like a sister, betrayed him in order to strike at Everly. And Roth, if you want to get technical. Girl was jealous and lashing out. Then came your father’s attack. Then Saxon’s father and older brother fought a water witch and drowned—on land. So, Queen Raven called her only son home to rule as king. He agreed to return once he concludes some life-and-death business in Sevón.”
Foreboding prickled the back of my neck. Saxon, soon-to-be king of the avian. King. Their ultimate commander. Considering his business coincided with my summons home...
This did not bode well for my return.
As king, Saxon wouldn’t be content to send his men to throw rocks at me. He would expect more spectacular results.
On the verge of tears, I pushed the avian from my mind and gazed out the window to lose myself in the new sights. We’d reached the top of the mountain and come to a bustling market set in the shadow of the castle; it was double the size of Fleur’s markets, and I marveled... Weeds. More avian. They flew overhead in wide, sweeping laps. Did they patrol the skies, guarding their future king? Or did they have more sinister intension?
I shook. The males were shirtless, wearing only skintight leather pants. The females wore similar pants and covered their breasts with cutouts of leather. All displayed a colorful array of bracelets on their wrists. I’d read different accounts about the meaning of those bracelets. Some claimed they represented feats of strength. Others believed they told a story about each avian’s individual life, like the job they held, the family they came from, and the vows they made.
On the ground, mortal males wore tunics of varying colors and dark slacks. Mortal females wore fur-trimmed gowns in brighter shades. Mixed with them were a handful of witches, a couple of trolls, a centaur family, and the occasional fae.
Some sellers peddled linens and jewelry. Others offered food, everything from meats and vegetables to fresh-baked breads, the scents drifting into the carriage. My mouth watered, and my stomach rumbled. One vendor offered enough copper, iron, nickel, and platinum to make my head spin.
I pressed my cheek against the window, staring at the glistening metal as long as possible. The weapons I could make. The armor. A hint of gold glinted in the sunlight, and I groaned.
All too soon, the market disappeared from sight. We traveled through a long, wide archway of hanging pixielilies, colorful flowers with soft yet sturdy petals shaped like birds, where pixies preferred to make their home. The lingering odor of food was replaced by a sweet floral perfume, and I drank it in. It was like inhaling magic.
We finally came to a stop in front of the fortress. Up close, the sight enraptured me. Not so dreary, after all. Moss grew over the walls and pillars. An elaborate marble fountain sprayed water near the palace steps, where two uniformed guards waited.
They rushed over to open the carriage door. The first one offered me a gloved hand, as if I were a grand lady despite my dirty rags. Feeling as if I was floating, I accepted and eased into the cold air.
He couldn’t hide his disgust when he spotted me.
My cheeks blazed, and I snatched back my hand.
Ophelia emerged with the help of the second guard, who motioned us to follow him up the steps. Raising my chin, squaring my shoulders, I lifted the hem of my ragged skirt and followed him. I’d worked hard to achieve this look of sweat, dirt, and fatigue, and I wouldn’t let anyone shame me.
Ophelia kept pace beside me. Her breathing remained steady. Mine didn’t. I panted, afraid I’d faint before I got inside. What if I did something bad? What if I started another fire?
Deep breath in. Out. Good, that was good. As we passed more guards, a handful of guests, and a servant, I searched each face, hoping to see a smile or welcoming nod. Something! I just... I wanted to make a friend. I craved companionship, someone to talk to and exchange secrets with. Someone to comfort me when I got scared, perhaps. To encourage me when I was sick. I would happily return the favor.
“Dude,” Ophelia whispered, nudging my shoulder with her own. “You look like you’ll do anything to make these people like you, and it’s, like, super embarrassing. Learn to mask, or they’ll eat you up and spit out your bones.”
Dude? I would have asked what the word meant, but my mind