“There might be.” Foxglove stands in my doorway, wringing his hands. “But you aren’t going to like it.”
3
Ijump to my feet as Foxglove enters the room. “What do you mean I’m not going to like it? Where is Aspen? Is he all right?”
“He’s fine,” Foxglove says. “The threat has been dealt with, and the king is uninjured.”
I let out a sigh of relief. “Where is he now?”
“He’s in his study, but that’s not why I came here. I came to talk to you myself. There are...things I think you have the right to knowbeforeyou speak with the king.”
“What does that mean? Is he hiding something from me?”
“I wouldn’t say that, it’s just...” He sighs. “We should all sit down for this. Trust me.”
I feel like my legs will give out as I lead us to the couch. I can’t bring myself to sit next to the silky wedding dress strewn over the arm, so I take a seat in the chair across from it. Lorelei and Foxglove lower onto the couch.
Foxglove adjusts his spectacles, lips pulled into a grimace. “Oh, I just hate being the bearer of—”
“Just tell me.”
“Very well. As you know, the human council has sent a letter invalidating your pairing with King Aspen.”
I nod, leaning forward in anticipation. “Did the letter say why?”
He swallows hard. “My dear, might I ask you something? Are you of fae heritage?”
I whip my head back in surprise. “No, of course not. I’m obviously human.”
He raises a brow. “Is there not the slightest chance you could have fae blood?”
I open my mouth, but too many arguments fight for dominance, making it impossible to utter a coherent word. Why would he ask me such a thing? There’s no way I could be...I could be...
“I would know if I were,” I finally say.
“Would you, though?” His face is full of apology.
“Yes. How else would you explain my ability to touch iron? The fact that I don’t possess the sort of rapid healing the fae do? That rowan protects me from glamour?” My hand moves reflexively to my neck, seeking the feel of the red beads. I somehow managed not to lose this strand, even after being captured by Cobalt and journeying through the sea with the kelpie. However, it is by far the worse for wear, with fraying thread where beads have broken off, and haggard, lopsided berries. I can’t seem to bring myself to take it off, and it isn’t just because it protects me from being put under a glamour. It also reminds me of Mother. Amelie, too, for better or worse.
“The differences between the fae and part-fae are not well known,” Foxglove says. “We’ve always assumed human-fae offspring had all the fae weaknesses and very little power. But when would they have had the need or opportunity to find out? I doubt any of the previous Chosen’s children have been tested with iron. For all we know, they could be exactly like you.”
“But my—” I stop myself.My mother is human,I want to say. She would have told me if I wasn’t. Right?
But she isn’t my only parent.
I shake the thought from my head. “Why are you asking me this? What does it have to do with the letter?”
“The human council is under the impression that you aren’t fully human. That you and your sister are part-fae. Since the treaty requires a pair of human girls be sent to Faerwyvae...”
“Then a part-fae girl can’t validate the treaty,” I say under my breath, shoulders sagging. “But why do they think I’m part-fae to begin with?”
“The letter says they have proof.”
“What proof?”
Foxglove shakes his head. “That they didn’t say. Can you think of any way it might be true?”
I can hardly believe I’m entertaining this possibility, but I force myself to voice it. “My father, I suppose, but that’s highly unlikely. Mother never gave any indication that their relationship was unusual. She never said a cryptic word about him, always said he was a decent man.”
