“What about their sickness, are we going to help them?” Rhay asked as Karwyn impatiently tapped his fingertips on the table.
“If they have something to offer us in return, I might consider it. But they seem too prideful to ask for our help.” Karwyn stood up. “Let us conclude this meeting. I have other matters to attend to now.”
All the advisors stood up and gathered their things. Amira stayed in her chair, trying to digest all the things she had heard during the meeting. So there was a sickness in the human world? That didn’t surprise her. All she’d ever heard was that humans were weak and feeble.Like you,a voice murmured in her head.
Shaking away the thought, she stood up to leave when she felt Karwyn pulling her back.
“You need to be more careful who you spend your time with, Amira. Rhay is not a sensible choice of friend for you. Do not make me go to your brother to break off the engagement. We both know he would not take it well,” Karwyn sneered. Amira’s blood turned cold. She understood the threat perfectly. A burst of flame flashed before her eyes. “Be on your best behaviour tonight and I shall inform him that our engagement is going along nicely.”
Without words, Amira just nodded before plunging into a deep bow. When she raised her head, Karwyn was gone. She knew her friendship with Rhay would bring her trouble. All her past friendships had ended tragically. Some worse than others.
But how was she supposed to survive this alone?
Chapter28
Amira
Dinner had just started but Amira was already tired of the pretence. To her surprise, after the initial appetizers, the servants brought piles and piles of food that could have fed the entire kingdoms of Allamyst and Turosian. She had been wrong, the Turosian kingdom wasn’t poor, it just kept its richness for the wealthiest of the court.
The meat quickly disappeared into the voracious mouths of the guests. Her hunger was long gone. How could they eat so carelessly when so many people had to struggle to find food? It wasn’t the only reason for her lack of appetite. Karwyn’s threat was too present in her mind for her to think about something as basic as food. She cast a glance around the room.
As a mere level one, she was surrounded by the most powerful fae of Liraen. Every king and queen was present for this dinner, which signified the start of the contest. Even though she was part of a royal family, Amira felt like she didn’t truly belong here. Sometimes she wondered if she would have been happier living just with her mother as a commoner, out of Wryen’s reach.
Queen Kaylanthea Zhengassi’s stoic attitude contrasted with the rest of her table. She never raised her voice and listened attentively to all the drunken talks around her, yet she gave off an impression of perfect authority and confidence. Her kingdom, Quarnian, was protected by the Goddess of Loyalty. Amira wondered if the queen followed her kingdom’s sentiment, putting loyalty above all else.
Kaylanthea’s short black hair was tied around her head in four tight braids ending in a small bun. The pale pink of her irises shone as she smiled at the man next to her. He was incredibly tall and strong-looking, perfect for the guards. But Amira could sense a sweetness in him as he looked proudly at Kaylanthea. The love and respect between the two was obvious to anyone watching. Amira turned her head away, a flash of jealousy in her heart.
A few seats away from her, on Rhay’s table, was the other main contestant, King Tarnan Ellevarn. Amira remembered Nouis’ depiction of the Carnylen king. Quick with words, cunning, and always in the know—that was also the description her father had used once. Nothing less could be expected from Tarnan, as the God of Wisdom was watching over his kingdom. Being curious and knowledgeable was highly valued in Carnylen.
During the ball for her thirteenth birthday, Amira had had a riveting conversation with Tarnan on the importance of learning about human culture to be a better negotiator at the treaty renewals. He had taught her some fascinating facts about the human land and had gifted her a human book full of colourful illustrations. When she had moved bedrooms after her father’s death, she was unable to find the book. Jealous of such a rare present, Wryen might have stolen it.
She had encountered Tarnan on other occasions, the last one being her father’s funeral. As they were burning his body covered in dark gold and purple, the King of Carnylen had moved from his seat to stand next to Amira’s. Without saying anything, he had tucked a sunset orange handkerchief into her trembling hand. Her teary eyes had thanked him as he had gently pressed her shoulder.
Amira had merely picked at her food before the plates were carried away, replaced by an avalanche of desserts. She painfully ate a spherical pastry filled with an orange-flavoured cream. The sweetness left her completely unbothered. As everyone left the table to start dancing to the joyful music played by a group of court musicians, Amira stayed back. The only person she would enjoy talking to or even dancing with would be Rhay, but after Karwyn’s comment she knew it would be foolish to be seen with him.
Silent and immobile, she stared at the fae dancing without a care in the world. She envied the smiles on their faces and the joy in their laughter. If she had any power, she would have used it to stop their silly happiness. Holding back tears, she fought this strange feeling of hate. The chair next to hers moved and she quickly composed herself.
“Princess Amira, I can’t believe how much you’ve grown.” Tarnan was sitting next to her, his amber eyes set on her face. He hadn’t changed much in eight years, the same buzzed black hair and pale skin that would make anyone look sick but that seemed perfect on him.
He extended a hand and grasped Amira’s shoulder with affection. “I remember you being more extroverted. Was it only childlike excitement or are you still as full of wonder?”
“As you’ve said, I’ve grown,” she replied, more coldly than she would have wished.
“Well, it pains me that your wonderful spirit has been defeated by adulthood. Perhaps you just lack the proper conversation partner,” he said, looking at Karwyn and Wryen plotting together.
“It is true that after my father’s death, I have lacked intellectual stimulation.” A wide smile curled Amira’s lips upwards.
Tarnan let out a small laugh. “Maybe you’re not that lacking in spirit after all. So tell me, Amira, what do you think of the current situation?”
“I’ve been through a lot of changes lately, so I’m afraid you’ll have to be more precise.”
“The human world and their sickness. With their deadly virus killing thousands, I think their leaders are going to want to do the treaty talk early this time.”
Amira thought back on Karwyn’s comment at the council meeting. So this was more serious than she had first assumed. “Karwyn doesn’t seem to be jumping in to help. Do you think he should?” she asked. Fae healing magic worked easier on other fae but she knew they would be able to find a cure for humans if they tried hard enough.
Tarnan pondered for an instance. “Perhaps. I imagine the court will want to use this opportunity to once again show humanity that fae are superior. They will have to offer something in return at the treaty meeting.”
“What could they possibly give us that we don’t already have?”
