Page 17

Chapter ten

Nerys

“ S he needs to learn how to greet foreigners,” Idris said, his voice barely audible through the doors and walls of the study where the siblings sequestered themselves.

The day was done, Nerys went to her own room, and she was more than ready for sleep.

But for those two, bickering was a form of nightcap.

Fina said something inaudible.

“She’s only been here a week—”

More incoherent Fina utterings.

“You’re not listening. Fina—”

Actually, Nerys was the one not listening. She had enough on her mind, and she’d find out about the lessons he had planned whether she wanted to or not. She had been drenched in etiquette like biscuits covered in watery gravy since the day she set foot on this cursed estate.

Nerys worked her fingers through her hair, tugging it out of a braid while she admired herself in a small mirror at her vanity.

Soon, she’d have to get used to the elaborate court hairstyles, which often included stuffed birds, dried fungi, and who-knew-what-else.

In the meantime, her hair would bask in relative freedom, free from flora and fauna.

Sleep couldn’t come soon enough, and more lessons would come with the sun.

She spent a good chunk of the day memorizing maps of the palace’s layout, which felt like memorizing boards on a barn door.

One could only study so many grand and minor halls, rooms, and water closets before they all blended together.

Hair liberated, Nerys admired her reflection in the large clear glass, an unheard-of luxury in her old life.

The first time she had seen a glass mirror had been a traveling peddler’s—like anyone in Raven’s Crest could have afforded that .

But using the mirror was not merely a matter of vanity—well, not entirely—she checked each night to make sure that her blemishes from her time on the road were healing.

They were, and they were now little more than thin white lines.

A couple more months and her complexion would even out and her hands would soften, as if she spent most of her life indoors.

At least that was one less thing she had to worry about when she—

Nerys stopped, her hands frozen over her face as she stared in the mirror.

A black mass rose behind her like smoke, larger and larger until it formed itself into the shape of a person. Adilette? No, Adilette was never like this. It was just like she had seen when she first came to the lodge. This shape was towering. Solid. And it was behind her. 64

Behind her.

Screaming, Nerys whipped around, calling stone to her eyes.

Nothing. There was nothing out of place in the room.

Nothing.

Nothing. But there was . She didn’t imagine it. Her breath rushed in and out of her lungs, her screams suppressed to rapid gasps.

What in the hells… There was only her room. The luxurious bed resting on hardwood floors. The nightstand with a cup of water, and the empty writing desk. Just her room.

The shape was gone, though a creeping sensation worked up her spine, and a cold sensation like Winter’s breath on her ear.

Nerys stopped. Waited. Alert. Her eyes darted at every shadow. Every possible movement.

Where was that thing ? It was here. She saw it. It was here.

Gone. It was alright. Whatever it was, it was gone.

Suddenly Idris and Fina crashed through the door, the shock sending Nerys jolting against the vanity. Once inside, the two of them stopped abruptly, searching for some intruder.

“What is it?” Idris asked, once satisfied there was no one else in the room. “You screamed.”

“No—nothing.” Nerys forced a deep breath. “Nothing. There’s nothing.”

“You called your eyes,” Fina pointed out, crossing her arms.

“Oh—” Nerys sent the stone away, letting her eyes return to normal.

“Did you see something?” Idris asked as he took a step toward her, his voice oddly hopeful.

“No.” Nerys rubbed her face and sighed. “I told you—I’ve never had the sight.”

“Never?” Idris asked.

“No. No one in my village has.”

“Then why call your eyes?” Fina asked. “You screamed a lot for just nothing.”

“I don’t know,” Nerys said. “I panicked.” She set her hands on her lap and looked at the siblings.

They were staring at her so expectantly—she had to tell them something or they’d never leave her alone.

Then again, she did scream—that deserved an explanation.

What if they thought she was too frightened to go to court?

“I thought I saw a shadow in the mirror.”

“A shadow.” Fina said, giving Idris a little nod.

“Yes.”

“And did this ‘shadow’ say anything?”

“No,” Nerys said. “It was a shadow . Do shadows talk to you?”

Fina smirked. “No, Ca’mailian. Shadows don’t talk to me.”

“It was nothing,” Nerys insisted. “Please” ?she waved her hand? “thank you for coming to rescue me, but as you can see, there’s nothing to save me from.”

Neither Idris nor Fina seemed to believe her. Of course they didn’t—she was lying. Or was she? She probably did see only a shadow. She had spent the day memorizing palace room names. Briar Hall. Glass Hall. Ivory Hall. Paper Hall. That’d make anyone hallucinate.

“There was nothing here,” Nerys repeated. “I’d let you know if there was. Don’t you think I’d tell you if I did, in fact, see something worth screaming about?”

“If you’re sure,” Idris said, attention focused on the windows.

“I am.”

“Come, Idri.” Fina grabbed Idris’s arm, giving Nerys a look she couldn’t read. “There’s nothing to be done here.”

“In a moment,” Idris said. “May I speak with you, Nerys?”

“Of course.” Nerys rubbed her fingers together. Hard. What did he have to say now? She’d told them everything—there really was nothing else. Fina seemed to have the same apprehension as her, for she lingered until Idris gave her a firm nod.

“Fine,” Fina said, leaving out the open door. “I’m tired and it’s long past time I sleep. While it’s easy to forget, these lessons aren’t exactly easy for us either. I’ll talk to you tomorrow, Idri.”

“Of that I have no doubt,” Idris said, just loud enough that Nerys was rewarded with the sight of Fina turning back to give Idris one last scowl before disappearing into the dark hall. With Fina gone, Idris slowly closed the door and then turned back to face Nerys .

Now Nerys was alone with Idris. Very alone. In her bedroom.

Idris stepped closer to her, stopping around an arm’s length away.

She looked up from her seat and met his gaze, for once absent of the arrogance that normally filled his expression.

Then she realized she was only in her nightgown and resisted the urge to cross her arms in front of her—she had nothing to be ashamed of.

For a moment they looked at each other, and something in the room shifted.

“What is it?” Nerys asked.

“Nerys” ?Idris moved over to the end of her bed and sat on it, so that he looked her evenly in the eyes? “I know your situation with coming here was not…ideal.”

Nerys snorted. “That’s true.”

“And I know you have little reason to trust me.”

“You promised you could prove everything.”

Idris bit his lip, seemingly deciding what to say next. “I can. But I don’t want this to be all.”

Nerys cocked her head. “What do you mean?”

“I don’t want to be someone who is just here to coax you into doing what needs to be done.” Idris rubbed his mouth. “Dammit, Nerys. What I’m trying—and failing—to say is that if there is something you want to tell me, you can.”

A chill prickled Nerys’s spine. “Like what?”

“I don’t know. If the servants are rude to you—”

“They aren’t.”

“If you’re having nightmares.” Idris paused for a moment and then went on, “Or if you’re seeing other things.”

Nerys slouched. That was all? He thought she was hiding magic? “It was one shadow, Idris.”

“I know, but—”

“The lighting in here is awful. I’m tired. I haven’t had more than an hour to myself in over a week, and oh yes, my family was murdered less than a month ago. I’m going to be seeing things.”

“Fair enough.” It was strange just how much Idris had changed towards her in the brief time she’d known him. This Idris seemed…sad? Concerned? Gods, why was he so beautiful? What would it be like to have those hands touching her hips, those lips—

“I’ll leave you to sleep,” Idris said, interrupting her. Nerys reddened—did he guess what she was thinking ?

She nodded. Oh, did she need sleep. She needed anything that wasn’t staring at him.

For a moment it seemed like Idris had something else to say, but instead he shook his head and made his way to the door. “Good night, Nerys.”

“Good night.”

With that, Idris left her alone in the room. Alone with the memory of shadow and the scent of cloves. Alone with the memory of her butchered family and the prospect of worse horrors to come.

Between the shadow and thoughts of Idris, Nerys didn’t fall asleep until dawn.