Page 22 of Forged By Malice (Beasts of the Briar #3)

21

Rosalina

I awaken to a soft knock on my door. Sitting up, I stretch and call, “Coming!”

That was an insanely good sleep. Maybe it’s because the room I’ve been given in Keep Hammergarden is so similar to my room back home. The pastel décor, the blooming flowers in vases, and the canopied bed, could be straight out of the Spring Wing. The only thing that’s different is the walls are made of the mountain’s stone and not the bark of Castletree.

I snag a cream-colored robe off the armchair to cover my thin nightgown. Despite our strange welcome, Ezryn ensured Dayton, Astrid, and I were set up with food and lavish quarters. I know he took care to place us in private spaces where no one would find us during the night.

The warm face of Eldy, the keep’s majordomo, greets me as I open the door. The older looking fae man has gray hair that curls only under his ears and a goatee streaked with white. He carries a tray brimming with pastries, fruit, and a floral-painted teapot.

“Good morning, Lady Rosalina. I do hope I didn’t wake you. I wanted to bring you some breakfast while it was freshly made from the kitchen.”

“You’re so kind! Come in.” I open the door wider when I hear a strangled, gasping sound.

Down the hallway, Marigold pushes a trolley, a betrayed look across her face. “Excuse me, Eldor, but Lady Rosalina is my charge. I won’t have her drinking that watered down leaf juice you call tea .”

She uses her trolley as a battering ram to shove Eldy out of the way so she can get into my room. “Come in,” I say meekly.

“This leaf juice is the realm’s finest lavender tea, steeped at a precise temperature so as to bring out the floral notes.” Eldy sniffs and raises his nose in the air. “I highly doubt Lady Rosalina would prefer the boiled mud water you always serve.”

Oh boy. It’s too early for this.

Marigold’s face turns a concerning shade of red. “At least my tea has taste.”

“Unlike its maker,” Eldy shoots back.

Thankfully, I notice Astrid poking her head around the corner, white hair a mess and dressed in only a simple white shift. I gesture her in, and we sit down on the edge of the bed. She places her head on my shoulder.

“I figured you’d be well taken care of, so I didn’t even bother to check on breakfast,” Astrid says.

I smile. “You should use this time as a vacation. I think we’re going to need it with these two.”

Eldy and Marigold seem to have forgotten Astrid and I are even here. They stand inches apart, her finger jammed into his chest, his eyes glowering down.

“Take your stale muffins and begone! Rosalina is more than cared for!” Marigold snaps.

“Prince Ezryn specifically requested that I make sure Rosalina’s every need is tended to! I could never go against his wishes,” Eldy retorts.

“Oh, yes, you could never disappoint His Highness, but you have no worries about disappointing others.”

“You’re the disappointment—”

Quickly, I stand and step between them. “Thank you both so much for bringing me breakfast. It looks delectable. And I can drink two pots of tea, no problem! But I’m more than capable of feeding myself and I’m sure you both have more important things to do than watch me eat.”

Marigold narrows her eyes at Eldy. “This place has fallen apart since I was last here. Your staff are wandering in circles, useless without directions! Time for someone to whip them into shape.”

Eldy’s words come out through gritted teeth, “I have been doing the best I can.”

Astrid flops on the bed. “I saw Prince Ezryn wandering the halls on my way here, saying something about needing a cup of coffee.”

Marigold and Eldy both stare at each other, then practically sprint out of the room, trying to muscle each other out of the way to get through the door faster.

Their words echo after them: “Your coffee is like swill, woman!”

“At least my coffee doesn’t give people the runs for three days after.”

When their arguing is far enough away, I shut the door and raise a brow at Astrid. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen Ez drink coffee.”

“Yeah, well, they needed something to keep them busy.” Her red eyes shine with mirth.

I chuck her a muffin then pour us each two cups of tea: one from each teapot. “So, what’s the story?”

“I’ve only witnessed the end of it myself, but from what I can gather, Marigold and Eldy had a sweeping love story back when they both served here in Spring.”

I widen my eyes. “A torrid love affair?”

“That’s what Marigold told me.” Astrid takes a long slurp from one cup. “Both Marigold and Eldy were offered service under High Prince Ezryn when he went to live at Castletree. Eldy felt like he couldn’t leave Prince Thalionor after Princess Isidora’s death, while Marigold wanted to stay close to Ezryn.”

“So, the distance tore them apart?”

Warm sunlight drifts from a window carved in the rock, making Astrid’s hair shimmer. “On the contrary, at that point, the way was open between Spring and Castletree, and their love only grew. In fact, Marigold thought perhaps a wedding would be on the horizon.”

“No!” I gasp, crumbs flying from my stuffed mouth.

“Oh, yes. At this point, I’d come to Castletree under service to Keldarion, so I can tell you with certainty, Marigold was absolutely smitten. She left one evening to go on an extended leave in Spring, as they were to travel together through the realms. The plan was to meet Eldy here at Hammergarden.”

“Well, what happened?”

Astrid shakes her head sadly. “He never showed. She waited and waited and waited, but he was nowhere to be found.”

“Cold feet,” I murmur.

“I guess. But here’s the thing. Marigold returned to Castletree that night.” Astrid squeezes her eyes shut. “The same night the Enchantress came and cursed us all.”

My chest tightens, and my teacup clatters to the saucer. “If Eldy had showed, she wouldn’t have been at Castletree.”

“She never would have been cursed,” Astrid confirms.

I drift to the window, looking out at the courtyard of the keep, covered in cherry blossom petals. “All these years as a raccoon, she’s probably blamed him.”

“And perhaps he wonders why he never saw her again.” Astrid shrugs. “Whatever the case, their hearts are closed to one another.”

I lean my head against the cold stone. This curse hasn’t just destroyed the lives of the princes, but the staff, too. If Ezryn were to find his mate, he could free Marigold. Perhaps she could regain her happiness. The happiness she deserves.

My thoughts drift to Ezryn and his brother. Thinking of the way Kairyn spoke to him in the throne room sends a chill up my spine. Ezryn has returned to his home to find his father deathly ill, his resources stolen by goblins, and his brother making a play for the stewardship. All of this on top of needing to find his mate …

The tangled light I saw in his chest while we were in Autumn flashes in my mind. If only I could whisper into his heart and unravel those threads one by one.

I could do it, I think. I know I could.

But these thoughts are dangerous. My heart already feels like it shattered yesterday. Oh Rosalina, you’re so selfish.

“Are you okay, Rosie?” Astrid asks.

I run a hand along the soft skin of my left wrist. “Yeah, I’m okay. But I need to find Ezryn.”