As I stared, I gasped when his fingers touched my temples. His dark eyes turned completely white as scenes appeared on the surface of them. A palace the size of a castle stood on a mountain top, the outside made of shimmering stained glass and trees. It was the palace I'd seen in the vision that Sarsia had shown me. From the outside, it was now grey, the tree limbs no longer a vibrant brown with bright green leaves forming the roof. All around the top of the mountain, a dark mulch bled out, covering the land, making it baron.
"I see it," I gasped.
A sadness crept over me, melting into my skin. Ever since I'd crossed over the border of the Althean land, I'd been feeling a familiarity, but seeing the palace destroyed made tears come to my eyes. "I can... feel it." It was as if the sadness wasn't fully mine.
"Being the heir to the Seelie throne means you are empathetic to the Seelie court. You can feel their sorrow, their pain." Sarsia laid a hand on my wrist as Larnika took his hands away and settled back on his stool. His eyes returned to normal as he sipped from his cup, unable to meet my gaze.
"You've lost so much," I said to him, unable to shake the pain that had come from him alone.
Staring at the table, Larnika refused to look at anyone.
Without thinking, I reached out and placed my hand on the crown of his head, palm down. He jolted at first, but quickly relaxed, his shoulders sinking slightly. A great sigh escaped him as pain lanced through me, causing me to rip my hand away.
"You..." Larnika looked at me, his eyes welling with tears as he swallowed hard. "...just took my pain away."
Trenton sat forward, a smile on his face. "You really are the Lost Queen."
Glancing around at the new people in my life, I blinked as they stared, their intense gazes making me squirm inside. "I'm not sure what you mean about taking pain away. I'm just a normal person. Although, I will admit that I am drawn to this place unlike I ever was my old village."
"Marli." Sarsia turned towards the other witch. "If you help us to find what we need to overthrow Jordeek, we promise to help you rescue your sister before we set off."
"Well then," Marli said as she got up from her stool and came to the table. "There's just one question that remains to assure my help."
Biting my lip, I waited for her to go on. I predicted what she was going to say, but I wasn't sure if I was prepared to do what they wanted.
"Will you, Layanna Fairling, the Lost Queen of Althea, request an audience with Jordeek to rescue my sister?”
Chapter Nine
"This is a senseless idea," I said as I ran alongside the boundary wall.
Larnika ran beside me, his long strides hard for me to keep up with. The bounce of his hair made me envy the simplicity of his cut. My own hair became tangled around my neck as I tried to hold my cloak so it didn't drag me back. Sarsia had magicked me a new dress and boots, all made from leather and versatile to move in. Unfortunately, the cold weather meant I had to keep my cloak around me, even when trying to get the attention of Jordeek's guards or pixies.
"There is a risk that they'll shoot us on sight," Larnika said as he huffed. "Let's hope they recognise you."
At first, I'd offered to go over the wall and into the Seelie Court lands, but the others had been insistent that Larnika be allowed to accompany me. I wasn't sure what they wanted me to say once with Jordeek, considering he would probably kill me on the spot, but they'd assured me that I would know what to do once in his presence. Sarsia had given me a script to follow, but I hadn't had a chance to read it properly before setting off. I was literally walking into the enemy's encampment unarmed.
"I'm not feeling very confident." My confession made Larnika stop in his tracks, catching my cloak and yanking me to a stand.
"Sarsia is so used to those of this world understanding how this works. I fear that she's sending you in too early, even with the escape spell."
The witch had provided us with a word that would transport us back to the cottage if we got into any trouble. I was apprehensive enough, let alone having to remember a specific word. And, who used the word Oinkhead to escape? It was certainly not anything I had ever heard before. When all this was over, I'd ask Sarsia to make up a better word. One that wouldn't make me think of pigs.
"Let me run through it again," I said, grasping Larnika's hands to ground me. "When we're captured, I immediately insist on an audience with the King."
Larnika nodded, a smile playing on his lips.
"Then," I breathed, trying to keep my composure when all my heart wanted to do was dance in my chest. "I'm to order the guards or pixies to allow you into the Court to protect me. Once inside, I need to bargain with Jordeek for the return of Laliya. Although, I have nothing to bargain with. How can I ask him to hand over a powerful witch for nothing in exchange?"
Shaking his head, Larnika pointed towards the distant land within the border of the wall. "They must have sensed us, they're on their way. You must read Sarsia's note when it comes to the bargain."
My eyes studied our surroundings. The palace sat on the top of a hillside mountain, but I couldn't see it from down here. The lands ran away from us, disappearing into what looked like a hazy fog.
Where Larnika had indicated, a group of riders galloped towards us. We hadn't been hiding, in fact, Sarsia had changed the colour of my cloak to red so that it could be noticeable amongst the trees. We had also been making a lot of noise by the border for the past hour. Getting the guards attention hadn’t been easy.
"You think that they will obey my orders because I'm the true heir, just like they did in the forest?"
Keeping his gaze on the guards as they approached, Larnika nodded. "Yes. We saw it plainly when Jordeek ordered his men to kill us, but you shouted for them to stop. They had no choice but to listen to you. That's because every Althean guard has sworn to protect the true ruler of the Seelie Court."
The thundering of hooves reached our ears as the men who had been in the woods just outside Remedia came nearer to the wall. My skin prickled as the head guard kept his gaze on us, his shorn hair revealing a bald scalp. He had been Jordeek's man in the forest, that much I remembered.
"Who goes there?" he shouted as I leant on the wall with my elbows, my chin resting on my hands.
They drew their horses up, the breath of the beasts moving my hair. I resisted the urge to back away when the head guard jumped down from his mount and came closer.
The Althean uniform was grand, the armour reflecting the sun. A big A was emblazoned on the breastplate, the red mark angry compared to the peace of the land around us.
"My name is Layanna, and I demand to see your king."
Before they could react, Larnika came out from behind a tree to stand by my side.
"And, you shall allow entrance to my friend, former guardsman, Larnika..."
My mind went blank as I tried to recall his surname, but he shook his head quickly, dismissing my worry.
The guards glanced at their leader, confusion written across their faces as he gestured for us to come over the wall.
"But, Jin, I mean, sir," one of the younger guards said. "Jordeek insisted that no one shall enter the realm. Under no circumstances."
Jin, that was the name of the man who had shot at me in the woods, I was sure of it. Although it had only been a few days ago, it felt like time had warped into another world. In a way, it had. I was currently standing on the border of a realm that I never knew existed. Witches were real. Fairies too. What next? Well, there couldn't be too many more surprises when it came to species.
"You may come onto the land of the Seelie Court," Jin said, ignoring his charge. His gaze turned amused, a grin crossing his face before he straightened it.
"You must secure our safety the whole time we're inside the boundary."
My order made him grit his teeth as he held his hand towards me. Placing my sweat-lined palm into his, I allowed him to help me over the wall. I couldn't reject his offer if I wanted to show them that I was the Lost Queen. I had to
trust that they would follow my orders, although it was a risk that sent chills down my spine, especially when Larnika jumped over the wall and faced his former brothers.
"Sir?" the younger guard started again.
Marching over to him, Jin grabbed his leg and hurled him off his horse. The mare backtracked, almost trampling the young guard. "Try to resist her request." Forcing him to his feet, he pushed him towards the other direction. "Go on! Go back to Jordeek without fulfilling her demand!"
The other guards watched them, their expressions full of confusion as they frowned. Not one of them challenged their leader. The young one must have been a new guard, untrained in the art of keeping the head of the guard happy.
As he went to walk away, he paused. Dragging his legs, he tried to move in the opposite direction with his horse, but he couldn't. The strain on his face made my chest clench. I hadn't meant to make him feel pain, but Jin's point was not only valid, it helped me to feel secure in the knowledge that Sarsia had been right about my ability to make them do what I wanted.
"Now!" Jin shouted. "Listen to the lady and do as you're told."
Going back to his horse, the head of the guards took a glass vial out of the leather satchel that was attached to the saddle. Uncorking it, he dropped a small fairy out, cursing when it flew up to his nose and irritated him. "Don't attack me, just do your job. Tell Jordeek that Layanna Fairling requests an audience-"
"On the grounds, not in the palace," I quickly interjected.
Screwing up his mouth, Jin recited my request, his hands clenched into fists at his side. "Tell him to meet us in the orchard."
Once the fairy flew away, Jin swung up into his saddle and ordered us to follow them. My hands started to shake as we traipsed over the lush green grass. There was no sign of the shroud here, but the burnt patches on the ground made sense now. The others had said that the fae sacrificed animals to try and appease Mother Earth. And, yet, surely she wasn't the one causing the shroud to spread?
"His Highness will be pleased to see you," Jin muttered when he dropped back from the front of the group. "I don't think he ever expected you to pay him a visit."
Glancing up at him sideways, I drew my cloak around myself tighter. The smirk he threw in my direction made my already uneasy stomach roll even more. If our plan went wrong, we would all be in danger.
Larnika was a banished fae, unable to enter Althea without me. And yet, the realm must be falling apart if Jordeek was struggling to control it.
"I can't say that I feel the same honour," I murmured, surprised at the tone that had laced my words.
If anyone had any doubt that I despised the man who had tricked me at the inn, it was now plainly obvious. I hadn't even realised how much I was starting to detest the man. The small part of decency that had made him bury my parents had obviously long gone. If a king could allow his people to die and permit the deaths to go ignored without investigation, he wasn't capable of ruling.
"Did you know that you're the first female heir of the Fairling line? Maybe that means you're not born to rule after all." Jin's sneer was wiped clean when I turned to him, my hand reaching out to grab his rein.
Halting his horse, I stared up at the horrid man. "Get down from your horse and walk."
His face screwed up as he tried to stay in the saddle. His fight only lasted a moment before his leg swung over, bringing him off the horse. I smiled to myself, unable to help the tiny spark of satisfaction that flared in the pit of my belly. If I could command these men, what was stopping me from using them to overthrow Jordeek? Surely without his men, he would be defenceless?
Once Jin walked in front of us, leading his horse behind him, I nudged Larnika with my elbow. The guards had glared at him at first, but they currently faced forward, their concentration on the track that appeared in front of us.
"Why can't I just use these men?" I whispered to Larnika when he bent down to allow me to speak in his ear.
"Because their loyalty to Jordeek might be enough to prevent them from hurting him. Yes, you can order them to do menial tasks now, but a man's betrayal without his permission can only be pushed so far. Plus, we're in the Seelie Court, but the Unseelie are everywhere, I can feel them. You cannot control anyone from that court."
And there went my genius plan. I would have to play peacemaker with the current King of Althea. At the same time, I wanted to see how powerful he really was. Maybe this meeting would give me that opportunity.
"Don't whisper back there," Jin shouted as we came to the brow of a hill.
A gasp escaped me as the land dipped before rising up into the hillside mountain. On the top of the hill sat the palace of Althea. The Seelie Court. A place I hadn't ever heard of before a few days ago, but the pang that seized my chest made me struggle for air.
Clumps of trees formed woods in the distance. Big estate houses sat in small valleys, the land around them vast. Who lived there? A village or two was visible in the distant, before the land started to slope up. Tracks lined the side of the mountain, providing access to the palace.
"Where is the orchard?" I asked Jin when he turned to me.
Waving away my question, he swept his arm in an arch in front of the view we were currently absorbing. "What do you think of the Seelie Court?"
The bright blue sky was interspersed with red streaks as the sun shone brightly. The greens and oranges of the trees and fields below brought tears to my eyes. The beauty of the land made me bite my lip. I had never seen such rich deep colours. Except for the palace, that was grey, just like in my vision.
"I can see by your expression that you're impressed. Well, let me tell you, Jordeek loves this land more than anything. You're going to have a hard time taking it back." Jin pointed to a tall stone wall just along the track.
It lined tall trees that led off into a clump of woods.
Moving in the direction he indicated, I glanced at Larnika. He shook his head once, warning me not to reply to Jin's comment. We couldn't give away our plans to anyone, let alone the head of the Althean Guard. It was obvious that he stuck by Jordeek, even in a time of uncertainty.
A metal gate guarded the way into the orchard. The bars showed the meadow with several trees. Apple and pears hung heavy on the boughs of the branches, weighing it down. The fruit gleamed abundantly as Jin unlocked the gate and allowed us entrance. Once inside, the sky turned a light pink. The blossom on some of the trees was iridescent pink to match, the pretty leaves bright green alongside it. The long grass caressed my legs under my skirt as I walked, my gaze too full of beauty to remember why I was there.
"This used to be my favourite place in Althea," Larnika whispered, taking my hand and shaking it to gain my attention. "Before the fruit killed my best friend.”
Having to shake myself of the spell that gripped me, I turned to Larnika as the guard formed a circle around us. "How could something so pretty kill someone?"
His eyebrow quirked as he tapped the end of my nose with a finger. "You really have led a sheltered life. My friend and I used to come here as children. When Pryon took over, he decided that he wanted it all to himself. As men who had not long been in the guard, we decided to defy the king, sneaking in to taste the forbidden fruit and relax in the calm grove. Pryon had cast a spell over the place, meaning that anyone who ate the fruit would perish. My friend ate his before I did mine, preferring to save it for later. He died in my arms in minutes."
My hand shot to my mouth, covering it as I swallowed the sound that wanted to erupt. How could a king do something so cruel because he wanted something all to himself?
"What is the meaning of this?" a voice bellowed as the guards around us parted.
Jordeek's horse strode into the orchard, slow but steady. His gaze landed on me as soon as his men revealed us. The roll of his eyes made me almost smile. Almost. The handsome man might think that he had power over me, but he was wrong. The bright grey of his eyes caught my attention. The sharp curve of his jaw was clenched as he climbed off his hor
se, his tall frame reaching the ground before his personal guard, who had ridden in with him.
"I'm here to bargain for Laliya," I announced, not giving him time to face me before I spoke.
With his back to me, he chuckled quietly. Not quietly enough, I still heard it. The man was the most arrogant I'd ever come across in my twenty years.
Turning, he strode into the circle, straight up to me. Swallowing, I stood my ground, not letting him intimidate me as he stared down into my face. My head bent to look up at him, my eyes meeting his gaze. His chest rose and fell at the same time as mine. His scent, masculine and unfamiliar, crept up my nose as we stood for a moment.
"We only want Laliya," Larnika said, breaking the spell that had caught us.
I licked my lips as Jordeek spun away from me to face my companion. Sadness still resounded inside me from the tale of Larnika's friend. It was as if I'd felt it myself, even though I never knew his best friend. Did that mean I physically felt the emotions of my people? Wait, no, they weren't my people. Sarsia had promised to find another heir once Jordeek was off the throne. I had to go back to my parents. My loving parents who had sacrificed a lot for my happiness, even though I wasn't their real child. Not that they had known that at the time.
"Larnika." Jordeek faced the man who used to be in his father's guard. "I see that you've wormed your way back into the realm of the Seelie Court. Are you impressed by my upkeep of the orchard? My father did love it so."
The sweep of his arm as he showed off the beauty of the orchard forced me to bite my tongue. The obvious poke at Larnika's loss would have to go ignored for now. I had a bargain to strike.
Smiling, Larnika cocked his head to the side. "Glamour always was one of your strong points, Jordeek. No doubt, under all the magic, every tree is as rotten as your father was... as you are."
All eyes were on the King as he stared at the trees that swayed gently in the breeze.
The sniping between the pair didn't go ignored. Guards were waiting for their orders, their gaze firmly on their leader.
Shrouded Kingdom Page 8
