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Chapter fifteen

Nerys

I dris wasn’t jesting when he warned Nerys that the days were getting shorter, and it had nothing to do with the seasons.

No matter how many pointless lessons were crammed into Nerys’s throbbing head, there was still much to learn, her time at court arriving far too soon.

Especially since even the way sugar was dissolved in liquid had its own ritual at the Ca’mailian court.

“No.” Fina groaned. “I can’t go over this again. That’s not how you stir sugar into tea. You’re gliding in the sugar. Smoothly . Not clanging the spoon.

Nerys swallowed her retort, though in fairness to Fina, no one enjoyed these endless lessons.

A snappy retort wouldn’t get this lesson, yet another “mock tea,” over with faster.

It definitely wouldn’t get her out of this ridiculous hooped and corseted contraption of a dress—it was like walking in a tent, poles included.

Though Nerys appreciated the support it gave her backside.

“Supreme Land Holder” Idris stepped into the room, grinning much more than any sane person should.

He—in his damn practical breeches—strutted over to them, put his hands behind his back, and gave them a fluid courteous bow.

“Your Brilliance, My Lady,” Idris said to Fina and Nerys.

A model “Ca’mailian” courtier. Sure, emphasize her incompetence.

Nerys and Fina stood, giving the “higher-ranking” Idris a deep curtsey. “Your Gloriousness,” the two of them said in unison. There— that honorific Nerys got right.

“You honor us,” Fina said, modeling polite introductions while giving Nerys a sideways glance.

“The honor is mine. Now, please, let us sit.” Idris gestured at the tea service. “We need to enjoy this lovely display.”

It was lovely. If only Nerys just had to look at it.

Nerys smiled and moved to take her place next to the tea set again—and lost control of her hooped skirts .

“Shit!” The skirts slammed against a leg, making the table lurch like a boat on rough seas.

Nerys reached forward, desperate to calm the rising swell of chaos, and in true Nerys fashion, she clanged against the table once more.

The tea pot and several cups slid to the edge, balanced on the cusp of oblivion, and then tumbled to their demise.

An eternity passed in the instant the tea pot crashed into the ground along with its companion cups, coating the carpet in a dust of porcelain and brown fluid.

Nerys stared at the result in stunned silence.

Oh, no. Oh no no no no.

Their host’s carpet. The tea pot. She looked down at a swelling dark splotch on her front. The dress….

“Idiot,” Fina hissed. Nerys dared raise her eyes. Fire seemed to seethe in Fina’s ears. Nerys froze.

“Fina,” Idris said, “it’s just—”

“It’s not just , Idris!” Fina flailed her arms. “Look at her—she does this at court, she’s dead and everything’s ruined. She’s going to ruin everything.”

“I won’t,” Nerys said without thinking.

That was a mistake. Fina turned to Nerys put her hands on her hips. “Mark me—the R?ll would have done us all a favor if he killed you too. Then at least you wouldn’t be taking the rest of us with you.”

Her too. Like Adilette.

Enough. Nerys turned and ran out of the lodge, ignoring Idris’s calls and Fina’s curses. Burning tears rose in her eyes. That bitch—Fina didn’t like her, but that ? Then again, maybe Fina was right to be angry. Much more than just Nerys’s desire for revenge was at stake.

Though that did little to quell the storm in her chest. After she worked so hard... What more did they want ?

Shaking, Nerys stormed across the barren grounds, ignoring the way the wind whipped through her satin dress.

Under an overcast sky, bare dark tree branches hovered.

Nerys rubbed her arms and blinked back tears.

She had tried, so hard…and still so much was still going wrong.

The worst part was that Fina was right—when she messed up here, all she had to deal with was an angry Fina.

If she did the same thing at court, she’d be dead.

She had to get better at being Callidora. Had to.

Nerys shivered and tucked her arms around her, taking in the dying landscape. It was far too cold already—and the weather would only get worse .

A couple heartbeats later a stillness came over the woods, sending the birds silent. Even the wind stopped. An eerie sensation crept over her back, like someone was watching. She wiped her eyes and looked behind her, back in the direction of the house.

Nothing.

Alone.

Good. Not so much as a gardener nearby. The house’s windows stared back at her like sightless eyes. May they stay that way.

She wasn’t ready to deal with anyone else yet, least of all Idris. Idris, her distraction. Idris, her—

No. She couldn’t think of Idris now, of whatever infatuation she had with him. A few more moments, and then she’d have to go back inside and face Fina. Fina was like an oven with the way she held rage—waiting would not make this better.

Nerys took a deep breath and focused her attention back on the desolate woods once more.

And stopped.

A shadow stood in the woods, facing her. The same man-shaped shadow from her room. It was just a shadow from the trees. Just a—

It took a step towards her.

Nerys’s breath caught.

It wanted her. It was after her. And now it was here to take her.

Quickly, she took off running. The house. She had to get back to the house. What was that thing? Whatever was behind her was going to catch her, and this time, it wasn’t going to let her go.

She just reached the steps when an unnaturally frigid wind rushed over her. Screaming, she thrashed her arms.

Idris rushed out the door. “Nerys!” His eyes darted as he took in the scene, and then ran to her. As soon as he touched her, the cold and overwhelming sensation of dread vanished. It was gone. It was gone.

Right?

“What happened?” he asked, searching her face. “Was it Fina? She was just upset—she didn’t mean it.”

Nerys shook her head, unable to utter a word.

“You’re freezing,” he said, rubbing her arms .

“I saw, I saw.” Nerys couldn’t help it—she burst into tears.

To her surprise, Idris wrapped himself around her.

In an instant, her terror evaporated and she was all too aware of his body pressed against hers, his breath heaving against her ear.

She leaned into him, wondering for a distracted moment what it would be like to be with him, to feel his rough hands on her skin. Her shelter from everything…

If only she could stay here. And not think about shadow creatures.

“What?” he asked softly in her ear. “What is it?”

“You won’t believe me.”

He rubbed his hand on her back, sending warmth through her body in more ways than one. “You’d be surprised. Did you use your stone eyes?”

She shook her head and rubbed the tears from her eyes. “No. I didn’t think to. Not this time.”

“But you did see something.”

“I swear, I didn’t use them. Why do you keep asking me?”

Slowly, Idris held her out at a distance and looked down at her. “This has happened before?”

She nodded. “Twice. The first was when I screamed in my room. I keep seeing this…shadow. I don’t know how else to explain it, but each time it’s the same.

I feel it watching me, and then it’s there.

And when I use my stone eyes to look for it, it’s gone.

” Fresh sobs broke out. “And it’s going to come back. ”

Idris tucked her closer to him once more. If only he’d never let go. Here was safety. Quiet. “It will be alright.”

“You don’t know that.”

“I do.”

“How?”

“You need to talk to the lady, once she arrives.”

“The lady. Our host? And what is she going to be able to do?”

“Hopefully answer some questions, for one.” Idris took a deep breath. “I’m sorry, Nerys. I don’t know much else about your gifts. But if it involves the stone eyes, she’d be able to tell you.”

“I’ve told you—I don’t have the sight. I’m too old. The gift doesn’t show this late.” Why did they seem to insist otherwise? Stubborn foreigner. Maybe it was different in Cerdoran, but in Ca’mail, she was far too old .

Idris shrugged. “Maybe. Let’s see what she says.

Maybe she will say you’ve been only seeing fairies.

” Idris cocked his head and gave Nerys a smile.

Nerys didn’t return it. Her world was crashing, she was chased by her nightmare, and he was asking about magic she didn’t have?

Then again, could she blame him? She did keep seeing things.

Too bad a Cerdorani couldn’t tell the actual gift from a pale imitation.

“Well, I have something I think might cheer you up,” Idris said, a blatant attempt to distract her. “I know we discussed this earlier, but I wanted to tell you more about my plans for you, once you are in Cerdoran.”

“That’s right. If I escape the palace. After killing the R?ll.”

“You will.” He said it with such conviction she almost believed him. “We’ve studied the maps together—you’ll find a way out.” Ha. That was optimistic. “Anyway, how would you like to be a lady when this is done? A titled lady? A real one.”

Nerys wiped her eyes. “What do you mean?”

“We never really talked about our offer to you for killing Abnar.”

“I’m not doing this for a reward.”

“I know. But you’ll deserve one. You do this, and you’ll have saved the Cerdorani queen—and our people.

We will owe you more than we can repay. A title in Cerdoran is the least you can expect.

Along with an estate.” His voice lowered to a whisper as his eyes roamed over her body, sending delightful shivers up her spine.

“You won’t have to worry about anything ever again.

And I’ll be able to see you. Whenever you want company. ”