Page 68 of Fate of the Sun King

“I appreciate that,” I say, my throat tightening with the briny taste of the past.

“I know nothing will ever make up for everything you’ve lost, but we want to do whatever we can,” Elswyth adds, nothing but genuine concern in her voice.

These two. Seeing how they are makes me wish that I could have known my grandfather more than anything.

“Thank you,” Tristan says, voicing the words I’m having trouble articulating.

We move on from our grim history, finishing our suppers as we converse about lighter topics, namely the coming of winter and the ball to celebrate its advent tomorrow night. The more Elswyth talks about it, the more I find myself swept up in her enthusiasm.

“I know you need to get back,” she says. “But please just stay for the party. It would be such an honor to have you there.”

“Who will you say they are?” Nadir asks, gesturing to my brother and me.

“Distant family,” Elswyth says. “It’s not a lie. Is it?”

“No, I suppose not.”

“But I think you should remain incognito,” she tells Nadir. “Another relative, perhaps? Other than the nobles, few have reason to recognize who you are, and they can be swayed into silence. Our people are loyal.”

My mouth stretches into a yawn. While I slept most of the day, I’m still feeling the effects of the previous night.

“And with that, I think you should all get some rest tonight,” Elswyth says. “I promise you’ll dance until the wee hours tomorrow!”

She lifts her glass, and we all do the same. As I stare across the table at the only other family we have left in the world, I feel lighter than I expected.

Maybe it’s foolish, and maybe I’m putting too much stock into this interaction, desperate for the family we lost, but for the first time in a while, I feel a sense of hope burning in my chest.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

The Woodlands Fort buzzes with preparations for the Winter Ball. Despite my reservations, it’s hard not to get swept up in the excitement. Shortly after lunch, Elswyth arrives with some clothing options for me to choose from.

“You’re about the same size as me,” she says, laying the outfits on the bed. “So something here should work.”

She’s brought two stunning green dresses, one accented with gold and the other with bronze, along with a pair of soft leather leggings that coordinate with an embroidered green leather vest worn with a fitted white shirt underneath.

“Why the pants?”

“Because it honors the hunt. Some prefer to wear a formal version of their hunting attire, though a dress is appropriate for the occasion too.”

“I’ve never hunted anything,” I say. Though Tristan and my father would catch game to feed us, I never had the chance to learn the skill myself.

Elswyth laughs. “That’s hardly the point. It’s tradition for everyone, whether they’ve ever shot an arrow or not. It’s about the spirit of it.”

Her eyes twinkle brightly.

“Well then, definitely the hunting clothes.”

“Perfect. They’ll look amazing on you.”

She leaves me to dress, and I pull on the leggings, which slide like butter against my skin; the shirt; and the vest, which laces up the front with gold ribbons. She also leaves me a wide belt in a darker shade of green to wear around my hips and a pair of tall suede boots that come up to my knees. The ensemble is completed with an ornately jeweled dagger worn in a sheath around my thigh. I pull it out and test the razor-sharp edge.

I then curl my hair, tie it up at the back of my head, and finish off with some of the makeup the queen also left, including a sweep of green eyeshadow.

As I stare in the mirror, I consider the various threads of fate’s hand leading me to this spot.

Maybe it was my mother’s influence or the fact that it was lost, but I’ve always considered Heart to be my true home. The abandoned castle had always been her dream and her goal for us. Though she’d never lived there, it had lived in the essence of her thoughts.

But this place is a part of me too. My father and grandfather were both from The Woodlands. That blood flows in our veins, and Tristan bears its magic.