Chapter 24
Enzira was silent as she led me up another spiral staircase.
We climbed all the way to the top, and only then did I remember my chambers were on the highest level of the castle.
I glanced upward at the dome-shaped ceiling, which revealed a fuchsia sky with the setting sun.
Already, the Umbra Mist was creeping closer toward the window as if it could sense the light was fading.
Enzira took me down the hall toward the queen’s suite, and I said in Agnarrish, “You didn’t tell me there was a revel happening tonight.”
Enzira cut a gaze at me, her dark eyes wary. “I didn’t think I should. Revels can be dangerous and… shameful for humans to witness.”
Shameful? I frowned. “But if I’m to live among the unseelie, shouldn’t I experience things like this, since it’s a part of your culture?”
Enzira’s lips pressed together in a thin line, covering up her fangs. “Perhaps,” she said, but she sounded uncertain.
We reached my chambers, and Enzira strode inside, then held the door open for me. She eased it almost all the way shut, then turned to face me.
“I’m assuming you’ve told the king I can speak your language?” I asked, trying to keep the sharpness out of my tone. It wasn’t her fault the king had lied to me, and I couldn’t blame her for being loyal to him.
But to my surprise, Enzira shook her head. “No.”
My eyes widened. “Why not?”
She shrugged one shoulder. “It was not my place to tell. I am your maid. Not his.”
I blinked at her, astonished.
She offered me a small smile. “Did you think I was spying on you?”
“A little,” I admitted. “And honestly, I wouldn’t put it past Varius to spy on me.”
Enzira’s brows knitted together. “Why do you say that?”
I gave her a cautious look, unwilling to give too much away. How much did she know?
Understanding lit her features. “You mean the Necro Shadows.”
My pulse quickened. “What do you know of them?”
“I know that’s why you’re here. That’s why all the humans come.”
I let my hands fall against my thighs in frustration. “So I am the last one to know the true reason for me being here?”
“Can you blame us for keeping it a secret?” Enzira asked. “If we had told your people why we needed human brides, would they have consented?”
I fell silent at that, because the truth was no . My father would have flat-out refused. Shaking my head, I argued, “But it’s still deceitful. Varius has led my kingdom to believe he would use his own shadows to slaughter us if we did not comply.”
“Does the agreement say that?”
“Of course not. Fae can’t lie. But the implication is there.”
“But if you don’t comply, the shadows will destroy your kingdom.”
I felt the blood drain from my face. “What do you mean?”
“Didn’t the king tell you? ”
Slowly, I shook my head again. I thought back to Varius’s confession and my own angry retaliation. I had stormed out of the room before he’d been able to continue.
Guilt and shame crept into my chest. Shit. What had I done?
I drew closer to Enzira. “Tell me. Please.”
“The Necro Shadows are not bound to only our court,” Enzira said solemnly. “If left unchecked, they will cross the border to your lands and destroy them, too.”
My heart twisted with dread. Stones, how could I have been so foolish? I raised my hands to my forehead, my thoughts spinning. I was torn between utter humiliation from the hateful things I’d said to Varius and horror at the thought of my own kingdom being in peril without anyone knowing.
All this time, the Necro Shadows had been getting closer and closer to my kingdom.
But in my mind, there was always that kernel of doubt that they would actually cross the border.
A na?ve part of me believed the boundaries of our kingdom would keep them away.
As if some invisible line between the Earthen and Shadow Courts would ward off the Necro Shadows.
But of course it wasn’t that easy.
“Why didn’t he tell us?” I asked, my voice weak. “We could have joined forces against the shadows.”
“We are forbidden from speaking of the dark magic and where it has come from,” Enzira said. “The human royals would have asked too many questions.”
I stared at her, at the way her eyes were tight with concern and fear. “Were you there?” I asked. “When it all started?”
“I was a child. Too young to remember much. But my mother remembered, and she told me stories. It was… horrible.” She shuddered, and I didn’t press her for more.
How had this all started? Why was there magic like this in the first place?
It had to have come from somewhere. I made a mental note to search the library again for answers.
I remembered the silence after I requested a book about relations between the Earthen Court and the Shadow Court.
Was the castle also forbidden from leading me to these answers?
Perhaps I could find a way around that.
Enzira clapped her hands together, her expression brightening. “Do you truly wish to attend the revel tonight, my lady?”
The words my lady jolted me. I had forgotten, for a moment, that she was my maid.
During our conversation, she had felt like a friend instead of a servant.
And I preferred it that way. The castle staff in the Earthen Court never would have had such a frank conversation with me. It was refreshing. And genuine.
I cleared my throat, still disconcerted about the idea of celebrating despite the horrifying uncertainty of these death shadows. “Can you tell me exactly what goes on during a revel? Will my life be in danger?”
“Most likely, no. But a revel is a time for us to unleash our wildest nature. For some, like me, it only involves excessive drinking of faerie wine.” She flashed a grin, showing her fangs.
I barked out a laugh at that. Stones, why hadn’t I spoken Agnarrish with Enzira sooner? I was growing to love this new personality that was emerging.
I looked at her, realizing she was including herself in this. “You attend revels?”
She grinned again. “Yes. All the servants do. It is a time to unite our people together, regardless of class or station.”
My heart lifted at such a beautiful notion, and I longed for the Earthen Court to do something similar.
“But for many of the Shadow Fae, it is an opportunity to submit to more… carnal urges.”
My face heated, and my eyes widened, as I registered her meaning. “Ah. You mean… intimacy?”
She nodded, unfazed. “Although, not quite intimacy, since it is very public.”
My blush deepened at the mere thought of engaging in such acts in front of an audience. But I couldn’t deny that I was deeply curious. “And, ah, will I be expected to… participate in these festivities?”
“Oh, no, certainly not. Not everyone does it. But please understand that we have no notion of privacy at revels.”
I nodded, my face feeling hot. “So, you’ll be there tonight?”
“Yes. But only for drinking.” She grinned again.
“May I… er, join you? I mean, with the drinking.” I laughed again.
To my surprise, Enzira’s face paled slightly, and she shook her head. “You should not drink faerie wine, my lady. It isn’t safe for humans.”
“Is there anything that’s safe for me there? Will there be normal wine?”
She tapped her chin, considering this. Then, her eyes crinkled with her smile. “I will speak with the kitchen staff and ensure something is prepared for you.”
“Oh, you don’t have to do that. I don’t need to drink anything.”
“Nonsense! If you are to adjust to our customs, it is only fitting that we should do the same.”
My entire chest warmed at her words, and I found I didn’t know what to say. I felt undeserving of the affectionate gesture, and all I could do was mumble a chagrined, “Thank you.”
Enzira’s smile widened. “Of course.” She strode to the armoire and threw open its doors. “Now, we must find you something fitting to wear. I should warn you, the attire for the event tends to be scandalous by your standards.”
I snorted. “After your description of the revel, I’m hardly surprised.
” I shifted my weight from one foot to the other, hoping I wasn’t making a terrible mistake in doing this.
The dresses and gowns I was accustomed to in the Earthen Court showed a bit of cleavage but nothing too appalling.
Already, I noticed the fashions here were quite different and showed far more skin than I was used to .
Enzira pulled out a tiny black strip of fabric, then held it up to where I stood, her eyes calculating. Then, she shook her head. “No, that isn’t right.” She put the fabric back, and only then did I realize the tiny slip had been a dress .
Stones. This was going to be a disaster. The heat in my face had spread to my neck and ears, and it suddenly felt far too hot in this room.
“Ah, this is the one.” She pulled out a thin, burgundy dress, the bodice barely held together by an ornate lace design.
I swallowed hard as she approached me, holding up the dress to ensure it was the right size. She nodded with a smile. “It brings out the red in your hair.”
I self-consciously touched the waves of my hair. No one had ever said my hair was red before. It was brown or chestnut or mud-colored , as Orla had once claimed.
Enzira seemed to read the hesitation on my face. “My lady, you do not have to go tonight.”
I dropped my hand and lifted my chin. “Will the king be there?”
“Yes.”
“Then, I should go.” Not only to experience the customs of the unseelie but also… to apologize for my brutish behavior toward Varius earlier. He had not deserved my wrath.
“If you like, I can stay by your side the entire time,” Enzira offered.
That strange, warm feeling in my chest burrowed deeper inside me. “Oh, you don’t have to do that. You should enjoy yourself with your friends.”
Enzira cocked her head at me in genuine confusion. “But, you are my friend. Aren’t you?”
My chest coiled so tightly I couldn’t breathe. The earnestness in her eyes made me want to weep.
“Yes,” I said in a strained voice. I took a breath and said more firmly, “Yes. You are definitely my friend. ”
Enzira smiled, her eyes crinkling again.
A soft knock sounded at the door. For a moment, I turned to the shared door to Varius’s room, expecting the king to emerge. Then, I realized the knock came from the door to the hall, and Ramia poked her head in.
My stomach sank. Why had I been hoping for Varius? It must have been my guilt, nagging me to clear the air between us. I didn’t like to leave things unresolved.
Ramia frowned as she looked over the scrap of lace in Enzira’s hands. “I was about to turn in for the night, but I sense something is going on here?” She almost sounded as if she didn’t want to know.
“There is a revel tonight,” I said. “It will be an event of unseelie merriment.”
As expected, Ramia blanched, her face stricken as if I had just suggested we go on a murderous rampage. “You—You plan on attending this?”
I nodded.
Ramia stepped further into the room and squared her shoulders. “Then, I will, too.”
I snorted loudly, then quickly covered my face with my hands as Ramia’s eyes bulged. “Sorry,” I said. “It’s just—Ramia, there will be naked fae. Doing… naked things. Are you sure?”
Her face turned ashen, and her lips thinned. “I—I should be with you , my lady.”
Enzira, who had been watching our exchange with a slight frown, said in broken Terrish, “I go with her.” She gestured to me. “All night, I be with her.”
Ramia looked at Enzira for a long moment. I expected my lady’s maid to refuse, to insist that the best and only person who could keep me safe was herself.
But Ramia nodded once. “Very good.”
I glanced from Ramia to Enzira, my mouth falling open in surprise. Did that mean Ramia trusted Enzira? Or was she that reluctant to attend the revel herself?
“Don’t look so shocked,” Ramia said to me. “Enzira is quite capable. She’s proven as much since we arrived here.”
Enzira beamed at the praise, which I thought was well deserved.
“I’ll leave you to your… festivities, my lady. Please send for me if you need anything.” Ramia bobbed a quick curtsey before leaving the room.
Enzira began digging through the drawers of the armoire. “Would you like any jewelry, my lady?”
“Just my amber necklace.” I touched it for reassurance, then paused as an idea came to me. “Actually… what about the diamond tiara from the wedding ceremony?”
In answer, Enzira lifted the gleaming tiara. My eyes fixated on the diamonds glittering around the piece. Just the sight of them gave me a boost of confidence.
If there was any night that I needed courage, it would be tonight.
I smiled. “Perfect.”