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"How else are we gonna hear what he’s saying?" She shook her head and moved. Shelby sighed but followed closely behind her, eventually offering his arm so they looked like a happy couple. Both of them pulled their hats as low to their face as they could. The queen had her back to them now, listening to the guard while she still held the leash. They continued, slowing their pace, as they got nearer to the queen.
"Fae have been spotted within the borders. Heading this direction." He shot a nervous glance over the queen's shoulder to the men who could hear them so plainly, then another look to the moving crowd.
Ace made a point to look up at Shelby and smile like any good actress even though the idea of Fae being back in the country sent a shiver of fear down her spine. They'd played their part in her death too. She dared to look in her direction only once more when the queen started speaking again.
"Get me Ophelia." Ace recognized the name. "And don't you dare tell a soul," the queen demanded.
No one else appeared to be paying much attention. Ace wondered if that was really true. She suspected that in this court and anywhere near the queen, people would always be eavesdropping. Just like her and Shelby.
"Excuse me, sir," a deep voice said as a man stepped beside Ace and Shelby keeping pace with them as they walked past the big wheel.
Adaram smiled politely. "I've been asked to escort you on a tour of the stables,” he said a little too loudly.
"Of course," Shelby replied before lowering his voice down to a harsh whisper as Adaram led them back toward the castle. "What's going on?"
"A couple was just found locked within their carriage. Naked. I'm assuming that's where you got these outfits from? We need to get you out of here. Now." Well, it's nice to have a man on the inside. Or multiple men rather. "Take the servant’s path back to the stables. From there you have access to the main road. Or the forest if that's what you prefer."
"Thank you, Adaram," Shelby shook his hand.
Adaram walked with them until they reached the dirt path. He stopped to give them a slight bow, holding Shelby's gaze as he said, "Gods bless my friend."
"Gods bless," Ace said when Shelby remained quiet, and she really meant it.
The warlock was already whispering a prayer under his breath—or maybe it was more?—as they departed. Shelby let loose a long ragged breath. He twisted to give his friend one last look, his gaze glossy, and lips pressed into an almost nonexistent line.
"We can hurry along now. No one on the other side of Adaram can see us." Though his face held his worry filled expression, his voice remained void of emotion.
"How?" Ace already knew the answer, and she already knew why Shelby looked back at the man she'd only known for maybe an hour with such regret. Magic. Adaram was using unsanctioned magic to get them away without being seen.
"He'll be dead before nightfall."
Queen Sienna
Nothing had rattled the queen down to her very core since the day her parents died. Nothing until she'd heard that the Fae had been spotted inside of Pasia—in Queen Sienna's territory nonetheless.
She couldn't say anything. Not to the citizens. Even her suitors, that stood around her soaking in all her tension, shouldn’t know. The clouds in her staff shifted to black. A flash of lightning struck inside the small globe with no sound of thunder to follow. Queen Sienna had another secret to hide.
Her hand fisted the guard’s shirt as she dragged him into her space, his ear coming toward her mouth. "Send me a warlock. I will be leaving the fair but do not shut anything down early. Let the guests enjoy themselves. If anyone asks they are to be told that I got sun sick."
"Yes, my Queen."
Jeffrey, Josiah, or whatever his name was, scurried away. Ophelia quickly took his place as if she'd heard her summoning already.
"Good. You're here." The queen turned to the girl.
"We suspect that the warlock and woman from the other night are here currently. I must request that you be taken back to your safe room."
Sienna was keen to agree because her stomach felt like it'd been tied up in knots and her thoughts felt a little fuzzy. Fear could be useful if it was honed but the Fae didn't cause Sienna to fear, they created terror inside of her.
"Please make arrangements for Jack and Leo to be housed in the castle for the remainder of the week. I need a warlock to visit each of them." She stared at Ophelia waiting to see that the girl understood the underlying message. Erase their memories. They knew too much. Ophelia nodded. "I'll be turning in now."
She was keeping it together. She’d picked her two suitors to stay another night. No one needed to know how truly terrified Queen Sienna was. Forcing her hands not to shake, she made her way smiling through the crowd. She measured each step, not letting herself walk too fast or too slow.Smile. Even her legs felt unsteady beneath her.Wave. Her stomach clenched tighter.Act normal.Perspiration was dampening her hairline.Control the fear. Don't let them know.
Moving through congestion and then into the castle, Sienna didn't drop her composure until she'd busted into her bedroom. It wasn't the safe room and she'd be hearing from Ophelia about that, but she needed to be away.
She set her staff on the table then glanced down at her hand. The end of the red leash was still in her palm, markings from her nails creasing its leather. Her attention followed the leash to Hollis who stood there with his hands tucked into his pockets and his eyes narrowed on the queen.
"Oh gods. Why didn't you say anything?" It was mostly a rhetorical question since she already knew the answer.
