Queen Erissa?This hollow wisp of a woman was Queen Erissa? My jaw hit the floor.
“Tell no one of what you saw here, Your Highness,” the servant gripping the trembling queen’s arm warned. “The King will have all our heads if word of his wife’s condition spreads around the palace.”
“How long has she been like this?” I asked. I’d never treated mental wounds like this before, but perhaps there was something I could do to help.
The servant just shook her head. “Too long for any of your Corlixin potions to make a difference now. The best thing for her is bed rest.”
“Bed rest…” I repeated. “Then let me help with that. I’ll deliver the sleeping powder tomorrow. I can find the flowers I need in the palace grounds, and everything else is in my bedchamber. To make a batch won’t take long at all.”
Erissa stared up at me, rivers of glassy tears streaming down her cheeks. “Thank you, dear child. There is kindness in this damned place after all.”
The head servant flashed me one last pitiful look before hauling the Queen away.
CHAPTER 10
Aweek later, I awoke to the harsh morning light in my bedchamber, still laced up in yesterday’s uncomfortable gown. Beside me, Raena was sprawled out across my bed, also wearing the same silver ruffled gown as yesterday, but clutched in her hand was a silver chess piece. Our game last night must’ve continued for a little too long, with neither of us allowing the other to win. For a highborn girl who insisted she’d spent her whole life preparing only to please her future husband, she was surprisingly good at chess.
Our late-night games were also useful for another purpose. They served as an excellent distraction from my current predicament. Dinners with Lukas had become terribly awkward after our exchange in the gardens. Thankfully, most nights he didn’t show up at all, choosing instead to take dinner alone in his chambers. However, on the few nights that I was unfortunately graced with his princely presence, we’d spend the entire meal sitting in silence while he scowled at me across the table. I’lladmit, I didn’t even realise it was possible to scowl while eating, but apparently Lukas had mastered that skill.
Deciding to leave Raena to sleep, I wandered absentmindedly to the window. My gaze drifted from the purple spires of Corlixir and over to the vast forests. Somewhere, hidden within the trees, was the village where I’d grown up, and perhaps hidden more deeply, was the faery kingdom.
I shuddered just thinking about it. Seraphina had insisted I’d been lied to about the true nature of the fae, but still, I couldn’t get that twisted, blue faery from the portrait out of my head. Even if the faeries could form some kind of alliance with me, could I even bear to be in the same room with one long enough to sign a contract?
My attention was pulled away from the window by a shuffling sound behind me. Turning to face the noise, I was greeted by a half-asleep Raena, rubbing her eyes while desperately trying to smooth out the crinkles in her dress.
“Goodness, look at the state of us!” she complained as she caught sight of her tangled hair in the vanity mirror. “The servants will need at least a few hours to fix all this,” she tsked, pushing herself up from the bed.
“Sorry for keeping you up so late,” I apologised, wincing at the chess board.
“Nonsense.” Raena shot me her usual cheery smile. “At least I was finally able to beat you!”
“Oh, I didn’t realise you—”
My mouth clamped shut as Raena furrowed her brow in mock anger.
“Nevermind.” I shook my head as we both chuckled. It was so lovely to have a friend here, and after we’d spent so much time together over the past few days, I felt like I could tell her anything. Even something that perhaps I should’ve kept to myself.
“Can I ask you something, Raena?” I started while moving towards her. My skirts bunched up uncomfortably as I perched on the end of the bed. Someday I’d figure out how to navigate the world in these extravagant dresses.
“Of course,” she replied, taking a seat next to me and effortlessly smoothing her gown.
“What do you know about faeries?” I asked.
By the way her body tensed, I could tell the question had caught her off guard.
“Faeries…” she murmured quietly. “My family never really spoke of them, but I know they exist, or at least they used to. I’ve never seen one in the flesh. Why do you ask? Do you think there’s one here in the palace?” She glanced around nervously.
So she’d heard the stories too…
Quickly, I shook my head. “I don’t think so.”
A brief silence fell between us as Raena continued to study my blank expression, her lips thinning until eventually she slipped. “What aren’t you telling me?”
“Nothing,” I said, perhaps a bit too eagerly.
Raena tilted her head back with playful laughter. “Come on, you wouldn’t just ask me about faeries without a good reason. Did you perhaps encounter one in the garden? Is that why the prince was so angry? Was he jealous?”
A breath caught in my throat.
