The Heart Between Kingdoms

by Mary Dublin

  "She's breathing," Daniel muttered. "But she won't wake."

  A moan of protest stuck in Tessa's throat as she attempted to move, to get out of the open while she still could. It was then she realized Brennan had slid an arm under her shoulders, sitting her up halfway and holding her there. Wings twitching uncomfortably, she squirmed and gave him a desperate look. He met her gaze and squeezed her shoulder reassuringly.

  "What happened?" Esmae's voice was terrified, breathy, but to Tessa it may as well have been a blade.

  She had seen. They had to have all seen.

  Tessa leaned into Brennan, clutching the front of his shirt with one hand. Innocent. He had called her innocent.

  "Who was that? The other fairy, who was he?" the king's voice resonated with shock that turned Tessa's knees to knobs of jelly.

  Brennan was looking at nothing in particular, his voice wooden and thin. "I have to return immediately. Maison has to know what he's doing."

  "Who?" Daniel persisted. "Brennan, answer me."

  "Bogdan. He came looking for Avie. He's… he's done something to her, I couldn't get there in time."

  With wide eyes, Daniel began to try with renewed efforts to wake his daughter. He spoke her name again and again, pleading with her as he shook her arm and ran his hand over her pale cheek. Tessa squeezed her eyes shut. They looked as though they feared her to be dead, and she couldn't stand to watch.

  "She's sleeping because of me," Tessa interrupted. She nearly lost her nerve when Daniel and Esmae looked to her at once, expecting one of them to swat at her any second now. "S-she'll be alright, I swear to you, but she won't wake until morning light. At least, she should…"

  "Should?" Daniel gave her a hard look.

  Tessa exchanged a glance helplessly with Brennan. "I'm not sure what this Aeron Bogdan has done to her. It could have changed things, I don't know. He found a way to access her gift, t-to channel that magic somehow into himself."

  "No," Esmae whispered tremulously as she brushed a shaking hand through Avie's dark hair. "He… Did he take it away completely? What if it was too much? W-what if…"

  "I can still feel her gift," Brennan assured. "It's faint, the way it always is when she's sleeping. When he was here, I swear I could feel her fear. She's calm now, only sleeping."

  "Sleeping." The queen didn't appear entirely relieved by that, fixing her eyes on Tessa. "You claimed to have no magic. You were in this very room when I insisted that I wanted no glamour placed upon my daughter." There was a quiet fury building behind her voice and nowhere for Tessa to hide from it. "Why?"

  Tessa shivered profusely, but by some miracle, she found her words. "S-She was frightened. I could feel it. I-I couldn't bear to just… The first night, I had no idea you have forbidden glamour—"

  "The first night? You've done this more than once?"

  "The spell is not dangerous to her!" Tessa surprised herself by the volume of the exclamation. "You feared her human heritage would make her weak, but the spell I chose only works on fairies to begin with! It… it proved to me that you weren't lying about your past. Aveline has enough fae in her for the spell to help her sleep. Were she too human, nothing would have happened."

  The silence that followed was more frightening than anything. She could see Esmae piecing her admission together. Lying about the fact that she had magic was one thing. Hiding her kind of magic was going to be the death of her.

  "You have a spell that affects fae only," Esmae murmured. "You're a…" She trailed off, as if she couldn't bring herself to say it.

  "A manipulator," Tessa finished, driving the final nail into her coffin.

  "A manipulator?" Daniel echoed, glancing to Esmae with a frown before his eyes were drawn back down to his daughter.

  "It's a rare type of magic," Brennan explained. "Glamour is not supposed to affect fairies in the manner that hers does. Most would deem it unnatural- unholy even." Brennan looked to the queen, imploring. "Esmae, she used it to fight back against Aeron. To defend Avie."

  Esmae's expression became unreadable, but Tessa had little time to deduce whether her anger had been successfully placated. Brennan stood, lifting Tessa in his arms with a soft grunt of effort. She shifted weakly, holding tight to his neck.

  "I must get to Evrosea," he said, wincing as he flexed his wings. Whatever Aeron had done was lasting.

  "You're in no shape to make a flight that distance," Esmae said, noticing too. "We'll alert tonight's guardians—they will be able to move swiftly."

  Brennan opened his mouth to argue, but thought better of it. He nodded to Esmae, and some silent conversation must have passed between them, for she lowered her hand in front of him on the carpet. As Brennan approached, Tessa realized with a start that the open palm was meant for her.

  "N-no, please," she whispered to him desperately.

  "I won't leave you on the floor," he muttered.

  Finding herself with little choice, Tessa clung stiffly while Brennan found awkward footing in the center of Queen Esmae's hand. She was shocked, upon glancing up, that the woman looked nearly as uncomfortable as she did. Brennan gave her a nod, and Esmae's other hand cupped around the both of them delicately to guard them from falling as she stood.

  "I'll go find the guardians at once. They can't be far. The sooner my father knows of this, the sooner Aeron can be found."

  The king stayed knelt by the fire, hunched over the slight form in his lap with unwavering attention as Esmae swept from the room.

  Tessa was no surer of her fate than when Aeron had threatened to reveal her, but at least, for the moment, she was in the arms of a friend.

  Chapter

  Seven

  The guardians were found and sent off within the hour, but they did not return that night. Esmae received no word from her father, which did nothing to settle her nerves. As high ruler of Evrosea, her father had a hundred warriors ready to fight for him at a moment's notice. Aeron—a lord or not—was only one man. The hunt should have been finished hours ago. For Father to leave her in the dark could only mean Lord Aeron's trial was a messy, brutal ordeal.

  If they've even caught him yet, she thought darkly.

  Aveline opened her eyes not long after morning broke. Esmae and Daniel had taken shifts in the night to watch over her. She was perfectly well, just as Tessa had promised, apart from being pale and a little more tired than usual.

  After watching her gulp down a plate of slivered grapes on thick bread and a cup of simmered shallot broth, Esmae deemed her well enough. At the very least, her appetite was keeping up.

  "Do you have to go?" Aveline asked, pouting so potently that Esmae might have changed her mind under less dire circumstances.

  In her heart, Esmae longed to stay wrapped up in the soft sheets with her sweet baby and forget the day. But the continued silence from Evrosea would not stand.

  She knelt in front of the armchair across the fireplace and kissed Avie's forehead. "I wish we didn't have to, sweetling, but we must. You'll be spending the day with Kristine and the other nursemaids, though. Won't that be fun?"

  The little girl shook her head resolutely. "I want to be with you. Can't I go?"

  "It'll only be for the day," Esmae reasoned. "When we get back, you can show me and Daddy how much you've read today. Won't you do that?"

  After a fair amount of hesitation, Avie nodded glumly and threw her arms around Esmae's neck. As they embraced, Esmae caught sight of the chest between the armchairs. Tessa and Brennan were seated at the edge. Tessa looked smaller than usual, her head low; she hadn't looked up more than twice that morning.

  Esmae still wasn't sure what to think of her. Manipulation was amongst one of the most feared magical affinities. Evrosea hadn't seen one of her kind in decades. But if the girl was capable—morally or physically—of attacking them, she would have done it by now. She wouldn't have been in captivity to begin with.

  It would have to be sorted out later. There was simply a more pressing matter to attend to.

>   As Avie released Esmae, she twisted around worriedly. "Tessa, are you alright? I… I can feel—"

  "Don't worry about me, Princess," Tessa said without missing a beat. She forced a smile. "You can feel me worrying about you, that's all."

  Esmae clenched her jaw. Worried as Tessa was for Avie, she knew it was more than that. She was a skillful liar—something that chilled Esmae to the bone. Nonetheless, she smiled at her daughter and cupped her face.

  "By the time Daddy and I get back, there will be less to worry about. I promise."

  Aveline nodded, nuzzling deeply against her mother's touch. Esmae brushed her thumb over a dark wave of hair that was very much reminded her of Daniel.

  "If only you could stay this little forever, hm?"

  Aveline peeked up at her, tired but ever impish, as children often were. "I can't, Mum," she giggled, drawing out the words like a melody. "Don't you want me to be queen someday too?"

  Esmae sighed, shaking her head fondly. "I want everything. I'm afraid time won't allow it."

  "Your Majesty?"

  The voice that accompanied the polite rap on the door was not Daniel, nor was it Sir Logan. Esmae motioned for the fairies to hide while she took Avie by the hand and guided her to the door.

  "Come on. It's time to go, sweetheart."

  With Sir Logan as their sole guard, Esmae and Daniel took off for the woods. It was strange, perhaps, for the two royals to choose such a barren place to unwind in the middle of winter. Whether they thought it suspicious or not, the castle servants she passed gave only chirps of support and kind sympathy for her outing. Esmae knew she had Daniel to thank for that. He had conjured a heartfelt excuse for the staff that the two of them were seeking a morning of solace as husband and wife to clear their heads after all of Aveline's fitful sleeps.

  To his credit, it wasn't a complete lie.

  They traveled by horseback until the trees grew too closely together. Then, they tied off Amos and the other and continued on foot.

  She had almost forgotten how bitter cold it was growing outside the stone walls of the palace. Even with her thickest dress and fur-lined cloak drawn up under her chin, winter found a way of cutting through the fabric and chilling her to the bone.

  If Daniel felt the frosty gales, he did not show it. Esmae tilted her chin upwards to regard him silently as they walked. The sight of his steely, brooding expression wasn't nearly as comforting as she'd hoped. He hadn't said a word the entire ride and remained a statue at her side.

  "D'you want me to pass through with you, Yer Majesties?" Logan, tromping along to Daniel's left, hunkered down slightly to address them.

  "I'm not sure that will be—" Esmae started.

  Daniel spoke over her, "I haven't made up my mind yet. Stay alert when we get there."

  Sir Logan gave a gracious nod from his towering height. "As you say."

  Esmae cleared her throat and looked straight ahead. It felt wrong to let Daniel continue brewing tautness without at least trying to support him.

  "I'm sure they're only preoccupied with Aeron's trial," she said, hiding a wince at the flinty spark in his eyes at the name. She pressed nonetheless. "My father is already aware of his treasonous ideas, but even then, a council member hasn't been on trial in generations. It would be no swift matter."

  "It doesn't feel right, Es." Despite his disagreement, she was simply relieved to have him speaking.

  "But it does make sense," she insisted.

  He gave her a dubious shake of his head, and she was more eager than ever to arrive. Seeing it for himself was the only way to set his mind at ease. Though she tried hard to be optimistic on the outside, the same could be said for her. With any luck, Aeron was already locked away, and she would never have to see him again.

  When she caught sight of the shimmering glamour veil, Esmae sighed in relief.

  "Do you see anything out of the ordinary?" Daniel asked, frowning hard at the space between the trees, though he would never be able to shake the feeling of the anti-human magic attempting to convince him he should not be there.

  "Nothing. It looks the same as it always does."

  He nodded. "Wait here, then, Sir Logan. If you feel that something is amiss, you have permission to enter."

  "I'll be keeping an eye out, Yer Majesty," the knight said, bowing his head.

  Esmae nodded her thanks to him and held her hand out to Daniel. Together, they stepped through the veil.

  The bitter cold was the first thing to go. Winter became a refreshing mist that dissolved into the warmth of eternal spring. Evrosea was always warm, always beautiful, and a hard adjustment from living as humans did at the mercy of the climate. Her fur cloak that had moments before been barely enough to warm her was immediately stifling. Esmae stopped with a groan to slip it from her shoulders. Daniel did the same with his heavy jacket and cloak, leaving them in a pile where the glamour began.

  They passed rose colored crystal embedded in the sturdy trunks of ancient oaks: windows and doors and ornaments that glittered in the morning sun. Moss-covered bridges ran from tree to tree, and balconies wound around every trunk.

  But hardly a soul could be seen anywhere.

  "Have we frightened them into hiding?" Daniel asked under his breath.

  Esmae guided him under a bridge scarcely taller than his shoulder that led them into a tight section of homes.

  "No, we can't have. They would have seen us coming. They always do."

  "You don't suppose they're at the trial?"

  "Perhaps," she murmured, weaving gingerly through the cluster of trees. "Even if they haven't found him, it's possible everyone was summoned to the palace to be publicly warned about him."

  But why wouldn't they have time to send a messenger to Mirrel in that case? Her heart shuddered fearfully.

  Movement at the corner of her eye made her pause and grab his arm. "Daniel."

  She wasn't sure whether to be troubled or relieved when one of the gilded doors upon an elegant wisteria-coated balcony cracked open. Her eyes widened as a familiar face peeked through the opening.

  "Nadine?" Esmae leaned in worriedly. "What are you doing here? Why are you away from the palace?"

  "Queen Esmae, King Daniel," she said with a shaky bow of her head. "This is my family's home. It... it's safer—"

  "Nadine!" a voice hissed from somewhere behind the door. "We aren't to go out!"

  "It's only for a moment," she protested. As she faced Esmae once more, her expression twisted with sorrow. "Oh, I'm so sorry for what happened, Esmae. We didn't know... None of us knew."

  Esmae shared a look with Daniel. "Don't be sorry. Avie's just fine. She woke up this morning. Whatever Aeron did, it wasn't enough to cause lasting damage, thank the gods. But what's happening here? Did they find him?"

  "You there!"

  Straightening, Esmae' sought the new voice and found a team of five fae warriors hovering beside the next winding tree. They were faintly familiar, but there was something odd about the way regarded Esmae and Daniel. As if they were intruding upon Evrosea.

  The lead knight spoke. "The king has been expecting you. Come with us."

  Daniel rounded on them. "Has he? We received not so much as a whisper of a summoning."

  It didn't appear to have the effect he was hoping for. The lead didn't so much as flinch under his much larger stare.

  "He's been very busy," came the placid response. "Now, please. Come."

  The tension in the air was startling, unmistakable. Nonetheless, Esmae made to follow them.

  Nadine fled with a pattering of tiny feet on wood to the balcony, gripped it tight. "No, Esmae—"

  "This doesn't concern you," one of the others raised their voice in a bellow that crackled with energy.

  The tiny maiden cringed, but kept her wide eyes up on Esmae. "You don't have to go," she insisted.

  Esmae frowned at her. "I must see this through. Surely, you understand."

  With Daniel by her side, she left with the fairy guardsme
n. The short journey felt longer with Nadine's fearful face haunting her—and hers wasn't the only one. She spotted more than a dozen small faces watching them with wide eyes through windows. They were faces of fairies she knew, and yet she felt unsettled by their eyes as though she was a stranger amongst them.

  She searched in vain for a friendly face in the King's Oak—one that didn't appear frightened. Much like the dwellings, all she could see were wide eyes of servants peering through the windows. Even more unnerving were the guards patrolling the outside of the palace. They all wore defensive scowls, as if at any moment they would have to spring into action and fight.

  It was then she accepted Aeron had not been captured. He was still out there, a threat to Evrosea and Mirrel alike. And Esmae was away from her baby, his target just last night.

  "We must hurry back," she murmured to Daniel, unable to conceal the wavering note of distress in her voice. "As soon as we can."

  He did not speak. He pulled her closer to his side as a couple of the guards who had accompanied them to the palace landed on one of the expansive balconies that wrapped around the King's Oak and headed inside, shouting for servants to alert the king. There was something fearfully irresolute in Daniel's eyes as she looked up at him.

  Esmae squeezed his arm. "Daniel?"

  Her eyes were drawn back to the balcony as the guards returned, followed by a crowned figure who was not her father.

  The delightfully warm spring air could not reach the ice that spread from her core. Her chest tightened so abruptly she couldn't breathe. If Daniel hadn't been holding her, she might have collapsed with no will to get back up.

  The sinister, twistedly triumphant smile on Aeron Bogdan's face was finally what pushed her voice out.

  "Where is my father?" she croaked out, feeling more like a lost child than a queen.

  "Esmae. My sweet, beautiful Esmae… How do I say this?"