“Vespera, step away from her,” her husband’s voice croaked from the head of the table. Dion Silenus stood, his pale, wrinkled features hard under the light of the candles. A long purple robe was fastened at his neck. “Her kind cannot be trusted. Get back here at once.”
My hackles rose. Not for my sake, but at the way he spoke to his ownwife. I took a step forward, my nostrils flaring when she flinched at his words. This man was just like Lord Stryker and many men before him. Eager to assert their idea of dominance by trampling strong women beneath their feet.
“My kind? And what exactly is that, Lord Silenus?” I tilted my head. “An empress? A woman? Both exceed you in ability, don’t they?”
His jaw ticked. “A Veridian. Ananimal.”
My eyes skated over to Galen, whose gloved hands were wrapped tightly around a flute of wine. I briefly wondered if he’d stand up for me. If he’d defend the woman he’d begged to marry him. He met my gaze and swallowed, then looked away.
I guessed that was my answer.
It didn’t matter. I didn’t need him.
My voice was cool and calm. “Yes, I’m Veridian. I assumed when you allowed us to stay in your territory that you knew where I came from, Lord Silenus, but perhaps I need to get you a map?” A chorus of gasps and a few snickers rose from the table. “Nothing has changed since I arrived. I am who I’ve always been.”
Red splotches appeared at Dion’s neck. “What are you playing at? We were told your”—his voice lowered— “magicwould not work here. That we would be safe. Is this part of a—a plan to invade our borders?” He spun to Galen, throwing a hand out in frustration. “My King, how could you let her come here?”
Vespera hurried back to her husband, features strained as she pushed her dark locks behind her ears. “Dion, please, let’s sit down and?—”
He swiped a hand in the air in front of her face. She instantly went silent. Anger unfurled in my gut like sharp claws, but I remained steady.
“Are any of your people hurt, Lord Silenus?” I asked. I willed myself not to look at Thorne, to not think about the gash lining his chest. “What have I done to endanger your lives? If I have, I willgladlypay the price. I would never do anything to cause your people harm. What happened today was just as unexpected for me as it was for you. I didnotcause this; you must see that.”
“And we’re supposed to take your word for it?” he shot back. “Hundreds of years of silence from your empire, and all of a sudden, you’re so eager to sink your teeth into our kingdom. Did you not take enough from us during the war?”
Even from across the long table, I could see the shift in him. The way his lips twitched and his hands shook. The way his eyes flitted away from me when I spoke. This wasn’t just anger—this was fear. That, I could understand. Fear always made people lash out. If I wanted to calm them, I had to show them they could trust me.
Again, I looked at Galen. He watched Dion as hisfinger tapped anxiously on his wine glass. I saw that same fear reflected on his face, and suddenly, it became clear. Galen may be King of Mysthelm, but he was alsoafraid. It wasn’t that he didn’t care about his people. It was that this curse he’d lived with, that he’d watched grow and ravage his kingdom, froze him. He was stagnant, unable to move, unable toactwhen it mattered most.
Thorne had told me last night that most of the people didn’t know the truth. If they did, how would they react? If they were this up in arms about me and my single instance of magic, how would they feel about theirkingbeing the one to cause it all?
My heart softened to him, but only slightly. I didn’t think Galen was a bad man.
But leaders couldn’t let fear control them.
To my surprise, Thorne’s voice filled the room. “With all due respect, Lord Silenus,” he began, without a single drop of respect in his tone, “I was there during the incident today. I saw what happened. And I watched as the rotted hill and fields were completely healed. Every drop of the blight disappeared. How is that a bad thing? She did this.” Thorne’s eyes fixed on me. I couldn’t seem to look away. “She was incredible. You should be singing her praises, not condemning her for starting an act of war.”
“Is this true?” an older woman I’d never met before asked from the opposite end of the table.
“He’s right. I heard the same thing from Tycus,” said a balding man next to Thorne with a handkerchief clutched in his fingers. Several of the others exchanged murmurs, the narrative quickly shifting from suspicion to curiosity.
“Could it be possible?”
“What does this mean?”
“Can she stop the blight?”
Voices rose, blending together in a sea of questions. Benches scratched against the floor as some stood to argue, Dion’s words the loudest of all. Eyes sought me out among the growing frenzy, but mine were locked on icy blue.
Once again, he was there. Always there.
Galen cleared his throat, and every head turned to him. His features were smoothed into the picturesque, handsome king with everything under control. It struck me that we were similar in that way—both able to turn our masks on and off when we knew eyes were on us.
He made his way toward me, extending an arm as he asked, “Will you show me?”
I blinked. “Show you…my magic?”
“Thorne mentioned an area of the hedge maze that’s been hit by the blight. Take us there and show us what you can do.”
