by Skye Horn
Derek considered that for a moment before shrugging his shoulders, lifting his wings high with the movement. He had his own weapons strapped across his body already, and the black feathers of his wings rustled. Thea recognized the way he glanced toward the sky every few minutes, knowing she felt the same way about being on the ground. She just wondered what made him crave the freedom. Everyone had a reason.
The campsite was nearly packed when the others returned to the fire. They loaded the horses with bags and supplies, and everyone’s tired eyes fell onto Thea. She wished she could tell them to rest longer, but even if she wanted to, it wasn’t safe for them to remain in the open for long. The council had insisted they arrive in Gimmerwich before nightfall.
“I’ll go wake Jami and Brayden up,” Derek said, heading toward where the two men slumped against tree trunks.
“Are we ready to go?” Thea asked Rolan.
“Yes, milady.”
Thea slipped her chilled hands into her cloak pockets and glanced up at the cloudless sky. She wouldn’t venture far away from Derek or Brayden today, but she looked forward to the flight ahead.
“Great,” Mica said with a less-tired smile. Thea envied his youthful ability to bounce back from lack of sleep. “I, for one, cannot wait to sleep in an actual bed.”
“Get used to it, kid. They’ll make you sleep on the ground for weeks during training,” Derek teased, appearing beside Mica. He threw his arm around his shoulder with a laugh. “And that’s after they starve you for days.”
Mica’s face paled, but the other guards smirked and laughed.
“Don’t forget about the isolation trials,” Brayden chimed in. “I nearly failed during those.”
The others nodded in agreement.
“Enough,” Thea said, shaking her head at the horrified look on Mica’s face. “I thought you would get me to Gimmerwich before nightfall, but if you’d rather sit around and scare Mica…”
Jami’s back straightened, and Derek breathed out a last laugh before releasing Mica from his hold.
“All right, Princess. We were just trying to prepare him,” Rolan chuckled, pulling himself up onto a chestnut gelding.
“Well, you can tell him all about it when we arrive on time.” Thea eyed them all until they agreed. Mica gave her a grateful glance before helping Ethel up onto her horse, but she didn’t respond. If Mica really wanted to be a soldier, he would have to learn to stand up for himself without someone protecting him. Otherwise, she’d be setting him up to fail. However, that didn’t mean she wanted to watch him freak out about what was coming. She needed them all on their best behavior as they went into Gimmerwich, because who knew what might await them beyond those long-protected gates.
The brisk morning breeze ruffled the bottom of Thea’s cloak, but it was nothing compared to the frigid winter air Thea had felt when she’d first arrived in Faerie. It amazed her how much the air had warmed the closer they got to the western seas. Kieran had once explained to Thea that they had sealed the borders of the western kingdom during the Dark War. Queen Ismara had cut her kingdom off from the other three kingdoms hoping death would not invade their lands—a strategy that had worked.
“Ready then?” Derek interrupted her thoughts.
“Yes.” Thea wasn’t sure if she really was ready, but there was no turning back now. Once everyone mounted their horses, Derek gave directions, having assumed the role of lead Guard, and Thea took flight with her two winged guards at her sides. She knew they were watching her extra carefully, making sure to always have her covered if something were to go wrong, but she didn’t mind it as much anymore. She had grown to enjoy their company now that their judging gazes had morphed into a strange new friendship. It made her aching heart beat a little faster. The fresh flush of her cheeks rejuvenated her, making the dull ache of loneliness she’d felt over the past few months a little more bearable.
“Head northwest,” Jami called out to her as she adjusted her flight path in the direction he’d showed. The wind kissed her skin, leaving a familiar sting in her eyes as they adjusted to the new speed and altitude. Her hair, which she hadn’t bothered to re-braid, flowed around her face, tangling into knots she was sure she’d regret later. For now, though, she enjoyed the freedom she felt, because she knew it would be limited. Soon, she would see Kieran again and face the emotions she’d been burying for months. Soon, she’d meet the only other female leader in Faerie. Soon, she’d have to decide about her guard, regardless of how badly she wanted to continue putting it off.
Those were all changes she’d face soon, but for the moment, she was free to fly with her new companions underneath the warm rays of the sun.
She wouldn’t take that for granted.
As the day progressed, Thea swooped low often to check on the others. Thankfully, she had no further complications with the Goddess of Death entering her mind as they traveled. She sensed no onslaught of dark magic, nor any reason for her to fear for her safety, but Jami and Derek never let their guards down around her. They often cast wary glances in her direction as she flew, and despite her competitive nature, she let herself stay close to them for all of their comforts. It didn’t do her any good to pretend she didn’t need a guard when she obviously did. Without Derek, she could have been seriously injured the night before. There was nothing she could do to change the fact that over the past six months she’d gone from ordinary Thea Gilbert who wanted to study art in university, to Princess Thea, soon-to-be Queen of Ivandor. It was all more than a little overwhelming, so the least she could do was accept the minor changes, like having fancy Faerie guards to watch her every move.
It wasn’t until hours later that Thea caught her first glimpse of Gimmerwich’s stone castle walls elevated high above the rest of the grassy plains and forests. The sea was painted across the background with clouds of white dancing across the crystal-blue skies of the horizon. Thea’s eyes widened as they neared the castle. From what she could see, Gimmerwich was at least triple the size of Ivandor, and it was clear war hadn’t touched its borders during Thea’s lifetime. High atop the castle walls were lines and lines of sentries that made Thea’s stomach flip. Jami and Derek’s wings were only inches from her own now as they flew.
“That’s inviting,” Jami commented, looking at the army awaiting them.
“Queen Ismara’s army is unlike any other’s,” Derek awed.
“Too bad she didn’t bother to use it,” Thea murmured, earning surprised glances from both of her companions.
Seeing the size of Ismara’s kingdom and catching a glimpse at her soldiers made Thea’s blood boil. Thousands of others had suffered and died while this queen had sat behind her castle walls, allowing it to happen as if it had nothing to do with her. Weren’t they all supposed to be one people? How could she have just watched the entire realm suffer?
She didn’t watch, Thea thought. She lived in this castle of denial. It was sickening, but Thea couldn’t let that show because she wasn’t a queen—not yet at least. If she explained her feelings about Queen Ismara’s decisions, people would tell her she did not understand what one might do to protect their people. However, King Aragon had not been so selfish, and she hoped to be more like him. She hoped to have his compassion for others as a ruler one day.
As they flew closer, Jami motioned for Thea and Derek to follow him toward the ground.
“They won’t hesitate to shoot us down if we don’t go through the front gate,” he said without a hint of joking. Thea swallowed hard, glancing at the archers lining the castle walls once more before following her guards. She couldn’t hide the fact that this show of force impressed her.
“Are you ready?” Brayden asked her as they landed. She lifted her head and folded her wings against her back as two guards approached from the open gates of the castle.
“As I’ll ever be,” she told them all and straightened her tunic. She felt disheveled from flight, but that didn’t matter now. What mattered was that she took the position as the leader
of this group. So she stepped forward to meet the guards with Jami and Derek just slightly behind her, but both to her sides. Although seeing Derek on her right brought back the foul taste of betrayal in the back of Thea’s mouth, she was happy to have his support. Derek could never replace Kieran as her right-hand soldier, but he made her feel safer when Ismara’s guards approached. Jami took up Thea’s opposite side while the rest of her companions remained mounted on their horses, watching as the guards reached them.
Thea didn’t know if she would ever be ready for what was to come, but she had to show as much confidence as possible if she wanted to survive this trip.
“Welcome to Gimmerwich, Princess Thea,” one guard said as they lowered themselves into a bow of respect. They were both decorated soldiers—high ranking. The soldier who had spoken was older, probably in his mid-thirties, but had a clean-shaven face and dark brown brows. He made Thea’s companions and Thea herself look young.
The guard who had accompanied him was copper-skinned and younger, possibly late twenties. His eyes flickered to each of their faces, assessing them all. Thea wondered if he had similar abilities to Derek as she felt a familiar tickle at the front of her mind.
“Queen Ismara will be pleased you have arrived safely before nightfall,” the first guard continued without waiting for a response from Thea. She bowed her head, but didn’t fail to notice the scrutiny he cast over her unusual attire.
“I’m honored to have been invited,” Thea responded with the gentle politeness that was fitting of a princess. She didn’t care what he thought of how she was dressed. It was the same way many others in her own court looked at her. However, both guards seemed to relax as she spoke, making a little of her own tension fade away.
The one who hadn’t yet spoken motioned for them to follow him, and Thea did so without question. Derek kept a steady pace on her right as the older guard took Jami’s position on her left. If this bothered any of her companions, they hid it well.
“We will have your horses taken to the stables for food and water,” the older guard said without even the hint of a friendly smile. A circle of protection formed around Thea. Those on horses dismounted to allow the animals to be taken to the stables while Thea cast one worried glance toward Ethel. Relief flooded her as she saw Mica pull Ethel against his side. “In the meantime, I will take you to the queen.”
Thea nearly tripped over her own feet.
“Now?” she asked, failing to mask her shock.
“Of course,” said the guard without noticing her stumble. Derek, however, cast a worried glance at her feet as if she might be under the attack of dark magic again. “The queen cannot wait to meet you.”
“And the queen’s nephew?” Thea choked out in a trembling voice. This caught the guard’s attention, but she hoped he would find her nervousness acceptable for meeting a future suitor.
“He has not returned from his hunting trip yet, but they have informed me he will be home before nightfall,” he replied, leading them through a busy castle courtyard toward a decorated set of wooden double-doors. Thea had seen similar decorations in Ivandor and Grimwalde. It appeared the castles all bore similar layouts, despite Gimmerwich’s obviously larger size. “It’s dangerous outside after nightfall.”
Thea didn’t miss the warning in the guard’s voice as they walked down the long, artwork-lined hallway toward what she assumed was the throne room.
“Don’t you think I should change before I meet Queen Ismara?” Thea asked, her voice rising an octave. She had never wished to be in a dress more than she did in this moment.
“She expects you now,” was all he replied as he opened the door to the throne room, ushering Thea in as the rest of her entourage stood looking as nervous as she felt. “Two of your guards may remain, but the rest will be escorted to their rooms.”
“Ethel will room with me.” Thea motioned toward her only human companion. He glanced at her with mild curiosity before nodding his agreement. “Derek, Jami, please remain with me.”
Thea had fallen into the habit of speaking with her guards like companions during their travel, but now she added a note of authority to her words.
“Milady,” Jami replied as both he and Derek bowed their heads. The other guard escorted away the rest of their group. Mica cast one promising look to Thea as they turned the corner, a silent understanding passing between them about Ethel’s safety. Thea knew very little about Gimmerwich, and wasn’t about to let her underage handmaiden wander around without some protection. She trusted Mica to keep her safe, though.
“Princess,” Derek whispered to pull her attention back to the room beyond them. She had no voice to answer him, but she focused herself and, with a final steadying breath, stepped through the double doors to meet the Queen of Gimmerwich.
Chapter 10
News of Thea’s arrival spread through the village like wildfire. The lost Princess of Ivandor had landed at their gates with only five guards and a human girl according to the men in the tavern. Kieran listened closely from his table in the corner, letting relief wash over him at the confirmation that she was in fact alive and well.
“Told you she could handle herself,” Amara murmured from beside him, but he ignored her.
Thea was safe, and that was all that mattered. Now that Thea was in Gimmerwich, he needed to decide what his next move would be. Queen Ismara had advised him to let Thea move on with her life without him, which he’d been content to do until he found out she was supposed to marry another man. Now, his mind swirled with what his first words would be—how could he convince her that she shouldn’t marry someone else while also telling her that they couldn’t be together? How much more of a selfish prick could he be?
So, what? He couldn’t have her, so no one could?
The thought haunted him because every bone inside his body screamed that it was the truth, not only for her, but for him too. They belonged to one another on a level that he couldn’t explain. She was the moon, and he was the ocean’s tide, forever in sync with one another—no matter how hard he fought it.
“Kieran,” Amara continued to try for his attention, but it was elsewhere. Somewhere far away where he and Thea didn’t have to fight these feelings, where he didn’t have to run away. Kieran knew that place didn’t exist, but as he clutched his untouched ale, he dreamt of it.
Meanwhile, some village girls gossiped about the attire Thea wore and the weapons she carried, while soldiers murmured about the stories they’d heard of her battle with Morrigan. Kieran smiled, remembering the fight Thea had put up to convince his aunt that she shouldn’t have to wear a dress everywhere she went. He recalled the way her face had lit up the first time she’d strapped a baldric of weapons to herself, or the pure excitement he’d seen when she’d figured out how to wield the magic within her. All the aching memories made his stomach twist into knots, but he just continued to let them flood him.
It wasn’t just magic and Faerie that made Thea who she was—it was her kindness. She’d shown kindness to everyone she’d met, no matter their status or species. That was what made her worth talking about, not just the otherworldliness she exhibited to these villagers who’d lived the past fifteen years sheltered away from the horrors of war. Thea was something they’d never seen before. She would do anything to save the people she loved. He was living proof of that.
“You’ve got that look on your face,” Amara said, and this time, he looked at her. He knew what look she was referring to, but he didn’t bother hiding it. Kieran had always loved Thea, but since her return to Faerie it had grown into something more than that. He could deny it as easily as he could deny himself food or water. He’d run from it six months ago, but now, as fate yet again brought them back together, he could feel the inevitable coming. They’d burn the world to ashes to be together, and that was what made them dangerous. He couldn’t allow them to be together, and yet he also couldn’t get up and walk away from her… not yet, at least.
“She’s going to be the d
eath of me,” he sighed aloud, taking a drink of his warming ale.
“Queen Ismara, please allow me to introduce Princess Thea of Ivandor,” the guard said as they entered the throne room. It was decorated in elaborate gold etchings that climbed the walls and looked to have been polished often to maintain their sparkling shine. The layout and decorations in the room were very similar to those of both Ivandor and Grimwalde, just as the corridors had been. However, the room itself was far larger than her own throne room in Ivandor. Thea felt as if she’d shrunken as soon as she walked in, but tried to hide the nervous fear from her face as she wondered how she was supposed to stand. The wrinkles in her clothes and mud on her boots had suddenly become all too clear.
“Welcome!” Queen Ismara sat on her throne, dressed in a stunning cobalt dress that flowed around her in wavelike ruffles. She looked like an extension of the sea outside the castle walls.
Thea approached, leaving all three guards behind, until she could see the blue of the dress reflected in the queen’s silvery eyes, giving them a subtle blue undertone. She hesitated in her day-old clothing, but stood taller, raising her wings as if it might make her look more impressive to the beautiful queen.
“Thank you for the invitation,” Thea said, bowing instead of curtsying. “I apologize that I have entered your court like this, but I was not expecting to meet with you so soon.”
She fought the urge to glare at the guard who’d brought her into the court as a blush crept across her cheeks, but she did not lower her gaze from the queen’s. There was a quiet sparkle of glitter across her cheeks as she walked toward Thea, much like the powder Thea used to cover the shadows beneath her eyes but more… girly. Thea felt a pang of jealousy at the sight of the makeup. She may not have enjoyed dressing up in frilly dresses, but she would have done anything for some eyeliner over these past few months.
“You are a guest in my home, but you should never apologize for your appearance, darling.” The queen reached for Thea, pulling her upright as Thea had done so often to those bowing in front of her. Surprisingly, Ismara hugged her. “I am delighted to meet you, Princess Thea.”
