We reach the end of the foyer where it opens to an enormous atrium. At the center is a large circular table carved from fiery pink, orange, and red sunstone. On each side of the table are wide staircases; one leads to the upper levels of the palace while the other descends below. Several halls branch off from here, leading who knows where.
Aspen’s hand brushes my arm.Now that’s an adequate table,he relays to me.
I press my lips tight to hide my grin and wonder if my sudden blush is visible through the layer of grime that coats my cheeks.
“Do you know of a stash of iron weapons hidden within the palace?” Estel asks, facing Fehr.
Fehr’s eyes narrow with suspicion, his expression hard as he assesses the Star Queen. “I do not answer to you.”
I’m about to tell him it’s all right, that he may answer the question. But again, I’m plagued with doubt. Estel gave us our promise that she is on our side, but now that I’ve experienced the trial required to enter the palace, I wonder if the Renounced needed me to come here, to reopen the palace, to show someone where the weapons stash is so they could be led straight to it.
I shudder, as Amelie’s proximity feels heavy. What if Lorelei was right? What ifthisis why my sister is here?
“It’s all right,” Estel says, shaking me from my thoughts. “I will ask you something else. Will you protect Queen Evelyn and the palace until sufficient guards and household staff can be appointed?”
Fehr’s jaw shifts back and forth, hand flying momentarily to his chest before he composes himself. “I will protect the queen and Irridae with my life now and even after she has proper guards. It is my duty, which is not to be questioned.”
Breeda flashes the djinn a scowl, then mirrors his posture. “I will guard Our Most Beautiful Queen Evelyn as well. None will dare creep upon her while my light shines.”
Estel’s face shifts and rearranges into a look of amusement, then settles on a more serious expression. “I must return to my court in case there’s any retaliation from the Renounced. I will return tomorrow with more of King Aspen’s guards.”
I furrow my brow, the thought of retaliation sending a shiver up my spine. What happens if our enemies retaliatehere? Can Fehr truly protect us? As begrudging as he obviously is to serve me, his declaration of loyalty does little to strengthen my confidence in him. My only consolation is that what little tales I’ve heard about djinn have always told of their immense power. “Must you wait until tomorrow to bring more guards?”
Estel opens her palm, the silver disc that brought us here flashing beneath the light streaming in from the high windows of the atrium. “The Chariot only works twice before it must be charged by starlight. I’ve already used it once, which means I can only use it to take me to my palace.”
It’s strange that something so powerful would require a period of rest. Then again, I suppose even the strongest magic must have its limits. If the fae could travel through time and space at will and in unlimited quantity…the power is almost too incredible to imagine. The fae would be unstoppable.
Perhaps Estel’s device was created with limitations on purpose.
The hair rises on the back of my neck at the thought. I hope, despite my doubt and suspicions, the powerful Star Queen truly is on our side. I’d hate to see her power in the hands of our enemies.
* * *
Once Estel leaves,I order Amelie to remain with the guards while I speak with Fehr out of earshot. I square my shoulders and force myself to ignore the way he narrows his eyes when he looks at me. “About the question Queen Estel asked,” I say, keeping my voice level. “I need to know that answer myself. Is there an iron weapons stash?”
His lips curl in disgust at the mention of iron. “There is a vile room in the lowermost level of the palace, below the dungeon. It reeks of iron, strong enough to keep prisoners weak, although I’ve never been able to get close enough to the room to witness what is inside.”
“Can you take us to it?” My eyes flash toward my sister, and I add, “After stopping at the dungeon first, perhaps?”
“It will be done,” he says with a low bow.
We rejoin the others and Fehr leads us down one of the staircases. The lower we go, the cooler the temperatures become as open windows disappear and are replaced with solid mud-brick walls. Fehr conjures an orange flame over his palm to light our way, but it begins to shrink the farther down we go. His pace, too, starts to slow, and the breaths of my companions grow ragged.
I glance at my mate, seeing the sheen of sweat that now covers his brow. Even with only the light of Fehr’s flame, I can tell he’s grown pale. However, the others seem to be faring far worse—Breeda has dulled to a pale pink glow, the guards struggle to maintain their postures, Foxglove looks like he’s on the verge of retching, and Lorelei appears worse than she did when Mr. Meeks used iron teacups against us. It seems only Amelie and I are immune to the iron we must surely be nearing.
The staircase opens to a narrow hall, where the mud-brick walls melt into a more natural formation, with curved walls pocked with tiny holes, like the lava caves I’ve only seen documented in encyclopedic sketches. As we leave the final stair to enter the hall, my companions slow to a halt. Fehr’s flame all but sputters out. I open my palm and ignite my own light, blanketing us in a blue glow and revealing rows and rows of barred caverns. This must be the dungeon.
I turn toward the djinn, who sags against the uneven wall, glaring into the corridor. “Are there any prisoners currently kept here?” I ask.
“All were expelled along with the household,” he says, voice hoarse. His eyes flick from me to Breeda, and his expression softens for the first time. “Although I doubt you would consider many of them a danger, if you keep company with the unseelie. Most were like her. Sprites. Wisps. Any who refused to take seelie form at his command.”
My eyes widen. “He kept unseelie fae down here?” Fehr nods, and I step farther into the hall to examine the cells. Each room is small and rounded, providing no flat surface to lie down, not to mention the rough texture of the curved walls. The doors and bars of the cells are of dark green malachite. I see no additional defenses like Lunar’s dungeons, no dangerous enchantments or writhing shadows. Then again, considering the degrading state of my companions, I doubt any added protections were needed with an iron store so close.
Fehr comes up beside me, his steps slow and lagging. “Was there a reason you wanted to see the dungeon first?”
I look over my shoulder where Amelie stands nearby. Her head is lowered, but she eyes the cells, shoulders trembling. When she suddenly lifts her head and meets my gaze, her expression goes slack. She gives me a subtle nod, as if to relay her resigned acceptance over why we’re here.
I look from her to the cell, hating the way my heart lurches at the thought of her inside that cramped room, unable to stretch out or lie down. But why do I care?Remember what she’s done. Remember Mother.Fire floods my veins, and I know I must make the command. If the commands truly work, then she can’t leave my side unless I give the order. I open my mouth to do just that, but I stop myself as a slew of questions invades my mind. What if she can easily break free? What if there’s an unseen tunnel hidden behind the cells, like the ones leading from the coral caves at Bircharbor? What if leaving her alone is exactly the opportunity she needs to escape?
