Chapter Thirty-Three
Sleep had eluded me for hours. It had gotten to a point where I was so antsy, I decided to visit the far western section of Gatlyn Castle, where Hugo’s small chambers were.
Though, when I hadn’t found him there, I headed for the western tower—the place where the laboratory and infirmary were housed.
There, I’d finally found the royal trokav—who was still wide awake and working, to my surprise.
“What was it you said you were putting together?” I asked him, rounding the large stone table he was standing behind as he mixed together ingredients I couldn’t—and didn’t care to—name.
“I’m creating another batch of Lady Elore’s strengthening elixirs. It’ll help her continue to build up the muscle and weight she lost while… away,” the older male answered.
Besides Val, Hugo was the only other fae I’d brought to light about the situation with Mother. With the shape she’d been in when I’d first found her, Hugo’s intervention had been necessary if she were ever to function normally again—and swiftly.
Fortunately, Hugo knew his craft extremely well and took his position very seriously. Though I was now King of the North, Mother had at one time been the North’s queen. That alone would make her a Lady of the court—if I were to ever allow it, that was.
Despite Hugo’s appreciation for his craft, he also knew Mother before.
Hugo had been there when my parents had married and had helped Mother deliver me and my twin into the world.
Because of this, they seemed to have a fondness toward each other.
It seemed like they were almost… friends, once upon a time.
I wasn’t sure how I felt about the situation just yet.
“Do you predict she’ll have to take them for much longer? She’s started gaining her endurance back through our training as well.” I picked up a small vial of orange liquid, tilting it from side to side to watch small particles within it move about.
“I’m hopeful that after a few more weeks of these elixirs, she’ll be well enough to carry on growing healthy without them through training, lots of hydration, and good food.” His eyes widened as he spoke before gently removing the vial from my hand, placing it back down.
“And you’re up making them in the dead of night because…” I left my question hanging in the air between us as the older male shot me a slightly puzzled look.
“There is much to do, my king. The workflow doesn’t just stop when I need to rest.”
Much like the endless demands made of me by my advisors, it seemed Hugo, also, rarely caught a moment to breathe freely.
“You know,” the trokav began hesitantly, “if you feel you need something—something I can provide—I would be more than happy to make it for you.”
My blood ran cold as I processed what he was tiptoeing around.
“Are you suggesting I return to the elixirs?” I asked through clenched teeth. “The same ones that hid such big parts of me from not only those around me, but myself?”
“My king, ever since you’ve discovered your abilities, you’ve been different. You’ve been—”
“Stronger?” I asked, finishing his statement for him. “Or maybe you were going to mention how much more powerful I’ve become?” I could feel my fury bubbling up under my skin at just the idea of being tamed once again.
Hugo must have seen the pure anger flash across my face as I watched him begin to cower.
“It was simply a suggestion meant to be helpful—but let me know if there is anything else I can do for you, Your Majesty.” He dipped his head as he turned back to the task he’d been working on when I’d arrived.
Clenching my hands into balls, I brought a fist down against the table next to us, hard enough to rattle the bottles and such littering the surface.
I snatched one vial that sat before Hugo and that had been marked for Mother with Hugo’s stamp of approval on top of the stopper.
Without thinking, I threw it as hard as I could against the far wall.
As the glass fell and liquid exploded, I turned on my heels without another word and departed from the room.
Alone in the corridor leading back to the western wing, I wrapped my wings around myself in a rare attempt to soothe my frayed nerves.
I don’t need the elixirs, I thought. I am more powerful than ever before. My name is Dimitri Heartshire, and I will not fail. I will conquer—and I will prove them all wrong. Just as Father instructed.
Repeating those words to myself a few times in a row, I was able to steel myself against the world once more.
If each day I wrapped my heart in another layer of rock and earth, maybe over time, the protection would finally hold its broken pieces together enough to stop the hurting.
Taking a deep breath as I pushed my hair back and out of my face, I folded my wings back in, rolled my shoulders, and began the walk back toward the other side of the castle. Night was almost at its peak by now, so I needed to hurry.
My trip to Hugo’s hadn’t been in vain, after all.
***
After a detour that took longer than I’d believed it would, I realized morning would be upon the surrounding snow-capped mountains sooner than I’d thought.
It seemed time had slipped away from me, and I needed to hurry if I wanted to show Mother what I’d done with my time since I’d dismissed her much earlier in the evening.
Picking up the pace, I spread my wings and flew through the empty castle corridors until I landed softly outside of Mother’s chambers. It was technically very early in the morning at that point, though I didn’t expect her to be awake just yet. Still, I knocked and hoped for an answer.
“One moment, please!” her voice rang out from within, sounding wide awake.
What was it about tonight that had sleep avoiding us all?
I stood outside the room, the vial slowly warming in my hand because of the prolonged contact with my skin, for another minute before Mother finally opened the door.
Standing between the door and its frame, Mother was gripping a fluffy robe tightly around her body. She must have thrown it on before answering the door in her sleepwear—though that didn’t explain why she was breathing so heavily. As though she’d just ran ten laps around the castle.
But I was here to make peace after how I’d behaved the evening before. In spirit of that peace, I decided to let it go.
“I apologize for disturbing you so late—or early—but I’d like for you to come with me now, if you’re able,” I said, doing my best to portray myself as patient and thoughtful through the words I picked and the tone of my voice.
“Oh, alright.” She tilted her head at my attire—the same dark, malleable clothing I’d worn at training. “Have you gotten any rest, Dimitri?”
I raised my eyebrows, surprised that she seemed to have notes of genuine concern lacing her words.
“Rest is for the weak,” I responded, my tone light.
I had meant for my words to be a joke of sorts, though by the sadness that shadowed my mother’s face, I wasn’t sure I’d accomplished my goal.
Clearing my throat, I motioned to her chambers. “May I come in and wait while you get dressed?”
“Of course,” she said after a slight pause, then pushed the door open as she headed toward her wardrobe.
As she picked out a fresh gown crafted of a soft, teal material, I lowered myself into the plush chair before the fireplace. My wings fit perfectly into the back of the chair, and I felt as though I could finally rest if I stayed long enough. Unfortunately for me, I had other things to do.
To keep myself awake, I took the time to look around at Mother’s chambers.
The first thing that drew my eye was that the hidden door to the secret tunnels was ever so slightly ajar.
Though considering she and Val had been strictly using those to get around the castle, I wasn’t alarmed.
I also couldn’t ignore the charcoal and parchment she had on the table before the fireplace—random lines and such drawn across each of the sheets. What they represented, I wasn’t sure.
Having collected all the pieces of attire she needed, Mother passed by me in a hurry, her gown and other items clutched to her chest as she also held her robe together.
My eyes narrowed just before she shut the washroom door, as I could have sworn I had seen her wearing boots beneath the robe.
What had she needed boots for if she had only been in her chambers?
A few moments later, when she emerged wearing the gown and a pair of small-heeled shoes—no boots in sight—I let out a breath that had been trapped within me.
Shaking my head, I did my best to let the anxiety roll off me. It was still dark out, and there were only so many torches and candles lit inside the room. It was an easy mistake to have made.
“I’m ready now. Though you haven’t said where we’re headed,” Mother pointed out as she shut the door to the washroom behind her and headed my way.
“It’s a bit of a surprise.” I stood, stretching like a griffin, before we exited the chambers and started down the corridor.
On another occasion, I’d have us take the tunnels, but it was still dark out. There shouldn’t be anybody milling about the castle just yet.
“If it’s only a bit of a surprise, can I at least know where we are going?” she asked, her steps light beside me.
“The greenhouse.”
Mother’s gait faltered as she paused, a soft gasp falling from her mouth.
“That was always my favorite place in the entire castle,” she said softly, our gazes locking when I turned back to face her. She was searching for something there, but what she was looking for, I didn’t know.
“I remember.” I nodded, motioning for her to continue walking with me.
As a young child, I didn’t recognize that Mother wasn’t Northern.
I understood she didn’t have wings, but you saw that every once in a while from those that had gone to war.
They often came back with pieces missing or bad scars—if they came back at all.
I simply knew that she was my mother. I didn’t need to know more than that back then.