by Dyan Chick
"Hurry up," one of the guards said as he tugged on my arm.
I glanced up at him, but hardly even registered what he looked like. All the guards seemed to be blending into a blur of burgundy and gold. My vision felt like it was swimming with color and I was struggling to focus on anything around me.
"Ease up," someone said. "You're going to kill her at this rate. The Queen wants her alive."
The mention of the Queen sent a pang through me that cut through the hazy feeling. I stopped walking and turned to the guard on my right. "We're going to the Queen?"
His brow furrowed. "Where else would the Queen's guard take you?"
"Where are we?" I asked.
He shook his head and tugged my arm, forcing me forward.
Feeling more alert than I had since hitting the invisible wall, I looked around and noticed that we weren't headed for the road. We were trudging through the tall grass. Ahead, I saw a large black gate standing in the middle of the tall grass. Had that always been there or had it just appeared? There was nothing else around. I would have noticed a gate in the middle of a field.
As we drew nearer to the gate, some of the guards ran ahead and to my surprise, the gate began to open.
"Are we at the palace?" I asked, already knowing the answer. The invisible wall I'd encountered hadn't been an entry to the Winter Court, it was a barrier hiding the Queen's Palace. Cormac's insistence that we approach the palace and seek a formal invitation made a bit more sense now. I wasn't even sure how you'd find the entrance if you weren't invited.
As the guards half pushed me through the opening, I wondered if I'd been dropped here on purpose. If Tiana had done something to prevent Cormac from reaching this place, had he been able to send me along on his own?
The gates swung closed behind us with a clank and as soon as I heard the sound, the field we were standing in vanished. We were now standing in an open stone paved receiving area. A row of stables was on my right. To my left were several carriages and carts parked in a line. Fae walked back and forth through the space with purpose, not even pausing to gaze at the newcomers. All of them were wearing the burgundy and gold that I'd come to associate with Tiana. Perhaps they weren't her guards in the first place. She must have borrowed guards from the Queen.
In the distance, I saw a towering gray stone castle. We were still a fair distance from it, but we were here. A sobbing sound escaped my mouth as a mixture of relief and fear tumbled through me. I wanted to meet the Queen. I wanted to ask her if Tiana's words were correct. Was the Queen really my mother? It would explain so much. But I was afraid of how she'd react after my experiences with Tiana.
We walked past the stables and the rows of carriages until we reached another gate. This one was connected to a wall that enclosed the castle beyond. At the gate, two guards waited at attention.
"We've got a prisoner for interrogation," the guard holding me said.
"Prisoner?" I realized I'd never explained myself or asked what they were planning to do with me. "No. I'm here to see the Queen."
The guard holding me looked like he was holding back a laugh, but didn't respond to my words. "We'll take her to the holding cell."
"No," I said. "No cell. Take me to the Queen, now."
The guard tugged my arm, pulling me closer to him. "We don't take orders from traitors."
"I'm not a traitor. I don't understand what's happening," I said. "Please, I just need to speak to the Queen."
"I understand you have a prisoner to process?" a new voice asked.
I looked up at the gate to see a guard standing behind the gate. "I'm not a prisoner."
He lifted an eyebrow. "Where did you find this female?"
"She slid right in front of the Palace entrance and then called to a dozen Somalis. I think she meant to attack the Queen," the guard holding me said.
"Open the gate," the new guard said.
"Please," I tried again, "I'm here to see the Queen."
"I know you are," the new guard said. "And you will. Let her go. You all return to your posts. I'll take her from here."
"You want to take the glory from me?" the guard holding me tugged my arm so hard I grunted against the strain.
"Let go of me," I said.
"Let her go, private," the new guard said.
Reluctantly, the private let go of my arm. "Yes, General."
"My lady, I apologize for the reception you received, the Queen is ready to see you now." The General inclined his head.
I heard the gasps and shuffling feet behind me as the guards who had collected me backed away from the General. Not looking back at them, I walked through the gate.
The General offered his elbow to me and I accepted. "Thank you."
"You're welcome, My Lady," he said. "I'm afraid your existence is a secret. Only three of us knew you lived. Less than ten knew you were even born."
My jaw dropped open at his words. "You know who I am?"
"Of course," he said. "I arranged the payments to your father to keep you hidden."
I stopped walking. "You did that? For how long?"
He turned to look at me. "From the day Nani arrived. She didn't exactly look human when she first arrived in the human realm."
My chest tightened. "He knew the whole time? You were paying him the whole time?"
"With bonuses every year on your birthday," the General said.
My throat tightened. I'd never been treated the same as Rose. And he was in a rush to marry me off before her, but I didn't realize he'd known for so long. All this time, the wealth he had, the status he was buying, the business decisions and closed-door meetings had been a lie. "How much money?"
"Enough to keep you happy and cared for," he said.
"Enough to help my father climb the social ladder," I grumbled.
"None of that matters now," he said. "Now, you're here. Everything is about to change for you."
"It already has," I said.
"Come, time for you to meet the Queen."
I took slow breaths in and out and focused on setting one foot in front of the other as I walked alongside this stranger. That was what my life had become. A series of exchanges with strangers. Even the family I'd thought were mine were strangers now. My heart ached for someone who would make me feel like I wasn't so alone. I needed my princes.
I stopped walking again. "I was with the Autumn Prince and the Winter Prince when I was sliding. Something happened. Have you heard any word on them?"
"No," the General said. "But I'll ask for you."
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Knots twisted in my stomach, my palms were damp, and my heart beat thundered in my ears. We were stopped now in front of a set of large double doors that reminded me that I was about to meet the ruler of Faerie and even if she was blood, I still felt like a nobody.
I glanced down at my muddy dress and took in the dirt in my fingernails. I was sure my hair was nothing but tangles and probably full of enough twigs and leaves to make a bird’s nest. I didn't look the part of a lady, let alone Princess.
I wanted to say something to the General standing beside me but I couldn't form my thoughts into coherent speech. He gave a subtle nod to the guard stationed on either side of the doors and they were swung open to reveal a stunning throne room.
Dark polished wood floors spanned the expansive room all the way back to a raised platform on the opposite end. A single, large gold and ruby encrusted throne held a female Fae in a gold dress. Her blonde hair was arranged on top of her head in a perfect spiral of curls and twists that would have made Nani proud. A gold crown rested among her curls, glinting in the light.
I couldn't help but smile a little thinking of all the times Nani had done my hair in a similar way to this. It must've been her way of keeping a little bit of my heritage with me even though I hadn't known about it. My thoughts of my maid, my closest confidant, were bittersweet. I still missed her greatly and I wondered if I'd be able to send someone for her now that I had connections to the
Queen. Even though the thought of Nani had brought a smile to my face, the stern expression on the Queen in the throne in front of me had not shifted.
I hadn't realized that I was walking, keeping pace with the General beside me, growing steadily closer to the stranger in front of me. When I was a few steps away from the throne, she stood and descended the stairs on the platform until she was on the same ground as me. She was my height, with the same blue eyes and gold hair. By appearance alone, there was little I could do to deny the strong resemblance. My human mother had resembled me, and so had my human sister. I found out it was possible my magic had worn off on them changing their appearance the longer they lived with me. This time, there was no such possibility.
The Queen seemed to study me, her eyes darting up and down as she walked around me in a slow circle. I tensed under her gaze, balling my hands into fists as discomfort wormed its way through me. I felt like I was already a disappointment. Was that why she had sent me away? I tightened my jaw and tried to remind myself of what Tiana had said. She mentioned that Queens were not allowed to have children. The fact that she had sent me away, was not because I displeased her, it was because she was preventing someone like Tiana from killing me. My chest swelled with gratitude. Despite the disapproving expression on her face, this was someone who had tried to keep me alive. I knew protocol would dictate that I let her speak first, but words tumbled out. "Is it true?"
The Queen stopped in front of me, hands clasped in front of her. She lifted her chin, giving her an even more confident stature than she had had. "I wish you would not have come."
Those were not the words I expected to hear from her. Hadn't she sent me away from my own protection? Didn't that mean she cared for me? "I don't understand."
Suddenly, her expression shifted again and she looked exhausted. "Queens are forbidden from having children. So I had to send you away or have you killed. That lousy human man who raised you was supposed to keep you hidden away in his home until you came of age."
"I heard him talking," I said. "He was about to marry me off. Told my future husband he’d make even more money if he kept me prisoner." I had thought that whoever was paying my father had only paid for the wedding. Now, I knew he'd been paid my whole life.”
"He was supposed to keep you in his home until you turned twenty, then he was free to marry you off. I knew that if you were anything like me, your magic would be triggered by stress. Even in the human realm, where it's harder for magic to show through, someone with all four Courts worth, the magic would have a hard time masking it in situations where they felt at risk. An arranged marriage probably made you quite anxious, am I right?"
I nodded.
"That man was an idiot," she said. "Forcing you into marriage jumpstarted your powers which attracted the beasts that came after you." She shook her head.
"How do you know all this?" I asked, feeling a little hurt. If she had known about the attack on my wedding day, why hadn't she intervened sooner? Why put me through everything I had been through?
"Three days ago, my old handmaid found her way back to me. So I started to search for you. Imagine my surprise when I found out you'd ended up in the Winter Court," she smirked.
My heart leaped. "Nani?"
"Yes," she said.
"She's here?" I asked.
"Yes." She put her hand out, indicating that she wanted me to wait. "Before you say anything more, you will be able to see her, but not right now. Right now, we need to discuss some things."
I nodded, thinking of all the unanswered questions floating in my mind. Though, there was one thing that stood out more than anything else, a single question burning inside me with such intensity that it was painful.
As if she could sense my thoughts, the Queen's brow furrowed. "What is it?"
"My friends," I said. "I don't know where they are."
She turned to the General.
"She was accompanied by both the Winter and Autumn Prince before she fell. They were sliding together," he said.
"And your sister," I added. "I think she's the one at fault for causing my fall. She..."
The Queen's expression darkened. "Hold that thought. We'll discuss your test in private. Not here."
I swallowed, wondering if I should have pressed on more about Tiana's attempt to kill me. Pursing my lips, I lowered my eyes, feeling defeated. I knew there were protocols in royal courts. And I knew there was danger in accusing someone high ranking of any wrong doing, even if they were guilty. I'd been raised to believe that speaking about family was a private conversation regardless of rank.
"The princes?" I asked. "I was traveling with the Spring and Summer princes as well, but they stayed behind to take care of a tear they found to the Under. I'd like to know if they're all safe."
The Queen turned from me, back to her General. "Find out whatever you can on the four princes and report back to me immediately. We'll be in my private chambers."
She turned to me. "This way."
I followed, feeling some of the tension releasing now that I knew the whereabouts of the princes was being looked into. I wanted them to be safe. I needed them to be safe. The longer I stayed apart from them, the more anxious I was feeling. Hopefully, I'd be reunited with them soon.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
We took turn after turn down long hallways. Past closed doors, sitting rooms, a music room, and what looked like a ballroom. Finally, we stopped at an unsuspecting closed door at the end of a dark hallway. It seemed like we were in a seldom used part of the castle, away from most of the activity.
"Wait here," the Queen said to the guards who had followed us. Then, she opened the door and stepped inside.
I followed her into a simple sitting room. Rough wood floors were covered in burgundy and gold rugs. Two oversized tan chairs faced a fireplace, a small table in between them.
The Queen settled into one of the chairs and gestured for me to sit in the other. I obliged, a shiver running through me as I recalled a similar meeting with Tiana.
A knock sounded on the door and the Queen and I both turned.
"Come in," she called.
A blue dressed servant stepped into the room, a tray with a teapot, cups, and a few sweets in her hands. She kept her eyes on the ground as she walked into the room. After setting the tray on the small table between us, she curtseyed. "Will that be all, Majesty?"
The Queen waved her hand dismissively. "Yes, that's all."
"Thank you," I called after the servant.
The Queen's brow furrowed, but she didn't comment on my words. Instead, she poured two cups of tea. After adding a cube of sugar to hers, she took it in her hands and leaned back causally against the chair. "This is my private space. Nobody is allowed in here without my permission."
I took the other cup of tea and tried to find a comfortable position. "It's nice."
"If you'd believe it, this is much more similar to what I grew up with. The rest of the castle can sometimes be overwhelming." She took a sip of her tea. "I can't even imagine how you feel right now."
"Overwhelmed is a good way to describe it," I said.
"It's about to get worse," she said.
My shoulders fell. "What do you mean?"
"You already know that the Queen isn't allowed to have children," she said.
"I do. Your sister tried to kill me. Said you lied to her about killing me," I said.
She sighed and shook her head. "I should have seen that coming. I'm sorry I sent her. She will be punished. But right now, you have more concerning things to worry about."
"More concerning than someone who thinks I should be dead?" I asked.
"She won't be the only one coming for you," the Queen said.
"There were others," I admitted. "In the Winter Court. They wanted to know about Queen's Trial. They were insane."
She nodded. "And they will continue to be a threat to you."
"How do I convince them I have no interest in being Queen? I don't want that. I just
want to live in peace," I said.
"They'll never let you live in peace," she said. "Not with the power in your veins. Anyone who wins Queen's Trial will put a price on your head as soon as she's in power."
"So what am I supposed to do? Spend the rest of my life running?" I asked.
"Yes, until they kill you. Or..."
"Or what?" I asked, already knowing I'd take that option. I didn't want to be running for the rest of my life, hunted by people who thought I was a threat.
"You win Queen's Trial. You win, you become Queen, you're no longer a threat."
My blood ran cold. "I don't want to be Queen."
"You don't have a choice," she said.
I squeezed the teacup in my hands, feeling the warmth seeping into my palms.
"You'll have to choose escorts to run with you." She took another sip of her tea.
"What do you mean?" I hadn't even decided if I was really able to run. I didn't even know what it entailed.
"Each Queen needs supporters; confidants. At least one male who will eventually rule by your side should you win."
Another knock sounded at the door and the Queen turned. "Enter."
I kept my eyes fixed on the empty fireplace in front of me, processing everything I'd just been told.
"Your Majesty," the General's voice carried through the room and I turned, hoping to hear word on my princes.
Standing in the entryway to the room were Ethan, Dane, Cormac, and Tristan. They were all here. They were all safe.
I dropped the teacup in my hand and was out of my chair before the cup hit the ground. Overjoyed to see them all alive, I ran to the door, my arms spread wide.
Four males crashed into me, surrounding me with warmth as their bodies pressed against mine. Someone kissed the top of my head and someone brushed the loose strands of hair from my face. I couldn't tell whose arms were whose or who was pressing into which part of me. I didn't care. I felt like I could breathe again.
