“I don’t remember asking you,” Elaina’s father snapped, glaring at the young man.
“My lady.” The king stepped forward before any other awkward conversations could ensue. Elaina hadn’t thought it possible, but even the two steps he had taken to close the gap between them made him seem even more . . . well, enormous. “It is good to finally meet the young diplomat I’ve heard so much of in my travels.” He held out his hand.
Surprised at the humility of the gesture from the most powerful king in the realm, Elaina automatically extended her own hand. The king bowed to kiss it. But as soon as they’d touched, he stiffened, and a hot ripple of energy shot from his hand into hers.
Elaina started, and King Everard’s head snapped up again. But this time, his gray eyes searched hers unabashedly, almost frantically. Actual blue flames danced within them, she realized. Could that have been what caused such a shock?
Her father cleared his throat. “I have had refreshments prepared for us in more private quarters. Does that sound pleasing to Your Majesty?”
King Everard straightened and turned to him, his face stern and composed once again. “That sounds excellent, Admiral.”
Lewis led the way, and once King Everard followed with his small entourage of two guards, Elaina’s father turned to her and offered her his arm, which she took. Leaning down, he whispered, “What was that about?”
I don’t know, she mouthed, relieved he didn’t want to discuss Davies, although she was sure she would hear about that later.
Once everyone was seated for supper around her father’s heavy wooden table, which had been bolted to the floor for safety in turbulent waters, Elaina found herself more relaxed and nearly wiggling with excitement. She had dreamed of this day for years. To hear the king of legend recount his adventures himself, rather than hearing them from fifth- and sixth-hand sources, was sheer delight. To make the eve even more perfect, she was seated just to his left. She would have to remember to thank her father for that.
As everyone else got settled and proper introductions were made, Elaina studied him as discreetly as she could. To her surprise, there was a bit more silver in his golden hair than she had expected, and more stress lines at the corners of his eyes and mouth. She had known him to be just a few years younger than her father, of course, so this shouldn’t have come as a shock. But perhaps it was his massive arms and chest that had at first suggested more youth, for he was far fitter than any young man she had ever met. Either way, sitting next to such a man might have been disconcerting if she hadn’t known him to be a man with a large heart as well.
He was also quieter than she had expected, asking questions of those around him that he seemed to know would take some time to answer. How had her father come to command Ashland’s flagship at such a young age? As the king’s favorite admiral, how did he choose his crew? What was Lewis’s homeland? How had Elaina enjoyed growing up on the sea? Every question seemed carefully crafted to allow him as little speech as possible. With one hand on his chin and the other at his elbow, King Everard drew the life story out of everyone in the room without sharing a single personal detail about himself.
Elaina might have called him brooding, except that she could see him using his silence to study every inch of the ship and its crew. From the cook to the crewmen acting as servers, to her father and Lewis and anyone else who stepped inside the large cabin. And though he didn’t openly stare at her the way he did the others, Elaina got the feeling he was watching her more closely than the rest of them combined.
But why?
All she could imagine was that it had something to do with the strange jolt that had passed between them when they’d first touched. She was tired of guessing, though, by the time the second course was served, so she put on her most diplomatic air and waited for a break in the conversation.
“I must admit, Your Majesty, I have done all I can to learn of your adventures and military exploits, but many of the stories seem incomplete.” Why did she sound so shy? So girlish? Elaina wasn’t shy.
“The young lady is interested in military politics?” King Everard turned his fiery gaze back to her.
“Politics are interesting, my lord, but your adventures intrigue me the most.” Unable to help herself, she leaned forward. “Is it true that you have power over flame and illness alike?”
“I can create flame, yes.” He turned his right hand palm up, and a small tongue of flame leapt into the air. “And my flame can be used to heal most illnesses.”
Elaina thought she might pass out from pure elation.
“But flame is simply the way the Maker’s power manifests in me personally. My eldest son has this power as well, though his flame is slightly different than mine.” For the first time, he broke out in a grin. “My wife’s power is completely other, though, and a good deal more terrifying.”
“I had the pleasure of meeting Prince Henri not long ago in Maricanta,” Elaina said. She wanted to ask him about the gifts of his other children, but sensed that he kept such affairs rather private, as the two youngest Fortiers were well known for being hidden from the public eye.
“I was glad to hear it when he told me.” He leaned forward and studied her again, the blue flame in his eyes dancing wildly. “But the Maker gives many gifts, and all can be fierce when used for the right reasons.” He gave Elaina a sweeping glance from head to toe. “No matter what size the gift recipient.”
Elaina rolled her shoulders back and tried to sit taller, daring a look at her father, who was staring uneasily at his supper. Was the king that perceptive? Or had Elaina’s secret finally gotten out?
“Your Majesty,” her father said as one of the crewmen cleared his plate. “I have word that no other ship is nearby save ours. My men will notify me if any others break the horizon. I suggest we begin our business while the sea is at rest.”
King Everard nodded, and Elaina sighed. So much for getting to hear first-hand accounts of her childhood hero. King Everard was more of a mystery now than he had ever been.
* * *
As soon as the table was cleared and the crew members were gone, the cabin door was locked and a single candle was placed on the table. One window was left cracked open, but Elaina knew that Lewis had stationed one of their most trustworthy men just above it on the deck. Not that she would need to hear anything tonight, but it was best to not shut every window, just in case . . .
Or so she thought. As her father began to speak, Elaina felt the familiar nagging sensation begin.
Elaina.
No. She had waited her whole life for this. Whatever it was could surely wait. She tried to focus on what her father was saying.
“ . . . behalf of my king, I am honored to hear what your endeavor has recovered. As you can guess, King Xander is most interested in locating the source of this rebellion and quelling it before it interrupts the lives of our citizens in Solwhind, much less the rest of Ashland.”
“Whoever supposed darkness was at work in that city was correct,” King Everard said, his eyes flicking to Elaina. “There is a surprising amount of evil in that city.”
Come, Elaina, their voices called again. We must speak with you. Now.
Elaina gritted her teeth. The stars hadn’t had anything important to report in over a fortnight. And they needed to talk now? She stayed firmly planted in her seat.
She had learned long ago that if she stayed quiet and still, most foreign dignitaries would forget she was present, and she could listen in on everything they told her father. A quiet young woman was easy to forget when it came to the matters of men. Then, after their guests departed, she and her father would discuss their findings. If she left now, though, her invisibility would be ruined, for King Everard would notice her leave.
“Were you able to track its source?” her father was asking. “Where is the darkness coming from?”
“To know that, I would need to be in the city for weeks longer—maybe months—which, unfortunately, I am not able to do. I do
know, however, that whoever or whatever is responsible for this rebellion has sticky fingers and has spent much money and many years creating an intricate web of deceit and subterfuge.”
“I am sorry to hear that,” Elaina’s father said. “But I thank you most sincerely on behalf of my liege for your time and assistance. My king has sent a gift of thanks to Destin. It should arrive by—”
Elaina!
Rolling her eyes, Elaina stood and excused herself. She slipped out of the room, squeezing her eyes shut in regret as the door closed behind her.
“Fine,” she whispered up at the sky. “I am here. But I am quite put out with you right now.”
You must know, was their only response.
Rarely were the stars so persistent. Whatever it was must be important. For such an interruption, it had better be.
Slipping her shoes off once again, Elaina tucked her burgundy gown into her pantaloon petticoat and scampered up the ropes to her own personal crow’s nest. It wasn’t as tall as the main crow’s nest, but the half-barrel fitted to the second mast was just large enough for Elaina to sit comfortably inside. Sometimes her father joined her at night, but it didn’t matter how high he went or how long he lingered with her. Only Elaina could hear the stars.
“What was so important that I had to come now?” She hauled herself into the crow’s nest and nestled inside. “Couldn’t it have waited one hour?”
No.
“Very well, then.” She squinted at the ocean in the dark. “I see no great storm, nor do I see another vessel.”
As the stars gave their answer, there was a sound from below, the click of boots on the deck.
Elaina frowned up at the sky. Surely she must have heard wrong. “That makes absolutely no sense at all,” she told them. But as she was waiting for their reply, a head and broad shoulders appeared over the barrel’s edge. Elaina had to stifle a scream until she recognized the silhouette of King Everard. And the glowing blue of the flames dancing in his eyes.
“Your Majesty . . .”
“My apologies, Lady Elaina,” the king’s deep voice rumbled. He did not move to get inside the nest, which was good, as it would have been too small, but positioned himself out on the ropes beside it. “I did not mean to startle you. I heard you speaking.” He paused, as though that were explanation enough. Then he asked, “Would you mind sharing whom you were speaking with?”
“My, you . . . you are certainly direct, Your Majesty.” Elaina laughed nervously. So this was why King Everard’s enemies found him so terrifying. Could the man sense everything? She swallowed. “May I ask the reason for your curiosity?”
“You are gifted, young lady. Are you not?”
Elaina studied him for an eternal moment. Was there a way to avoid telling him? Her father, of course, knew of her secret. Her father’s crew knew, too, though they never spoke about it outright. She could see now in the king’s eyes, however, that he would not be dissuaded. But truly, was there anyone who would understand more than he? After all, his gift was the reason she had idolized him for so long. She had innately known that he would understand what it meant to be different.
“My father has forbidden me from telling anyone.”
To her surprise, the king nodded gravely. “Your father is a wise man.” His voice softened. “I only know because I felt it when I touched your hand. Most would not be able to feel such power. I’ve simply grown sensitive to such things with time.”
Elaina took a deep breath. “I wanted to stay in the cabin and listen, but their call was too strong.”
“Their call?”
“The stars.”
“The stars speak to you?”
“I can speak back, as well. We’ve conversed since I was small.” She laughed a little. “I thought everyone else could hear them, too, until my parents assured me it was not so.”
“And what kinds of things do the stars tell you?”
She paused. It sounded so ridiculous when she said it aloud. “My father believes they share messages from the Maker. They often warn me when the ships are approaching rocks or an enemy is headed for the fleet. Of course, my words to them are far less inspired. Though I . . . I sometimes speak to them when I’m lonely.” She gestured down at the half-barrel she stood in. “That’s why my father had this addition built on to the ship.”
“And what was so urgent that they pulled you from the cabin tonight?” Did he sound amused? Or was it awed? Or perhaps disgusted?
“It’s rather embarrassing, I must admit. You see, I don’t always understand them perfectly. Sometimes their messages don’t make sense.” In fact, this particular message felt more than a little self-serving, something Elaina wasn’t used to at all. She must have misunderstood them.
“And what did they say?”
She rubbed at the barrel’s sanded edges with her fingers. “They said I am to accept your gift,” she whispered.
By now, Elaina’s eyes had adjusted to the dark enough to see the king’s mouth drop open. He hesitated for a long moment before climbing down the ropes and going back inside the ship. Was he angry with her? Or with the stars?
But before she had too much time to worry, King Everard had reemerged and climbed up the ropes again. As soon as he was steady, he held on to the barrel’s edge with one gloved hand while he reached inside his cloak with the other. He pulled out a drawstring bag and opened it. Carefully, reverently, he pulled out a pair of the most astonishing shoes Elaina had ever seen.
Two tiny slippers, so thin and clear that they seemed to be made of glass, sat in his hand. Swirls were etched on their sides, weaving in and out around the shoes like the wind over the waves. Elaina let out a little sigh as she reached out to touch the slippers. Just as she had imagined, their surface was cool and smooth. They were most definitely made of glass.
“Surely these would be fitting for Queen Isabelle or Princess Genevieve!”
“Ah, but you see, that’s the strange part. I had forgotten I even owned these. They’re relics from the past. I claimed them from an ancient glass castle in another world.” He turned them slowly so that they sparkled in the light of the moon. “These shoes are no less than a thousand years old. The castle is gone now, but I took them in hopes that someone might one day have use for them.”
“But wouldn’t they break if someone wore them?”
“They were created by the glass queen, ruler of the realm long before our peoples ever inhabited the continent. She created all of her objects with special powers to aid individuals in need of help.”
“But why me?” she whispered. “I need no help. I am in no danger.”
“Not yet, perhaps.” He held the slippers up and examined them more closely. “While I was preparing for this journey, the shoes somehow ended up in my pack. I hadn’t placed them there, nor had the servants who were helping me.” A small smile lit his face. “When I told my wife, she insisted I take them. She believed there would be someone who needed them along the way.” Then he lowered the slippers and held them out to Elaina. “I believe that someone is you.”
Elaina was speechless. She knew she should refuse the shoes. But before she could bring herself to do such a thing, they were in her hands. A strange vibration hummed through the glass. “What do they do?”
“I’m not sure. But I do know that no one has worn them before, for their power still courses strong through them, much the way your power courses within you.” He straightened his cloak and glanced down at the deck. “Guard them, just as you guard your gift. Such beauty should never be flaunted.”
She could only nod.
“You remind me of my wife,” he said as he took a step down.
“You honor me, Your Majesty,” Elaina murmured. Queen Isabelle of Destin was also gifted, and just as famous as her husband. From what Elaina had gathered, it was for good reason.
He paused on his descent, his brow furrowing. “My wife went through many trials of her own to become what she is today.” The king’s eyes fixed once a
gain on Elaina’s. “I pray these slippers will keep you safe through yours.
3
Betrayed
Sleep evaded Elaina for most of that night, despite the gentle rocking of the boat. She couldn’t stop staring at the king’s gift, wondering what on earth they could mean. Messages from the Maker were nothing new to her. Relaying warnings about approaching storms or pirates or hidden shoals was commonplace, even enjoyable. Elaina had never doubted her ability to use her gift in a productive manner.
Until now.
What in the depths had King Everard meant about trials? Life at sea was never predictable, but there was a rhythm to it that Elaina had grown accustomed to in her years on her father’s ship. Like the constant rolling of the waves, there were good times and bad, and Elaina did what she could to enjoy the good and minimize the bad. But really, what could she need from a pair of glass slippers?
The call of the bugle woke her from the light slumber she had finally slipped into just before dawn. Groaning a little at the stiffness in her limbs, she rolled out of bed, washed her face with the fresh water someone had left in her wooden bowl, and dressed in her second-finest gown. Sleep or no sleep, a respectful send-off was just as important, if not more important than the welcoming of a dignified guest. And Elaina was determined not to ruin this last meeting with King Everard the way she had ruined the first.
Soon she was on deck standing beside her father, who was dressed once again in all his military finery. Gold and silver pins decorated the stiff, light blue uniform on one side, while thin bronze ropes decorated the other side, commemorating the battles he had won. He would need a bigger chest if they were to add many more.
Her father gave her an approving nod just as the king arrived.
“Admiral Starke,” King Everard said, giving him a deep nod as he and his guards reached the deck.
“Your Majesty,” her father answered with a bow. “I want to thank you again for the service you have done our country. Ashland is honored to count you as our closest ally. We hope such dealings will continue in the future.” He presented the king with a sealed parchment. “Please never hesitate to call upon me should you need any seafaring aid. I am sure my king would be more than pleased to say the same for our land forces as well.”
Cinders, Stars, and Glass Slippers: A Retelling of Cinderella Page 2
