20. Let The Show Begin
20
Let The Show Begin
Aliza
E ven though I knew exactly why I’d been summoned, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I’d been caught doing something terribly wrong. Sage hadn’t laid the blame for the witch’s death on me, but maybe Granny would see it differently. I’d never been a troublemaker, let alone a cold-blooded killer, so I wasn’t quite sure what to do about my writhing guts as I tapped on the door.
“Enter!”
I cringed at the imperious call but took a deep breath before shrugging on my coat and striding into the room. I’d had the foresight to stow my potion in the chest of clothes I’d be taking with me. Things were bad enough as it was. Nobody needed to know I’d been thinking along those lines. Nobody needed to wonder what I had in mind for my time in the winter wonderland that was the fae kingdom of Tir o Gaeaf.
Granny sat in her usual chair, cane in hand, watching my needlessly sheepish approach with keen, lined eyes. As ever, Sage lurked at her shoulder, impassive and unruffled. She too had donned fur, though hers was a dull brown collar attached to an equally lacklustre cloak. My coat was a shaggy creation which had once looked amazing with my hair, in my humble opinion. As it was, my new locks wouldn’t have looked out of place with Sage’s miserable attire. Regret twinged in my gut. Mine, for once, definitely not Idris’ emotion making its way down our bond.
The princes lingered nearby, a healthy distance separating the brothers. Both had dressed for our destination, but my eyes lingered on Anwir’s hair. The prince had taken my advice, and now sported a shorter cut, identical to Idris’. It might have been jarring if not for the familiar rogue lock that fell into the latter’s eyes. Anwir, it seemed, didn’t possess that endearing feature.
Anwir gave me an encouraging smile. Fake. Everything about him was plastic.
“Well, Aliza. You’ve been causing quite the ruckus, I hear.” The old witch’s head quirked, owl-like and curious.
I glanced at the others. Was I actually in trouble? Was I about to be sentenced to life imprisonment?
Granny twisted awkwardly in her seat, peering up at Sage. “I told you she had spirit, didn’t I?”
“Yes, Granny. You were right, as ever.”
Was that a compliment? It was impossible to say when it came to those two.
“Honestly. Vampire attacks. Running away. This whole business with the botched execution, and now you execute a spy. You have the coven in uproar, my dear. You’re all anyone could talk about over breakfast.”
“I’m sorry.” Execution, self-defence, murder; it all led to the same destination. A witch was dead at my hand. My apology was inadequate, but what else could I say ?
Granny hooted. “It was high time somebody breathed life into this old castle. And now look! Off to save the world. I only wish my old legs were up to the journey, but Sage will do marvellously in my stead, won’t you, dear?”
“I’ll do my best.”
Confusion clouded my mind. Was Granny… proud? Of me?
“Always modest, this one. Not a quality I find admirable, might I add. There’s no sense downplaying one’s abilities and achievements.” She fixed me with a stare that seemed to see right down to my soul. “You, for instance, Aliza. You have proven yourself quite capable. Do not doubt yourself now.”
Had they been talking about me, or did the old witch read minds? Or was it just glaringly obvious that I was no match for what we were up against and needed all the bolstering I could get?
“Actually, if it hadn’t been for Idris, I would never have escaped Maelgwyn.”
“ Prince Idris, my dear,” she reprimanded. “One must not get familiar and let courtesy slide. You are to be a queen when all of this is done.”
Anwir gave a brief nod of approval. Thank god Idris and I were the only ones who knew exactly how familiar we’d become. My ears heated, and I ran my fingers through my hair, making sure it hid any evidence of my embarrassment.
Granny followed the movement. “Your hair is much better like this. That other nonsense was unbecoming.”
My temper lifted its head, sniffing the air. “Actually, I hate it like this. It’s boring. ”
Idris shifted his weight from one foot to the other, and my guts twisted with guilt that didn’t belong to me. Would I ever get used to feeling someone else’s emotions? My own were more than enough for me.
“It looks lovely, Aliza,” Anwir interjected, his tone placating. “Anyway, shall we get going? Lady Celyn is expecting us at dinner.”
“Wait, what about the rifts? I said I’d only do this if the rifts were guarded. I’m not leaving until I know it’s done.”
Sage stepped forward. “I’ve already sent out a team of my best witches. They’ll be at The Blood Gate within days.”
“And I promised I’d take care of the other rifts as soon as I’m able,” Anwir said, fixing me with an earnest gaze that I trusted even less than his words.
“Which witches?” I demanded of Sage. “Do I know them?”
“You remember Aspen?”
“Red hair?” I asked, casting my mind back to the never-ending stream of horrors that had been breaking the curse.
Sage gave a curt nod. “Correct. She is leading the team.”
Right, well, in that case… I glanced around the room searching for an excuse not to embark on this next round of adventures. Adventure to me meant a holiday in a new, all-inclusive resort, maybe a few excursions and a local cocktail nobody had ever heard of. Not battling overpowered fae bastards with terrifying gods at their side. Not for the first time in recent weeks, I wondered how on earth this could be my life.
“Does this meet with your satisfaction?” Anwir asked with a half-smile .
I scowled at him. He was fooling nobody with his flirtatious warmth, least of all me. I’d fallen for it once before. Never again.
“For now.” I injected ice into my voice, just in case he believed his charms would work on me. “Let’s get this over with then.”
I took an instinctive step toward Idris, bracing my nerves for another bout of teleportation. I shouldn’t have eaten those cookies.
“With me, I think.” Anwir held out his hand.
The weight of my coming ordeal settled on my shoulders like a boulder. From the moment we arrived in Tir o Gaeaf, I would have to make everyone believe I was head over heels in love with Anwir. There could be no more room for hostility. Every waking moment would be dedicated to lies and acting. Was this what it was like to be Anwir? Did he never tire of the constant fakery?
“Fine.” I stepped away from Idris, crossing to Anwir’s side. I looked back at my friend. His eyes were on me, though his expression gave nothing away. Blindly, I held out my hand to the wrong brother. Idris blinked and looked away.
Anwir’s warm, soft hand closed around mine.
“Farewell, Aliza with an A,” Granny said. “May the Mother smile upon you, Prince Anwir.”
“Bye, Granny.” The words had barely left my mouth when the image of the old witch and her lair were ripped away, plunged into crushing darkness. My empty lungs screeched, shredded apart by rabid talons. My bones buckled and groaned under the pressure of unknown worlds pushing in against me.
Solid ground slammed into my feet, and I swayed, clutching Anwir’s hand. The cold hit me first, an icy rush made all the more shocking by my recent departure from the sunny chamber, followed quickly by a wave of nausea. I buckled forward, tugging my hand free to brace it against my knees.
Determined not to make a fool of myself, I sucked down three deep breaths then forced myself to straighten. Anwir’s hand settled on the small of my back, an overly familiar, steadying gesture, but not entirely unwelcome as I fought to regain my balance. My head swam for a few sickening seconds before the world came into focus.
We’d arrived in a familiar, snowy courtyard, facing a sweeping set of stairs carved from opaque, white ice. The glittering, blue-white Rhewlif Palace towered over us, gleaming against the darkening sky. The sun was still shining through the windows of Nairsgarth Castle, but here in the land of eternal winter, the long, dark night was fast approaching.
With a flurry of frigid air, Idris and Sage materialised beside us. Sage swept her hands over her hideous cloak, as though a bit of snow could make it look any worse than it already did.
“Your Majesties!” A lovely voice called, and I fixed a smile on my face and followed the sound. The cold air nipped at my teeth. A fae female dressed in a sweeping, mauve gown trimmed in silver fur smiled down at us from atop the stairs; Lady Celyn, the guardian who had held Tir o Gaeaf against Maelgwyn’s forces for centuries, all the while looking like a supermodel. “Welcome to Tir o Gaeaf.”
She pranced down the slippery, death trap stairs, as graceful as a doe, with no regard for her own safety, and sank into a curtsy before Anwir and I.
“Thank you, Lady Celyn. I believe you have met my betrothed, Aliza? ”
It was an effort to force my rapidly numbing lips into a wider smile. Betrothed? My nausea returned with a sickening pulse.
“I have had the pleasure twice now, most recently at your splendid ball.” Her pretty, ice-blue eyes shifted to me.
“Thank you for having us back so soon.” My voice came out dull and flat, but I was too busy trying not to look at Idris to care. The ball had been a turning point for us, when I’d realised the depths of his wounds. We’d become friends that night, but now we were supposed to put on an act of indifference for the world. I didn’t want to. I wanted them all to know that he was so much more than just the second prince, and not just in terms of the succession. He was special to me.
But it was Anwir who squeezed my hand, beaming at me as though I was his pride and joy. Fucking lying prick.
“Prince Idris,” Lady Celyn curtsied again, though not as deeply. “And Sister Sage. I was sorry the High Priestess could not make the journey. It has been many a year since we had the pleasure of her company here at Tir o Gaeaf, though you are a welcome replacement, of course.”
“Granny finds travel to be tedious in her old age,” Sage responded as crisply as ever. “Though she thanks you for your hospitality. The coven will arrive within the week, and the others will soon follow.”
Others? What others? Was there more than one castle full of witches? I buried my questions, wishing I’d spent a little more time in Nairsgarth’s library. Not that I’d had a moment to spare.
“They are more than welcome here. After all, it is our joint efforts that have kept the evil of Maelgwyn from our borders. Now, why don’t we head inside? Rooms have been prepared, and I seem to remember our new queen was particularly fond of our hot cocoa last time she was here.”
For the first time since I’d left Pansy’s room, my anticipation was of the pleasant variety. Despite my coat, I shivered in the chill. Hot chocolate was exactly what I needed.
What I didn't need, however, was Anwir offering me his arm. I hesitated, glancing in Idris’ direction. The prince ignored me, staring straight ahead as though I’d ceased to exist.
This was it, then.
Ignoring the stab of hurt, I took Anwir’s arm, forcing my face into what I hoped was a show of excitement and happiness, and allowed the wrong brother to lead me up the palace steps.