Fae Queen Rising (The Crown of Everguard #1)
Chapter One
I ’m glad he’s gone.
The thought jolts me awake. Either the thought itself or was it the squeak of the carriage door opening that wakes me? My hands fling out to steady myself but only meet with the soft, velvet cushions surrounding me.
“Leave it to you to be late for your own homecoming.” I melt into the seat; relief floods my body as Licia’s delicate features come into view. She sticks her head into the carriage even as it’s still coming to a halt. I take two deep breaths, the only thing that seems to work lately with the nightmares plaguing me ever since…
The fear tries to rear its ugly head but I swallow it down, happily replacing it with a swell of excitement; I’m home. I rush to gather my things and follow Licia back out of the carriage, eagerly glancing around to see who else awaits my arrival. Are Father and Mother here? Or perhaps Killian with my new nieces? Or Gryphon?
Licia pulls me into a warm embrace before I even have two feet on the ground. “It’s been too long, sister.” Despite the chill in the air, her arms are full of warmth and I sink into her. Tears threaten to spill at this small show of affection after such a whirlwind of the past few days, but now is not the time for me to fall apart. Stepping back, I glance around, noticing the only other people out here are the servants bustling around unpacking all my trunks from the carriage.
Surrounding us, the backdrop of the white travertine castle walls gleams to perfection. The walls themselves must be older than time itself—a reminder of the Fae people who ruled here before our family. But even now, the walls are an impressive combination of welcoming and imposing.
“Take these to our chambers,” Licia calls over her shoulder with all the authority of a princess old enough to know her worth and young enough to retain the confidence and air of someone in charge without consequences.
I turn toward the servants who are gathering the bags and trunks, thanking them quietly before following Licia. It will take time to get used to this.
Being back at the castle is so different from how things were in our cottage where I carried my own bags and made my own meals alongside Avicii. Licia though, doesn’t give the people scurrying around us much thought as she pulls me along into the castle.
The carriage did run later than expected. Father and Mother have a schedule to keep, so it makes sense they couldn’t await my late arrival. Killian barely leaves Father’s side, so I can imagine he’s busy as well. And there’s no way Gryphon would sit still waiting for a late carriage; I doubt these last ten years have tamed him. She tugs harder on our interwoven hands but then notices the confusion clear on my face. “They’re all at dinner. If we hurry, maybe we’ll get a small morsel. Of course, Father thought you’d be here hours ago. You should see tonight’s crowd.” She looks over her shoulder, making sure I’m keeping up. Her cheeks are full of a rosy hue that wasn’t there a moment before and a smile growing even wider than the one she gave me at my arrival. “Killian says Father has a big announcement. ”
Did Father wait for my arrival to announce Licia’s match? I can’t believe it’s taken this long, but he must finally be satisfied he’s found someone who’ll bring great advantage to our family. Everyone, until now, has fallen short of his mark. And now at thirty-four-years-old, I secretly worry she’ll live her entire life without marrying. Although in our letters, her retellings of her trysts would leave me blushing and out of breath, so I know she’s made every moment of her young and unattached life count for something, and there’s no cause to worry.
My feet move at their own accord as I take in the larger-than-life walls and their eloquence. The exact opposite of the small space and green hills where Avicii and I built our quiet life. I already feel lost. “I didn’t mean to inconvenience anyone, especially here at the castle. I wasn’t sure where else to go after—I didn’t mind staying at the cottage, but Father—” I’m babbling and I know it, but now, returning to the castle after all this time, feels like a failure. And returning as a failure to the entire village of Merula is a harrowing thought.
“Of course you had to come home, Rowandine. Don’t worry, you know Father. He has plans for his plans, and from what I hear, the next one is already in the works.” She bounces along toward the great hall, unphased by my hesitance.
“I was hoping I’d be able to retire to the healer’s ward,” I volunteer, missing the days spent helping courtiers and villagers alike. “Perhaps be there full time. I figured it’d be the best place for me, since, you know...” I repeat the words I’ve said to myself the whole ride here, knowing I’ve done my duty to my family and my kingdom, and now, this would be another way to do what I must for my people, but at least this time, working in the healer’s ward is something I want to do .
Licia looks over her shoulder at me. Even by her one glance I can tell she’s not as convinced as I am that this is my calling. “We’ll figure out what you really want. You’ve been gone for ten years, Roe. A lot has changed. You’ve changed. We’ll figure it all out before we’re both sent off into the world again, on the arms of new matches.” She looks wistfully over my shoulder, no doubt picturing hours from now when Father announces her match and the cheers ring out, toasting a new happy couple. I think to ask about who she’s recently been courting but she barrels on ahead, eager to weave through the impeccably clean, yet rather stark hallways to reach the feast that awaits us.
“I’m sure you’re right. Being back at the castle will make it easier.” Without missing a beat, I continue ambling behind Licia’s precise footsteps. But even as I agree with her, a sinking feeling begins in my stomach. I’m still unable to voice what “it” is. I don’t want to think about it at all. But being around family will certainly make for an easier transition.
Her loose curls bounce as she makes her way up another stairwell, leading us up several levels toward the magnificent feasting halls. With each rising step, my anticipation grows. From the top, the view from the halls looking out over the Caldertasi Bay is as breathtaking as I remember, a view unmatched by any other.
That was, until our cottage. The brilliant, close-up view of the Periserrat peaks stole my breath the first time Avicii led me up the narrow path serpentining back and forth across the peaks to our new home. The daunting mountain range loomed over our small plot. Even with the cottage positioned half-way up the western face of it, we still looked straight up into a rock face deemed nearly impassable to even the most adept travelers, which is why so many passed just by our home. It was as if our cottage was at the end of the world, the furthest western point of Everguard you could go before—if the stories are to be believed—the last of the Fae who’ve made those lands their home would snatch you up.
Licia turns, the flickering torchlight highlighting what the darkness outside did not. Her eyes narrow as they take in what they see.
My fingers travel up to my hair, attempting to twist some semblance of order through it. I know it’s in vain, though. Licia has always had the better hair. Although similar in color, hers always fell just the right way, and when Marlys would curl it for us, only Licia’s would behave.
“You look…” Her gaze travels from my messy hair, to my face, to my rumpled dress. I wait as she no doubt flips through all the words that would define how I look, trying to come up with one that isn’t too unkind. Her face falls and she sighs, unable to find something suitable. “You look like your husband just died.” Her tone fills with sympathy. “I wish we had time for you to settle in, but with the way the evenings have been going…” She lets me fill in the blanks. She licks her thumb and begins wiping the dirt smudges off my face.
“Licia! We’re not ten anymore!” I fail in the attempt to push her off me and concede to her ministrations. She makes quick work of taming my curls into submission by combing her fingers through them. “Well, good luck with that mess,” I grumble.
“It’s not so bad. But honestly, when was the last time you brushed this?” A laugh escapes me while she works. My hand comes to my mouth, stifling the sound but Licia doesn’t notice as she pulls and tugs strands into place.
When’s the last time I laughed out loud? The thought startles me.
Everything used to make me laugh. Even Avicii. Before everything fell apart .
She steps back, tilting her head and assessing her work. She pulls two strands out to frame my face and then turns back down the hall, satisfied. I hesitantly touch my hair, using my hands as eyes to see what she’s done, amazed by what she’s able to do with so little time, and then hurry after her.
If only I had a cupful of her natural beauty in instances like this.
It always surprises everyone when they find out we’re twins. Or at least, that I’m the twin to the beautiful and angelic Princess Licia. And every time, their look of disbelief is a dagger to my heart. It’s clear what they’re thinking. With her delicate features and pale skin, she favors our mother and brother much more than I do. And both her and Killian look so distinguished with Father’s strong nose. While I’ve always been a bit thicker and more awkward, traits that no one else in our family has and neither of which is smiled upon in a court that praises girls for their looks and quiet obedience.
I follow in my learned obedience. As a child, I could never run out of questions, always needing to know why or what for. But somewhere along the way, the importance of following along took precedence over my inquisitiveness. And now, we continue on our way. A nervousness rises within me for what we’ll find in the dining hall. “If only we could call Marlys to work her magic or at least wash the rest of the road off of you, but we’d miss dinner for sure if we did so.” Framed by the massive windows overlooking the ships docked in the bay, she turns back to me. Her deep blue eyes are apologetic, tracing over my dusty and wrinkled skirts, the mourning black now more of a gray at this point. I pause, attempting to brush out my skirts and tidy my appearance, but Licia grabs my elbow, encouraging me along .
“I’m sorry. For your loss, by the way.” She slows her pace to match mine and then reaches for my hand as if I never left. She’s looking at me, but I keep my eyes straight ahead. This is the part I’ve grown to hate. The sympathy in their eyes when they say those words to me. I can’t take their sympathy and I can’t take their sadness.
Not when it was all my fault.
I nod in acknowledgement of her condolences and squeeze her hand, but nothing more.
We wind our way through the castle halls and I’m only dimly aware of how everything looks exactly the same as when I left it. Golden banners drape haphazardly over the brilliant Fae murals spanning the walls as if only a temporary fix, even after all this time. A long, dark red carpet covers the blue mosaic tiles swirling with the majesty of a grand river beneath our feet every few strides. Extravagant riches hide the ornate beauty of our home, created by the monstrous creatures who once ruled here.
Licia turns left at the end of the fine hallway and I pause, instead wishing myself on the main level, ready to pass down the darkly lit hallway and travel past old office rooms and unused libraries down to the healer’s ward.
With one look at my face, she reads my mind. “Not even you would choose applying salves and changing bandages over a hot meal after your days on the road. Hurry, Rowandine.”
“Of course you’re right.” But that doesn’t stop my mind from wandering to the ward and what Thaliya is doing right now or if there’s been an influx of villagers since autumn’s arrival. But she’s right. There’s some place else I must be.
And as I turn, I hear it.