Chapter 43
“Are you safe?” I had asked Azure.
“Yes,” was her immediate response. “I got away, and I am hiding near the stables.”
As soon as I knew my dragon was all right, I could breathe more easily.
Well, perhaps not quite so easily. My pulse was still racing from Varius’s kiss. I wasn’t sure what had happened. We had both been full of adrenaline and fury and fear. In spite of the danger, in spite of our injuries… nothing had felt more right in that moment.
Numbness and fatigue spread through my body, making it easy for me to lean into his chest while he carried me.
I felt his powerful muscles straining as his wings kept us afloat, soaring over the treetops.
I marveled that his wings never flapped like Azure’s did.
He had leapt into a tree, then used that momentum to propel us forward, wings spread as we glided with the wind.
Azure had fled the moment Varius had arrived. I saw her vanish into the trees, using the distraction of Varius’s appearance to escape from Warwick’s sight. But I didn’t know for sure that she was safe until I heard her voice in my head.
I would never forget the sight of Warwick’s hands wrapped around her throat, her eyes going dim …
I suppressed a shudder, pushing the image away from my mind.
Tislora was behind us somewhere. But in Varius’s arms, I felt safe. My eyes closed as I buried my face into his chest, inhaling that familiar smell of dark spice and heavy rainfall.
He smelled like home.
And he had come for me.
Warwick had nearly killed me. But Varius had come for me.
I didn’t realize my hand was curled against my amber stone until Azure’s voice rang in my mind.
“I saw what happened. You are lucky to have a powerful king like that on your side.”
“Are you all right?” I murmured without thinking. Warwick had nearly killed her.
“Yes,” Azure said. “It’s nothing a night of rest won’t fix. You saved my life, Sybelle.”
My eyes grew hot with emotion. I had almost lost her today, all because I’d been so foolish to enter these woods again.
“The wound isn’t too deep,” Varius said, clearly thinking I was speaking to him. His chest rumbled with his voice. “It will heal just fine. I’m more concerned with your injuries. Human flesh is more…” He paused.
I smirked. “Fragile?”
He chuckled. “That was not what I was going to say.”
“If you weren’t fae, I would call you a liar.”
He laughed again. “I was going to say more prone to infection .”
“Well, that’s also true.” With my finger, I absently traced a line of muscle between his pectorals. He shuddered underneath my touch. “Thank you,” I whispered. “For coming for me.”
He was silent for so long that I thought he hadn’t heard me. I stared up at him, but his gaze was fixed ahead, no doubt to ensure we didn’t crash into a tree or something. In a solemn voice, he murmured, “I will always come for you, dannahla . ”
I wasn’t sure why, but the words sounded almost sorrowful. His brows were drawn together, his mouth turned down, and I wondered what he was thinking about that made him so somber.
Did he know about the rose jewel? Was he concerned that Warwick had found out about it?
Just before Varius had lifted me into his arms, I had grabbed it from the ground.
Now it was tucked into my cloak pocket, and I kept one hand firmly wrapped around the hard, smooth petals.
The contact of my skin was likely keeping the enchantment from attacking us.
Perhaps Varius had noticed I’d taken the jewel, and he was upset I hadn’t told him about it.
But there was plenty he hadn’t told me . The witch’s words still echoed in my mind, along with her screams of agony. So much about that vision still haunted me.
I would talk to Varius about it soon. But I had to process it all first.
And I needed to do some research in the library to see what more I could learn about the spell.
I must have fallen asleep in Varius’s arms. When I awoke, I was surrounded by fluffy pillows and wrapped in a thick woolen blanket. I opened my eyes to find a darkened room. When I shifted, I realized I was lying in a massive bed.
Alone.
“Varius?” I croaked sleepily.
No answer.
With a frown, I slid out from under the covers, only to find I was dressed in a simple cotton shift. My wounds had been cleaned and bandaged, and someone had bathed me as well. Enzira, no doubt. Or Ramia.
How had I slept through it all? Either someone had used magic to keep me asleep—Tislora, perhaps—or I’d been in worse shape than I’d thought.
My shoulder still throbbed from Warwick’s bite. Wincing from the pain, I eased out of bed and lit the lantern.
In the armchair by my bed dozed a familiar figure. It was Ramia, her head cradled in her arm as she snored softly. I smiled. It had felt like ages since I’d last seen her.
I glanced around the room. It was definitely Varius’s chambers, but he wasn’t here. It was just me and Ramia.
My gaze flicked toward the door, my throat knotting. I supposed, with Warwick dead, there was no longer a need for my husband to guard me every hour of the day.
Perhaps Varius was busy. There were certainly more important things to do than sit by my bedside and wait for me to wake up.
I draped a shawl around my shoulders and strode toward Varius’s desk.
I found a spare bit of parchment and a quill and immediately began writing down every detail I could recall from the memory the rose jewel had shown me.
The shadowstone. King Ragnus draining the witch’s power. And finally, the words of her curse.
When I was finished, I set the quill down and folded up the parchment, then searched for my cloak. With a start, I patted my sides, my heart seizing with dread.
The rose jewel was gone.
Shit, shit, shit .
I hurried to the bathing chamber and searched under piles of towels and other linens. But there was no sign of my cloak or my pouch of gemstones.
“No,” I breathed, my mind spiraling with panic. Where were they?
I returned to the bedchamber and gently shook Ramia’s shoulders. I hated to rouse her… but she would want to know I was awake.
“Ramia,” I whispered.
She mumbled something, then turned her head. One eye cracked open and surveyed me. Then, she stiffened and sat up straight.
“My lady! You’re awake! Oh, thank the gods. I was so worried for you. When they brought you in here looking like that ?—”
“Ramia.” I squeezed her arm to silence her. “I’m all right. But I need to know where my gemstones are.”
She blinked, her brow furrowing. “Oh! You mean that blue pouch? It was with your cloak. I think Enzira sent it to be washed.”
Dread coiled in my chest. Damn it. “And the rose?”
She frowned. “What rose?”
“There was a red jewel shaped like a rose. Did you see it?”
She considered this for a moment before shaking her head. “No. I didn’t see anything like that.”
I ran my hands through my hair, biting back a curse.
A knock sounded at the door, and Ramia stood to open it. I straightened, my pulse racing at the thought of seeing Varius. Perhaps he could tell me what happened to my gems.
My heart sank when Enzira entered. But I forced a smile as she beamed at me.
“So glad you’re awake, my lady,” she said before drawing the curtains. Midday sun spilled into the room, illuminating the darkened space. I flinched against the brightness, waiting until she was finished with the curtains before speaking.
“Where is the king?”
Enzira didn’t meet my gaze. “In the dining hall.”
I supposed I should be eating anyway. “Very well. I’ll dress and meet him for lunch.”
“He has asked not to be disturbed. He had your food sent up to you.” Enzira gestured behind her, where a tray of sliced meat, fresh cheese, and toasted bread awaited .
My stomach sank, and I looked questioningly at Enzira. She finally met my gaze, her lips thinning.
Cold realization settled into my bones. “I see.” My voice was strained.
He did not want to see me.
Perhaps he knew about the rose jewel and was angry with me.
Perhaps he regretted kissing me and didn’t want to give me the wrong idea.
“What is it?” Ramia asked, glancing between us.
In Terrish, I explained that the king was too busy to see me today.
“He’s the king,” Ramia said with the wave of her hand. “He has a busy schedule, my lady. Think nothing of it.”
I nodded, but something told me it was more than that. “Where are my clothes from yesterday? I need my cloak.”
“I sent them to be washed,” said Enzira.
“What about the items in my pockets?” I didn’t mind if Enzira knew about the gemstones, but now didn’t seem the time to explain it all to her. Especially not with Ramia present.
Enzira frowned, then strode over to the armoire. After pulling open a few drawers, she withdrew a familiar pouch and lifted it so I could see. “Is this what you’re looking for?”
Ramia made a surprised sound, then covered her mouth. She must have been sleeping when Enzira had put the pouch there.
A relieved exhale whooshed from me. I hurried to Enzira’s side and accepted the pouch from her, pressing my fingers against the rough material to ensure the stones were inside. “Thank you,” I breathed. “ Thank you .”
Enzira gave me a knowing smile that made me wonder just how much she knew. “I understand how precious that is to you.”
I swallowed hard. “They are gemstones.”
“I know. I’ve seen you with that one around your neck.” She gestured to the amber stone at my throat. I brushed my fingers over it, grateful that she hadn’t removed it while bathing me.
She did seem to perceive more than I realized.
I opened my mouth to say more, but Enzira lifted a hand to stop me. “You do not owe me an explanation, my lady.”
“But I want you to know.”
Her smile turned soft. “Then tell me your tale another time. I would love to hear it. For now, I must ensure you are dressed for the day before attending to other duties. The king has asked me to carefully inspect your chambers alongside the sorceress Tislora to see if any clues were left behind.”
I frowned. “But Warwick is dead.”
“Yes. But we do not know who else was working with him. Anything we find could lead us to his co-conspirators.”
“What is she saying?” Ramia asked.
In Terrish, I said darkly, “We are talking of Warwick and who might have been working with him.”
“It’s a pity that scumbag died before I could get my hands on him,” Ramia muttered as she rearranged the sheets on the bed.
I ignored her, knowing full well she would have been no match for Warwick. But perhaps Enzira and Tislora would find out how he was connected to the Earthen Court.
It still made no sense to me.
I needed to look more closely into my own court. I needed to use the shadowstone.
Just the idea of touching that cursed stone made me want to retch. It had been the tool that had brought about the witch’s demise. It had glowed white with her curse.
It felt like a bad omen to use such a jewel.
But what choice did I have? I needed to figure out what was happening in my kingdom.
I itched to open my gemstone bag and ensure the rose jewel was safely inside, but I didn’t want to tinker with the stones around Ramia and Enzira.
The rose jewel and the shadowstone were powerful, and I didn’t want to risk injuring either of them.
Or drawing them into another memory from the rose jewel.
Enzira helped me into a satin turquoise gown that hugged my body like a second skin. The long skirt fell to my toes, and elegant tapered sleeves extended just past my elbows.
It covered far more of my skin than I was accustomed to. Since I’d arrived in the Shadow Court, most of my dresses had been borderline scandalous by Earthen standards.
“It’s quite lovely,” Ramia said with an approving smile.
I arched an eyebrow at Enzira. “Where did this dress come from?”
“A gift from the king.” Her mouth pinched as if she were trying to hide a smirk.
I inspected the sleeves and the skirt with fresh eyes. It was certainly a beautiful gown.
I snorted. “So his plan is to avoid me and dress me in gowns that cover as much of my body as possible?”
The corners of Enzira’s mouth twitched. “It appears so.” She quickly added, “Perhaps he doesn’t want to repeat what happened at the revel.”
I knew Enzira was referring to Warwick and his threats. But her comment reminded me of other things that had happened that night.
Things between Varius and me.
Warmth coiled in my chest at the reminder. The way his body had responded to mine. The heat of his hands on my skin. His shadows plunging into me over and over.
That was what he was trying to avoid.
My stomach twisted. He was pushing me away.
I huffed in exasperation, then strode to the armoire. “No. He can hide from me all he wants, but I refuse to sit by and let him dress me how he likes as if I were some porcelain doll with no say in the matter.” I sifted through several gowns before I found a black one that caught my eye .
I smiled. “This will do nicely.”
Enzira approached me and hummed in agreement. “I think it suits you perfectly, my lady.” Her eyes sparkled.
Ramia made a soft choking sound. “It’s quite… revealing.”
“Which means it will fit in perfectly with the fashions of this court,” I said in Terrish.
Enzira helped me into it with ease, since there was no corset or petticoat.
The bodice was made of sheer black lace that exposed every curve of my chest, the intricate floral design barely concealing my nipples.
The skirt flowed outward, with sparkling silver leaves sewn in that shimmered with each movement.
A long slit ran all the way up my right thigh, baring my leg with each step I took.
“Is there anything else I can help you with, my lady?” Enzira asked after she had pinned up half my hair, leaving the rest loose down my back.
“No, thank you, Enzira. You’ve been tremendously helpful.”
She beamed and pressed a fist to her chest. Before she left, I called out to her.
“Enzira? If you see my husband, will you tell him I’ll be in the library? Assuming he isn’t too much of a coward to face me.”
Enzira’s face flushed. “I’m not sure I should repeat those exact words, my lady.”
“Please do. Tell him I threatened you with excessive force if you did not relay the message to him word for word.” I grinned, showing my teeth.
Enzira snorted, then covered her mouth. She cleared her throat. “I—I will do my best, my lady.” After bringing her fist to her heart once more, she turned and left the room.