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twenty-nine

D ays ticked by as I trained with Raf and spent each evening with Galen.

I’d been wielding my magic effortlessly since the burnout.

It seemed I’d mastered a new level of control after losing it so thoroughly—though I wouldn’t forget how close it had come to killing me.

It wasn’t a lesson I wanted to learn again.

Galen hated that I was spending so much time with Raf, but with Louis still gone, he reluctantly allowed it. He didn’t have a choice; he was too busy to monitor me. I rarely saw him in the hours between sunrise and sunset, but he was always waiting when Rafael dropped me off at the castle gates.

It usually went something like this: Galen’s eyes would simmer and Raf would flash his teeth with a warning growl.

I’d stumble over to Galen, exhausted from training, and he’d protectively put his arm around me, while they continued to glare at each other.

Then Rafael would disappear in a cloud of smoke and Galen would usually mutter something like, “ bastard ,” under his breath.

The tension between them was palpable. It seemed inevitable that moon and sun would eventually collide—and I hoped I wasn’t anywhere near when it happened. Or maybe I hoped I was close enough that I could stop it. I didn’t want to see either of them hurt.

Galen arranged a meeting with the Queen and her council as promised, and too soon, the day was upon us. I’d been dreading this moment, but there was a bright side—it was a step forward; a step towards going home.

As long as they didn’t deny my request to go to the Oracle .

Raf and I had decided that when we went to the witch, he’d be asking about the kidnappings as well, since every path he took kept leading to dead ends.

Meli had confirmed that healers were missing from nearby towns, but she didn’t know where they’d gone.

Meanwhile, people were continuing to get abducted. Mostly humans, but also healers.

Desperate times called for desperate measures and going to the Oracle was absolutely an act of desperation. I’d seen enough worry in the Princes’ eyes when we talked about her to know that no one in their right mind willingly went to the witch.

Galen and I were taking a carriage to a manor owned by the royal family, currently unoccupied. It was a discreet location, far from civilization, used for interrogation and intimidation, according to Galen. A place where people went in, but didn’t come out.

I could tell he was nervous, continuously tapping his foot and weaving fire between his fingers, which in turn made me nervous.

It didn’t help that Arnold was sharing a carriage with us, while Sylvia rode by herself.

I had no doubt that her voluminous skirts filled an entire vehicle, along with her massive sense of entitlement.

Galen sat beside me, keeping his hands to himself.

Isla’s father glared at him, while I tried my best to avoid eye contact and conversation, staring out the window instead.

We rode past grasslands buzzing with life.

Sleek antelope and shaggy buffalo grazed as glittering mountains loomed overhead.

We’d be going into those mountains soon enough, if this meeting went as planned.

Galen and Rafael had both told me to play nice, to tell the Elders what they wanted to hear…

as if I had another choice. We arrived too soon and Galen helped me out of the carriage.

He leaned close and whispered, “My hands were tied. Whatever they say, I’m on your side.

” I looked up at him, puzzled. What had he done ? My heart dropped into my stomach.

The manor was ornate, bordering on gaudy.

Tropical plants, marble statues, and black and white checkered tile greeted us in the entryway.

We made our way to a large obsidian table that filled the entire dining room.

It instantly made me feel uneasy, as if the stone itself had dark memories stored inside of it—warning me, bad things happened here .

The curtains were closed, making me feel claustrophobic.

My chest began to hammer. I thought of Meli and Odin, as I was shoved into a seat, and steeled my spine. I wouldn’t let them end up here. The Elders sat on one side, while Sylvia commanded the head of the table. Galen was at the other end. I sat alone. I’d never felt more like a prisoner.

I plotted an escape route. If things went south, I’d need to get behind Galen, who sat closest to the exit.

The guards that lined the room would catch me before I’d get far—unless I turned them into ice sculptures and created an indoor hurricane.

I wasn’t defenseless. I’d even snuck a dagger in on a garter belt, thanks to Raf.

The cold steel against my thigh was a constant reminder that this damsel could and would fight back.

“Welcome, world walker and Princess of Aurelius.” A bronze-haired man, whom I assumed was Radley—the head of the Elders—flashed his bright, white teeth at me.

Princess ? Galen had told them that I was to inherit the Aurelian throne?

My chest splintered and I fumbled, caught off guard.

I quickly recovered and bowed my head in greeting, avoiding Galen’s gaze.

Rafael had warned me about Radley. He loved to hear himself talk.

Some found him charismatic, but his charm was reserved for those he found worthy.

He had a fiery temper to match the flames he wielded.

Arnold and Radley fought over leadership of the group, but Harkin was the real one to fear, according to Raf.

She was volatile and quick to use her earth and ice magic.

While the other Elders preferred to distance themselves from humans, opting for blood in a cup, Harkin liked to play with her food.

She apparently brought two leashed humans with her, wherever she went, sipping from them at her leisure.

She claimed they weren’t slaves, but instead, faithful servants.

I was relieved she hadn’t brought them today.

I glanced up at the group to see if I could identify her.

Instead, I was hit with a crashing wave of uhras that twisted with dark, oily power.

Each soul was the same deep shade of red; a burgundy so dark, it was nearly black.

A massive storm cloud flickered, hovering over them all, as if their souls had been stitched together into one mighty monster.

I was a minnow staring into the gaping jaws of a shark.

A high-pitched screaming rang in my ears.

And then silence. They were staring. I blinked away the horror and steadied my quaking voice.

“Th-thank you. My time here has been an eye-opening experience… to say the least.” I gave a polite smile; the kind women were expected to hand out like candy in Aurelius. Inside, I was trembling .

“Galen tells us you’re… remarkable . And now we finally know who took over the Ancient Kingdom when faeries were exiled.

Your ancestors! We’ve been so curious, the last two centuries.

It seems we should’ve given the human rulers more credit—convincing a world walker to turn her back on her own kind.

Very impressive, indeed. Did she spread her legs for the mortal King, I wonder?

He must’ve had a cock made of pure gold to sway such a powerful faerie.

And it seems that very power trickled down to you .

I’ve been asking myself, have the Six Gods forsaken us?

Why else would they bless a mongrel with such gifts? ”

No one had ever talked to me with such blatant disrespect.

I froze in shock as Arnold replied, “Bite your blasphemous tongue, Radley.” A cruel smile played on his lips.

“The gods have sent Marigold to us. Now that she is ours, her power belongs to us . She holds value as a hostage, as well. What lengths do you think her Queen would go to, to get her back?”

My nails dug into my palms, anger replacing fear.

Galen had caused this. I looked over at him to find his eyes wild with outrage, with panic.

What did he think would happen? That they’d hear the word Princess and decide I should be his bride ?

The feeling of betrayal sat like a rock in my stomach.

A flush was spreading over my neck, up towards my rounded ears, while my fingers turned to ice.

Several of the others hissed and laughed. Three men and three women sat before me. Arnold, Radley, and a man so blonde, his hair almost appeared white. He looked to be the oldest of them all. His face had a waxy quality to it, like he was past his expiration date.

The women were even more intimidating. A black-haired faerie, with skin the color of bone, looked like she was in her animal form already.

Spider, I wanted to hiss. Sylvia’s mother, no doubt.

There was also a silver-haired female with ebony skin, and a tall female with a copper mane of hair and eyes that blazed with fury. I guessed she was Harkin.

Intimidation and vicious words; that was all they had.

They needed me . “You blame me for the mistakes of my ancestors?” I asked.

“Surely, you have more intelligence… more grace than that. My Queen doesn’t respond well to bribery or threats.

And neither do I.” They thought I was a direct descendent of the throne…

Their ire was misplaced. I was going to kill Galen.

“Ah, we may be graceful, but you won’t find our kind as forgiving as humans.

We live too long to forget past grievances; instead, we let them fester.

While your people have forgotten who we are after a few generations, we’ve remembered everything .

We have no forgiveness left in our blood—blood that calls for the magic that was stolen from us.

” Harkin purred her words, staring through me as she spoke with a smug smile on her face.