by Rebecca Grey
I needed answers but I needed to cover my own tail first. Marcus was a loose end, one that should probably be tied up.
As the nymphs worked they gave me plenty of space, none willing to walk near me. To entertain myself I tested it. When a servant walked by I would take a step toward them, and without looking up they would step in the opposite direction and keep going as if nothing happened. It was like we were all in our own bubbles that when bumped would push the others away.
Dishes soaked in a large tub, that had been filled with water from the well outside, clinked together the unsynchronized melody of the kitchens. Red was the conductor of the chaos. I made my way over to her standing with my arms relaxed at my sides as I leaned into the wall watching her work.
“What do you want, keeper?” Red attempted to wipe the sweat from her brow but left a string of soapy bubbles behind instead.
I shrugged. I wanted something to pass the time here in this kitchen. Or information about this new race.
She huffed turning back to her work. Red slapped the water splashing it up over the metal sides of the sink and onto my uniform. “Oops, it isn’t wise to stand so close while we wash the dishes. You are bound to get a little messy.”
Cold water seeped through my shirt but I didn’t mind. Red did though. She stared up at me, tearing her hands out of the water with a heavy shake. She twisted away from me, drying her hands against her clothing. I let her take a few steps before I followed behind her. She led me into what I assumed was the royal pantry and it was massive. Not surprising since the court thrived so well.
Stretching above her head her fingertips grazed a canister but she couldn’t quite get her hand around it. She grunted. The skin on the back of her neck flushed red as she tried again, the plain tan shirt she wore rose up her back revealing the harsh bone of her spine protruding under her skin as she did.
“I can get that down for you, if you just ask,” I finally said. “If you ask nicely.”
“Oh, screw off Milo.” Her scowl was so deep when she glanced at my direction that her eyebrows became a unibrow.
“I’m surprised you remembered my name. You must have thought me to be very important.”
Red never responded. Instead she placed her foot on the wooden shelf testing her weight against it. As soon as she was satisfied it would hold her she pulled herself onto it, clinging with one hand to the shelf she needed and using the other to grab the canister she was looking for.
Nervously, I hovered, inching behind her in case she fell. She was so bony if she landed just right she was bound to break something. How was the king's most beloved chef to cook him his meals with a broken arm?
Not on my watch.
Red turned quickly not knowing I was so close. Her small shriek was humorous as she jerked to a stop shaking a small cloud of powder out of the canister when she did. The cloud dispersed between us. A trembling hand rested over her rapidly beating heart.
“Oh, for the love of the Mother,” she gasped. Unlike the other nymphs the imaginary bubble that they all lived in seemed to exclude Red. She didn’t bother to back away from me, even when her heart trembled in her chest in my presence.
“What are these?” I motion toward the black streaks that curved around her neck, like black ash smudges someone had drawn on with their fingers.
“You aren’t from around here are you?” She gave me a skeptical look.
Well shit.
“I traveled a lot growing up.” The same excuse. I’ll stick to my lies till the day I die. This is why I was made to be a guard, a torturer, and a pleaser. If Atarah’s coveted spy hadn’t recently passed I wouldn’t be in this position.
“Don’t lie to me, keeper.” Red stepped around me to examine another shelf. Jars of pickled vegetables, creamy sauces, and pieces of drying meats sat as decisions she’d have to make. Lower shelves contained pots, pans, and various cooking utensils.
Now was my time to ignore the question. She had no proof I was lying and I needn't worry myself over a servant.
Red plucked a few more items from the shelves and straightened herself. Her steps faltered at the doorway when she made to leave. Her judgmental glare traveled over my body. I could feel here studying me in a way that no one else had yet to do.
This wasn’t a test to see how well I could wield a sword or how much weight I could lift. This was a test to see how very different I really was. Apart from my physical attributes that seemed more rare in this territory, there may have been a few other tell-tale signs.
Her attention stopped at my feet. Was it the way I was standing? The slight point out my toes made? Then it traveled to my poised posture. I stood as straight as any other guard, my hand resting on my belt. Then she narrowed her gaze on my face. I told myself I shouldn’t do it, I shouldn’t make it more than it was. But I couldn’t help myself. I gave her a flash of my best eat shit grin and flirty wink.
“Are you a spy?”
“No,” I practically snorted.
“My king does not take kindly to spies in his castle.” Her smile was dark and playful as she disappeared just as Marcus had. It took the grin right off my face and sank my heart in the worst sort of way.
THIRTEEN
Ryker
I hadn’t even opened my eyes yet and I could see the light through my lids. This room was bright. That was the first thing I noticed. Then it was the way my body felt whole again, good again. Surprisingly good.
Blinking, I looked up at the magic enchanted lantern that hung above me casting its radiant glow upon the room. Everything was like it was long ago before the dark magic of the Day of Ruin dulled our senses, clear, vivid, full. My heartbeat went wild, my senses overwhelmed. I could hear people chatting in the next room, I could smell the medicines and tonics. The thud, thud, thud of my own heart rung in my ears as I took in the colors bright before my eyes. The room was mostly a robin’s egg blue, but it was the bluest blue I'd ever seen.
The thin covers sent a tingle across my skin as I wiggled underneath them. I could sense that we were far underground, I could feel the bugs and animals that lived within the walls. Sounds of their scurrying, scratching, and crawling about filled my ears.
Frantically, I sat up scooting myself against the wall at the realization I wasn’t alone. The foggy memories of the days before finally camr to the forefront of my mind.
A shudder shook through the room, shaking the ground. An earthquake. I sighed in relief as I recognized the man in the room. My dark haired boy, with his chin tilted up enough for me to see the dimple that appeared when he grinned. Daethian sat next to me with his arm slung over the side of his chair and his feet propped on the bed I was laying in. Everything about him was just...clearer. The curve of his lips as they stretched upward created small dimples on his cheeks I’d never noticed before. My stomach fluttered and my breath hitched in my chest as I untangled myself from the blanket. Where was Randsin? Where was I?
With a quick jerk of my head, to see my friend in full, I felt soft ringlets of curls brush against my arm. Hesitantly, I ran my fingers through my hair letting the twists wiggle around my fingers. A firm shake to the left and right sent the hair bouncing a few more times. It had grown. Two… three inches? I know that I’m not great at this time thing but there was no way I had been out for that long. I hoped.
“It's the side effect of the thing.” He motioned toward his neck like he was stabbing himself. Right, that nasty little needle that had knocked me out. On its own accord my hand drifted to my neck.
“It’s a little wild isn’t it,” Daethian beamed, leaning farther back in his chair.
“Where are we?” I asked, my throat was dry and my voice sounded rough. A nervous jitter ran its course as I noticed how empty the room was besides us and a few other cots. The sound of Daethian’s blood pumping through his veins echoed in my ears. My body remembered how my magic fueled me to be better but my brain had forgotten how to filter the unimportant out. Everything felt like an overwhelming assault on
my senses.
“Welcome to the Acture Court, Ryker.” I could feel Daethian studying me. The same criminal look he gave me in the Heathern Court that always made me so uneasy. Without an answer, he continued. “When you first wake up, it’s like the world around you wakes up too. Little bits of your power start to come back. Sometimes, you can’t control them. Everything is heightened, again.”
Daethian lowers his gaze to the floor. “You hear everything. The way you make someone’s heart race. Your sight improves so much it’s like you’re looking at a new person, even when you’ve known them for years. It’s magical, in a way I’ve never felt before.”
“So you’re not hurt?” I whispered as I sat up. The white blanket fell away revealing a thin blue gown that covered my body. Who had changed me?
“I’m fine. More than fine.” Daethian dropped his boots from the bed loudly, leaning forward to take my hand. “Ryker everything we’ve been told is a lie. The Acture Court isn’t retraining nymphs to be good servants their training us as soldiers and planting us in other courts.”
The hope in his voice was evident, the skepticism in my features even more so as he continued. “You’ll see it for yourself.”
“We can’t trust the fae. You said that yourself to me not that long ago.”
He nodded his head. “I did but I was wrong about so many things.”
I looked behind him at the closed door. Next to the exit a small table with a mirror and a folded outfit. “Is that for me?” I pointed, uncomfortable with how thin the current gown was.
“Oh, yes. Sorry, I just wanted you to myself for a moment longer. After I show you around I know I’ll have to share your time.” He glanced at the ground with a small smile. “I’m being selfish. Here, put this on.”
My eyes narrowed as I glanced down at the paperthin oversized outfit. He tossed me the clean set of pants and a shirt, both the red-brown colors of the court.
Fresh air hit my legs, giving me a chill, but I ignored the feeling. My feet looked cleaner than I expected and I wiggled my toes against the tiled floor. Daethian made a show of turning around to face the only exit and gave me privacy. Quickly, I changed out of my unappealing gown. From the looks of my skin someone had cleaned me up a bit. Hopefully it wasn’t Daethian… but hopefully it wasn’t a stranger either.
“Ok, let’s go.” I stepped around the pile of clothes, just to catch myself in a small mirror sitting on the table next to the door. I walked over and marveled at my skin, bright and clean. Shining curls shaped like springs twisted and curved around my face. My eyelashes brushed my skin under my eyebrows. I looked like me again. At least a version of me.
“Beautiful, right?” Daethian had folded his arms and leaned against the door, content to watch me marvel at myself. I rolled my eyes trying to hide how awkward his comment had made me feel. Me, beautiful? Maybe before the Day of Ruin yes but now I was calloused and overworked.
“Your beard looks fuller.” I reach up tugging on the hair on his chin. He winced and swatted my hand away.
“I’m ready. I think.” Truthfully, was I? I chew on my lip. I knew I could trust Daethian but today I was following him into the unknown.
Because of my feelings of unease and distrust toward the fae and this court, I stayed close behind my friend. Daethian led me out, down a long hall. The walls we passed were made of stone engravings that reminded me of the nymph culture. The images were very nature related, giving me an odd sense of home. With pursed lips, I kept my thoughts to myself as we continued on taking a few turns and eventually making our way up many flights of stairs.
The sense of life that thrummed through the earth, I could feel it in my bones. I could feel it giving me life. I breathed it all in, tracing my fingers along the walls as I walked behind him. With each exhale I made, the life behind me went with it, each inhale was the life before me.
Coming out of the stairwell we took a right and walked into a small open room with a large oak desk, shelves with books and knick-knacks, and a few chairs. Behind a dark wood desk a large window let the bright awakening sun in behind. Then there were people gathered around this desk who quieted and stood as we entered the room. Daethian didn’t hide his smirk and weaved his way through the people till he found a spot against the wall to lean against.
My eyes ran over Windre and his other guards that I recognized from their visit to the Heathern Court. Unwelcomed nervousness created small bouncing butterflies inside my stomach. Next to them sat my mirror image. Bound unruly curls sat on top of her head, a smile growing quickly on her lips. I screamed just as she did out of excitement and happiness. The earth again shook around me as I took a running start to meet with my sister, Hattie. She ran at me too until we collided, falling to the ground in a bear hug. I couldn't hold back my tears as I squeezed her, laughing.
I pulled away from her and pressed my hands against her face. Her cheeks were rosy, rounded at the end of her wide smile. Her green eyes sparkled with untamed joy. She looked so good, she felt so healthy and strong in my arms. How had life been for her since the Day of Ruin?
"Ryker, thanks for telling me you had a twin." Daethian cooed.
“It's a good thing he’s cute, huh? It took him a few days before he realized we were twins.” Her laugh vibrated through my hands. She was exactly my image, maybe more put together, definitely better fed, and definitely stronger. She stood in a similar outfit as the one Daethian had given me, though her form filled it out more. A picture of lean muscle, a strong build.
“In my defense I thought I had died when I came here. I was convinced I was with Mother Nature or this was all a dream.”
“Are you okay?” I asked, examining her as much as I could.
“Am I okay? I’m fine! Look at you. You’re the one we should be worried about. You’re nothing but skin and bones. “
Waving a hand, I dismissed her worry. “I’ll be fine.”
I turned to the rest of the room who had long since gone quiet and still. Windre, in a long red robe, ushered himself before me. He grabbed either side of me looking me up and down, his nimble hands warm against my arms. His eyes squinted as if looking deeper than just the surface of my skin, as if he could see straight to my soul.
“I’m glad you have made it mostly unscaved. I would like to apologize for Graceson’s rash behavior. You know with the sedative thing.” Windre’s lips, which at the dinner had been pursed, and his demeanor guarded were now just the opposite. He smiled, genuine and kind. His shoulders were relaxed.
“Sorry, I thought you wanted her to get her powers back quickly.” Graceson stepped back, his hands up in front of him. He smiled and gave me a quick nod.
Windre shooed Graceson then turned, picked up one of my hands and kissed it before twirling me around. My feet felt a bit clumsy at the movement but I smiled at the fun. It’d been awhile since I’d really felt happy. The feeling was so foreign I wasn’t quite sure that was what it was at first.
Windre continued, “You can thank Jerydin over here for the serum that blocks whatever magic Ganglin has been using. He stumbled upon it by accident and we’ve been using it for the better ever since. I believe he is still tweaking it so it still takes a few days to bring your powers back to full strength and help grow those beautiful swirls of hair sprouting from your head so quickly. But it’s still a miracle nonetheless.” The bug eyed man, Jerydin, didn’t respond. He only looked at me before lowering his gaze to the ground.
Randsin stood behind them all, face almost paler than normal, looking thoroughly unamused. I caught his eye as I spoke, “Thank you, I suppose, to all of you. I have to admit I’m a bit confused. One minute I’m half dead in a cellar, next I’m... here. This isn’t what I expected of this court. Shouldn’t there be more...”
“Torture and death?” Graceson offered.
“Yes.” I nodded.
“Don’t worry, Ryker. You are in a good place now. It’s safe here.” Hattie looked to Windre fondly.
Nodding his head, Dae s
aid, “Hey, this guy here is a good actor, right?” His gaze ran over Windre before he leaned forward and spoke in a playful hushed tone, “But I think he is actually a little bit insane.”
“Oh, I know it’s quite a lot to take in. You may want some time of your own to process.” Windre chuckled. “Would you like to see your room? Dear Hattie, can take you. I’ll have some food sent to you as well. We have quite the homecoming party for you tonight. Then you can join the resistance tomorrow!”
Homecoming parties were fond memories of my childhood. A nymph tradition. Nymphs often traveled and roamed, and when we returned to where we were raised or found a new home or even came for a visit, a party was almost always in order.
Hattie blushed under the gaze of King Windre and smiled. Grabbing up my hand she ushered me out of the office and down the hall. I waved at the small group as I left, my eyes lingering on Daethian. My gaze continued to wander the halls, my fingers brushed against leaves carved against the stone.
“This is us!” She turned and waved her hands around the room we had finally entered after passing so many. There was plenty of space for the three plush looking beds. Overstuffed, like the room I shared with Dace and covered in beautiful quilts that complemented each other. Across from the three beds were dressers to match. A long window lined the wall directly across from us with a small balcony to overlook a large garden. It was beautiful.
“This is your new home.” She paused waiting for any sort of reaction before she continued. “I’ve missed you so much you don’t even know. I’ve got so much to fill you in on, and I need to hear everything that’s happened since that wretched day.” Hattie was glowing with excitement, even as her lips tilted down in a frown.
“So this is home? I’m not sure it feels that way yet,” I mumbled.
“With you here, I think Daethian and I could argue that it finally is home.” She pulled her arm around me laying her head on my shoulder for a minute before letting me go to run and jump on a bed. “This one is yours.” She giggled.
