Chapter 22 Quiet Confidence
~ brEN ~
The night after Donavyn intercepted the message Ruin sent to the queen, we’d been invited to the Festival of Lights. It was the first of the unique events in the Fyrehold Festival, one that I’d been told ended in a stunning display of night flowers, whatever that meant.
While the entire city of Emberholt would stop to watch this display, only the most important and powerful nobles—and their pets—were invited to the king’s royal event on the shores of a large lake at the center of the Crown District.
I’d been wary of socializing after what we’d learned the night before. But we had no choice. No one, especially Ruin, could suspect that we drew closer to identifying his plans.
And we still didn’t know if Hanson was a tool to him, or an ally.
I’d never really enjoyed the balls and banquets.
But this night was different—rows and rows of carriages and coaches rolling to the base of the Palace steps to carry us through the manicured woods to the lake and the festivities.
Lady Faye was in spasms of joy when she was collected with Donavyn and me, along with Grace and a handful of others.
We were held back from the first wave of carriages, to travel right behind the Royals.
Even the queen—who usually seemed quite sour and brittle—was bright-eyed in her anticipation.
“You’ll enjoy this a great deal,” Faye said, resting a gloved hand on my arm and smiling knowingly, glancing between Donavyn and I. “Make the most of it. Oh, to enjoy my first Festival of Lights again,” she said, clasping her hands at her chest.
And yet, she dodged every question when I asked where we went and why.
Donavyn assured me through the link it was simply bored nobles entertaining themselves, that he would have been warned if there was anything dangerous occurring.
But I didn’t miss the tension in his shoulders as we passed into the shadows of the wood and he scanned left and right, watching for ambush.
When we eventually broke through the forest to claps and excited laughter from those already gathered, at first I was confused by the very tall hedge blocking our view of the lake, which we could hear lapping nearby. Only the beautiful, clear night sky overhead was easily visible.
Grace huddled at my side, relaxed, but curious. While Faye kept patting my arm on the other. “Oh, you’ll love it! As will your General, I’m sure.”
The royals didn’t seem to be in any hurry to fill us in. Servants circulated around the carriages, offering drinks and small sweets to nibble.
Half the nobles were already tipsy, so I eyed the drinks warily—some of the men could get handsy as the hour grew late.
I didn’t enjoy the idea of being out here in the dark.
But at least Donavyn was close—standing just behind me, letting Grace and Faye take my arms, but hovering like a protective shadow.
Then a high, clear chime of a bell rang through the night, and a group of the women to our right shrieked and hurried towards the hedge. I frowned, but Faye grabbed my arm and tugged me forward, as well. I grasped Grace's hand and looked over my shoulder at Donavyn.
But he’d been caught by the king and a couple of the other nobles.
‘What’s going on?’ I sent, dragging my feet as Faye fought to pull me into the wave of women clucking and giggling into the night together.
‘It’s a maze,’ Donavyn sent in a tired voice. ‘You ladies will enter first, and in a short while, they’ll free us to hunt you down.’
My brows shot up, but sure enough, as we passed through a nearly invisible gap in the hedge—hidden by clever cutting at angles between trees so that unless you looked at a gap head-on, it appeared as if the barrier was solid—Faye laughed with delight.
“Hide girls! Go as deep into the maze as you can—the men have to come find us! And any man who corners you may request a kiss.”
I balked, but Faye dragged me forward, preening and grinning like a cat. I looked at Grace over my other shoulder and hissed, “Stick close!”
She nodded, wide-eyed, and we plowed into the hedge and into the confusing maze.
For the next half hour, the night was peppered with laughter and feminine shushing—until the bell chimed again, and then the women shrieked, apparently thrilled to know the men came for them.
Faye had led Grace and I deep into the maze by that time. But once we reached a dead-end with two benches and a shade tree, I flatly refused to go further.
“If I want my General to find me, I will need to remain in place for him to do so,” I said primly to Faye—who was determined to keep going. She wanted to find more drinks. Apparently, the servants circulated within the maze as well. But I pretended to be tired and fanned myself.
‘Are you moving?’ I could sense which direction he was in, but because the distance wasn’t great, and the maze twisted and turned, it was difficult to tell if he drew closer.
‘Soon. The king insists that he knows a path through the hedges that will help us find the center faster—but we have to stay behind a few minutes so others won’t figure out that he cheats.’
I almost snorted. ‘I don’t know if we’re at the center, but I’m staying here. You can follow the bond and find me.’
Then I smiled at Faye. “You go, Lady Faye. Find your refreshment. Grace and I will stay here and wait.”
It was the first time I’d seen Faye truly annoyed. She planted her fists on her hips and frowned. But before she could speak, a cluster of women appeared at the other end of the little area and called out.
“We must wait here for the General to find Brennan and steal a kiss!”
“Or perhaps one of her other admirers—and the General will find him.”
I rolled my eyes, playing off their taunts as I’d seen them do with each other, but a small knot of nerves burst in my chest. I didn’t know if Ruin and Hanson were here—we’d been held back to ride near the royals. Many carriages had gone ahead of us.
“The only person catching me is a servant with a good sandwich,” I said to deflect the taunts.
Lady Faye shrieked with laughter far too strong for the mild joke, but it got the women talking, so I could pull Grace with me to sit on the benches a little bit away from the others.
“Let the men find them when they get here,” I whispered to her.
She laughed, but nodded and hugged my arm, following me.
And so, we sat and spent a pleasant half hour watching the other women titter and peck at each other like birds. Some came to sit with us for a time, and others drifted away. Slowly numbers dwindled, until finally we were alone.
Grace sat on the bench next to me, watching the stars twinkle, or turning to look with a hesitant smile when bursts of laughter or voices came from elsewhere in the maze.
“I don’t think we need to worry about being accosted,” I said when she looked nervously towards some shrieking. “I think the ladies are playing the game.”
She nodded slowly, biting her lip. “I’m certain if anyone were to… conduct himself without utmost manners, your General would teach him his error,” she responded quietly. To my surprise, she looked wistful.
I warmed at the thought—because it was true, and I knew it. But tipped my head at Grace.
“You know… if you want a General of your own… I’m certain you could find one.”
She looked down at her hands in her lap and shrugged.
“My life is very different to yours, Bren,” she said quietly, that small yearning still evident in her tone.
“I am… Well, let us say, these weeks of the festival are likely to be the last I’ll enjoy this much freedom.
It’s why I’m here. A final hurrah, I suppose. ”
I frowned. “You won’t be free after this?”
She shook her head.
“Why not?”
Her eyes rose to the tree nearby and I had the distinct impression she was considering whether to answer me honestly.
I scooted a little closer to her on the bench and dropped my tone.
Either Grace was, as I suspected, a lovely woman I could be dear friends with, or she was someone who’d been placed here with a purpose.
Either way, I wanted to hear what she had to say.
I just prayed she’d be revealed as the former.
“Grace, I know we haven’t known each other long. But I like you. And… well, I know you’re right that our lives are very different. But they are both ruled by men, are they not? Only in different ways?”
Grace gave a little huff. “I would choose your way if I could.”
I grimaced. “I don’t know that you would—”
“I was supposed to marry a man,” she blurted suddenly, her eyes still fixed on the tree, but her body now stiff as if she feared a blow was forthcoming.
“I was supposed to marry a… a friend of my father’s.
He’s very wealthy, and he would take good care of me and any children we were blessed to have. But he was… he is…”
My head buzzed at the sudden tension in her. “What?” I breathed. “What is he?”
Grace took a deep breath and turned to face me. “He’s old. My parents were old to have me. He is… he has gray hair and he doesn’t ride much anymore because his body aches.”
My head jerked back. “Why?” I breathed. “Why would you marry a man like that? Surely there are young Lords who—”
“I told you, Bren. I’m not like you. I’m not… what a noblewoman is supposed to be. Not in Fyrehold, at least,” she said with a wince.
I spluttered. “Neither am I! I’m not even noble—”
“Yes, but that’s… that’s why they find you so curious. You are what you should be—which is not one of them. I, however, am supposed to be as they are. And… I’m not,” she said, deflating before my eyes.
I was shocked. “Grace—Lady Grace, I’m sorry—”
“I don’t mind,” she said quickly, then shook her head and rolled her eyes. “Except, I’m supposed to. This is part of the problem. I wish… dear Lord, I wish I could leave this place, leap on a dragon like you, and just fly!”