Two
Nervous energy invaded my body as one of the guards helped me exit the carriage.
Smoothing out my long blue dress under my cloak, I took a breath and appraised the old stone mansion before me.
My brows lifted as I took in the immaculate front lawn that looked bright green despite the recent cold snap.
When my gaze swept over the well-maintained facade, I noticed a woman standing by the far-right corner of the house with her back to me.
Her cherry red hair fell in soft waves past her shoulders, creating a striking contrast against her forest-green cloak.
She stretched her arms forward, channeling her magic to revive the withered ivy vines on the wall.
I watched her work for a few minutes, marveling at the beauty of the process as the shriveled vines came back to life, one by one.
She was healing nature with her magic. As a royal, I should have been able to master that skill early on.
Why did I struggle with it? Whatever the reason for my magic’s resistance, I intended to find the root cause and overcome it. The fate of my kingdom depended on it.
When the last ivy vine became healthy and green, the woman turned away from the mansion and hurried over to where my father and I stood by the carriage.
“Your Majesty, what a nice surprise!” She bowed when she approached. “I’m Thea Dellari, Lord Gray’s assistant,” she said with a big smile that reached her sparkling jade-green eyes.
Never one to show much emotion, my father didn’t smile back, but his tone was warm as he greeted her. “Nice to meet you, Thea. This is my daughter, Princess Emelin.”
When Thea bowed, I inclined my head and gave her a small smile.
“It’s such a pleasure to meet you!” She beamed, her high-pitched voice ringing in the cool air.
Her sunny disposition was like a bright spot in the cold, gray day around us, radiating warmth I doubted many were impervious to.
“Please, come inside.” She gestured toward the ornate front door of the mansion.
After my father had ordered the guards to remain outside, clearly not anticipating a long visit, the three of us strolled down the walkway made of pewter and brown stones.
When we reached the front door, an older gentleman opened it to let us in.
He promptly stepped aside and bowed, the yellow light from the sconces by the entrance glancing off his gray hair.
As he straightened, I noticed his short, meticulously trimmed beard and kind, yet sharp, gray eyes.
“This is Killian,” Thea introduced the man after we had walked in. “Our butler.”
My father nodded in greeting, and I inclined my head as well before taking a quick look around.
The large foyer we stood in opened into a sitting room to my right and a formal parlor to my left.
There was a set of double doors next to the parlor, and while they were presently closed, my guess was that they led into a study.
Ahead of me stretched a grand staircase, its wide stone steps ascending to the second story.
Elegant mahogany furniture filled the rooms decorated in neutral shades of gray.
The color scheme was quite different from the emerald and gold palette of the royal palace, but I found I rather liked it.
Still, this place was not my home. Was I truly prepared to stay here for the foreseeable future?
I must if I want to give my people a chance, I reminded myself, catching my reflection in the vintage mirror by the front door.
My heart-shaped face and full lips were like my mother’s, but my eyes, with a tilt at the outer corners, resembled the king’s.
Except, his eyes were emerald green—a distinctive trait of the royal bloodline—while mine were golden like the precious metal mined in the Daralian Mountains.
Even though my eyes didn’t give away my royal status, my hair that shone like spun sunlight erased any doubts that one might have.
The smooth straight locks had been swept up and pinned in place away from my face for easier travel.
A few wispy tendrils had escaped, and I quickly tucked them behind my ear before righting the dainty gold tiara sitting on top of my head.
The sound of a door opening snapped my attention away from the mirror as two men emerged from what I had assumed to be a study. They headed toward my father and me, their footsteps echoing in the spacious foyer.
My gaze was immediately drawn to the taller of the two.
He moved with quiet grace and confidence and had a rather imposing presence, towering over my father when he approached.
My father wasn’t fazed by it as his presence was far more imposing.
Though of average height, he commanded every room he entered, leaving no doubt that he was the king.
“Your Majesty,” the tall man said in a deep timbre, bowing before my father.
“Lord Gray,” my father replied, extending his hand.
The lord shook it firmly before his gaze slid to me. “Adrian Gray, Your Highness.” He bowed.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you.” My voice shook, betraying my nervousness.
How was the lord going to react to being tasked with my magical training? I doubted he would deny his king’s request, but I didn’t want to be an imposition on him and his household. I had to get over that, though. My reason for being here was important, even if I couldn’t disclose it to the lord.
When he straightened from bowing before me, I couldn’t help but get lost in his appearance.
He had a full head of black hair trimmed shorter on the sides and left longer on the top.
His facial features were refined, with high cheekbones, a straight nose, and a well-formed mouth with a fuller bottom lip.
His eyes were a striking silver hue that I had never seen before.
They weren’t simply gray; they shimmered like polished metal.
The man couldn’t have been much older than my twenty years, making him the youngest lord in Emeraldia.
Despite his age, he definitely looked the part in a dark, tailored jacket and black trousers.
Realizing that I was staring, I forced my gaze to the man standing next to Gray. He looked the same age as the lord but was slightly shorter, with a stocky build and a creamy brown complexion. Short dark hair framed a face with sharp, angular features and shrewd hazel eyes.
“Tom Ariet, my adviser,” Gray introduced him. The adviser bowed before my father and me, and we inclined our heads in response. “Please, join us for tea,” the lord said after the introductions were over. He gestured toward the parlor to my left, where Thea was setting up an impromptu tea party.
When my father nodded in agreement, the butler took his cloak, then mine, and I demurely clasped my hands in front of me before following the men into the parlor.
It was difficult not to fidget as I sat down on the sofa, trying to contain my nerves.
I wished that my father would get straight to the point of asking the lord about my training, but the conversation began with other topics, such as the state of Zalie and the recent weather change.
“Hopefully the cold spell doesn’t last,” Thea mused, pouring tea into blue and white porcelain cups.
“I don’t anticipate that it will,” my father said.
“You have done an excellent job of keeping the estate in great condition. Make sure you continue transferring your magic into the land.” The glow of the lit fireplace reflected in the crown of gold on his head.
Did its weight feel heavier to him right now because of everything going on in the kingdom?
“Has there been any strange activity on the border?” he asked as I took a sip of my tea.
I almost choked on it, but managed to force it down.
Setting my cup on the saucer, I lowered both to the coffee table in front of me, making sure they didn’t rattle in my trembling hands.
“No, Your Majesty, all has been quiet. Is there a reason for concern?” Gray asked.
“Not at all,” my father replied smoothly before taking a sip of his tea.
The lie squeezed my heart with icy fingers, making it difficult to breathe. Casting my gaze down, I worried the material of my skirt as silence stretched.
“Lord Gray,” the king finally spoke again, and my gaze lifted to him. “My visit today is not without a purpose. There is something I want to ask of you.”
My heart sped up in my chest. It wasn’t too late to stop him.
I could tell him that I had changed my mind and return to the capital, to the safety of the palace, and let him and my brother shoulder the burden of the faltering wards.
But would I go down in history as the royal who knew that her kingdom was in peril and chose not to do anything about it?
No. I sat up straighter, schooling my features.
“Of course, Your Majesty. How may I be of assistance?” the lord said without hesitation.
“Emelin has been experiencing resistance with her magic. I want you to work with her so she can learn to harness her powers to help with agriculture,” my father said.
Gray’s gaze darted to me before he and his adviser exchanged a glance.
“Your Majesty.” The lord cleared his throat. “I don’t want to overstep, but I believe that Lady May would be better suited to help the princess with her magic.”
My father’s features became sharper as he stared the lord down.
“Lady May is training my son, the future king. I don’t think I need to explain to you the importance of his training since his powers will help to fuel the wards against the Fae.
” His tone was cold, letting the lord know that he had, in fact, overstepped.
Gray’s features became harsher as well, and a muscle flexed along his jaw as he held the king’s stern gaze. My eyes widened at his boldness. It was impressive he wasn’t cowering before my father, but I hoped that he knew better than to defy him.
The lord swallowed thickly, his throat bobbing, before he inclined his head in submission and said, “Of course, Your Majesty, I understand. I will help the princess to the best of my ability.” His long, dark lashes lifted as he looked at me, forcing a smile that didn’t reach his stunning eyes.
I couldn’t muster an answering smile as uncertainty crept in.
I hoped that deciding to stay here to train wasn’t a mistake.
Suddenly, the strange feeling of purpose I had experienced earlier on the border returned, dousing my anxiety.
Deciding to stay in the region wasn’t a mistake. I had to believe that.
“Thank you,” I told the lord, holding his gaze. His eyes softened just a fraction.
“Well, now that’s been settled, I need to get back on the road,” my father said, standing up.
Everyone jumped to their feet and followed him out of the parlor to the foyer, where the butler draped his cloak over his shoulders.
I halted a few feet away from my father, unsure of how much emotion he would want to display in front of the others.
Since I had never been away from my family before, my chest was tight with unease, but I figured the king wouldn’t want a drawn-out goodbye.
To my surprise, he closed the distance between us and pulled me into a tight embrace.
Being in his arms grounded me, solidifying my belief that I was doing the right thing by staying here.
My father didn’t linger, quickly pulling away and taking a step back.
“Emelin.” He nodded at me before turning to Gray. “You are now entrusted with my daughter’s training and her safety. Guard her with your life.”