Chapter 27 – Sera
Chapter Twenty-Seven
SERA
The familiar walls of the Emberwood Palace pass by as we’re led back toward the outdoor dining terrace.
My heart grows heavier with each step, memories of another life a hollow echo.
I don’t know if I can bear another false tale of my parents’ demise.
Will the queen be cruel enough to bring it up?
Does she suspect we know anything is amiss?
Dinner is far too close to sunset for my comfort. We will need to make our excuses as quickly as possible. I can’t allow her one more thing to hold over me.
Alex looks at me warily, his anxiety rolling off him despite the strong front he is doing his best to maintain. I’ve kept my distance from him as much as possible for the past few hours. Having anyone discover what he is to me would only make things worse.
When I spy Loche seated casually at the table, anger burns in my blood. I don’t know how or why, but I am certain he is partially responsible for my parents’ deaths.
There are a few other courtiers present, so I bite my tongue, trying to honor the queen’s request to keep my identity a secret.
I don’t recognize any of them, but it was probably planned that way.
A test to see if I’d comply. For all I know, the queen disposed of any loyal lords and ladies centuries ago.
The reminder of just how alone I am in this realm is crippling.
I drop into a brief curtsy in front of the impostor queen and take a seat as far away from her as possible. Alex murmurs his respects before joining me.
Loche catches my eye from across the table and gives me what almost looks like a sympathetic smile. I don’t understand his game.
The queen taps her fork against her crystal goblet. “We have visitors!” She puts on the fakest smile I’ve ever seen and gestures a bejeweled hand toward Alex and me. “Please be sure to welcome Sir Alexander Grey and Lady Penelope Waters from the River Court!”
Penelope? I try to hide my grimace. That name does not suit me at all.
“Welcome!” a female courtier says with a loopy smile. She looks like she’s had one drink too many, and dinner hasn’t even started.
“Thank you.” I try to nod graciously.
“What brings you to this fine court?” the female to her left asks, a stunning fae with hair so green, it’s almost black, and warm golden eyes.
So the lying begins. Before I can respond, Alex cuts in. “Lady Penelope has family nearby, and we wanted to invite them in person to our bonding ceremony.”
The first female, her vibrant red hair fiery in the early evening sunlight, claps excitedly. “Oh, I love a bonding ceremony! Dancing and drinking for an entire week? Can I come?”
I almost snort out a laugh. Our bonding ceremonies are not quite the same as what Alex is probably used to. Can he keep up the ruse?
Alex turns to me, slinging his arm along the back of my chair.
“We probably have room for a few more.” He winks, and I can’t stop the answering smile, even though this whole scenario is fake.
Of course Alex would choose a story that allowed him to be close to me.
Sneaky bastard. Though, to be fair, it would be odd for us to be traveling without any other companions if we weren’t together.
“Delightful!” the redhead exclaims. “Oh, forgive me for being so rude. My name is Lady Brooke, and”—she gestures to the green-haired beauty—“this is my dearest friend, Lady Jade.”
“It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintances,” I reply, and Alex nods in agreement.
“Is your family part of the nobility here?” Lady Brooke asks.
“Oh no,” I respond. “But my father insisted I drop off an invitation for the queen, and she was gracious enough to invite us to stay for a few days.”
“Yes, the queen is most gracious,” Lady Jade says, and if I’m not mistaken, there is the tiniest bite to her tone.
“You must tell us how in the realms you discovered you were mated to a human!” Lady Brooke gushes. “Bound by the gods themselves!”
I freeze, my hand halfway to the goblet of sparkling wine in front of me.
Seven hells. What have I done? I quickly grab the wine and take a long sip to give myself just another moment to think of how to respond.
Shit shit shit. Hopefully Alex doesn’t realize what that means .
. . Hopefully he believes it’s just another way to refer to bonding here in Lunesai.
“Brooke, you’re being incredibly forward,” Lady Jade admonishes softly.
“Oh? I’m sorry.” She giggles. “I think I’ve had too much to drink already. The wine does loosen my tongue.”
“No shit,” Lady Jade mutters under her breath, and Alex lets out a forced laugh.
I finally glance over at him, and his body is tense, brows furrowed. When our eyes meet, it’s clear he’s put the pieces together.
He looks away and pastes on an easy grin. “It’s quite all right, Lady Brooke. Have you never met a human and fae pairing before?”
“Gods, no,” she chirps, fanning her flushed cheeks with her hand. “It’s so incredibly rare. I’m lucky to witness it. It’s undeniable. I can almost see—ow!” Lady Brooke gives Lady Jade a dirty look. “What in the realms was that for?”
“Please forgive Lady Brooke. She often speaks without thinking,” Lady Jade says.
I want to disappear into the ground, set this table ablaze and run. Alex is so stiff beside me, and I want to murder past-me for allowing our antics earlier this afternoon. Did I accidentally solidify a bond I had no intention of allowing? No. It’s not possible. All we’ve done is kiss.
I dare a glance at the impostor queen, and she’s watching us closely, the hint of a smirk tugging at her lips. Oh we are so done for. I’m not sure if she heard everything, but it appears she’s heard enough.
Lady Jade looks at me curiously, and I hate how she appears to see straight through me. It’s unnerving.
“It’s fine,” I croak out and take another gulp of wine.
Servants arrive with food, which gives me a moment’s reprieve. The distance between Alex and me feels insurmountable, but it’s for the best. Better he be mad at me, as there’s no chance in hells we can ever be together. He doesn’t know what the term mate actually means. He can’t.
Lady Brooke and Lady Jade speak quietly to each other, and I don’t even want to try to listen in. The clang of dishes and cutlery and the chatter around us drowns everything out. My traitorous, pounding heart is loudest of all. I’m grateful for the music playing, giving us a modicum of privacy.
“Try to smile, Spitfire,” an almost inaudible voice comes from beside my ear. “Her Majesty needs proof we can keep up her ruse, and you’re doing a poor job of selling it.”
I turn toward him, his face so close to mine, our lips almost touch. “It’s your story. You sell it,” I whisper, forcing a smile.
“Clearly, I made a mistake,” he replies. “A mate wouldn’t lie to me the way you have.”
I suck in a breath and turn back to the table, the words clanging through my head so loud, I can’t focus.
I take a bite of the vegetables drenched in butter, and somehow, they manage to taste dry in my mouth. When I glance up, Lady Jade is staring once again. She couldn’t have heard him, not from across the table. There is far too much noise and music to hear a whisper.
“How long have you been at court?” I raise my voice and direct my question to the fae who is far too curious about us. Is she a spy for the queen?
Lady Jade finishes chewing and sets down her fork. “Only a few years. I’m from the Mountain Court.”
Ah, that makes sense. I should have guessed based on the subtle lilt of her voice.
“And do you like the Woodland Court?” I ask.
“There’s no place like home,” Lady Jade says curtly.
“Ohh! You should tell Sir Grey and Lady Penelope about your dragons!” Lady Brooke chimes in.
“Dragons?” Alex asks, leaning forward. “Please do share.”
Lady Jade rolls her eyes. “Tell anyone you’re from the Mountain Court, and they automatically want to hear about dragons, as if there’s nothing else of interest about us.”
“But you came here on a dragon!” Lady Brooke cuts in. “I almost passed out from fright when they showed up.”
“You have a dragon? Here?” I ask, incredulous.
Lady Jade shakes her head. “Darius would never survive down here. It’s far too warm.”
Alex chuckles. “Kian will never believe me.”
“I’ve never seen a dragon,” I admit. “I haven’t had a chance to travel that far north.”
“You’re a fire wielder, no?” Lady Jade asks.
Surprise trickles through me. How is she so damned perceptive?
I give a subtle nod. It’s not as if my family were the only fire wielders in this court, though water wielders are far more common in the River Court, where I’m supposed to be from. “How can you tell?” I can’t help but ask.
“Air wielder,” she says. “I can sense it.”
She must be a pretty damned amazing air wielder to sense my gift. I’m impressed.
“We don’t have many air wielders down south,” I say, hoping it’s not a lie. I’ve been gone from this realm so long, I don’t even know who the current rulers are. I am so far out of my depth and should probably just keep my mouth shut.
“Not surprised,” Lady Jade says.
A chill rolls through me as the first sun dips almost below the horizon. I’m running out of time, and I need to find a way to excuse myself before I get caught.
I take another bite of food and instantly regret it. My stomach churns from nerves and the fact that I won’t even be able to talk to Alex about all of this until tomorrow. I hate myself just a little more.
The fae lights blink on, surrounding the courtyard in a warm glow, and I know my time is truly running out.
I rise from the table and try to put on my best sick-looking face.
“Your Majesty, I’m afraid I’m still a little unwell.
Thank you so much for this wonderful spread and fine company, but I’m afraid I must retire for the evening. ”
“Nonsense, it’s only been one course. You must stay until dessert,” the impostor queen says ever so sweetly.
I feign weakness and let myself sway a little.
Alex jumps to his feet and puts an arm around me. “Please, Your Majesty. I’d hate for my darling Penelope to make a mess of your table.”
The queen wrinkles her nose in disgust, but she won’t be moved. How in the hells am I going to get out of this? I’m an idiot. I should have just left and let Alex make an excuse for me.
“Sit down, Lady Penelope,” the queen admonishes. “They’re about to bring out the next course and I don’t like to interrupt my dinner.”
I sink into my seat and turn a worried glance toward Alex.
The weight of everyone’s eyes on us, their attention, is too much.
Digging deep into my upbringing, I force a fake smile as I attempt to eat, relieved when people finally return to their meals, oohing and ahhing over the next course.
I have minutes of daylight left and have broken out into a cold sweat.
“You really don’t look well,” Lady Brooke says with the first frown I’ve seen on her.
A brittle laugh leaves me. “I wasn’t lying.”
She lowers her voice conspiratorially. “The queen is very strict about her dinners. No one is to leave until she’s done.”
If only I’d known that before, I wouldn’t have come.
Lady Jade throws back the rest of her wine and grimaces. “It does take some getting used to.”
I turn back to Alex, feeling the beginnings of the shift starting deep within. “I’m sorry.” There’s nothing else to say. I only hope I get the chance to explain in the morning, because things are about to go to shit.
The second sun sinks below the horizon, dragging with it the final rays of light. I close my eyes as everything starts to burn and stretch, and the last thing I hear before I lose myself to the transformation are the shrieks and screams of dinner guests.