Page 13

Chapter 13

Talwyn

T alwyn stepped onto the beach of the Water Court near the Black Halls. She’d been to the Underwater Prison a handful of times when necessary, but never by herself. In fact, she’d never been there without Briar and Sorin. Briar to get them in and Sorin to ease her nerves. She didn’t like being underwater, even if the prison itself didn’t entirely feel like it was below the surface.

She wasn’t seeking to release the Sorceress as Alaric had demanded of her, but she did want to speak with her. She wanted to see if what he had claimed was true and what other knowledge she might have. The Sorceress was dangerous. She knew that. It was why she’d never been to see her before. The risk had never been worth it.

It would be worth it this time.

The problem was she needed the Water Prince to access the prison, and he was currently somewhere in the Edria Sea. She was hoping Ashtine would be able to get her in as she was currently the interim Royal of this Court. Talwyn had gone to the House of Water ?rst, only to be told she wasn’t there. Then she’d gone up to her Wind Citadel where it’d taken her over an hour to track down Ermir, only to be told she wasn’t in the Wind Court either.

But the princess was here. She was standing on the beach in a white semi-sheer gown that hung to her ankles, two straps tied at her shoulders. The waves were rolling gently over her bare feet.

And she wasn’t alone.

A stunning white horse stood in the waves beside her. Its tail and mane cascaded down like a waterfall. Abrax. The spirit animal of Anahita, goddess of the sea and water.

Abrax huffed out a snort of irritation, his hoof splashing when he stomped it in the water. Piercing blue eyes that matched the prince he was bonded to seemed to glare at her.

Ashtine turned then, her sky-blue eyes settling on Talwyn for the briefest of moments. Her face was red and blotchy, as if she had been crying, but she appeared to have gained back at least some of the weight she’d lost since Nasima had left her. She turned back to Abrax, her ?ngers gliding through his mane. Her other hand came up, and he nuzzled his nose into her palm.

Talwyn took a step towards her, but Abrax immediately shifted. He moved so he stood between her and Ashtine, and Talwyn froze. Azrael had told her there was something between Ashtine and Briar, and the scene before her could only con?rm his claim. It was the only explanation as to why the spirit animal was so protective of a Fae he was not bonded to.

“I have been looking for you,” Talwyn ?nally said. Ashtine didn’t acknowledge her. She just continued to stare out at the turquoise waters, even with the horse moving to her back. “Ermir said you were here,” Talwyn tried again.

The only movement was Ashtine’s silver hair ?uttering on a breeze, whether a natural one or her own, Talwyn couldn’t quite tell. She took a deep breath, the scent of the sea and wind washing over her. This was going to be a hard conversation the way it was, but if Ashtine was...

Talwyn didn’t know what she was. The princess had always been so mysterious and hard to understand on the best of days, let alone trying to ?gure out her emotions. But if she was truly involved with Briar, and he was now sailing west while she remained here, it wasn’t hard to explain her demeanor.

She stepped forward, her boots sinking into the sand with each step. Abrax gave another snort of warning, shaking his head in agitation. Water droplets splashed from his mane. When she was a few feet from him, she stopped and bowed at the waist. She may not have her own spirit animal anymore, but she wasn’t foolish enough not to show respect to those that were willing to be in her presence.

“I would never hurt her,” Talwyn said as she straightened. “I need her help.”

Abrax eyed her a moment longer before he huffed again, moving to stand at Ashtine’s side. Her hand came up, and she stroked his neck, seemingly out of habit, as if she regularly saw the horse. Talwyn moved to her other side, watching her out of the corner of her eye.

“I need to access the Underwater Prison,” Talwyn ?nally said. Because she was a shitty friend and couldn’t bring herself to ask Ashtine about Briar or why Abrax was here or what was bothering her. She supposed that’s what happened when you no longer had a heart.

“Nakoa is dead,” Ashtine said, her usual lilt hushed. Talwyn turned to look at her. Her arms were tightly curled around herself now, and for the ?rst time, Talwyn noticed a piece of parchment gripped in her hand. She could see the looping handwriting and recognized it as Prince Briar’s.

“Can I see?” Talwyn asked, nodding at the paper.

“No.” Ashtine’s ?ngers tightened around the note. And Talwyn understood. It was one of her only connections to Briar right now. A piece of him she could hold on to, even if it was only a handwritten note.

“How?” Talwyn asked instead.

And Ashtine ?nally turned to look at her.

Talwyn wished she hadn’t. An eerie fury stared back at her— calm and lethal, like Talwyn knew the princess could be. But there was something new there too, and Talwyn couldn’t decipher what it was. Protectiveness maybe? Renewed determination?

“Seraphs attacked them.”

“Already?” Talwyn blurted.

“You knew?” Ashtine asked, her head tilting in question.

“It was mentioned, but I did not think it would happen so quickly. I thought I would have more time to... ” She trailed off, looking away from her.

“So you could what, Talwyn?” Her tone held more curiosity than accusation.

“So I could... I do not know,” Talwyn snapped, failing to keep the harshness from her voice. “I just did not expect this.”

“You did not expect battles? Fighting? Death? That is not what you thought would happen when you banished our allies?”

Talwyn hated this about Ashtine. How she could make her question everything with simple questions. Her tone rarely changed, rarely accused, rarely ?lled with anger. It was always this innocent lilt of calm and serenity, whether she was asking about dinner plans or discussing the meaning of life.

She wished she’d rage at her rather than ask her these questions. “I never wanted them dead,” Talwyn muttered.

“Interesting.”

“I need to access the Underwater Prison.”

“Do you ever wonder about their story?”

“What?” Talwyn shoved the prickle of irritation down at Ashtine again ignoring her request.

“We know our side of the story, but have you ever wondered about their side?” Her hand came up again, stroking down Abrax’s shining coat. The horse had been so still, Talwyn had nearly forgotten he was still standing there. “However this war ends, there will be two sides to the story. If you win, will their story paint you as the villain? Will they someday come and seek the same revenge you are seeking?”

“I... ”

“Will we even still be alive? Or will our own children be the ones to suffer the consequences of our choices today?” Ashtine mused, absent-mindedly gliding her ?ngers through Abrax’s ?owing mane.

Talwyn shifted on her feet, boots sinking deeper into the sand. Fuck these questions.

“I can only assume I will not live long enough to have any children,” she answered. “We both know Scarlett will come for me.”

“Revenge can obscure so much truth, even when it is right in front of us.”

“Do you speak of my revenge or hers?”

“Does it matter? It is a curse that plagues you both,” Ashtine replied.

“As for your children, you are a queen, Talwyn. Your Courts are your children. Your Courts are your legacy. They may not share your blood, but you leave them to live among what happens when your story ends.”

Talwyn took a deep breath, that knot in her stomach tightening with each word Ashtine spoke. Cautiously, she ventured, “Have the winds begun whispering to you again?”

Ashtine whipped her head to her, a gust of wind blasting sand against their legs. “No,” she answered shortly. “They have not spoken to my soul since Nasima left me.”

“Abrax comes to you, but not Nasima?”

“Abrax comes to me for various reasons,” Ashtine replied, her lilt returning and her gaze going back to the sea. “He came to deliver a message. He stays to protect what his bonded cherishes without his knowledge.”

“You continue to communicate with them,” Talwyn said.

“No. Not since the invasion of the Courts.”

“Did anyone else... ” Talwyn ground her molars together, trying to ?gure out the best way to word her question. Because Azrael was with them, and she had to know. “Was Nakoa the only loss?”

“Many died in that battle,” Ashtine replied.

“Any Royals?” she ground out.

“Are their lives more important than the others who travel with them?”

Again with these damn questions.

“No, but... ” She sighed heavily. “Briar is well? Azrael?”

“The princes live,” Ashtine answered, and Talwyn sucked down a breath, her chest expanding some at knowing Azrael was still on this side of the Veil.

“Ashtine, I need to access the Underwater Prison,” she said, turning to fully face the princess.

“You need the water element to gain entry to the prison.” Ashtine didn’t look at her though, continuing to stare out across the sea.

“I am aware.”

“You need Water Royalty,” Ashtine continued as if Talwyn had not spoken.

“I know I need Briar, but I am hoping that since you are currently ruling in his stead, you will be able to access it,” Talwyn said, knowing Ashtine heard the hint of desperation that made her voice falter slightly.

The princess turned to look at her again, studying Talwyn for a long moment before she said, “Briar has not died nor has he abdicated his throne, therefore only he or his royal line can access the prison for you.”

“I know this,” Talwyn insisted. “Can you at least try?”

“What do you seek there?”

“That is not information I wish to burden you with.”

Ashtine seemed to look straight into her soul, her eyes narrowing slightly. It took everything in Talwyn not to shift under that gaze. Finally, Ashtine turned and used her wind gifts to lift herself gracefully onto Abrax’s back, her gown bunching around her thighs.

“Ashtine, what are you doing?” Talwyn asked, shock rippling through her at the princess so casually mounting a spirit animal.

“I will not help you get into the prison until you tell me why,” Ashtine said, Abrax moving towards the water.

Talwyn’s hand shot out, latching onto Ashtine’s ankle. Abrax immediately stopped, a hoof stomping in warning. “You know of another way in?”

“No. I told you who is required to gain entry to the prison.” “You did, but Briar is across the sea.”

“And his bloodline is not.”

Talwyn’s hand slipped from Ashtine’s ankle at her words as Abrax moved towards the sea again. His hooves stayed on the surface of the water, and she could only watch as the horse went from a walk to a run atop the waves. Taking the Wind Princess and the Heir of the Water Court with him.

She should have known. She should have seen the changes in Ashtine. She should have scented it on her the moment she’d stepped onto that beach.

Yes, water magic often smelled like the sea, so one could argue that the oversight was understandable, but she knew that wasn’t it.

She should have known. If she hadn’t been so absorbed with her own... everything, she would have known right away. There was no excuse for missing this, and now Ashtine was alone.

Talwyn had tried to contact her for hours since their conversation on that beach. She couldn’t Travel to her because she didn’t know where she was. Where had Abrax taken her in the middle of the sea? She’d sent wind messages, but they went unanswered.

Now here she was, pacing her chambers in the White Halls while the clouds obscured the stars and the moon in the night sky. Did Briar know? He couldn’t possibly. He would have never left Ashtine if he’d known she was carrying his child. She couldn’t be very far along. Fae pregnancies were slightly shorter than mortal pregnancies, magic helping the babe to develop faster, but the extra power took a toll on the mother. Fae pregnancies were brutal and taxing and only got worse as the babe grew stronger.

And Ashtine was doing this alone. Because of her.

Talwyn raked her hand through her hair, pushing it out of her face where the mahogany strands had fallen during her agitated treks back and forth across the rug. If Azrael were here, he’d have told her twenty times to stop pacing already.

If Azrael were here, he wouldn’t have missed all the signs. She should have known.

She sent another wind message off to Ashtine, knowing full well this one would go ignored too. Should she send a message to Briar? Or send one to Azrael to tell Briar? Did Ashtine not want Briar to know? These were all things she wanted to discuss with Ashtine. She didn’t want to overstep, didn’t want to strain their relationship any more than she already had.

And while the child could end up with wind or water magic, Ashtine always seemed to simply know things, usually from the winds whispering secrets to her. The way she spoke on the beach about Briar’s bloodline... Abrax was there to do more than protect Ashtine. He was there to protect the Water Court Heir too. Which was another predicament. Unless they had another child—which was incredibly rare among the Fae—the Wind Court would be left heirless. Even then, there was no guarantee a second child would have wind magic. It was why relationships across the Courts were frowned upon and why it never occurred among the Royals.

When this news got out, there would be an uproar across the Courts.

Then again, they’d likely be in the middle of a war. Maybe Court heirs would be the least of their worries.

Talwyn cursed under her breath, releasing a gust of wind in the room to siphon off her restlessness. She turned in her pacing as the door to the chambers swung open. She didn’t bother to look up, already knowing who it was. Admittedly, she’d forgotten about him. Forgotten he would likely show up here. If she’d remembered, she’d have gone to the mountains to pace. Or the Black Halls. Anywhere but here really.

“I did not expect you to be here.”

Not ceasing her movements, she glanced over at him. Tarek had paused in the doorway, his tunic bunched in his hands and halfway up his torso as if he’d been in the middle of undressing as he walked.

“I live here,” she said coolly.

“I thought so too, but you so rarely grace these Halls these days, I was beginning to wonder,” Tarek replied, coming out of his momentary shock. He released his tunic, letting it fall back down his body.

She ignored him, dragging both hands through her hair this time.

“Did you go to Siofra today?”

That made her feet pause. “What?” she asked, ?ngers still tangled in her strands.

“Did you go to Siofra today? To speak with Stellan and Arianna?”

She should have, she supposed. After getting into the prison had failed, she probably should have made a trip to the Shifter territory. That had been her plan until she’d spoken with Ashtine. Now this was all she could think about.

“No, I did not go to Siofra,” she replied, stalking to her desk and pouring a glass of water.

Tarek watched her warily, clearly trying to decide what to say next. “What did you do today then?”

She took a big drink of water, mainly to give herself time to think, before she answered. “I tried to get into the Underwater Prison, but it was futile and a waste of my day.”

Tarek’s brows rose. “Ashtine could not help you?”

“She would not.”

“Would not or could not?”

“Does it matter?”

“Those are two very different things, Talwyn,” Tarek answered, moving slowly towards her. He stopped directly in front of her, the tips of his boots nearly touching her bare toes. When she said nothing, he reached out a hand, cupping her cheek. “If it is the ?rst, you can make her. You are the queen, Talwyn. She cannot deny you.”

He wanted her to force Ashtine to do this? Even if she wasn’t carrying a child, she would have never forced her into this.

Guilt churned in her stomach at the thought, because that was a lie. She would have de?nitely tried to force her. She’d never used her Court Vow with Ashtine. It had never been needed. It had never crossed her mind to do such a thing. She’d known Ashtine her entire life.

Not that such a thing had stopped her from forcing Sorin to go to the mortal lands with a Court Vow.

“Talwyn?”

She looked up, ?nding Tarek staring at her, concern etched across his features. He was still waiting for her to reply.

She cleared her throat, taking another sip of water. “She could not. The water element is required to enter the Underwater Prison. It requires the water Royal or his bloodline.”

Tarek’s hand had slipped from her cheek, and he scratched his jaw as he said, “There has to be another way. There is always a work-around.”

“If you ?gure it out, let me know. Until then, you can tell Alaric to focus on something else,” she retorted, setting the water glass down and pushing past him. She stalked to the middle of the room, turning back to face him. “Did you know he carried out the attack on them?”

Tarek seemed to repress a sigh, bending down to remove his boots. “Yes, I did.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” she demanded.

Tarek straightened, giving her a hard look. “As we have already discussed, I cannot keep you informed when I rarely see you.”

“You could have sent an earth message.”

“Because you are always so responsive to those,” he retorted, toeing off his loosened boots.

“You keeping me informed does not require a response.”

“Of course not,” he mocked, pulling his tunic over his head. “Why in the realms would I want to be with you when I gave you news that would likely upset you? Why would I want to help my twin ?ame?” She tried to hide the ?inch, but he saw it, his lips pursing slightly. “Were you this way with him too?” He’d crossed his arms, leaning back against the desk.

It was her turn to purse her lips. “My relationship with Az does not concern you. It is no longer relevant.”

“Oh, I think your relationship with Az is still quite relevant, Talwyn. He has you convinced I am not your twin ?ame.”

“He was there for me when you were not,” she snarled. She took a step towards him, winds swirling along her arm as she pointed a ?nger at him. “He was there when no one else was. He was there when it was just me and Ashtine.” She tugged at her scalp again. “You do not get to punish me for how I chose to survive losing you. You do not get to judge me for how I am choosing to survive now.”

“Survive what?” Tarek asked, his head tilting as he studied her.

“Everything, Tarek,” she snapped. “My choices. Being excluded from Alaric’s plans. Azrael being across the sea. Not knowing he could have died until Ashtine informs me they were attacked—”

Tarek’s eyes sharpened at that. “Ashtine is in communication with them?”

Fuck.

“You know Ashtine often hears things on the winds,” Talwyn said impatiently, ?icking her wrist in dismissal of his concern.

“Nasima is back, then?”

“No.”

“Then how did she know of the attack?”

“Does it matter? She informed me. When it should have been you. Or better yet, it should have been Alaric.”

Tarek was moving towards her now, purpose in his steps. “Talwyn, if Ashtine is passing information to our enemies, you must tell me. We must tell the others.”

“She is not passing them information,” Talwyn scoffed, stepping back from him as he advanced on her.

“No? What did she tell you today then? How did she know of the attack?”

“Enough,” she snarled. “Ashtine is loyal to me. She has proven so over and over. She proved it when she chose me over—”

She cut herself off, not entirely sure how much Tarek knew, but he quickly answered that question.

“You think she chose you over Briar?” Tarek asked, entering her personal space.

She stepped back again, feeling far too crowded in her own godsdamn chambers. “She did choose me over Briar. She is still here while he sails west.”

“And yet she has news of their travels.”

“She is not betraying me,” Talwyn insisted.

“Then she should come to tomorrow’s meeting. Share what she knows. Maybe some of it will be useful to us.”

“What?” The back of her knees bumped against the bed as she scrambled for a reason to deny this request. She couldn’t let Ashtine near any of them. They would scent a child on her the moment she stepped into the room. Clearly they knew she was involved with Briar. There would be no question as to whose child it is, and it would certainly be used against the others somehow. There was no way she would allow Ashtine and that babe to be used as a weapon. Briar may not be here to protect her, but she would do what she could until Scarlett came to collect her debt.

“Ashtine obviously has information on their movements. Maybe we can take advantage of that so that our next attack will be more fruitful,” Tarek was saying, ?ngering the hem of her shirt.

“The last mission was a failure?” she asked.

“The Solgard heirs still breathe. Scarlett still sails west and has not been returned to her master. So yes, it was a failure,” he replied, crowding into her even more. She leaned away, back landing on the bed. “But if Ashtine has a way to communicate with their company, perhaps she can plant some information of our own.”

“Ashtine does not play such games,” Talwyn snapped, letting him slip her tunic over her head. She needed him to move on from this idea. If she had to use her body to protect Ashtine, she would.

“She would if her queen demands it of her,” Tarek countered, eyes glazing as he took in her bare torso, stepping between her thighs. “What happened to the queen who would stop at nothing for her revenge?”

His hands came up, ?ngertips skating along her ribs.

What happened to her?

Talwyn had to hold back her huff of laughter. What had happened was she had faded away along with her soul in that throne room. That queen was ?nally starting to realize just how much she would be required to sacri?ce to have that revenge she thought she was owed, that maybe it wasn’t worth everything anymore.

Not that it mattered at this point. There was no turning back from the choices she’d made. She had made this bed. It was no one’s fault but her own that she was now forced to lie in it. Literally.

She tightened her knees around Tarek’s hips, and he looked up at her in surprise. “The only thing her queen is demanding right now is a distraction,” she said.

With a quick movement of her hips, she had Tarek ?ipped onto his back on the bed. He chuckled low in his throat, quickly losing his pants as she removed hers.

“You always need to be in control, don’t you, Moon?ower?” he said, hissing as she slid down onto his length.

She did need control. Except with Azrael.

With Azrael, she’d ?nally given up that control. With Azrael, she’d had a place to let herself be vulnerable. She could let him make the choices and decisions, giving her freedom from her responsibilities, just for a little while. In those moments, he controlled her world so she didn’t have to.

But this, with Tarek, would do nothing for her. It hadn’t since he’d returned. It couldn’t when she was too dead inside to feel anything. She’d simply gotten annoyed and let him take care of his own needs with her body.

And later, as she lay next to Tarek sleeping beside her for the ?rst time in nearly two months, she decided she would do this. She would do whatever it took to keep Ashtine away from them. It would in no way atone for any of her sins. It wouldn’t save her from the torment Arius surely had in store for her. But she wanted Ashtine to know she saw what she had sacri?ced for her. She wished she hadn’t. She wished she’d left with Briar, left her to her self-in?icted demise, but she’d repay this debt with a sacri?ce of her own. Perhaps the only real sacri?ce she had ever made for someone other than herself or in the name of revenge.