Chapter 28
The moment we entered my chambers, I removed the diamond tiara from my head and flung it across the room.
My hands shook, and as soon as the diamonds were outside my reach, the terror and nausea caught up to me.
I fumbled with the balcony doors, threw them open, and vomited over the balustrade.
The contents of my stomach hit the stone below with a sickening splat.
I coughed, then wiped my mouth with the back of my hand when I was certain I was done. Slowly, I turned to face Enzira, who stood at the open doors with a look of concern on her face.
“I’m sorry,” I muttered. “I took you away from the festivities.”
She shook her head. “After a scene like that, you can be certain the king canceled the revel.”
I closed my eyes, remembering Varius’s fury and the way his shadows had swarmed around me. “Do you think Varius killed that soldier?”
Enzira’s lips pressed together. “I don’t know.”
“Do you know him? Warwick, I think his name was. Do you know anything about him?”
“He’s new. I know many of the soldiers here, but I don’t recognize him.
And the other maids, they compliment his good looks, but they don’t know much, either.
Not his family name or where he grew up…
I didn’t think it odd until now. We get so ldiers from all over the Shadow Court, some who lived very quiet lives. It wasn’t out of the ordinary.”
I nodded, my brow furrowing. “But, what does he want with me ? Why does he keep threatening me? Is it just because I’m human?”
Enzira gave me a pained look.
My gaze slid to hers. “You were here before—when the other human brides were here. Is what he said true? Did—Did the princesses get passed around at these revels?” Just saying the words made me want to retch again.
Enzira took a shuddering breath, her eyes shining with tears. “My lady…”
I covered my face with my hands, choking on a sob. “Stones, please tell me it isn’t true,” I wailed. “Please, please say it isn’t true.”
“My lady, please,” Enzira said, her voice thick. I felt her draw closer to me, but I held up a hand to stop her. “I was so young back then. I didn’t know… I had only heard stories. I—I’m so terribly sorry.”
Deep down, I knew it wasn’t her fault. And I knew she hadn’t directly been involved in such vile behavior.
But it had happened. My ancestors, my people had been tortured and assaulted and raped among these fae beasts. All for their own amusement.
“Leave me,” I whispered.
Enzira didn’t move.
“Enzira, please let me be alone,” I said, my voice firm and sharp. “I cannot look at you right now. Please.”
“Lady, it isn’t safe.”
“Get out!” I shouted, jabbing my finger toward the door. “Now!”
Tears streamed down her face, but she nodded. She pressed her fist to her chest before fleeing the room. The door snapped shut with her departure .
I sank to the cold stone floor of the balcony, curling my body into itself as I continued to weep. The tears would not stop. They flowed down my cheeks, sticky and salty. The cool breeze whipped around me, and the moisture on my face burned from the cold.
I hadn’t realized my fingers were touching the amber at my throat until Azure murmured, “Sybelle, what’s happened? Are you hurt?”
I couldn’t even find it in me to speak. I could only shut my eyes, letting the last of my tears trickle down my face.
“You found the stone, didn’t you? Please don’t be angry with me.”
My eyes snapped open at that, and I sat up so quickly that my head spun. “What stone?”
Azure was silent.
“Damn it, Az, what stone ?”
“Look on your vanity.” Azure’s voice was dejected and full of an emotion I couldn’t place. I had never heard her sound like that before.
It almost felt like… shame .
Azure was never ashamed.
Alarm pulsed through me, swift and violent, as I scrambled to my feet. I darted into my room, then rushed over to the vanity. It didn’t take me long to find it.
It was the black stone we’d found in the caves just before Clermont had come to collect me. I remembered how Azure had claimed it smelled like the shadows. I had refused to touch it. Stones, it felt like ages ago. An entire lifetime.
I had completely forgotten about this gem.
“What is it doing here?” I asked slowly, drawing closer to inspect it. When Azure didn’t respond, I said, “Az! Answer me!”
“I was curious. And impatient. I am sorry, Sybelle.”
“What—What did you do?” Fear iced my bones.
“You know I cannot wield the stones as you do. ”
“But this did not just appear on the vanity, Azure. What the hell did you do?”
“There’s no need to be rude about it. I will tell you. The bag was open from the last time you sifted through the stones. You must have forgotten to close it.”
“That’s not true,” I snapped. “I never forget to close it.”
“I’m not lying to you, Sybelle. It was open.”
A chill skittered down my spine. Shit, shit, shit… Why had the bag been opened? Had someone been snooping? Enzira? Varius?
Shit !
“What did the bag smell like?” I demanded. “Did you recognize the magic surrounding it?”
“No magic was used to open the bag. And I did not recognize the scent.”
I wasn’t sure if that information comforted me or not. It meant it likely hadn’t been Varius; his shadows were always so potent around him.
“So, you took the black stone out?” I prompted. “Why? What did you learn about it?”
Azure hesitated for a moment. “There was something familiar about it. I wanted to find out more. When I used my talon to draw it out, I heard a ringing sound. It was shrill and high, and it echoed through my entire body.”
I frowned. “Did that happen before, in the cave?”
“No, it didn’t. But I realized I had heard that sound before. When I got the splinter in my claw.”
I blinked, remembering the sharp gem-like thorn I had removed.
I looked up, then moved over to the armoire, digging underneath a thick red cloak before finding the gleaming thorn I’d hidden there.
I lifted it, turning it over in my hands.
It was thin and translucent, but it emitted a soft crimson glow.
“Sybelle, the black stone smelled of the same magic as that splinter,” Azure said. “They come from the same power. ”
“Can you show me where you got the splinter?” I asked. “Do you remember the location exactly?”
She huffed in annoyance. “Of course. My memory is impeccable.”
“Save your arrogance for another time. I’m still angry with you.”
The fact that she fell silent instead of teasing me with a clever quip showed just how remorseful she was. It dulled the festering rage still simmering in my bones.
“Let me change, and then you can take me there.” I dug through the armoire, looking for trousers and boots.
“Sybelle, it’s the middle of the night. You need to rest, and I won’t be able to see it clearly anyway.”
“You got the damn splinter at night, didn’t you? You’ve bragged about your eyesight to me thousands of times. I know you can find it.”
“But you won’t be able to see.”
I muttered a curse under my breath before stomping to the vanity again and pulling out the scaled pouch with my gems. I overturned it on the table, and the stones clattered loudly. My impatience grew as I scanned the jewels for what I was looking for.
There it was. A small, round opal. When I clasped it in my palm, it emitted a brilliant light that burned against my eyes. Squinting against the intensity of it, I dropped it into the pouch, then drew the strings closed.
“There,” I snapped at Azure. “I have a light now. Are you satisfied?”
Once more, Azure was silent. I let her stew over my words while I changed into a corseted blue tunic, leather trousers, and the red cloak I’d used to hide the splinter. I had just tucked Wraith Killer into my boot when a knock sounded at my door.
My gaze snapped up, my pulse thundering in my ears. Shit. Was that Varius? Or Enzira? Either way, it looked quite damning for me to be in traveling clothes. And my gemstones were sprawled all over the vanity.
I thought about shouting for the intruder to go away. Or opening the door and pushing myself into the hall to hide the contents of my room.
The beating of wings outside the balcony drew my attention. There was Azure, her blue scales gleaming in the moonlight.
In that split second, I made a decision.
I swept the rest of the gemstones in the scaled pouch, then tucked it into the pocket of my cloak.
With hastened steps, I hurried to the balcony where Azure rested, already crouched low for me to ride.
I didn’t often do this—her back was quite narrow and bony with her long spine jutting from her scaly body.
And without a proper harness, it was quite unsettling. I never felt safe or secure.
But we didn’t have a choice right now.
Loud pounding hammered against the door now. It couldn’t be Enzira or Ramia.
Which meant it was either Varius… or someone else. Someone like Warwick.
My breaths came in sharp spurts as I seated myself on Azure’s back, then leaned forward to wrap my arms as tightly around her as I could.
She made a low rumbling sound that I interpreted as a warning before she took off, her great wings beating on either side of me.
Within moments, we flew into the sky, and the balcony behind me grew smaller and smaller.