Chapter 23 Alfrie
Chapter twenty-three
Alfrie
For a self-obsessed Royal, Zara certainly asks a lot of questions.
What’s more surprising is how much information I offer her in return.
Leer gave up gods know what part of himself to glamour her so she’d forget what she witnessed in the stables.
She seemed to almost remember what she saw…
thank the gods she didn’t. Not that I’m helping to keep her in the dark since I can’t seem to keep my mouth shut.
There’s just something about her that has me lowering my defenses. She makes me feel…well, makes me feel something. I’ve been numb for so long, and this is—crazy. I must be losing my mind.
I shouldn’t be thinking about her like this, or about her at all.
I shouldn’t have mentioned the stables. I shouldn’t have admitted to why I choose to be human over any other form.
Though, I highly doubt she’ll remember any of my admissions after an hour.
My plights are nothing that would hold the interest of a princess for too long.
I nearly make it to the dining room when I’m approached by Leer.
He’s clad in a black button-down shirt and a black dinner coat over his black pants.
In fact, the only bit of color that he wears is a small silver crown that sits atop his dark brown hair.
He offers me a smile, and I tentatively return the expression, still a little uneasy about our earlier encounter.
He appears to have moved on. He settles a firm hand on my shoulder and leads me into the dining room where we’re greeted by King Hardin and the King and Queen Consort of Masseda.
Hardin’s eye twitches slightly and he narrows his gaze at me, probably curious as to why my presence was requested at dinner this evening. I’m wondering the same thing, actually.
Leer and I bow to the rulers of the Seelie Courts and I follow him along the eight empty chairs lining each side of the long wooden table. I’m not sure whether to sit or stand near the wall with the other servants and end up waiting awkwardly next to an empty seat on the right side of Leer.
“Sit.” Leer mutters and I obey but then jump right back up as Zara strides into the dining room. Alix is a step behind her and takes his place next to the door.
Zara’s long white-blonde hair is loose and falls over her shoulders as she curtsies to her father and to Hardin.
Her gown sways around her as she moves, the bodice hugging her slim waist, creating an hour-glass appearance.
She lifts her purple skirts into her hands as she moves to the end of the table.
Her hazel eyes meet mine for a second and my heart beats wildly in my chest. I can’t ignore the power her presence seems to have on me. I avert my gaze as she draws near and hope she doesn’t notice the color flooding my face.
Leer pulls out a chair for her and we all take our seats once more. King Jeffery is at the head of the table and sits last. Servers fill our glasses with wine, and we all wait to drink until the King of Masseda does so first. But he doesn’t reach for his glass.
Instead, he assesses us. He leans forward and rests his large hands on the sides of the table. “I have decided to wait two weeks until we send anyone to Lanray.”
Elara scoffs and glares at her husband. “You can’t be serious. What about the attack? We need to leave now.”
Leer straightens in his chair, and he clears his throat. “Your Majesty, if I may, what of your daughter’s safety?”
“Jeffery, you know how eager we all are to return home, and we decided it would be wise to move everyone to Lanray. Immediately.” King Hardin shoots his friend a pleading look. “This is for the best—to ensure our families are protected.”
“Yes, we discussed the possibility of leaving. But I have made my decision, and it’s to stay until Zara’s ladies maid is well enough to travel and Alix has readied as many soldiers as possible so they may also join you.
” King Jeffery finally takes a drink from his wine.
“In this time, Zara will learn the sword and how to shift.” He nods in my direction, and I bow my head in acceptance.
As if I have a choice in the matter.
“No one will be permitted to leave the grounds of this court. No one. Even my guards.” The king’s eyes dart to Zara and her cheeks redden.
“But. This is insane. She can’t shift. If she hasn’t been able to wield the magic for the last nineteen years, she can’t possibly be taught in two weeks.” Elara’s icy stare lands on Zara.
Zara sneers at the queen and something in her offended expression makes me open my stupid mouth.
“She can learn. Not all of us are born with the gift, but I can teach it.” I feel Zara’s eyes on me from across the table and I force myself to avoid her gaze and focus on Elara.
“Your Majesty,” I add for good measure. I finally glance sidelong at Zara.
Her lips curve slightly and there’s a softness to her expression as she regards me.
My throat goes bone dry, and I fidget with a dinner fork.
Elara shifts her chilling glare at me. Her thin brows angle down toward the bridge of her pointed nose, making her already narrow eyes even smaller.
Gods she’s terrifying. “Fine,” she hisses, “but you can’t honestly expect Zara to follow the rules and stay inside the palace walls.
Let’s not forget how and why this attack happened in the first place.
” Her red lips curl into a sly smile and she reaches for King Jeffery’s hand.
“Darling, you should reconsider. Zara is too immature and can’t be trusted not to act on her whims.”
“Zara will follow the rules, or she’ll be sent to Lanray before the fortnight has ended.”
“But—” Elara pushes.
King Jeffery slams his hands down onto the table and a couple of glasses tip over and wine spills on the red tablecloth. “My decision is final.”
“Are you sure there isn’t anyone more suitable to train the princess? What about the guard? Alix? He’s already teaching her how to wield a sword. I assume he’s quite capable of shifting too.” I stalk back and forth in front of the large window in Leer’s room in the north tower.
Neither of us mention the events of the day before or the disastrous dinner. Like most altercations I have with him or Hardin, we’ll all go on as if nothing ever happened. Like no punishment was doled out, no veiled threat bestowed upon me from my only friend, nothing out of the ordinary.
Today is a new day. And everyone, including me, will pretend they forgot. It’s easier this way. For all of us.
Leer sits cross-legged on the bed, barely listening to my whining as I just woke him by barging in only moments ago. He wipes the sleep from his eyes. “It wasn’t my decision to ask you to help.”
I was hardly asked.
“Also, I highly doubt there’s anyone better suited for the job.
You’re the most skilled shifter I know.” He climbs from the bed and stands next to me by the window.
We gaze out into the green courtyard. Even though the sun has just risen, the castle grounds are already bustling.
Stable grooms are leading horses to and from the barn and maids are carrying wicker baskets filled with everything from fresh breads to folded laundry as they hurry about the property.
“I’m still quite surprised we aren’t heading back to Lanray after the attack. ”
“It does seem like a poor decision.” I’ve been wondering what Zara said to her father for him to agree to potentially putting us all at risk by staying. Just another point under the “spoiled” column for the princess.
I press my forehead against the glass so I’m peering straight down the five or six floors to the courtyard below.
A shine catches my eye, and I squint to see Alix leading Zara out into the yard.
He’s in full metal armor and holds two long swords in his hands.
The workers stop what they’re doing and fall into bows as the princess passes.
She looks annoyed and doesn’t acknowledge them at all as she follows Alix to a clearing near the soldier’s quarters.
Her long hair is pulled tightly into a braid that falls down her back, and her simple black tunic highlights her pale skin.
Strands of hair fall from her braid and her eyes shimmer in the morning sun.
Gods help me. I chew the inside of my cheek hoping the pain will distract me.
Leer rests his forehead on the window next to me. “They’ve already started, I see.”
Alix hands Zara a sword and shows her a couple of steps and hand maneuvers. He stops and waits for her to mimic him, and she tries to thrust the weapon exactly as he did and immediately loses her grip, the sword landing in a pile of what I hope is only mud.
Leer chuckles, patting my back a couple of times. “Good luck.”
I’ll need more than luck to bury this unwelcome attraction. I stare down at her. Her brow furrows in frustration then determination. There’s a fierceness in her eyes as she tries to match Alix’s maneuvers. It’s quite sexy. I sigh. “Thanks,” I mumble, then leave his rooms.
I take the servants’ route toward the courtyard, the halls narrowing with every level as I descend into the bowels of the palace.
A handful of males roll barrels of what is probably wine or whiskey through the corridor, and I press myself flat against the wall to avoid being run over.
They don’t seem to notice my presence and continue on.
I turn down my own path when I catch some of their conversation as they walk away.
“…a village is still out there?” I hear one of the males say.
“I heard it’s Solitary Fey who somehow survived the attack after the war,” the other one responds. “Rumor is that they’re nomads, moving their village every year to keep hidden deep in the Woodlands.”
Solitary Fey? Village? That can’t be true. My village was the last known congregation of Solitary Fey after the great war, and I was the only survivor thanks to King Hardin pulling me from the burning rubble.
Still.