and bound on asking one of their monarchs for help. Desperation had a way of changing one’s perspective, indeed.
I’d spent my whole life hating witches and fairies, only to find out that my closest companions were the former, and my only hope of salvation was the latter.
Irony in its purest form.
Lost in my thoughts, I floated after our procession as our steeds were taken to the stables, and then as the official escorted us to the palace that looked like it was carved from a gigantic pearl.
I’d seen all levels of styles of opulence since birth, but this place made me realize how art and imagination, unbound by their very nature, were constrained by the finiteness of human abilities. This place was imagination unleashed by the limitlessness of magic. Every inch spoke of eternity and pulsed with enchantment.
Those curving walls with their infinite inscriptions that breathed with magic were made of pearl. The interior was encased in arcane mosaics of precious stones, and spread in acres of pearlescent marble veined with molten gold and unending, spun-silk carpets with floral designs that bloomed under our feet.
As we waded deeper into the palace, and away from the crystalline windows and domes pouring sunlight and rainbows, our path was lit by cascading clusters of luminescent opal and ruby-grape chandeliers, with their jade leaves and gold vines whispering and undulating in an unfelt breeze.
“The king will meet with you when your companions recover.”
I broke out of my daze to Will’s loud protests at the fairy official’s declaration. The only reason he hadn’t accompanied Robin and Jon was thinking it would speed up our business with the king.
But Will wasn’t a match for the persuasion of fairies, and the woman managed to lead him away to his quarters. Alan opened another one for my handmaidens and me.
As I passed him, I was again struck with that sense of familiarity. It was maddening I still couldn’t tell who he reminded me of.
But when I opened my mouth, it wasn’t to ask anything about him. “Is Robin going to be all right?”
Intrigue glimmered in his stormy eyes, and he leaned against the wall beside the door, smirking at me. “You’re worried about him?”
His incredulous question startled me. For I was.
And it shouldn’t make sense. Not from my perspective, or Alan’s.
As the princess of Arbore, I shouldn’t worry about the man who, no matter his declared motivations, stole from my relatives and made a mockery of my kingdom’s laws. It might not even make sense to worry about one man, when we had lost thousands fighting against Avongart.
Yet Alan wasn’t asking me as the princess, but as Briar Rose. The men must have told him about the minor noble who’d tagged along on their rescue mission. From his standpoint, Robin had done his part for me. I would get my meeting with the Summer King anyway, and we’d part ways, unlikely to ever cross paths again. I had no reason to be worried about Robin.
So why, indeed, was I? I didn’t know him, hadn’t even gotten a clear look at his face, and he was a criminal and a fairy…
And I was terrified for him.
The moment I could, I would float out of here, and go check on him, the healers’ orders notwithstanding. That terrible wound where a ghoul had almost chomped his head off… My phantom stomach turned.
I gulped down the nausea, and cocked my head up at Alan. “Why wouldn’t I be? I couldn’t have gotten here without him, and he saved Agnë.”
He looked inside where my handmaidens were rushing to what looked like a bath chamber, no doubt to get cleaned up.
He stabbed a thumb at them. “What are those two to you again? You seemed distraught when the ghouls almost ate the blonde one.”
“They’re my…companions. We spent every day at court together. Losing one of them is unthinkable.”
“Interesting. I didn’t know your sort cared so much for their lessers. Or is it because losing them would be an inconvenience?”
Affront rippled through me, blowing off the remains of my fright-induced fog. “My sort? How dare you make any presumptions about me!”
“Don’t act so offended. It’s not odd to wonder how people feel about those who work for them.”
How did he know they worked for me?
I crossed the threshold, putting some distance between myself and the bard. “Who are you? Do I know you? Do you know me?”
“Because I know they work for you? It’s obvious from the way they behave towards you. The one who