He seems truly pleased with himself as he starts down the hallway once more, shaking his head and looking far too amused, as if he unearthed some great mystery lost to the ages.
I glare at the back of his head. “What do you mean, ‘Of course, he didn’t?’”
“Are you being intentionally ignorant?” he puffs out, “Or do you truly not know that your uncle has designs on you for the king? For his bed.”
I almost trip over myself when his words land a blow on a soft and unfortified piece of my deeper self that I’m entirely unfamiliar with. I laugh to deflect, to make myself feel better, to do anything but answer the question.
Of course, he laughed. I laughed the first time Leanna told me I would seduce their king but hearing it from the male beside me is like a dull dagger twisting in my gut.
“Don’t worry,General,” I say snidely, “I’m well aware I fall far below the standard for even the lowest of the feyn. I have no intention of degrading myself in pursuit of your sovereign.”
He has the nerve to look angry at me for speaking the truth. I likely spoiled all the fun he wanted to have at my expense, mocking me based on his assumptions and the unfortunate fact that I was born mortal and therefore somehowless. He opens his mouth to argue and is blessedly interrupted when Awri bursts into view from around a corner at the end of the hall. She’s a cascade of teal silk as she runs toward us, and I’ve never been happier to see her or more envious of a pair of pants. I decide it’s rude to ask if she’ll loan me a pair.
“Sorry to keep you waiting,” she says breathlessly, leaning in to peck my cheek. “Did you enjoy your tour?”
The general must have waited outside my chambers for quite some time if she thinks we’ve had enough time to make it farther than the hall.
“I did.” I smile to hide the lie and pin the general with a stare. “I was just telling the general that I know that I am entirely undeserving of the privilege of being here.”
“I wouldn’t have invited you if I felt that way,” she reassures me with a curious tilt of her head.
The general doesn’t move. He doesn’t blink or say a word as Awri leads me around the corner and out of his view. I wish I could say that the moment I’m out of his sight I shrug off his comment. I’m strong in more ways than he knows, and it shouldn’t bother me. He didn’t say anything I don’t already know.Nothingabout me is enough to tempt the king.
“Did Xey say something to you?” Awri asks.
I hadn’t noticed her eyes on me. I give her a small smile and shake my head.
“Not at all. I just didn’t sleep well,” I say, which reminds me, “The night we spent at the cottage, the general made a tea to help me sleep. I’ve been meaning to ask about the herbs he used.”
“Xeyvian made you tea?”
Somehow, I think she might seem less shocked if I told her he’d drugged it. Her lack of knowledge about the incident is both disappointing and relieving. I need to find an alternative to the dwindling supply in my small pouch, but it’s good to know that she wasn’t an accomplice to my sedation.
I decide, for the time being, it’s best she doesn’t know. There is every chance she’d take the general’s side, and it would only drive a wedge between us.
“He did,” I say, trying my best to smile appreciatively. “I’ll have to ask him for the recipe.”
And I will. Maybe.
My steps slow when Awri leads me into an enormous room with a tall domed ceiling painted in ivy and starlight. The ivy twines down thewalls, cascading into a dense plethora of leafy ferns containing broken beams of moonlight. An array of colorful eyes are painted among the ferns. I can only assume they are meant to represent the fea. It’s as if I’ve stumbled into the middle of a lush and wild landscape the likes of which I’ve never seen.
“You like it,” she says, beaming, “I can tell.”
“It’s incredible,” I say, my voice low in reverence.
“I’m glad you approve. There are a number of rooms to choose from, but considering our theme, I think this is the perfect place to host the event.”
She picks a string of fabric swatches from a table at the center of the room, and I try not to cringe. No doubt she’ll want opinions on tablecloths and napkins, followed by a request for my opinion on lighting and music. Today can’t be over soon enough.
Hours spent planning drag on, feeling like days, until Kishek comes to remind Awri to break for a meal. The male has always been quiet compared to the others, but today he’s surrounded by an aura of lethargy and dark circles hollow out his eyes. My friend schools her face well as we follow him toward a small table set with a late lunch, but her brow creases with concern that she’s unable to hide whenever she looks at him.
They dismiss me when I ask if everything is all right, explaining that a matter of the crown kept him up long into the night. My spine tingles under the weight of the possibilities, and I find myself wondering what the male’s role is at court. They must be more than close friends to the king. They must be vital in some other way. Another question for Felias.
After the sun is fully settled beyond the mountains and no dusky light remains in the evening sky, Awri walks me to my chambers, leaving me with a simple goodnight. I’ve never been so tired. I feel like I’ve gone to battle with tea flavors and party favors, and I never stood a chance.
Prepared to fend off the sprites and fall into bed without any preparation, I let myself into my room. A small fire crackles in the hearth and the lamps have been dimmed but the sisters are nowhere to be seen. A shiver rattles my spine and my senses heighten. I swipe a sharp blade from a nearby desk. It’s meant to open letters, but it will serve the same purpose as a dagger should I have need of it.
Rising on the balls of my feet, I stalk silently toward the washroomand then the closet. I’m not sure what I expect to find and maybe it’s just the sprites’ absence, but something feels out of place. With my letter opener-turned-dagger fisted above my heart, ready to strike, I walk back into the main room. A small knot forms in my stomach when my eyes land on a bundle sitting at the foot of my bed.
