by Chanda Hahn
“Your plan?” I moaned and swung my arm around, feeling the stiffness in the muscles.
“Yes, I’m here to protect you.”
I winced when I found a sore spot. “And who is going to protect me from your daring exploits?”
“Bah, you know I needed to come.”
“Wrong. You’re just here to stir up trouble.” I turned in a slow circle to gauge our surroundings.
Maeve’s eyes twinkled mischievously. “Maybe.”
It was then I realized just where Mother Eville had spelled me. We were on the battlement on the outer wall of the palace. I leaned over, looking down the cliff and saw that the thorns had made progress up the mountain. They’d scaled hundreds of feet, but they had stopped for the moment and were no longer trying to climb the wall. What happened? Did Tatiana give up, or had she already been defeated? No. She was probably weakened from using the traveling spell and had to withdraw until she regained her strength.
Over here. I saw a flash.
We’re under attack.
“Uh oh,” I moaned.
“What?” Maeve frowned.
“We’re about to be arrested,” I answered.
“Not me, you.” Maeve gave me a wink and then shifted back into the larger of her chosen bird forms, the raven. She flew off into the air, leaving me alone.
“So much for protecting me,” I shouted after her and heard a loud kraa in response. “Dumb bird,” I muttered.
Soldiers in golden helms and red cloaks trimmed in fur came from the guard towers, swords and shields drawn. I held my hands up in surrender and turned as the lead guard slowed, his sword lowering.
“Aura?” a familiar voice called.
The guard removed his helm, and I stared into Liam’s disbelieving green eyes.
“Liam? You’re okay?” I gasped excitedly.
The sword quickly raised and pressed near my neck. His green eyes hardened. “Take her to the king.”
“What?” I stepped back, surprised at the sudden change in Liam’s temperament. I didn’t struggle as firm hands grasped my upper arms and pulled me along. I tried to keep pace and spoke loudly to Liam’s back. “I’m sorry for what I did. I thought I could take on the blight by myself. Is everyone okay? What about Devin and Hayes?”
Liam ignored me, and I could only hope that they were safe.
The procession of hope didn’t last long as we passed through the palace gates and they closed behind us. Three epic towers pierced the sky, and the royal flag battered the air, whipping into a frenzy. I stared up at the closest tower and saw a shadow of a figure back away from the window.
The courtyard was round with a fountain in the middle. Like a wheel, each spike headed toward a different area: the largest spike headed toward the palace gates, another went to the gardens, one toward the stables and another toward the barracks, and one toward the outer wall. The courtyard was packed with makeshift tents and shelters as hundreds of figures huddled together and slept by the fire.
I gestured toward the group. For now, most were asleep, but those that weren’t, were awake and scared. “Are they refugees?”
Liam’s eyes glowed with displeasure. “They have nowhere else to go. They’ve come here to escape the blight, but we have little time. The thorns have stopped their attack, but they will resume their climb at first light. Each day they make it further up the wall.” He turned, his cloak billowing out behind him as he raced up the steps and into the palace.
The guards pulled me after Liam. I felt insignificant as I looked up through the glass ceilings in the main hall, to the spiral towers throughout the palace. There was so much glass it gave the impression of walking through a greenhouse.
Liam turned and gave me a once over, inspecting my clothing as if I were one of his soldiers. He must have seen something that displeased him because he rushed over to me and flung my hood up, hiding my hair as he whispered a warning to me. “I wish you had never come back.”
“I came here to help.”
He looked away, and I clasped my hands under my cloak.
We passed through colorful glass doors and into the throne room, where I was unprepared for the introductions we were about to make.
A man with dark inset eyes and a brown beard spotted with gray sat with a stony glare upon his throne, the smaller feminine seat next to him was empty. The king of Rya sat, his legs crossed, his fingers steepled together, and he didn’t move an inch when Commander Liam came and kneeled on the floor, bowing. I wasn’t sure what to do, so I kneeled as well, keeping my eyes on the floor, my hood sinking even farther over my face. A curtsey may have been enough if I was a lady of the court, but knowing that I wasn’t of noble blood, it was my safest option.
“You wake me in the middle of the night. Have you come to bring more disappointing news?” King Pharell drawled out lazily. He sighed and leaned deeper into the cushion of his throne. “I’m not even sure why I still tolerate you as commander of my guard.”
“I’ve done nothing but serve your kingdom. I’ve fought for years to protect your borders, and will continue to do so with my life,” Liam answered nobly.
“But not when the threat comes from within my kingdom. What have you done against this blight, except lose men to it? I suffer under the burden of both your annoying presence and your failures.”
My body trembled in anger, and I could hold my tongue no longer.
I stood, and yelled, “That’s not true.”
King Pharell’s legs uncrossed, and he leaned forward on his gold throne expectantly. “And who, pray tell, are you?”
Liam gave a slight shake of his head, but I ignored him. If I could save him, I would. “I am Aurora Eville, daughter of Lady Eville.”
The king was not impressed. He sneered at the mention of my mother’s name. “Lorelai, the very one who brought down this curse upon my kingdom out of jealousy?”
“Jealousy?” I stammered and felt my heart thud against my rib cage. “She did no such thing. She saved this kingdom from the person who tried to destroy you,” I yelled.
“More like ruined,” King Pharell said. The king stood and stepped down off the throne, stopping on the golden wheel etched in the marble floor in the center of the room.
“Lady Eville is the one who kept the blight away from your doorstep. The fact that it wreaks revenge is no one’s fault but your own. If you want to stop the blight, then you need not look further than yourself and your own sins.”
“How dare you speak to me so bluntly. I should have you punished.”
Frustrated I pulled back my hood, revealing my white-blonde hair.
The king’s nostrils flared, and I saw the hint of wild fear in his eyes before he looked down at the once again kneeling commander. “The resemblance is uncanny. Do you think she could be . . .?” the king trailed off as he became lost in thought.
I could tell from his expression that Liam was angry, frustrated with my outburst, and even more so at the king’s reaction to me. But I didn’t understand why my hair would be an issue. I focused on the king and felt nothing, heard nothing, and realized that Liam was shielding me, hiding his and the king’s thoughts from my magic.
“Interesting. This changes things greatly. Have her prepared for tonight,” he said to Liam. “If the curse wants an heir, I will give it an heir.” His voice was quiet, barely a whisper, as he spoke his last thought. The king ran his fingers across his mouth in thought and then looked over to an alcove.
I followed the king’s glance and only saw a shadow move and a curtain fall back in place.
“Liam, take her to the southern tower. Keep her comfortable. After all, she is a royalty.” He beckoned and Liam drew close, kneeling on bended knee. The king whispering into his ear instructions while those keen eyes never left me.
“Yes, your majesty,” Liam said, his voice low.
King Pharell clapped his hands, and two female servants slipped out of another alcove. They were clad in gray dresses with white aprons, their hair simi
larly styled in buns under a white mop cap. The taller one beckoned gently.
I was hesitant at first and turned to Liam for instruction. Liam was stoically silent. I couldn’t help but wonder if I had wandered willingly into a trap. Led here by the noble intentions of Liam.
Liam grasped my upper arm and pulled me after him, my feet barely making purchase along the ground. I was running on tiptoes to keep up when we passed Devin in the hall.
“Devin,” I cried and dug my heels into the ground. “You’re okay.”
“Aura?” Devin replied. He raised his arms for a hug, but got a surprise when Liam pulled me away.
“What in the world, Liam?” He moved to confront his friend. “Release her.”
Liam’s eyes darkened. His hand never left my arm. “You would do well to not question my authority, or do you forget I’m the Commander of the Guard?”
“And you would do well to remember, brother,” Devin challenged, “that I’m no longer one of your men. I don’t answer to you.”
The two of them squared off, neither backing down.
I don’t want to fight him, but I will. Devin’s thoughts made my decision for me.
“Devin, it’s fine.” I gently pulled my arm and felt Liam release me. “I’m safe.”
“I’m not so sure,” Devin answered, but stepped back and let us pass. “Something odd is going on here.”
I moved to follow the two servants up a flight of stairs to the southern tower.
After a few moments, Liam whispered. “You had no right to interfere.”
“I did it because he didn’t want to fight you.”
“No, I mean interfere with me,” Liam said.
He reached forward and pulled me against the wall. I was a few steps above him and now we were at the same height.
“You tricked me.” His voice filled with anguish, and I knew then I had deeply hurt him. “Put a spell on me and abandoned us amid our greatest need.” He laid his palm against the stone wall above my head, looking deep into my eyes for an answer.
“I did it to protect you. I was going to stop the blight by myself,” I said.
The muscle in his jaw tensed and he wouldn’t meet my gaze. He beckoned me forward. “You failed at both,” he said.
The stairs leveled out, and as we came to the top floor and stopped in front of our destination, the shorter servant pushed a door with a heavy iron handle, and it swung inward with a creak. She waited for me to be escorted in, and I crossed the threshold and stood on the plush carpet near the bed.
“But you made it here safely,” I said.
“None of the men could wake me from your spell. By the time it wore off, it was midday. I left them behind, raced after you, and found the golden thread. Fighting off the thorns, following your trail until I found this.” Liam pulled the spindle from under his cloak and tossed it onto the bed. “I thought you were dead.” His head dropped, and he took a deep breath. “I wanted to give up. Right then and there. If it weren’t for the stupid basajaun. He dragged me back to the men and then retreated into the woods.” He wiped at the corner of his eyes. “What were you thinking?”
“I was only thinking about you.”
“There you go, all self-sacrificing again.”
“I’m fine, really.”
He grabbed my shoulders and whispered. “But she could have killed you.”
“She?” I glanced up at Liam in realization. I felt betrayed, fooled, duped. I was a complete moron. “Liam, I never said the gender of the person imprisoned within the cell. That it was a woman responsible for the blight.”
He looked away, and I knew.
“You know about Tatiana.”
Liam nodded. “I told the king about what we found in the fog’s vortex, what was in the lesser fae court. He told me the tale of the crazed queen, intent on destroying his kingdom. He knew it must be her, here for revenge.”
“There’s more to the story, Liam. More than you know.”
“What does she want?” Liam asked. “Other than to destroy the king.”
“She wants to kill his heir.”
Liam blinked in confusion. “There is no heir.”
“No, there is. Just like the spell I weaved on you to forget about me, Lady Eville weaved one over everyone to make them forget there was one. Obviously, hers was a lot stronger than mine because it lasted years.”
“That poor child . . . forgotten, alone, unwanted. Why would anyone do that?” Liam asked.
“Why does my mother do anything? She had her reasons, and I have to trust her judgement that it was for the best.”
Liam shook his head, and I knew now wasn’t the time. I quickly changed the subject. “What’s the king going to do?”
It took Liam a few seconds to respond, still upset by the news of an heir.
“He’s going to open the doors and invite her in.”
“What?” I gasped. “She’s too powerful. She could once again destroy the court, and my mother isn’t here to stop her.”
“Then you better pray, because you’re the only one who can.” He pointed to my hair. “And now the king knows you’re fae. He’s going to use it against her.”
We stood quietly, inches apart in the tower, letting the silence fill the air. I turned to look out at the window.
“Those in the palace will wake up soon. I will do my best to return quickly so I can shield you. But until then, stay here . . . please,” Liam begged.
He pulled the door closed, and I heard the key turn in the lock.
I stared at the locked door, and a feeling of perpetual numbness overcame me.
The lock on the door meant nothing to me. There were no wards preventing me from using magic on it. I could easily unlock it with magic or blow it up, but then that would create more chaos and fear against me and my family. Even bring guards down upon me, and I would hate to injure or hurt them.
The trickling thoughts of the people on the grounds crept into my thoughts. Their fear. Their terror. Their worry. The strongest emotions washed over me.
I don’t want to die.
It’s going to get us. Isn’t it?
I paced the room, pressing my palms to my ears.
I can’t get the baby to stop crying.
My home. Destroyed by the fog.
We’re going to starve if we can’t bring our crops in.
I sprawled on the bed and used the pillow to cover and smother my head, trying to focus on the sound of the blood rushing in my ears instead. But it did little to drown out the sounds.
My stomach hurts.
This is because of the cursed fae.
“Stop,” I whispered, but they couldn’t hear me. “Go away.” I sat up and flung the pillow across the room and it hit the stone wall.
I ran to the window with every intent to close the shutters in another attempt to silence the sounds. I leaned out the window, seeking a cool breeze across my skin as a distraction. My eyes glued to the battlement wall and the forest of thorns beyond, knowing that creeping toward us every second was a woman mad with grief, and she was stronger than me.
I looked down hundreds of feet below and could feel the ground moving beneath my feet. My mother’s warning. A daughter will fall. My vision swam, and I felt myself get dizzy as my body pitched forward.
“What are you doing?” Hands grasped my waist and hauled me back over the sill, and I landed on the floor. “Are you crazy?” Devin cried out as he finally released me. He got to his feet and offered his hands to help me up.
I slapped his hands away and pushed myself up off the floor. “I wasn’t going to jump. But after being locked inside all morning, I may contemplate it.”
I eyed the tray of food he brought that now lay discarded in a messy pile on the floor, dropped as he tried valiantly to save me. My mouth watered at the delicious scents that wafted up to my nose. I smelled eggs and beef. If I was a prisoner, at least they were feeding me well.
“Are you a servant now?”
Devin blushed as
he picked the tray and the cracked plate off the floor. He did his best to clean up the mess. “No, I may have bribed a servant to let me bring this up.”
Devin stood with the tray in his hands. He shifted his weight from foot to foot. “It was wrong of you to leave us and take on the blight alone. Liam didn’t take it well. He really cares about you.”
“I know.”
“No, I don’t think you do. Liam is always rational, steady as a rock and the perfect commander, able to think things through. When you’re around, he’s a different person. He struggles, he’s distracted, loses his temper if there’s even a hint of threat to you.”
Heat warmed my cheeks.
“All signs he’s in love. And I’ve never seen him so protective of someone, and I’ve known him forever.”
“Ever since Duke Tallywood adopted him and he became your brother.”
“Who told you? It’s a sore spot with Liam, being adopted. He doesn’t talk about it.”
“Oh, you must have.”
Devin shook his head. “It’s best if you stay put—for now.”
“Fine.” I agreed and sat on the bed, politely clasping my hands in my lap, giving him a pleasant but forced smile.
It must have been too forced because he gave me an odd look.
“You have no plans to stay here and obey, do you?”
“No.” My smile grew wider, but my hands shook, and I squeezed them together tighter.
“Do I want to know how you’re going to leave?”
“It’s best if you don’t, then you can claim ignorance.”
“Okay, but there’s two guards outside the door, and one at the bottom of the stairs,” Devin muttered under his breath. “They’re my friends, so try not to kill them.”
My smile waned. I didn’t even think of having to incapacitate guards.
The door shut, and I heard the lock click.
A dark shape landed on my sill, and Maeve cocked her head at me.
“Took you long enough,” I chastised. “I need you to watch the thorns for when Tatiana leaves their protection and heads to the palace.”
Why? she thought to me.
“Because the king’s going to kill her, and she’s going to kill the king.”
Maeve’s eyes glittered with mischief.