Page 9

Chapter 9

This Changes Things

S tellon- earlier that morning

The door of my bedchamber flew open, slamming the wall behind it and knocking a framed portrait to the floor with a sharp clatter.

My father stood in the doorway, practically vibrating with rage.

“Where is she?” he demanded and charged toward my bed.

I sat up, already fully awake.

There had been no chance of sleeping, knowing that Pharis would be attempting to rescue Raewyn from the dungeon and take her back to her village.

I only hoped it was far away, far enough that my father could never find her.

Thanks to his current demeanor, at least I now knew they’d succeeded in getting out of the palace.

“Raewyn?” I asked, as if he could possibly be referring to another “she.”

“Yes, your little human folly,” he spat. “She’s missing. How did she get out of the dungeon?”

“I have no idea,” I answered honestly.

Pharis had only said that he’d get her out, not how he’d manage it. I had to assume there was some borrowed glamour involved.

The important thing was, he’d done it. He’d freed her—and my father had no clue as to her whereabouts.

“How would I know?” I asked him. “I’ve been in here under lock and key, not to mention an abundant number of the royal guard.”

He knew it was true since he was the one who’d ordered me locked up and guarded until my blessed wedding day—which was supposed to have been today, unless I’d lost count.

Yes, it was the final day of the Assemblage, and I was scheduled to marry Lady Glenna Lalor today in front of the full High Court. My father had meant to use Raewyn as a pawn, threatening her with harm in order to force my compliance.

Now that she was out of his reach, I would refuse the politically advantageous marriage—and he knew it.

“Where is the chit from?” he demanded. “What village?”

“I don’t know. She never said.”

Also the truth. Raewyn had steadfastly refused to tell me where she was from or even her surname, and now I was grateful for it. I had no idea where Pharis had taken her.

No matter what my father might do to me, I’d be literally unable to reveal any damning information about her.

“Feel free to summon your truthsayer,” I challenged him.

The King’s eyes narrowed, glittering with animosity.

“I intend to. You have changed since meeting her. But I will have her back—and I will have my loyal son and heir back… no matter what it takes.”

With those chilling words still hanging in the air, he turned to go.

“What are you planning to do?” I asked his back.

Without turning back around or even slowing his pace, he said, “Find her, of course. My soldiers are already mustered, awaiting my orders.”

Heart racing, I scrambled to the bank of windows,looking out over the front lawn of the palace grounds.

Sure enough, there were at least three battalions spread across the field just outside the palace gates, uniformed and mounted. Ready to hunt.

It was a disturbing sight, but the worst aspect of it was what I saw at the head of the formation. The King’s own personal mount stood there, saddled and waiting for its rider.

The racing heart stopped altogether and froze.

My father was going after Raewyn personally—leaving the palace on the final day of the Assemblage, which was unheard of.

He must have been quite convinced he’d be able to find her and retrieve her quickly, still determined to force the marriage of the Crown Prince and the daughter of his closest political ally.

I’d literally rather be dead.

At least Raewyn wouldn’t die, too.

As I watched my father stride toward his horse and signal the troops to move out, I heard the door to my suite open. A moment later, my sister Mareth ran through the open bedroom door.

“Are the guards gone?” I asked hopefully.

She shook her head. “No, no, they’re still there—and quite determined to keep you here . I convinced them it would do no harm to let me in to keep you company.”

She did look harmless, dressed in a confection of lavender tulle and lace, her blonde curls tamed in a fanciful up-do and accented by fresh flowers that matched the artificial ones on her skirts.

Of course appearances could be deceiving, and when it came to my sister, they were.

“People are always underestimating me, and the guards are far too susceptible to flirting,” she added. “Did you hear what’s happening?”

“That Father has ordered a full-on hunt for my beloved?” I asked. “Yes, he just told me before storming out of here. They’re riding out now. How much do you know?”

“Only that you apparently lost your mind and fell in love with a human woman you’ve been hiding in your suite for a fortnight.”

When I didn’t contradict her, Mareth’s mouth fell open, and her eyes bulged. “So Pharis was half-right.”

He’d been more than half-right. My brother had been convinced I was holed up in here with Lady Wyn. As we’d both learned, Lady Wyn and Raewyn were one and the same.

“I did fall in love,” I told my sister. “And Father is planning to take advantage of that fact and use her as a bargaining chip to ensure I marry his choice of bride.”

“I thought there was something funny about the sudden announcement of your bridal choice,” Mareth said. “I never even saw you speaking to Glenna at the socials. And well, you know… she’s not my favorite.”

“Nor mine.”

But my father wanted me to marry her, and the Compeller King always got what he wanted.

Until now.

I smiled at the thought of him seething over Raewyn slipping through his bejeweled fingers.

Though it was devastating to know I would never see her again, the pain was somewhat softened by the knowledge that he wouldn’t either.

She was away from the castle and, by now, far from Merisola. She was with Pharis. She was safe. I had no doubt he would keep his promise to protect her for me.

I only hoped he returned with good news—and before our father noticed his significantly timed absence.

Mareth sat on one of the settees, her voluminous skirts rustling.

“I wish the poor girl luck. Your human, not Glenna,” she clarified. “Is it the young woman from the Rough Market?”

I took a seat on the settee opposite hers. “Yes. Raewyn. How did you know?”

“Because I know you,” she said.

“I’ve never heard you speak of any woman the way you spoke of her. Did you fall in love with her straight away that day, or was it later?” she asked with a sly look.

“I’m not sure. It might have been that day. She certainly made an impression on me. But after she turned her ankle the night of the ball, and I brought her here to care for her and keep her safe, there was no chance I wouldn’t fall in love with her.”

Pulling the locket from my shirt front, I stared at the two small portraits inside. I hadn’t had the opportunity to give it back to Raewyn before she was whisked away from me. Now it was all I had left of her.

“I wish you could have met her,” I murmured.

I heard the movement of Mareth’s skirts and felt the depression of the settee cushion as she came to sit beside me.

“Maybe I shall someday,” she said. Apparently my sister didn’t share Pharis’ horror at the idea of me choosing a human woman as a lifelong companion.

She reached for the locket. “Is this her?”

“That is,” I said, pointing to the baby in the double portrait opposite the image of a beautiful woman. “That is her mother.”

“She’s lovely.”

After studying the locket for another long moment, Mareth lifted her head and looked at me.

“I feel like I’ve seen this woman before.”

“I felt the same way,” I said. “But it was only because I’d seen Raewyn, and they look very much alike.”

Mareth shook her head slowly. “I don’t think that’s it. I’ve never seen Raewyn. But this woman looks very familiar.”

That was odd. If I’d ever seen Raewyn’s mother in person, it definitely wasn’t someone I knew well.

“I guess I’ll never know. I’ll never see her again. By now, she is far, far from here, and for her sake, I hope she never returns.”

Mareth sat forward. “Do you know where she went? Or how she got out of the dungeon? I heard she simply vanished overnight. I also heard there was a witch in the castle. Maybe she used a transporting spell or something.”

I simply nodded my head in agreement and said, “Maybe.”

Though I knew I could trust my sister with my life, I couldn’t trust her with Raewyn’s. Mareth could be compelled to tell our father what she knew, so the less she knew the better.

“I have no idea where she is now,” I said honestly.

Leaning forward, I rested my forehead on my palms, my elbows propped on my knees. I was so tired, but I wouldn’t be able to sleep soundly until Pharis returned and told me Raewyn was safe.

Mareth rested her hand on my back and rubbed it in soothing circles.

“I understand, you know,” she said.

“Thank you, but I’m not sure how you could. Unless you have also fallen in love with a human who’s being hunted by your own father?”

“Not a human,” she said cryptically, “but if Father found out about him… there probably would be a hunt.”

I lifted my head, looking at her in astonishment.

“Mareth… has my innocent little sister been keeping secrets?”

She giggled. “Only one.”

Just then Pharis walked through the door. Mareth and I both turned our heads then leapt to our feet. I rushed to him.

“Is she safe? Did it all go okay? You’re back so soon. I thought it might be days.”

“Wait—did you have something to do with Raewyn’s escape?” Mareth asked him.

Shaded stars. I’d spoken without thinking. It was a good thing the Three Pillars always stood together. She was in on it now.

“I left her in her village at the front door of her cottage—the only door to that pitiful hovel,” Pharis said. “It’s not far enough from Seaspire for my liking, but it’s where she wanted to be. I need to ask you something. Where is the witch?”

“The Earthwife is in the dungeon as far as I know,” I said.

“No. She’s not,” Pharis said and ran a hand through the top of his already disheveled hair. He looked like he hadn’t slept in days.

“I’ve just come from there,” he said, his tone grave. “I was going to put an end to the troublesome woman before her story reached the wrong ears, but she was gone. I was hoping you’d had her executed.”

I shook my head. “I’ve been in here, under guard day and night since you left.”

His tone alarmed me. “How close is Raewyn’s village?” I asked.

If it was one of the human villages just on the border of our lands, my father’s soldiers could be there within minutes. So could Sorcha, if she was roaming free.

Pharis simply looked at me, raising one brow.

“What? I didn’t ask you to tell me the name of the place,” I said, instantly irritated, “just how far away it was.”

“Not far enough,” was all he said. “If Father ever decides to go looking—”

“He’s already gone,” I barked at him.

Then I modulated my voice, remembering my brother wasn’t the one I was angry with.

“What?” Pharis asked. “Gone where?”

“In search of Raewyn,” I said. “He’s already discovered she’s missing. Apparently the burning desire to see her again woke him early today. Either that or someone reported her disappearance to him. He’s just left with an entire regiment of the King’s finest.”

“What is going on?” Mareth asked. “You’re both in on the escape?”

I turned to her. Keeping my voice low, I said, “Pharis volunteered to get her out of here. I accepted with gratitude.”

She turned to our brother, gaping. “Pharis volunteered ? To help a human ?”

“For my sake,” I clarified. “He knows I love her.”

Pharis’ brows drew together, and his jaw stiffened. “I’ve got to go.”

He turned and started to leave the room. I grabbed his shoulder and stopped him.

“Go where?”

“To warn her,” he said in a tone that indicated it should have been obvious. “She won’t have any idea they’re coming. I’ll have to take another horse. Dargan’s been riding too long.”

“Pharis, you’ve been riding as long as he has,” Mareth pointed out. “Have you even slept? You look like you’re about to drop.”

“I’m fine.” He shook his head and waved off her concern. “That’s not important.”

He tried to pull away again, but I held him. “You’re not fine. I’ll go.”

Pharis looked at me like I must have been kicked in the head. “Don’t be ridiculous. You can’t go. I said I’ll be fine. I’ve gone longer than this without sleep and for far less important reasons.”

“I’ll go,” Mareth said. “Just tell me where to find her and what she looks like. I’ll ride to her village and warn her.”

My heart was touched, but Pharis acted like she’d slapped him.

“No. I’m going, and that’s final,” he said, jerking his arm from my grasp. “You charged me with her safety, Stellon. Let me go look after it.”

You said not even if you begged, remember? he asked mind to mind. You made me swear.

“You’ve fulfilled your promise, brother,” I said. “I can’t ask any more of you. And she’s my love—my responsibility. It’s my fault she’s being hunted. Just help me get out of here and tell me where to find her,” I pressed.

I would give my life, fight my own father to the death if that was what it took to protect her from him.

Pharis stared me down, not answering for a long moment.

“That wasn’t all I promised, brother . It’s still too dangerous for you to know where she is—and Father still doesn’t know I’m involved. I’m the best man for the job.”

“Or you could let me go,” Mareth reminded him.

We both turned to her and said, “No,” at the same time.

She let out an indignant sound and whirled away from us, going over to stand by the window next to my desk.

Pharis’ gaze followed her then landed on the desk. He strode across the room to it and began rifling through my papers.

“What are you looking for?” I asked.

“Where are your drawings of her?” he asked. “The ones you told me about.”

I blinked. “On the bedside table, inside the drawing pad. Why?”

He threw me a side glance as he walked over to the small table beside the bed and grabbed the pad of paper then crossed the room again to stand in front of the burning fireplace.

Flipping through the pages, he stopped at one of the drawings, staring down at it.

“You have to burn these,” he said. “All of them. What Mareth said reminded me—they could be used to identify her, track her down.”

He leafed through the next few pages, all drawings I’d done of Raewyn, then stopped and lingered over the one I’d sketched of her sleeping. I watched his eyes trace the lines then go back over them again, as if he was memorizing the image.

“You have to destroy this, Stellon,” he said finally. “You have to let her go… for her sake if not for yours.”

He was right. It killed me, but he was right. I couldn’t hold onto Raewyn this way, not if it would put her in more danger.

As I joined him in front of the fireplace and fed each page to the flames, I reassured myself that I could always draw her again. Raewyn’s image had been etched into my brain.

For the rest of my existence, I’d be able to recall her beauty and sketch her likeness from memory. It wouldn’t be anything like having the real thing, but it would be something.

As the final drawing curled and blackened, Pharis asked, “Is that it? Are there any more pictures of her?”

I shook my head. “That’s it.”

“What about this?” Mareth said, walking up behind us and holding out the locket. Its muted silver surface gleamed in the firelight.

Pharis took it from her, studying the portraits inside. “This isn’t Raewyn.”

“No, only the baby is,” I clarified. “The woman is her mother.”

He squinted, staring at the woman in rapt concentration. Then he looked up at me.

“Stellon… you know who this is, don’t you?”

His tone was grave, and the look on his face made my blood run cold in my veins.

“No?”

But clearly Pharis recognized her.

I stared into my brother’s eyes, which held a definitive spark of sympathy. What was going on?

“Surely you remember…” he said, but his voice trailed off, leaving me to figure out the rest.

And then I did.

My heart crashed through my other organs, plummeting to the floor.

“No,” I breathed, the word barely audible. “It can’t be.”

Mareth snatched the locket from Pharis’ fingers, studying it again herself. “Who is she? What am I missing?”

Neither of us answered. I couldn’t, and Pharis apparently decided not to, allowing me to choose whether I wanted to put my horror into words.

“Wait, I’ve seen her portrait here in the palace somewhere,” our sister said.

Her head popped up, and her gaze bounced between the two of us.

“She’s Elven,” Mareth said.

Looking back at the image of the mother and child, she said, “Raewyn’s mother is Elven. She’s half-Fae, half-human. Stellon… maybe this changes things. Maybe you can marry her after all.”