“That makes a lot of fae to protect.”
Amira’s sarcastic remark didn’t seem to dampen Nalani’s excited mood. “What are you going to pick?”
Amira thought about it for a moment. She didn’t have a lot of people she wanted to protect. She would probably only put her mother in this category. One of the rare things she had from her were her letters. But burning one would mean that she would have to let go of it. Was she ready to do so when she had so few of them?
“I’m going to take care of your letter. His Majesty will pick you up in around ten minutes. Think about the object you will choose,” Nalani said as she exited the room.
Left alone, Amira debated a bit more before settling on one of the shortest letters. After all, if it was to bring protection to her mother, Amira could relinquish one memory of her.
She had just screwed back the pillar after taking out the letter from its hiding spot when she heard a sharp knock on the door. Amira gave herself one last look in the mirror, making sure her braided ponytail was still in place.
She opened the door to face Karwyn. He was wearing a silver shirt with no visible button. Even though the cut was very simple, it was unmistakably expensive. His trousers were bulky enough to hide his frailer frame. Karwyn looked her up and down but gave her no compliment. So she did the same and ignored his fitting outfit.
Karwyn extended his arm, looking absolutely disinterested in the situation. Amira closed the door behind her and took his arm.
They walked in uncomfortable silence. The closer they got to the dining hall, the louder were the sounds of the feast, filling the empty hallway.
Outside the doors, Karwyn leaned in, provoking a difficult-to-hide shiver. “Behave and do exactly as I tell you,” he said.
His orders made Amira feel like a soldier and she almost wanted to mimic an official salute, but she knew it wouldn’t be taken well by Karwyn.
As the heavy doors opened in front of them, the voices inside immediately went quiet. A servant loudly announced, “His Majesty, Karwyn Adelway, King of Turosian, interim High King, and his fiancée, Princess Amira Rosston of Allamyst.”
Amira disliked hearing her name associated with Karwyn’s. But she knew she’d have to get used to it. Better to be an Adelway than shackled to her brother.
Nouis walked up to them with two delicate glasses of iridos in his hands. He bowed deeply before offering the drinks. Karwyn grabbed his quickly and Amira copied him with less confidence. She awkwardly held the glass in her hand, expecting her next orders. Her hand started trembling as she felt too many eyes on her.
Karwyn quickly grabbed her hand and straightened it. “Do not spill it. It would mean bad luck,” he said.
Again with their stupid superstitions. It would definitely take her time to get used to that aspect of life in Turosian. Amira glanced at her bracelet. Somehow, it had survived unscathed by the riot. She wasn’t convinced luck had anything to do with it.
Karwyn walked up to the large marble table overlooking the rest of the feast and Amira followed, her glass of iridos clenched in her fist. They stayed standing in front of their seats. The members of the court took their place behind the other tables. When everyone was ready, Karwyn raised his glass and everyone, including Amira, did the same.
“Esteemed members of the court, tonight we celebrate our fortunate Goddess Falea. May she always protect the Turosian kingdom and its inhabitants.” Karwyn turned to face Amira and linked his arm around hers in order for their drinks to be in front of the other person’s mouth. All around them, fae did the same.
“Blessed be the fortunate Falea,” Karwyn loudly said before gesturing to Amira to do the same.
“Blessed be the fortunate Falea.” She hated how weak her voice sounded. The rest of the court repeated the five words. Despite the uncomfortable position, everyone downed their glass. The iridos coated Amira’s throat, almost suffocating her with its sweetness.Breathe,she chanted in her head to calm her nerves. Then the feast started.
Sitting next to Karwyn and the rest of the guests, Amira must have looked like a child in a high chair. They seemed to have forgotten to put a wine glass for her. When she tried to catch the eye of one of the servants serving indigo wine, Karwyn lowered his head to say quite loudly, “I do not think you should drink any more. You are too frail to handle it properly.”
Amira saw a few fae at her table laughed discreetly. Red with humiliation, she turned to Karwyn. “I forgot to thank you today.”
Karwyn took the bait. “For what?”
“For leaving me all alone in the middle of a riot.”
Karwyn gently took her hand and lowered his voice. Was he really going to apologise? “Dear fiancée, I am going to tell you a secret about me,” he started softly, his voice almost caressing her ear. “I have never liked sarcasm in a woman.” And he dropped her hand, not even giving her a chance to reply.
* * *
During the rest of the feast, Amira stayed quiet and barely ate anything. She felt Karwyn’s eyes on her, commanding her to behave.
A burst of flames ignited the dining hall and Amira jumped to her feet instinctively, her heart pounding in her chest and dreadful memories plaguing her. In the middle of the room, servants were feeding a large pyre with logs of dark wood. Luckily everyone was too fascinated by the fire to have seen her panicked reaction.
Everyone except Rhay and Karwyn. The two friends were both looking at her, each with a different expression on their face. Concern radiated from Rhay and cruel enjoyment twisted Karwyn’s grin. The more time she spent with her fiancé, the more he reminded her of Wryen.
Amira took a few deep breaths before settling back in her seat. She ignored Karwyn’s smirk and focused on what was happening in front of her. Fae were dropping little objects into the fire. Once the flames consumed the objects, a dark blue smoke lingered in the air for a few seconds.
