I lean my back against the fountain, listening to the soft trickle of the water. It’s calming comfort, as is the feel of the cool grass beneath my bare feet and the warmth on my scalp. If I could, I’d strip down naked, just so every inch of my skin could feel the kiss of the sun.
But that would probably be frowned upon.
I pluck a small flower from the grass and spin it between my fingers. It’s a purple blossom, the yellow center reminding me of the color of Judd’s hair. I draw up a tiny bit of gold, making it coat the greenery, delicately sinking into the veins of the leaves.
Dropping it, I lean back, letting my bare feet sink further into the grass. I feel my magic press against my arches and toes, wanting to come out. I let it slowly pool, the warmth of the gold competing with the coolness of the grass.
When I drag my feet back to spread the gold, I blink down between my feet, pausing. I lean closer to get a better look, brows falling together.
At first, I think I’m seeing a reflection or a speck of dirt, but I see that’s not the case. It reminds me of when a piece of bread has been left too long over a fire, its crust singed from the flames. There’s just one splotchy edge around my gold that’s darker than the rest, making it look charred.
Frowning, I dip my fingertip in it, watching the dark blot dip down, but then it just mixes with the rest, going away completely.
Strange.
Shifting over, I tuck my legs beneath me, hovering my palm over the spot of the gilt grass, calling the gold back to me. I rub my hands together and tilt my head up to the sun with a content sigh.
“Lady Auren?”
My eyes flash open and see Manu approaching. He’s dressed in a teal vest with a softer blue shirt beneath and a matching cravat, his long black hair loose around his shoulders. “It is good to see you in such an...informal setting,” he says as he looks down at my bare feet with a smile that lights up his whole face and reminds me of the Manu I met back in Ranhold.
I quickly snatch up my shoes, slipping them back onto my feet as I stand. “I didn’t expect to see you out here,” I say.
He looks around, his expression easy and open. “I found this garden the first day I arrived. It’s my favorite place here. I spend hours out here day and night,” he confesses. “The warmth has been a nice break from Fifth Kingdom. Though, not quite as warm as it is back home in Third. I have to say, I do miss the beach.”
That makes one of us.
Manu might be easygoing right now, but I’m on edge.
He must see it in the way I’m holding myself, because he lets out a small sigh. “Look, Doll, this business with the Conflux, it’s nothing personal. I like you. But monarchs have their own laws to follow, and when two die in one night...”
“You know I had nothing to do with Prince Niven,” I say. “That was Midas. He wanted to take over Fifth. He told me so himself.”
Manu’s face grows contemplative as he picks off a leaf from one of the taller shrubs and twirls it between his finger and thumb. “Then that’s exactly what you’ll say at the Conflux, if you choose to go.”
“Slade—King Ravinger,” I quickly correct myself, “won’t ever agree to that.”
He cocks his head. “Do you know what a Conflux is?”
I falter for a moment, because Slade hasn’t told me much about it. “I know that it’s some sort of trial that the royals call during special occasions.”
“Yes, but if you look throughout history, it’s not really atrial. It’s a spectacle.”
I blink in confusion. “I’m sorry?”
“A Conflux is what royals call for either another monarch, family members of a royal, or a person of high status. Instead of following the normal laws of Orea, those called to a Conflux are exceptions. Brought forward because the subjects of Oreaneedto see that even people involved within the monarchy are handled and held to some type of law. In this case, a gold-touched pet who’s rumored to have stolen her king’s power and helped assassinate a prince,” he says pointedly.
My face grows hot. “Why are you telling me this?”
He tosses the leaf aside, letting it flutter to the ground. “Because, like I said, I like you. I think King Ravinger might be rotting your head, because all of Orea is not your enemy.I’mnot your enemy. Let Second Kingdom do what they do, which is to call you in for questioning, you’ll explain your innocence, and they can give you a slap on the wrist.”
I roll my eyes. “Yeah, right.”
“It’s true,” he says with a shrug. “The history of the Conflux proves it. I think the most severe punishment was a fine for a hundred thousand gold coins in the last hundred years.”
“Whether that’s true or not, it doesn’t apply to me.”
“Think about it—nobody truly wants to go against Ravinger. We know how powerful he is. But if we let King Midas’s death stand without questioning? The people will be incensed. They’ll get dangerous ideas. Whether it’s to kill another royal without consequence or to take it upon themselves to mete out judgment, both of which we don’t want. That certainly wouldn’t be safe for you.”
