Chapter 9
Chapter Nine
Azurill
Shaking my head, I made my way over to where Zumra was eyeing me, as indiscreet as Elvenly possible. I needed to get the encounter with Lady Jacinth out of my head, and the superficial conversation this particular lady would provide would undoubtedly not help much.
The moment she’d walked into the throne room earlier was like flashing back to the past. Her hair and eye color were so alike those of the prior ruling family of Pearl that it was uncanny. It felt like the past was haunting me for a moment before reason finally caught up with me.
Those from Ruby Court had ended up with pink eyes and hair before, after all. Red wasn’t so far from pink, and all it took was one pairing of red and white for it to happen. The variation had shown up in other courts before. That was totally normal, I reminded myself.
What was more concerning was that she was here on behalf of Lord Carnelian, whose snakelike eyes were glued to our every step on the dance floor. Ruri’s warnings echoed in my head, despite trying to tell myself there was no reason to believe them yet.
But my heart ached for my lost brother, and I couldn’t rule out that Carnelian might have done something.
Even if he hadn’t, it was clear he wanted to. Either this girl was a spy, or she was a lure, trying to win a crown and get a member of Carnelian’s bloodline on the throne. Whichever it was, I had to resist. I wouldn’t allow Carnelian’s machinations to ruin what my forefathers had built.
But those pink eyes…there was something haunted about them that drew me in, wanting to know more.
And her personality was indeed as charming as I’d expect of Erodite herself.
Perhaps I should have compared her to Fortuna, since she was from Ruby Court, but the pink hair screamed Pearl, and I found it an apt comparison.
A beautiful lure was a distinct possibility.
She was undeniably gorgeous, with wide eyes, delicate features, and a body that sculptors would ache to replicate.
But her conversation hadn’t seemed contrived at all, and I had to admit that she was much less proper than I’d expected of a lady from Ruby.
Faiza had even seemed to enjoy being in her company.
Perhaps I could get her to tell me more, and figure out what exactly Lady Jacinth’s plans were, and how worried I should be.
Emerald-green banished my thoughts of cotton candy-pink as I approached a practically vibrating Lady Zumra.
She didn’t speak, honoring the court custom of the king having to make the first move.
I nearly rolled my eyes at the ancient rules, appreciating more when those little ones were ignored.
The newer generations were more apt to do so, but some nobles refused to advance with the times.
“Lady Zumra,” I greeted her, holding out a hand reluctantly, and putting on a facade that would make me seem less displeased as I did so. “Would you honor me with a dance?”
“Your Majesty,” She curtsied, emerald-green eyes glittering with satisfaction as she took my hand, “I would be honored.”
I walked her onto the dance floor and placed my hand around her waist while hers found my shoulder, our other hands clasping together.
We began to move, and she, of course, perfectly danced each step, but yet I couldn’t help thinking she lacked the natural grace in her movements that my last dance partner had possessed.
“I’m so thrilled to be representing Emerald Court in this competition, Your Majesty.” She smiled up at me, some cross of sultry and polite courtliness that didn’t quite achieve either. “I confess I have long wished to be able to get to know you on more…familiar terms.”
“It’s an honor to have you among the competitors.” I smiled blandly. “I’m looking forward to getting to know all of you better.”
“I know you’ll find me a most adept choice of Diamond Queen, Your Majesty.
” She squared her shoulders, looking determined.
“I have been trained to be a perfect wife since I was a child. I have the looks to stand beside you and create a child that would carry on the traditional look of the high kings. Not unlike your own mother. Your father chose well, ensuring his wife’s coloring would not taint his own. ”
Her words left me speechless. While women had often tried listing off their many characteristics to me in the hope of being chosen as my queen, none had ever brought my parents into it, claiming my father chose my mother for such a ridiculous reason.
Unfortunately, my silence only allowed her to continue.
“Her sapphire hue certainly darkened your own, but it maintained the blue-green coloring perfectly.” She smiled, looking pleased with herself. “My own emerald coloring will balance that sapphire with green and ensure another generation.”
“I appreciate your perspective, Lady Zumra.” I finally forced myself to say politely, despite wanting to walk away without another word. “Though, I will consider all competitors equally, regardless of coloring.”
“Of course, Your Majesty.” She smiled, but her bearing screamed her insincerity.
Her shoulders were stiff as we danced, but she forced herself to relax after a few moments.
“I know you will choose the correct wife. After all, you will have to spend the rest of your life with them, and trust them to run your household.”
I nearly sighed miserably. I had hoped to trust them with more than that.
To have a partner who could help me with everything.
Someone who could be an equal. My only hope now was finding someone in this competition who could be that.
Sadly, with only eight competitors, one of whom wasn’t a real option, I didn’t have much hope to work with.
I knew Faiza and I would never work. She was more like a little sister to me than anything else. Not to mention that she had no desire to be queen. She’d only agreed to this for lack of any other options from Diamond, but I’d never force her into something that would make her miserable.
Listening to Zumra go on and on now, I was surer than ever that my own misery was guaranteed.
When the song ended, I had to hide my gleeful smile that it was over, “Lady Zumra, I thank you for the dance.”
“It was an honor, Your Majesty.” She smiled, but it dipped as I kissed her hand as quickly as possible, moving back and nodding at her. Arianell found me right away, leaning in to whisper in my ear.
“After your dance with Lady Jacinth, you need to put a bit more effort into not looking miserable, I’m afraid.” She sounded amused, her expression showing that even more clearly as I pulled back to look at her, my eyebrows creased in confusion.
“What do you mean?” I asked, tilting my head to the side slightly.
“You seemed to enjoy the dance with her. Laughing, smiling, and whispering into her ear.” She raised her brows with a growing smirk. “Your interaction with Lady Zumra by comparison was quite obviously cold.”
I groaned, tipping my head back in aggravation. “It wasn’t like that. I’m trying to figure her out.”
“Oh, I bet you are,” she replied sarcastically, opal eyes shimmering with mirth.
“Not like that,” I snapped back, tasting the partial lie like ash on my tongue, “She could be a spy, for Veritx’s sake. We need to know if Lord Carnelian is up to something. Ruri can’t investigate her in the same way I can. I’ll leave him to handle the lords, and I’ll handle her.”
“Mhm.” Arianell hummed, looking entirely unconvinced. “Well, for now, you need to investigate elsewhere, Lady Safira in particular. You can handle Lady Jacinth again later.”
I just barely managed to prevent myself from letting my eyes roll, both at Arianell and her suggestion. Safira was just as bad as Zumra, only without the same level of overconfidence. But I dutifully made my way over to her, asking her to dance. Sweeping onto the floor, she smiled brightly at me.
“This must all be quite tiring for you, Your Majesty. Especially with all that’s gone on.” She looked sympathetic, her brows creasing and lips turning down, but her words came out unnaturally, making me think they hadn’t been hers at all.
“Dancing with eight beautiful ladies of the realm?” I raised my brows, and her mouth opened and closed for a moment before she finally settled on an answer.
“Dancing with us all while grieving,” she replied softly, looking down at her feet as she followed the steps of the dance to avoid my gaze.
I knew she’d lost her mother five years ago, and her father had been wrecked ever since. I felt for her, truly. Despite many of the ladies' actions at court, no doubt spurred on by their father’s, they were Elves with hearts that bled just the same.
“I thank you for the concern, Lady Safira,” I told her earnestly. “Grief has a way of dulling the edges of everything in your life.”
“Yes, it does,” she agreed softly, her hand beginning to play with the diamonds hanging from my shoulder. “I think we could truly comfort one another in our grief, Your Majesty. As your wife, I would always be there to support you.”
An uncomfortable feeling crawled along my skin. It always came back to this. Even a genuine moment of warmth was stolen away by the games of court.
“I suppose we will see how the challenges go, my Lady,” I told her, since it seemed to be the only response I could muster with any sincerity.
After several more dances with the ladies competing for my hand—who was I kidding, competing for the crown—I finally managed to steal away for a break. I grabbed a glass of champagne and drank it all down in one go before grabbing another and escaping into one of the alcoves.
“Your Majesty.” A musical voice greeted me, and I nearly swore, so much for escaping. Looking up, I found Lady Sania sitting on an emerald-green sofa, her orange hair done in long curls that framed a delicate face with wide eyes, watching me with an amused smile quirking her pouty lips.
Taking her in, her hair and eye color slowly shifted in my mind’s eye to candy pink, the color of the court her father ruled over. I shook myself quickly out of it, but the way everything pearl-related reminded me of Jacinth couldn’t continue.
Dammit, I shouldn’t even be calling her that.
Lady Jacinth was the proper address. Flirting with her to find out her secrets was fine, but the genuine amusement and delight she stirred was a problem I needed to get a hold of quickly.
Especially when I knew her coloring would give me nightmares, bringing back memories of a time in my life I wanted to forget.
What I’d done might have been able to be hushed up among the other courts, but it never left my mind.
Besides, she was here for her lord, who wouldn’t hesitate to stab me in the back if I turned for a moment. She was likely the same. Every single person at court was only working for their own advancement.
“Lady Sania, forgive me, I thought I was alone.” I gave her a tight smile, which made her own broaden.
“Clearly.” She patted the sofa cushion beside her, and I slowly moved to sit beside her, leaving enough room for propriety’s sake.
“I promise I won’t bite, Your Majesty.” She giggled, and the sound warmed something within me. I had always been a sucker for a pretty face, I could readily admit. My attention on them may not last long, but the women never complained when they got it.
“What a shame.” I teased her as I sank back into the sofa, my arm resting along the back of it as I tilted my body toward her.
She blushed prettily, the red on her cheeks making me smirk, and I lowered my eyes to survey her. She was wearing a pale pink ball gown with lines of actual pearls running down the skirt and a velvet bodice that hugged her breasts and lifted them.
“You looked as if you needed to hide,” she said once she gathered herself, shifting in her seat. She alternated between looking down at her hands in her lap and up at me. The shift in conversation left me curious.
“Are you hiding here, my Lady?” I asked, raising a brow at her.
She bit her lip for a moment, and my eyes were drawn to the movement. “Perhaps. Or maybe I was just waiting for the right moment.”
I chuckled, cocking my head to the side, “And is this the right moment?”
“It certainly seems to be, Your Majesty,” she countered, an impish little smile on her face.
Unlike Lady Zumra or Lady Safira, her flirting was more subtle.
More like Jac’s—Jacinth’s—than the others.
Though I had yet to dance with them all.
Perhaps there were more ladies who knew how to properly flirt rather than shove their expectations in my face.
“And what does the right moment mean to you?” I asked her, leaning a bit closer, just to watch her blush again. This was a candidate I could flirt with without any of the complexities Ruby Court brought with it.
She cocked her head to the side, making the orange hair piled on top of her head shift slightly, while the curls hanging below it fell to the side, exposing her lily-white neck.
“I suppose it means having a chance to be alone with you. When there are so many of us all competing for your attention, it’s quite a challenge,” she explained, keeping her eyes lowered coquettishly.
“Well, you have me alone.” I waved my arm, indicating the space around us was empty. “What now?”
She turned fully to face me then, her skirts ruffling with the movement and giving me a glimpse of matching pale pink heels. As pretty as the color was, I found myself wishing for a more vibrant shade.
“Why don’t you tell me what you’re looking for, Your Majesty?” She smiled slightly, fluttering her lashes over keen orange eyes.
I observed her quietly for a moment, debating whether to answer. The last thing I wanted was for these ladies to try to turn themselves into someone they thought I’d choose. I wanted to know their true selves, not a persona they’d don to win.
“Where would the fun of the challenge be if I told you, my Lady?” I smirked at her. “You’ll just have to figure that out yourself.”
Her lips twisted in what seemed to be an uncharacteristically sharp movement, but it disappeared as quickly as it came. The fierce look was so at odds with her demure attitude, I was sure I had to have imagined it.
Still, I knew no one in this game could be trusted. I would be keeping a wary eye on all of them until we found the truth of what had happened to my brother.