How would they get the stone out of her hands? And why would he give her a family heirloom like that once they had it back? It had to be valuable, judging by the size of the hole in his crown, and it must have had sentimental value to him.
“Tahti told me Mordred doesn’t hold the Dark Stone. That the Monster King does. Do you know who that is?” she asked.
Cahir furrowed his brows. “Mordred isn’t the one in charge down there?”
“No… apparently he isn’t,” Seda replied as she bit her lower lip. “How will I get back into Joro with these stones anyway? And how will I even find the Stone of Love? I can’t just sit around here and wear pretty dresses, Cahir. I need to find these stones so I can help the people of Joro.”
Cahir sat there for a long moment before sighing. “We’ll find it. We can research together tomorrow. I went to the library earlier looking for you, but Meir said that you left.”
Seda nodded, not wanting to talk about Meir.
“I need to get going, but I’ll see you tonight. We’ll find them. Also, don’t worry about the guards at the door. They’re just there for protection—mainly for my peace of mind rather than yours. I know you can handle yourself now. I’m so proud of you.” He rose to hug Seda but hesitated, choosing to walk to the door instead.
He looked back at her and gave her a small smile before leaving the room and closing the door behind him.
Seda lay back on the bed and thought about the events of the day. Breakfast was a surprise. She reflected on how kind it was of Cahir to bring honey cakes and coffee, as if it were another apology, a way to remind them of how they first became friends.
Could she really trust him, though? Probably not. Not trusting Cahir was definitely the best plan. She just needed to tread carefully and play this part effectively.
She needed his help to get the Stone of Peace. That must have been what the Wisps meant by sending her here, saying she needed his help. He at least knew where one was.
She reflected on Luelle and how much she had enjoyed her company earlier. She was genuinely fun to be around, and her rebellious spirit felt like a breath of fresh air after meeting people in Joro. She also thought about Neoma walking out of Tahti’scabin, claiming she wanted a love potion from her, and how Neoma had come to her door not long ago.
She really didn’t like or trust that woman. Something felt off. Why did Neoma want to be friends with her? And finally, she considered Cahir willingly offering to help retrieve the Stone of Peace alongside her, something clearly important to him and his kingdom.
She sighed and looked up through the ceiling at the orbs and the sky. She sat there for a long time, deciphering shapes from the passing clouds, when someone knocked again at her door.
Please, gods, don’t be Neoma,she thought.
“Come in,” Seda called out with a groan. The door opened, and Suza walked in, her hair an even greasier mess than it had been this morning.
Seda pursed her lips. She should have included her in her prayer.
“I’m here to get you ready for dinner,” Suza said curtly as she walked over to the closet and threw open the doors. She stepped inside, ruffled some things around, and walked out with a silky green dress.
“Does this one tie really tight, too?” Seda asked.
“No, but I can find one that does if you want.” She waited for Seda to respond, and when Seda shook her head, she walked over to her. “Now, I know you said you don’t want me to dress you physically, so I’m going to turn around and wait for you to put this on.” Suza turned around, preventing her from arguing in response.
Seda ground her teeth together as she glared at the woman’s greasy head.
As Seda undressed and pulled the gown over herself, she continued to glare daggers at her, hoping her eyes could fry that messy hair further. She thought she saw a flicker of something, like she had something stuck in her hair, but she looked away, no longer wanting to focus on the mean Fae before her.
When she was done, the woman turned around, and her eyesflashed when she saw her in the gown. “Let’s do your hair. Hopefully, you didn’t tangle it all up again.”
She sat down on the vanity stool, and Suza worked on her hair. She was gentler this time, or maybe it was because Seda’s hair wasn’t such a disaster as before. She styled her hair to cascade down her back, placed an emerald hairpin in her hair, and stepped back, admiring her work. “If anyone deserves to be a queen, it should be someone as beautiful as you, even if you are a human-thing.”
Seda was about to respond curtly, saying she had no interest in being a stupid queen, when Suza made her get up and walk to the door. “What about my shoes?”
Suza ran to the closet, grabbed some matching, silky green flats, and handed them to Seda. She slipped them on and followed the woman into the hall. The guards did a double-take when she walked out, and the guard with the beard cleared his throat and nudged the other in the arm. Both of them straightened up and stared ahead.
Seda followed Suza through the halls and paused at a full-length mirror. Her dress was stunning, unlike anything she had ever worn before. It reached her ankles, with a slit running up her left thigh. The neckline was low and hugged the curves of her body she usually kept hidden.
This dress was too much to wear to dinner tonight. She grasped the fabric between her fingers, the green silk feeling too thin, unable to shield her from what lay ahead.
She inwardly groaned and continued following her lady’s maid, letting the distance grow between them as they walked, not wanting to enter the dining room looking like this.
Suza silently pulled open the dining room door and waited for Seda to approach. The laughter and chatter in the room fell silent as everyone turned to Seda. She glanced around at the people in the candlelit room and awkwardly waved. Her gaze drifted to Cahir and noticed his parted lips frozen in wordless astonishment.
