I can breathe. I can finally breathe, after spending so many minutes suffocated with anguish. The castle’s not destroyed—and tears of relief threaten to wet my eyes, but I push them back, unwilling to show any vulnerability.
“I see,” Mirella says.
Zorwal looks like he just sucked a sour lemon and turns to Mirella.
“Tell me, how much do you want to be the Crystal Court Queen?”
She blinks as if startled and catches a breath before replying, “I want power.”
“Power is vague, Mirella. Do you want to be the Crystal Court Queen?”
“Yes.” Her eyes are glassy, as if the person behind them had disappeared. All that’s left is coldness, hatred.
“Well, then. The Council will convene tomorrow, and if everything goes well, they’ll accept to support you as the court’s queen. That will be step one. Climbing is always step by step.”
She huffs. “Of course.”
“Now, there’s one major hurdle on your way to queendom. Do you know what that is?”
Her lower lip trembles. “The Council?”
Zorwal has a mocking laugh. “They’re nothing but puppets. Puppets, Mirella. But the Crystal Court has a king.”
She frowns. “Renel?”
My nails almost dig into the leather cushion as I wonder what horrific plan this disgusting fae has for Renel.
Zorwal shakes his head. “Marlak.”
Astra’s husband. I shouldn’t feel relieved, and yet I can’t help it. At least they might leave Renel alone. I’m horrible.
Mirella’s eyes widen, then she looks down. “Of course.”
He gives her a look as if he’s peering into her,this time deep beneathherskin. “Marlak wants the throne and has been calling himself king all these years. Do you still have any affection for him?”
With her head still down, she bites her lip and then sucks in a breath. “Affection is one thing.” She raises her empty, inhuman eyes and faces Zorwal. “My goal is another. Getting where I want is what’s most important.”
“Then you shall be queen.” He turns to me. “Do you know how to be a maid? Can you prepare a bath?”
My knotted chest loosens even more with the hope that I’ll survive. It turns out that not everything Otavio taught me was useless. “I had extensive training in housekeeping in case I was deployed as a lady-in-waiting, so yes.”
“What about kitchen duties?”
Kitchen. I tremble. All I remember were stolen kisses from the time I fancied myself in love with a boy who stared at my boobs more often than my eyes. A boy who might have been murdered by Otavio. The thought hurts, as well as the realization that the only meat I ever beat in a kitchen won’t qualify me as a cook.
“I can make tea, and I’m willing to learn more duties.” Zorwal’s nose crinkles with disgust, and I add, “I’m a fast learner.”
“Then learn fast.” He raises an eyebrow, reminding me so much of Otavio that I want to strangle him, except that I’m sure strangling someone who can survive a beheading is a useless endeavor.
Mirella’s blue eyes set on me, a quizzical expression there, then she turns to Zorwal. “What about your servants?”
The creepy fae chuckles. “Freed. All freed.”
She raises her eyebrows. “How… magnanimous of you.”
He shakes his head. “Don’t creditmefor that. It was magic. The land is changing. All enchanted fae were freed. Now, you may fear it will create chaos. Let chaos take hold. It will only help you ascend.”
The carriage descends, and I see that we’re approaching an island not too far from the shore where I glimpse some lights that I think come from the Jewel City. A large manor with dark stone walls stands in the middle of the island, surrounded by bushes and then rocks washed by ocean waves.
