Page 48

A va was dressed in an outfit of sepia pants, a matching long-sleeve top with embroidery along the high collar, and tall brown boots.

She wore a leather belt with a small pouch and a sheath for a dagger.

After tightly but intricately braiding Ava’s hair down her back, Cirilla had helped her into a forest green cloak with a hood like the ones the fae wore when she had first encountered them.

Ava had barely slept last night, mind racing with all that had happened at the tavern.

She couldn’t stop seeing the hobgoblin die, the fear on Fanya’s face, the soldier collapsing as Raine killed him.

Luna had crawled close and nestled next to her, trying to provide comfort but even her dreams were full of horrors.

Ava reached for the door to the living room and took a deep breath before opening it, hoping Casimir wasn’t still angry with her.

“Morning,” Casimir said flatly when Ava exited her bedroom. “Let’s go.”

He turned on his heel and led Ava to the door exiting the suite .

“Morning to you too,” she mumbled as she followed him out the door. “Not even time for breakfast, it seems.”

He paused in the hallway and turned toward her. “Did you say something?”

She looked at him and shook her head. “Nothing.”

Normally, Ava was a morning person. She enjoyed waking up early and sipping her coffee on the porch before she got started with her day. But she was exhausted and desperately wanted to sleep in, not realizing they would be convening so early.

Now they were off to the meeting, where she was about to tell them everything that had happened.

Trying to tame her racing heart, she was equal parts hopeful and terrified.

Would they judge her for being manipulated so easily?

Would they blame her for their re-ignited war?

Would she finally figure out who her parents were?

Casimir strode down the halls and she jogged to keep up with him. She noted his leather armor and matching cloak. “Why are we dressed this way? Are we going into battle or something?” she asked as she glanced at the sword attached at his hip.

“Or something,” he replied, not slowing down.

He remained silent as they made their way through the hallways, headed toward the dining hall where they often held their meetings.

Where was the swagger when she caught him training?

Or his awkward stammering when he had accidentally walked in on her healing session?

One moment he was charming, funny even, the next he was cold as if he couldn’t stand to be in her presence. It baffled her. Frustrated her.

They reached the doors to the dining hall, the guards opening them as they entered. Everyone else was already seated at the table. Thorne at the head with Jorrar and Raine to his right, an empty seat between them, and Quinn to his left.

The dining hall was just as large as the throne room.

A long table took up the center of the space, lit by dozens of candles hanging from an iron chandelier shaped like gnarled branches.

Vines climbed the open-air windows as a hint of pink painted the sky while the sun prepared its greeting.

Neon green hummingbirds with long tails were already zipping through the yellow flowers along the windowsills, filling their bellies full of nectar.

Ava gave Raine an awkward smile and took the empty seat next to him. There was an air of anticipation hovering in the room, and she bit her lip as she fidgeted with her hands in her lap.

“You’re late,” said Thorne as Casimir took his seat directly across from Ava.

“She took too long getting ready.” Casimir nodded toward Ava.

She opened her mouth to argue, but Jorrar put his hand on her shoulder and shook his head, so she sat back and silenced herself, heart racing.

Thorne cleared his throat before speaking. “Ava,” he said as he turned to her. “After last night, we must know everything. Start at the beginning and do not leave anything out.”

“Alright,” she said.

She told them about moving to the farm after inheriting it from her grandfather.

About how she and her mother had moved around as a child, seemingly running from something.

She described her mother’s magic and how they kept everything from her.

Then she explained the strange things occurring including the figures, the journal and the book.

She also told them about her dreams of the tree and someone calling her name.

They all tensed when she said this and she stopped, looking at them. “What?”

“I was having dreams as well,” said Thorne. “Dreams of running after someone. Then I would shout her name, calling after her. ”

She went still, looking into his eyes. “What was her name?” she whispered.

“Ava.”

She shook her head. “Are you sure?”

It was him. The voice from her dreams her mother urged her to find. It had been the king this whole time.

“I’m positive,” he spoke as he looked around the table. “Please, continue. How did you end up in Eorhan?”

She readied herself to tell them the part she dreaded most. “When I was living on the farm, I met a man…” she glanced at Raine for support, and he nodded, encouraging her to continue. “His name was Henry… at least that’s what he told me… and he… I don’t know, I started to fall for him…”

“We don’t care about your love life,” Quinn interrupted. “Get on with it.”

Raine bit back at his friend. “Let her finish.”

The rest of them tensed, watching Raine with surprise as Quinn glanced at him with irritation before looking back at Ava.

Ava fidgeted with her cloak and stared at the table, unable to look at them as she spoke. “Like I said… I was falling for him, and then he… He wasn’t Henry anymore. He was Andras.”

Ava paused, glancing around the table. She could feel the tension at the mention of Andras’ name.

“He had tricked me. There was a portal on my property, and he had tricked me into leading him there. Into finding the book and the map. And someone else was there with him…” She took several breaths, tamping down her panic before continuing. “Deidamia.”

“Shit,” someone muttered.

“They kidnapped me, cut my hand open, and used it to open the portal. Then they shoved me through and held me prisoner. Eventually I escaped and then ran into you all.”

The table was silent, no one sure what to say or how to react. “I’m sorry,” she added. “So sorry. I didn’t know who they were. I didn’t know…” she whispered.

Quietly, Casimir whispered from across the table, “Bullshit.”

She looked up at him. “What did you say?”

“I said that’s bullshit. You’re sorry? You’re responsible for leading our enemies to our gates and you’re sorry ?” he seethed.

“Cas…” Raine attempted to interject.

“I was tricked.”

Cas leaned forward. “Tricked? You were blinded by your lust. By your own pride.”

“I was tortured . For weeks! You think I wanted that? Accuse me all you want, tell me I’m stupid and na?ve, that you loathe me, but there is nothing you can say to me I haven’t already said to myself.”

“Oh please,” Casimir continued. “You want us to feel sorry for you? The poor woman that got mixed up in that which she doesn’t understand and may be responsible for thousands of deaths?” He narrowed his eyes. “Those daemons came for you last night. They endangered the whole city.”

“Enough,” Thorne’s voice boomed through the dining hall. “Arguing will get us nowhere. Blaming Ava doesn’t change anything,” he said as he looked at the group. “You all know as well as I do the armies were already encroaching on our land. We haven’t been living in peace for over a hundred years.”

Ava leaned back and crossed her arms, holding back tears. She wasn’t going to let Casimir’s words make her cry in front of everyone. Raine reached under the table and squeezed her knee in support.

Thorne sighed. “We must learn who your parents were. Can you tell us more?”

“All I know is my grandfather and mother fled to the human world while she was pregnant with me,” she answered. “And I have an animal companion. ”

“You do?” Quinn looked at her with confusion.

“Yes. A small cat-like creature.”

“Luna? I think it’s safe to come out.”

Okay.

Luna leaped from a window where she had been hiding on the balcony and padded over to Ava. Ava scooted back her chair as Luna climbed into her lap and scanned the table.

The group looked at her with surprise. “So, you truly are fae,” said Thorne. “It’s hard to believe when you look so?—”

“Human,” Casimir finished.

She glared at him but didn’t respond.

“What’s her name? How did she get to your world?” Raine asked.

“Luna. All she told me was that she chose me before I was born and followed us there. She’d basically been in hiding until I made it back to the farm.”

Luna chirruped in confirmation.

The group was silent as they watched Thorne, waiting for him to say something. She looked back at Raine, seeking support, when his eyes widened as he grabbed her face between his hands.

“What?” she said.

“It’s not possible,” he whispered.

“What?” she asked, louder.

Standing up, he announced to the group, “You lot are idiots. I know who her parents are. I’ll be right back.” Then he disappeared from the room.

She turned to the rest of the table, feeling all eyes on her. “What’s going on?” she asked Jorrar.

He smiled at her. “Raine has a subtle ability to sense things. He isn’t a seer but sometimes things click for him while the rest of us are left in the dark.”

Right. She had forgotten about that though he had told her just yesterday .

Moments later, he returned carrying a large, framed piece of art he had turned around, its back facing the group. Luna jumped from Ava’s lap and sat down on the ground, watching curiously.

He walked up to Ava, scrutinizing her, and then flipped it around. “Do you recognize this person?”

It was a portrait of a woman. She had pointed ears and piercing green eyes. She was dressed in a regal gown and had a crown sitting atop her long golden hair. Ava reached out and touched the painting, tracing the lines of her face, as her eyes welled with tears.

She nodded. Her voice was barely audible as she answered, “That’s my mother.”

Several curses sounded from the table.

He set the portrait down and paced. “I knew it. It makes so much sense. No one ever found her body… it’s possible she was pregnant… that she escaped with her father…” He was rambling now.

Ava looked at the rest of the table. They were all watching her with surprise and disbelief on their faces. “What? Someone tell me who that is.”

Raine sat back down in his seat. “Look at Thorne,” he said.

She turned and realized Thorne had gotten out of his seat and was standing before her.

“Do you see any resemblance?” Raine asked.

Thorne grabbed her hand and knelt in front of her with a mix of awe and surprise in his eyes.

“I—” she looked at him. Truly looked. “Our eyes—” she sputtered. “They’re the same.”

Thorne nodded. “The woman in that portrait is Queen Aurelia.”

“Queen?” Ava asked. “Does that mean—” She couldn’t look away from Thorne, his eyes boring into hers.

She knew she was about to be hit with the answers she had been looking for all this time.

Her whole life she wanted to know who she was, why her mother had magic, why all the secrets.

Here she was, on the precipice of the answers, heart racing as she waited for someone to speak.

For someone to tell her what she so desperately needed to know, what that great truth that had been blooming inside of her was.

He nodded as his eyes filled with tears. Letting go of her hands, he gently cupped her face. “That you’re a princess,” he whispered. “And my sister.”