Page 20 of Manor of Wind and Nightmares (Fae of Brytwilde #3)
Now
A fternoon light drenched our room, a soothing contrast to the violence of the night before.
Callista continued to sleep soundly beside me.
Stretching and scanning our quarters, which were devoid of any bats or forests, I even dared to wonder if everything after I’d first drifted off had all been a dream.
The feast had been nightmarish enough—believing the manor knew so much about my past and my fears was another layer of terror.
How could I plan or reason my way through tests that were designed to target my greatest weaknesses?
Uneasiness crept through my veins as my gaze landed upon a tray resting on the side table, its pot of tea still steaming. Had a fae entered our locked quarters silently and left it while we’d slept? Or was this the work of the manor as well?
Leaving Callista in bed, I crept about the room, checking every corner and possible hiding space, ensuring the door and windows were locked, and tapping points on the walls and shelves and wardrobe to assure myself there weren’t any hidden passageways.
Finally content that we were as secure as we could be in a magical manor, I studied the contents of the tray.
The mugs and teapot were ordinary. I poured myself a cup, lifting it to inhale its steam.
A familiar, sickeningly sweet scent invaded my senses, sending horror shooting through my limbs.
Demon’s breath . I deposited the cup onto the saucer, careful not to let a single drop spill.
Catching my breath, I stared at the tray for a moment before rushing both my cup and the pot to the washroom, dumping their contents into the basin and turning on the faucet, letting fresh water run down the drain. Shaking, I wiped loose strands of hair off my brow.
Unlike Prince Kaede, the manor could harm me.
Or so I had to assume. Either the tea had been placed as a threat and somber reminder of what I’d done, or it had been a deliberate attempt to kill.
Maybe the prince himself had orchestrated it, since an indirect method like poison might have still allowed him to keep his word.
Fae were known for their tricky ways and for finding loopholes in their vows—I knew this better than anyone.
My heart twisted. I deserved Kaede’s anger—his hatred, even.
No apology could assuage the pain I’d put him through, no amount of regret could undo my betrayal.
And yet, it broke my heart all the same, especially seeing that he was so unlike the man I’d once known.
My betrayal and his death had changed him, darkening his bright, gentle spirit.
Was the Kaede I had known lost forever?
When I squeezed my eyes shut, all I saw were his dark eyes, full of coldness, staring back at me.
The knock at our door came just as I finished tucking the last stray locks of hair into the knot at the nape of Callista’s neck.
While I’d opted for a tight braid and a practical tunic and pair of leggings, Callista had chosen a flowing dress in a cheerful shade of yellow.
I had told her it might prove a challenge to compete in such an outfit, but she’d scowled and waved away my concerns.
“It’s comforting to have something lovely after...last night.”
Now, I strode to the doorway and hesitated to unlock it before another knock sounded, sharp and impatient, and a female voice spoke. “You are summoned to breakfast immediately. There you will assemble with the remaining competitors and begin the next stage of the challenge.”
Swallowing, I unbolted the door and peered at the servant waiting in the hall. Wisteria. Her needle-like teeth flashed as she grinned at me in an entirely unfriendly way.
Callista slipped her trembling hand into mine as we followed Wisteria through the halls.
I frowned at the portraits and doors and staircases we passed—nothing was familiar, even after traversing portions of it twice last night.
Even the guards looked different, though that wasn’t exactly surprising, since I imagined there would have been at least one shift change since last I’d seen them.
Before I could question the servant, she paused at the head of a staircase, waiting as a low rumble sounded and every step shifted position until it led in a different direction than before.
Wisteria’s moss-green eyes gleamed with satisfaction. “The manor is directing us along the fastest route to the dining hall.”
The hum of voices filled the air as we descended the final steps and approached the same dining hall in which we’d partaken in our nightmarish welcome feast.
On the far side of the long table, Ji and the rest of the nobility talked in low voices. In the very center was Prince Kaede himself, clothed in his signature black that perfectly matched his gleaming eyes and dark hair. His chiseled features were set into a stern expression.
As if sensing my inner turmoil, Kaede’s eyes locked onto me.
I drew a deep breath, keeping my shoulders back and chin raised high.
If he couldn’t interfere and harm me, that meant Callista was safe as well.
There was hope I could get her safely home, even if I doubted I would manage the same fate for myself.
As swiftly as his gaze had met mine, Kaede glanced away, his eyes sweeping over the rest of the contestants, who sat across from the fae.
The sight made my heart sink.
Our numbers had been severely reduced. Only fifteen of us were left.
Slowly approaching the table, my sister and I were greeted by Laura and Hattie, who gestured to the empty chairs beside them. Each of the girls had dark circles beneath their eyes. While Hattie’s expression betrayed her fear, Laura tilted her chin up bravely, a defiant spark in her gaze.
Servants filtered into the room, lowering covered trays of food and steaming mugs of tea before us. I sniffed my cup, relieved to find there was no hint of demon’s breath this time, only the soothing scents of verbena and lemon.
It felt surreal to be taking breakfast this late in the day, but then again, everything about our circumstances was foreign and uncomfortable.
Ji clapped his hands together, startling the women’s gazes away from the prince—for I had not been the only one staring. “Good afternoon, and welcome to the continuation of Willowbark’s contest to win the hand of Crown Prince Kaede and become our future queen.”
My stomach twisted at his casual tone, as if we were gathered for a lighthearted party full of flirtation and jewels and delicious delicacies, not a fight for our very lives.
“Today we will enjoy some fresh air after we break our fast,” Ji continued, “and see how well each of you performs at archery.”
Following Ji’s lead, we removed the covers on our trays and began to eat the assortment of sugared berries, buttered toast, and eggs set before us.
Hattie merely moved her food around her plate, while Laura picked at it half-heartedly.
A few seats down, Charlotte looked deathly pale, her perfectly curled hair now hanging in limp strands.
She didn’t look like she’d had a moment of rest last night, and I wondered what other horrors she’d endured during the feast. What other deaths she had witnessed.
I forced myself to eat despite my lack of appetite. I didn’t want our fae company to perceive any rudeness in my behavior, nor did I want to grow weak before facing whatever was to come.
“I think,” Ji continued, swallowing his mouthful of pastry, “it is already clear that the first test has been completed, and many of you were found lacking.”
I gritted my teeth, refusing to let my anger show.
You murdered them. Immediately, my conscience pricked at me.
As you murdered the prince. Could I really act as if I were any better than the fae?
My hand trembled as I lifted another bite of egg to my mouth.
I scarcely tasted what I was eating. Every motion I made was stiff.
“Willowbark will not accept just any mortal as its queen,” Ji said, his voice turning more pompous than usual. “We expect one who possesses certain characteristics and abilities. One who can hold her own in her court, our kingdom, and within our tumultuous world.”
Silence reigned, heavy and constricting, as his words sank over us. For a moment, no one, not even the nobility or the prince, ate. Then Ji raised an eyebrow. “Any questions?”
Laura lifted her chin, meeting his gaze squarely. “Will this contest continue until only one of us survives?” she demanded.
I ran my tongue along my teeth, simultaneously admiring her courage while also fearing she’d been too bold and would be punished somehow.
Ji’s smile was sharp. “Some of you may survive without becoming queen and return to your homes. But certainly not all of you. Our world is not for the weak or the faint of heart. If you cannot survive it, you do not deserve to rule over it.”
Beside me, Callista tried and failed to stifle a whimper. I straightened in my seat, and, hoping to cover for her show of weakness as well as draw attention away from Laura, I voiced a question of my own. “What sorts of character traits do you seek?”
I could feel Kaede’s searing gaze again, but I refused to look at him. Surely he knew I held no illusions about becoming his queen.
“Those are for you to discover during the challenges. A queen must have the wisdom to understand what her subjects need from her, after all.” His uncanny smile remained in place as he surveyed the table, waiting to see if anyone else had the nerve to speak.
“For now, we expect you to socialize with the prince’s court, as it will be part of your role as queen, should you be chosen. ”
As if a spell had been broken, the women met the gazes of the fae across from them and started up conversations, like we were at a party in Riverside enjoying small talk.