Page 56 of Autumn Queens & Shadows

Karl’s house was right in the middle of the city square, and from the window of my bedroom I could see directly into a tea shop filled with the young, celebrating and laughing away their youth.

The door behind me cracked open, and no one other than Malik Castemont stood there, leaning against it, the light from behind him casting his face in shadows so I couldn’t see what was written there.

“Candle,” he said, stepping in and grabbing something from a bedside table. “Match.” He lit one. “Fire.” Bringing the small flame to the candles, he lit them all until the room filled with shadows and light. “Light.” He blew in the match. “Why do you sit in the dark?”

“You’re afraid of it.”

His mouth pulled into a smirk. “Bird, I’m not afraid of it. I just told you that I don’t prefer it.”

“You’re scared.” That is what I liked to believe. I liked to think there was a way for me to hide from him.

He crossed his massive arms over his chest. “Is this a way to keep me away?”

“Perhaps.”

He groaned, dropping his head back on the wall. “I love tasty lies. Makes me want to sink my teeth in them.”

“It was not a lie.”

“It’s alright, sweetheart. I enjoyed it nonetheless.”

“What do you want?”

“Things that you can’t give me. But for now, I wanted to take you out for a walk.”

“A walk? What am I? A dog?”

“We’ve announced our engagement, yet no Isjordian has seen us together. Cloak or no cloak, little sourpuss?”

He was right. Unfortunately. “Cloak,” I said, grabbing it from the armchair and throwing it over my shoulders.

He pointed his head to the door, and I tidied my skirts, heading outside. Karl’s house was massive and very dark at night despite the flickering candlelight on almost every wall. His shadow from behind me had towered over mine, eating mine entirely.

Even they looked menacing. More so than him actually.

“Why did you follow me outside that first night in Drava?” I asked as he came to stand beside me. I’d always been curious.

“Because I was envious.”

The streets went quiet. Every eye turned to us as we made our way towards the city square. “Of what?”

“You. I saw myself in you. I saw what I couldn’t be.”

“Which is what?”

“Strong.”

I stopped, turning to him. “You were wrong.”

“Takes a lot of strength that I didn’t have to pretend everything is fine when it isn’t.”

“I was just a good liar,” I said, continuing our walk. Maybe I still am.

“You’re a terrible liar. No one falls for your lies, they just pretend to because of how strong you show yourself to be even when you don’t feel strong at all.” He held a hand in front of me. “Hold it.”

“I don’t want to.”

“Your enthusiasm makes me blush, but this isn’t about what you want. It’s about what they want. And they want to not doubt their queen.”