“And I am Fiorre. What is your name, noble sir?”
“Faithful servants?” I glanced at Sadie, and she shrugged. “Hate to tell you this, but I’m not noble,” I said.
The nymphs smiled. “Of course you are noble,” Treiya said. “You are the brother of Lord Taeral, son of Lord Daoin of the House of Ciar’ Ansghar.”
“Well, yeah. But…wait a minute,” I said. “How did you know that?”
“Our mistress is wise and sees much,” Fiorre said. “You are noble, and your companion is noble. A lady of the moon.”
Sadie snorted. “Oh, yeah. I’m noble, all right.”
“Anyway,” I said, hoping we were done with the noble stuff. “I’m Gideon, and this is Sadie.”
The nymphs curtsied. “It is an honor to meet you, Lord Gideon,” Treiya said.
“And…Lady Sadie,” Fiorre added with a giggle.
“Mistress Sadie.”
The new whisper-voice was male. A sparkling column appeared next to Sadie and became the former mannequin in the dark blue suit. He gave the nymphs a look of mild annoyance, and then turned to Sadie with a smile. “I am Vond, your faithful servant,” he said as he took her hand and bowed to kiss her fingers. “Are you hungry as well, mistress? It would be my pleasure to feed you.”
“I, er,” Sadie stammered, her face flushing with color. “I guess?”
I dismissed a quick stab of jealousy. “Any more invisible people out here?” I said.
“Are we not sufficient?” Fiorre sniffed. With a narrow-eyed glance at Vond, she walked over and slipped her arm through mine. “We are here to please you.”
“Yes,” Treiya said, rushing to my other side. “Come, Lord Gideon. We will show you to the delights of the jade garden.”
I couldn’t do anything but let them lead me away.
The jade garden turned out to be one of the bigger ones close to the castle. A wooden lattice fence bursting with grape vines enclosed the area, where white stone paths wound among flower beds and small stands of mid-height fruit trees. Treiya and Fiorre brought me to a spacious arbor, with crystalline green climbing plants I couldn’t identify growing up the supports and across the roof, and settled me on one of the cushioned benches on either side of the structure. Vond was right behind us, escorting Sadie to the opposite bench.
“Rest and enjoy yourself, Lord Gideon. We will return quickly to your side.” Treiya grabbed Fiorre’s hand and practically pulled her into the garden. “Hurry,” she hissed. “Before Vond comes.”
Vond watched them scurry off, and then lowered himself to one knee and kissed Sadie’s hand again. “I shall return soon, Mistress Sadie,” he said huskily. “Though I can hardly bear to lose the sight of you, even for a moment.” He rose with a dazzling smile and walked after the nymphs.
“Whoa,” Sadie said when they’d cleared out. “This is too weird.”
“Tell me about it. I mean, Lord Gideon?” I said. “It was strange enough hearing ‘Lord Taeral’ in there.”
She laughed. “Hey, at least you’re not Lady Sadie.”
“Mistress Sadie, if you please,” I said. “You don’t want to offend your faithful servant.” I craned in the seat to look over the garden, and saw Treiya practically shove Vond away from a bunch of grapes he was trying to pick. “Any idea what the deal is here? These guys are falling over themselves playing who’s-the-better-servant.”
Sadie shook her head slowly. “Don’t know much about nymphs,” she said. “I thought they were all supposed to be female. And once Taeral said they…” She trailed off and cleared her throat deliberately. “He said they live to serve, they choose it. But basically everything they do is ‘in pursuit of amorous liberties.’ Pretty sure those were his exact words.”
“Amorous liberties,” I said. “That’s an interesting way to put it.”
Just then, Fiorre stepped back under the ardor with a whole harvest gathered in her skirt, and Treiya right behind her. They sat on either side of me and sent looks of smug triumph at Vond, who was a few steps back and carrying whatever he’d picked in his arms.
He ignored them and settled next to Sadie. “I hope these offerings please you, mistress,” he said. “My own greatest pleasure is merely your smile bestowed upon me.”
“Lord Gideon has no need for pretty, empty words,” Treiya said loudly, reaching across me to pluck something from Fiorre’s lap that looked like a miniature red pumpkin. She leaned in close and held it up with a seductive smile. “’Tis sweetness between his lips that will serve him best. Allow me but to feed you, my lord, and my gifts will slake your every hunger.”
It dawned on me that outside the heavy-handed suggestion, she meant ‘feed’ literally. As in, she wanted to put food in my mouth.
“Er.” I blinked at the little red pumpkin. “Hope you don’t mind my asking, but…what is that?”
“Only the ripest of mallow fruit, of course.” She rested a hand on my thigh and brushed the fruit against my lips. “I assure you, you’ll find it quite delectable.”
It was getting hard to think. So I let her feed me.
The mallow fruit was crisp and clean-tasting, sweet like honey with a hint of citrus. Much better than the mirror mender’s tea. “It’s very good,” I said after I swallowed, to make sure I didn’t hurt Treiya’s feelings. “Thank you. I—”
“We are so pleased, Lord Gideon,” Fiorre said, holding up something round and green. “Now, try this starling pear. It simply melts in your mouth.”
I glanced frantically at Sadie. She’d already surrendered to Vond’s ministrations, and sat looking awkward and bemused as he fed her a steady stream of grapes and berries.
I gave up and went with the flow.
Before long, I had to insist that I couldn’t eat another bite. The nymphs looked disappointed, but they stopped putting things in my mouth, and I breathed a silent sigh of relief. Now I was a little thirsty—but I didn’t dare ask for a drink.
If this was the kind of thing nobles usually did, I’d pass.
“So, what do you guys do when you’re not…feeding visitors?” I said.
Treiya and Fiorre smiled at each other. “We also offer entertainment,” Treiya said.
“Yes.” Fiorre trailed her fingers down the front of my shirt, and I shivered hard. “Allow us to entertain you, Lord Gideon.”
“And you as well, Mistress Sadie,” Vond put in as he sidled closer.
I wasn’t sure I wanted to take amorous liberties right now, and Sadie looked like she agreed with my sentiment. “Uh. Can we just…”
Suddenly, all three of them jumped up and gathered in a row at the back of the ardor, sending nervous glances at something in the garden.
It was Sharde.
“My mistress is ready to receive you,” the massive man boomed as he glared at the nymphs. “If you’ll kindly follow me.”
Phew. Saved by the butler.
CHAPTER 32
When Sharde escorted us back to the parlor, I figured Taeral and Uriskel would be pretty much the way we left them. But they were already wearing their creations.
And they looked extremely royal.
Taeral had two arms again. The new prosthetic was carved with runes like the old one—but it was gold, and the hand I could see looked a lot more natural. No obvious clockwork. He wore a rich blue tunic belted at the waist over a black shirt with a high collar, tight pants the same shade as the tunic, and thigh-high black boots. A long black, hooded overcoat with flared sleeves completed the look.
She’d dressed Uriskel in blood red and black. His tunic was longer and sleeveless, with a double sash draped from the belt across his hips, and his boots had more straps than the ones I’d first seen him wearing. He wore black gloves to his elbows, the same style as the boots, and a hooded, flowing cape instead of a coat.
“Holy shit,” Sadie said in a hushed tone. “You guys look terrifying.”
The mirror mender, who stood beside her tea cart, flashed her eyes and made a slightly irritated sound
.
“I mean that in a good way,” Sadie said quickly. “This is amazing. I’ve never seen clothes like these…they’re absolutely perfect for them.”
“Aye, she’s outdone herself,” Taeral said, smiling as he walked toward us. “Wouldn’t you say, Prince Uriskel?”
Uriskel held a gloved arm out and flexed a fist. “I suppose I cannot complain,” he said. “For the price. And do not call me that, Lord Taeral.”
“If you insist.”
“Master Gideon.” The mirror mender clapped her hands, and a nymph rushed in from a doorway at the back of the parlor, pushing a blank-faced dressmaker’s dummy. I assumed it was wearing my new clothes—black pants, black boots, a tastefully ruffled white shirt, and a three-quarter length black coat with a tapered waist. More elegant and expensive-looking than anything I’d worn in my life. “I do hope you approve,” the mirror mender said.
“It’s incredible,” I said, and meant it. “Thank you.”
The mirror mender bobbed her head and waved an arm. Suddenly the dummy was wearing my filthy, torn clothes, and I was wearing the suit.
Oh, man. I’d love to learn that trick.
“Exceptional,” Taeral said. “It suits you, brother.”
I gave a wry smile. “Guess I’ll take your word for that.”
“And for you, Mistress Sadie.” The mirror mender flashed and fluttered, like she was really excited about this one. “I have crafted you such a wardrobe, to accentuate your exquisite bone structure and provide the ideal choice of garment for every occasion.”
Sadie’s brow furrowed. “Wardrobe?”
She clapped again. Another nymph scurried out with a fresh dressmaker’s dummy. Which was completely naked, except for a strip of fabric around its throat.
The nymph removed the strip, walked over and handed it to Sadie with a dramatic flourish.
“Thank you,” Sadie said carefully. “It’s a…collar.”
Okay, maybe the mirror mender was crazy. It was a pretty collar—deep green velvet, trimmed in black and adorned with clear, faceted crystals. An elegant hook and eye clasp with a short silver chain served to hold it closed.
But it wasn’t a wardrobe. Not by any definition of the word.
“Perhaps if you tried it on,” Taeral said, gently taking the collar from her hands.
“Yeah,” she muttered. “Let’s do that.”
Standing behind her, Taeral draped it around her throat and connected the clasp. Then he smiled and stepped back.
Sadie’s modern human clothes shivered and blurred, and became a silver-white, off-the-shoulder gown fit for a princess.
She drew in a sharp, surprised breath. “Oh! I don’t…” she said, looking down at herself in sheer wonder. “Is this real?” she whispered.
“Real enough,” Taeral said. “It is permanent glamour, and you can change it with a thought. Simply consider the type of garments you require, and the glamour will adjust to suit your needs.”
“But I’m not Fae,” she said uncertainly.
The mirror mender waved an arm. “You are a lady of the moon. And the moon provides the magic.”
“Um. Okay.” Sadie bit her lip and looked at the ceiling a minute. “Say I wanted to wear something for…fighting.”
The dress became a wrapped shirt with a bolo jacket, breeches and suede boots. And they looked just as beautiful on her.
“Oh my God.” She glanced down, and then stared at the mirror mender with wide eyes. “I did something magic.”
“Aye, you have,” Taeral said. “It’ll work even when you’ve…changed back. And those crystals are moonstone flecks, so you’ll no longer need a luna-ball.”
Sadie lifted a trembling smile. Her outfit flashed back to the princess gown, and she ran to the mirror mender and threw her arms around the floating torso. “I can’t thank you enough,” she said. “This is…just…”
The mirror mender’s eyes glowed steadily. She ducked her head in approval and made a sound that was almost a purr. “You are most welcome, Mistress Sadie.”
I couldn’t help grinning. All this was definitely worth a lousy cup of tea.
Much as I loved the new threads, I changed into my own human-realm clothes before we left the mirror mender’s castle. Didn’t want anything to happen to them, and we still had to take on the Unseelie Guard and the Queen.
Sharde showed us out to the courtyard and closed the big door firmly behind us. The place was already showing signs of reverting back to hibernation—castle walls yellowing, flagstones buckling and separating, vines creeping around the statuary. “Does this place always curl up and die between guests?” I said.
“Aye. It’s how she’s served the Arcadian nobles as long as she has,” Uriskel said. “She and her…attendants shut down completely when their services are not required. Only the troll remains alert, to wake the mirror mender once a visitor is approved for an audience.”
“Troll?”
He nodded. “Sharde Switchback. He’s served the mirror mender since her beginning.”
“And when was that?” I said.
“Many thousands of years ago.”
Damn. No wonder the guy was cranky—I’d hate everyone too, if I’d been awake for thousands of years.
“Hey. Lord Gideon.” Sadie approached me with a smile. She’d changed back into her fighting outfit, and it was really hard not to notice the way the clothes clung to her. “I think I have something that belongs to you,” she said, touching the pendant. “Now that I have my own moonstones, it’s probably safe to take this off.”
Taeral looked from her to me. “You gave her the moonstone?”
“Yeah,” I said. “Because there’s a super-charged full moon here. She went wolf when we crossed over, and it was the only way to keep her from changing. The stone absorbs moonlight.”
He raised an eyebrow. “This was your idea, brother?” he said. “I am impressed.”
“Thanks. I’m only an idiot half the time.”
“Well, maybe less than half,” Sadie said. “Anyway, you should have this back.”
“Wait.” Uriskel glanced at the sky and frowned. “Are you certain that’s the best idea?” he said. “The stones on that collar are far smaller. They may not absorb enough light.”
She gave him a wry smile. “Tell you what. If I go wolf, I promise to kill you last.”
“I fail to be reassured by that,” he muttered.
“Whatever. Here we go.” She paused, and then took the pendant off.
Nothing happened.
“I guess you guys get to live today,” she said as she handed me the moonstone. “See, that wasn’t…oh. Oh, crap.” Her jaw clenched, and she closed her eyes tightly. “Jesus, I can really feel it now. The moon is so damned strong here.”
I shoved the stone at her. “Take it back, quick.”
“No. I’m okay.” She opened her eyes and looked up with an expression of wonder. “I could change right now, if I wanted to,” she said. “But I don’t have to. I can control it. The collar’s taking just enough light so the change isn’t forced. And I bet it’ll work like that back home, too. No more hiding from the full moon.” A grin spread on her face. “I love this thing.”
“I gotta say, it’s pretty awesome.” I put the pendant back on with a powerful feeling of relief I hadn’t expected. I’d known it would be safe with her, but giving it up still hadn’t felt right. There was probably only one person I could give the moonstone to without hesitation or concern.
I was the caretaker, but the stone belonged to Daoin.
“Well, I guess we’re as ready as we’re going to be,” I said. I’d already told Taeral the short version of my visit with Nyantha, and he was glad I’d gone. Turned out that was who he’d planned to see about the DeathSpeaker stuff in the first place. “So, now what?”
“Now, we assault the palace,” Uriskel said.
Taeral gaped at him “Excuse me?”
“I am a full royal. The portal works both ways—I can create
one from here to either of the Courts,” he said. “So we go to the palace and demand entrance. If we’re denied, we defeat the Guard and enter anyway.”
“That’s your plan,” Taeral said. “Defeat the Guard and storm the palace.”
“You’ve a better one?”
“Aye, I do. Any plan but that one.”
“Well, let’s hear yours, then.”
Taeral scowled. “At least let me attempt to contact Levoran,” he said. “He may be able to help us get in without drawing the attention of the Guard.”
“And if that fails?” Uriskel said.
He clenched a fist. “Then we fight.”
CHAPTER 33
We emerged from the portal in a field of tall blue grass, like the stuff along the banks of the stream in the woods. In the near distance was a massive gate of black bars between two stone columns, with what looked like a single guard in front of it. And beyond the gate, at the top of a broad, gently rising hill, was the Unseelie palace set off against a backdrop of evergreens—the first of that type of tree I’d seen in Arcadia.
I squinted at the pale blue, glittering structure. “Is that castle made out of ice?”
“Celestine crystal,” Uriskel said. “But yes, she’d meant it to be symbolic of the Winter Court. And she’s quite vain as well. Pretty things appeal to her.”
“Like my father,” Taeral muttered under his breath. Louder, he said, “I cannot make out the guard at the gate from here. Whoever it is doesn’t seem to have noticed us, or it may be Levoran. Though I doubt we’d be so lucky.”
Uriskel narrowed his eyes at the gate. “What does this Levoran look like?”
“He is…well. Since my spark is recharged, it’s simpler to show you.” Taeral shimmered in place as his glamour shifted, and he became someone else.
Someone I recognized.
“I know him.” My mind drifted back years, to a time I never liked to remember. I was fifteen when I’d met him, just the once—a massive, grizzled man with a scarred face, huge hands, and deep blue eyes. He never gave me his name, but he did give me something. “The moonstone,” I said. “He’s the one who brought it to me.”
Realm of Mirrors (The DeathSpeaker Codex Book 3) Page 16
