Chapter Thirty-Eight Garrick
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Garrick
I’d been so busy trying to ensure I wouldn’t be challenged—that Riela wouldn’t be challenged—that I had failed to consider how the inherent cruelty of an Etheri court might affect a genuinely
kind human until Riela was shaking and trembling in a pool of sick.
No, that wasn’t quite right. I’d known something was wrong during dinner, and I’d briefly felt her terror, but I hadn’t done anything to fix it because to draw
more attention to her was to put her in greater danger.
She’d already drawn the attention of Lotuk and Mar, and while Lotuk was a known threat, Mar remained a dangerous unknown.
He was young and powerful, and that made him unpredictable. I was tempted to send him back to the Sapphire Court, but I couldn’t
afford to offend Queen Aryu without good reason.
Bria magicked away the mess and pressed a cool cloth to Riela’s forehead while Grim glared daggers at me. “She needs to return
to Edea,” he growled. “Her hands are like ice.”
“I’m okay,” she whispered. “I can stay a little longer so Garrick won’t have to fight next time.”
“Could you leave then return in the morning?” Bria asked. “Your absence at night won’t draw as many questions.”
“If we must,” Riela agreed quietly. She slanted an unreadable glance at me. “When we get back to Edea, I’ll likely need more
of that vile tea you made me drink.”
Her resigned weariness stabbed at something deep in my chest and I didn’t like it. She’d been subdued since she’d returned
from her bath, and if Bria or Grim had made her uncomfortable, then not even our long-standing friendship would be enough
to save them from my wrath.
I stepped closer to her. “What’s wrong?”
She shook her head, but her eyes were guarded. I clenched my jaw in frustration. Our best chance of breaking the curse was
on this side of the door, not only because of the better research resources but also because I was vastly more powerful here.
But I’d been so caught up in reclaiming the court that I hadn’t used that power to help her today. The delay was necessary,
but it still felt like failure.
Especially since staying here meant torturing the little mage.
I frowned. Except her pain should’ve transferred to me. So why hadn’t it?
I could still feel the vows binding us, but not even the faintest echo of her pain or nausea. I scowled when I worked out
why: she didn’t blame me. She didn’t think I was the one responsible for her nausea or for the pain her magic was causing
her.
She was enduring because she was trying to protect me.
It was as endearing as it was foolish.
I needed books from the library, but the search would take too long. Impatience burned under my skin, but one look at Riela’s
waxy face calmed the worst of it. Tomorrow, then.
I nodded to Bria. “We will return tomorrow. Go to the restricted library tonight and gather all of the books you can find
on bindings and the doorway. And tell Dek to have the kitchen ready a batch of replenishment tea. A large batch. Tell him to have them make it taste better.”
Koru hadn’t replaced Dek, who’d been seneschal for the Silver Court for longer than I’d been alive. It was perhaps the one
smart thing my cousin had done. I might rule the Silver Court, but Dek kept everything running. Earlier, while Riela was changing,
he’d given me a brief overview of how things stood, but I needed to schedule a much longer meeting with him soon.
Him and everyone else in the court. I’d forgotten just how much of my time was spent mediating petty feuds.
Bria’s nose wrinkled and she looked at Riela with sympathy. “That tea is vile no matter what they do to it.”
“Tell Dek he can give ten silver marks to the first person to find a way to make it palatable.”
Bria’s eyes widened, but she bowed her head in agreement.
“Thank you,” I murmured, dismissing her. She dipped into a curtsy with a wry smile and a nod to Riela and Grim, then disappeared,
stepping through the ether to carry out my instructions.
I took Riela’s hand and cursed at its iciness.
Grim scowled, ever protective. “I told you.”
I returned his glare. “You should’ve told me before it became this bad.”
Riela tried to jerk her hand out of my grip, and huffed when she failed. “I’m fine. And it’s not Vastien’s job to babysit
me, so leave him alone.” Her voice was stronger with her annoyance, but she was far from fine.
“That’s exactly his job,” I snapped, irrationally irritated by her casual familiarity.
But what had I expected? She’d had to bathe with Grim touching her because I’d been stuck reinforcing my hold on my own thrice-cursed
court. He’d helped her into the gown that so lovingly caressed her curves.
And then she’d returned more withdrawn than when she’d left.
Fury and jealousy roared through my system. My free hand curled into a fist that I very much wanted to plant directly into
the face of my oldest friend.
Grim sensed the change—or he smelled the blood from my claws digging into my palm—and his eyebrows rose. Then, proving he
lacked all forms of self-preservation, his expression turned sly and he edged closer to Riela.
The smile she gifted him was small but genuine. Whatever had happened wasn’t Grim’s fault, but I still wanted to punch him.
“It’s no trouble, my lady,” he said. “I enjoy spending time with you. And if you need your back washed again, you know where to find me.” His grin was both wicked and inviting.
Riela blushed, and my magic broke its leash.
Power crackled around me, charging the air. My growl shook the hall as I fought my instincts. I would not kill my oldest friend,
no matter how much he was asking for it. Grim hit the floor on his knees and bowed his head, the first smart thing he’d done.
Riela gasped, and her wide eyes flew up to meet my gaze. My own eyes were undoubtedly fully silver, and my mouth was twisted
into a savage snarl, but she didn’t try to pull away. She glanced down at Grim, then quickly back up when my growl rose in
volume.
“Um, should I kneel?” she whispered. Her eyes darted around, but the hallway was empty—my court knew better than to approach
when my magic was this high. “Yeah, I’m just going to . . .”
She started to kneel, which would put her farther away from me. “Stop,” I commanded.
She froze with her knees bent, so I pulled her upright and drew her close enough to wrap in my arms. She still didn’t resist,
but I felt the first traces of transferred fear. I didn’t want her to fear me. “You’re safe,” I murmured, fighting both instincts
and magic.
Her laugh was nervous, but she leaned against me a little more. “If you say so, Your Highness.”
The title needled me. She only defaulted to my title when she was angry or afraid.
Grim snorted without looking up. “You’re the safest person in the castle right now.”
“And you are the most reckless,” I muttered, finally regaining some measure of control.
Grim looked up with a grin, then his eyes pointedly darted to Riela, who was tucked against my chest, and his smile turned
smug. “You’re welcome,” he mouthed as he climbed to his feet.
I grabbed his shoulder with more force than strictly necessary and stepped us out to the door’s dais, then kept us shrouded from anyone who might be watching or listening. “We need to return to Edea.” I glanced down at Riela. “Can you open the door while we’re touching?”
Her brow furrowed and her magic rose, but after a moment she shook her head. “Either I can’t or I don’t know how.”
I steadied her, then took a step back. “Ready?” She nodded and I lifted my hand. A moment later, the door’s magic caught me
and spat us out in the human world.