He opened the door, and we stepped into a library so massive, it made me question whether I could even call myself educated—so many books, shelves and shelves of them. Natural light streamed in through ornate glass windows. I strained my neck upward, marveling at the lofted ceilings. Winding staircases spiraled upward to the library’s second level. Multiple reading nooks were visible, tucked between the bookshelves, furnished with leather armchairs.
My eyes widened as I took in all the books, thinking about everything I might be able to learn within their pages. As soon as King Filvendor left, I grabbed the most promising option and began to read.
Hours later, I surfaced to order some dinner, which was promptly delivered by a servant I didn’t recognize. I scarfed the meal down as quickly as possible so that I could resume my reading. I had a book on my chest, a book wedged under my arm, and a book balanced on the side of the armchair.
No mention of a Fae woman called the “All-Seeing,” though finding any information about my grandmother had been a long shot to begin with. No mention of the Midnight Sovereign either, in any of the tomes I grabbed thus far, though I learned a fair bit about the early history of the witch queens, the medicinal benefits of night-blooming plants, and an assortment of other interesting but ultimately irrelevant facts.
When evening fell, the lamps in the library magically sprung to life, making up for the loss of natural light streaming into the library. My eyes were starting to drift closed when Nithroel found me later that night, covered in books. “That’s quite the number of books you’ve got there,” she remarked, laughing at the state in which she’d found me.
“I was trying to find a book discussing the Midnight Sovereign, but no such luck. Did you know the Kingdom of Sivell had some of theirs destroyed? A phoenix told me that, and I wonder if something similar has happened here. At least, I couldn’t find anything tonight. I would do anything to understand more about my position. To serve this realm like the Midnight Sovereign should.”
I smiled warmly up at Nithroel, expecting to find polite disinterest on her face, but that wasn’t the emotion I encountered at all. She stared back at me with startling intensity, her mouth pressed into a tight line. “Is that the truth?” she questioned. “That you would do anything?” Her eyes never left mine as she waited on my response.
“That’s the truth,” I vowed, despite my confusion.
“Time for bed,” she declared cheerfully as she helped me stack the books around me, acting like our conversation and the strangely intense last few minutes between us had never happened. I let her lead me back to the same bedchamber, jumping at the soft click of the locked door as she departed, deciding it sounded rather more ominous than it had just the night before.
I dressed for bed, leaving my moonstone necklace against my chest, taking comfort from its presence, even though the moon outside my window was just beginning to wane, decreased in size after the latest full moon. “I’ll be back home soon,” I whispered into my empty bedchamber before closing my eyes and rolling over to go to sleep.
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
Nithroel’s anxious face hovered over mine, gently rousing me awake. I jerked upright in confusion, noticing it was still dark outside. “What’s going on—” I started to ask for an explanation, but she silenced me with a soft hush and a finger to her lips. She beckoned me out of bed, still not saying a word, though each furtive glance she cast at the door spoke volumes.
She pointed to my clothes, folded on the bedside table. Hastily, I dressed. She pointed again toward my new cloak. Were we headed outside? Why did she want me to take everything with me? My confusion deepened. Had King Filvendor instructed her to kick me out of the palace in the middle of the night? I racked my brain for some offense I could have committed since our last conversation.
Obediently, I grabbed my pack, making sure it contained all of my belongings.
Nithroel approached one of the framed paintings in the room, and shortly afterward, a section of the wall swung open. She waved me onward with palpable urgency, disappearing through the wall. Even so, I hesitated before following her into the newly revealed corridor. Presumably, it was a secret corridor used by the servants to get around the palace quickly. But, that didn’t mean it wasn’talsothe most convenient place in the palace to murder me and hide the body.
She returned, poking her head back out of the corridor impatiently, beckoning me to follow her with even greaterurgency. I supposed if her ultimate goal was to commit a late-night, clandestine murder, then she would have already killed me while I slept. It wasn’t exactly a comforting thought, but it allowed me to take a step forward, mustering up the courage to follow her into the corridor. The wall swung shut behind me. I gasped, earning another hushed finger to the lips from my silent guide.
I trailed her down a series of empty hallways, feeling like a ghost in the night, sticking close behind her so as not to get lost. Eventually, Nithroel did speak, her voice a soft whisper. “My older brother just passed,” she told me, caressing the braided grieving knot around her neck. “It is my honor to hold vigil for him. He lived a long and interesting life. He was always looking after me. And he always said that the years he spent serving on the Midnight Court were some of the best years of his life. While I mourn him, more than ever, I wish for my actions to honor his memory. For this reason, I have brought you here to listen. It’s what he would have wanted.” She pointed toward another panel in the wall.
“The Midnight Court?” I echoed, but she had already disappeared back down the corridor.
Cautiously, I approached the wall, realizing if I pressed my face close, I could actually see into the throne room. And hear the sound of voices speaking.
King Filvendor sat on his throne, though I did not have a good view of whomever he was addressing. I pressed my ear to the panel, straining to make out his words. “The girl seems amenable enough. Perhaps we will succeed where the Spring Court has failed. I think we can all agree the Realm of Olayra would be better off without the Midnight Sovereign meddling where she doesn’t belong. Once we convince her to give us the island, we’ll raid anything of value and put an end to theposition for good. With her abilities, I could see Elvira eventually becoming a valued member of our spy network—”
The second voice was too soft-spoken to make out. I pressed closer still, wishing to hear more.
The wall panel swung open, and I went tumbling into the throne room.
King Filvendor’s voice rang out authoritatively. “Come on out, Elvira. Why are you sneaking around so late at night? Was your room not comfortable? Did we not offer you every hospitality?” He sighed loudly. “Were you eavesdropping? It’s a shame you had to hear our conversation without its full context. Come now, let us clear up any misunderstanding between us.”
Having little choice but to do what he requested, I picked myself up off the floor and walked slowly into the center of the room, gazing upon King Filvendor, still sitting regally upon his throne, and the Fae woman standing silently by his side. Her face was obscured by the hood of her long cloak. Even so, I caught the deadly glint of steel poking out from the scabbard around her waist.
“I wished to give you more time to consider my offer, Elvira. But I do believe this turn of events warrants a change of plans. I’m afraid I must ask you to tell me now—do you wish to join my household? The Midnight Sovereign is no more. You will never be as powerful as your predecessors. The women before you these past centuries have beenweak.Don’t you want a chance at family? For a place where you belong? You could have that here. Be smart. You will never be a true Midnight Sovereign. No one would blame you for stepping aside. Your mentor Kaylin couldn’t teach you how to use your powers. I can. The bedchamber we prepared for you is just the start of what your life here could be like. You’ve been given an impossible task to maintain that island all on your own. It takes wisdom to know when to let something go. Do not cling to what is long past,child. Not when you have the chance for a real life here in my household—all it will take is for you to bow to me right now.”
King Filvendor’s winged lion prowled into the room, taking a seat next to the throne with a guttural snarl.
A tear ran down my cheek. Not from fear, oddly enough. But from the sad realization that if I’d never left the island, I might very well have accepted King Filvendor’s offer without a second thought. How close I had come to losing everything, had he only invited me a few moons prior. How a smile and a kind word might have been…enough.
What a difference a few moons could make. Because he was right; the day of Kaylin’s funeral, I’d felt like I may never have what he offered. And maybe it was foolish to set it aside now. Maybe I really could make a life here instead. But what would I be giving up? And did I really need a family that wished to see me fail?
A few moons were a blink of an eye for such a long-lived Fae. He did not anticipate the change a few moons could wrought. While he sprung his trap, he’d expected me to sit still, but I’d been busy exploring the realm. And I’d learned a thing or two. And met people who believed in me. Right now, I could see only condemnation and superiority in King Filvendor’s eyes. Such a contrast. To the gentle encouragement, to the steady belief, that had shone in Corvin’s eyes when he told me he thought I’d become the strongest Midnight Sovereign the land had ever seen.
King Filvendor was right. Kaylin never could teach me much about our powers. I’d never seen her perform magic, but she’d never lost a mother or her baby in childbirth, and sometimes I thought there might be some magic in her touch and encouragement. She might not have served the realm, but she served the people she could reach.
