Modesty pleases the gods,her mother used to snap when Lenna tugged at the high necks, scratchy fabrics, and full skirts she wore before marriage. But those gods, who seemed so distant and cold in the Slate Kingdom, felt closer here, in Irridessen, where beings wore what they fancied, donning garments that didn’t conceal or hide away their figures.
Now…Nowshe feltbeautifulfor the first time in decades. The red dress fit perfectly. Her breasts were still covered but a slight sight of cleavage rose above the vee neck of the gown. The fabric clung to her curves, through her waist, across her stomach and hips, before pooling at her feet. The golden threads glowed in the light of the torches in the room.
Flat golden slippers appeared next to her, and she slid them on with the same ease as the dress.
“You look lovely, Oracle.” A soft voice with a rich accent spoke from the door of the bedroom. Lenna turned to see the same gargoyle female that had shown her to her room upon arrival. Lenna had been too enchanted with the Palace that she barely registered the being when they first arrived. The female’s horns were a lighter grey than Merrick’s and curved ever so gently from her head forward. They were only a few inches long with a smooth, pearlescent sheen. Her wings matched the horns, also smaller than Merrick’s and more feminine. The talons at the tips less sharp and deadly, more rounded. Her short black hair waved downto her throat, her skin a deep bronze hue. But it was her eyes that caught Lenna’s attention most of all–they were ruby red.
The gargoyle bowed. “My name is Ballah, and I will be escorting you to the throne room to meet the Regent.”
“Thank you, Ballah.” Lenna liked her already. She possessed an air of order and kindness that instantly put Lenna at ease.
Ballah inclined her head and gestured to the open door. “Captain Merrick and Spy Master Laurent are ready and waiting for you. They’ll meet us before we enter the throne room.”
The titles surprised Lenna since Merrick and Laurent were stripped of their positions by Queen Adara. Thoughts churning, she opened her mouth to ask Ballah, but the gargoyle turned on her heels, wings slightly flaring out, and led Lenna out of the room. Lenna hurried behind, holding the skirt of her dress to keep up with the clipped pace Ballah set.
Merrick and Laurent were waiting at the end of the corridor, resplendent in their individual outfits. Laurent stood tall and immaculate in a new satin robe, the same red as Lenna’s dress, with golden stars embroidered along the wide sleeves and down the length that stopped at his knees. Black pants and boots finished off his outfit. He inclined his head in greeting and gave Lenna a tight-lipped smile as she appeared. “You look lovely, Lenna,” he murmured. Laurent seemed much more at ease here than he’d been in Spinella.
“Ialsothink this dress suits you much better than what you were wearing when I found you,” Merrick chimed in, shooting Laurent a scathing look that made the fae chuckle. Merrick had changed again and was now dressed in more formal attire from head to toe, in a shade of grey slightly darker than his wings. Twin serpents were carved into the leather vest on both sides of his torso, their intricate scales flowing from the nape of his neck, down to the knife belt at his waist. Various bronzebuckles adorned the top, also intricately carved. He looked every inch the warrior Lenna had heard about.
Truly the Spy Master and the Captain. Poised and deadly.
Lenna gave both males a grin as they simultaneously offered her their arm. She stepped in the middle of the two and looked from gargoyle to fae. “Let’s go get this Prism.”
Chapter twenty-one
Lenna
Thethroneroomwasthe most terrifyingly enchanting place Lenna had ever seen. As they took their first steps in, Lenna looked up. There were no jagged stones above them, only openness stretching a hundred feet into the air. Ballah bowed to Lenna, Merrick, and Laurent before briskly turning around and disappearing back the way they came.
“The throne room is set right in the heart of the mountain,” Laurent said quietly as Lenna stared. “It took years for stone wielders to carve out this room alone.”
Wonder painted Lenna’s face. There were about twenty gargoyles and a smattering of fae gathered in the throne room, the compilation of the small court assembled here. All seemed to watch her every move, her every step, silent and waiting. At the end of the room, a large stone dais sat, and atop it, completely opposite of all the other décor in the room, sat a white throne. The throne seemed to be carved out of opal with the way it shimmered in the dim torch light–very out of place with the jagged black stone rows of seating that lay before it.
“LordMagnamus destroyed the obsidian and bone throne when he took up the Regency. He saw it as a symbol of evil. Needless to say, he grew up in the Opal Palace and highly favored Adara as Queen.” Merrick followed Lenna’s sightline, but he steered her to the right side of the throne room. Laurent, hands behind his back, strode forward. Lenna watched him, the way he moved effortlessly over the…floor?
Lenna’s heart hit her throat as she looked down…and down. And down. The floor was no more than transparent glass, and below it was a deep, dark cavern that tunneled far into the mountain itself. Her feet started to sweat in the silk slippers she wore. Merrick placed his hand on the small of her back, the touch grounding. Reassuring. “The glass has never broken.” The words were uttered under his breath so only she could hear. Lenna reminded herself that Merrick had wings. And that it would be in his best interest to catch her if she somehow fell through. Shewasthe all-special Oracle after all…right?
“What is down there?” Lenna whispered, trying to avoid looking into the depths below. A wave of vertigo threatened, and she breathed through it, focusing on staring straight ahead, the off-kilter head rush thankfully passing as quickly as it came on.
“It tunnels down into the dungeons, treasure troves, and dragon dens. Only those who have permission from the ruler of the Obsidian Palace are granted entry.” Merrick slid a glance at her and winced as Lenna’s head whipped to his face, her eyes growing wide, her blood running cold.
“Dragons?”she hissed, the words ending in a squeak that caused a few fae near her to throw curious glances in her direction. “Dragons arereal?”
Merrick grunted his confirmation, before clearing his throat. “Shit, yes. Sorry. We probably should’ve mentioned that.”
Lenna stared incredulously at him, her stomach rolled, and she felt as if she might puke. Her head was heavyand light at the same time, her fingers cold and tingling. “And treasure troves. Treasure troves like where the Prism would be?” Dragons were real. The creatures of myth that supposedly burned down towns and wrecked ships lost at sea. The creatures that would scoop you from your yard if you talked back to your parents. Creatures that weremade-upby tired parents to scare young children into behaving.
Scrunching his nose, Merrick seemed slightly abashed as Lenna continued to glare at him. The gargoyle shuffled his feet. “Most likely it is but–”
He was cut off as trumpets began playing, three short blasts with a longer fourth note quivering through the room. The trumpets sounded again, and as if it were an order, the assembled court filed into the black stone pews, all standing and facing the dais. Merrick ushered Lenna to the middle of the room, closest to the entrance they had come through. Lenna looked around for Laurent, finding him standing at the foot of the dais, facing the assembled court.
A bright white light flared, and Lord Magnamus, Regent of the Obsidian Kingdom, waned into the throne room and stood before his court. He was fully fae, Lenna realized, which would make him the brother of the late King Scottrell. He looked no older than Lenna, but she mused with his fae lifespan, he must be hundreds of years into his life. His face was clean shaven, showing high cheekbones and elegantly curved, full, lips. He sported an icy white pallor, as if his royal skin never stepped directly into the sun. The Regent’s black hair was cut short to his head, and a thin crown of silver studded with blue gems adorned it.
“Be seated.” His voice, one of utmost authority, boomed through the room. The court sat. Only Laurent, Merrick and Lenna still stood. Laurent turned to face the Regent and bowed deep.
“Your Royal Highness, Regent Magnamus,” Laurent began, “may I present Lady Lenna, the Oracle of Terramere.”
Lord Magnamus took his seat upon his throne and leaned back. Without a reply to Laurent, he grunted, beckoning once towards where Lenna and Merrick stood.
