Chapter 22
Although he was the king of shadows, Erebus longed for light. He sought the hand of Solis, whose brightness dazzled him.
—OLD ONES, ANCIENTS, AND THE FOLK
The following day was the longest of Thea’s life.
She passed a few hours with sleep, but after that, time crept by at a turtle’s pace.
Trapped in her bedchamber, she was cut off from everything that gave her purpose.
She’d started to wonder if anyone was planning to feed her when she finally heard Rozie’s voice, shrill with defiance. “I want to see her!”
“You can’t.” Cassia’s softer tone. “She’s not allowed to see anyone.”
“And you’re fine with that?” Rozie sounded furious. “After everything that happened, all the rules you’ve broken?”
“No,” Cassia assured her calmly. “I have plans, but I need time to carry them out so that no one else gets in trouble.”
Rozie paused. “No one but you, you mean?”
“Correct. I’m used to being in trouble.”
Thea put her hand against the door in sympathy. She now understood what it felt like for her sister to live under the storm cloud of their father’s disapproval.
“What plans?” Rozie asked.
A note of mischief entered Cassia’s tone. “Isn’t it obvious? I’m going to take her out her window.”
Thea cleared her throat, speaking through the door. “When are we planning this little heist? Because now would be good.”
Rozie shrieked. “Thea! I tried your door but it’s bolted and spelled. I demanded that Veleda remove the ward, but she wouldn’t listen.”
“Thank you for trying, Sproutling,” Thea replied, grinning at Rozie’s imperiousness. “Rude of her not to obey your orders, though.”
“Worse than rude,” Rozie grumbled. “I told her she’d be dismissed if she wasn’t careful. She laughed at me.”
“In answer to your question,” Cassia said through the door, “I have to wait for nightfall. Also, I really don’t think I should be calling these plans through your door.”
Thea frowned. Night wouldn’t work. She had to go back to Iluna, to make more progress controlling Damon’s shadows. The memory of Damon’s lips filled her mind, though she told herself that had nothing to do with her mission, of course.
“Can’t you create a distraction during the day?” Thea ventured.
Cassia sighed. “I don’t want to involve many people, but… who do you think I should ask?”
“Enora isn’t in on this?”
There was a short, heavy pause before Cassia answered. “Enora thinks this is for your own good. Father implied you’re ill, and she believes him. She says you’ve been acting strange.”
Thea put her back against the door, then straightened away from it as she felt the unpleasant tingle of Veleda’s locking spell.
Though it pained her to think of Enora losing faith in her, she couldn’t altogether blame her.
She had been acting strange. After all, she was looking forward to kissing a shadow prince who had lured her to a realm where her spirit was beholden to its banished ruler.
If that wasn’t proof of something wrong with her, what was?
“I’ll get you out,” Cassia said, her voice quiet and close to the door. “Hang on until after sunset. I have to wait until Veleda has come and gone. She said she’ll be by tonight to bring you food.”
Thea swallowed past a lump in her throat.
Sylvans could go long periods without food as long as they had water and sunlight, but that didn’t mean it was comfortable to do so.
The petty cruelty of not bringing her food until nightfall did not escape her.
Her father was truly furious. Well, let him be.
She wasn’t going to languish here waiting for his approval.
“Cassia, you’re already doing so much,” Thea said softly. “But can you do me another favor?”
The reply was quick and unhesitating. “Tell me and it’s done.”
“Can you fly to the pixie village and talk to Autumn or an elder named Sunflower? Or find Winter. He should pass the message on. I need Autumn to know that her theory seems to be correct. And ask if she’s had any more visions. I can’t explain any more than that.” Her mouth was tightening even now.
“Of course, Thea,” Cassia said. “I’ll go now.”
“Can I go with you, Cass?” Rozie asked in a pleading voice. “Please?”
“I can’t fly and carry you,” Cassia explained. “I’ll be back as soon as I can to tell you what they said. All right?”
“Thank you,” Thea said, a lump of gratitude in her throat. She wanted to apologize for not understanding what Cassia had gone through all these years, but she couldn’t yet find the words. “I know it sounds unlikely, but if you come to my window and find me gone, don’t worry.”
Cassia sounded hesitant. “Thea, I don’t see how you can get out of there without my help. What are you planning?”
“I… don’t have all my plans figured out yet,” Thea replied, which was overall true.
Once she was free, she wasn’t about to return to Scarhamm to be put back in her bedchamber until all this was settled.
Either way, she’d get word to her sisters about her safety.
Somehow. Still, it meant so much that Cassia was willing to try to help her escape.
She realized how much she had always taken her gentlest sister for granted.
“But Cass?” she added softly. “I love you.”
Cassia sucked in a breath. “Thea, are you well?”
Thea laughed, her throat clogged with emotion. She didn’t express her feelings enough if her sister thought she was dying simply because she’d said how she felt. “I’ll be better when I’m out of here.”
As she heard her sisters moving away, Rozie’s voice carried faintly. “Could Zeru carry me to the pixies? I don’t think he’ll mind. Can you at least ask?”
Thea was bored out of her branches by the time a pale pink-and-mauve gown appeared on her hearth.
She rushed forward and snatched it up. It was clear at once that it was quite different from the previous garments.
The skirt was made from layer after layer of tulle.
The satin bodice was covered in lacy frills.
The dress was sleeveless, but long lace gloves were included, along with stockings.
When Thea put the ensemble on, she felt constricted.
There would be no ease of movement in this.
The lace made her itchy. She turned to her looking glass, taking in the frilly confection.
It fit well enough, but she didn’t feel like herself in this.
Thea frowned. Damon had taken a step backward in his choice of dress. Did he think this was what she wanted?
She put on the satin slippers, though she preferred the soft leather boots he’d sent her the night before.
Once they were snug, her feet immediately began dancing, the steps light and fast. In a few moments, a yellow dot of light appeared before her fireplace.
The dot grew into a doorway, the roots reaching toward her like tentacles.
Dizziness took hold of her as she stepped through the portal, but she was less bothered than before.
She felt a tremble of excitement in her limbs at the idea of seeing Damon again.
She told herself that she was only eager to test his shadows, but she knew it was more than that.
Rather than fighting it, she planned to use this feeling to lure his shadows.
She only had two more nights before it would be too late to escape his father’s curse.
The portal spit her out as it always did, but instead of stepping onto black gravel in the familiar silver forest, she found herself in a room with dark walls, its gold-edged tapestries barely visible in the dim light.
Disoriented, pulse racing, Thea took in her surroundings. As her eyes adjusted, she saw that she was standing in front of a black throne. Lounging on the throne was a man.
He could only be Erebus, king of shadows.
His hair was spun from dark satin. Bright gemstones and gold gleamed on his hands.
Even as shadows moved over him, half-obscuring his features like clouds blocking the sun, he was nothing short of beautiful.
At the edge of her mind, a haze of vague joy tried to gain entrance.
Recognizing the tug of magic, she curled her hands into fists, forcing herself to move her eyes away from him.
Once she’d averted her gaze, some of the effects ebbed, leaving her shakily aware of her vulnerability.
But she’d looked at him long enough to confirm something she’d already worked out. He was the one who had kissed her mother the night she’d disappeared. Here was the man who had taken her mother.
Another man stood on one side of the throne, a cowl covering his head and eyes.
What she could see of his skin looked almost as gray as his robes.
The whole of him, long face, long hair, and clothing, appeared to be fashioned from the pale dregs of hearth ash.
On the other side of the throne was a single silver tree, its leaves chiming, though no wind blew.
Its branches were bent away from Erebus, as if deprived of sunlight on one side, though no sunlight came from any direction in this place.
“At last, we meet,” said the king. “The fair Theodora.”
Heated rage pulsed in Thea’s chest as she met his eyes. “Erebus, I presume?”
His lips curved in an amused smile that did not reach his eyes. “You accepted my dress.”
Thea felt herself stiffen against a stinging sense of regret. She should have trusted her instinct that the dress was unlike the others Damon had sent. She’d been too desperate to escape her confinement to think clearly.
“Do you like it?” the king asked.
Even if she wanted to, she couldn’t lie. “It’s itchy and constricting.”
A violent anger flashed in his eyes and disappeared so fast that Thea wondered if it was a trick of the dim light. “What would you like better?”
“Irrelevant,” Thea said, “since I don’t plan to put on another dress that you send.”
The king’s lips curved in a gentle smile, though his eyes were very cold. “Perhaps I can persuade you to change your mind.”
Thea stared him down. “I wouldn’t wager on it.”