Chapter 2
I braced my hands along the stone balcony of my chambers that overlooked the winding river below, lined by braziers emitting silver flames. The light cast an eerie glow on the water, making it appear like a shimmering snake that rippled in the night. Below, the chatter of townsfolk milling about during the kingdom’s Nightfire fete echoed, filling the air with a delightful babble that mingled with the rushing waters.
Ordinarily, the sound would bring me joy.
But not tonight.
Tonight, my gaze was pinned on the flickering embers of three of our braziers. The Nightfire was dying, and we didn’t have the oil or the magic to start it up again.
Thankfully, the people were unaware. There was enough light for them to continue with their festivities. But it wouldn’t be long before the dying fires would bring panic to our people.
“Sire,” Gorrick, my guard captain, said from behind me. “We’ve lost the Nightfire in the southern sector.”
My fingers clenched the stone railing so tightly my knuckles turned white, and the cold and unyielding surface bit into my palms.
We were out of time.
“Have the citizens evacuate to the western sector,” I said.
“Yes, sire.” Gorrick’s feet shuffled with his movement, but I stopped him.
“Double the guard,” I told him. “Once those fires are out, we have no idea what manner of beasts will emerge.”
“Of course, sire.” Gorrick bowed, pressed his fist to his chest, and exited the chambers.
With a heavy sigh, I ran a hand through my hair and turned to face the scene below once more. My eyes were drawn to the darkness in the south, where our Nightfire had just gone out.
I watched, waiting.
After several moments, the bobbing light of torches appeared, but they were faint compared to the blazing beacon of our Nightfire braziers. They wouldn’t hold off any unseelie beasts, that was for sure.
And here I stood, their prince and monarch, with no solution for them.
Soon, our entire kingdom would be plunged into darkness. And I could do nothing to save it.
“Fennick.”
I turned to find my mother, Queen Sonara, standing at my open door. She wore a silver gown that shimmered with each movement as if it were made of the stars themselves. Her silver crown rested atop her head of raven black hair, and a faint glitter lined her olive toned skin. It was a Nightfire tradition, to adorn one’s body like the stars. And Mother looked like the brightest star of them all.
A soft smile lit my face as I turned to inspect her. “Careful, Mother. You’ll outshine everyone. Even the stars.”
She grinned and waved her hand at me, stepping farther into my chambers. Her midnight black hair was pinned atop her head with several curls resting against her cheeks. She tucked one behind her ear as she joined me on the balcony.
“I have just spoken with Cressida,” Mother said, her voice soft. Cressida was the court mage. “She says there is nothing we can do.”
My expression sobered. I had expected this. But it didn’t stop my stomach from dropping.
“This may be our last Nightfire fete for a while,” she went on. “We cannot hide this from the people for much longer. If they notice before we tell them, we could lose their trust. I plan to make an announcement at midday.”
I nodded. “What of the other kingdoms? Can we ask our allies for assistance?”
“The stardust we use in our oil is unique to the Star Court,” Mother said. “Ordinary oil can only burn for so long. But stardust keeps ours burning all night.”
I nodded with a grimace. Stardust was our most precious commodity. We used it for currency, medicines, enchantments, and, of course, Nightfire.
And we were running out of it.
I sighed, bracing my forearms on the edge of the balcony. Here in the Midnight Court, the sun rarely made an appearance. Only during the summer did it peek out for an hour or two before retreating behind the horizon once more. We were Night Fae, after all. Our souls were made for the night.
But to be plunged in utter darkness was far too dangerous. We were accustomed to darkness, yes, but so were other less civilized creatures. All manner of unseelie beasts roamed these lands, and the Nightfire was the only thing keeping them from preying on our people.
“Cressida did say there was one other substance we could use,” Mother said slowly.
At the wariness in her voice, I turned, eyebrows raised. “Well, don’t keep me in suspense, Mother.”
Mother’s lips pinched, as they always did when I joked. “Dragonfire.”
I stiffened at that, my body coiling in anger. Dragons. Of course. Another reason to despise the Summer Court. Gritting my teeth, I turned to face the scene below once more, trying to ignore the rippling rage coursing through me. “Summer will never help us.”
“I know.”
“Then, why even bring it up? There is nothing we can do.” My eyes narrowed as I thought of the rumors floating among our guards. “Wait a moment… I’ve heard people whispering of how we captured a dragon. Mother, is that true?”
She scoffed and waved a hand. “Pay no attention to idle gossip, Fennick. Don’t you think if I had a dragon somewhere, we would be using its fire by now?”
I sighed. I supposed it was too good to be true.
She placed a hand on my arm, and I met her gaze. A fierce intensity burned in her eyes that matched the anger pulsing through me. “We've received word that King Stefan is abdicating to his eldest daughter. She is young. Inexperienced.” A serpentine smile spread across her face.
My eyes narrowed. “What are you suggesting?”
“We are desperate, Fennick,” she said, her tone sharpening. “We cannot simply sit back and watch our people suffer. The time for pleasantries is over. If Summer will not assist us, then we will take what we need by force.”
Alarm shot through me, cooling my anger. “Mother, you speak of war. Our kingdom cannot support a war on top of the stardust shortage.”
“What are our other options?” she snapped. “What else would you have me do, Fennick?”
I fell silent at that. I had no other possible solutions. Enchanted fire was already hard to come by in the Realm of Valora. No other kingdoms had easy access to it.
Except, it seemed, the Summer Court.
Mother was right. We had no other options.
“I know you can… convince her,” Mother continued, her tone full of meaning.
I whipped my head to look at her in accusation. “You mean use my gift?” My fae magic allowed me to persuade others to agree with me. But it only worked if their minds were amenable.
I doubted the Summer Princess would be an easy target.
Mother seemed to read my apprehension. “I hear the Summer Princess is quite beautiful. And you are always so charming with the court ladies.”
I fixed a flat stare on her. “Not with ladies from an enemy kingdom.”
Mother shrugged. “You do love a good challenge, don't you?”
I glanced down at the braziers along the riverbank. Another one was fading, its dying embers floating into the night.
Could I charm the Summer Princess? Even with my charismatic personality and fae magic, it would be difficult to erase centuries of hatred and tension between our kingdoms.
“What can I offer her in exchange for her help?” I asked. “Gold? Steel?”
“You can offer her safety. A promise that we will not invade and seize what belongs to us. ”
I stared at her. “You wish me to go to their kingdom and charm the princess only to turn around and threaten her people if she does not comply with our demands?” I loved my mother, but she was known for being a brutal queen for a reason. Some called her heartless. And while I understood why she made the decisions she did, it didn’t mean I wanted to be the same kind of ruler as she was.
The idea of entering an enemy kingdom uninvited and demanding they surrender their most precious resource to us did not sit well with me.
Mother leaned closer, her gaze sharpening and her smile cold. “As I said before, Fennick. The time for pleasantries is over.” She withdrew and stepped away from the balcony. “I know you will not fail me.” The threat lining her words made me stiffen as her heels clacked on the marble floors. I didn’t turn to look at her as she left my chambers.
My jaw was taut as I faced the balcony once more, my eyes upon the darkness of the southern sector. Faint torch lights still bobbed in the distance. My arms grew tense as the tree branches quivered, and bestial roars echoed.
The unseelie creatures had come.
My eyes crammed shut as screams filled the air. The screams of my people.
Despite my mother’s callous nature, she was right; I would do this for our people.
And I would not fail.