One of the other lordlings stepped forward, and since Kole had called all of them House leaders and they’d mentioned a council meeting, I had a feeling each of them commanded one of our kingdom’s ten Houses.
Unlike Lordling Fillingmore, the second lordling looked young, probably not much older than me. He was thin, with light-brown skin, and stood of medium height. When he addressed the other males, his aura seemed genuinely curious. “I believe I’ve missed something. There arethreeprincesses now?”
Another House leader, who was shorter with stocky thighs, brown skin, and midnight black hair, scoffed. “Really, Lordling Crumpuff, your youth is showing. This female is none other than Princess Primelle, the third daughter of the king and queen, born with unparalleled magic, who supposedly died at the young age of three. However, the rumors circulating through the palace during the last two days have proven true, as confirmed by the king just this morning in our meeting. You would have heard that if you’d actually been listening.” The lordling glanced at me, and something about him made my skin crawl. “Princess Primelle’s been raised from the dead, it seems.”
“Truly, Lordling Messepire?” Lordling Crumpuff looked at me as though he’d seen a ghost. His mouth dropped open. “Did your unparalleled magic allow you to resurrect?”
Lordling Messepire laughed, the sound cruel, and a tingle of his magic flowed through the air and brushed against my Shield. I recoiled when I identified it. Nightmare magic. One of the more sinister forms of magic from Mistvale. “She didn’t actually resurrect, you fool. It was merely a play upon words.”
The young lordling flushed and glanced at the others. Lordling Fillingmore seemed to find his innocence as ridiculous as Lordling Messepire, but two I hadn’t met yet looked sympathetic, and the last appeared as uncomfortable as Betsee, but since none of them were going to put the poor lordling out of his misery, I sidestepped Kole.
“I never died, Lordling Crumpuff. The king and queen faked my death because the entire kingdom feared me due to my magic, and someone tried to assassinate me because of it. Several assassination attempts were made, or so I’ve been told. For my safety and the well-being of the kingdom, they staged my death and then had me raised by commoners well away from the capital until I learned not to enact my magic on those around me. But now, I’m back and have been welcomed into the royal family once more.”
“What a tale!” Lordling Crumpuff looked me up and down again, and while Kole shifted from where he stood, he didn’t react or comment further, but Kole’s attention remained high, and his focus constantly meandered between all of the males.
“A tale, indeed,” I agreed. “Trust me, nobody was more surprised than me when I learned the true nature of my birth.”
The young lordling glanced at my wrist. “Is that a magic-suppressing cuff you’re wearing?”
“It is.” I smiled brightly and held it up. “It’s rather beautiful in a way, isn’t it?”
Lordling Fillingmore frowned, and his bushy gray eyebrows drew sharply together. “Wait a minute. I thought those didn’t work on you. I remember when you were a wee child. Nothing the king and queen used to suppress your magic was effective, including those kinds of cuffs. I even remember witnessing your horrific magic myself.”
My smile stayed as bright as the fairy lights.
Kole, however, growled. “Watch yourself, Lordling Fillingmore. That’s the princess you’re speaking to.”
“Apologies.” Lordling Fillingmore bowed stiffly, and I scrambled with a believable reply for why I would be wearing something that supposedly didn’t work on me.
“The magic’s been altered on this cuff.” I turned it every which way so they could admire it. “It thoroughly suppresses my abilities now. The king and queen thought it best so nobody needed to fear me again. At least, until you get to know me and learn that I’m not to be feared.”
“Is that so?” Lordling Fillingmore cocked his head. “How curious. And who came up with this new invention?”
“Timith Hollaran!” I replied exuberantly. “He’s a brilliant inventor. He works for the king and queen. Perhaps you’ve met him?”
“I have.” Lordling Fillingmore dipped his head, and a tentative smile spread across his lips, probably because I appeared entirely harmless and had just appeased him by confirming that my magic was completely contained, which sounded entirely believable considering I’d named the palace’s renowned inventor. “But I thought even he hadn’t been able to create a device that could suppress your magic?”
“From what I was initially told, that’s correct, but in the past season, Timith finally cracked the magical code needed to do so.” I had no idea how these lies were spilling off my tongue so easily, but I could have sworn that Kole’s lips twitched.
“Hmm, how fascinating.” Lordling Crumpuff stepped closer to me. “May I see it?” the young lordling asked eagerly.
But Kole blocked him when he tried to reach for me. “No. Touching.” Another low growl entered his words, and Lordling Crumpuff hastily retreated.
“Sorry,” he squeaked.
“It’s all right.” I stepped closer to the young lordling but remained far enough away to appease the warrior. “It’s beautiful, though, isn’t it?” I let the glowing blue cuff flash in the fairy lights. “I’ve come to think of it as a piece of jewelry. Fashionable and functional.” I beamed once more.
Lordling Messepire arched an eyebrow and looked at me as though he thought I was daft, but then his expression morphed, and I could have sworn that the wheels began churning in his mind. The lordling with nightmare magic smiled, and it took everything in me not to shudder at that oily grin.
“Beautiful, indeed,” he murmured, except he wasn’t looking at the cuff. He was studying my face and swelling cleavage. “Perhaps I’ll be lucky enough to dance with you at your ball this weekend.”
A low sound rumbled in Kole’s chest, and he stared at Lordling Messepire so intently that I was surprised holes weren’t burning through the House leader’s head.
“Perhaps.” I lowered my hand so the blue cuff stopped flashing in the lights, but I kept my smile stretched. “Now, if you’ll excuse me. I must return to my chambers. I’ve been told that I need to have a dress fitting.”
Lordling Messepire bowed, and the others followed suit. They carried on down the hall, back the way Kole and I had come, and Betsee finally pushed away from the wall.
“Oh, my lady, be careful around that one.” She stole a fearful glance over my shoulder to the retreating males. “I’ve heard the staff speaking of Lordling Messepire and a few other House leaders. You don’t want to get on their wrong side.”
