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“Bet I can catch her first,” Tiernan said, shouting to spur his white mare into a full sprint.
Finn bucked his own steed before giving it its head to follow closely on Tiernan’s heels. And for a moment, I pictured it—what life could be like once it was all over. Once there was no more danger, and it was just us—together, helping Liana to rule her court as best as she could until the end of her days. No more worrying about my comrades or my queen. It was a dream worth fighting for. One I would die trying to protect.
Chapter Sixteen
Liana
Bastards. The damned horse could have killed me! They rode up more concerned about who’d reached me first before they even bothered trying to help slow Scylla. I was still grumpy when we finally reached the main gate of the palace. And it seemed here, the Fae knew who we were despite not wearing our court’s colors.
They stopped to gape at us as they milled about the palace. Nobles and servants and courtiers. Not separate but living in harmony—shopping from little market stalls along the walls of the inner ward of the palace.
“Welcome,” A red-headed female said, curtsying, a bounce in her step. Her cheeks flecked with tiny spots of brown. “Do you know the way to main palace?”
Alaric pushed ahead of me, blocking the female’s line of sight, “Would you be able to show us the way?” he asked, her, standoffish—his voice a brusque timber.
“Of course,” I heard her say, “Follow me.”
“Alaric,” I chastised, trying to kick him from my saddle, moving to get down when I couldn’t reach.
“Stay on your horse, Liana,” he said—a little too harshly, and I could see how on-edge he was. His eyes wide and watching everything around us. His teeth clamped and grinding together with his nerves.
“Alaric, stop,” I said, “Can’t you feel it?”
We had reason to be apprehensive, but with the ancient law of Honorem Copulare invoked, it would be an act of war for any of the people of Suriel’s court to attack us. But it wasn’t the reason I was so calm. With my Grace over emotion, Ifeltthe surrounding Fae. There was nothing like hatred radiating off them. They felt honored—maybe a little confused, and a bit apprehensive, but there was no animosity. Only curiosity.
They didn’t mean to harm us.
“I do,” he sniped, “But that doesn’t mean I trust it. Come on, the faster we get to the main palace the better. And where the hell is Edris? He should’ve been at the gate.”
The path wound through the market, past an inner garden and ornate fountain, and through the stables, where we left our horses with a very enthusiastic stable boy.
The main palace was on the far southern side of the inner ward and seemed to grow from the ground itself. A wide stone staircase led to the main entry, and above that were the walkways we could see from the road, connecting the different wings and towers. Through the entrance was a great tree—the largest I’d ever beheld, with white bark and leaves the color of fresh blood.
And as we ascended the staircase, we could see Edris walking around the tree’s wide trunk—a female keeping pace with him, a trio of guards flanking them. It was Suriel, I was sure of it. Was Edrislaughing? Alaric and I shared a look, coming over the top of the stairs.
“Took you long enough,” Edris said to Alaric, stepping in to shake my captain’s hand. The queen held back with her guards, watching us with a curious glint to her blue-green eyes. “I trust the journey wasn’t too taxing.”
“It was fine,” Alaric said gruffly, and I watched his adam’s apple bob as he took in the queen. But she fixed her gaze on Tiernan, who looked away as soon as their eyes met. Then her gaze rested on me, and she stepped forward.
“Welcome to my court,” she said in a voice like honey over stone. Her pin-straight long black hair ruffled in the warm breeze, half of it up and the other half down. Suriel’s turquoise eyes slanted in consideration, set in a long face of soft features with a full-lipped smile. Beautiful. She looked like a goddess with her exaggerated curves. In her gauzy sunset colored dress and gold neck and arm bands.
I gave her a small nod in lieu of a bow. “Thank you for agreeing to this meeting.”
Her gaze flicked to Tiernan again, and I felt his unease seep through my own skin.
“You must all be in need of washing and a good rest,” she said, and a petite mouse of a female scurried over from somewhere unseen behind the front walls. “Arin will show you to your chambers, and tonight we’ll feast to your arrival.”
Seeing the confusion in my expression, Edris turned to Suriel, “As I said before, Your Majesty—there is a very pressing matter to be discussed. My daughter would not have invoked Honorem Copulare if it weren’t urgent.”
Her eyes hardened, “There will be plenty of time for council on the morrow,” she said in a sing-song voice, “This is a momentous occasion. There hasn’t been a meeting between the queens of Meloran for an age. Tonight, we celebrate—now please, allow Arin to show you to your chambers. She will get you anything you need.”
Edris shrugged, and the queen spun on her heel and walked back the way she came. Her three guardians following closely behind her.
“She dismissed the urgency for council so easily… Edris, you haven’t told her why we’ve come?” I asked him.
He shook his head, “I thought I would leave that to you… and Suriel is a bit standoffish at first, but in the day I’ve been here she’s already softened. She has a good heart—she isn’t unlike you.”
My brows raised. Queen Suriel had only had her crown for a little over twenty years and was only half a century older than me. I supposed it was possible we held similar, more modern views.
