Page 15 of A Fate of Wings (Autumn Court #1)

Chapter fourteen

Rozronuuk

The Autumn Court

I was only somewhat surprised the clothes made for me were a perfect fit. Thea’s handmaiden was observant and thorough. The seamstress had made the threads of the finest silks and cotton. Whoever the siren’s seamstress was, she held a wealth of talent. I bet my brother would like to poach her. He was always fond of fine garments. I’d much rather have the toughness of leather. It afforded a bit of protection when fighting.

I fought a lot.

By becoming the siren queen’s mate, I’d imagined a cushy life, but the castle was unsettled. I sensed evil looming over my mate’s head, but I didn’t recognize where the threat was coming from. It sure as hell wasn’t from me.

We walked down the winding grand staircase. Rich, ancient tapestries hung from the walls that appeared to depict images of the sirens. I peered closer at one of the intricately woven fabrics in vibrant colored threads.

“That’s my great-grandmother.” Thea leaned closer to point at a tiny, winged creature stitched into the fabric. “She was ruthless and killed many humans. The tale has it she sung sailors to their deaths.”

“Just sailors?”

She shrugged. “They say that she had a thing for sailors.”

I snorted. If I had a thing for something, I sure didn’t kill it.

She pointed at the next tapestry. We stepped down a few stairs to stand in front of it.

“This one is my grandmother. She had a thing for elves. The story goes that the elf king was in love with her and she was with him, but she wouldn’t give up her throne as the siren queen. Theirs was a tragic love story. They both died alone after sending their people to war against each other. They figured whoever won the war, the other would admit defeat and join them.”

“The Great Autumn and Spring Court war were because of them?”

“Yes. We won in the end. The elf king died in the last battle. At the news of his death, Grandmother flew into the sun, and no one ever saw her again.”

Such a tragic event. If I’d been the Demon King, would something similar have happened between us? I dreaded the thought.

“And this last one?” I stepped down the final stairs.

“This is my mother. She mated with a fae and loved him very much. He died in this castle.”

“Died? How?”

“It was a complete mystery. Still is.”

“Hmm.” I rubbed my chin. I didn’t like the sound of that. Supernatural creatures were immortal mostly. We could be killed, but we usually healed or regenerated fast enough to avoid death.

“Mother was walking with him in the garden after dinner, as they always did. He loved the starry nights here in the Autumn Court.” Her breath hitched. “She said he fell to his knees, clutching his stomach.”

“Poison?”

“I suspect someone slipped something into his food, but there was no food left to test. No body either.”

The hairs on the back of my neck prickled. “No body?”

“He burst into flames like the wolf shifter at the trials. There was only his ash.”

I clasped her elbow in a firm grip and leaned close to her ear. “You have a serpent in your castle. A clever one, too. One who leaves no evidence of their crimes.”

She bit her lip, refusing to say more.

“No wonder your face paled when the wolf shifter died. It reminded you of your father.” I inched my hand higher and caressed the soft flesh of her upper arm.

“Someone killed my parents, too.”

She almost sagged into my touch. Accepting my sympathy for her loss. I’d lost my parents, too, so I understood how much it made my chest ache with the love I’d lost. She tilted her chin up. Her eyes glistened as though tears longed to free themselves from her well-constructed wall of not showing her emotions. We were so alike, hiding our pain behind the tasks of being a royal.

Her handmaiden appeared, sending her back straight as a board once again, forcing her to be the queen.

“Your majesty, breakfast is ready.” She curtsied.

“This way.” Thea drew me into step with her.

Her handmaiden fell into step behind us, but I was aware of her presence. Her intense gaze at my back. I didn’t trust anyone in this castle. Least of all the one person close enough to my mate to slip poison into her drink. To kill her as someone had killed her father. Was the quiet little handmaiden the culprit? Or were there more serious monsters hiding in these walls?

We entered the grand dining hall. Servants had laid the twelve-seater marble table with enough food to feed a dozen people, but only one person sat at the table. An identical version of Thea. Her twin sister. I’d seen them together before, but today the difference in the pair was glaring. Thea was bright and regal, whereas her sister’s scowl seemed forever etched on her face, making her darker, less like royalty, and more like a commoner.

“There you are,” the sister said.

“Melanie, this is the Beast. I’ve chosen him to be my mate.”

“Him?” She sneered. “He’s beneath you.”

“That is the point,” Thea said and stepped up to the chair at the head of the table. “He won the trials. He earned the right to be my mate.”

I drew the etched timber and burgundy leather chair out for her, waited for her to settle, then eased it back in. I walked to the end of the table and stood behind her sister’s chair.

“What?” she asked.

“You’re in my seat.”

“Sit over there.” She pointed across the table.

“As her mate, this is my seat.”

“Thea?” she whined.

Thea patted the chair beside her. “Come sit next to me.”

Her sister scowled harder. The atmosphere in the dining room became hostile to my senses. I stood still so as not to alert her to the knowledge I sensed rage. It was part of the gift of being a Rage Demon.

She shoved back her chair and stomped down the length of the table like a spoiled child. Thea smiled at her indulgently. Was she blind to her sister’s faults?

“Now then,” Thea said, once her sister sat at the table. “I need your help to prepare for the ceremony.”

Melanie’s eyes flicked to me, then back to Thea. She smiled demurely.

“Of course. We’ll decorate the courtyard with fringed orchids and daylight lilies. The seamstress has already prepared your gown. I’m assuming the seamstress has started his attire?”

“I’m certain Raelin would have set her the task already.”

“Yes.” She picked up her knife and fork.

I frowned but didn’t call her out on her poor etiquette of not waiting for the queen to pick up her cutlery first. Observing the way the sisters interacted gave me pause for thought.

“The yellow moon will appear soon.”

“It’s why I held the trials now,” Thea said, picking up her knife and fork.

I followed suit now the queen had eaten.

“Fitting, since you’re so fond of yellow,” Melanie said. She turned to me. “What about you, Beast?”

“What about me?” I shoveled a forkful of eggs into my mouth.

“What do you want for the ceremony?”

Thea sucked in a breath and placed her knife and fork back on the table. I copied her.

“All I desire is the queen and her wishes.”

Thea nodded her thanks.

I smiled.

Melanie shifted her gaze back and forth between us. Thea picked up her cutlery, and I followed suit. See, I could be her perfect mate. She just needed to give me a chance to prove myself capable of being a charming gentleman.