Now the question became—could I draw forth that same magic from the petals on command? Contemplating my breakthrough, I trudged to bed, now too sleepy to make it to midnight. I could use the extra sleep anyway since Nix and I were planning to leave for Uvrakar at first light.
I slept incredibly peacefully, the moonflower’s magic flowing through my veins.
Nix supervised as I packed everything we needed for the trip. I was wearing sturdy boots like he’d suggested so I could more easily traverse the mountainside leading up to the abandoned dragon hoard. A long length of rope had also been added to my pack. A few of the preparations were less intuitive. Like the log of wood Nix demanded I bring along, collected from a fallen tree in the cemetery yard.
The cemetery was a sacred place. Its importance to our trip, however, was a mystery Nix didn’t yet care to reveal. For my final preparation, I tucked a few of the remaining moonflowers, plucked the night before, into my long, thick braid. A pretty touch with a practical purpose, given their sleep-inducing magic. “Are we ready?” I asked Nix, pushing open the front door.
A golden envelope, bearing my name, lay on the ground in front of the cottage.
I squinted at the letter, thoroughly bewildered. Nobody had ever written me a letter before. I looked around for any sign of who might have delivered it to my doorstep. A golden bird with a long curly feather crowning its head flashed across my vision, flying away from the island. Rubbing my chin, perplexed by the letter’s presence, I slipped a fingernail underneath the official-looking wax seal on the envelope, peeling it slowly open, so I could read its message.
King Filvendor formally invites you to an audience at the Summer Palace in Solaris. A carriage shall be provided for transportation from your island. Please be reassured, should you choose to accept this invitation, that you would be treated as an esteemed guest during your visit and thereby extended the king’s full protection. We look forward to hearing back from you at your earliest convenience.
— By order of our shining sun, King Filvendor, long may he reign
I read the short letter over and over again. King Filvendor wanted to meet…with me?
“What does it say?” Nix asked impatiently, having exited the cottage to find me enthralled with its contents. “It’s an invitation—from King Filvendor of Solaris. He wants to meet me. I’ve been invited to the palace.”
The hackles on his back rose up. “I don’t think you should go.”
I finally pulled my eyes away from the letter. “Didn’t you tell me just a few days ago that I should get to know the Fae courts?”
Nix looked nonplussed. “The timing is odd. Why would he ask to meet with you now? Before your inauguration? I don’t like it.”
“Maybe he’s just reaching out because I’ve been leaving the island more than Kaylin ever did. I was born in Solaris, you know. An opportunity to meet the king. I might even be able to ask him about my parents. If he knows who they were.” There was no way I could refuse the invitation. It held too much promise. Fae were old enough to respect the things the Midnight Sovereign had once been, and wise enough to foresee what I could become again. Perhaps it was a form of validation. That I was on the right track. Thatsomebodythought I was doing a good job with my office.
Nix’s expression softened. “He might know. Bloodlineisvery important to the Fae.”
King Filvendor was old—so old he’d lived through the Fae Wars. The oldest living monarch in the realm. There was no way I could pass up the opportunity to meet him. And he was offering me his hospitality. The Fae took such offers seriously. Nix’s intuition aside, I didn’t think he intended me harm. Otherwise, why bother to send an invitation? An esteemed guest. The land held its rulers to their vows. There would be consequences if he neglected his word. “I trust you, Nix. But if there’s a chance to learn more about my past…” I grabbed a writing utensil and jotted my reply.
Regrettably, I am currently otherwise disposed. However, I would gladly accept King Filvendor’s invitation to visit upon my return. I will wait for the aforementioned carriage in three weeks’ time at the riverhead from Solaris closest to my island.
— Respectfully, The Midnight Sovereign
Finished writing, I wandered into the trees, locating the large bundles of sticks and twigs wedged into the nooks of the tallest conifers, upon which the island ravens built their nests. “Hello!” I called, my voice conjuring an answering rustle of wings. Several ravens popped up out of their nest, peering down at me. “Could you take this envelope to the Summer Palace in Solaris please?” I inquired, holding the envelope out. It was remarkable really—that the ravens could deliver a message and still find their way home afterward.
“Solaris,” croaked one of the ravens in agreement, swooping down from its nest and accepting the envelope in its beak, before flying away from the island. “Thank you!” I called after the bird, uncertain whether or not it understood me. If not my words, then I figured the ravens at least understood my gratitude by the fish I made sure to occasionally leave out for them.
Having taken care of that, I hoisted my pack squarely over my shoulder and placed a hand against the cottage wall, wishing it a fond farewell. As Nix and I made our way to the boat, excitement rushed through me at the prospect of a new adventure—so unlike the fear and trepidation that reared their ugly heads those first few times I left the island behind.
Uvrakar was calling. There were moonstones to find. And I was no longer alone.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
“You’re absolutelycertainthis is the entrance to the Autumn Court?” I asked Nix for the second time, scrutinizing the large hole at the base of the tree and skeptically eyeballing its dimensions. Nix was draped across my neck, both of us staring into a gaping hole in the ground. “I’m certain,” he said. “Besides, it’s marked on the map, isn’t it? What further confirmation do you need?” I gave a reluctant sigh. “Yes, but the map doesn’t say anything about sliding into a gaping hole to get there.”
I had followed Nix’s instructions without question since sailing up the river and finding this small forest, but now, I was no longer so sure we were on the same page. He might not blink an eye at jumping into a random cavity in the ground, but I definitely had some concerns. Still, my moonstone necklace was calm, so it probably wasn’t life-threatening.
“What if it’s infested with spiders?”
Nix was not the least bit perturbed. “The giant spiders don’t live near this particular entrance.” I harrumphed. So therewerespiders to worry about. “That really doesn’t make me feel any better,” I muttered in response, sticking a single foot into the hole and wiggling it around, half expecting a hand to emerge and yank me down against my will.
Nix swished his tail, growing impatient. “Would you rather hike for days on end to reach the mountain? Get questioned or detained by a dragon on the way? This is the shortcut—take it or leave it. There is no quicker path to reach Western Uvrakar unless you’re flying on the back of a dragon.”
I stuck both feet into the hole. “I would just like to note I am doing this under protest.”
“Noted,” Nix replied with dry sarcasm. “Just remember to tuck your arms—”
