“Yes, you are understood, Your Highness,” Thalos replied, his cool indifference slipping slightly.
Forrest curtly nodded his approval.
Leaning back into his seat, he held my hand, our fingers entwined as he looked out the carriage window, watching intensely as we continued on our way toward his palace. Unease slithered through me. If this was how I would be treated in front of Forrest, I was less than eager to learn how I would be treated when he wasn’t around. What did this mean for the other humans in this realm? Based on the way Thalos spoke of “my kind,” I assumed there had to be others. Regardless, I had an ominous feeling that I would find the answer to my questions once we reached the palace.
*
A few hours later, the trail crested a hill, and suddenly the realm opened before us. I gasped despite myself. A gigantic, opulent palace loomed in the distance. It looked as if it had been built into the cliff-side. The palace was a multi-tiered structure, appearing to be made out of golden crystal. The main portion of the palace was backed by numerous towers that reached up to the sky, past the clouds and out of sight. Delicate ivy-covered bridges connected terraces that appeared to be floating above the ocean. Spread out in front of the palace was a sprawling town made up of thousands of buildings and homes. The midday sun shone upon the palace, bathing the town below in an ethereal golden glow. Even in my wildest dreams, I wouldn’t have been able to conjure up something this beautiful and resplendent.
As breathtaking as this place was, I knew I didn’t belong here. I could feel it in every guarded stare and in every lightly veiled insult spoken to me. I was unable to shake a deep-seated dread that I was being marched toward my own gilded cage. Panic rose within me—the unknown of what lay ahead getting the better of me. A bead of sweat fell down my spine, and my breaths became quicker. Instinct telling me to open the carriage door and run was becoming almost too strong to ignore. I sat on my hands in an effort to conceal theirfrantic shaking. I stared at the floor of the carriage, unable to take in the landscape around me any longer. I desperately needed to get myself under control before anyone noticed.
As if he could read my mind, Forrest reached out to me, his expression filled with concern. “What’s wrong, Aurelia?”
I shook my head, and my throat felt tight, as if the air had been cut off to me.
Forrest gently squeezed my thigh, leaning closer. “Hey, don’t shut me out now. What is it?”
I stared at Forrest, begging my mouth to open and speak. “It’s nothing. I’m fine. I’m just a little nervous is all,” I said, the lie bitter as it rolled off my tongue. After taking another glance at the golden palace that lay ahead, I closed my eyes, allowing myself to revel in the darkness, if only for a moment.
Chapter 15
“We’ve reached the outskirts of the town, Sollara. It won’t be long before we arrive at the Citrine Palace,” Thalos said matter-of-factly. “The entire kingdom has been eagerly awaiting your return with bated breath. As far as they know, you’ve been away, gallivanting around the Crystal Isle with one of your many intimate companions, as you so commonly do.”
Thalos raised an eyebrow in my direction, clearly hoping his words would hit their mark.
“It is the king’s belief that the Obsidian Court is responsible for your abduction, specifically the Nightfallen Demon,” Thalos explained. “Prior to your disappearance, there had been a noticeable escalation in the number of incidents involving dark arcana. According to our sources, sympathizers and supporters of the Obsidian Court were intensifying their antics in anticipation of the Demon’s arrival. The king did not wish to upset or scare the queen or townsfolk with his suspicions. The king thought keeping everyone in the dark would preserve peace of mind.”
“Who is the Nightfallen Demon, and why would they want to hurt me?” Forrest asked, concern marking his defined features.
Thalos sneered. “The Nightfallen Demon is a murderous beast of a fae. He is the brother of ruthless High Lady Dahlia, who presides over the Obsidian Court. She is the evil mastermind, while he is her sadistic weapon. We have been at war with the Obsidian Court for hundreds of years. They represent everything dark and evil inthis realm, sinking to lows we could never conceive of, for the sole purpose of causing pain and sorrow. They would have targeted you for the simple fact that they knew it would destroy the king, as you are his only child and the heir to the Citrine throne—something the Obsidian Court has been coveting for years.”
Forrest paused. His eyes fixed straight ahead, and his lips slightly parted as if he was carefully considering his next question. “Why have we been at war with them for so long?”
“There had been considerable tension between the courts for years regarding various issues. Key among them were dissent—many courts wanted to govern themselves, rather than having one court preside over all—and the use of forbidden arcana, specifically dark arcana by the Obsidian Court. The Obsidian Court led the charge for this delusional revolt and inflicted indescribable horror on the other courts, only to turn around and blame it all on your family. This resulted in unrest among the courts and eventually caused them to deny our power and rule over the Crystal Isle, which they still do not fully recognize to this day.”
Thalos narrowed his stare at Forrest and me, his tone turning accusatory. “Which leads me to a crucial question for both of you. The portals to the human realm were permanently sealed during this conflict—a security measure that was taken to prevent the Obsidian Court from enslaving humans in the neighbouring realm. No fae in any of the courts can access or use them. So I must ask, how did Prince Sterling end up in your realm, and how were you able to get back to ours?” His question was now directed at me.
I immediately thought of the golden skeleton key Magda had given me, which was currently stored in my pack. She had said that it could be dangerous if it wound up in the wrong hands, and as much as I wanted to force myself to believe that we were among safe company, I had a gnawing sense of unease that told me Thalos could not be trusted.
“I can’t say how For—I mean, Sterling wound up in my realm in the first place. When I found him, he was alone in a clearing, restrained with chains. Nothing seemed unusual then, and I certainly didn’t notice a portal. When we were fleeing my realm, we happened to return to that clearing, and a vine tunnel that had been there previously suddenly turned into a door, which we walked through to escape the mob chasing us. I assume that because Sterling is fae, that is why the portal opened for us.”
The imposing guardian appeared annoyed with my explanation. “If it were simply a matter of Prince Sterling being fae, then the portal would open for all of us. Are you sure that is all that happened?” Thalos inquired.
Forrest turned to me, a questioning look on his face. I was desperately hoping that he would remember what Magda had said and understand why I wasn’t being honest with Thalos.
“Is this the truth, Your Highness?” Thalos asked, turning to Forrest.
Forrest faced him. “If that’s what Aurelia says happened, then that’s what happened. She has no reason to lie to you.”
“I’m sure she doesn’t, but I wouldn’t be very good at my job if I didn’t ask. The king and queen will demand significantly more detail, as it is quite a serious issue if the portal is now open to any who wish to pass through the realms. I recommend you both think it over and try to remember anything that seemed unusual to you.”
A nervous laugh escaped me. “You mean more unusual than a magic door suddenly appearing in a forest clearing and taking us to another realm?”
Thalos’s face gave away nothing as he replied. “Yes. Anything more unusual than that, Miss Aurelia.”
We sat in silence as we entered Sollara. Hundreds of low, worn stone homes surrounded us. Their sun-stained roofs were a patchwork of mismatching tiles. Oil lanterns hung from large metal poles,casting a soft golden glow over the dark maze of streets. Small shops and tents lined the roadway, all bunched together, competing for what little space they could claim.
The noise was lively and loud, edged with desperation as the locals bartered their goods and services. The aromas from the various food stalls mingled in the air, competing with the stench of dirt and filth that lay at the town’s base. Our carriage made its way through the sad but lively settlement at a pace that seemed too fast, considering how many people were out and about—the sense of urgency to get away from these people was palpable. More and more people stopped to watch, their boisterous voices becoming hushed whispers and their faces becoming void of emotion as the royal carriage rolled past.
