I freeze.
But she doesn’t wake. After a few seconds, her breathing evens out again. She settles into the thin mattress, curling onto her side.
I wait a moment longer to be certain, then I rise and move to the ladder. The rungs are rough beneath my hands as I climb. At the top, I pause, listening one more time.
Then I carefully push open the trapdoor.
Julienne looks over at me and smiles. She’s standing near the hearth, a cleaning rag in her hands.
I pull myself up through the opening and gently close the trapdoor behind me.
“I thought I would leave you both to sleep,” Julienne says quietly. “You’re exhausted. I would suggest that you sleep here tonight. You’re quite safe down there.” She gestures to the floor. “You can leave as soon as you’ve both had sufficient rest.”
I have a plan. One that’s been forming in my mind since we arrived. And resting for a while does lend itself to it. It will give Isla time to sleep before I send her on her way.
“As long as you’re happy to accommodate us,” I tell her, moving to help with the tidying. I pick up a bowl from the table and carry it to the basin near the hearth. “Doing so comes with great risk.”
She waves a hand. “I’m quite happy to help. In fact, I insist on it.” She takes the bowl from me and begins washing it. “I never married. Never had children. There was someone once, but…” Her voice trails off. “He died in the great plague. For the longest time, I never trusted myself to love again in case I lost them. It was a terrible time.” She’s quiet for a moment, her hands moving mechanically through the washing. “But things have changed. I’ve changed. As I’m growing older, I feel there has never been any real purpose to my life. Now, finally, I have one.”
“I am grateful.”
I dry the dishes as she hands them to me, stacking them carefully on a shelf. We work in companionable silence for a few moments.
“I’m sorry you had a hard life,” I tell her.
She glances at me, a small smile playing at her lips. “You know a thing or two about a hard life as well.” Then her eyes widen slightly. She sets down the bowl she’s washing and gives a small bow. “Forgive me, Your Majesty. I didn’t mean to be overly familiar. It’s easy to forget that you are the king.”
“I was once a king,” I correct her. “That’s no longer true. Hopefully, that will change in the future. You have welcomed me into your home, and I consider you a friend. There’s nothing to apologize for.”
“In my eyes, you are still the king. I know that there are many others who feel the same,” she says, lifting her brows. “It may not seem like it at times. The fae are bitter and defeated.It wouldn’t take much to awaken their fire…their strength. They will serve you again. Of that, I am sure.”
I nod once, accepting her words. “Thank you. I will do everything in my power to make it happen. To restore order to the kingdom.”
“I know.”
We continue tidying in silence. I go over to stoke the fire, which is low.
“Can I be frank with you?” she asks.
I pause, a log in my hands. “Of course. I’m standing under your roof, expecting you to risk life and limb for me. Speak freely.” I toss the log in.
“Are you sure you have to send Isla away?” She looks at me directly now. “She seems like a trustworthy young lady. You could work together. It might make it easier for both of you. You could leave this court together. She could aid you in your quest. In turn, you would be helping her too. I think she could use a friend. I think you both could.”
I pick up another log. “I don’t know her. She came out of nowhere, broke my curse, helped me escape, and I don’t know why.” I shrug.
“Maybe she just did the right thing.”
I shake my head. “It’s all too convenient. Too perfectly timed. I can’t take that risk, Julienne. If it were just me, I would take the chance, but it isn’t.”
“I understand why you feel you can’t trust her,” she says. “I understand your reasons. It’s also justifiable, given your past.”
I feel a pang.
“I have a plan,” I tell her. “It does not include Isla. And I’m sticking to it.”
“I understand.”
Is what happened when I was just a boy clouding my judgment now? I don’t think it has anything to do with it. I’m basing my decisions on simple facts.
