Page 38 of The Crown of a Fallen Queen (Curse of the Fae #4)
The Worm, the Raven, and the Lorn
DEVI
B rel escorts me to a guest bedroom with an arched window overlooking the sea. A bench with plaid pillows is perched on the windowsill and allows for one person to lie down and admire the violent scenery. Thick checkered glass warps the view of lightning zigzagging through the purple-streaked sky.
“Is it always like this?” I ask, in awe of a world where the sun never shines and the thunder never stops.
“Oh no. It’s usually much worse,” the sprite says without entering the room. “His Highness expects you to dine with him tonight. I drew you a bath, and there’s a dress for you in the wardrobe. I’ll be back at seven sharp.”
She closes the door, and the click of the lock raises goosebumps on my arms.
The air is dryer in spite of the close proximity to the outside. I suspect this room is part of the old royal apartments, so its walls must be lined with stronger magic than the rest of the citadel.
Rows of dusty books are stacked below the bench.
There’s a thick fur on the bed, a fire in the hearth, and a steaming copper tub, but this room lacks true warmth.
A wardrobe towers along the back wall. I open it, and sure enough, a cocktail dress is hanging there.
The big chest in front of the bed is full of spare linens, and the hand mirror on the bedside table is small enough to ensure no Fae could fit through it.
Percy flies out of his hiding place and inspects the room. “I don’t like it here,” he declares.
“It’s a fancy prison, nothing more.” I dump my backpack to the ground and stop in front of the hearth for a beat, letting the heat of the flames kiss my skin.
Percy lands on the bench of the reading nook and braces his hands on his hips. “I’ll check on Seth first, then try to learn more about our hosts.”
Faelings can pass through glass or let others do the same.
Unfortunately, there are only cutting rocks and angry waters below my window, so there’s no question of me escaping with him, but he can slip through the citadel unnoticed and find out what happened to Seth.
He might even eavesdrop on our host, his staff, and his brothers.
“And I’ll make myself pretty,” I say, unbuttoning my tunic.
The mud from our climb, the cold rain, and the dust from the road stick to my skin. Grime and humidity have crept under my nails, inside my clothes, and into my very pores. I sink my hand into the tub and hum at how delicious the warm water feels.
“Not too pretty. I’m wary of these men, diamantay ,” Percy breathes, flying over to the bed.
I retrieve the hidden blade tucked under the tunic’s sash and slip it under the nearest pillow. The silver heart on the pommel catches the firelight for a second before it disappears from view.
“Promise me you’ll be careful,” Percy adds.
“I should be safe enough here, but same can’t be said for you.” I rest my index finger on his shoulder and give it a heartfelt pat. “Beware of the wind and rain. Your wings aren’t made to withstand a monsoon, and the weather here is an enemy in itself.”
He bows, all serious. “I won’t be captured, that’s a promise.”
There’s nothing that tickles the loyal soldier in him quite like the thrill of espionage , and I watch him leave with an amused smile.
When he’s gone, I finish undressing and climb into the tub. My muscles hum in pleasure when I lower myself into the water. I rest my head on the cool copper and close my eyes. It’s been such a hectic day and a short night that I drift into an unplanned nap.
A loud thunderclap shakes me out of my slumber, and I open my eyes just in time to see Percy reenter the room through the windowpane. A spray of rain follows him inside.
“You’re still in the bath?” he asks.
I check the clock above the mantle and jump out of the water, my fingers all wrinkled. “Fuck! I have to get dressed.”
The towel rack next to the tub is full of coarse, gray towels, and I pat myself dry in a hurry. “What did you find out?”
Percy lands on the bed. “The workers are chatty little devils, and rumors of your visit have already spread. Now that they know Devi Eros is here in person, they can’t shut up about it.
There are a few travel-ready mirrors in the citadel.
Not a lot, but enough to be sure the Tidecallers’ new mirror-shattering policy hasn’t been enforced here.
Whatever rebellion took control of the capital hasn’t spread to this province, yet. ”
“That’s good. It means they won’t send us directly to Luther Storm,” I say.
Percy clears his throat. “There’s more. While the late warden was considered by most to be a level-headed leader, his sons are not. They call the Rayne brothers the Worm, the Raven, and the Lorn.”
A big frown overpowers my face. “The Lorn?”
It’s not a word used in Faerie without thought, as Lorntre Hollow is haunted by one of the darkest powers in existence.
I grab the dress from the hanger and slip it over my head. “Mismatched eyes gives me the creeps. Which one is he?”
“Nathaniel Rayne, the Raven. He’s the youngest, but according to the kitchen maids, he’s a real devil and starving for a change in the pecking order.”
The skirt of the gown slides over my hips, and I adjust the neckline, feeling more naked and vulnerable than when I started. “Well, his older brother has outrageous taste in hostage clothing.”
The color of the chiffon shifts between black and seafoam, depending on how the light hits it.
The neckline dips into a scoop, modest enough, but I resent the softness and femininity of the design.
I like my dresses and pantsuits ready for battle, with straps to hide my weapons, and army boots to support a quick escape.
This piece of lingerie would better fit some whimsical, imaginary woman.
The A-line clings to my waist before drifting out, the hem longer in the back.
There’s a pair of black stilettos in the wardrobe, but no underwear.
It might be a test. I’m supposed to be able to weave my own dress, after all, but I’m so sick of these games. Without my magic, I’m nothing but a doll for men to dress up.
Percy flies down to retrieve the high heels, setting them down in front of my feet.
“Nathaniel is the official patron of the brothel in town, and there’s a naked woman chained to his bed as we speak.
” Percy raises his hands in a calming motion.
“Now, before you go berserk, I’d say she’s there of her own free will, eager for him to return. ”
I step into the heels, and Percy fixes the straps.
“Alaric is in charge, but I heard he hasn’t been himself the last few days. And the third brother, Salazar, is secretly into men,” he says.
“You got all that from less than an hour of snooping?” Percy is a talented spy, but this sounds like the luckiest reconnaissance mission in history.
He bites his bottom lip. “Alright, I got most of it from Seth.”
“You should have led with that.” My voice grows a little breathless. “Is he alright?”
“He’s being kept in a cell usually reserved for the occasional drunk and disorderly worker. Fancy enough to block his magic, but he’s fine.”
My chest heaves in relief.
“He’s mostly worried about you,” Percy adds, watching my reaction. “He thinks his cousin might try to force himself on you.” His gaze falls to the chiffon dress. “Which, given the way Alaric chose to dress you for this dinner, is a clear possibility.”
I open and close my mouth, the discomfort between my shoulder blades growing into an itch, and play with the uneven hem of the dress. “This dinner is an opportunity for me to persuade Alaric to let us use his secret passage. I can’t refuse to go.”
“Are you planning to seduce him?” he asks, now hovering at eye-level. “He’s in love with someone else.”
“Men thwarted in love are the most hungry for validation,” I mumble.
“What about Seth?”
“What about him?” I shoot back.
Percy shakes his head like I’m being a difficult child, and he doesn’t know what to do with me anymore.
It soothes my nerves that he was able to talk to Seth so quickly, but my fiancé not being in mortal danger doesn’t change the fact that the quickest way through his cousin’s citadel is probably to buy Alaric off with a one-night-stand.
I used to be above such machinations. As an idealistic kid, I never used my magic or my body or a combination of the two to win favor or get myself out of a bind.
I was always being pursued by the wrong men, and so I vowed that I’d never marry for duty, never lay with someone I didn’t choose.
Then, I lost everything and got banished, without money or magic, to a different world at a time where women had very little rights.
I’m not that kid anymore, but my stomach is iffy about the mere idea of seducing Alaric Rayne.
I’ve been with plenty of dangerous men.
In fact, I usually prefer them as far as flings go. Even Seth fits that description, his bad boy persona probably to blame for all my indiscretions. There’s no real love between us, and our engagement is only for show.
Sleeping with Alaric in exchange for our freedom might be the easiest play.
So why do I feel so queasy? Why is my heart beating so furiously?
“What’s the story between Alaric and Seth? Did he tell you?” I murmur, the sickness in my belly taking on a life of its own.
“Unfortunately, I had to leave before he could say more.”
I bite my bottom lip and check myself in the hand mirror, adjusting a few loose braids.
“Will you promise not to do anything rash? There’ll be time to seduce the warden tomorrow—once we’ve exhausted our options,” Percy negotiates.
“I’ve never known you to be so judgmental about whom I fuck.”
“It depends. Are you only considering it because you want to punish Seth?” His mouth curls down, and I know he’s disappointed in my answer. “If you sleep with Alaric tonight, you’ll only hurt yourself.”
“I’m a big girl.”
“Are you still lying to yourself about how you feel about him?”
My mouth opens in outrage. “Percival Arthur Batten!”
The nosy, overbearing meddler… Ever since Seth saved me from that end-all blade, and again on the cliffs, it’s been one allusion after another, but this takes the cake.
“I’m off. Be good,” he says in a pointed manner, warning me off myself.
He slips through the glass and flies off into the stormy night, leaving behind a knot in my stomach the size of a moon.
Misplaced loyalty grates on my nerves, as though some part of me actually bought into the whole engagement lie. It’s preposterous, because I never had any real intent to marry Seth.
Right?
I might have briefly imagined what it would be like, but I’d already decided it wouldn’t happen back in Inverness. Maybe the quickest way to burn through this tangle of impetuous feelings, would be to fuck Alaric’s brains out tonight.
And I’ve got half a mind to do it just to shut Percy up.