Chapter 23
“Well, she was a gem,” Harper says a moment later.
Maelin grimaces. “I know she’s a little rough around the edges, but she’s our kingdom’s best healer.”
I take in her words with interest. “Does she have magic to heal?”
“Not in the strictest sense of the word, but I believe she has a magic touch. While she doesn’t use actual magic to heal, I believe that her touch is what makes her salves and tinctures so potent.
Others make the same salves, and they don’t work nearly as well.
But nobody really knows. She’s old enough that nobody asks her a whole lot; we just let her do her thing.
She takes care of our people really well, even if she isn’t the kindest person you’ll ever meet. ”
“She was great,” I offer up. “It was really kind of her to come treat me.”
“Listen,” Mae says, reaching out a hand and putting it on my good arm this time. “Don’t let what she said bother you. That's just how she is.”
I don’t like the old human.
She’s not my favorite either, but she did help me, I remind her. I glance over at Veyra, and if a jaguar could roll its eyes, I’m pretty sure she would have.
“It’s fine, Mae. Really,” I add when she doesn’t look too convinced. “Thanks for the dinner; it was delicious.” My change in conversation does the trick, and she moves on.
"I’m glad you enjoyed it.”
“It was delicious, and we saved some for Kaldar,” I tell her.
“Oh good. Thank you. Has he come back here yet?”
I shake my head, and she frowns. “I can send one of the men to find out what he’s doing.”
“Oh, no, don’t worry about it. He’ll come when he can.” I adjust my arm, trying to get it into a comfortable position. “Do you know how long the burning continues? I should have asked Sryena when she was here.”
Maelin grimaces, and I almost regret my question. “Yeah, maybe don’t think about it.”
“It’s a while, isn’t it?” I ask.
“Yes, but keep using that salve; that will really help.”
“Why does it burn for so long?” I ask.
The smile finally drops from her face, and I feel bad about it.
“The guivres never lost their dragon fire, and there’s nothing more painful than dragon fire.
It incinerates anything it touches because it’s so hot.
Or in your case, just a brush of it can burn horribly.
That’s because dragon fire never stops burning technically. ”
Panic shoots through me. “It never stops burning?”
“It didn’t touch you, though, remember? It just brushed you; that’s different. I don’t really know how long it will take, but it will heal...I think.”
Harper mumbles something under her breath and shakes her head. “You’re a treasure, Mae.”
Maelin glances at me, her expression flat. “Great. She likes me just as much as she does Sryena.”
“Don’t worry about it. Harper doesn’t like anybody,” I tell her.
“She likes you,” Mae points out.
“Only on certain days,” I say in response, earning a small smile from her.
I walk back over to where Veyra is still sitting on the floor, and I slide down to sit next to her.
Wanting a distraction from the pain, I focus on Maelin.
“Mae, what were you talking about earlier when you said I needed to stand before the assembly?”
I watch as she instantly becomes flustered. “Oh, I don't know what I was spouting off earlier.”
“Yes, you do,” I argue. “Why were you saying I would have to stand before an assembly? An assembly for what?”
She looks pained. “Taren told me not to say anything.”
“Is Taren here now?” Harper asks.
Mae swallows. “No, but he—”
“Is not in charge,” Harper interrupts.
Mae lifts a shoulder. “Well, he’s pretty high up in the chain of command.”
I appeal to her gentle side. “Mae, I’m new here; I don’t know anything. I’m just trying to prepare myself for what’s to come. Any help you can give me would be so appreciated.”
She glances towards the open door and then finally turns to me. “What do you know about jade?”
I frown. “Like the color?”
“Like the gemstone,” she says.
I shrug. “Nothing.”
“Jade is the color of our kingdom, but it’s more than a color. It’s a representation of our kingdom. It represents wisdom, justice, and worthiness.”
“Okay. What’s that got to do with me?” I ask.
“Well, before you are accepted as Kaldar’s mate, you will be tested in each of those areas to see if you are an acceptable mate and queen.”
I stare at her. “You have got to be kidding me! The Spirit Rites weren’t enough? I thought those were to prove my worthiness.” My voice is not nearly as calm as I wanted it to be. “What do I have to do this time?”
Mae’s eyes widen. “Oh, no. You don’t have to do anything but be tested this time.”
I try to hang on to my patience, but it’s not working. “Mae, just tell me what I have to do.”
“Okay. It’s really easy. All you have to do is stand before the assembly and hold imbued jade in both hands.”
“Imbued jade?” I ask.
“We have a few pieces of imbued jade that were made centuries ago when magic was more prevalent.”
“What does the imbued jade do?” I ask warily.
“It tests you,” she says brightly.
I glance over at Harper, but she’s giving Mae a cold stare. “How?” I push.
“It’s simple. When you hold the jade in both hands, it will test your worthiness, justice, and wisdom.”
I feel like screaming. “How, Mae? How does it test those things?”
She shrugs. “I don’t know. I just know that it does.”
“Okay. What happens if I pass this test?”
She beams. “If you pass, nothing happens and everybody will know you passed.”
“Okay, so what happens if I fail?”
Her face pales suddenly, and my stomach tightens. This can’t be good. “How about you ask Kaldar?”
I am not about to let her get out of telling me, not when we’ve come so far. “Nope. You’re telling me, Mae. Out with it.”
She bites her lip a moment, and I wonder how I’m going to get it out of her. But she caves a moment later. “If you fail to have justice, the jade...” she pauses and looks away.
“The jade what?” I prompt.
She looks miserable, but she finally spits it out. “The jade will burn you from the inside out.”
“This place just keeps getting better and better,” Harper says in a voice devoid of any humor.
I’m still stuck on what she said. “The jade will literally burn me, or it will just feel like it? Is it literal?”
Mae gives me a solemn nod. “It will literally burn you. I watched it happen once when I was a little girl. One of the men who was getting sworn in as an elder went through the jade ceremony and failed. I will never forget his screams.” I stare at her in horror, and Harper closes her eyes and shakes her head.
“Ready to go back, Kins?” she asks a moment later.
“Back?” Mae asks in confusion. “Back where?” Then horror lights her face.
“Back to where you came from? No! You can’t do that.
Oh!” She stands up to pace. “This is why Taren told me not to tell you. He told me it would be too much for you to take in, and it would be better for Kaldar to tell you himself.”
“Hindsight really,” Harper mutters, and I give her a look.
“It’s fine, Mae. Really. Thank you for telling me. It helps me to know what to prepare for.”
“Really?” The expression on her face is so hopeful, I can’t bring myself to kill it.
“Yes.”
She takes a deep breath. “Okay. Whew. I’d better get going.
I’d really rather not be here when my cousin gets home.
” I’m starting to wonder if I feel the same way.
When she gets to the door, she stops and turns back to us.
“Are you ready?” she asks Harper. Harper glances at me, and I just shrug.
I’m not really sure what’s going on, but that seems to be the permanent state of my life as of late.
“I’m going to show you where you’ll be staying for the duration of your time here.
I stopped by earlier to make sure it was clean and up to our standards, and I’m pleased to announce it is. ”
Harper crosses her arms over her chest. “I thought I was staying here.”
Maelin’s eyebrows nearly hit her hairline. “You wanted to stay with the newly mated couple?”
I bite my lip, thinking of how this could go wrong really quickly. “It’s fine if she stays here,” I offer, though I have no idea if Kaldar is okay with that. I’m sure he will be; he’s pretty easy-going.
“Um, Kinsley, that’s very kind of you; but I’m not sure my cousin will feel the same way.
You may be comfortable with your own...self-expression, but I can guarantee my cousin is not.
He’s more private when it comes to those kind of things.
” It takes a moment for her words to register.
When they do, mortification sweeps through me.
But she continues before I can say anything.
“This house isn’t sound-proofed for nothing. ”
I open my mouth and close it and then open it and close it again.
There are literally no words. I want to set Mae straight, but then I think of Kaldar’s words and how he warned me that we need to appear to be happily mated and in love.
He said that’s what his people would expect.
I turn to Harper. “Let me know if you need anything.” Her eyes narrow on me, but she doesn’t say anything.
She throws me another dirty look before grabbing her bag.
“Thanks, Harper,” I call out softly. She just makes a sound I can’t quite decipher and then disappears, leaving me alone in the house with just Veyra.
I need to go stretch my muscles and run for a little while, she tells me when everybody is gone. You seem better now.
I am. Thank you for coming to me earlier.
I will always come when you need me.
My heart tugs. Thank you, Veyra.
You’re welcome. Reach out to me if you need me. I will be running in the trees, but I will be close enough to get back to you if you need me.
I’ll be fine, I assure her.
A few minutes later, the house is empty except for me.
I clean up after Harper and my dinner and leave a bowl out for Kaldar.
Then I make my way back to the hallway. I hadn’t really looked around earlier.
I see Kaldar’s room, the one I woke up in.
Then there’s the small room that Harper slept in with a desk in it and several large shelves with books on them.
I run my finger over the books. Many of them have golden gilded edges; they’re gorgeous.
When I pull one off the shelf, I immediately notice the outside of the book has been covered in a clear substance.
I wonder why that is. I slide the book back onto the shelf and check a few more.
They’re all the same; I wonder if that’s what they do to keep the books nice in this humidity.
I move out of that room and check out the bathroom next.
There’s a large clawfoot tub that looks amazing.
I suppress the urge to take a bath right now.
I’m too tired, and I’m afraid the heat of the water will make my arm start burning again.
I bypass the tub and head to the end of the hall where there’s a small closet.
The house isn’t big, but because of the windows and door being open, it makes it feel larger than it is.