Page 28 of Straw and Gold (A Realm of Revelry #2)

Morella

Fedir unfolded his measuring tool and stepped behind me on the grassy hill. I squeezed my eyes shut and used all the muscle I had recently gained in my shoulders to span my wings as far as I could.

He made a grunt of approval and wrote a quick note in his booklet with a piece of chalk. “Your wingspan has widened by over a third since we began to increase your iron. Your growing strength is impressive, my queen.”

Nodding, I shifted, soaring high above the hills to ride along the chilled wind. I flexed my muscles and soared while the captain settled into the grass to sketch and wait for me to tire. He’d been timing me for weeks now and each day, I grew stronger—able to keep my wings adrift a little longer.

It had been another week since Killian woke me in a panic.

Another week of the same, except now, he woke me early each morning before dawn to declare my guesses at his name into the morning light.

My husband had returned to his broody, withdrawn pretense of treating our marriage as if it were no more than a business transaction.

I, of course, understood it to be otherwise.

I circled the hill a few times before shifting out of my golden raven form and landed on the grass beside Fedir.

“Surely, you can do longer than that, Your Majesty,” he mumbled, continuing his sketch of a raven along the tree line.

“I don’t want to fly, Fedir. I want to talk.” I sat, tucking my legs underneath my dress. “About Killian.”

“I see,” he said, snapping his book closed. “What is it you’d like to know about our dear king?”

“You’re a Changlingfae…” I began.

“Yes, and?”

“So you have a special ability, I’ve heard. To predict change…”

“That is my Changelingfae power, correct.”

“And…for Killian? Can you see the change in his future? Where his power returns because I have found his true name and his bargain with Céad has been fulfilled?"

He stared pensively at the grassy fields. “My power of foresight is not quite so detailed, Queen Morella. I do see change in his future, but…” He pulled up a blade of grass and leaned back on his elbows, chewing the sweet root.

“But?” I urged.

“But…his change involves you.”

“So I do discover his name?”

“I didn’t say his change is about his name.”

“Well fucking Goddess take me then, Fedir,” I growled in frustration. “What else could the change be?”

He raised a brow in my direction, a blooming grin on his mouth.

I heaved a sigh, pulling at the grass myself. “Your prediction is wrong there, I’m afraid. Our dear king is quite the talented liar and refuses to acknowledge our marriage in that way.”

“King Killian is a fool, yes, we know that, but regardless, I’ve foreseen the change and you are deeply woven into it.”

“Can you see exactly what it is?”

“I cannot.”

“Then how can you really know that the change in our relationship is the true outcome?”

He shrugged, lying flat on his back and folding his arms behind his head as the first drops of rain fell. “How do you know the straw between your fingers will transform into golden thread? You can feel its change right before it happens, can you not?”

I fell back, mimicking his position. “Yes, it does feel like that.”

We fell silent for a moment as droplets hit our faces. “You’re a good friend, Fedir.” I turned and smiled. “To both of us, but especially Killian. I know it hasn’t been easy for him since…whatever happened that gave him those nightmares.”

His eyes darted to me briefly. “Yes. Killian has…experienced more pain than he ever deserved. I’m glad to have been his friend through all of it.”

“He hasn’t explained what his dreams are about,” I said, catching his eye.

He sighed, rubbing his face of droplets. “He should, my queen. And he will. Give him a little more time.”

I pulled at the grass, dismantling his words. The wind picked up, along with the rain. “Do you think I’ll do it?” I asked softly, afraid of his answer.

“Discover his true name?” He cleared his throat, nodding his head toward the line of trees below us. Killian appeared, his bulky frame crossing the distance in long strides, his midnight blue jacket fluttering open at the chest.

I rose instantly, surprised to see him.

Fedir stood slowly, stretching and popping his back. “Yes, I think you will,” he said simply, taking a short knife from his belt and throwing it across the field at Killian.

I gasped in a gargled inhale as the knife shot through the rain where it clanged into Killian’s unsheathed dagger, falling to the grass.

He was near enough that I heard his grumble and I pushed Fedir. “What the fuck was that for!”

“Your Majesty!” he laughed, stumbling slightly. “I’m the captain of his guard—it’s my job to keep our king on his toes.”

Killian approached, glaring at Fedir and sliding his dagger back into his scabbard. He held a hand out to me. “Come. We must return to the castle immediately.”

I took it as he turned and pulled me along, back to the line of trees. “Why?” I asked, racing to keep up.

“Because he won’t stop shouting and making unreasonable demands to see you.”

“What? Who?”

He wrapped an arm around my waist, pulling me closer, easing me into his chest where my body responded instantly. Fedir grabbed his shoulder, ready to shift with us.

Killian’s eyes darkened as he answered. “Your Cursebringer brother.”