“May I help wash your hair now?” Nithroel offered when she returned.
“Sure. Thank you,” I replied politely, feeling unsure of myself, realizing too late that washing my hair would involve removing the moonflowers I’d placed in my braid. But I didn’t stop Nithroel as she set to work untangling my braid, softly massaging my scalp as she washed my hair clean. “We can replace these with some sunflowers,” she told me as she disposed of the moonflowers. I closed my eyes, overcome by a deep state of relaxation as she lathered my hair with another round of soap, working her fingers soothingly through my hair again until it was fully detangled.
I opened my eyes as soon as Nithroel finished with my hair, intending to thank her for her kindness. When I turned to express my gratitude, I noticed she was wearing a braided cord around her neck—a grieving symbol. “You’re in mourning,” I remarked, meeting her gaze, as she sat at the edge of the bathtub. Gently, I laid my hand on hers. “I lost somebody too recently. I’m so sorry for your loss. May the summer sun lighten the grief in your heart.” Her eyes looked deep into mine, pausinga moment before she returned my touch, tenderly squeezing my hand.
Though I was familiar with the custom, I neglected to braid my own cord after Kaylin’s death. Our life together had been complicated, our bond difficult to define. The color of the braid was supposed to be symbolic of your relationship. I had gathered the twine after her funeral, only to let it drop from my hands.
Because who was Kaylin to me really? Was I grieving a mother? A mentor? She gave me so much, except the family I desperately needed. And that grief, that confusion, was so much harder to confront. In truth, I was mourning more than just her loss. I was mourning our relationship too, what I wished it could have been, had circumstances been different. Would she be proud of me? Or horrified by my efforts to reclaim our lost legacy…
The door opened, and Nithroel rose to her feet, switching places with the woman who entered the room. The newcomer approached the bathtub, crouching down to my level. “I hear you have some aches and pains. I should be able to help you. May I?” I nodded, watching as she slowly twirled her hand into the water, the ache in my hip subsiding almost as soon as her magic reached my skin. “Thank you,” I said, sinking lower into the water as the healer departed, having completed her job.
I stayed in the bath until the water ran cold, eventually drying myself off with the towel Nithroel left behind for me. I dressed myself in a beautiful green tunic embroidered with swirling leaves that I found neatly folded beside the towel. Abundance. Calm. Contentment. Was this what it meant to live at the Summer Palace? I exited the bathing chamber to find Nithroel waiting on me.
“We’ve prepared a bedchamber for you,” she informed me. “Please follow me this way.”
I assumed Nithroel was leading me to a guest chamber, which I would be welcome to use throughout my visit. That was before I looked inside and saw the number of items that had been inscribed with my name. A surge of warmth filled me as I looked around the room. It must have taken weeks for them to prepare and personalize all the items in the bedroom. A beautiful ceramic vase sat on the nightstand next to the bed, containing a bouquet of fresh sunflowers, and I wondered if Agatha herself had crafted it for me. I walked over to a bookcase and traced my finger over the engraving of my name, carved into the wood.
The room was elegance personified, draped with deep purple curtains and gilded in gold. The bed was massive, with lavender sheets and covered in more pillows than I owned in the entirety of my cottage back home. As I explored the space, I realized the main room was connected to a large bathing chamber and opened right onto a garden terrace on the other side. “It’s stunning,” I breathed, smiling broadly at Nithroel as she watched me investigate.
“I’m glad it’s to your satisfaction. Please rest well. King Filvendor would like to join you for a stroll through the rose gardens tomorrow morning. I believe he was also going to show you the palace library. If you need anything, you can pull on that rope there, and I will come. Everything in this room belongs to you—feel free to read a book before bed if you would like.” She departed shortly afterward, the faint click of a lock audible as she left me alone in the room.
I collapsed against the pillows on my bed, anticipating averyrestful night of sleep.
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
The roses were in full bloom.
A tall wooden archway, completely overtaken by flowers, beckoned us into the garden. As we stepped onto the marble pathway, King Filvendor offered me the crook of his arm so that we could stroll side by side. While the roses near the entrance were a classic deep red, the garden offered an impressive number of unique varieties; there were white, pink, yellow, and orange roses to admire as well. Even some varieties I’d never seen before—roses blooming in a pretty lavender hue or pigmented with multiple hues at once.
The flowers weren’t the only attraction placed within the garden. Every now and then, we strolled by some new marble sculpture, intricately pruned hedge, or tranquil water feature to marvel at alongside the roses. The entire garden was a work of art.
We paused near a fountain, a steady stream of water spurting from a marble lion’s mouth. King Filvendor stared with concern at a rosebush with withering flower petals. He passed his hand slowly over the bush, and the petals perked into a healthy bloom. His magic, his connection to the land, was obviously powerful. I imagined this small display of power was just a fraction of what he could accomplish.
Carefully, he pinched off one of the roses, offering it to me with a smile. I reached to accept the flower from his hand, but he stopped me. “Here, let me.” A blush rose unbidden to my cheeksas he softly brushed aside a strand of my hair before tucking the rosebud into my braid. “Thank you,” I stuttered, feeling flustered by his attention.
“Of course,” King Filvendor said. “It’s a small magic. The real wonder is that this land responds to my touch at all. It’s my greatest achievement—uniting the Summer Court and the human populace into one territory.Solaris—home to my Summer Palace. It was quite remarkable really, the speed with which my magic settled upon the new land. The other Fae courts did not possess the same foresight. They felt the land begin to grow but chose to ignore that growth, closing off their borders and concerning themselves little with the humans who came to live there. Not me. As the land expanded, I always knew I intended to expand my rule right along with it. Magic is too chaotic, too unbridled, for it to never change. The Spring, Autumn, and Winter Courts failed to learn an important lesson—those who resist change will always be at a disadvantage. Now they find themselves limited to their ancestral lands. I had grander ambitions.”
I found myself at a loss for words. Luckily, King Filvendor didn’t seem to expect much of me conversation-wise, continuing on with his solemn reflections. “Look at the Kingdom of Solaris now. We’re thriving—Faekind and humankind alike. The only place in the realm where we live in harmony and reap the rewards. You know, Solaris is your home too. Your birthright. There is a place for you here. I know you must be wondering why I invited you to visit. It’s because I believe you have a future in my household. Perhaps as a member of my guard. After some additional training, of course. Together, we could find your grandmother. Then, I could teach you to perfect your abilities. I know Agatha would love to have you living here as well. What do you think about that?” His arm was still linked with mine, and his eyes burned bright with passion.
If I’d been at a loss for words before, now it felt like I’d lost the capacity for speech altogether. Leave the island? Build a new home in Solaris? Was that something I could really do, even if I wanted to? Who would maintain the island? Who would care for Nix? Not that the cantankerous cat really required that much looking after.
Still, the gravity of what King Filvendor was offering me hit me like a ton of bricks. “You’ve certainly given me a lot to think about,” I began. “It’s just that…I don’t fully understand what the Midnight Sovereign used to mean to the realm. Which means I don’t fully understand what I would be giving up if I decided to join your household. And the idea of abandoning my island—”
Filvendor’s expression was unreadable as he cut me off. “I shouldn’t have rushed you. Forgive me. Please take some time to think about my offer and explore the Summer Palace before you make a decision. I only ask that you consider what we discussed—all things change, all things eventually come to an end. It takes a certain strength of character to accept when that change is inevitable, and to build a new life, a better life, for yourself.”
I mulled his words over in my head as we continued our slow stroll through the gardens. We rounded a corner and I heard running water, realizing a river flowed right through the palace gardens. I looked at my reflection in the water, staring at my pointed ears. “Do you—do you truly think the Midnight Sovereign should come to an end?” I vocalized, my voice stricken. “And you would offer me a place here to live instead?”
He looked down at me, his expression kind. “I only wish to see you living to your full potential. As custom dictates, I sent my men to attend Kaylin’s funeral, and they reported back that you were completely alone on that island. They said you seemed uncertain and afraid. That broke my heart—knowing that the essence of the Summer Court resides within you. Knowing youwere born within the borders of my land. Knowing I could offer you a place to belong, a family.”
I could barely make out Filvendor’s voice over the hammering of my own heart. Alone and afraid—yes, that was how I’d felt that day. But did I feel that way now? Still, he’d given me a lot to think about, and I walked in a daze as he guided me out of the garden and back into the palace.
King Filvendor led me through the hallway, everyone around us dropping into a deep bow or curtsy the moment they caught sight of his approach. I realized belatedly that I had neglected to bow to him earlier in the throne room when we were first introduced.
Then again, I was pretty sure the Midnight Sovereign wasn’t supposed to bow to royalty. I was supposed to be a politically neutral entity. I was supposed to help anyone who came to my door, with no regard for their power or title.
“I have something else I’d like to show you,” he said, gesturing for me to follow him up one of the grand staircases onto the second level of the palace. We walked until we came to a large oak door, which he promptly opened with a wave of his hand. “You said you wanted to understand. I figure there is nowhere better to gain a little understanding than my personal library. You’re welcome to spend the rest of the day here. Stay as long as you’d like. Read anything you want. All of the knowledge contained within my library is now at your fingertips. I do not wish to keep you from learning anything you want to know.”
His gaze bore into mine. “Please think about my offer. Just ring when you grow hungry, and somebody will bring you your dinner. Nithroel will return to show you to your bedchamber once you’ve finished reading. And please don’t hesitate to ask for anything you need. Perhaps tomorrow, we will dine together, just the two of us.” The thought of dining alone with himmade me start sweating, but I did my best to hide my reaction, acknowledging his words with a demure smile.
