When they reached the tavern door, Vorrik stepped forward, clearing his throat.
“We know Luna knows something about you,” he said gently. It was much different than his usual gruffness.
Gentle Vorrik made Essie feel more anxious. It felt strange—like when a teacher scolded you, afraid to be too harsh on royalty. She hated that feeling.
Lyssara crossed her arms, her expression somewhere between vexed and protective. “And we know you’re not ready to tell us. So we’re not pushing.” She sighed. “Doesn’t mean we’re not worried, though.”
Nythir nodded, though his scowl remained firmly in place. Esther worried his face would get stuck like that.
Sable opened the door from inside, her smile bright—until she caught the tension in the group. Her expression softened, quickly replaced by a frown.
“What the hell did Luna do now? You all look ready to burn a castle down.”
“Careful. You just had your jowls magically removed,” Vorrik said, back to his usual tone.
Nythir glanced at Esther, brushing his hand lightly against hers. “We respect your privacy. We’ll wait for you to tell us in your own time.”
The words hit her harder than expected—soft and warm and a little painful.
Wait. She wasn’t going to be able to lie forever. She knew this, but didn’t know when to reveal her secret.
“Thank you,” she murmured, anxiety spiraling. She felt that when she told them, it would be the end of this chapter of their journey. She didn’t want it to end.
She regretted lying. The web was spun, and she was a bug stuck in it, waiting for its demise.
Lying had never been part of her lessons. Silence, yes. Deflection, certainly. But this—carrying truth alone while people stood close enough to catch her if she fell—made her chest ache. Secrets were easier when no one cared.
Luna appeared behind Sable, gorgeous as ever. “Essie. Upstairs. Now.”
The entire group stiffened as if someone had just threatened their collective mother. Luna had a lot of practice ordering adults around, and for a moment, Esther felt as if she were back in her etiquette lessons.
Silently, she followed Luna up the narrow staircase, heart thudding and head hung.
Upstairs, the room was small and warm, filled with the smell of spiced tea and candles. Esther scowled at her worst enemy. Luna shut the door with a quiet finality that made Esther’s heart skip a beat.
“You’ve grown,” Luna said softly, her voice tinged with memories Esther couldn’t quite place.
The words landed strangely.
Luna looked young—unfairly so—but her eyes carried a depth Esther had only seen in people who had lived through things they never spoke about. For the first time, Esther wondered if Luna had known her mother not as a queen… but as a woman.
The thought tightened something in her chest.
Before Esther could ask what she meant, Luna moved to a desk and opened a drawer. She pulled out a thin gold bracelet etched with delicate vine-like lines. At first glance, it looked like a runespire, but something about it felt different. It radiated a soft, warm hum.
“Your mother left this with me when you were just a baby,” Luna said, stepping close. “She said I’d know when to give it to you.”
Esther’s breath hitched. “My mother?”
Luna gently took Esther’s wrist and fastened the bracelet around it. The metal hummed faintly, warm against her skin. It pulsed softly, in rhythm with her heartbeat.
Controlling her emotional sparks.
The steadiness was comforting—and unsettling. Control had always been imposed on her, not offeredwithher consent. Esther couldn’t tell yet whether this was protection or another kind of cage.
“It will help steady your magic,” Luna explained. “Not suppress it. Just control the overflow when your emotions run too hot.”
Esther swallowed hard. “She knew I’d need this?”
