Page 83 of With Wing And Claw

Within the blink of an eye, there was no more laughter, no more comfort. Children shot away behind their parents. Breakfast knives were snatched off the tables. A glass shattered against the floorboards, and Thysandra was the only one flinching at the sound – the only one who still had any alarm left to feel.

A hundred pairs of haunted eyes stared back at her in the sudden, deafening silence. Pale, gaunt faces. Ragged breaths. Trembling hands.

See you as a villain.

She didn’t want to see it.

She had to, though.

The little boy by the nearest table, clutching his half-eaten apple to his thin chest as if it was the most precious thing he’d ever owned. The man behind him, face covered in grisly burn scars. The child cowering behind a woman’s skirt, her downy white hair unable to hide the pointed fae ears – fae ears her mother did not have.

The fear, most of all, drawn sharply on every single one of their faces.

This was the world Thysandra had spent all her life building.

Shehadto feel it, the bile in her throat, the sickening understanding of who she had grown to be – because this was why she was about to declare war on her own damn court. This was why she’d need to face her opponents, finally, rather than try and slip around them for the rest of her life; this was why she could no longer be that young girl hiding beneath her blankets, wings tight around herself, trying to crawl away from the eyes of the world.

Traitor’s daughter.

Had her father seen the same thing when he committed whatever ill-advised act that had cost both her parents their lives?

‘Good morning,’ she choked out – a laughable, pitiable start. There was nothing good about her morning. Little about theirs either, probably. ‘I thought I’d walk by and see if you’ve all settled in properly. If there’s anything else we can do for you while we deal with yesterday’s events, too.’

They jerked back into motion as if it was a command.

Yes, yes, it was wonderful, hurried voices assured her – it wasbetterthan wonderful, this place to live in, more than what they’d everexpected. They’d been given plenty of food, and they were very grateful for that, too. Clothes? No, they really didn’t need more than what they already had, they could easily patch up some of the old stuff they still had lying about, and—

‘New clothes would be nice, actually,’ Inga’s gruff voice broke through the flustered lies. ‘And we’re in dire need of soap and other toiletries, if it’s not too much trouble. Got a lifetime of filth to wash away, you see.’

Another shocked silence descended over the room.

The girl had appeared from behind Thysandra, still in her grey servant’s frock, her long, pale hair swept into a bun that left her fae ears uncovered. Her fingers lay clenched tight around the apple in her hand. The look on her face suggested she might have used it as a projectile, had she not been so unwilling to waste a single bite of food.

You see?her scowl repeated.

Around them, humans and half humans sat motionless, breathless, as if Thysandra might chop off their friend’s head for her impertinence the next moment.

Thysandra did not move.

‘I see,’ she said instead, because it was the only thing shecouldpossibly say – the only thing that would be true, at least. ‘I’ll have soap and a few boxes of clothes sent to you all before the end of the day. Some sewing materials, too. If there’s anything else you think of, please let me know and I’ll see to that as well.’

The gathered humans did not relax on the edges of her sight – did not let out any breaths of relief, nor any murmurs of appreciation. As if this might just be a trap. As if evenacknowledgingher offer might be reason to send them straight to their deaths, proof of their disloyalty or lack of proper servants’ manners.

Thysandra did not press. The least these people needed now, she figured, wasmoreforceful fae demands.

‘I’ll leave you to your breakfast, then,’ she said instead, stepping back with a last nod before turning to Inga and quietly adding, ‘Would you mind having a quick word with me?’

Inga visibly contemplated refusing for a moment, then glanced at her friends and family and gave a curt shrug instead. ‘If you wish.’

A hundred frightened gazes burned between Thysandra’s shoulder blades as they made for the exit of the ivy wing together, and behind her, the conversation never returned to its previous volume.

‘Let’s go for a stroll in the garden,’ she said when she reached the spot where Nicanor, Gadyon, and the two guards stood waiting. ‘We need to discuss a few things, and I’d like to make sure we aren’t accidentally overheard by anyone.’

By no one, that was, except the one person shewantedto overhear the conversation. No need to tell them that much, though – their ignorance was half the plan.

The guards stayed behind as the four of them made their way outside. Thysandra waited until they were out of earshot before adding, ‘Oh, and Gadyon, could you find a few reliable members of your population department and make sure the humans get full citizen status? Effective … well, today, I suppose. Or actually, make that the day I took the throne.’

Inga stiffened beside her.