Upon arriving at the Shard of Day, she took his sword and put it to her throat. “My life is my own. I would’ve gone with you to the ends of Arin, to the deepest night and brightest day, by your side until my mortal life ended. No more. You will never be king!” With a sure stroke, she ended her life. No magic could bring back a mortal thus slain, her life ended suddenly, her blood pooling and going cold.
The noble’s anger was so great, and he screamed in such fury that the magic answered him and bespelled the realm for all queens of day to be immortal. The would-be king’s mate was sent to the Spires, her soul remade, her fate reborn, and her path uncertain. Selene was never seen again, and the noble never claimed the crown of day. He died alone, his mind as broken as his heart, forever angry at his mate and the future he felt she’d stolen from him.
I slowly shake my head. “So that’s where it all started.”
He closes the book. “Wow, I thought this would’ve been a happier tale.” He taps the spine. “It says bedtime stories. Oh—” He frowns. “But the small print says ‘for unruly children.’”
I can’t help but laugh. “Someone created a book of hateful stories to tell bad children?”
“Seems so.” He replaces the tome and meets my eyes. “Have I sufficiently taken your mind from your troubles?”
I nod. “Actually, yes. I feel bad for Selene. She shouldn’t have been forced to go with the noble, and he should’ve accepted her love as-is.”
“Right?” He stands and takes my cup. “More?”
“No.” I rub a hand down my face. “I think I’m better now.” The memory of Caroldon’s hands on me threatens to resurface, but I shove it down again.
“Why the white face?” Sophina, the alchemist, appears from the stacks, her antenna glowing faintly.
“High fae males.” Tritus gives her a dark look.
How did he know that?
“Ugh.” Sophina sits across from me, the scent of brimstone wafting from her. “Handsy? I can’t tell you how many times I’ve thought about turning the lot of them into toads or bones or clouds or maybe even bits of pollen.”
“You can do that?” I ask.
“Of course not.” She looks at me as if I’m daft. “Why are you wearing a robe? Do you read? How many books have you read? I bet I’ve read more. At least five more. Perhaps even as many as six!” She grins. “Yes, I have. I win.”
“All right.” I stand. “I need to get back to my room.”
“We’ll walk you.” Tritus strides over. “Come on, Sophina.”
“But I just got here.” She frowns.
“Okay, then you can stay.” He takes my elbow and we walk to the door.
“You’re just going to leave me here?” Sophina follows, her corkscrew curls bouncing springily as we walk into the hall.
“Sophina’s brilliant.” Tritus sighs. “But she’s a bit …”
“Here and there, in and out, an idiot savant, a topsy-turvy genius, a fabulous interior perforator!” She jabs her fingers out like she’s poking holes.
“Right, those things.” Tritus leads me eastward as Sophina walks at my other elbow.
Taking my hand, she slips a little sachet into it. “If one of them bothers you again, throw this down and run.”
The small packet feels warm in my palm. “What does it do?”
“Freezes time.”
My eyes widen. “Really?”
“Of course not.” She laughs, the sound whimsical. “It smokes, but not regular smoke, the smoke forms a wall. They can’t get to you through it. By the time their grabby hands are free, you’ll be somewhere safe.” She stops, pulling me to a halt with her. “You come to me.” Her eyes go serious, her antenna glowing even brighter. “If you’re in trouble, you come to me in the aerie at the back of the palace or Tritus in the library. We will keep you safe.”
“All right.” I don’t trust myself to say more. I’m too touched, not to mention happy, that I’ve found allies. And they don’t feel the same as Brunilla. They haven’t asked me for anything.
We start walking again, and I breathe easier with them by my side. When Sophina bursts into a discordant song and Tritus hums along with her, the weight from earlier lifts, though it’s not carried by her off-key tune.
