“That’s another thing I can’t put my finger on.” She tapped her chin. “Why would our prince pay for a Faewood lorafin at all?”
“Perhaps because lorafins are coveted by everyone in power.”
Shehmmed, not giving away even an inkling of her thoughts, then gave a curt nod. “Archmae, did you get all that?”
The male nodded. “Yes, it’s all recorded.”
“Right then.” She snapped her attention back to me. “That’s all for now. We shall release you for the time being, but since you are still an enslaved lorafin, you are to stay in Jaggedston until the courts decide your fate. You’re not to leave until the courts have deemed it fine for you to do so. Understood?”
I nodded. “Of course. I understand. I’ll stay in the city and wait to hear from you.” I stood, then twisted my hands. “May I ask where the prince is or how long he’ll be down here?”
She leveled me with a stony gaze. “No, Lady Emerson, you may not.”
CHAPTER 17
The kingsfae led me back to the courts’ entrance and told me to keep an eye out for a messenger bird. “If you’re needed again, you’ll be summoned via dillemsill. You’re to stay in Jaggedston until you hear otherwise.”
I nodded, my heart pounding as I tried to recall everything I’d said to the junior justices and what I’d revealed. I just hoped I hadn’t screwed up too much.
But the second we reached the admittance entryway, my focus changed. I searched everywhere for my mate and his friends in the vast hall, but they were nowhere to be found.
Several other fae I hadn’t seen before were being processed at the desks, but other than that, there was nobody new present.
Stomach tumbling, I followed my jailer as he walked briskly ahead of me.
The kingsfae took me to the same door I’d entered and showed me out. The wards exiting the building weren’t as horrible as when I’d been brought inside, but the magic still assessed me. I had no doubt that somewhere within this ancient and magical building, it had been cataloged that I’d just left and was no longer within its powerful walls.
Alone on the courts’ paved platform outside, I gazed at the massive stone steps that spread out before me. Nighttime had fully set in, and a slight breeze ruffled my navy gown around my legs. I was thankful the lightweight material was easy to move in, even if it didn’t provide much warmth, and I quickly took the steps down two at a time.
At the bottom of the stairs, in the middle of the huge cobblestone circular street, the fountain sprayed water into the air. It was nothing like the Venapearl Fountains in Leafton with their colored water and dancing sprays that moved to the rhythm of music, but it was still a calming sight. And right now, I needed to be calm.
It was only as I turned back to gaze at the courts that I realized I’d never asked about becoming free of a guardian. I’d been so caught up in keeping my story straight and not revealing too much that it’d entirely slipped my mind. Someday, I would have to return here to plead my case for freedom, but that wasn’t meant to be today.
Even though it was late, I walked swiftly around the entire building’s perimeter to see if I could find Jax or anyone else. Two of the moons glowed brightly on the horizon, but it did little to lighten anything farther around the courts.
The capital’s bells didn’t ring once in my lap around the building, indicating it was indeed late since they never rang past ten.
Chest heaving, I finally stopped by the fountain again. My dash around the courts had confirmed that there were multiple entrances and exits. The prince and his friends could have been taken inside through any of those doors, but there was no sign of them.If they’re even here...
I concentrated on the bond connecting my soul to Jax’s. It burned brightly inside me. He was still alive and well, and instinct told me he was somewhere nearby, but the magic encasing the supernatural courts wouldn’t allow me to decipher more.
Or, for all I knew, Jaggedston was big enough to have more than one supernatural court building. Perhaps there were multiple courts just like this one in different parts of the city. It was possible Jax was at one of those instead and he wasn’t even here.
My mind raced with how I could find Jax or learn how he was doing. Twisting my hands, I searched for somebody I could ask.
But there was no one.
I twirled in a circle. A cool breeze billowed around me as sprays from the fountain misted across my face, and I realized that I was entirely alone. Unlike when I’d arrived earlier, there were no longer fae traversing the street, although I did catch sight of one fairy farther down the road, but they were walking quickly, obviously in a hurry to get to where they were headed.
It was late enough that most fae had retired for the night, and with stunning clarity, it hit me that I had nobody here. Nobody I could call. Nobody I could go home to.
Nobody.
I thought back to the bag of rulibs the prince had paid me for finding Bastian, but that was locked away within the palace, far from my reach. And I had a feeling if I returned to the king and queen’s residence, asking for the coins that I’d been given, their door would be slammed in my face.
But it wasn’t like I had any other option because I had nothing. Absolutely nothing. Not even a spare rulib or two sewn into a pocket. It hadn’t even occurred to me to secure that small measure of safety before Jax and I had ventured down to the dining hall.
I began to walk away from the courts, my only saving grace being that the palace stood high in the distance, easy to see. I would have to return to it. I had no choice.
