I shook my head and muttered, “That was for Zander, not for your group of degenerates.”
He threw his hands up. “Whatever you need to tell yourself.” His eyes flared, and he grabbed my shoulders, whipping me around so he could stand between me and the approaching guards.
I took a moment to close my eyes and attempted to slow my breathing. Otherwise, they would sense my nervousness and see that I was hiding something.
“You!” a guard shouted. “Come with us.”
They motioned at the green-eyed woman who’d come with Jaspar. She straightened her back and lifted her chin, hands balling into fists and preparing for a fight. Most in the capital hated the Guard, but only the richest fae had the privilege of ignoring the uniformed tyrants.
“What’s this about?” Jaspar asked. “What business do you have with her? And what do you claim she’s done?”
“We don’t answer to you, boy.” The guard grabbed thewoman and, in one swift motion, had her hands hobbled with a coarse rope. A few patrons gasped before quickly covering their mouths to avoid drawing attention. Nobody dared to make any move out of fear that they too might be hauled away.
“You’re required to announce the accusation prior to detainment,” Jaspar protested, but didn’t leave his position in front of me.
The foul-smelling guard chimed in, “She was seen using Divine magic earlier, in violation of King Sutton’s ban.”
Nearly all from Rivale were given Divine magic—a birthright bestowed upon us by the land. The magic was elemental: wind, water, fire, or land. Depending on one's strength, some could wield freely while others needed a source to draw from. However, some were found to be so unworthy they inherited no magic at all. Not only had the king banned us from using our magic, but prohibited us from leaving Rivale altogether.
Jaspar’s eyes shot to the woman, but she didn't look back. There was validity in her charge. How could she have been so careless to use magic where someone could witness?
“How much did the accusers receive for their report?” My words shot out before I could stop myself. I stepped to Jaspar’s side. “How much did you pay them for their treachery?”
Jaspar put a hand out, quietly urging me to back down. There was nothing any of us could do. Another person would be imprisoned and eventually killed, especially once the stay on executions was lifted.
The shorter guard threw a large gust of wind my way, knocking me against the door. The vines swayed and I wished I'd had more time to thicken the foliage. Behind me, the door shuddered, and thank the land it didn’t cave in.
The guards left with the female as quickly as they’d arrived, leaving the room stunned in the aftermath. It wasn’t unusual for the Rivale Guard to conduct periodic sweeps, but they rarelyamounted to much. We were lucky they hadn't discovered the resistance meetings held in the back nearly every night.
Hours later, I left work disheartened. I replayed the scenario through my mind dozens of times, trying to think of the ways I could’ve—should’ve stepped in to help. But each time any of us used our magic, we risked imprisonment.
Our kingdom declared long ago that Divine Magic was the purest in existence, all other magic paling in comparison. Yet, King Sutton criminalized the act of using our gifts. Over the last twenty years, we accepted the hypocrisy. Some never learned how to use their magic well or even at all; the consequences of being caught rarely outweighed the benefit of wielding it.
“Let me help tonight,” Benton grumbled, standing at the end of the street where our paths parted.
He and Orion lived directly behind me, where the borders of our fields met. Every night, he visited me at work and walked me home at the end of my shift. While his husband preferred to stay home, Benton was social—they complemented each other perfectly.
“I don’t need help, I've got it. I’ll work on your wheat first and then move to my yard.” I gave him a sly smile. “That way, you two don’t have to worry about me being within earshot.”
He rolled his eyes.
Each night I’d spend about an hour on my friend’s crop and then on my own. Under the night sky was the only time I could pour my magic into the land and inconspicuously replenish the fruit and vegetables I’d sold earlier. It was a balance not to overproduce and draw suspicion on the continued regrowth, but I’d gotten the hang of it over the last few months.
My mother previously took care of most of the farming, though Kamden and my father assisted too. Throughout my childhood, she’d let me help her in the evenings, carefully teaching me to use my magic when all others were fast asleep. Ifrequently found myself aching for another moment to work next to her.
“I know you don’tneedhelp, but maybe it’d be nice to get some?” He raised an eyebrow.
“Tell Orion I said hi. Go enjoy that beautiful man of yours.”
Benton eyed me. “And you? Are you going to the ball Friday? Maybe you’d find your own person if you did. Perhaps one that looks great in aquamarine and wears a crown on his head?”
I rolled my eyes once more before pushing him toward his home.
5
AUDRYN
It took four days and countless conversations with Jaspar before I finally agreed to attend the ball at Sutton Castle. Not because I was disillusioned enough to think I had any chance with the prince, nor would I have wanted that, but because I’d committed to finding weaknesses in the security.
