But he remained silent, and for a moment, he watched me in that all-assessing way of his. “I asked if you would tell me which House you want to visit?” he said slowly.
“Oh, House Torleaf.”
His frown grew. “Why Torleaf, if you don’t mind my asking?”
“Actually,” I infused more false cheer into my tone, “I would prefer if you didn’t ask.”Because if you do, I may be forced to alter your thoughts so you don’t suspect anything.
His frown smoothed, his eyes shuttering. “Is everything all right?”
His quiet question pierced me like an arrow, and it took everything in me not to snap at him. Instead, I said in a syrupy-sweet tone, “Everything’s fine. It’s just something I need to do, and I would prefer if I didn’t have to explain all of my actions to you.”
Once again, his face gave away nothing, but I could have sworn that something passed behind his eyes. “When do you want to go?”
CHAPTER EIGHT
The sun shone brightly as Kole and I rode on an enchanted carpet away from the palace because apparently, mistphasing wasn’t happening.
When I’d told my parents my plans at breakfast to leave the palace for the day, my parents had suggested that I use a carpet instead of mistphasing. They said it would be good if I made more appearances in the capital as they thought it would be helpful if I smiled and greeted those I passed instead of spending all of my time mistphasing to the libraries as I had been.
It was all part of their public relations campaign to make me appear harmless following the council meeting only a few days ago, in which character witnesses had been called forth to testify on my behalf.
Except, so much had changed since then, and I was definitelynotharmless anymore.
But it was imperative I didn’t reveal that.
The enchanted carpet flew steadily through the streets. Wind breezed over my cheeks, and at my side, Kole sat closely. Every time we sailed around a corner, his thigh brushed against mine. He was warm and solid. It reminded me so much of our time together when I’d been hunting the Stone.
But even reveling in memories of that wasn’t happening. Each lane we traveled down garnered attention. Some fae stared blatantly. Others gasped or spoke behind cupped hands to those around them. Even though I hadn’t been a princess long, word had spread throughout the capital that the dead third daughter of the Mistvale royals was back.
I waved to everyone, my smile wide, and entirely forced with cheer. But all I could think of was what they would do if they learned of the monster I’d become.
My smile grew stiff, and my back was ramrod straight, but I tried to appear friendly and guileless.
“Don’t let them intimidate you.” Kole glared at everyone who so much as dared look at me wrong. “You’re good, Primelle. Honest. Strong. True. They should be honored to have you help lead their kingdom, and if they don’t realize that now, they will soon.”
My chest tightened. All I could manage was a nod. Kole still believed in me unfailingly. Yet, he didn’t know what lurked within me.
It was on the tip of my tongue to tell him, to spill everything that’d happened. I wanted him to know. I didn’t want to lie to him or anyone else, but the second the thought even formed in my mind, my uncle’s magic seized me.
My tongue froze. My mind stilled. My entire body juststopped.
Inside, I screamed and railed, but once again, I was a prisoner in my own body.
We careened around another corner, moving steadily north in the capital, and when our carpet sailed around the last turn, the widened lane to the kingdom’s ten Houses spread out before us.
Like all the kingdoms on the Silten continent, ten Houses presided over the land. The Houses had been in existence eversince the Elvish wars ended so many centuries ago. The Houses held power. Might. Like the royals, the Houses also ruled our society since they owned the majority of the businesses and the land. They also oversaw all of the fae who worked beneath them.
Prior to my birth origins being shared with me, I’d never given the Houses much thought. They were all powerful nobles, wealthy and elite, yet in my day-to-day life, they hadn’t affected me. Yet now, my very existence was focused on them. They’d become my epicenter.
“Can I ask now what it is you want to speak with House Torleaf about?” Kole said just as the great House came into view. “Or am I still not allowed to ask questions?” His voice was teasing, more like the Kole I’d come to know since we’d confessed our feelings to one another.
Knowing I couldn’t avoid his curiosity forever, I replied with a shrug, “It’s about the mines.” My uncle’s command buzzed inside me. I could speak of what he wanted, but I couldn’t reveal why I was doing so.
I felt, rather than saw, Kole’s stare. “What mines?”
“Ah, we’re here,” I replied in a strained voice.
The carpet veered us up a wide path through House Torleaf’s front gates. The fae guards posted at the estate’s entry both bowed as I passed.
