Chapter 25
S aint’s Day arrives in a flurry of colour and cheer.
The entire castle staff are invited into the throne room to hear the king’s speech before the celebrations can begin. When Inez takes my hand, leading me into the stream of servants as everyone makes their way to the throne room, I am surprised.
“But I do not worship the Saints,” I whisper to her.
“It does not matter.” She shakes her head, smiling. “Everyone is welcome on Saint’s Day.”
She links her arm with mine, and we follow the rush of people, the atmosphere buzzing around us. People are dressed in their usual staff uniforms—a bleak grey—but for today, the king has allowed them to pin fabric flowers to their clothes and paint their faces and arms with vibrant ink. They beam at us, singing and laughing, as we allow ourselves to be pulled towards the throne room.
I hope there are enough people around me for me to blend in, especially with the flourish of colour around me, but the king lays eyes on me straight away. I stand in the crowd, and we stare at each other while he lazes leisurely on his garish throne. There is the slightest curl to his lips.
And then Theo steps into the room, dressed in his usual jewel-toned royal clothes, but there is a small flower pinned to his chest. A new wave of excitement ripples throughout the crowd as he stands next to his father, hands clasped behind his back. He sees the king watching me and bends to whisper something in his ear. Whatever it is, the king finally breaks his eye contact, and I release a pent-up breath.
“Good people,” the king calls out, voice echoing through the room. The crowd immediately falls silent, their obedience overriding their joy for the day. “Please take this day as a token of my generosity to celebrate the Saints in all their glory.”
I begin to tune him out, not interested in him turning a religious day into something he has “gifted” his staff. I glance at Theo instead, who has his eyes firmly fixed on a distant point. It hurts, but I understand why.
“What a load of tripe,” Inez mutters to me, close enough so only I can hear her. I smother a smirk .
The king eventually concludes his self-gratifying speech and exits with a sweep of his cloak, not bothering to look at me this time. I expect Theo to do the same, but instead, he makes his way into the crowd, weaving through the clamour. I realise he is walking towards us, squeezing past people apologetically.
“Your Highness,” Inez and I greet him in tandem. A few of the servants look at us quizzically, but most are too intent on following the festivities.
“Miss Shivani, Miss Inez.” He nods at us both.
“It is good to see you again, Your Highness,” Inez tells him, her voice earnest. Theo’s face softens.
“And you, Miss Inez,” he replies. I blink, surprised at the friendship between them, but there is something sad there as well. Neither of them says anything more so I decide not to pry.
“What are you doing here?” I ask him, jerking my chin at the king’s doorway. “I thought you would be leaving with him.”
Theo wrinkles his nose slightly in disgust before quickly wiping the expression from his face.
“My father will not be here for the celebrations.”
“Oh?”
“He is heading for Swordstead, now the storm has cleared.” Theo gives me a pointed look. “ He will be gone for several weeks.”
“Well, I should think so—Swordstead is on the other side of the country.” Inez frowns. “I thought he had given up on this journey to the werewolves. It is unlike him to travel so far.”
I cast my mind back, recalling how often the king has left his fortress but I cannot remember even once. My brow furrows.
“Indeed.” I tap my chin before turning to Theo. “Do you know why he is so insistent on visiting Swordstead?”
Theo spreads his hands.
“I did not ask.”
“Well…will the guards not be suspicious of you spending time with me so publicly?” I ask, glancing nervously at the numerous guards positioned around the room. Their eyes glint.
“Who said I was spending time with you?” He winks at me before clapping his hands loudly. The rest of the servants turn to look at him, eyes wide and curious.
“My friends!” he calls, and I am surprised at how well his voice commands the room. “Happy Saint’s Day!”
At this, they begin cheering. Theo patiently waits while they settle, a faint smile on his lips.
“I would love the opportunity to celebrate with you all, if you will have me?” he asks the open crowd. The crowd does not hesitate, swallowing him into the masses with firm claps on the shoulder and an abundance of flowers pinned to his tunic. Theo laughs and thanks them, allowing them to welcome him into the crowd. Inez gives me a smile and a sidelong look.
“His Highness has never before joined us for Saint’s Day,” she tells me as the crowd begins to move, sweeping us through the corridors.
“Indeed?”
“Oh, he always treats us right, do not mistake me. Polite and kind to all the staff.” She watches him chatting easily to one of the gardeners. “But he was closed off.”
“Because of the curse?”
“Yes. And…” Inez lowers her eyes, but before she can say anything else, the mass of servants pulls us into the dining room.
The usual cavernous room is now lit up with strong, bright torches. Several stalls line the walls where staff have made their own wares. As the crowd thins out, spread around the room, Inez and I stroll past tables laden with jewellery, food, and other trinkets. Most popular are the fabric flowers as they are the easiest to make—small strips of colourful cotton or silk folded in a way to imitate petals and then fastened with a pin. Inez picks one out for me—a beautiful purple flower—and pins it to my dress.
The hall fills with the smell of baked goods and I find a stall selling saffron cookies. Vanya stands behind the table and inclines her head at us .
“Miss Shivani.” She folds her arms. “I must thank you for the recipe.”
She gestures to the biscuits, delicately baked and presented in neat rows.
“Of course.” I grin, happy at the mere sight of something so familiar and close to home. “They look quite incredible. My aunt would be impressed.”
A ghost of a smile crosses Vanya’s face.
“I did not think witches worshipped the Saints,” she comments, but not unkindly.
“And you are correct.” I smile and point at a cookie. “May I?”
“Of course.”
“Who do you worship, out of curiosity?” Inez asks, taking another cookie for herself.
“Well, no one, I suppose.” I take a bite and savour the buttery crumble. A rush of homesickness sweeps over me but I push it away, blocking it with obscure facts. “Did you know that ‘Saints’ are what dragons called the old gods?”
Vanya raises an eyebrow, intrigued. Inez reaches for another saffron cookie.
“Dragon magic is drawn from meditation and peace of mind. Often, this went hand-in-hand with their religious practices, like praying,” I continue, pleased at having someone, other than Theo, who listens to my ramblings.
“So, their magic is drawn from the Saints?” Vanya probes .
“Correct! Or at least, it is widely believed to be so. This whole county used to be populated with dragons, in fact, before they migrated to Coalsburgh. Their culture still lingers.” I gesture at the rest of the festivities. “Like Saint’s Day.”
Vanya gives a thoughtful look to the crowd before leaning forward over the table.
“Let me show you something,” she tells me, expression unreadable. Inez and I share a glance but follow Vanya regardless as she leads us away from the bustle of the crowd.
She opens a secret passageway, a slim door disguised as brickwork. Vanya presses two fingers against one of the bricks, and the door pops open with a click. Vanya and Inez step in first.
“Wait!”
The three of us whip around, expecting guards, but it is only Theo. My shoulders sag with relief. He jogs over to us, slightly out of breath.
“My apologies.” He nods at Inez and Vanya. “Do you mind if I join you on this excursion?”
Vanya looks at me, eyebrows lowered in uncertainty.
“Unless it is…private?” Theo asks, sensing her hesitation.
“Is it, Vanya?” Inez turns to the other woman.
“Of course you may join, Your Highness,” Vanya eventually replies before ducking into the passageway. Inez shrugs at me and follows. Theo gives me a questioning look, but I spread my hands.
“Shall we see where this leads?” I say.
Theo smiles and gestures to the passageway.
“After you, Miss Shivani.”
With Theo at my back, I climb inside, and he closes the door behind us.
It is dark, with no lit torches. I fumble around in the gloom and nearly fall, but soft hands catch me.
“Careful, miss,” Inez’s voice is close in front of me. “Hold my hand and follow me.”
I feel her palm as her hand clasps mine. Behind me, I reach for Theo. His fingers weave between mine and hold me tight. Like a daisy chain, we move through the darkness with only each other to guide us.
Whereas the other passageways led us through the castle and ended up in other corridors, this one deposits us in a hidden section. A lone room.
We climb out of the passageway, blinking at the sudden light. The room is bathed in a purple glow, the torches on the wall flickering with lavender fire. They line the small, circular room—it is only just big enough for the four of us but with a high ceiling. I gaze up at the torches, surprised.
“An enchantment,” I whisper, watching the hypnotic purple flames .
“Oh!” Inez exclaims with a wide smile. “My mother used to be able to do that. Turn things purple, I mean.”
“She put a spell on them, using witch magic,” Vanya tells her evenly. “They will never go out.”
“Well, enchantments do not last forever. They only last until the object is broken or the person who cast it dies.” I squeeze Inez’s hand. “It is proof your mother still lives, enjoying her retirement.”
Inez’s eyes water as she beams at me.
“Thank you, Miss Shivani.”
“So, this was your mother’s secret room?” Theo turns slowly on the spot, taking it all in.
“No, Your Highness,” Vanya says and her voice softens. “It was your mother’s.”
Theo’s head snaps to look at her, his eyes wide. The muscle at his jaw dances, but he says nothing.
“How do you know?” I ask Vanya, brushing a reassuring hand across Theo’s arm. He catches my hand before I can pull away. Vanya and Inez pretend not to notice.
“This was her altar to the Saints so she could pray in private.” Vanya indicates to the far side of the room. Theo and I step closer to inspect it.
A table has been carved out of the wall, rough but sturdy. Small statues line up like soldiers, each one painted a different colour. I pick one up delicately, curious.
“That is the Celestial,” Vanya murmurs over my shoulder. I turn the figure this way and that, watching the silver and blue dance in the light. “Saint of wisdom and intelligence.”
“And charisma.” I place it back gently. “It is who silver-tongued dragons prayed to.”
The rest of the figurines match the other Saints—The Idol, Nephel, and Shivanya. I pick the last one up, admiring the details carved into the clay. It is heavy in my hands.
“That is my Saint,” Vanya tells me, nodding approvingly. She makes the sign of Shivanya, tapping her forehead and her throat in quick succession. “And my namesake.”
“You pray to justice?” Inez pipes up, peering around me. “An admirable choice.”
“I agree,” I say, placing Shivanya down again where she stands proudly. “She is my namesake also. My father is not a witch—he followed the Saints and chose my name before I was born.”
Bitterness sits uncomfortably in my mouth at the thought of my cowardly father naming his only daughter after the Saint of justice. I run my tongue across my teeth to rid myself of it.
“I can see why. She was known for her iron will.” Inez smiles at me and I manage to dredge up a smile back.
I cast a sidelong glance over the purple torches. Yet another remnant of witchcraft in this castle. I slot the information away next to the enchanted book and the hidden escape tunnel. Vanya, too, has her place in my mind next to the other mysteries. I eye her as she lingers next to the altar, an unreadable expression on her face.
I turn to see Theo planted firmly on the other side of the room, watching us with interest but making no move to come any closer. He fidgets awkwardly.
“Perhaps it is time we make our way back to the festivities,” I suggest, and relief floods his face.
“I agree.” He nods and, without hesitation, steps back into the passageway. Vanya and Inez follow closely behind. I give one last look at the queen’s secret altar—her lovingly crafted statues and the enchanted torches on the wall. I chew the inside of my cheek, thoughtful, before turning my back and leaving.