Page 21 of To Touch A Silent Fury (The Bride of Eavenfold #1)

One I knew far too well and yet had never truly understood, and one whose eyes sought me out without hesitation. Yellow eyes, the colour of her wyvern, set in a pale face against dark russet hair. She gave me her version of a smile.

She glided down the steps, her walk so practised it was cloudlike with grace, and yet somehow still lacked the warmth of Tanidwen’s descent. Around the room, people noticed her, and words were exchanged. With twelve long spans, she was a woman of great beauty but far greater power.

I rose from my chair as she stepped towards me, falling like water into an effortlessly perfect curtsy. I bent low into a sweeping bow.

We regarded each other, little facets of tension slipping through our masks.

“Princess Derynallis, what a pleasant surprise,” I said.

My aunt smirked. “And you,” she said. “I was surprised to discover your attendance. Your father told me nothing of it.”

“He gave me leave to do as I wished after my return from Eavenfold.”

She raised a dark eyebrow, perfectly manicured and plucked. “And your wish was to attend these provincial games?”

All at once it fell into place. Why would my aunt be here?

She rarely left Droundhaven but for diplomatic visits.

This was a band of second sons. Certainly, her own (firstborn and only) son was here, but she had orchestrated that, too.

I knew Septillis had years left on that forsaken island before he came into any kind of ability.

Yet she had sent word for him to attend.

Derynallis wasn’t here for the games. She knew something: the one thing that made these games different from the others before it. And she knew I knew. I had visited the island after all.

I gestured in a callous way to Tanidwen, as Brascillan bowed to her and their dance ended.

It was better I acknowledged it before she turned it into an accusation.

“The moon girl has a Fate here, I thought it might be fun to watch it play out.” My words were soft against the lull in music, as the maestros discussed their next tune.

Her yellow eyes flashed, then her smile widened. “Yes, I heard of the girl’s Fate, too. And her powers. Interesting potential.”

She had eyes and ears everywhere; she always had. One of the Threads must have sent word to her after the Ceremony. I shrugged and slurped at the merle. “I thought it was nothing out of the ordinary.”

She studied me, and nodded slowly. “I heard of your report to the king. I do, however, disagree with your assessment.”

I tried not to let my tension display, keeping my shoulders loose as I nodded back to her. “Oh?”

“It is nothing to be worried about,” she said, her smile growing. “We have underestimated the girl. It is easy to do, I know how boys can be around a pretty face. But thankfully for us all, I have not made the same mistake.”

I forced a smile. “We are lucky to have your wisdom. Tell me, what threat do you imagine the girl could pose?”

Tanidwen now danced with another, and I tried not to smile as she failed to keep up with the steps of the young and rambunctious noble from the Tastelands.

“I think,” my aunt whispered, “that it matters little, for she will soon be dead.”

The words were so cold, it took everything in me not to shiver.

I shrugged again. “You’ll need to do better this time. A merchant in Lavendell? Sloppy work.”

She turned to me, a trace of genuine mirth on her face. It was all I needed to know it was her who had sent him. “As I said,” she began. “We underestimated her. I will not leave the next opportunity to chance.”

All of this scheming to kill an innocent girl. But there was nothing stopping Derynallis now that she was set on destroying Tanidwen. Whatever my aunt had heard of her powers, it was enough to terrify her.

A small commotion sounded from our left as a glass smashed, and a platter fell to the floor.

I watched it, grateful for the moment of distraction to gather my thoughts.

Trevalli, the Duc de Fleur, had pushed away from a server and bolted for the nearest door, looking as if he’d eaten something foul.

He must have started on the drink early to be in such a state now. He could barely hold himself up, one hand clutched to his stomach as he gagged into the back of his other hand.

But then I caught the eye of the Thread, who watched the man’s movements with such calculated mischief I was certain he was involved. Creepy fuckers, the Brotherhood.

You’re lucky that wasn’t you, Chae thought.

I could only agree. Forced sickness was one way to dissuade a suitor. I’m offended she puts me in the same league as de Fleur, if that was her bidding, too.

You might not have sunk to his depths, yet—

Yet? I rebuked.

—but it was a good decision. He doesn’t deserve to wed her.

That, I couldn’t help but agree with, too.

I rolled my shoulders as the distraction of the stumbling duke sang its swan song. Trevalli was clear of the room before I heard the first retch. A guard closed the door carefully, and the sound was quickly drowned out.

It was now or never.

“I admire your enthusiasm,” I said to the back of Derynallis’ perfectly coiffed hair. “Though, I had my own plan to Break her Fate. You’ll quite be stealing my thunder. ”

What game are you playing, Lang? Chae asked.

My aunt turned back to me, the keen assessment back in her serpentine gaze. “I thought you said she was nothing out of the ordinary?”

I smirked, keeping my face as still as possible. “Her powers didn’t impress me. But she is the only girl of the Brotherhood. She has people talking, wondering. I don’t like it. I came here to make her Fate impossible.”

Princess Derynallis paused for a few awful seconds, and then she laughed. “And I was thinking my brother had taught you nothing, but you do have sense after all.”

I shook my head. “I am not some moonstruck boy. I find them quite distasteful, in fact. No offence, of course.”

She barked out another laugh. “My son will be called worse in his time.”

“Speaking of,” I said to her, and nodded across the room to Septillis, who watched us from afar. “I believe your son has noticed your arrival.”

She did not turn, only pursing her lips. “Quite,” she said. “A true moonstruck, that one.”

I forced another laugh. “You would kill your son’s childhood love?”

She didn’t even flinch. “Of course. For the good of Droundhaven.”

I nodded sombrely. I felt my aunt’s attention slip, and I knew she would soon leave to speak to her son, or any number of the nobles. I had to do something.

“I have a favour to request from you,” I said, before I had truly thought it through.

She narrowed her eyes. “What is it?”

“One day,” I blurted, before composing myself. “Give me tomorrow to Break her Fate my way. Not just killing her, but sending a message to the realm. I promise it’ll be more satisfying than a dagger to her heart.”

When I was twelve, my aunt had struck Chaethor with a whip.

She was a young dragon, then, barely a child.

I remember her yelp. She hadn’t even considered biting Derynallis or retaliating, only pushing her confusion onto me.

Without pausing for thought, I had told my aunt that she wasn’t allowed to hit Chae ever again.

I told her I had read it in a book that pain makes dragons less strong, that whipping would domesticate her and make her less useful.

The same look my aunt had given me then, she gave me now. A discerning assessment, searching every part of me for a tell of a lie. I had long since learnt how to fake a tell, and how to remain entirely natural under her golden glares.

Whatever she looked for, she did not find it now. “You can have your day. If the girl’s Fate is not Broken by nightfall tomorrow, I will end her life.”

“Well,” I said, with a wide smile. “I best dance with the belle of the ball while I still can.”

Princess Derynallis smiled back. “It would only be polite.”

I swept into a deep bow, and made my exit, dropping my cup on a tray and clenching my fists to keep my hands from shaking.

Chaethor’s voice burned into my head, angry and confused. What was that?

I’m trying to save her life, I replied.

Great, Chaethor purred. And just how are we going to do that?

I crossed the dancefloor, heading straight towards the beautiful woman who had captured all of my attention without meaning to. Tanidwen breathed heavily from her recent twirling, a tiny sheen of sweat glistening on her brow. Her white eyes darted to mine as I approached.

I have no idea.