Page 8 of Queen of Ever (Curse of Fate and Fae #2)

Chapter 8

Imogen

I was awake long before Marietta entered my room that morning, not for dreaming of Tarian, but for another reason entirely. She hadn’t mentioned the boy to me even once after I’d left them in the kitchens together, and despite having plenty of other things to focus on, I couldn’t help worrying about him.

Finally, the door opened and Marietta had barely closed it behind her before I was in front of her. ‘What happened to the boy?’ I asked quickly.

She looked up in surprise, blinking once as if she hadn’t quite heard me before she finally answered. ‘He’s safe, you don’t need to worry about him.’

‘How can he possibly be safe in this place after what I saw?’ I asked. I could still hardly believe the cruelty I’d witnessed. Those collars were as barbaric as the courtiers.

I could see the wheels in her head turning as she calculated her response. ‘He’s not in the palace anymore.’

‘What do you mean?’

‘I don’t approve of the way the lessers are treated any more than you do. A child shouldn’t be subjected to that, so I smuggled him out. He’ll be much better where he is now,’ she said. Suddenly, she clapped her hands together. ‘Right, what you should be worrying about is getting ready for your date with my brother.’

‘It’s not a date,’ I said, the words rolling automatically off my tongue. Dating was the furthest thing from my mind. How could I even begin to consider it? Despite what Tarian had done—or perhaps because of it—the thought was impossible to me.

‘No? Well, he thinks it is.’

I let her lead me to the mirror as I contemplated those words, once again chewing on the question of what he wanted from me. And maybe even what I wanted from him. He was handsome and charming. A bona fide fae king with a glittering golden palace to boot. And he was never straight with me and he’d used me as bait to catch a traitor. I’d just have to keep some distance between us somehow.

I slumped into the chair to let Marietta coil my hair onto my head. ‘How can he expect me to just move on?’

‘I don’t think he expects that… exactly,’ Marietta replied. ‘I know this is difficult for you. Life in the palace means walking a fine line, carefully balancing between what you want and what others want for you.’

‘Unless you’re the king and can have whatever you want,’ I said bitterly.

‘There is that,’ she said, a smile stretching her lips.

‘But you seem to have found a way to keep your principles and still live here,’ I said suddenly. How exactly had she managed to smuggle the boy out of the palace? I wasn’t going to look a gift horse in the mouth but if she could manipulate the system around here, maybe I could, too.

‘I have the advantage of not being important enough to draw attention,’ she said, an edge of bitterness to her voice.

Because she was basically human to these people. But my only importance here was in the fact that I’d drawn Solas’ interest somehow. It seemed that was enough to keep the eyes of the court on me, which meant I had to tread carefully.

Great.

‘Don’t make that face. You’ll find your way. And in the meantime, you have me to help you,’ she said, flashing me that brilliant smile of hers. ‘Now, let’s get you dressed. My brother won’t appreciate being kept waiting.’

‘Maybe I should keep him waiting. After all, this is supposed to be his way of apologising.’

Marietta looked conflicted then, as if she was being pulled in opposite directions and at any point her body was going to break apart.

‘Alright, fine. I won’t be late,’ I said grudgingly and let her pick my outfit for my not-date with Solas.

Why did I feel like this was going to be a long day?

It turned out that leaving the palace was a lengthy process for the Seelie king, but finally we were bumping along the cobblestone roads in a carriage that was so bedazzled no one would be able to mistake who was inside it.

I stared out the window, admiring the elaborate, well-tended buildings, the cobblestone streets. The city seemed impeccably presented, paint bright and unblemished, sun glinting from spotless windowpanes, greenery potted and pruned. I watched as the Seelie fae went about their lives, some walking with strange creatures trailing after them or sitting happily in their bags. Creatures that sometimes looked like close relatives of dogs or cats, sometimes other beings entirely, ones with furry tentacles or translucent wings or delicate antennae. Not a single one of the fae dressed like a human going to the supermarket; they were all immaculately put together, sometimes clothed in fabrics that shifted and frothed like clouds around them, sometimes that clung tight to their bodies like coloured scales. Their limbs were always adorned with gold jewellery set against glittering skin—pasting skin with some sort of glitter was a trend I’d noticed inside the palace.

But it wasn’t all beauty.

I noticed a lot of these fae also had servants following them, often carrying bags. Their heads were always bowed and their clothes were plain, a clear marker of the difference in class. I knew these were the lesser fae. The Seelie would click at them when they needed something, in a manner that would have seen them punched in the human realm for their rudeness. How could a culture be so beautiful and so backward at the same time? It seemed that the lessers weren’t treated any better outside of Summer Palace. I imagined the Seelie would be lining up to get their hands on the collars Solas was using on his.

‘Something troubling you?’ Solas asked, breaking into my thoughts.

‘Oh, uh…’ I didn’t quite know how to answer that. I doubted he would understand my point of view. This was probably the only chance I’d have to bring up those collars. But how to get him to listen?

He looked out the window and his lips pulled down into a frown for a moment. ‘You feel sympathy for those creatures, don’t you?’ he asked, a hint of disgust in his tone.

‘Yes, I do,’ I said, my irritation at his callousness getting the better of me.

‘Even though one of them tried to kill you?’

‘You can’t blame a whole race of people for the actions of one man.’

‘He wasn’t working alone.’

‘One group then,’ I snapped. ‘A minority did something awful, does that give us the right to enslave and torture the rest of their kind?’

‘They’re hardly being tortured,’ Solas said as if I was being dramatic. And that alone told me he wasn’t going to see my point of view any time soon. ‘They’re far less civilised than us. They’re lucky to be able to live in our beautiful city,’ he continued, as if he was trying to explain to a child, his voice gentler than it had been moments ago.

‘Less civilised? You think treating them like animals makes you civilised?’ I scoffed. As if to illustrate my point, a Seelie woman we were passing gave a swift kick to the lesser in her charge, a look of irritation on her perfectly painted face. Whatever words she hurled at the poor creature were obviously biting as the lesser flinched at them.

‘Discipline is necessary,’ Solas said, his voice growing harder again. ‘But aside from that, they are very well cared for. A good and healthy servant is a sign of good standing and wealth.’

‘Oh yes, as long as the wealth is clearly identifiable, I suppose that makes everything okay,’ I said bitterly.

‘Do you think they’re treated any better in the Unseelie Court?’ he asked. ‘Believe me, they’re much better off here than they are there.’

I hadn’t seen how they were treated in the Unseelie Court, only how they’d been treated in Dreadhold. I wouldn’t expect Tarian’s mother to care all that much about servants. But even the way Tarian had brushed them off had been a point of contention between us.

‘Just because they’re better off, doesn’t mean the way you treat them is right. I know you put collars on the lessers at the palace. Tell me how those are civilised?’

‘That’s for your own protection. I can’t have them wandering freely around the palace when we don’t yet know how many of them were in on the plot against you,’ he said.

‘And once you know the answer to that? Then what?’

He let out an exasperated sigh. ‘I know you’re not used to the way things are done here, but this isn’t the Human Realm. We do things the way we do for a reason.’

‘Then explain it to me. If it’s such a good reason, then it shouldn’t be difficult to convince me that those collars are necessary. That discipline of that kind is necessary.’

His jaw tightened. ‘If I say I will consider your objections, will you let this matter go and enjoy the day?’

Something about his energy made me think twice about pushing him any further. When I pushed Tarian, sometimes he would get angry, but for some reason it never scared me. I felt no such security in the Seelie King’s presence. ‘Yes,’ I finally answered.

‘Good, then I shall consider what you have said.’ He turned to stare out the window, but his body was tense. ‘We’re almost there.’

‘Almost where?’ I asked, curiosity getting the better of me.

‘You’ll see,’ he said, his voice warmer than before, which made me relax a little. I decided not to ask any more questions as the carriage bumped along and I was left to wonder what it was he planned to show me.

My eyes widened as we approached a lush green garden that spanned so far in every direction that it could hardly be called a garden. The colours of the grass, the hedges, the flowers were all so vibrant that it was hard to believe it was real and not something enhanced by technology. In the centre of it all, and elevated by what looked like its own roots, was a huge tree, with a trunk thicker than any I’d ever seen. It had to be ancient. The canopy spread wide, covering so much of the sky above that it seemed almost like cloud cover, turning the sunlight green and cool.

I stepped out of the carriage while it was still rolling, drawn towards the scene before me by a strange sense of affinity that quietened my thoughts and moved my feet. It was so beautiful, and it felt so strangely familiar, though I wasn’t sure why. The scents that hit me as I stepped into the open reminded me of summer, like sun-warmed earth and grass bruised from where you’ve lain on it and flowers begging for passing bees. It sparked a warmth in my soul, welcoming me as if it recognised me, as if it was an old friend that I had somehow forgotten.

‘What is this place?’ I asked in awe as I heard Solas stepping out behind me.

‘This is the Evalian. It is one of the most sacred places in the Seelie Kingdom. Legend has it that all life in the Fae Realm began right here,’ Solas explained. Somehow, I didn’t doubt it. The magic in this place caressed my skin, making me feel rejuvenated and full of life. ‘Would you like to get closer?’ he asked after a moment of silence.

I nodded. The idea of not getting closer seemed ridiculous, impossible, even. As we crossed the grass, my sense of magic seemed to grow stronger, and before I knew what I was doing, I’d slipped out of my shoes to feel the ground under my bare feet, so soft and lush that my souls sunk slightly into it. My fingers brushed over the leaves of the bushes as we passed them, and insects fluttered around as if my presence didn’t bother them in the slightest; butterflies with such vibrant and intricate patterns on their wings, fast-moving dragonflies coloured like jewels, and glowing specks of light like fireflies that came together in whirling flurries. I could have sworn I heard them giggle as I passed.

I thought someone called my name, but I’d come to those huge roots of that enormous tree, the Evalian, and they captured my attention completely. I began to pick my way up through them with ease, never even glancing at where I was putting my feet. It was as if I was being beckoned closer. I wanted to plant my hands on the trunk and feel the pulse of the magic stirring all around me beneath my palms. I could hear a faint whisper on the breeze, words I couldn’t make out, a language I didn’t understand and yet felt I knew.

When I finally reached the trunk, I sank down before it, my hand pressed against the bark, magic humming though my body, clearing my mind of the anxieties that had been plaguing me since I’d arrived in this realm, holding me still, replacing them with something much more powerful. I could feel the roots of the Evalian, could see them when I closed my eyes, reaching deep into the soil, twisting and tangling together in an intricate dance, spreading far beyond the garden, beyond the Seelie Kingdom, connecting to everything in this strange realm I had come to find myself in. I felt as if it was taking me away from the Seelie Kingdom, leading me across the Sunder River, towards Dreadhold.

Towards Tarian.

‘Imogen!’

The sudden burst of sound startled me out of my trance and I pulled my hand from the tree, blinking rapidly as the world once again came into focus. I looked down to see Solas standing at the edge of the roots, his feet still flat on the ground. Oh. One of the most sacred places in the Seelie Kingdom and I had just climbed it like I was an idiot tourist.

But what was that? What was that strange pull I’d felt towards the tree, the vision it had shown me? What did it mean? I shook my head. I didn’t have time for wondering, I had to get down before I caused any more offense.

I quickly made my way back down to Solas, a blush heating my cheeks. ‘I’m sorry, I don’t know what I was thinking,’ I said quickly.

‘The Evalian calls to it who it likes,’ Solas said. ‘It’s actually a great honour.’

‘It is?’ I asked, feeling a little relieved that I hadn’t just stomped all over the Seelie culture.

‘Yes. But it’s getting late, we have to head back,’ he said.

It was then that I realised the sun was sinking in the sky. How long had I been sitting by that tree? I’d completely lost track of time, lost myself in whatever magic held me in its thrall.

‘We can come back another time, if you like,’ he continued as he placed his hand on the small of my back to get me moving.

Maybe I should have been concerned about coming back, about what that magic was doing to me, what it wanted from me, but it didn’t feel ominous and I found myself more curious than anything. It felt like there was something I could learn here, like the Evalian had something to tell me. I shook the thought away, because it strangely didn’t feel like mine. ‘I’d like that,’ I said with a smile.

Maybe next time I’d find some answers.

The day left me with a confusing view of Solas. I didn’t feel like I knew him any better than before, he always kept himself hidden behind a mask of civility. I was still no closer to figuring out who he really was, and I think he liked it that way. It was all part of whatever game he was playing and I still didn’t know where exactly I sat on the board.

When we returned to the palace, a cacophony of voices filled the entrance hall, all of them speaking over each other, rendering the words unrecognisable as they bounced off the walls, but the emotion behind them was easy enough to read.

Something was wrong.

Solas strode forward as if he’d forgotten I existed, all that kingly authority wrapped around him like a cloak. I quickly followed after him, being sure not to draw attention to myself in case he sent me away before I could find out what had happened.

‘What is the meaning of this commotion?’ he demanded.

Silence fell heavily over the room and everyone seemed to freeze in place as they turned to stare at us, faces a mixture of shock and panic. It seemed no one wanted to be the bearer of bad news.

Marietta stepped forward, eyes glossy with unshed tears. ‘Your Majesty, something terrible has happened,’ she said. ‘Paveil was attacked.’

‘Attacked?’ Lord Bastielle said incredulously. ‘The rebels didn’t attack it, they razed it to the ground!’

‘Why attack such a small village on the outskirts?’ Solas asked. He seemed completely unfazed by the news but his face was still, like a frozen lake. What emotions was he hiding beneath that stoic surface?

‘What reason do those scum need besides chaos?’ Lord Kremic said. He was a short, unpleasant sort of man, I’d only really seen him in passing and I didn’t like the way he looked at me, as if I had no right to be in the Summer Palace.

‘Actually, Paveil is responsible for approximately a quarter of our food supplies,’ Niall said. ‘This could have a significant impact on the city if we don’t restore the village quickly.’

‘What about the people?’ I asked, the words toppling from my lips before I could stop them as horrific images flashed through my mind. The room fell silent once more, a stillness that answered my question without the need for words, making my blood run cold.

‘We’ve found no survivors as yet, my lady,’ Niall said, a softness in his voice that seemed out of place in that room. It was as if he was trying to lessen the blow for me somehow.

I didn’t quite know how to react to that. What kind of place was Paveil? How many people lived there? I’d previously felt sympathy for the lesser fae and the way they’d been treated, but how could they do something so unthinkable? To wipe out an entire village.

‘There’s something else, Your Majesty,’ Lord Bastielle said, stepping forward. There was a gleam in his eyes I didn’t like. ‘We weren’t the only ones they attacked.’ He said it like it was a good thing and I bristled, my hands clenching at my sides.

‘Oh?’

‘The Unseelie Palace was also hit. They struck at the throne room itself.’

‘Who was in attendance?’ Solas asked. There was little emotion in his voice—as if he was asking what they’d had for lunch—but I could have sworn there was a spark of interest in his eyes.

‘The queen and her advisors, several members of the Unseelie nobility, and the prince.’

A gasp left my lips before I could stop it. It was as if the world fell away and I was floating in a voice. And the prince .

Tarian.

Oh god. A wave of nausea hit me and the world seemed to spin as it came back into focus. Gentle hands gripped my arms, helping to hold the weight of my body that I couldn’t seem to hold on my own anymore. Solas clicked his tongue in irritation. ‘Get her out of here,’ he ordered.

It was then that I realised Marietta had come to my aid. She nodded at Solas and turned her full attention to me. ‘Come on, let’s get you to your room,’ she said softly, her voice a strange contrast to the turmoil that had broken loose inside me. I wanted to ask if Tarian was alright, if he was alive, but I didn’t want to hear the answer if it was no. I couldn’t bear to hear that answer. My body began to tremble as we neared my room, and I was vaguely aware of Marietta fluttering about me, lowering me into a chair, stoking a fire, placing a warm cup in my hands. She was saying something but I couldn’t make out the words as I stared into the dancing flames before me, my mind gripped with fear.

Oh god, please let him be alive .