Chapter 24
“What do you think of the pastries?” Everett asked as he leaned forward to grab a tartlet.
I looked down at the bright pink macaron that sat on the tiny dessert plate in front of me.
I took a small bite from the confection and smiled at Everett.
I couldn’t quite figure out what flavour it was supposed to be.
It was equal parts sweet and tart, with a weird aftertaste that I could only identify as minty.
Regardless, it was much too sweet for my liking.
Everett had decided to surprise me with a garden tea party.
Apparently, it was all the rage with the fae women of the Citrine Court.
Ever the gentleman, Everett had gone out of his way to ensure that I had the whole experience, even if it was something I would normally have no interest in doing.
I didn’t understand the need for such frivolousness.
Each day, I found something new that the fae did that didn’t make any sense to me.
I washed down the lingering foreign taste with some tea.
“They’re interesting,” I lied. “I’m not used to such unique flavours.”
The seasons in the fae realm seemed to match those of the human realm, and the biting chill in the air declared that winter was almost here.
The garden remained vibrant and full of life due to the arcana used to keep it looking splendid all year round, but outside the palace grounds, the trees were a varied mix of shades of yellow, orange, and green.
Soon most of the trees would lose their leaves, and snow would descend upon the Crystal Isle.
I fastened the top two buttons of my cloak, trying to fight off the chill.
“If it’s too cold for you, we can move this inside,” Everett offered, gesturing to the tiered structure that held way too many tiny treats for two people.
“No, that’s all right. I don’t mind the chill. It’s refreshing.”
Everett nodded as he grabbed a purple treat in the shape of a shell, which looked similar to the fancy-shaped bar soap sold at the market back home.
A sad smile spread across my face as I thought of life prior to this.
My ‘bathing oils’ were always kept beside the bar soaps at Magda’s shop.
Magda had said it was more believable that way when I protested their placement.
I missed seeing Magda’s sweet face and listening to her gossip about events all over the continent.
I especially missed the people I helped in the village, and the purpose they gave me.
The sound of Everett’s armour clanking on the pastry plates brought me out of my memories.
“How has the search for Prince Sterling’s kidnapper or kidnappers gone? Do you have any updates?” I took another long sip from my tea, watching Everett furiously chewing his sweet so he could answer.
He took a large mouthful of tea before responding.
“No one’s been identified yet, if that’s what you’re asking.
” He looked around to see if anyone was nearby.
“But there has been a considerable increase in the number of fae and humans who are being accused of possessing or using dark arcana. Before Prince Sterling was taken, there were maybe one or two a month. Since the prince’s return, the royal executioner has been so busy that they’ve had to expand the dungeons, quite significantly, I’m told.
However, I’m not sure why they bothered, as they don’t hold on to anyone down there for too long. ”
My mind immediately took me back to the bloody scene in the palace courtyard.
Had no one challenged what was happening, a truly innocent boy would have lost his life, and no one seemed particularly bothered by that fact.
This court was apparently content to conduct itself on the basis of acting now and asking questions later.
There was no due process. How many innocent fae or humans had lost their lives this way?
How many more were destined to die if what Everett said was indeed true?
“How do they know it had something to do with dark arcana? What is it about Prince Sterling’s abduction that makes them believe it’s someone with dark arcana or an Obsidian Court follower?”
Wiping the cake crumbs off his armour, Everett wrinkled his nose at me as if he smelled something truly awful. “Who else would it be?” he responded in a condescending tone.
“Well, according to you, the prince is not well liked, so couldn’t it be anybody? What clues point to someone with dark arcana?”
As I thought back to the night I found him, nothing stood out to me that screamed dark arcana—at least what I now knew of it.
He had been wrapped in chains similar to those his own father used on his prisoners.
It was entirely possible that this was the doing of someone or a group that associated with the Obsidian Court, but this also seemed too narrow a perspective.
How did they plan on capturing the one who was truly responsible for this if all they were doing was wasting their time executing innocents based on gossip and hearsay?
“It doesn’t make any sense for it to be anyone other than an Obsidian Court supporter,” Everett explained.
“They have spent the last few hundred years trying to do whatever they can to get back at us for winning the war. The king has only one child. That alone is enough reason to believe that they would target the only thing King Julian truly cares about: his legacy. With Prince Sterling out of the way, the Citrine Court would fall upon King Julian’s death.
Only biological heirs can inherit the throne, and Prince Sterling is the only one they have.
” He tossed another brightly coloured treat in his mouth.
The logic wasn’t without merit, but something still seemed off to me about assuming it had to be the Obsidian Court. “Captain Evergreen mentioned in the carriage ride here High Lady Dahlia and her brother … the Nightfallen Demon or something. What do you know about them?”
Since I had been here, everyone had talked so openly about the Obsidian Court and how they were behind anything bad that happened, but no one had mentioned the high lady of that court or her brother. They were almost like a make-believe monster used to scare kids into listening.
“We really shouldn’t talk about them, Aurelia. It’s impolite.”
I rolled my eyes as I took another sip of tea.
“What’s Aurelia talking about that is so impolite? Let me guess. It has something to do with me.”
I choked on my tea as the smooth, familiar voice put my entire body on edge.
I looked up to see Sterling standing a few steps away from our table.
I could smell her lily-scented perfume before I could see her—attached to Sterling’s arm was one of the most beautiful creatures I had ever seen.
The fae draped on his arm was tall, curvy, and terrifyingly attractive, with dark green eyes, white-blond hair, and cheekbones that looked like they could cut.
My heart sank as the tea I had just ingested threatened to reappear.
“Nothing of consequence, Your Highness,” Everett responded, his annoyance with the prince barely in check.
Sterling smiled at me, ignoring Everett.
“I heard how your first day with the arcana master went. I didn’t know it was possible to fail the blood-and-water rite.
Leave it to a human to screw up the most basic arcana test. So much for your ‘magical abilities,’ eh, Aurelia?
” The prince grabbed a brightly coloured macaron and popped it into his mouth.
“What a sad, pathetic little thing she is. Is anyone actually surprised that she failed?” Sterling’s companion’s words cut through me. Then they both laughed heartily at my ineptitude with arcana.
I grabbed the cloth of my cloak and squeezed my fists as hard as I could to fight off the tears of anger welling in my eyes.
“Aw, it seems we’ve hurt her feelings,” the fae woman teased in a mock-pouting tone.
Their laughter grew louder in response to her observation.
The familiar buzzing of my arcana built within me, and I knew that it was best for me to walk away before I made the situation any worse.
I promptly stood up, pushed my chair away, and stormed off back toward the palace.
Tears slowly ran down my face as I took off, their laughter fading as I put distance between us.
Before I knew it, my brisk walk turned into a full-on sprint toward the palace gates.
Fuelled by hurt and humiliation, I ran as fast as I could.
I had to get out of here. I could not stay on these grounds a moment longer.
Because Everett would be close behind me, the odds of making it past the gates were not in my favour.
Two guardians stood at the gates, one on either side, staring unblinkingly as I made my way up to them.
“Where do you think you’re going?” the one closest to me asked.
Out of breath from running, I could only get a few words out. “I just … want to check out … the human quarter.” I casually looked over my shoulder to see where Everett was but was unable to find him.
The guardian furthest from me replied, “Who cares where she’s going? Just let her out. It’s not right to keep one of them in the palace. Let her go and be among her kind.”
I stepped closer to the gate, hoping the guardian closest to me would follow his colleague’s lead and just let me go. At this point, I was willing to overlook the degrading comments if they would help me get free of this place.
“What about King Julian? He said to make sure she stayed on the palace grounds. What if he finds out we let her go?” A hint of worry tinged the guardian’s voice as he looked to his partner for reassurance.
“Who do you think he’s going to be more upset with? Us or the guardian who’s supposed to be watching her?”
With a loud sigh, the nearest guardian opened the wicket gate. “Do everyone a favour, and don’t come back.” He sneered as I walked past him and exited the palace courtyard.