Chapter 6
Still flushed and winded from my encounter with the stranger, I checked on the hatchlings before returning to the palace. Azure’s condition had worsened; she hardly lifted her head at my approach. She wouldn’t last much longer.
Was I bold enough to enter the Star Court in search of a cure for her? Would I risk a war, all for one dragon?
I couldn’t let her die, though. She was tiny and helpless, a glorious, majestic creature worthy of life. It was my duty to do what I could for her.
Wringing my hands together, I quickened my pace, circling around the path to the back of the palace. The grounds were oddly quiet, but I counted this as a blessing; maybe my extended absence would be overlooked.
I thought of my dance with the stranger and stifled a grin. Mother would be affronted, but Gigi would love the story. I resolved to tell her once we had a private moment. Perhaps she could speculate with me about where the stranger came from and if I would see him again.
I eased open the gate to the gardens, passing by hedges and shrubs. Fresh jasmine tickled my nose, along with Mother’s famous rose bushes. Ordinarily I would stop to admire them, but I was in a hurry. My gaze flicked to the sun, which was dipping low in the sky. Gods, how had it gotten so late? Why had no one come for me?
I hiked up my skirts and climbed up the trellis against the wall, my movements quick but very unladylike. Luckily, no one was in the gardens right now .
When I reached the second floor balcony, I dropped down with a grunt, then adjusted my skirts. They were stained with mud at the hem, but that couldn’t be helped. After ensuring my hair was at least somewhat tame, I strode forward, prepared to find my mother waiting for me with a scolding look in her eye.
But the palace halls were quiet. No sound but the scuffing of my bare feet broke the silence.
My skin prickled with unease. What was going on? It was as empty and lifeless as a grave. Even if my parents and sister were preoccupied, there would still be servants and staff flitting about.
“Hello?” I called uncertainly. My voice bounced off the walls, resonating down the empty hallway.
No answer.
Was there a formal gathering I’d forgotten about? I chewed on my thumbnail, thinking hard. No, I was sure I hadn’t missed anything. I knew there was nothing else on my agenda when I’d taken Mal flying.
The tea room. At this hour, Mother and Gigi often took tea together. I gathered my skirts and practically sprinted down the hall, my bare feet slapping against the cool marble.
I rounded the corner and choked on a horrified scream, covering my mouth before it pierced the air.
A servant lay prone on the floor, a tray of biscuits surrounding him. He must have dropped it when he’d fallen.
“Gods!” I crouched to the floor, sweeping his long blond hair out of his face.
I knew this man. It was Hastings from the kitchens. He often brought us our tea and refreshments. My hands shook, my breaths coming in sharp gasps. Burning suns, what had happened to him? Was he dead?
“Breathe, Aurelia,” I whispered to myself, inhaling through my nose, then exhaling deeply. “One step at a time. Check to see if he’s breathing first.” I swallowed hard, then leaned close. After a moment, I heard deep, slow breaths coming from his chest.
Thank the gods. I pressed a hand to my chest, trying to calm my skittering pulse.
Then, Hastings uttered a loud snore.
I jumped with a yelp, scrambling away from him, eyes wide .
He snored again.
I blinked. What the hell?
With slow and careful movements, I drew closer to him, lifting his arms and searching his tunic for injuries. But he seemed perfectly fine. No blood. No bones jutting out at odd angles. No bruises.
And he was snoring.
Was Hastings… asleep?
I poked him uncertainly. “Hastings?”
He didn’t rouse.
I shook him more forcefully. “Hastings!”
Still, he continued to snore.
With a frown, I climbed to my feet, glancing down the hall to see if anyone approached. I needed to inform our medic about Hastings’ condition. Perhaps he drank a tonic that made him extra sleepy? I knew he often took a special medication for his heart.
Yes, that was all. Surely, there was no reason to panic.
But I couldn’t stop my legs from sprinting down the hall, my mind frantic. Someone, anyone, please… The hall was eerily empty as I raced past the library and the study, only stopping when I reached the tea room.
Gasping for breath, I braced one hand on the open door frame before going utterly still at the sight before me.
Soft snores filled the air. The room was full of sleeping figures. On the chaise sofas were Mother and Gigi, their bodies sprawled along the cushions with an informality that would make the queen blanch. Two servants lay on one end of the room, next to the tea cart. On the opposite end was Pearl, Mother’s lady’s maid.
I clutched my chest, which was tight with anxiety. I couldn’t make any sense of this. Why was everyone asleep?
I approached the sofas, checking my Mother first. Like Hastings, she had no visible injuries. Her face was smooth and free of worries or concerns.
I shook her shoulders. “Mother.”
Nothing.
I shook her more violently. “Mother, wake up!”
Still nothing.
I tried Gigi next. I jostled her, pinched her, even slapped her across the face—knowing she would forgive me for it later—but nothing would wake her.
I sank to my knees, choking on a sob. What was going on? Was everyone in the palace asleep?
I had to know for sure.
I raced down the halls once more, passing by sleeping servants along the way. When I reached my father’s study, I barged in without knocking, which ordinarily would earn me a stern scolding.
There he was, fast asleep, his head resting on a stack of papers on his desk.
Oh, gods.
My stomach roiled as I left, darting down the spiral staircase before heading to the servants’ quarters.
“Hello?” I shouted as I strode down the hall, barging into room after room. Most were empty, but a few housed snoring subjects. I descended to the kitchens and sucked in a gasp.
More than a dozen figures were lying on the floor, including the chef. On the hearth, several pots were bubbling over. With a yelp, I hurried over, using a cloth to protect my hands as I eased the still steaming pots of stew onto the countertop.
The kitchen staff had fallen asleep in the middle of preparing supper. How in the hell had this happened?
After ensuring the hearth was doused—I didn’t want to inadvertently burn down the palace—I left the kitchens, my body quivering with exhaustion and fear.
What was I to do? I didn’t have any magic. I didn’t know anything about powerful spells, but I had no doubt this was the result of an enchantment. But what could I do about it?
My thoughts turned to Samiria and the witches. Surely, they would know something! I had to find them.
With renewed purpose, I made my way to the entrance doors, easing them open to reveal the courtyard bathed in the amber glow of the setting sun.
I froze when a shout rang out from the other end of the courtyard.
My body went stiff with awareness. Someone was awake!
My feet were moving again, careless of the concrete biting into my bare skin with each step. I hastened down the steps and rounded the corner, then faltered at the portcullis separating the palace from the main road.
A man stood on the other side, banging against the metal bars. “Hello!” His voice was hoarse as if he’d been shouting for hours.
My eyes narrowed as I came toward him. He straightened at my approach. “Thank the gods!” he said. “Are you all right? What’s going on?”
I descended the final steps, then felt my blood run cold.
It was the stranger from the woods.
My mouth fell open as I took him in, still wearing the same fine tunic as before. His eyes grew wide, his face turning pale as he recognized me, too.
“You,” I said, stopping before I got too close to him. “Did—Did you do this?”
His head reared back. “What? No! I came here straight from the forest and found everyone asleep! Even my envoy can’t be roused.”
“Your envoy,” I repeated. I glanced over him with more scrutiny. I’d thought him to be nobility before. But what if…
“Who are you?” I demanded, my voice sharpening.
He stood a bit straighter, his chin lifting. “I’m Prince Fennick of the Court of Midnight, here to see Princess Aurelia to negotiate on behalf of my kingdom. The matter is urgent.”
The world seemed to freeze for a full beat as I processed his words. Then, a harsh bark of laughter burst from me. “Oh, this is just wonderful, isn’t it? The prince of an enemy kingdom— my enemy —has arrived at the precise moment my people have fallen under an enchanted sleep. A little too convenient, wouldn’t you say?”
“It’s not convenient at all. As I said, I didn’t do this. And—Wait, did you say your people ?” Fennick staggered back a step, his eyes wide with horror. “Who are you?”
“I’m Princess Aurelia,” I said coldly.
He went deathly still, his eyes wide as saucers. Then, he exhaled, running a hand through his brown locks. “Well, shit.”
“You said the matter is urgent?” I said, spreading my arms. “Do tell what trouble ails your kingdom, good sir! It’s not as if I have anything pressing to attend to at the moment. ”
“Princess—Your Highness, please…”
“I don’t have time for this,” I spat, turning and striding back up the steps to the courtyard. I was planning on taking a horse to the witch coven, but I refused to open the portcullis and let in that deceitful bastard.
He had to be behind this. This couldn’t be a coincidence.
My fingers curled into tight fists of rage as I stormed back into the palace, taking the halls to the gardens like the way I’d come in.
He had the gall to flirt with me and dance with me and charm me . All the while he brought this dark magic into my kingdom…
A roar of frustration built in my throat, and once I lowered myself from the trellis, I threw my head back and screamed at the sky. No one would hear because they were all asleep.
Well, Prince Fennick wasn’t. But I didn’t give a damn what he thought.
He deceived me. It had all been an act. He’d probably known who I was the entire time. The dance had only been a farce to charm me into negotiating with him.
I would rather die. I would never negotiate with a man like that.
Cursing Prince Fennick to every layer of Hell I could think of, I escaped from the gardens and hurried down the path that led to the nesting grounds.
Mal met me at the edge of the wood, ears perked up in agitation. He could sense something was off. He had my riding boots clamped between his teeth, as if he’d known I would need them.
“You feel it, too?” I asked, stroking his snout, overjoyed to find him awake. So either this enchantment only affected people, or it stopped at the palace grounds. “I need your help. I know you’re probably still tired, but do you have another ride in you?”
Mal grumbled his assent, his eyes glittering with excitement. Even if it pushed him far past exhaustion, he would do it. I knew my dragon better than I knew myself.
I slid on my boots, then brought my fingers to my lips and whistled loudly. After a moment, Jorey’s silver scales shimmered with his movement as he obediently bounded from the forest, rushing up to me like an overexcited puppy.
He sniffed me, his tongue lolling as he panted happily. I scratched under his chin and said, “I need you to wake the other dragons, Jorey. The castle must be protected. Can you do that?”
Jorey blinked slowly at me, his snout twitching.
I nodded, my expression solemn. “Yes. Even Kade.”
Jorey’s ears curled inward with apprehension. I leaned close and pressed my nose to his. “You can do this, Jorey. Kade might be grumpy, but she will do what’s necessary to protect our people.”
Jorey huffed and lifted his chin, his eyes steely with determination. I kissed the top of his head. “Thank you, my brave friend.”
Jorey licked my cheek, then turned and darted back into the forest. After a few moments, several twigs snapped, and the massive trees began to shake as Kade was awakened.
I stared up at the shifting trees, my body tense. Only a few times had we woken Kade for our protection. She was quite a sight to behold.
But I didn’t have time to stop and watch. Time was not on my side.
I turned to Mal, who suddenly stiffened and sniffed the air. I whirled, biting back a cry of rage at the sight of Prince Fennick on the forest path.
“What the hell are you doing here?” I raged, stomping toward him. “Was my dismissal not clear enough? Get out of my kingdom!”
He lifted his palms, just as he had when we’d met in the forest earlier. “I only came to help.”
“I don’t believe you.” My eyes narrowed. “Why are you in the woods again? And don’t try to say it was for dancing, because that was obviously a lie.”
He rolled his eyes. “I can’t lie, remember? It was a hunch. You seemed very protective of your dragons, so I figured you’d come here.”
“Of course I’m protective of them, when bastards like you show up under false pretenses.”
“I never lied to you!”
“You deceived me,” I snarled. “It makes no difference if the words coming from your lips were lies or not. They were misleading. If you wanted to negotiate me, you should have been forthcoming from the beginning.”
He huffed a dry laugh. “Would you have listened? ”
I didn’t answer. Instead, I turned to Mal, prepared to climb on him bareback. I didn’t care if his scales would leave me bruised and sore tomorrow; there was no time to fetch the saddle.
“Princess, let me help, ” Fennick urged.
“Go to hell!” I snapped. “You come into my kingdom, put my people in an enchanted sleep, and then expect me to trust you to help rectify the situation? This is your last warning to leave the Summer Court before I let my dragons have you.”
Kade would wake soon, and she had a nasty temper. If she found the Midnight Prince lingering by the nesting grounds, she wouldn’t hesitate to attack. I almost smiled at the thought.
I lifted one leg before swinging onto Mal’s back. He had lowered himself to the ground to allow me to climb on, but the sharp edges of his scales still dug into my legs, even through my cotton skirts.
I was about to spur him into action when a shout from behind stopped me.
“I swear on my blood and the entire Mardion bloodline that I had nothing to do with this sleeping enchantment that has befallen your kingdom, nor did I know it would occur!”
My nostrils flared as I looked over my shoulder at the prince, prepared to tell him just what he could do with his false promises. But when I saw the trickle of blood running down his palm, I faltered.
Fae bargains were binding. But swearing in blood was the holiest and deadliest of vows. It could not be altered. It could not be undone.
My mouth fell open, and I couldn’t form a response. Fennick’s face was rigid with determination, the sword in his hand still oozing droplets of his own blood.
“And I swear on my blood,” he continued, stepping toward me, “that I am here to help. Not to deceive.”
“You are here to negotiate,” I argued. “You said it yourself.”
“That was my original purpose in coming here. But in this moment, your kingdom is in dire need of help. Do you deny it?”
I said nothing.
“Right now, I am the only person able to assist you.” His eyes burned with intensity .
I swallowed, my throat dry. He was right. And yet… “You are only offering help to earn favor with me for your negotiations.”
“Perhaps. But wouldn’t you like to end this animosity between our kingdoms for good? All it takes is one act of good faith. Whether or not you decide to discuss terms with me in the future, I am here to help. I will not revoke that help if you decide you still despise me.”
I chewed on my lower lip, considering his words, searching for a loophole or a phrase that could be twisted against me. He had a good point. Especially if I hoped to acquire stardust to save Azure. Perhaps if we took this step to smooth things over between our kingdoms, it would be easier for me to ask for a favor to help the hatchling.
“Do I need to slash open my other palm?” Fennick said impatiently.
“No,” I said. My gaze slid to the emerald spires jutting out from the other side of the trees. Inside, my entire family lay asleep, unable to be roused. How long before the kingdom fell apart? How long before the other courts noticed and attacked?
Our dragons had been coveted for centuries. All it would take was one whiff that something was amiss in the Summer Court, and our foes would come running.
My eyes narrowed as I looked at Fennick again. He would only need to send word to his ruthless mother, and their armies would be on my doorstep.
“Fine,” I said at last. “Come with me.”
Fennick’s eyebrows lifted. Clearly, he hadn’t expected me to agree. “I shall fetch my horse.”
“There is no time,” I snapped. “There is room for us both on Mal.”
Fennick blinked. “On… your dragon?”
“Are you hard of hearing? Yes! Hurry, prince. Before I change my mind.”
Fennick sheathed his short sword and bounded forward, withdrawing a handkerchief to wrap around his bleeding hand. In seconds, he had climbed onto Mal’s back with ease, nestling behind me. The warmth of another body against mine was jarring. I was used to the windy air and the freedom of no restraints tethering me. To have another solid presence was foreign and uncomfortable.
Not to mention he smelled like pine and mint and waterfalls, reminding me of our dance together. I shoved the thought from my mind before it rattled my brain.
Shifting my weight on Mal’s back, I winced at the scales pressing into me. Yes, my legs would certainly be sore tomorrow.
“You’d best hold on to me,” I warned the prince. “Mal will not care if you fall off. And nor will I.”
Fennick wrapped his arms tightly around my waist. Mal took off, his claws digging into the soil, his muscles coiling underneath us, jostling us with each stride. After a few moments, his wings outstretched, and Fennick yelped behind me.
I couldn’t help but laugh. “You’ll get used to that.”
His wings beat beside us, and even I couldn’t stop my legs from sliding. Without the security of my saddle, I was dangerously close to falling off myself. I clenched my legs, tightening my grip around the dragon. Mal seemed to notice my unease, and his wings straightened, allowing me time to secure my hold on him.
After a few moments, we lifted off the ground, and the ride became much smoother. I sighed with relief, wrapping my arms around Mal’s neck and holding him closely.
“Take us to Samiria,” I murmured in his ear.
Mal grumbled his response, gliding higher into the sky.
Behind me, Fennick muttered several curses, his arms shaking as he clutched my waist.
“Gods above,” he whispered. “Bloody burning stars . This is insane. I can’t—Good gods .”
As Mal arced smoothly through the sky, slicing through clouds, Fennick’s mutterings halted, and I heard him gasp softly. “Incredible.”
Despite the sheer insanity of our situation—the Midnight Prince, of all people, astride my most beloved dragon—I allowed a wide smile to stretch across my face.
No one, not even the prince of an enemy kingdom, could resist the wonder of flying on a dragon.