My jaw clenched so tightly I worried it wouldn’t release. “Apparently there is nothing. I’m your most humble servant, Your Majesty.” I was desperate to keep the hint of sarcasm out of my tone.
“It is settled then.” Lioran refilled my glass. “We trust you implicitly.”
“Right.” I took another swig of my drink to numb whatever feeling was creeping into my chest. I didn’t want to feel any of it.
“Need more?” he asked.
I slid the empty glass over to him.
CHAPTER THREE
ASHLYN
The door to my slender chamber refused to latch. I yanked it forcefully, desperate to close it behind me.
Privacy was rare in this small castle. It didn’t help that the only room they had available for me was off the main hall.
Lord Orion caught sight of me wrestling the door as he passed. “Do you need help?”
“You speak as if there’s any hope to be had for this door.” I sighed loudly, tugging on the curved metal handle again. Every bit of effort only drained me further. “I’m afraid there isn’t.”
“You just have to twist it and lift upwards and it’ll latch.” With a swift motion, he shut it making my earlier efforts look even more pathetic. “We’ve had problems with it for years, but most of us have gotten used to shutting it.”
“I suppose you would have.” My cheeks heated as I looked up at him.
He laughed.
I wished I could laugh about it too. The nature of theroom had only shifted. Instead of storing dusty stacks of paper, it now stored me.
“Thank you, truly.” I smiled as he swiftly proceeded back down the hall.
I navigated the crowded halls, moving between the fae that served the king’s court. There seemed to be even more of them with the new construction.
Warm air hit me as a guard pushed the door back. “Good day.”
I looked forward to his sentiment whenever he was stationed there. Most of them simply ignored me. “Good day.” It was doubtful that he even knew my name.
Golden light clung to the tips of massive trees, forming a ring of life around the castle. Their beauty stood out against the destruction left from the war.
Each one carried the weight of small cabin homes set into them. The inner circle was kept for those in the highest standing of Lioran’s court. I didn’t have to travel far down the path to reach the tree that held up Cora’s house.
I watched all who passed as I climbed the stairs stacked into the trunk of the tree. Halfway up the steps, I saw Cora’s fire-red hair. It tumbled over her olive cloak.
“What are you doing?” I hovered over her as her fingers ran over the stone.
“Thistlewood makes for an excellent tea. And it likes to grow in the most unlikely places.” She pinched the slender green stem with her nails until it severed. “Today must be my lucky day, because it’s growing right here. Would you care for a cup of tea?”
“Do you have mint instead?” A drink made from a weed people have probably stepped on didn’t sound enticing.
“Of course.” She lifted the basket off the steps, brushingher loose locks over her shoulder before she pushed the door open to her little home.
Two mugs already sat on the table.
“I just agreed to something big,” I said.
“How big?” She set down the few purple blooms she had picked.
“An introduction to the second eldest prince of Estlen to potentially arrange a political marriage… big.”
