“Naria doesn’t remember anything from more than a week ago,” Arenn continued coolly. “So I’d appreciate it if you didn’t try to confuse her by speaking of the past.”
“Your bride doesn’t remember anything?” his mother spluttered. “But surely she still remembers us?” Her gaze darted between Arenn and me before it settled on her son. “And you? She remembers your love, doesn’t she?”
“Nothing,” he replied flatly.
“Oh, sweetheart.” Sweeping up her skirt, she hurried past me to comfort him. While he struggled against her affection, I kept my gaze between the trees as a very human-looking lady strolled up towards us.
Her hair was a long silvery-white, and her skin appeared paper-thin, as if the faintest wind might peel it from her bones. Despite this, there was a healthy glow in her cheeks and a bright smile on her mature face. Until her eyes fell upon me. Then her smile dropped.
“Why are you back here?” she demanded. “Where is Lukas?”
My breath caught.Lukas?Why did that name make my chest ache? Before I could ask more, a hand crashed down on my shoulder.
“I was under the impression that you were just a temporary guest.” Arenn’s glare was fixed on the pale woman, his tone making the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.
“Erissa may stay as long as she likes,” Arenn’s mother piped up as Erissa shot him a scowl.
“Your parents have been very kind to me.” She foldedher arms. “Besides, I’d rather not return to my dead husband’s palace. Even if I did, I doubt my son would want me there.” Her eyes flicked back to mine, softening slightly. “How is he? Is he coping alright?”
Wincing, I opened my mouth to speak. “I’m sorry, but I don’t know who—”
“Ignore her, human.” Arenn spun me away from the woman before I could finish. “And you,” he snarled over his shoulder, “stay away from my betrothed. If you want to hear about your son, leave here and find him yourself.”
My jaw clenched. There was something I was missing. It was obvious from the awkward looks flicking between the group and the way the twins dug their heels into the grass. But there was no point in thinking about it. Not with my mind just as blank as it had been seven days ago, and not with that awful headache chipping away at my skull.
“Elsie, would you be a dear and fetch the croquet set?” the Queen said, breaking the silence with a nervous grin.
“Good idea,” Arenn agreed, holding me tighter. “We can play in pairs. Erissa can leave.”
Erissa scoffed, but before she could protest, a familiar voice rang out across the garden.
“I’ll play with her!” Lyssandra hurried over to the group, her green skirt twirling around her knees. “I’m actually quite good at croquet.” She grinned.
Arenn threw his head back with a groan.
Faery croquet was much more intense than I was expecting. We’d been playing long enough for servants to appear with carts of canopies and wine for us to feast on, and apparently we’d still barely made it halfway through the game. Not that I was bothered about winning. My terrible aim, paired with the not-so-disguised cheating from the other players, meant that Arenn and I were very, very far behind.
“Let me help you,” Arenn’s voice buzzed in my ear. Sliding up behind me, he wrapped his arms around mine and clasped his hands over my grip on the mallet.
“I think I’ll manage.” Chest tightening, I squirmed out of his hold. Unfortunately, in the midst of my wriggling, my mallet nudged the ball, and we both watched as it rolled in the wrong direction once again. “Sorry.” I winced.
“It’s fine, human,” he chuckled, but there was hurt in his tone – hurt I doubted was from my bad shot. “I have all the time in the world to teach you.”
“Elara, you’ve left burn marks in the grass!” King Bevan’s booming voice made us both flinch. “Setting the ball on fire won’t make it reach the hoop faster!”
Giggles erupted from the twins who proceeded to use their magic to set an entire shrub aflame. At the sight, Bevan threw his mallet to the ground, and the two girls cackled wildly as he stamped his feet in a fit of rage.
“Arenn, dear?” Queen Amabel called over to us. “Would you be a darling and fix the plants? You know your father hates when anyone ruins his garden.”
“Precisely why I never let the twins in mine,” Arenn grumbled before leaving my side to deal with the mess.
I tilted my head at the scene. An enraged faery kingchasing two cackling girls around the garden. Arenn using his magic to fix a streak of charred grass. Erissa watching them all with a scowl—
“You never loved him at all, did you?”
I yelped, smacking my palm over my face. Turning around, I tried to steady my racing heart as Lyssandra stood before me, her slender arms folded across her chest.
“What are you talking about?” I wheezed.
