Page 5 of Kingdom of Briars and Roses (Cursed Fae Courts #1)

Chapter Five

Aurelia

I stood at the window in my bedroom, gazing at the city of Rosewood stretched out before me. Rows of tiled rooftops were interrupted by patches of yards dotted with gardens. In between, wide streets cut through it all, teeming with fae and humans alike making their way home before the Solstice celebrations started tomorrow. Here and there, a mage or shifter darted among them. Above, the pink and orange hues of twilight had begun to fade into the soft purple of night, casting long shadows.

The air was warm through the open window, but a chill settled over my skin anyway. I’d been standing here since the meeting with Callan ended, his arrival putting me out of one misery and into another. Because now that I’d met him, my impending marriage was much more real than it had been before.

I was brooding, Sonoma would say.

But she hadn’t said it. She hadn’t even come to check on me.

I couldn’t help replaying that moment in the forest. When Heliconia had demanded I fight to prove myself and Sonoma had stolen my chance by slaying the Obsidian herself.

It stung, knowing she hadn’t believed I could do it myself.

Underneath my churning emotions, my new magic swam inside me. It pressed against the edges of my skin, whispering at me to release it. Curious, I opened my hand and concentrated on the center of my palm.

Heat rose to the surface.

Sparks shot out, fizzling across the room.

With a surprised yelp, I shut my hand and snatched it behind my back. But not before I’d seen the color of the flame.

Black.

Like the fires of Hel.

Sonoma had said so, but I hadn’t wanted to really believe it. Now, my heart raced as the truth settled over me like a cloud of dread.

All these years of frustration and fear that I had no magic at all—and here it was. Not like anything I’d expected. And definitely not something I could tell a soul.

Summer magic was sunshine and roses and rain showers and sometimes lightning flickering across the skies. This was fire and brimstone and death. A nod to the demons descended from the Furiosities themselves.

I thought of the priestesses who worshipped the Fates in the temples across the city. Who dedicated themselves to the light and condemned anyone who bore the mark of Hel. What would they say about me when they learned I contained such darkness inside me?

What would the Autumn prince think when he knew?

It would be a scandal to rival all others.

I might even lose my crown.

The longer I stood, weighing the danger, the more my stomach churned with my secrets .

A quiet knock on my door broke through the tumult.

I turned as my mother entered, her gown trailing softly behind her. She didn’t come to my chambers unless something weighed on her mind, and from the look in her eyes, this visit was no exception.

“Is everything okay?”

Her presence filled the room as it always did, regal and composed, but there was something softer in her tonight. Rather than comfort me, it put me on edge. I tucked my hands safely behind my back, clasping them tight.

She crossed the room, her steps slow and deliberate, and came to stand beside me by the window. For a long moment, she said nothing, simply looking out at the view as I had been doing.

I waited, hating myself for hoping she was here to change her mind about this ridiculous wedding.

Finally, she sighed.

“Sonoma told us what happened,” she said quietly, her voice barely more than a whisper in the fading light. “About the Obsidian who attacked you. And Heliconia appearing.”

I tensed.

Had she told them what I did? What I’d become?

“Where is she now?”

“She and Amanti are meeting with your father to discuss how to respond to the threat.”

“Did they find any other Obsidians?” I asked.

“No.” My exhale of relief was short-lived as she added, “There were traces of dark magic at the city’s northern border, however. Signs that she’d come that far herself before using some kind of spell work to project through the Obsidian.”

I swallowed hard, trying not to think the worst. But if Heliconia herself had come to our borders… how long until she attacked our lands?

“I don’t understand. We have soldiers there. ”

“She evaded them.” She shook her head, frustration shining in her hard gaze. “She’s clearly grown more powerful since seizing Concordia.”

I stared at her. “This changes everything. The wedding, the party—we don’t have time. We need to act. Send more soldiers to the border, organize our army, prepare for war?—”

“Aurelia.” My mother’s voice was sharp.

I fell silent.

“Your father and I decided,” my mother said, turning to face me now, “that we must move forward with the wedding.”

“What?” I stared at her. “Even after what happened today?”

She nodded, her expression unwavering. “The alliance between us and Autumn is more important than ever. If Heliconia has truly turned her sights on our lands, gaining Grey Oak’s army is imperative to our defense. We cannot afford to falter.”

I turned away from her, looking back out over the city, trying to let her words sink in. She was right, of course. The alliance with Grey Oak was crucial. Without their numbers added to our own, we wouldn’t stand a chance against what was coming. But that didn’t make it any easier to accept.

“The prince doesn’t know,” she said after a moment, her voice quieter now. More careful. “And we’ve decided not to tell him. There’s no need to burden him with this yet. Let him enjoy the party tomorrow. Let him focus on the wedding.”

“You’re afraid that, if we tell him, we might lose him,” I said.

“Yes,” she said simply, not even bothering to deny it.

I grimaced.

“Aurelia,” she said, stepping closer. Her hand found mine, warm and steady. “I know this isn’t easy. None of this is. But you must remember why we’re doing this. ”

I looked up at her, my throat tight with emotions I couldn’t quite name.

“For Sevanwinds,” she continued, her voice soft but firm. “For our people. You’ve been raised to protect this kingdom, to lead them one day. This marriage, this alliance—it’s the best way to ensure that.”

I blinked back the sting of tears that threatened to surface. My mother wasn’t one for displays of tenderness, but in this moment, the warmth in her eyes and the soft strength of her hand on mine made me want to collapse into her arms like I had when I was a child.

I nodded, swallowing hard. “I just… Sometimes I wonder if I’m ready for all of this. To do what’s necessary.”

Her hand moved to my cheek, cupping it gently as she tilted my face toward hers. “You were born for this, my love.”

Her words struck something inside me that had been brewing ever since Heliconia had shown herself yesterday. “Can I ask you something?”

“What is it?”

“In the forest, Heliconia made it sound like I was meant to be some kind of threat against her. Like she’d come here for me.”

My mother’s expression clouded, and dread clanged inside me.

“Is it true?” I asked.

She stepped back. Something like regret swam in her eyes—and maybe a little shame. It was a look I’d never seen her wear before. “I think you should let Sonoma explain. Or your father should be here. I?—”

“I see,” I cut her off, angry at the truth she held back. “Whatever this is, I’m the last to know.”

“You’ve been protected by those who love you,” she said. “Whatever you feel about what’s to come, remember that. ”

“What exactly is coming?” Impatience leaked into my words, making me sound more desperate than angry.

“You are so much more than you think you are,” she said softly. “And I promise to explain it all first thing tomorrow. Deal?”

Duty warred with emotion. She was right; this wasn’t the time to get into it.

“Deal,” I muttered.

“You have the heart of a queen—and a warrior, even if you don’t see it yet.”

“I feel like a prize horse being sold as a broodmare,” I blurted.

Rather than being angry, she nodded grimly, understanding shining in her green eyes. “I know. But this alliance is only the first of many maneuvers you’ll make on the battlefield. I believe in you. I always have. And I love you. Not for what you’ll do for us. For who you are.”

I closed my eyes for a moment, letting her words wash over me. When I opened them again, I found a renewed sense of determination settling in my chest. I wasn’t just doing this for myself. I was doing it for Sevanwinds—for Lilah, for the people who lived behind our castle walls and in Rosewood beyond, for everyone who depended on us to protect them.

“You can count on me,” I said quietly, more to myself than her. “I’ll do what it takes to keep us safe.”

My mother smiled, the lines of worry around her eyes softening until the only thing I saw there was sadness. “I know you will.”

She leaned in, pressing a soft kiss to my forehead. It was such a rare display of affection from her that it took me by surprise. When she pulled back, her eyes were full of pride, and for a moment, I felt like the future queen she believed in so fiercely.

The dutiful ruler she needed me to be.

As she turned to leave, she paused at the door. “Tomorrow, at the party… don’t let your doubts show. Nor your knowledge of what happened in the forest today. The court will be watching. And so will Callan.”

I nodded, the stakes of my task settling deep within me. The mask of a princess, of an heir, was one I’d learned to wear long ago. Tomorrow, I would wear it ruthlessly—death magic or not. The people I loved deserved nothing less.