Kael read through it. “You… you were terminated?”
“Vancel apparently used the opportunity to bad-mouth me,” I replied. “And now the officials are worried about my existence. There’s talk about executions and—”
A growl rumbled from Gaius’s chest. His grip tightened on me. “No one’s doing anything of that sort to you. If anybody cuts you, even with just a paper cut, I’ll tear their heads off.”
I smiled, loving how much he cared. “That’s a bit drastic.”
“Just saying it as I know it.”
“It’s not just that. Tindyll’s worried about assassins and the like, although I’m not sure if anybody would go through such efforts just to get rid of me.”
“One more thing to worry about,” Micah said with a sigh.
“It’ll be all right,” Gaius said. “We’ll protect you.”
“I’ve been given the order to leave the palace,” I said.
“You will do no such thing,” Kael replied. “Who am I going to tease once you’re gone?”
“Rylan? The council? Isn’t it your life’s mission to find people to trick?”
“Maybe. But it’s not going to be as fun.”
Gaius kissed me on the forehead. “We’ll make things better. They can’t kick you out of the council like that.”
“I was given a termination notice from Tindyll.”
“Rylan, as crown prince, has executive authority over her. He can order you reinstated.”
“I’m not sure if I’ll like it if I have to fight my way back in so forcefully. The other members wouldn’t be so willing to accept me.”
“Isn’t that what you’ve been doing all this time?” Micah asked. “Fighting your way up?”
I looked at Micah, who was giving me an encouraging smile. “Yeah.” He was right. I’d proven my townsfolk wrong before. Now I just had to prove to those on the council that I could still be important to them, despite the curse. “I’m not sure if it means much if it’s Rylan helping me get back in. Maybe if I find a way back in myself…”
“How?” Gaius asked.
“I’ll think of something.” A strong will always provided opportunities. I had to get creative.
Gaius landed in front of the quarters, and I slipped from his grasp. “Rylan should be finishing up soon. We’ll meet him once he’s done.”
“And then?” I asked.
“We thought we’d make good on the promise to show you around the city, before visiting that bar we were talking about.”
“Sounds like a plan.” If I hadn’t just been terminated, I would’ve objected to it. My striving to get to the top had made me swamp myself with work, so I never really got the time to live. Now that the workload was gone, it felt like a weight had lifted off my shoulders…
But another terrible kind had replaced it.
“I’ll go look for him,” I told the brothers.
Micah nodded. “We’ll be waiting here.”
I spun around, lifted the skirt of my robes, and climbed up the stairs to Rylan’s room. It took me some time to get there, because of the sheer size of the palace. When I did, I found his room empty, so I tried his study, which I had to wind down a few corridors to reach.
I heard his voice, muffled by the distance. I scampered up, wanting to greet him, when I heard King Gisiroth’s voice too.
“You like this girl,” the king said.
I stopped, hoping they didn’t hear me, and pressed myself against the side of the wall, next to Rylan’s open door.
“Yes,” Rylan said. “I’ve grown to care about her.”
“And what of your duties?” Gisiroth asked.
“She helps me with them. She’s intelligent and quick-witted. Sometimes she suggests things I never would have thought of.”
“Not those. Those small tasks are not ones you should spend much time bothering with. I’m talking about your responsibility as our future king. For the sake of our nation.”
“Sera’s been nothing but useful. I don’t see why my interest in her—”
“Rylan, my son, wake up. She’s cursed.”
“You were the one who asked me to keep watch on her in the first place.”
“Yes, to monitor how her curse might affect us. I didn’t ask you to fall in love with her.”
I should have left then. This wasn’t my conversation to hear. But I wanted to know more. I stilled my breathing.
“I…” Rylan said. “I apologize, Father.” Wait… did that mean he was admitting his feelings for me?
“So what of your findings? Or were you too busy courting her to investigate her abilities?”
Rylan didn’t respond.
“Now that the secret’s out, we can’t do our investigations in private. Many of my subjects are suggesting she be locked up and experimented on, and I’m inclined to agree—”
“No!”
“No?”
“Sera’s… She isn’t some animal to experiment with.”
My heart caught in my throat.
“She can’t stay here any longer,” Gisiroth said. “The Gavrils are using her reputation to tarnish ours. You might have told the council that your time with Sera isn’t personal, but many have seen your public displays of affection and are thinking otherwise. We can’t have the royal family be associated with a curse.”
“I understand, Father.”
“And what will do you about it?”
“I’ll… I’ll think about it.”
“You’re not convincing me you’re taking this seriously.”
“I am. I’m just… This is a difficult position you’ve put me in.”
“You’re to be our future king. This isn’t going to be your first difficult decision, and you’ll have to come to one soon. I want an answer by tomorrow.”
Rylan kept silent. The screeching of a chair pierced the air.
I heard Gisiroth’s footsteps. My chest thumped, and I readied to scamper away, but he was out the door before I could.
“Let us talk, Sera,” Gisiroth said, not looking in my direction. So he’d known I was here all along.
I took a deep breath and followed him, keeping a distance behind him as we walked. Gisiroth had his upper body bare, like his sons, and had the same tattoos, but unlike them, scars littered his back. Hidraes weren’t supposed to scar easily because they healed so quickly. What had happened during Aiden Gavril’s rebellion?
“You have my sons wrapped around your finger,” Gisiroth said. “How did you manage it?”
“I’m not certain, Your Majesty.”
“You should realize you’re not healthy for them.”
“I’m sorry you believe as such.”
We paced past a few more doors. The ringing silence was making anxiety pour through me.
“Perhaps it would be easier to have you dead,” Gisiroth said.
“Perhaps,” I replied. “Then you’d never find out what’s behind my curse.”
Gisiroth halted. He spun around, regarding me with his hawkish eyes, and smirked. “Is that a threat?”
It was the first smile I’d seen from the king. It bore no warmth. “No, Your Majesty. I’m just saying it as it is.”
Gisiroth continued walking. “I want to lock you up and do everything I can to get to the bottom of this, but that would upset my sons, and as a father, I do care. I’ve also heard about your service. I try to be just, and I don’t think such treatment is something you deserve. But you can’t be lingering amongst the Everborne family anymore.”
“Then what will you do with me?”
“I will find you a place. A comfortable one. Isolated. Far from here and my sons. I’ll send those with more courage to run their tests on you every so often, so we can figure out what’s happening. The matter will simmer down and resolve itself.”
“With me out of the way.”
“Yes. With you out of the way.”
This was so terrible that it almost felt surreal. It was like I wasn’t living my own life anymore.
Sera Cadriel had just turned into an object. An experiment. Worthless.
Exactly what I’d always been afraid of.
A bitter taste lingered in my mouth.
We had meandered our way down the stairs and to the entrance. In the distance, Gaius, Micah, and Kael sat on a bench, waiting for Rylan and I. They were underneath a grand pavilion. They spotted the king and I and wore confused expressions.
“That’s likely the most logical course of action,” I said.
Gisiroth nodded. “I’m glad you agree.”
“But I don’t want to leave.”
“Oh? Are you defying orders from your king?’
“You might think I’m terrible for your sons, but I don’t believe the same thing. I can make them happy. They like spending time with me. And it’s not just that. I work harder than anyone on the council, and I’m confident in my abilities to aid the problem you have with the droughts. To toss me aside would be losing a useful asset, Your Majesty.”
I hated referring to myself as such, an “asset,” but that was all the king saw me as. I just needed to prove I wasn’t simply an experiment, and could be much more.
He halted. “And what proof do you have of this?”
“I’m working on something involving the crops. It’s still in development,” I said. I left out the fact that we’d only experimented with this idea a few times, when the princes and I visited the nursery. So far, little progress had been made, and the seeds hadn’t reacted to our spells.
The king narrowed his eyes. “One week.”
“Until?”
“If you can prove to me your abilities in a week, then I’ll let you stay. I’ll even ask Tindyll to reinstate you on the council.”
Hope fluttered through me. “I will not let you down, Your Majesty.”
A corner of his lips quirked up. “You’re amusing, Sera. I think that is why my sons have chosen you as their next plaything.”
“I believe that I’m more than that.”
“Do not overstep. My sons are fickle. And perhaps my failures as a father have made them too spoiled. They do not keep their attention well, and you’ll be cast aside at the first hint of boredom or trouble.”
I didn’t believe what he said. “They’re better than that.”
Kael sauntered over. “Father.”
Gisiroth regarded his son. “When will you start on your royal duties?”
“Are you still expecting me to do those? I thought you’d given up a century ago.”
“I have. I was asking out of habit.” Gisiroth looked at me. “He’ll tire of you. If you stay, you will keep him entertained for only an extra month—at most.”
“I won’t,” Kael said. “Sera’s too fun to be around.”
“Only for now. You’re not one to settle. I know my sons well.”
A niggle of doubt crept into my chest. I didn’t sound a retort.
Rylan walked through the front door, entering the courtyard.
“I’m looking forward to your new findings,” Gisiroth said. “But even if you do succeed, you cannot stay with the Everbornes.”
“Who made those rules?” Kael said.
“I did. Start learning to show some respect.”
“Sera’s not going anywhere.”
“She will. Good luck, child,” the king said to me.
Gisiroth called to his white wings, which were similar to Kael’s, and took off. The king looked just as majestic as his sons did in flight.
“Forget about everything he said.” Kael draped an arm around my shoulders once Gisiroth was out of sight. “Father’s always too serious about things.”
“I don’t think I can,” I said.
Rylan strolled up to us. “So, tour of the city?” He tried to hide his worry behind his straightened posture, but I could see it, clear as day.
“I’d been waiting so long that I thought my hair was going to turn gray,” Kael said.
I pointed at his head. “But your hair’s already white.”
“Figure of speech.” He took my hand in his. “Well, let’s go. We’re going to spoil Sera the best we can.”
Seventeen
A bunch of hares had to die just so you can visit the city with us,” Gaius said. “Don’t you feel special now, Sera?”
“Nothing more romantic than killing rabbits,” I replied, eying the soul beads the princes had in their palms.
I wasn’t sure if they contained the souls of hares, like Gaius said. Someone else also adept with the art usually supplied the souls for them, and it probably required plenty of concentration to determine what exactly the magic had come from. Rylan had mentioned that, before the lift of the ban on soul magic, they’d found their sources on the black market.
“We can’t go prancing about as princes,” Gaius explained.
“Or a bunch of girls would lose their knickers,” Kael said.
Micah snorted. “They do that whether you’re in disguise or not.”
Jealousy took hold of me. I didn’t like thinking of Kael with other girls.
“Illusio volantaris,” Gaius said, weaving his hands through the air and harnessing the bluish magic. He drew it over himself, and then Gaius wasn’t Gaius anymore. He still had the same bright eyes and dark hair, but his features had morphed. Still handsome, but completely different. His jaw was less edged, and the space between his brows widened. Instead of being electric blue, his eyes had turned a honeyed gold, which contrasted well with his tan skin.
The other princes did the same with their own beads, and morphed themselves into different versions of themselves. Their tattoos disappeared, leaving behind clean torsos.
“Most others wouldn’t be able to do this with so few souls,” Gaius said. “But we happen to be really attuned to the art for some reason.”
I still found it strange that they could use soul magic so easily because they were dragon-kind, but it was simply another mystery for us to solve.
Micah hadn’t carried me recently, so it was his turn. He picked me up, and we flew toward the city center. “She’s mine for now,” Micah said, nuzzling closer.
“Enjoy it while it lasts,” Kael replied.
The palace was inside the city. It’d take an hour to walk from the princes’ quarters to the city center, but much quicker by flying. I hadn’t been out of the palace in years. My gaze traveled to the bustling sights beneath, and as Micah lowered us, the sensations of spices, trade, and bustling crowds hit me. I’d forgotten just how hot the city could be, with so many bodies so close together. I’d gotten used to the warmth of Raynea, and I didn’t sweat much when in the palace. Now, however, I could feel my skin turning clammy underneath my clothes.
The architecture around here wasn’t as grand and expensive as the palace’s, but it still had a certain magnificence about it. Most of the buildings were made with red bricks, squeezed together so tightly that it felt like the walls themselves were struggling to breathe. Most buildings ran about five stories high, and there was dust everywhere, coming from the bustle of people moving around so much.
“So, what first?” I asked, slipping from Micah’s hold.
“You change out of these robes,” Kael said. “We can’t have you walking around in council attire.”
People were staring. What was new?
“Shopping?” I said, feeling a tingle of curiosity. I hadn’t done that before. Not for leisure, anyway. It had always been a chore, to procure basic necessities.
Gaius smiled. “Sounds like a plan.”
We went through a couple of stores, and I had to be extra careful to not bump into anybody. I should have brought a scarf to cover my face, even though that would have been uncomfortably warm. After browsing for about twenty minutes, I found a dress I really liked and took it into a changing room. It revealed my shoulders, and had a gaping slit down my back that traveled close to my buttocks. I was completely unused to it, but it reminded me of the dresses some of the wealthier ladies wore in the palace, and I wanted to try emulating
them. I wouldn’t wear this out to the street, of course. I just wanted to have some fun.
I stepped out and did a little twirl. “What do you think?” I asked the princes. Spending time with them in their disguises was somewhat strange.
Kael said, “Perfect. She’s wearing that—”
“Absolutely not,” Micah said.
Gaius looked at me with a contemplative expression. “I can’t decide whether I’m aroused or angry that she’s wearing this in public.”
But Rylan just kept quiet. He was gazing off into the distance, not looking in my direction.
“Rylan?” I asked. “Your thoughts?”
“Hm?” Rylan looked at me briefly. “Oh, yeah. Beautiful.” And then he was gone, his mind returning to a faraway place. Gisiroth’s words came back to me. I felt like I was losing Rylan, and I hated that. The princes were all I had now. Once I got home, I needed to quickly work on that spell for the high summer plants.
Micah stepped up to me. “You’re changing.” He pushed me back into the fitting room.
Kael strode up to us. “But I like her like that!”
“Still deciding,” Gaius said, ogling me.
I nudged Micah away. “I’m not wearing this.” I drew the privacy curtain between us and slipped the dress off. I wasn’t comfortable in it. I didn’t doubt it accentuated my figure—which, thankfully, wasn’t that pudgy, despite how much I was eating—but I wanted to walk around without feeling like I was going to show off my bum at any moment. Plus, there was that thing about bumping into someone and causing a huge scene. I put on another outfit I’d picked, a long-sleeved dress with a collar that reached all the way up my neck, and walked back out.
“Much better,” Micah said.
Kael scowled. “Preferred the other one.”
Gaius rested in his fist on his mouth, as if he were trying to solve a challenging math equation. “Should we just buy it anyway so she can wear it in our quarters?”
“I’m not walking around in that back home,” I said. “It’s not comfortable enough, and probably too outlandish for something like a nightgown.”
Kael grumbled something I couldn’t hear.
They paid for the dress I was wearing, and Gaius added the revealing one at the last minute. I almost jolted from the shock of how expensive they were. Six silvers! I used to take an entire year to earn that much back in Aere Grove, and even now, it was three weeks of work. What kind of stores were the princes taking me to? I hesitated adding the silk shawl I was going to use to cover my face, but bought it in the end. Better to be cautious than frugal.
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