7. Everly
Everly
Chapter seven
Iwake to the gentle sound of tapping on my door. With a groan, I sit up and blink a few times, trying to get my bearings. I squint at the light pouring in through the windows and hear the birds chirping outside. I must have been more tired than I thought.
The sound of knocking echoes through the room again.
“Come in,” I call out, my voice croaky from sleep.
The door swings open, and Zaria enters. Today she’s in a plain silk sage dress with long sleeves, accentuating her graceful figure. The dress has a modest V-neckline, and the color beautifully complements her darker complexion, enhancing her natural radiance. With every step she takes, it gracefully flows around her, exuding an air of grace and poise. I watch as her lips press together, forming a tight line that conveys both concern and indignation.
I quickly stand up, my skin tingling with a sudden awareness. “What is it?”
She frowns at me but shakes her head, her attention quickly darting to the door behind her as she clasps her hands in front of her.
“You need to come with me,” she answers.
Okay, I don’t like the way she said that.
“Where are we going?” I ask as I reach for my boots.
Zaria’s face drops to the ground. “Queen Lavina wishes to see you.”
“Okay,” I reply cautiously. “Is that a bad thing?”
Without so much as a glance in my direction, Zaria turns toward the door. I quickly slip my boots on before following her out the room. As I step out into the hall, I see two men wearing sage-colored uniforms standing on either side of my door. The sight of their swords against their hips is jarring, as are the stern expressions on their faces. Their presence immediately sends a wave of goosebumps down my arms, and I can’t help but wonder who they are and why they’re stationed outside my door. Zaria seems unfazed by them, her gaze fixed ahead as she strides purposefully down the hall. I hurry to catch up with her, my mind racing with a flurry of questions.
What happened while I was asleep? Are these men a threat, or some kind of protection? I desperately need answers, but Zaria remains silent, which only adds to the mystery surrounding the situation.
I turn my head, noticing the guards trailing behind me. The glint of their armor catches my eye, adorned with a striking red and gold emblem depicting a majestic dragon. The sight jolts my senses, a vivid reminder that I have crossed over into a realm beyond the mundane human world.
“This way,” Zaria’s words draw my attention.
Anxiety bubbles up inside me, and the air gets heavy with unease, as if it’s suffocating my every breath. The sound of my heartbeat echoes in my ears, a constant reminder of my racing thoughts.
I observe Zaria’s tense shoulders; her steps are hesitant, cautious, as if she’s navigating a treacherous path. I can almost feel the tension radiating off her, a palpable energy that adds to the suffocating atmosphere.
Up ahead, two more guards are stationed in front of the gigantic set of ornate wooden doors. I know that’s where we are heading, because the guards become alert at our approach. My heart is thundering in my chest, and a chill runs down my spine, causing the hairs on my arms to stand on end as we draw nearer to the doors. Zaria peers over her shoulder at me, her eyes flashing like lightning. I wonder if she can hear it—my heart, that is. I stare at her in desperation, silently pleading for her to tell me that everything is going to be alright. But she turns back around, her tail lashing in what I can only assume is frustration.
I have a feeling that even if she wanted to speak, she couldn’t. I am hyper-aware of the energy floating around me and it makes my limbs tingle with the need to run. Glancing past her to one of the guards, I am met with a menacing scowl that has my stomach lurching.
What did I do?
If I knew I’d be meeting the queen, I might have tidied myself up better. My palms are slick with sweat, so I wipe them on my pants. I’m sure I look like a homeless person, my hair a wild mess and my clothes wrinkled. I didn’t take the time to brush my unruly hair; instead, it’s still tied up in a haphazard bun. But after sleeping, part of it’s falling loose again. I slowly push some hair behind my ear and fidget on the spot.
Zaria turns to me and gives me a soft smile, but I can sense her worry and it doesn’t make me feel any better.
“You’ll be fine,” she whispers, knocking on the doors.
“Enter,” a stern but feminine voice calls from the other side.
The two guards behind me brush past to grab the handles, and Zaria steps closer, discreetly squeezing my hand. There is a warning in her eyes, as she leans in close to whisper in my ear quickly, “Don’t give her a reason to throw you in the dungeons.”
Startled, I jerk back, my eyes widening at the incredulous statement. Before I have a chance to question her, Zaria swiftly passes me, her presence fading down the hall.
“Come on,” one guard snaps, causing me to jump.
Taking a deep breath, I reluctantly step inside, my feet dragging as if weighed down by lead. Immediately, my gaze is drawn to the massive glass doors across the room, revealing a stunning garden beyond. My hands tremble, craving the sensation of running them over delicate flower petals. The intensity of this desire catches me off guard, and I pause, inhaling deeply in an attempt to steady myself. As I do, the most heavenly scent wafts in through the open doors, saturating the air. It is so potent that it almost feels tangible, as if I could taste it on my tongue. I don’t realize I have zoned out until I receive a hard shove in the back, sending me stumbling forward. I twist my neck, shooting the guard a dirty look.
“Don’t worry about him,” a sweet feminine voice startles me.
How did I forget I was here to see the queen?
My eyes are drawn to her, and my breath catches in my throat. The queen is beautiful, her long black hair in an elaborate updo, and she has the same eyes as Maxon, the deep violet with a silver ring around the iris. She stands in the middle of a large living area, with walls of smooth, gray stone. The only color in the room comes from the vibrant rugs and tapestries that are draped across the floor and walls. There are many decorative touches throughout the room, giving it a distinctly feminine feel. The queen is wearing a long purple gown that trails the floor, white lace trimmings on the sleeve. Unlike me, she looks well rested and fresh. She gestures to the chairs around where she’s standing, and I slowly make my way over to her, tucking some wayward hair behind my ear.
“So you’re the human girl. Everly was it?”
I nod cautiously, unsure if I’m allowed to speak.
"I'm Queen Lavina."
"It's nice to meet you," my word trail off uncomfortably.
The queen hums sweetly and sits down. I mimic her actions, sinking into the chair’s soft cushions. I let my fingers drift over the material, feeling its plush, velvety texture. The chair creaks under my weight, my hands drifting to the wooden hand rest, the smoothness of the wood gliding under my fingertips. A small, gentle sensation stirs within me, bringing a sense of peace.
“Drink?” the queen asks, surprising me.
The queen rises gracefully and moves to the side table to pour herself a drink, some kind of nectar from what I can tell. I frown and meet her gaze, my cheeks turning red in embarrassment when I realize I still haven’t answered her.
I clear my throat and shake my head no. I really have to snap out of my daydreaming. It’s a problem I’ve had since I was a child. As soon as I touch an object of my focus, I can feel the weight of the world slip away. So immersed in whatever I’m doing, everything else becomes background noise. The door on the other side of the room opens and a tall, skinny looking Fae man appears. His dark hair on the side of his head fades to silver to match his neatly trimmed beard. He approaches us and bows to the queen before his attention focuses on me.
“Everly, this is Nolan, my royal advisor. Nolan, Everly.”
I swallow over the lump in my throat and drop my gaze, unable to stand the glare focused on me.
“Let’s skip the small talk and get straight to the point. There is only one way a human can enter this realm.” The queen turns her sharp eyes my way.
I stare at her blankly, waiting. When she doesn’t continue, I frown. “Okay, what would that be?”
The fire in her violet eyes is unmistakable. I really need to think before I speak, but it’s not like I’ve spoken to a queen before. The silence in the room is deafening as I realize I am way out of my depth. I hear the Queen of Hearts’ words—Off with her head!—from Alice in Wonderland echoing in my head.
The queen moves closer to me, taking a sip from her glass, her eyes assessing me like a predator would its prey. It is at this moment I feel the full impact of her power. An involuntary tremor racks my body, her watchful gaze catching the movement.
“A high fae must have brought you here.”
I shake my head, fingers pressing into the wood. “I can assure you, no one brought me here.”
“Then explain to me how it is that you made it through the gate? A gate which has been closed for centuries.”
“I was hiking the mountain with some friends and suddenly I was here. That’s all I know. Maybe someone reopened it.”
“Don’t be absurd,” the queen scoffs.
“I’m not. It was just a thought.”
I turn my focus back to the window, and take in a deep breath of the sweet smell of roses and other wildflowers. I can almost feel the sensation of running my fingers over the petals of the flowers and my toes curling into the grass. A slight smile adorns my lips.
“Who are you protecting?”
My gaze swings back to her in alarm. “No one.”
I can see it in her eyes, in the way they’ve hardened. She doesn’t believe me.
My heart flutters, and dread curls in my stomach, making me nauseous.
The queen’s smile is anything but warm and comforting. It is cruel and harsh, and makes my skin crawl. I don’t like this woman. There is something lurking in the depths of her eyes, something that only time will reveal.
“I will find out one way or another, so you should spare yourself the pain and tell me now.” She speaks as if speaking to a child, and maybe to her I am, but it doesn’t stop my anger from surfacing at that moment.
“I am telling the truth. I don’t know how I got here. I didn’t even know here existed until two days ago!” I exclaim.
“Humans lie. It’s all they do,” she brushes off my comment with a wave of her hand.
I suppress my rising anger, the muscles in my jaw tightening, and speak through clenched teeth. “I don’t lie.”
“Somehow, I find that hard to believe. If you won’t tell me who you’re protecting, then you leave me with no other option.” The queen looks behind me to the two guards. “Take her to the dungeons, a few days in there should change her mind.”
“What?!” I shout, jumping to my feet. “You can’t just lock me up.”
My body trembles as my mind fills with thoughts of being confined in a small, dark area, unable to escape. A sense of dread and claustrophobia rises, making panic pulse in waves as sweat breaks out on my palms and neck.
“Of course she can,” Nolan says, speaking for the first time.
The guards stalk over and grab an arm each and turn me toward the doors. I dig my feet in, protesting. I won’t be locked up, I can’t. My breathing picks up and I try desperately to pull my arms free, but I am no match for these fae guards.
“Oh, and Everly?” Queen Lavina calls out as we reach the door.
I glance at her over my shoulder and I'm met with a cold, hard stare, her eyes sharp and her lips curled in a sneer.
“You won’t be going home until you tell me what I want to know.”
When I don’t answer, her lips press together in frustration, and she gestures to the guards, turning her back on me.