Chapter 18

18

RHAN

T he sound of a door banging against the wall startled me awake; my heart was beating so fast it was in danger of cracking a rib. I sat upright, the pull on my hand confusing me for a moment before I remembered that I'd asked Lir to hold my hand. I didn't expect him to be here all night sitting on the stone floor. At the loud sound and my reaction Lir was on his feet faster than I could blink. His hand held onto mine as he positioned himself between the door and me.

"Still abed," Lua tutted, bustling into the room, followed by maids and servants carrying various bundles and bolts of fabric.

"What time is it?" I asked, rubbing my face with my opposite hand wondering how I'd slept through the dawn.

"It's nearly noon," Lua exclaimed, pausing to look pointedly at Lir and my hands still clasped together. "The queen has called an urgent meeting with the elite. You need to be in attendance."

"Sounds serious," I said, stifling a yawn and wishing I could curl up under the covers again.

"It is serious," Rea agreed, strolling into the room with Lady right behind her. "The queen has sent for your uncle and cousin."

That startled me. The only reason to invite the Sun Court King and prince was if there was something serious happening or about to happen. I glanced at Lir, wondering if something had happened and now the Moon Court had declared war with the rest of the realm. It was a stretch since I knew they were in no position to declare such a thing on anyone.

"Right," I mumbled, extricating my fingers from Lir's and throwing the covers off of me so I could swing my legs out. "What first?" I directed my question to Lua who was in charge of all of the commotion.

"There is a bath awaiting you in the other room. While you clean up I'll put together what you'll wear. After you're done you'll be escorted to the throne room under guard."

Being escorted around wasn't anything new but the queen was taking extra precautions since my uncle and cousin were going to be here as well. So many royals in one location was extremely dangerous. I have no doubt that I'd be watched and guarded closely. Rea would have to let Lir continue his role as my protector, which would no doubt garner questions.

"Let's hurry. The queen doesn't like to be kept waiting," Lua barked, coming to me and pulling me toward the direction of my receiving room.

She was right, the queen did not like to be kept waiting.

By the time I got to the bath the water was lukewarm, so I quickly scrubbed my skin and washed my hair. Usually a royal in my position would have maids or servants wash her but I'd grown up doing it all myself and the thought of someone else doing it was appalling. Lua was the most vocal about it but I wouldn't budge.

With my hair still dripping and my body covered in a fresh towel, I re-entered my bedchamber, hyper aware of my nudity. Glancing around I soon discovered that Lir was no longer in the room, which made me relax a bit while Lua bustled around combing my hair and barking orders.

Lua had chosen a pretty dress in medium purplish shade that reminded me of wilting rose petals. It was beautiful like all Fae gowns were, but this seemed on a whole other level. Roses were embroidered on the fabric of the skirt with ultra fine silver thread that glinted in the light every time I moved. The dress fit me like a glove, molding to my torso, showing off my assets without it being loud. The sleeves were simple, hanging down on my upper arms, leaving my neck, shoulders, and cleavage on display. My hair had been primed, teased, and twisted into an elaborate style with silver and lilac threads woven into the curls, making it look like I grew silver and purple strands.

Standing in front of the mirror I studied my reflection. I was paler than usual since I hadn't had a chance to step out into the sunlight. My makeup made me look wide-eyed and innocent. I wondered why I needed to look like a doe who had just spotted a hunter but shrugged it off in the end. The queen was a master of perception so if I needed to look like a newborn dove then that was what I would look like.

"Perfection," Lua praised, as she circled me, making sure every strand of hair was in place.

"This is all you're doing, Lua," I said, letting her adjust the small sleeves on my upper arms.

"Yes, well, I am a genius," she replied, slipping behind me to spread out the train. "You look ready to conquer them all."

"Thank you, Lua."

Her words had reminded me that, though I may not be wearing my rigid armor, I was still dressed like I was regardless. Lua had sewn a secret pocket into the dress that allowed me access to the small knife secured to my thigh. I felt more confident knowing I had a weapon and could defend myself if I needed too.

A knock on the door drew our attention but before we could move Rea appeared from the balcony with Lady right behind her. She approached the door, her hand on the pommel of her sword, while the other pulled the door open.

Standing in the threshold was Lir, dressed in black as usual, a cowl hiding the lower half of his face. His black eyes were tinged with anger but when he saw me, I could have sworn they glinted red. All the air was sucked from my lungs, while my heart picked up its tempo. I'm not sure what it was but something had happened.

Dread plunged into my belly, making my stomach twist painfully. Something had changed and judging by the murderous look in Lir's eyes it wasn't good news. Had the negotiations fallen through? I'm sure that would be upsetting since Lir and Larek were sent here to make sure it happened. It had only been a day since the proposal was brought to us, there's no way it had been approved already.

Rea gestured, drawing my attention away from the Black Guard who seemed to be trying to tell me something with his eyes but I had no idea what it was. I strolled forward, wondering if I could maybe sneak a word in on the way to the throne room.

Stepping out into the hallway I found it full of Thorn Guard soldiers, which were the Court of Dawn's Black Guard equivalent. Each one wore a hard mask that gave nothing away. The guards closed ranks around me, cutting me off from Rea and Lir. This had just gotten incredibly serious. Rea was my guard, to cut her off meant that the queen didn't trust her to protect me. Cutting off Lir wasn't as surprising since we barely knew him, though I felt I knew him better than most.

I'd gotten an unintentional peek into the very heart of the man. I'd seen his darkest moments, felt his anguish, hate, and pain. To others it might not be enough to judge character, but that sort of trauma messed with a person. I could only imagine what sort of thoughts were running through his head after seeing the boy from last night die the same way his mother had.

Our past experiences had drawn us together. I knew him better than anyone at this court and I knew that he could be trusted. My conscience and instincts both screamed, reminding me that he was Fae and no matter how similar our pasts were, I couldn't let my guard down. But I wanted to. For the first time since arriving in this god forsaken realm I felt kinship, possibly even friendship with someone and that above all else deserved at least a little bit of hope.

The hallways were silent except for our echoing footsteps that pounded in time with the beat of my heart. My mind wandered to the memories of living in the mortal world where thieves, murderers, adulterers and the like were marched through town on their way to the gallows. Is this what this was? Was I being led to the throne room like a lamb to the slaughter?

I shook my head, trying to dispel the horrible thought, but a small part of me wouldn't be surprised if the queen sentenced me to death. If my true heritage was found out she may not have any choice, but with the Sun Court's backing I didn't think it would happen. I'd seen stranger things come to light.

A growl then a bark echoed through the corridor, making everyone stop and look around. Lady pushed her way through the guards with Rea and Lir close on her heels. She met every single guard's eyes as if daring them to try to stop her. The tension in my chest eased when she took up her position at my side. Her weight against my leg was reassuring that tears threatened to fill my eyes, but I blinked them back. Now was not the time to show a chink in my armor since I had no idea what I was walking into.

"Head up, steady breath," Rea instructed, her voice barely above a whisper. "You are the heir to this court and you do not show weakness."

Her words bolstered me like nothing else could. I set my shoulders and lifted my chin. Rea was right, I wasn't just a half Fae half human abomination. I was the Dawn Court's Princess, hand picked by the queen herself. With Lady, Rea, and Lir at my back I could face whatever awaited me in the throne room.