The Heart Between Kingdoms

by Mary Dublin

  Avie nodded eagerly, and Tessa smiled.

  Brennan caught her by the arm. "Are you crazy? That thing could bite your arm off!" He looked up to Aveline, pointing with his other hand towards the panting puppy. "You have to put it back."

  "He's not mean, Uncle Brennan! He's just excited. He's never met fairies before."

  "All the more reason to keep it away," Brennan insisted, an odd strain in his voice. "You don't know what it'll do!" His hand tightened on Tessa's arm as the puppy sniffed eagerly in their direction.

  Tessa twisted and looked at him in surprise. His eyes were wide, nearly petrified. "Are you afraid of dogs? Puppies?"

  His cheeks flared. "That's hardly unreasonable," he grumbled.

  "Right. And you get on me for the entirely unreasonable fear of humans." She wrenched her arms free and looked up at Avie's pleading eyes. "His name is Samson, is it?"

  She nodded, giving the pup a wide smile as it lapped at her cheek. "Sir Ryan said he's the runt of the litter, so a strong name will make him grow up big."

  "He's not large enough already?" Brennan muttered under his breath.

  Tessa ignored him, more determined to ease Aveline's spirits with a smile. Her heart fluttered as Aveline scooted backwards on the carpet, her river-blue gown wrinkling horribly from the hasty movements. Aveline didn't seem to notice. She held the puppy with both hands around it's middle and set it down by her slippered feet.

  The little thing gave a sneeze of excitement as Tessa drew near, hand outstretched.

  "Hold him still, Princess," Tessa said, swallowing her trepidation as the puppy wriggled against Aveline's hands impatiently to close the distance.

  Holding her breath, Tessa hovered her hand in front of its snout as it strained to sniff her. She flinched at the coldness of its nose and the rapid puffs of air that swept over her skin. Its hot, panting breath made her wrinkle her nose, but she dared to shuffled a step closer to run her hand along the short fur.

  "You're not so bad." She patted him firmly along his snout and smiled weakly.

  "He likes you," Aveline declared delightedly.

  "Seems he does." Tessa stifled a noise of disgust as the dog licked at her hand and managed to get her entire arm.

  Shaking the stickiness off, she gave a smug look over her shoulder at Brennan. He stood at the edge of the shelf, seemingly torn between annoyance and the urge to race out to pull her back to safety.

  "Come on over," Tessa goaded, finding herself affected by Aveline's confidence. "Maybe I could teach you a thing or two."

  Brennan rolled his eyes. "I'm just fine over here, thanks."

  "Oh? So I'm the only one who has to face my fears around here?"

  She made the mistake in stepping away from the wriggling puppy. It whined and strained against Aveline's relaxed grip, this time managing to slip free. Tessa had no time to brace herself before it was over her, soft paws heedlessly slamming her onto her back.

  Pain exploded on her back where her tender wings had yet to heal. The sheer shock of it took her breath away, but that was the last of her discomfort. The enormous pup buried its inky little nose into her neck and began sniffing furiously. Under any other circumstances, Tessa would have been preparing for death. But this was no wild mutt; this dog was Aveline's.

  "Stop, Samson!" A small whine escaped the pup as Aveline closed a hand around its belly. "You're gonna make her…"

  The princess trailed off. Tessa could feel herself shaking even before the puppy began to lap warm kisses over her face and arms. She was laughing, breathless and pink in the face.

  "Wow! He really likes you," Avie said. A new rush of happiness flooded Tessa's entire being, and she knew Aveline was smiling, too.

  "He's… friendly," she panted, searching for Brennan between paws and flopping, spotted ears.

  "Too friendly." His voice was closer than she expected, and before she knew it, he grabbed her under the arms and helped her sit up while Aveline gently restrained Samson from knocking them both over.

  "Too friendly, too vicious," Tessa snorted. "Pick your poison."

  "I think any sane person would avoid poison altogether."

  She couldn't shake her giggles, but Brennan still looked almost ashen despite his snark, gripping her arm tightly. She wondered if his fear really ran that deep, or if he had simply become accustomed enough to Aveline's cheerful influence to avoid being affected.

  Whatever the case, Tessa grabbed his free hand and firmly guided it outward. "You should pet him."

  "Y-you should stop being crazy—" His words abruptly died as the wriggling pup sniffed at both his and Tessa's hands. She felt Brennan's fingers go stiff, but he made no sudden moves to retreat.

  "Look at that," Tessa chuckled. "Your whole arm's still here."

  Brennan shot her a dirty look. "Don't patronize me."

  She grinned at him brazenly. He jerked in her grip but she did lot let him pull away. "Just relax, he's only a baby. Try here." Tessa guided his hand up between Samson's round eyes.

  "His teeth are bigger than my hand," Brennan protested. "It doesn't matter how cute the thing is."

  "You could say the same about your humans," Tessa countered, keeping her voice low for Aveline's sake. Then she looked upwards and addressed the princess directly. "Will you keep him?"

  Avie eyed the pup with unconditional affection. "He needs to go back to the kennels, but Sir Ryan says I can play with him while he's still little. I want to make sure he grows up strong, the way he's meant to."

  "You mean that thing might be running around here?" Brennan hissed through his teeth, finally pulling his hand free and looking Tessa. "Would you like to move your sleeping quarters to a higher shelf, by any chance?"

  Tessa made a face. "And have to be carried in and out? I don't think so. Besides, what do I have to worry about? You're supposed to be protecting me."

  He scoffed. "I think that largely depends on whether you're going to let me."

  "Haven't I?" Tessa brushed her long hair over her shoulder, approaching the leg of a towering footrest. It was still instinct, even in a private room, to seek cover instead of open space.

  "You haven't let me heal your wings."

  She stiffened and spun to get her wings out of Brennan's view. "I thought we agreed—"

  "I know it still hurts. You can lie, but you can't hide it on your face."

  Tessa pursed her lips. Too many lies had passed her lips in her years a slave. So this time, she didn't.

  "You're right," she said. "It hurts. So what?"

  "You ought to have someone more skilled than me do it, but since you refuse to visit Evrosea… Having you not in pain is included in my duties, isn't it?"

  There was nothing false in those imploring dark eyes, but Tessa still found herself backing away from him. She felt embarrassed of this when Brennan stopped dead in his tracks just shy of arm's reach.

  "What? You really think I'd hurt you?"

  "It's not that simple."

  "It's even less simple when you don't attempt to explain." Brennan made no further move toward her, still searching for permission. "I can ease the soreness, at least. I won't do anything more."

  Aveline piped up. "You should let him help. Don't you want to feel better?"

  Tessa's fingers dug into the grooves of the column of wood. "I do, princess, but I…" She trailed off and sighed, unable to offer any further excuse. "Very well, I suppose."

  Even if he couldn't heal her wings completely, a faster recovery meant being on her way sooner. On the assumption that the queen would keep her word in the end.

  Brennan swept around behind her. She flinched when his hand was upon her shoulder, making him falter before he had begun.

  "It's alright." With his surprisingly gentle assurance in her ear, he placed his hand back down. It wasn't an act of restraint, but comfort.

  She wondered if Aveline could feel her mounting terror. The princess shifted the puppy to one arm and reached down slowly. "It's okay, Tessa." Avie's h
and stopped within arm's reach, fingertips offered.

  As Brennan began to murmur a spell behind her, Tessa shuddered and placed her hands on Aveline's fingertips, squeezing her eyes shut to block the reality that she was surrounded. She was rigid, every nerve in her body wanting to revolt when Brennan touched the base of her wings. But as the pad of Avie's thumb brushed gently over the back of Tessa's hands, she found it in her to hold still.

  "All finished," Brennan breathed.

  It felt as though it had only been a second that she had closed her eyes, but there was an evident sheen of sweat on her brow now, and her hands were a little bit clammy. Gingerly, she pulled away from them both and turned in a circle to get a look at her wings.

  The holes were still there where the filthy needle had been pushed through and the thread bound around the delicate membrane. But for the first time in years, she could flex them openly. There was only the faintest tug of soreness where stabbing pain used to haunt her.

  "Don't worry," Brennan murmured. "I won't tell anyone you broke your precious promise about no magic. Will we?" He lifted his voice here to the princess, and Aveline shook her head dutifully. Tessa regarded her more carefully. She felt ill thinking of the magnitude of the secret she had burdened Aveline with.

  What other choice do I have?

  Avie stifled a heavy yawn into her arm. When she surfaced, she sighed happily, a dreamy look on her round face that banished the traces of exhaustion under her eyes.

  "Your wings have got to be the longest I've ever seen—even compared to Papa's!" She dropped her chin into her soft hands. "You're so pretty, Tessa. Don't you think, Uncle Brennan?"

  "She's alright," Brennan said. Tessa hid a smile at the way he tore his gaze from her, clearing his throat quite gruffly. "Now, Princess, about that dog…"

  Chapter

  Six

  Bath water, smelling of rose and lavender, sloshed at the sides of the copper tub as Esmae sank deeper under the surface. Her own personal washroom was nearly as big as the royal bedroom itself, making it easy to feel as though she could disappear amongst the fineries that filled the chamber. Mirrors in gilded frames and velvet-padded seats; shelves like spiral staircases filled with oils of rosemary and peppermint and exotic lotions and salts from kingdoms Esmae could scarcely name.

  At present, she only had eyes for the view outside the window. Twelve stories high, she could see down the wooded slopes that surrounded the palace. At the horizon, the sun sat half hidden by swirling grey clouds, glinting crimson rays across Mirrel. Though the water had grown lukewarm, lingering worries kept her rooted where she was. She was not ready yet to dress and face another sleepless night with Avie, Tessa's frightful stubbornness…

  And now Lord Aeron's being troublesome too, Esmae thought, remembering what Brennan had confided in her. The icing on a positively miserable cake.

  A knock came at the door. It opened immediately after, making her curl her knees to her chest.

  "A few more minutes please, Isandra," Esmae called.

  "I can come back later." The voice was Daniel's, and she straightened up sharply in surprise.

  "I thought you were busy," she said, looking him over. He was still fully dressed in his trousers, fine boots and impeccably tailored jacket. Ornamental pins signifying courage and commitment to his kingdom dotted each shoulder.

  "I managed to escape before Edmund began his rambling. Lord Archar's a better audience for him than I am, after all these years." He paused, studying her face. "Can I join you?"

  For the first time that day, she found a grin. "Go right ahead."

  As Daniel began to undress, draping his jacket over a velvet cushion, he gave her a weary smile. "Are you alright?"

  She raised her eyebrows and glanced at the door haltingly, wondering if any servants were milling near enough that she needed to be cautious about what she said. Daniel seemed to read her mind, giving a nod of assurance.

  "We're alone. You can tell me."

  Moving over to the edge of the tub, she folded her arms onto the rim. "I do have quite a bit on my mind, but you have enough to worry about, surely."

  It came as no surprise to her that he protested, scoffing. "Are you afraid of burdening me? I can take it, Es."

  Setting aside the last of his clothing, he circled around to the back of the copper tub. The water danced about and rose higher as he climbed in behind Esmae. She turned her head in time for him to press his lips gently to her jaw, and then to her neck. She sighed contentedly, leaning into him and soaking in his warmth as his arms wrapped around her.

  Quiet moments were far and few between for them, and she couldn't help but hesitate from ruining what could have been an opportunity for absolute peace.

  "There's just so many uncertainties," she murmured. "I don't know what to do."

  Another kiss was planted on her temple. "You don't have to bear it all alone, Es."

  Esmae let her eyes flutter shut, a private smile pulling on her lips. Tucked so close against Daniel's chest, his voice took on a surrounding, rumbling quality that it had only possessed long ago, when he had seemed as enormous to her as the tower they were comfortable in now.

  "I know… but I can't help but feel responsible."

  "Is it Tessa that's bothering you? Brennan's told me she's made considerable progress this afternoon."

  "With him," she said. "She's still afraid to speak to me."

  Daniel only chuckled. He curled his arms around her more securely and adjusted himself so his bristly chin rested on her shoulder.

  "She'll come around. We'll have to be patient. After all, it's only been two days."

  "She wouldn't be afraid of me if I was my old size," Esmae mumbled, a bitter edge to her voice that even she couldn't deny.

  "Maybe, maybe not. She doesn't seem keen on anything with a pulse."

  "Avie has a pulse," Esmae pointed out.

  "Well, she does have a talent for not being particularly intimidating."

  She scoffed in disbelief. "I'm intimidating?"

  "You were frightened of me once, simply for being me." He snickered, rubbing his cheek against hers. "Am I intimidating?"

  "Yes." A giggle broke her gloomy expression as he squeezed her. She flicked water at him from her fingers. "But I wasn't frightened for very long."

  His gentle laugh made her settle down. "The circumstances aren't the same. You're a queen. A bold one at that, revealing yourself in the marketplace to stand up for what's right. The first Tessa saw of you was making it clear that you're not one to cross."

  Recalling her anger at Highwater's stall, she sighed. "Surely she can understand by now that what I did was for her. It pains me to wonder what she's gone through that she can't recognize genuine concern. She seems miserable here, but won't even consider seeking help from Evrosea. What is she so afraid of?"

  He found her hand beneath the water and intertwined his fingers. "I wish I knew. But she's let go of that cage. Speaking to only some is better than not speaking at all. A little progress is better than no progress. Give her time."

  "Whatever it takes. Perhaps she'll come to realize that anyone related to Avie can't be all bad." Her face fell despite her attempt to lighten her glum tone. "Oh, Avie… I thought she had slept soundly last night, but she looked exhausted this morning. Maybe she'll have a good rest after playing with that dog all day."

  "What dog?"

  "Sir Ryan let her pick one from the new litter. She's named it Samson."

  Daniel hummed. "A good name for a Ridgeback. Reminds me of old Ironface."

  "Ironface?" Esmae repeated. She wrinkled her nose and made sure he saw it.

  "It's an old legend in Mirrel they tell boys when they're growing up," he explained. "Ironface is supposed to be this immortal knight, spending his days slaying beasts of the sky. I named a hound of my own after him when I was a boy."

  Esmae smiled, warmed by the gentleness in his eyes. She was familiar with his aptitude for kindness when it came to all manner of creat
ures, but it never failed to set her heart at ease. Her fingers tightened on his underneath the tepid water.

  "You raised it?"

  Daniel shook his head. "Ironface was ancient. Oldest hound on the grounds before I had reached my sixth year. Another year passed and there was talk of it being his last. My father backed the gamekeeper, saying we ought to put him out of his misery, but I wouldn't let him. I cried and fought until he let me bring it into the kitchens."

  A far-off look had entered his eyes, and Esmae rested her head back onto his shoulder to watch him remember it all. "You were stubborn even then, weren't you?"

  He smirked, utter mischief in the smile. "Probably worse."

  "So did you save the poor creature?"

  Daniel's eyes flickered. "Not for more than a week. It would have taken more than a little boy to nurse that dog back to health—much to my father's smugness, no doubt. But I so loved to prove him wrong."

  Sadness churned in Esmae's stomach as she watched Daniel's distant gaze flood with sorrow. Releasing his hand, she reached up to cup his cheek and plant a silent kiss to his jaw.

  "He'd be proud of the king you've become," she murmured against his neck. "And the man besides."

  His voice was low, uncertain. "I hope so."

  "I know so," she insisted. It hadn't gotten easy for Daniel to speak of his father, nor to be compared to him by lesser lords and other kingdoms. With Esmae being one of the few he uncovered that pain to, she was determined to ease him.

  And thankfully, his expression softened this time.

  "I'm the one that's supposed to be checking up on you right now," he said with a rueful chuckle.

  "What? I'm only returning the favor."

  He smoothed his hand over her fingers on his cheek, holding them in place. "What else troubles you? Brennan mentioned some complications with Aeron?"

  She pursed her lips. "If by 'complications', you mean he's not permitted to enter the castle until further notice, then yes." Daniel looked rightfully alarmed, and she pressed on. "Brennan overhead him bring up some wild scheme for Evrosea to reveal itself to humans. To cease living in hiding, he says. But the way he put it suggested he was willing to put lives at risk in order to do so." She shivered at the thought of the chaos that would ensue as a result. "My father put a swift end to that idea."