16. Chapter Sixteen Rhowyn
Chapter Sixteen: Rhowyn
What more could there possibly be? My magic was leaking out, and I couldn't tell if that was a good thing or not. Nothing else had changed, at least from what I could tell. My magic didn't seem any different, but still. Was that cage there to protect me or hinder me? I wasn’t sure I wanted to find out the answer to that question.
I'd also, somehow, linked Baer to me in a way that was more intense than the bond we’d already shared. What exactly did that mean for us? Was it good or bad or somewhere in between? Shit. This wasn't good.
And now, Arryn was telling me there was more. “What is it?” I asked, needing to know. Knowledge was a weapon in and of itself, and I planned to arm myself with it. It was the only way I knew how to gain control of my own fate.
Arryn looked down at the papers before him, fidgeting with them as he decided what to say. He was always so purposeful with what he said, doing his best to present things in the best way possible. “While we may have won the first trial, a host of other problems have arisen because of it. ”
“Okay. Like what?” I asked, relieved that this wasn't news that I was responsible for. Not directly, anyway. Surely what he had to say next wouldn’t be too bad. Whatever it was, we’d figure out a way to face it, one way or another.
“Well, for starters, you are now seen as an actual competitor for the throne,” Arryn muttered, implying that this wasn’t a good development for flying under the radar.
“But I don't want it. Everyone knows that. I've done nothing to hide that fact. Why would I be a threat?”
“Many believe that your denials are a ruse to get others to let down their guard. That you're using this as an advantage in the trials,” he said matter-of-factly.
I laughed. I didn't understand people sometimes. It seemed even the fae had a tendency to think the worst of everyone. “I guess they can think whatever they want. There's not really anything I can do to convince them otherwise. Besides, if they want to believe the worst about me, then let them. I don't need their approval.” I leaned back in my chair, crossing my arms.
“It's not that simple,” Arryn protested.
“Princess,” Lennox chimed in. “The court can be ruthless. It is never a good thing to have enemies, much less powerful ones who see you as a threat. They think you represent change for them, that you'll undo all they have worked toward. They won't allow that.”
He paused, but I didn't have a response for him. I was completely out of my depth when it came to politics. I’d never seen the use for lying or hiding things. The truth always came out in the end, and when it did, it was always worse than if someone had just told the truth in the beginning. I knew from Earth that politics were everything, even for office jobs and workplace advancement. It's probably why I wasn't seen as a success. It was certainly why I had chosen the profession I had. The only politics there involved fists and submissions .
Because of my inability to play those games, I was better off leaving these sorts of things to the guys. Whatever they thought was best, I would do.
“Why do you think I've put on a mask in front of them all my life? I've played weak and unreliable so that I can never be seen as a threat,” Lennox explained, disgust pulling up his mouth at the thought of the kind of people he grew up surrounded by.
“Not only have you drawn the attention of the Court, but the Queen is not happy with you winning. She met with us after we finished the maze, questioned how you had healed, and left with a subtle threat. I'm certain she didn't buy our explanation that you healed yourself. While that explanation kept her from punishing us all, it has also sent the message that you're more powerful than she had thought. After standing up to her at the last ball, winning some favor among the Court, you now represent a danger to her reign,” Arryn explained further.
“So, what do we do? Is there any way to prove to her that she has nothing to fear from me?”
“I think we can only keep going. We'll just need to be more vigilant in watching for dangers, but I think we can manage those for right now,” Arryn said, shuffling the papers. “These papers are Callum's notes. I had him speak to the servants this morning, gaining information where he could about who we needed to watch more closely than the others.”
He paused, his eyes reading through the information more closely. “So, anyone I should keep an eye out for? Anyone I should be wary of?”
“There's a couple that are powerful enough, but they prefer to work in the shadows, so anything they do won't be overt. There's Lord Blackthorne, who opposes the Queen, secretly despising the fact that women are chosen to rule. This means, he will never be a true supporter of yours, but will pretend to be to your face .
“Then, we have Lady Bronwen, who has amassed her power in Court by knowing everyone's secrets. She uses gossip as a weapon and has been responsible for the rise and fall of many fae. She was instrumental in garnering support for the Queen when she went through her trials. You will need to be extremely guarded in what you say to her or her circle because she will find a way to twist that information for her own uses.”
I nodded, taking in what Arryn was saying. “Should be fairly simple to avoid those two since I don't even know who they are,” I said, confident that I would be okay.
“Lennox and I will ensure that you are always aware of when they’re around.”
“Sounds like a plan. Anything else?”
“Yes,” he said, stopping on the last page. “The real threat we need to watch for is Lady Genevieve Willows. She is a favorite of the Queen and can be ruthless in her rise to power. At one time, she had hopes of marrying Lennox, but changed her mind. Most likely because she realized that if she wanted to compete in the trials, she would have to remain unattached.”
My eyes narrowed, instantly hating this Genevieve for having had designs on Lennox. He was mine. Wait. When did I start considering these men as mine?
Lennox shuddered. “Yeah, that took quite a bit of convincing. Mother was highly in favor of the match, and Genevieve has always been eager to please her. Blech.”
I compressed my lips to hide my smile, pleased to hear that he hadn't felt the same way about her. “Why is she such a big deal? Other than being the Queen's favorite?” I asked Arryn.
“She's quite powerful and skilled with her magic as it is, but she's been selected as one of the Chosen as well. So now she has access to the magic of her Consorts. She's ruthless and willing to do whatever it takes to get the crown.”
He looked up at Callum, who nodded once, before continuing. “Callum's heard from the servants that she's been trying to garner information about you. She sees you as her primary threat, the only person with a chance of keeping her from becoming Queen. She will be coming for you in the next trials and doing anything within her power to ensure that you lose, even if it means killing you.” Arryn explained.
Well shit. Bitch takes her chance at a crown seriously. “I'd like to see her do her best. I can handle one uppity bitch.”
“Don't be so sure, Princess.” Lennox smirked at me. “While I find your confidence to be quite alluring, I have to warn you that Genevieve shouldn't be underestimated. She's better with magic than you are, without any need to be near you to harm you. You can't rely on your hand-to-hand combat skills in this.”
“She sounds like a bucket of fun,” I snarked, trying to make light of the situation. While I was taking this seriously, she wasn't my top priority. Survival was. “If one of y'all can point her out next time, then I'll be sure to stay as far from her as possible.”
Lennox winked at me, helping to ease the tension that was now sitting heavily on my shoulders. “I'd be glad to assist you with anything. All you need do is ask.”
I laughed just as a knock on the door sounded out, Callum moving to answer it. Our protector, always playing bodyguard and keeping himself slightly separate from the group. The others seemed happy to let him take that role upon himself. If it gave him a way to fit in, I would accept it for now. Somehow, I would get him more involved with us as a whole and make sure he became one of us.
Callum spoke to whoever was on the other side, before opening the door wide and allowing them in. Master Jude entered. “I hope you all are doing well today?” he asked us as he grew closer .
“As can be expected,” I said automatically, giving him a wide smile.
He sat down at the other end of the table, where he could see us all. “I'm sorry I couldn't make it here yesterday. Some things came up that I needed to handle.”
“No worries,” Arryn said for the group, sitting back in his own chair, sipping on the coffee that Baer had gotten him hooked on. I smiled at that thought, one of the few weaknesses he allowed for himself.
“In that case, I thought I would start with the information I was able to discover,” he said, getting right to the point.
I sat up in my seat, leaning on the table. This was news to me, and I was desperate for any information he could give us. Had the guys known? By the look on everyone's faces, they had.
“As promised, I’ve been doing research, consulting my tomes and such whenever I had a spare moment. The night before the first trial, I stumbled across something,” he explained.
“Something pertaining to my magic or my glamor?” I asked eagerly.
He smiled at me indulgently, a tinge of sadness lingering in his eyes. Instantly, I tensed, preparing for what he had to say. Whatever it was, I wasn't going to like it, but I needed answers.
“Both.” He sighed, looking his age as he did. He met my eyes. “From the information I was able to locate, your magic and glamor were created by someone else. Either one person with immense powers, which is highly unlikely, or a group of people.”
“Okay...” I knew there was more. Something that was making him hesitate in answering our questions.
“Before I continue, I must ask who your parents were, child?” He watched me carefully as I sat back, crossing my arms over my chest, trying to create space.
My mother had asked me not to tell anyone this information. She had made it seem like life or death. My eyes scanned over the guys, feeling fairly certain I could trust them all with the information. As much as I liked the older fae male, I still was sure I could trust him. Something about him made me let down my guard, drawing me in. Whether it was just my desire for family or something else, he felt like what a loved one should.
“Why do you ask?” My brows furrowed in suspicion, reminding myself to be careful despite my inclination to trust him wholly. After discussing the hidden side of the Court, I needed to be mindful of what I revealed.
“I ask because there are very few fae who would have the capabilities to manage such a spell and even less with a reason to do so. One of those fae, both with capability and motive, disappeared twenty-four years ago. No one has heard from him since. For all intents and purposes, he just vanished along with his wife.”
I watched him as he spoke, his face and eyes revealing a deep sadness at the loss of whoever he was speaking of. I couldn't help but wonder what their connection was and if the fae he spoke of were my parents. I wanted to trust him. At some point, I would have to make the decision of whether to go all in or not. I could no longer walk the line.
The guys watched me as I came to a decision. “My mother is Lenora Hunt. I don't know who my father is. She would never talk about him, except telling me when I was chosen that he had left us on Earth with plans to return, taking precautions to keep us hidden. She never heard from him again.”
Arryn's hand found mine while I was speaking, and I watched him tangle his fingers with mine. Baer's hand found my thigh, rubbing in a soothing motion. I gathered courage from them and met Jude's eyes, not really sure I was ready for this information, but needing it anyway.
Jude sighed sadly, his shoulders slumped, and the slight glimmer of hope that was previously in his gaze was dashed with my words. “I'm sorry to hear that. Every child should know their parents. However, I still believe that the man I spoke of was responsible for the lock on your magic and your glamor. This man's wife was Lenora Ashgrove before marrying Jonathan Whitethorne.”
Baer and Arryn's hands tensed, and I caught the widening of Lennox's eyes. “Who is this man to you? Why does everyone seem so surprised?” I asked.
“Jonathan was my son. Although, I was not aware that he and Lenora had a child, I believe he’s your father.”