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“I think you’ve taken a wrong turn. May I help you find your way?”
Lira crossed her arms and nodded. “Thank you.”
We walked in silence, our slippers pattering against the tiles. I tried to observe her without being obvious about it. Sai had never expressed a desire to get married, and the few fae I’d known he’d been with were the opposite of this woman. She was tall, but fine featured with large blue eyes and refined mannerisms. She seemed delicate, but she was elemental which meant her magic was fucking powerful. Regardless, she still trembled and tucked her face out of my sight. Political implications aside, I felt bad for her. She’d walked into this entire world she didn’t know, with a new husband, and received a prophecy in front of her new family.
“I imagine that was a lot to take in back there.”
“Did you hear everything the… the spirit said to me?”
As we turned a corner, I offered her my arm which she accepted. “I’m afraid we all did.”
“I destroyed the dining hall.”
“You aren’t the first to do something like that.” I chuckled. “It’s a hazard of having a great deal of magic in a family.” As we strolled by a mosaic of a peacock preening, its feathers spread wide, Lira’s body seemed to relax. She raised her face as we passed a curved window that offered a view of a fountain in the inner courtyard where it gleamed in the light of a lantern. All the family bedrooms had two doors—one that gave access to the hall and another, on the opposite side, that opened into the courtyard. It was a sanctuary and favorite spot in the palace for most of us. “When Sai was young, we climbed on that roof out there, and he fell off.”
Lira’s arm tensed. “Was he okay?”
“He lived.” I smiled. “He broke a leg, though, and that’s where the chaos in this story comes in.”
“Chaos?” she asked as I nodded towards another hall for us to turn into.
“He was in so much pain, he unleashed his magic on accident. It rewound an entire day of time through parts of the city and thrust the entire palace into darkness.” I shifted towards her and grinned. “So, when I say my family won’t find it inconvenient to clean up a bit of ice, I assure you, I mean it.”
A smile stretched out Lira’s cheeks. “Have you ever destroyed a room or unleashed chaos yourself, then?”
“Ah.” I bowed my head. “I fear not. I lack the magic the rest of my family possesses.”
“You don’t have magic?”
“Some, but not much.” The knowledge of that still stung though I’d lived with it my entire life. I’d always been the odd one out of our family. Amyra and Sai could both unwind memories like they unraveled a bolt of silk, and Sai had Froh shadow magic as well. Veena was so magically inclined she dipped into other court’s magic for fun. She loved to prank others by glamouring items—turning a pair of shoes into rabbits or performing other similar antics. Luckily, her creations were still crude enough that they didn’t fully disguise anything, yet. In a few years, she’d be a terror. I couldn’t help a smile at the thought as I patted Lira’s hand and released her arm. “Here we are. Your room.”
She looked at the carved wood of the door and back at me. “I appreciate the help. I was a bit lost.” She reached up and grazed her fingers over her necklace. It made me intensely aware of the zevar resting between my collarbones again. Despite having little magic, not wearing the jewel had reminded me I possessed it. The powers had thrummed through me like a constant, buzzing headache for months and it was a relief to have it back in place again. Lennox losing his was justice in action, and I hoped he suffered the misery of having his magic spilling out in heaves. I clenched my teeth at that thought and tried to shove memories of the Prince back.
Lira shrank into herself. Her eyes were such a pale blue they almost looked clear at certain angles. I’d only ever met one person who had eyes like that, and I had no desire to think of him. “I hope,” Lira said in a quiet voice, “that I haven’t… embarrassed your family or… I’m just very sorry.”
I patted her arm. “Don’t be. My parents already liked you. Not that Sai could ever do any wrong.” I rolled my eyes but smiled. “And that prophecy—we’ve staked so much on it. They won’t be upset to clean up some water.”
She fiddled with her necklace again. It had a large, white stone, but it wasn’t a zevar. It didn’t hold the hum of magic. “We just returned from the Seelie palace,” Lira said quietly.
I pressed my hands together. “I heard. You’ve faced quite a bit of traveling in the last few days, then meeting a new family and receiving a prophecy. It’s a lot.”
She licked her lips. “I spent a lot of my time in the Seelie lands with Prince Lennox.”
I stiffened, and a tense silence stretched between us. Surely Sai’s wife knew my and Lennox’s background if she’d helped them retrieve the zevar. Why would she bring the man up to me? She seemed nervous though, and I should attempt to be gracious. “I hope the Seelie court were kind to you during your time there.”
“They were, though they didn’t know I was with Sai.”
I shrugged. “That sounds like how Sai works.”
Her eyes flashed, but she shook it off. “Prince Lennox spoke of you.”
A whirl of emotions twisted my gut. I’d once imagined myself so in love with Lennox I would have given up anything to be with him. A small, frustrating part of me still felt that way. “Is that right?” I asked carefully.
“Yes, he had several kind things to say about you. He told me he had regrets over the choices he made.”
Oh, he had fucking regrets, did he? How dare the bastard discuss such a thing with a stranger. He couldn’t have known Lira long if she worked with Sai. He had no right to talk about my shame and the secrets between us with anyone, much less a stranger. And with the woman that became my damned sister-in-law of all beings. Fuck him and hisregrets. He didn’t deserve to have them. Lira looked at me hopefully, as if she wanted a response, and I cleared my throat. “He isn’t the only one with regrets.” I bowed. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, bhaabee.”
I turned and walked down the hall.
