding passed between the two of them. She nodded in his direction before she looked away.
Tetrick’s presence was just one more painful reminder of the truth she was keeping from Coal. She would tell him about the baby as soon as they left this meeting. This time, she wouldn’t let anything stop her, she promised herself as she sat at the table with Queen Tasla.
“Since Coal is officially representing my land, I have a place for him over here,” Queen Isis said before Coal could sit. She wore her raven hair in a short bob with finely trimmed bangs that stopped right before her eyebrows.
Coal hesitated, looking from Queen Isis to Chalcedony. Chalcedony knew Coal was checking to make sure it was okay with her.
Chalcedony grabbed his arm. “I’d appreciate it if you sat with me.”
“I’m going to stay here if that’s okay,” Coal said to Queen Isis
“If that’s what you want. I’m just happy you were able to make it,” Queen Isis said. There wasn’t a single indication that Queen Isis was upset, but Chalcedony knew the queen was fuming. Chalcedony’s petty heart leaped with the knowledge.
“Thank you, Coal.” Chalcedony smiled and squeezed Coal’s hand.
“Now that everyone is here,” Queen Isis began, “let’s get started. I’m hoping we can sweep the past behind us and plan for the future. The treaty that we mindlessly followed for longer than most of us can remember is no longer valid.”
“No thanks to you,” Chalced
ony said under her breath.
Queen Isis shot her a hard stare, and Chalcedony met it full on. She had failed to protect the barrier separating the realms, but that didn’t mean she had to be meek or humble.
“Times are changing,” Queen Isis continued as she broke eye contact. “I'm hoping we can agree on some common rules between the three of us until we can draft a new treaty. First, I’d like the fey who choose to live in the human realm to be left alone. They should be able to come and go as they please.”
Chalcedony had known this was coming. “The humans don't want fey in their land. Last week, ten rogue fey were killed in the U.S., fifty in West Africa, thirty in Europe, and twenty in South Asia. More than half of those were only suspected of being fey.”
“It's growing pains,” Queen Isis said. “Those deaths are much lower than the first week the wall fell. And next week will be even lower.”
“No fey deaths by the hands of a human should be acceptable to you. There are too few of us as it is,” Chalcedony snapped.
“The travelers know the dangers. They understand progress is pain.”
“Travelers? Is that what you are calling rogue fey now?” Chalcedony shook her head. “You won’t be satisfied until we’re all destroyed.”
A flash of frustration spread across Queen Isis’s features before it was quickly smoothed over. “We are working on a visa program with a handful of cities and countries. Soon, it will be illegal to kill fey.”
“Until then, we are fair game?” Queen Tasla asked.
“In the cases where the deaths have been mistakenly human and not fey, the murderers have been arrested.”
Queen Tasla pursed her thin, pink lips. “I don’t think we should stop hunting rogues until we can get those cities or countries you speak of to pass laws that will protect fey.”
Queen Isis paused. Chalcedony could tell that’s not what she had expected to hear from Tasla.
“I agree,” Chalcedony said. “Until then, I will hunt rogue fey in my territory as I find them.”
When Queen Isis spoke next, her voice tempered. “Fine. As soon as the laws are finalized, I’ll get everyone a list of the cities currently working on and passing protection laws.”
“Now,” Queen Isis continued, “some of those same cities are requesting passage to explore and settle in the fey lands.”
“No,” Chalcedony said. “It’s not even up for debate. That would make it impossible to control human tech.”
Queen Isis took a deep breath. “By refusing them, you are stifling economic progress for your people. I, for one, will welcome them with arms wide open. Soon, you will be presiding over a land with no people. Of course, any new tech or materials they bring will be limited to biodegradable materials, and we won’t allow anything that uses fossil fuels into our lands.”
Chalcedony leaned forward. “You’re being naive. Most fey still remember the bloodshed during the fey-human war, and they don’t want anything to do with humans. You’ll be the one presiding over a land with no people. Damn your progress. Some of us just want to live in peace.”
Even from across the table, Chalcedony could see the anger flaring in Queen Isis’s red eyes. “You’re the youngest of us, but you’re stuck in the past,” Queen Isis seethed.
Chalcedony sat back and shrugged. “Have you taken the trolls’ bloodlust for humans into account?”
“I am working on a cure to suppress their bloodlust.” A wry smile crept along Queen Isis face as if she had been waiting for this question. “In the meantime, I require all humans to have a fey escort, and they’ll be limited to the larger towns with low troll populations.”
“A cure for bloodlust? That’s not possible.” Queen Tasla interjected.
“It’s very possible,” Jade replied. Today, Jade wore the form Chalcedony associated with Coal’s mother— tawny-skinned with freckles and a short afro, except this time, she wore the pointed ears of the fey. “As an experiment, we have a few trolls living in the human realm. To date, we haven’t encountered any problems.”
“I’d have to see it to believe it.” Chalcedony felt deflated. The trolls’ weakness for human flesh had been a major flaw in Queen Isis’s plans. If there was a cure for it, then Chalcedony would have to look for another way to obstruct Isis’s plan until Chalcedony could find a way to recreate the wall.
“I’d be happy to arrange a demonstration with both you and Queen Tasla,” Queen Isis offered.
To Chalcedony’s disappointment, the rest of the meeting went smoothly. Coal stayed as quiet as a shadow guard while the queens discussed which human cities were the most dangerous to the fey and would have to be watched more closely. Chalcedony had to agree to release any humans encroaching on her lands after a week and a half and feed them at least once a day while they were in her custody. In return, Queen Isis agreed to make it known Chalcedony’s land was closed to humans.
“Okay, we got more done than I thought.” Queen Isis gave Chalcedony a sideways glance.
I’m happy to be the obstructionist to your destructive plan which has only gotten fey killed, Chalcedony thought in response to Queen Isis’s stare.
Chalcedony turned to Coal. “Are you ready to go?”
Before Coal could answer, Jade was at his side with her arms linked through his elbow. “We were hoping Coal could stay for lunch. And you too, of course, Chalcedony.”
There was not a chance in the underworld she was having lunch with Queen Isis and Jade. It was bad enough she had to sit through the accords. “No, I have work to do,” Chalcedony answered.
“I should probably go back, too.” Coal tried to untangle his arm from Jade’s.
His mother only tightened her grip. “I’ll take you back as soon as we’re finished eating. I promise.”
Coal looked from Jade to Chalcedony like he was trying to decide which one he was going to disappoint.
Chalcedony rolled her eyes. He needed to grow a backbone. He hadn’t even known this person a few months ago.
Chalcedony forced herself to smile. “I'll be working for the rest of the day. Go spend time with your mother.” The words were so bitter in her mouth she almost threw up. Fully aware of everyone in the room watching, she leaned over and whispered in his ear. “Stay, but we need to talk as soon as you get back.”
She stepped away from Coal, and on queue, Avonnah and Djamel placed their hands on her shoulders. She couldn’t help but notice the look of confusion on Coal’s face as she disappeared.
Chapter Fifteen
After Chalcedony left, Coal found himself standing with his Queen Isis and Jade in the hotel’s restaurant. What did Chalcedony want to talk about? he wondered. She was probably just teasing him to get Coal to return home sooner. She wasn’t happy about Coal being Queen Isis’s heir. Chalcedony was the youngest queen, but she didn’t like change. And a male prince, a potential male king, was a big change.
Chalcedony had to realize that the chances of him actually being a king were slim. Queens usually lived long lives, and he couldn’t imagine anything happening to Queen Isis anytime soon. She and Jade were always three steps ahead of everyone, especially their enemies.
It was midafternoon, and the hotel’s restaurant was filled with the soft murmurs of its patrons and the clang of utensils scraping against the glass plates. The wait staff, dressed in crisp white shirts and black pants, dashed back and forth from table to table, filling water glasses and coffee cups.
A row of multicolored plants and shrubs separated the restaurant from the hotel’s lobby. When Harold led Coal, Queen Isis, Queen Tasla, and Jade into the restaurant, everything went quiet. The wait staff stopped in their tracks, and everyone turned their gazes in the fey’s direction.
Half of the humans abandoned their food, throwing frightful glances towards the fey as they clamored out of the restaurant. Some, to Coal’s surprise, stayed in their seat and feigned eating while they stared, their curiosity winning out over their fear.
Tetrick and Alisha, through some
unspoken command, stood near the entrance of the restaurant, looking at everything and nothing at the same time. Coal hadn’t noticed it when he first arrived, but there were at least six other elven guards positioned through the lobby and restaurant. Where Tetrick and Alisha stuck out as fey, the others were glamoured as humans, and if Coal hadn’t grown more accustomed to glamour, he would have believed they were human also.
Human hotel guests wandered through the lobby. A few passed without noticing them, but most stared wide-eyed and shocked. One woman, pulling a rolling suitcase behind her, tripped over her feet while she gaped at Tetrick.
“Why are we here?” Queen Tasla grimaced at the woman who had fallen on the floor.
“I’m trying to get you out of your comfort zone,” Queen Isis replied. “The humans have to grow accustomed to seeing fey, and fey need to get used to seeing humans. Nothing will ever change otherwise.” She looked out over the restaurant. “Now, everyone, let’s go eat.”
They followed Queen Isis to a long, heated table of food. She handed Queen Tasla a plate from the edge of the stand. “This is called a buffet,” Queen Isis explained to Queen Tasla. “I know you don’t like change, so I figured I’d force it on you.”
Coal had lived in the human realm for over six months, long enough to know his way around human food. Buffets were not much different than fey banquets. At a banquet, you sat while someone served you. Here, the food was displayed, and you chose your meal.
“If having a meeting in the human realm isn’t proof enough that I can handle change, then I’m not sure if you know the meaning of the word ‘change’.” Tasla sighed and looked at the food. “What should I get?”
Chalcedony had told Coal that Queen Isis and Tasla had once been a couple. He hadn’t believed it at the time. Now, seeing the two of them together conversing instead of fighting, he found it easier to believe. Their manner was too easy, too familiar.
When Seeds Take Root Page 7