Page 25 of Queen of Ever (Curse of Fate and Fae #2)

Chapter 25

Imogen

W hen I finally stepped out of the bath, my fingers were pruned and the water had gone cold long ago, but staying in felt better than stepping out to deal with the mess I currently found myself in. I was no closer to figuring out what the hell I was supposed to be doing now that I’d been left to my thoughts. But there was one thing I knew for sure, and that was that if these people thought I could somehow do something to help their cause, then I couldn’t just leave them all to die.

But what the hell was I supposed to do to help them? I could talk to Tarian, sure, but beyond that, I had no power.

Marietta was waiting for me in the bedroom, sitting on the stool in front of the mirror looking uncomfortable, like she wasn’t sure how I was going to react to her now that we were alone—well, sort of alone. I had no doubt that Cassian would be able to hear anything we said if we weren’t careful to keep our voices down.

Laid out on the bed was a change of clothes, for which I was grateful because wearing the gown I’d been taken in was completely impractical. And the best part was, this outfit came with pants! I gratefully pulled them on before I realised there was still a dress component, a gauzy half skirt flowed down the back of the ensemble, giving an elegant look to the outfit that still made me seem like royalty. I sighed. It was still an improvement, I supposed.

I didn’t really know what to say to Marietta. She’d kept so much hidden from me for so long that I wasn’t even sure I knew her at all. Not that I didn’t respect what she was doing, because I did. It couldn’t have been easy for her to go against her brother like that, even if she was mistreated by the court.

‘Are you not going to speak to me?’ Marietta asked, something sad in her voice that made my heart ache.

‘I’m not really sure what to say,’ I admitted as I began pulling on my clothes. How many times had we been in this situation, where she had been responsible for helping me dress and making sure I was presentable to the Seelie Court. But we weren’t at the Summer Palace anymore, and she had shown herself to be more than just the Seelie princess doing as she was told. ‘Did you know about the assassination attempt?’ I asked. It may not have been the lesser fae who attacked the Seelie village and the Unseelie palace, but it was them who attacked me.

‘Of course not!’ she said, shooting to her feet, genuine disgust in her voice. ‘I know I haven’t told you everything. I was playing the part of helping my brother while gathering intelligence for the rebellion. I wasn’t expecting to like you so much, Imogen. You were always kind to me, and no one ever welcomed me so easily as you did.’

‘But my reactions needed to be real,’ I said, repeating what she’d told me earlier.

‘If I had known they were going to try to hurt you, I would have stopped it. I never wanted any harm to come to you.’

‘And now I’m supposed to help the people who wanted me dead and successfully kidnapped me?’ Déjà vu. I was just a piece on the board of a game I didn’t understand, being moved around at the whims of the players involved.

‘There are a lot of angry people here,’ she said softly. ‘Not all of them are happy to wait for the queen to execute a plan. Some just want revenge for what they’ve suffered, for what they’ve lost. There are many who would give their lives for just a chance to strike at Solas. Or at anyone close to him.’

I supposed that made sense, but it didn’t mean I liked it any more than I had before. ‘And what is it that you want, Marietta?’ I asked, suddenly feeling very tired.

‘I joined this cause at a time when I felt lost and alone,’ she said. ‘I’ve seen firsthand how cruel the High Fae can be and I was given a choice; I could ignore the problem and live my life trying to be invisible to escape the cruelty that was inflicted on me, or I could help the lesser fae create a better world for all of us.’

‘You make it all sound very noble. But I’m sure it’s not going to be as easy as deposing Solas and Moriana.’

She snorted a laugh. ‘You think that’s going to be easy?’

I couldn’t help smiling. ‘You’re right, that sounds impossible.’

There was a knock at the door, halting our conversation. ‘Come in,’ Marietta said, as if she knew exactly who was standing on the other side.

When it opened, a familiar young face appeared, carrying a tray of food. Pale hair topped his head, parted by two small horns, and a pointed tail swiped at the air behind him. It was the boy I’d helped at the palace, the one Marietta had smuggled out. But now he looked healthier, with a roundness to his cheeks and a spark in his eyes that hadn’t been there at the palace. He was obviously doing better here.

‘Wait, this is where you smuggled him to?’ I asked, looking at Marietta. I don’t know where I thought he was, but I hadn’t expected to see him again.

‘Aeden wanted to bring your food,’ Marietta said warmly. Maybe he had wanted to, but I was sure someone else had come up with the idea and put it to him. What better way to win me over than to use him against me like that, to show me that the boy I’d wanted to help had been helped by these rebels?

Marietta waved him in and a blush coloured his cheeks. He scampered forward and held the tray out to me. ‘Thank you,’ I said as I took it from him. He offered me a bright smile before scurrying out of the room again, watching me with a curiosity as he closed the door behind him.

I put the tray on the bedside table and nibbled at a slice of dense, seeded bread spread thinly with jam. Humble fare, which made sense if rations were as tight as Marietta had led me to believe.

‘You’re more of a strategist than I gave you credit for,’ I said.

‘I didn’t do it to manipulate you. I wanted you to see he was safe. And if it also helps to sway you, then that’s a bonus.’

‘Uh-huh.’ I sat down on the bed, a million thoughts running through my mind. As much as I hated to admit it, seeing Aeden again had altered my position a bit. It was a perfect reminder of the cruelty of the High Fae, a perfect example of why the rebellion existed, and it was something I had a personal attachment to.

Marietta joined me on the bed as well, though she was careful to keep her distance. ‘Look, I know this is going to be hard won, but I think with your help, we can do it.’

‘Why with my help? What am I supposed to do?’ I asked incredulously. It still seemed impossible that I could be important enough for all this effort. If I hadn't been taken just to be held for ransom, what else could I even do for these people?

Before she could answer, a knock sounded at the door, hard and impatient. ‘Are you dressed yet, princess? We’ve got a meeting to get to,’ Cassian said, irritation colouring his words.

I pulled open the door. ‘Will you stop calling me that?’ I snapped.

‘It’s what you are,’ he said.

I let out a frustrated sigh. I could see he wasn’t going to do as I asked. The fact that it bothered me probably made him enjoy it all the more. ‘Whatever, just lead the way.’

He did exactly that without another word to me and Marietta followed closely behind, as if she wasn’t sure she should walk next to me. It was a good thing for the lesser fae that Cassian wasn’t the only one trying to convince me to help their cause. I kept that thought to myself as we walked the winding passageways of this giant ant nest until finally coming to a set of double doors that were completely mismatched. One was a dark wood coated in a varnish, the other was a lighter shade with intricate carvings around the edges. It was clear that this place had been built with whatever materials were available.

Cassian pulled open the door and waved me in, the gesture almost gentlemanly. Almost.

Inside, a long table ran most of the length of the room, maps and papers scattered about it. The chatter died as all eyes turned to me—some familiar, the queen herself, some not, like the leathery, bent creature behind her, whose burning eyes and scaly hair immediately halted me in my tracks, heart pounding. Even with her wings folded in tight at her back and her docile posture, taloned hands clasped before her, I knew she was one of the creatures that had taken me. A fury, if the word screamed in Oberon’s throne room had been accurate.

‘Ah, Imogen,’ the queen said warmly, offering me a friendly smile. ‘I’m glad you could join us.’

Did I have a choice? I wanted to ask but decided against it. My eyes kept going back to that fury standing behind her, a sense of unease clawing at me.

‘I’m Freja,’ the fury said, and even if her voice was raspy and set my teeth on edge, she seemed to be trying to speak gently. ‘My sisters and I tried to be very careful in transporting you.’

‘Uh-huh,’ I said, not really sure what else to say. There were a couple of other faces I didn’t recognise but I assumed they were Queen Sylara’s inner circle and honestly, I doubted I’d retain any more names if they were thrown at me.

‘Now that you’re here, I’d like to propose another solution to our little problem,’ the queen said with a smile, holding her hand out to me, which I supposed meant I was supposed to go to her. With Cassian scowling at my back, I decided it would be best to do as I was asked. I moved towards her, aware of the eyes in the room following me. I took a seat at the queen’s side, a seat that had probably been left for me. Marietta took the seat on my other side, and even though she’d kept so many secrets from me, it was still comforting to have her nearby.

‘I assume by ‘little problem’ you mean the war with the High Fae,’ I said. The light-hearted way she’d put it not exactly filling me with confidence.

‘That and what comes after,’ she said. ‘We’ve been talking in circles about war and assassination intrigues and new rulers of the High Fae courts. But there is another option. Tell me, Imogen, do you know what magic it is you possess?’

‘Yes, water magic. But I’m not good at using it, so I hope your other option doesn't hinge on it,’ I said, not entirely sure where she was going with this line of questioning. From what I’d come to understand, it wasn’t exactly an uncommon type of magic, and neither was it one of the stronger forms.

‘Is that what the Seelie King told you?’ she asked.

‘He didn’t tell me, I discovered it…’ my sentence trailed off as I remembered how I’d discovered it. ‘On my own,’ I finished, ignoring the quizzical looks at the pause.

‘So, the first time you used your magic it manifested water,’ the queen said, nodding as if that made sense. ‘But that’s not your affinity.’

‘What do you mean?’ I asked.

‘You, my dear, have a very rare form of magic that hasn’t been seen in centuries, not since the time of Oberon himself,’ she continued as hushed whispers started around the table. ‘You possess creation magic.’

‘You’ve got to be kidding me,’ Cassian said, shock clear on his expression. ‘She can’t possibly.’

‘Why not?’ Marietta asked, and her lack of surprise meant that she already knew. How long had she known? How long had she kept the truth from me and why?

The voices around me grew louder. I couldn’t even make out the individual words anymore. ‘Can we just back up a minute here?’ I asked, raising my voice so I could be heard above the noise. ‘What the hell is creation magic?’

‘It’s a complex magic,’ Marietta said. ‘You can create almost anything, although it’s also known for being unstable and difficult to wield with intention. You’ll have to work hard to master it.’

‘Okay… so I just make things?’ I asked, not really sure why this was such a big deal.

‘Creation magic isn’t just about material things, it’s linked to life,’ the queen said. ‘You could create life, whether that is plant, animal or even fae.’

‘Are you saying that Oberon was some kind of god?’ I asked.

‘There are those who believe that. Another more plausible legend is that the gods created the fae and then gave Oberon a portion of their power to protect and nurture them,’ Cassian said, surprising me so much that I couldn’t keep it from my face. ‘What? I’m not just a dumb grunt, you know,’ he said moodily.

My head was reeling with this new revelation. It seemed too surreal, that I could potentially create anything out of... what, nothing? ‘That all seems a little bit far-fetched,’ I said, realising that everyone was looking at me.

‘Creating life is not something to be taken lightly,’ the queen said. ‘The toll is a hefty one, and if you use your powers in the wrong way or use too much of your magic, it can kill you.’

Great.

‘So, what exactly is so special about this magic? What is it you expect me to do with it?’ I asked.

‘We’ve been waiting a long time for someone to be gifted it,’ the queen said. ‘It is said that only Oberon’s true heir will possess creation magic.’

‘But I’m not his heir,’ I said, confusion furrowing my brows. This was all too much to take in. Were they saying I was related to Oberon? Wouldn’t that mean I was related to Tarian? That was a can of worms I was not interested in opening.

‘It doesn’t mean you’re related to him,’ Marietta said as if she’d guessed my train of thought. ‘It means you’ve been chosen by fate to take his place. It means that you have chief claim to both the Seelie and Unseelie thrones, and the power to reunite the kingdoms he split so long ago.’

‘To what?’ I asked, my voice raising an octave as panic set in. ‘You mean as a ruler?’

‘Yes, that’s exactly what we mean,’ the queen said cheerily.

‘You can’t be serious,’ I said, my anxiety rising with every passing second. ‘I can’t rule a kingdom.’

‘You must have been expecting that is what you would eventually do at Tarian’s side. What’s the difference?’

‘The difference is that Tarian would have been king. You’re asking me to put my hand up to rule an entire realm of beings, to rule a realm I didn’t grow up in and know very little about!’

I needed a paper bag. I couldn’t get enough air into my lungs. I was going to pass out.

‘No. I can’t do that. Who would accept that, anyway?’ I continued around my panting breaths. ‘There has to be another way. Marietta could rule the Seelie, and—’

Marietta took my hand in hers and the contact calmed some of the turmoil in my head, forcing me to close my mouth before I rambled anymore.

‘As much as I don’t like to admit it, I agree with her,’ Cassian said. ‘She might have Oberon’s power, but she’s a stranger here. And even if she wasn’t, how would you get her on the throne?’

‘She has the right of challenge,’ Marietta said. ‘That’s why Solas wants her so badly. He intends to use their marriage to take that right for his own and defeat Moriana.’

‘How the hell was he planning to do that? Moriana would eat his beating heart while he bled to death on her floor,’ Cassian said with a snort. I didn’t doubt that, either. Solas might have power and he could definitely be scary, but Moriana was next level.

‘I doubt he planned to fight fair,’ Marietta said. ‘But getting Imogen on the throne poses no new problems to us than putting me or Tarian on it.’

‘Except that Tarian at least has control of his magic and an understanding of the opponent,’ Cassian countered.

‘And me? I have no magic at all.’

‘Enough bickering, children,’ the queen said, rubbing her temples. ‘The fact is, Imogen is heir to both crowns if she chooses it, and by doing so, she could unite this land in a way that hasn’t been seen by most living fae today. It is the best way to bring about peace not only between the courts but to our people.’

‘Aren’t you forgetting something?’ I asked, almost afraid to break into the conversation. ‘Even if I wanted to—and I don’t—why would anyone follow me?’ Raised by humans in another realm, bonded to the Unseelie prince, unaware of the culture, the customs, the traditions, no idea what the problems of this place were or how the hell to fix them. What did someone like me know about any of this? It was a ridiculous idea, one that didn’t even warrant considering.

Before the conversation could go any further, the door burst open. ‘Sorry to interrupt, Your Majesty,’ a fae said, his height so slight that if it weren’t for the depth of his voice, I’d have mistaken him for a child. ‘We have a… problem.’

‘What is it?’ the queen asked.

‘Prince Tarian is at the surface.’

Tarian was here? My heart leapt and for a moment everything else was forgotten, giving way to a wave of relief. Until the queen spoke again.

‘He found us much faster than we thought he would,’ she said, frowning.

‘Time to make a choice, princess,’ Cassian said, his voice firm as he stared me down with hard eyes. I was sure he would lock me up and throw away the key if he thought it was warranted. ‘Are you with us or are you against us?’

As much as I wanted to push him because he was an arse, there was something more important at stake. These people didn’t deserve what was happening to them, the slavery, the abuse, being forced to hide underground to protect themselves and their children. I may not want to rule the realm, but that didn’t mean I wasn’t sympathetic to their plight. ‘I will help you as much as I can manage,’ I said. ‘Right now, that means you need to let me speak to Tarian before he finds a way to get in here on his own.’

‘Fine, but you’re not going out there alone,’ Cassian said. Clearly he didn’t trust easily, and I couldn’t really blame him for that, I supposed. Technically, I was High Fae, not one of them. Rather than argue with him, I let him lead the way.

I only hoped I could make Tarian understand.