by Bex Taylor
“Lina, tell me what has panicked you so much?”
“My… Senka,” Lina corrected herself. “I have been talking to some of the other servants in the palace, and I thought you would like to hear the whisperings that have been gathering in the halls.”
Senka gave Lina an uncertain look. She was aware of the gossip that ran amongst the servants. Normally she wouldn’t pay any attention to it. The servants needed something to pass their time and make their work more bearable, though they had never been poorly treated in the court. At least not when her father and mother had been alive, Senka knew her brother wasn’t so forgiving of them. The slightest mistake and Oran would punish them.
“Lina, you know I pay little attention to the whisperings of the servants. Why would you think I will listen to this one?” Senka asked.
“Because it is about the death of King Dritan,” Lina replied.
Despite the warm evening, Senka felt a sudden chill rush through her. It was no secret that the death of the king hadn’t been an accident. But Oran had yet to reveal anything about the investigation he was supposed to be doing into the death. Senka assumed it was because he had been too busy sorting out his coronation. She wondered if Oran had even started digging around. It wouldn’t surprise if he hadn’t. He had become too self-absorbed since their father had died.
“Tell me what you have heard,” Senka pushed.
Lina hesitated, and Senka could see the battle that was raging within her friend. Whatever Lina had heard wasn’t good, and Senka could feel the shadows of dread creeping to the surface of her mind.
“Lina, speak your mind,” Senka ordered, her voice strained with concern.
“They say that Prince Oran had your father murdered.”
Silence settled over the sea gardens. Senka could have sworn she heard the mutterings of the kings long dead. Feel the eyes of their statues watching her. Waiting to see how she would react to this news. Senka didn’t know what to think. If this was true, then was she in trouble too? If Oran had killed their father, she could only assume it was for power. Oran was cruel, but Senka had never imagined that he would be capable of such a plan.
“Where have they heard these rumours?” Senka asked.
“From the stable nymphs. They claim they heard a conversation between two of the guards. They had been paid off by the prince to kill the king on the hunt that day, but to make it look like an accident,” Lina explained.
Senka let out a long breath, her mind a mess of thoughts.
“I know what I am telling is treason and that we can get into a lot of trouble by speaking of this, but I felt you had the right to know what was being said about the prince.”
Senka flashed Lina a slight smile. She knew Lina wouldn’t have told her about this is if she didn’t believe it to be true. Lina rarely listened to the gossip. Like Senka, she had never been interested in the petty rumours about the palace officials or others from the different courts. But this was different. She believed what she heard, and that worried Senka more than the rumour itself.
“Do you believe them?” Senka asked.
Lina nodded, confirming Senka’s suspicions.
“You took a great risk coming to tell me this. I need you to track down where this source of information is coming from and tell them to keep quiet. If they get found out, my brother will kill them. It is treason to speak out against the prince like this,” Senka told her.
“I understand. I will speak with them now. What will you do?” Lina asked.
Senka glanced at the statue of her father. If her brother had planned to have him murdered, she would have to find the proof so that Oran would be punished for it. But if the prince was found guilty, he would be exiled, and it would leave the throne empty and the summer court venerable. There was no other heir, except herself. And she knew she would not be accepted as Queen. Tradition would not allow it.
“I will speak with my brother. If nothing else, I need to know the truth. If he had our father killed, I want to know why. Oran had never shown any interest in the throne. He was in no hurry to take the responsibility that comes with it. He barely manages the work of a prince. It doesn’t make sense why he would murder our father to take power. There must be another reason, or your sources are lying. In which I won’t be able to protect them if my brother finds out how I came to know of this accusation.” Senka replied.
“You must be careful too, Senka. He could just as easily accuse you of treason for even confronting him about this,” Lina pointed out.
“He wouldn’t dare do anything to me. I am more favoured than he is amongst the other courts. He needs me to keep the peace between them. But he won’t hesitate in coming after you. You need to promise me you will keep quiet and be sure to cover your tracks so that he doesn’t suspect that it was you that spoke to me of this,” Senka said.
Lina nodded in understanding, then she turned and left the courtyard. Senka watched her go. Taking a deep breath, she stood and made her way slowly back inside the palace in search of her brother.
3
Lina made her way quickly through the halls of the palace towards the stables. She needed to speak with Ash before he dared say anything to anyone else. She was fairly certain that the wood faerie wouldn’t be that careless, but she couldn’t be too careful. The walls had ears in the summer palace. Fae seemed to know what was going on without the need for word of mouth.
Lina stepped into the hay barn, eyes scanning the small room, not finding anyone there she turned, running straight into the hard body of Ash.
“What are you doing back here?” Ash greeted her.
“I need to talk to you,” Lina replied.
Ash frowned, but stepped fully into the small room, closing the door behind him.
“No-one will come in here for a while,” he assured her.
His words didn’t ease Lina’s nerves as she walked around the room, checking every corner, feeling along the walls, being sure that there was no way for them to be heard.
“Lina, you’re making me nervous. Will you tell me what’s wrong?” Ash asked her.
Lina took a deep breath, before turning to face the wood faerie. She had always liked Ash. He was the head groom at the stables. His gentle nature with the horses and his understanding of their needs made him a rare light in the twisted court. She trusted him with so much, had confided in him, and she had come to care for him. She wondered if he cared for her too. But that was a question for another day. Lina needed to know how much he knew about the murder of the summer king. She couldn’t bare to think of him suffering because he knew too much. If Ash was the one that had overheard the guards, he would have to leave the palace.
“I know about the murder. I heard one of my girls talking about it. She said that she heard it from a wood nymph from the stables. Please tell me that your staff didn’t hear it from you. Please tell me you don’t know what’s going on,” Lina begged him.
The look on Ash’s face filled her with dread. Confirming her fears. He knew.
“How much do you know?” Lina asked him.
“More than you have been told. I didn’t tell my staff. They heard from the guards. But I know enough, because prince Oran told me his plans. I didn’t agree, but I had no choice to obey. The lives of my family were on the line. So, I poisoned the food they carried for the king's horse. The guards then feed the horse the apples, and that was how he was brought down, and landed on the king when the king fell,” Ash explained.
Lina cursed loudly, taking a seat on a hay bale. She hadn’t expected Ash to have been part of the plan. She understood why he had gone through with it. She knew how close he was to his family. But he had admitted to her what he had done. This put him in danger.
“That’s not all.”
“What do you mean?”
“The bottle that the poison was in, has the DNA of the princess all over it. The palace potions master is twisted, and loyal to the prince. He doesn’t hesitate in doing anything he is asked too. He wo
ve the DNA of the princess into the glass of the bottle. To make it look like she gave me the poison. I was told to wear gloves when putting the poison on the apples. I was watched by the potions master. The bottle handed back to him as soon as I was done. Oran plans to expose his sister at his coronation, and then she will be killed for treason.”
Lina felt panic race through her as she listened to what Ash was telling her. Senka had gone to speak to her brother about what Lina had told her earlier. What she didn’t know was that she was the one being blamed for her father’s death. This would devastate Senka, and Lina would not let her die for a lie. There had to be a way that she could convince Senka to leave. Lina had to find her before she confronted Oran.
“Ash, I need to ask you something. If I can get the princess out of here before this comes out, will you leave with us?”
“Yes. I can’t stay. Not now. Not now that I have told you the truth. Get her out and meet me on the edge of the grounds. You will find me hidden in the forest. I will have three of our best horses ready,” Ash promised her.
Lina leant up to place a gentle kiss to his cheek.
“Princess Senka will forgive you for your part in this. She will make sure your family is safe. But you can’t stay here.”
Lina went to leave, but Ash grabbed her arm, forcing her to look back at him.
“Tell me, is it true? Does the princess wield the power of shadow?”
“If I was to say it was true, would you fear her?” Lina asked.
“No, I would swear to protect her. She isn’t the monster here. The summer prince is the one we should fear,” Ash replied honestly.
Lina gave him a weak smile, pulling her arm from his grip.
“Stay safe, Ash. We will meet you in the wood as soon as we can,” Lina promised him.
She left quickly, making her way back across the grounds towards the castle. A serving maid called out to her, but Lina ignored her. She didn’t have time to deal with petty questions. She needed to find Senka before she spoke with her brother.
Lina started the climb up the winding staircase in a hope to find Senka in her rooms, when a voice stopped her.
“Lina. I’m glad I have found you.”
Lina let her a sigh of relief as she turned to greet her friend.
“Princess Senka. I was just looking for you,” Lina greeted her, dipping into a curtsey.
“You’ve found me. Walk with me, Lina. I was just heading to my rooms after failing to find my brother.”
“You haven’t spoken to the prince yet?”
Senka shook her head, the two of them splitting to let two maids rush past with their hands full of more decorations for the palace.
“No. He seems to have hidden himself away from the bustle of preparations for his coronation. Not that I’m surprised. He never was one to put the work in, even if it is for his benefit.”
Simple conversation while they were walking through the public halls of the palace. Lina knew Senka longed to know what she had discovered on her trip to the stables, but they couldn’t risk speaking about it while walking to her rooms.
Once they were in the safety of Senka’s chambers, Senka turned to Lina.
“What did you find out?”
“We need to get you out of the palace now. Ash is waiting for us in the woods with three horses-”
“The wood faerie? Why would he be waiting for us? Why would he be needing to come with us? What did he tell you, Lina?”
“They have set you up. Your brother has staged it so that you are seen as the murderer. He has the proof. He plans to expose you at his coronation-”
“Well, isn’t this interesting? I thought I was only going to have you to kill, sister. But it seems I have two of your little minions too. I do like the element of surprise.”
Lina spun at the sound of Oran’s voice, finding Ash being gripped by two of his guards. No doubt the ones that had helped him kill the king. She should have known the conversation between them hadn’t been safe. That there would have been someone listening close by. Ash send he an apologetic look. She shook her head slightly. It wasn’t his fault, and by the looks of it he had fought his capture.
Oran flicked his hand, a gust of wind closing the doors to the chambers. The windows slamming shut too, blocking any route of escape.
“Seize her,” Oran ordered the other two guards in the room.
Lina cried out, attempting to fight the powerful grips of the guards. She knew she wouldn’t win, but she wasn’t about to let Senka fight alone. She stopped when she noticed her friend’s eyes. They were no long the sea-blue of the summer court, instead they swirled the colour of darkness. Lina could have sworn she saw shadows lick at Senka’s feet. Lina realised she had no idea the extent of Senka’s powers. She was certain no-one did not even Senka. Oran didn’t seem to notice, or if he did, he ignored it as he spoke.
“It seems, sister, that we need to talk, and come to some kind of agreement. Don’t you think?”
4
Senka could feel her body tremble. Not from fear, but from pure rage at what Lina had just told her. She glanced at the wood faerie held between the two guards. His face battered from where he had fought them. Her gaze moved to where Lina was being held, her eyes wide as she watched Senka. Was she afraid? Senka knew that her darkness was threatening to expose itself. Could feel the shadows draw in, hear their words of promise. They were ready to defend her should they need too, and she knew she could control them. That they would listen if she told them to let Lina and Ash live.
“Is it true? What Lina was about to tell me. Is it true?” Senka asked.
Oran sent her a dark smile as he made his way over to the table by the window. He picked up the fresh teapot and poured himself a cup. Senka watched him, barely able to control the anger building inside. She wanted to strike him down. To wipe the smirk off his face. But she knew she had to wait. She needed answers first. Oran had no idea the power that lay dormant within her. Senka didn’t even know the true extent of it. But she was willing to find out if it meant escaping the palace and saving her life and the lives of Ash and Lina.
“Answer my question, Oran,” Senka snapped.
“You don’t give me orders. I am your king, you will do well to remember that, sister,” Oran snarled.
“You killed our father, and you planned for me to be blamed. You haven’t denied it. So, tell me why you did it? You have never wanted the throne. And you aren’t ready for it. How much have you promised these guards to keep your secret? To lie?”
“Our father betrayed the summer throne by keeping you here. By harbouring a darkness that has no place in Colar. You belong with the unseelie. You belong in the shadows. He kept you here. Treated you like his own daughter, despite the fact our mother slept with an unseelie official. She dirtied the bed of the king. She was nothing but a whore-”
A crack echoed around the room as Senka connected her hand with Oran’s face. The shadows were prominent now. Creatures of all shapes and sizes stalking the room, ready to attack.
“Never speak of our mother like that. How dare disgrace the memories of our parents. They loved you. They loved both of us. They let you get away with so much, and this is how you repay them. Did you murder our mother, too?”
Oran stood, holding a hand to his cheek. He was shaking with fury, but Senka didn’t care. She had her soldiers, and she knew they were stronger than any of Oran’s minions.
“I didn’t have to kill mother. The fates took her. But if they hadn’t, I would have done. Colar needs a new king. A new royal family. One that is not tainted with unseelie evil. None of you deserved to claim your right to the throne,” Oran spat.
“How? How did you find out?” Senka hissed.
“I have ears everywhere, sister. There are so many people within these walls that have never trusted my father or you. I always thought there was something different about you. That you didn’t truly belong in the summer court. So, you can imagine the joy when one of my guards came to me
after overhearing Lina speaking with father. Father making her promise to look after you. Begging her to not hurt you, because she is the only person who wouldn’t fear your power.”
Senka glanced at Lina. The look of guilt on her friend’s face broke her. She wanted Lina to know that this wasn’t her fault. That Senka would never blame her for the truth coming out. But she knew Lina would carry this guilt with her for the rest of her life.
“You won’t get away with this, Oran. The truth will always come out, eventually.”
“And how will it, Senka? The only people that know the truth are in this room. Anyone else who may have heard the odd rumour won’t be careless enough to speak of it. They fear what I will do to them if they do,” Oran said, stepping round her and moving towards Ash. Senka noticed a blade dancing on an invisible wind just above his hand. “Now, I am going to kill your friends, and you will watch. And then once I have done that, I will take you to the jails below and there you will wait till my coronation. Where I will expose what you truly are to the rest of Dresha. And then let’s see who will side you with then, sister.”
Senka felt it then, the pull of the darkness as it weaved its way into her soul. Felt as it destroyed what little light had been left since her father had died. The scream that echoed through her mind as Lina begged Oran not to kill Ash. The cry of anger as Ash fought against the guards. The glint of the dagger swirling above her brother’s hand. Waiting for its order to slice the neck of the wood faerie and drain him of his life. All triggering her own rage. Oran would get his deaths, but they would not be in the form of Lina and Ash.
“Kill the guards, harm my brother, but let Ash and Lina live. They are our friends, and we need them to survive this,” Senka ordered her shadows in a silent communication.
She felt them hum in understanding. As Oran twisted his hand, ready to guide the dagger across Ash’s neck, Senka let out a feral cry, lifting her arms to the ceiling, before bringing them down in a cross, pulling them apart, opening her hands and releasing all the power that had laid dormant within her for years. Oran let out a startled cry, as one of the shadows grabbed him and slammed against the wall. His cry turned to bloodcurdling screams, but Senka knew that the shadow would not kill him. Her attention turned to the guards, she watched as they dropped their prisoners. Screaming in terror and pain as the shadows swirled around them, disappearing into their bodies through their open mouths. The four guards dropped to the floor, convulsing. Veins of black crawling over the body, the darkness destroying every bit of their soul. Drawing out the last breaths. She felt the monsters grow stronger as they drained the souls of the guards. Senka understood how her power would be fed. How her monsters would thrive. She would destroy the souls of all the officials that had doubted her family. The guards who helped kill her father.
