Chapter 22 Rose
Rose looked for Celeste in the crowded courtyard but she was nowhere to be seen. Tellingly, neither was Princess Anika. Well, at least Rose knew Celeste would be fine. Rose could look for her after she found the weapon she had come here for. She knew that one weapon likely wasn’t going to be enough to take down Oonagh, but it would be a start. If Thea said they needed a witch-made weapon to kill an undead witch, then Rose knew they would not be able to kill Oonagh without it.
Now if she could only remember her way to that marvellous armoury Shen had shown her the first time she came here. Rose turned on her heel, frowning as she tried to recall which pathway would lead her in the right direction.
A shadow appeared behind her. ‘Rose? I thought you were waiting for me.’
Shen Lo reached for her.
Rose snatched her hand away. ‘You think a lot of things, Shen Lo. That doesn’t make them true.’
Shen sighed. ‘Don’t be angry with me for dancing with Elladora,’ he said, with mounting frustration. ‘She nearly tugged my arm off. And the last thing I want to do is anger the king of Demarre. You know how notoriously sensitive he is. I thought you’d appreciate that.’
Rose glared at him. ‘You thought I’d appreciate you leaving me to go and dance with one of your preening admirers?’
‘I’m practising the art of diplomacy.’ He frowned. ‘Perhaps I’m not very good at it.’
‘What you are is dishonest,’ said Rose. ‘To call all of those princesses and queens from their homelands and make them think they’re making a strategic alliance with you.’
‘It’s not like that,’ Shen insisted. ‘I may not be romancing them or intending to ask for their hand in marriage, but I am building alliances with them. My kingdom has to trade, Rose. It has to thrive. And for that to happen, the world needs to know about us.’
‘Then why didn’t you just throw a party? Why did it have to be the King’s Choice?’
Shen ran his hand through his hair. ‘You know the title wasn’t my idea. It’s an ancient tradition. And the truth is, the tradition matters to my people,’ he went on. ‘Once I realized what it truly meant, I tried to call it off, but Grandmother Lu counselled me to recognize the importance of the custom even if I don’t plan to avail myself of it. During my father’s King’s Choice, the storm my mother brewed was the most magnificent one anyone had ever seen. She made the lightning dance and the wind sing, creating an entire orchestra out of the elements. As soon as my father saw her, he declared her his queen.’
Shen’s eyes softened as he recounted his parents’ love story. ‘Though it might seem silly to me, and to you, it’s a way to honour their memory – to honour the ball that has helped sustain this kingdom for hundreds of years.’
‘And the flirting?’ said Rose. ‘Is that honouring tradition?’
He rubbed the back of his neck. ‘I was only trying to be welcoming.’
Rose snorted.
‘Would you have preferred I turned my back on them?’
‘Yes,’ said Rose.
Shen snorted. ‘I hear you’ve been hosting Prince Felix of Caro,’ he said, pointedly. ‘How is that any different?’
‘It is different because I am not giving Prince Felix false hope,’ she snapped. ‘I’ll have you know I have been rebuffing his advances, as easily and as often as swatting fruit flies in summer! And thank goodness, because Prince Felix has turned out to be a truly terrible palace guest.’ She stiffened as she remembered his confession about how he had gone through her post. And then there was that crumpled paper in his fist … Oh! Shen had invited her to the party after all. Oh dear. Well, there were more important things to discuss with him now; she didn’t need to tell him right at this moment that she had been in the wrong.
Shen bristled. ‘What do you mean? Has he threatened you? Hurt you?’
‘I’m fine,’ said Rose. ‘But he lit the stables on fire this morning.’
‘He did what?’
‘I handled it. Well. Along with Wren. And Captain Iverson.’
‘The Gevran? What’s he doing at Anadawn?’ Shen’s frown deepened. ‘Rose. What else aren’t you telling me?’
‘That is why I’m here!’ said Rose, exasperatedly. ‘I’ve come to tell you everything!’ She glanced around. ‘But not here. Is there somewhere more private we can go?’
Shen raised a suggestive brow.
Rose whacked him on the arm. ‘Shen! This is serious!’
‘I’m being serious,’ he said. Then he took her by the hand, and this time, she let him. ‘This way,’ he said. ‘I know just the place. I’ve been meaning to show it to you.’
Rose knew she should be asking Shen to take her to the armoury straight away, but her curiosity was piqued. A part of her wanted to stay in this moment with Shen a little while longer, and pretend that disaster wasn’t knocking at their door. Once she told him about Oonagh, well, that would make it real. And she wasn’t quite ready for that. She’d tell him once they were in private together, she reasoned with herself. Surely ten minutes wouldn’t make a difference. ‘How did you manage to get away from Elladora?’ said Rose, as they walked.
‘I thanked her for the dance and told her I looked forward to our kingdoms trading together,’ said Shen. ‘Then I ran like the wind before she could catch me again.’
Rose bit back her smile.
Shen slipped between two overhanging hedges and pushed open a creaking gate, leading Rose down a path she’d never seen before. Soon, they arrived at a low glass building that seemed to go on forever. It was filled with thousands of plants that sprawled and pressed against the windows, as if they were peering out at them.
‘Is this a greenhouse?’ said Rose.
‘Of sorts,’ said Shen, leading her inside, where the air was warm and humid. ‘I’ve been learning more about the Sunkissed Kingdom. About our treasures. Our history. To me, this place is the most magical in the entire city. It’s because of this place that my kingdom was able to grow food beneath the desert. Despite not having a true sun, they were able to create life here. To sustain it.’ Shen gestured to an endless row of orange and lemon trees. ‘The plants here have thrived, despite adversity. The same is true of my people.’
‘It’s extraordinary.’ Rose marvelled at the troughs of vegetables and the trees hanging overhead. She spied bright red chilli peppers and bulbs of garlic and onions.
They followed the citrus trees deeper into the greenhouse. Far above the trees, beyond the glass, the stars looked bigger than ever, their brightness magnified by the arched roof.
‘The last time I was in Anadawn I stole something from you.’
‘Spoken like a true bandit.’ Rose glanced sidelong at him, surprised to see that he was serious. ‘What did you take?’
He smiled, then. ‘A rose clipping from your garden.’
‘You stole from the royal gardens of Anadawn?’ She clucked her tongue. ‘Chapman would be very displeased.’
‘And you? Are you angry at me?’
‘For stealing a flower? No.’ Her face fell, as she thought of her beloved rose garden that had been ruined by Oonagh. They turned a corner and Rose stopped in her tracks. A towering rose bush stood before her, covered in crimson blooms. ‘Oh,’ she whispered, her eyes misting. ‘It’s beautiful.’
‘That’s part of the magic of this place,’ said Shen. ‘We can grow anything in any season, and quickly, too, with the right care. When I became King, there were no roses in this entire kingdom, and I wanted something to remind me of you.’
Rose trailed her finger against the soft petals. ‘I love it.’
Shen turned to her, his gaze full of longing. She let him brush a strand of hair behind her ear, her heart fluttering as he traced her jaw with his thumb. ‘Now it’s the second most beautiful thing in this greenhouse.’
As he gazed at her with those night-dark eyes, Rose felt like a melting candle. Burning bright but still soft and pliable, as if he could mould her in his hands if he wanted.
Shen traced her bottom lip, gently tugging her mouth open. She closed her eyes as he leaned in, pressing his mouth to hers. She sighed with pleasure as their tongues met, losing herself in the heat of his kiss. She ran her hands up his arms, revelling in the feel of their strength as they tightened around her waist.
‘I’m still angry at you,’ she whispered against his lips. ‘Don’t think that because I’m kissing you that I forgive you.’
‘I would never assume such a thing,’ he said, kissing her again. ‘But I will say, if this is how you act when you’re angry at me, I can’t wait to see what you do when you’re happy with me.’
‘Maybe you should try harder to make me happy, then.’ Rose smiled as he planted a trail of kisses along her neck. As their tongues met once more, Shen pulled her closer, groaning as he lifted her off her feet and pressed her up against the glass. Rose swung her legs out behind him, accidentally toppling a flowerpot. It fell with a crash, startling them from their kiss.
‘Stars!’ she cried, as the world filtered back in. ‘We’re in a glasshouse! Anyone could walk by and see us!’
‘And?’ Shen appeared unmoved. ‘Perhaps I want someone to see us. Perhaps I want the entire kingdom to see us. Then everyone will know who I choose.’
Rose stilled, her heart thundering in her chest. ‘Don’t jest, Shen.’
He gently set her down. ‘I’ve never been more serious about anything,’ he said, taking her hands in his. ‘I choose you, Rose. I chose you since the moment you leaped off Storm in the desert, ready to fight me with nothing but a fistful of sand. I chose you when you healed me in Balor’s Eye, without even knowing that you could. I chose you when you climbed down the Whisperwind Cliffs, even though you were terrified. I chose you when you found love in your heart for the sister you never knew, when you opened yourself up to the witches and welcomed the truth of who you truly are.’ He drew a shuddering breath. ‘I chose you when you saved me here in my own kingdom, when I was too pig-headed and stubborn to see the truth of my uncle’s betrayal.’
He squeezed her hands. ‘I choose you, Rose Valhart, and I will never stop choosing you. I promise you that. And this: I will do whatever I can in my power to bring you happiness, to keep you safe and to make you mine.’
Rose’s eyes prickled, her heart so full she feared it might burst. In all the time she had known Shen, she’d never heard him speak with such conviction. She hadn’t realized how much she had been yearning to hear him say these things, how badly she’d wanted to know how much she meant to him.
He cupped her face, laying his forehead against hers. ‘This place might be my kingdom but you are my world, Rose. I love you.’
‘Oh, Shen!’ Rose threw her arms around him and kissed him, hungrily, as if she could swallow the words he was saying and keep them inside her forever.
After a moment, he pulled back, breaking the kiss. He gazed down at her, his eyes molten with lust. ‘Oh, Shen?’ he said, grinning. ‘That’s all I get?’
‘Oh … I … well … I …’ The words Rose longed to say suddenly felt trapped in her throat. The air in here was warm and heady with the scent of desert roses. Everything felt like a dream, as if time was slowing down around them. There was nothing to fear. Only the truth of her feelings, and once she realized there was nothing scary about that, the words came pouring out. ‘I love you, Shen Lo. More than I ever thought I could love anyone. I didn’t even know I could feel like this. That my heart could feel so full and still hunger for more of you.’
‘It will get even better,’ Shen whispered in her ear. ‘I promise you that.’
Rose wished they could stay like this forever, just the two of them secreted away in their glass bubble, but anxiety stirred in the pit of her stomach. The nearness of Shen’s desert roses was a constant reminder of what had happened to Rose’s own just a few days ago. How Oonagh had ripped through the royal gardens like a cruel winter storm, destroying the flowers and all the life that thrived there. Rose could ignore it no longer – she had come here with a purpose, and it was time to reveal it.
‘I need to tell you why I’m here,’ she said, pulling away from Shen. Her voice grew cold, her body, too. ‘About why Felix tried to burn down the stables. About Wren. Oh, Shen, there’s so much you need to know.’
Shen’s entire body was coiled with tension. ‘You’re scaring me.’
‘Good. You should be afraid. We all should,’ said Rose. ‘Oonagh Starcrest is back, and she wants war. She’s coming back to Eana, to Anadawn. She has already been once.’ She brushed the tendrils of hair from her shoulder to reveal the scars on her neck.
Shen stilled, rage flashing in his eyes. ‘She did this to you?’
His voice was low, dangerous.
Rose nodded. ‘Yes.’
He stared at her. ‘And you waited until now to tell me?’
‘Well, when I arrived you were a little busy watching women swallow swords and such …’ Rose trailed off. She knew how petulant she sounded. How ridiculous she was acting, but she couldn’t help it. ‘And then Elladora wanted her waltz.’
‘This is serious, Rose. You’ve been hurt.’ Shen traced his thumb along the scars, his gentle touch at odds with the murder in his eyes. He bit off a curse. ‘I’ll kill her,’ he said, more to himself than to Rose. ‘I swear I’ll kill her.’
Rose caught his hand to keep him from punching a window. ‘I was hoping you’d say that.’
‘Tell me everything,’ he said.
And so she did. Rose told Shen about Oonagh’s visitation, and the threat she had made about returning to snatch her throne back. About Wren’s curse and Alarik’s visit, including their trip to the Mishnick Mountains. She told him that their undead ancestor was out there, raising an army of her own. That Oonagh intended to fight for the throne. That they would need every willing witch and soldier to defeat her, but more importantly than even that, they would need a witch-made weapon to kill her. That without the blow from a witch-made weapon, Oonagh could never truly die.
When she was finished, Shen slumped to the floor and took a moment to weather the news.
Rose wrung her hands, waiting for him to say something. Anything. When he didn’t, she attempted to lighten the mood. ‘If you do this for me – for Eana – if you pledge to help us find and defeat Oonagh once and for all, then I promise I will forgive you for this horrendously insensitive celebration.’
He looked up at her. ‘How can you joke at a time like this?’
Rose bit her lip. ‘Well … what’s the alternative?’
Shen shook his head, a reluctant smile coming to his lips. ‘Of course I’m going to help you.’ He stood. ‘I’d never let you do this alone. If my heart is going to war, then so am I.’
Rose wrapped her arms around him. ‘Thank you,’ she whispered.
‘But I’ll take your forgiveness all the same,’ he said, pressing a kiss to the crown of her head.
She smiled against his chest. ‘Don’t forget – I also need a weapon.’
‘We’ll go straight to the armoury.’
There was a loud creak as the door to the greenhouse swung open.
‘Leave us!’ called Shen.
‘Absolutely not.’ Rose turned around at the sound of Celeste’s voice. ‘We’ve been looking all over for you two!’
‘Did you stop to consider that perhaps we were hiding for a reason,’ called Shen, as Celeste came into view with Anika right behind her.
Rose frantically fixed her skirts and smoothed her hair, but she could do little for her flushed cheeks.
‘Shen Lo, you are shameless,’ crowed Anika, looking between them. ‘Making us all perform our little tricks for you and then hiding in the greenhouse with the true object of your affection.’
‘Hello, Anika,’ said Rose, politely. ‘It’s good to see you, even in these circumstances.’ And it was good. Rose felt strangely bolstered by the sight of the red-haired Gevran princess, knowing that they were at least united on two counts: their love for Celeste and their disdain for Oonagh.
‘It’s always good to see me,’ said Anika, tossing her hair. ‘Unless you’re one of my many enemies, of course.’
‘I must ask,’ said Rose. ‘What was your talent?’
‘Oh, the best one.’ Anika smiled coyly. ‘My darling fox did a little dance – and then I stood on a horse as it leaped over a wall.’
‘It was very impressive,’ admitted Shen.
‘Not good enough to win the King’s Choice, clearly,’ said Anika, with a wink. ‘Never mind. You’re not my type anyway – no offence. Now. Enough pleasantries.’ Anika turned on Rose. ‘Celeste says you intend to fight your wretched undead ancestor.’
Rose nodded. ‘Once I find the weapon I need.’
Anika’s lip curled. ‘That destructive creature has been terrorizing my country for months. We’ve tried to kill her, with no luck.’
‘Don’t worry,’ said Shen, leading the way to the armoury. ‘We’re about to change that.’