Chapter 8
Eight
After Jasyn left to have lunch with his parents, Iskra sat idly in her room, with nothing to do for the rest of her day.
She planned to go to him after, but Mych had informed her he wanted his alone time.
The incident in the town square had still left him shaken, and he needed to re-energize.
With such an early prayer service, he hadn’t had a chance to follow his morning routine.
She wandered around the room at first, smelling the flowers Jasyn must have brought last night for Esi.
A pang of jealousy coursed through her. She wished he had waited and given them to her.
Then, she felt foolish. He didn’t know there was a difference between the woman he knew during the day and the one at night.
Instead of pacing herself to the point of boredom, Iskra took Mych’s offer to explore the glass castle.
It was, as anticipated, large. It felt like the building never ended.
When Bron noticed her leaving her room, he joined her.
No doubt, he would rather be relaxing in his room, especially after that strange encounter with Kryth, but for optics, he needed to follow.
Bron and Mych gave each other a knowing glance, like Mych understood the exact struggle of keeping watch of those of a higher rank.
She wondered if the two of them had spoken after Mych escorted Kryth off the grounds.
The upstairs floor housed many rooms. Mych told her and Bron they were mostly unoccupied guest rooms, so they all made their way down.
They took a spiral staircase into a green abyss.
It was like a forest had been lifted from the ground and planted inside, or perhaps the castle had been built around it.
“I would think it would be dangerous to have so much flammable material inside one’s home when those who occupy it have fire power,” Iskra commented.
Bron stalled for a moment, and Iskra looked back at him, narrowing her eyes. He cleared his throat and continued, but Iskra didn’t like the way he was acting. There was something he wasn’t revealing, and it had to do with Kryth, the minister, since Bron didn’t know Kryth’s truth.
Mych shrugged. “It’s not just Jasyn who feels connected to plants. They honor Slone and all the Weather Gods by giving them plants to sustain.”
It was room after room of plants and fountains and ponds. In one room, there was a large pool. Iskra took off her silk shoes and dipped her toes in the water. It was cold, and small fish immediately rushed toward her, nibbling her feet.
What Iskra loved the most was that throughout their exploration of the castle, the sun always warmed her skin, unlike in the shop, where she was always shrouded in shadow.
“When will the king and queen return?”
Bron and Mych stopped whispering, and she almost felt guilty for disturbing them.
“Soon,” Mych responded. “At least, that’s my best guess. A party is scheduled in three days’ time, and they never miss one.”
“I’m sure they throw the most extravagant events,” Iskra said almost longingly. She doubted she would be able to attend this party. Esi would step in for it, should the event take place at night.
“Extravagant and long. It will start as soon as the sun rises and end once it rises again the next day. Drinks, dancing, debauchery.” He winked at Bron.
“Lady Esi will be on her best behavior,” Bron stressed.
“And you?” Mych questioned.
“I will be on duty.”
“That doesn’t answer the question.”
Iskra bit her bottom lip to keep the smile from crossing her face, but Bron seemed to notice it anyway and gave her a reprimanding look back.
Iskra linked her arms with Mych’s. “I think you're a good influence.”
“It’s because someone needed to push Jasyn out of his comfort zone all these years.
I’m glad you’ll be taking the mantle now, though.
It will give me time to focus on other things.
” Mych turned back to look at Bron, and Iskra snorted.
Then, sadness took her by the throat as she tried to swallow down the reality she kept forgetting about.
If all went how it was meant to, she would be dead in a few weeks.
Walking around the castle had exhausted her, so for the first time since she agreed to this mess, she allowed herself to lay in the large, four-poster bed.
The silk sheets were so smooth, they felt like water on the skin, and the canopy curtains were luckily a soft-white and made of mesh netting, allowing her to see through them.
It didn’t feel like a cage when she enclosed herself.
She fell asleep to the sounds of birds and windchimes.
She startled awake from the sound of voices in the hall. Shooting out of the bed, her face blanched. The sun was about to dip beyond the horizon. She would be shifting soon, and she needed to get in that cage before the castle had a very large problem.
Knocks sounded from the door, and she stilled.
“Who is it?”
“Me,” Bron said, and he didn’t bother getting her permission before he charged inside. “She’s late.”
Iskra knew he meant the real Esi. Iskra fumbled with her shoes before she headed to the balcony. She didn’t have time to dawdle.
She was climbing down the sheets when Bron started coming down with her.
“What are you doing?” she hissed quietly, careful not to cause a raucous.
“Finding her.”
“I’m sure she’s heading this way,” she reassured him. “Go back inside.”
He didn’t listen to her, and Iskra’s stomach tightened. She needed to lose him before things went awry.
They were walking through an arched tunnel that led off the grounds when Iskra almost bumped into Esi. They both yelped in shock, but Esi recovered much faster than Iskra, who was breathing heavily from stress.
“Where were you?” Iskra seethed. “You should have been at the castle almost an hour ago.”
Esi laughed. “Relax.”
Iskra wanted to throttle the woman, but Bron stepped in before the tension could turn to violence. “We should head back before someone decides to knock on your door.”
“Yes, please go,” Iskra begged. She needed to leave. Now.
“What is all this worrying about?”
Iskra could smell alcohol on Esi’s breath.
“You need to freshen up, too,” Iskra warned, but Esi just giggled.
They were all so distracted by the conversation, they didn’t hear the footsteps approaching them.
“And you need to get back to the shop before we cause a fright.”
Iskra’s heart stopped at Kryth’s voice, more commanding and brutal in this form than the one he used as minister. When she turned to him, he held a cage. Her cage.
“Why do you act like she’s a prisoner?” Esi asked brazenly. Her drunkenness was making her bold, and it would only get Iskra in trouble.
“She is mine,” Kryth replied with such a lack of emotion, it made Iskra feel like she was nothing but a leaf in the wind.
“We should go,” Iskra said to Kryth.
He shook his head. “We don’t have time.”
“Time for what?” Bron’s voice was hard, his body going into defense mode. “And why do you have that cage?”
“Turn around,” Iskra begged again, her voice wavering. “Please, go.”
No amount of pleading would matter. She could feel a tingle starting at her burn mark; the scales wanted to claw their way out. Kryth opened the cage door, and she reached out.
“What’s happening?” Esi hiccupped, but her tone was no longer loose and bright—it bubbled with concern.
“Our Iskra has had a great honor bestowed upon her,” Kryth explained. “She will fight in the Undertaking.”
“She wants to be queen?” Bron asked.
Kryth’s smile was cold. “Worse. She will want to kill all the competitors.”
Sun Court citizens didn’t know the dragons in the Undertaking were actually shifters, humans in another form. But all the clues in front of him had Bron piecing it together. His face slackened as he volleyed his gaze between Iskra and Kryth.
“You’re the minister.” His eyes assessed Kryth closely, and Iskra could tell Bron saw it hidden beneath his current features. “How—”
But Iskra didn’t have time to explain before her body shifted and entered the cage. The last glimpse she got was of Esi and Bron’s shocked open mouths, their faces white with horror.