The courtyard was transformed. Tents dotted the training fields. The scent of roasting meats and honeyed wine wafted through the air like a spell. People chatted in clusters and laughter rang out as children played.
The toddler I’d caught that first day in the city below became a tiny blur of motion as he ran past me again. I caught him and insisted on carrying him around for a while so his mother could sit and enjoy a plate of food in peace. She seemed grateful, but so was I to have something so precious to hold.
The nobles and villagers mingled with surprising ease, the usual scrutiny softened by mead and the summer sun. For me, a girl raised in the impoverished part of town, seeing the two groups laughing and talking together filled me with hope. It was a small beacon of unity in a world colored mainly by division.
The feast and merriment stretched on for hours. Platters of Sabha’s pastries, smoked trout, apples stewed with honey, venison roasted on spits came and went. I moved among the crowds, offering greetings, shaking hands, and making toys levitate with telekinesis for the children who asked.
I enjoyed being among the people. Listening to their stories, I found myself giggling on multiple occasions. In return, I allowed them to share their worries and hopes with me, not because I had the power to do anything about them, but because it had made them feelheard. And that…that was something I’d never had back in Caervorn.
Though perhaps I did, now, here… That was a heady thought.
“They say that when the sun shines longest, the decisions you make will shape the rest of the year,” one of the older noblewomen had said to me over her goblet of wine. “That which pulls you now, you’ll be bound to come winter.”
Bound to. The way I was becoming bound to this kingdom I’d barely known existed three months ago. The way I was becoming bound to two princes so far above my station. She had the right of it. Every day I was becoming more and more bound to the broken crown of Darreth. The thought was enough to have me sweating in my gorgeous gown.
Everywhere I turned, I felt eyes on me. But two pairs most of all.
Nisien, ever the golden one, floated through the celebration like a gentle flame through dry grass, igniting smiles and clasping shoulders with the practiced ease of a man born to be adored. He called children to him, spun tales of dragons and moon-born heroes, always with a wink in my direction. My cheeks might’ve matched the color of the flowers in my hair half the day.
Emrys was another matter entirely.
He lingered at the edges, a storm wrapped in princely garb, barking at his guards who refused to leave his side. Three times I saw him attempt to send them away. Three times they refused, citing Nisien’s orders. And though Emrys did nothing overt about it, the set of his jaw made me wonder how long his restraint could last.
It could’ve been worse. Unlike during the open court, he couldn’t simply look intimidating while Nisien did most of the talking. He had to interact with people constantly. I felt almost giddy as it became clear he’d taken another of my tinctures.
Yet he did seem to be enjoying the music. When he wasn’t avoiding people like a recalcitrant hermit, he would find a seat and just listen to the band play for a while. Nisien had said he enjoyed the bards, but a part of me simply hadn’t believed it back then. It was nice to see a bit of the real Emrys come out in public.
And as he struggled with attention, I found myself grappling with my own version of it. I was also followed everywhere by my own personal security detail. It was a strange feeling to be shadowed, but I didn’t mind, since I successfully employed hiding behind them to avoid at least three noble heirs who looked ready to request my hand for a dance.
As the sun dipped low and the musicians began another lively reel, Nisien found me. He bowed, one hand over his heart. “Will you dance with me, Lady Isca?”
I whispered, “I don’t know how.” Heat crept to my face.
He leaned in, close enough that his lips brushed the shell of my ear. “I’ll show you. I’ll speak to the musicians. They’ll play a simple song next.”
He planted a chaste kiss on my hand and vanished toward them, cutting a striking figure in his white tunic that matched my dress.
Right after Nisien left, another wealthy son began striding purposefully toward me, eyes full of hope, emboldened by the freely flowing drink. He had the look of Lord Elid and Lady Briallen, so I guessed he was their son.
I steeled myself, ready either to make small talk or reject another dance.
But then I felt the pulse of wild, disordered power. The wealthy heir barely made it three steps before he froze. His eyes went wide just before an unseen force shoved him back violently. He crashed into a table with a surprised shout, scattering goblets and fruit.
Conversations and laughter nearby faltered and died. My breath caught. The man wasn’t hurt, thank the gods.
Emrys. His name was a curse in my mind.
And then he was there in the wealthy heir’s place.
He stalked toward me, eyes hard, his movements like a lion tracking its prey. His guards had vanished. Either he’d worn them down or this was more evidence that he’d finally snapped.
Noticing their prince, my guards took a step back.
Not guarding me from danger at all.
“Lady mage,” he growled. His voice was low, barely audible above the music. But I heard it. Felt it deep in the hollow of my chest.
I straightened, hands clenched around my skirts, eyes forward on the crowd instead of his face—I’d break if I looked into his eyes.
