“But the marking…” she presses. “Did you see that? And his eyes? I heard they were amethyst, just like King Sebastian’s eyes.”
“It does sound like the descriptions,” I admit, nodding. “But I don’t know much about the Lost Kings, so I can’t say for sure.”
“They are saying that he looked completely different before the light thing happened. They say that he was blind. His eyes milky white.”
I gasp. “Really?”
“Yes.” She nods. “His hair was brown. He looked human and not nearly as tall or as muscular. He worked as a clerk.”
“That is interesting.” My eyes widen. “It sounds unbelievable, to say the least.”
Bess nods. “I know.” Then her expression turns grave. “I heard something else this morning, from one of the castle guards.”
I look up at her. “What would that be?”
“He said that Queen Snow is on her way here as we speak.”
My blood runs cold. “What? The queen is coming all the way here?” Everyone knows that Queen Snow prefers the Ice Court and the cold weather. “It can’t be.” I shake my head. “The queen doesn’t travel. She never leaves the Ice Court.”
“It’s true. She has left and is coming here. The guard said she received word last night about what happened and immediately set out in a great hurry.”
I stare at her in shock. “But why would the queen come all the way here? Not unless—”
“Unless it’s important,” Bess finishes. “The guard said she wants to see the fae for herself. To determine if he really is the Shadowfae King.” She pauses. “And if he is…she plans to kill him herself.”
The porridge in my stomach suddenly feels like lead.
I can still see him in my mind. Crumpled on the floor of his cell, covered in blood and bruises, his eyes finding mine through the darkness.
“The girl had nothing to do with this.”
He tried to help me. I know he did. Somehow, he convinced the Ruler General to let me go. Perhaps he still has sway.
And now Queen Snow is coming to kill him.
“That’s terrible,” I manage to say.
Bess nods grimly. “It is.”
She stands, picking up her empty bowl. “I think it’s so much better that we’re just lowly humans, going about our business. We don’t have to concern ourselves with such matters.”
I nod. “You’re right.”
“I’m glad they let you go, Isla. I’ve heard of the fae keeping people locked up even when they’re innocent. You got lucky.”
Not lucky. I had a helping hand. I know it.
“I’m very lucky.” Once again, I force a smile. They’re getting more difficult to fake.
“You eat up and then get to practice.” She smiles back at me for a moment, then she stands and walks away, leaving me sitting by the fire with my half-eaten porridge.
I need to focus on surviving the next few days. On getting through these performances without revealing my secret. Without ending up in a cell again, or worse.
Once we leave the Shadow Court, I’ve made up my mind, I’m leaving the troupe. It’s become too dangerous to keep performing. There has been too much attention. There are too many eyes watching. For that very same reason, I can’t leave just yet.
I’ll go back to what I was doing before I joined the troupe. I’m better than I was before. I know I can make a decent living singing in taverns for coin.
It’s the only way to stay relatively safe.
