CHAPTER TWENTY ONE
BETH
What should I call him? Granddad? Gramps? I giggled at the idea of being so disrespectful to the ruler of the Fae world, even though that’s who he was. My mom’s dad.
The king offered me his arm and together, we made our way into the garden. The air was heavy with floral scents, and it would have been cloying if not for a warm breeze that blew past my face, lightening the atmosphere.
I searched my brain for something to say like, “Are those your grandchildren?” or “You have such a nice garden.” It all sounded inane, so I kept my mouth shut while we crossed the distance to the palace.
Large, heavy walls surrounded the grounds. As we drew nearer, the oddness of the building became more obvious. The base of the citadel looked familiar. I was sure I’d seen similar in documentaries about European royalty.
Huge granite blocks formed an impenetrable fortress. The windows were narrow like arrow slits, and the gate was enormous, fashioned from slabs of ancient wood. It was hung in position with hinges made from a strange, green material. The same metal was used as plates to cover the lock, and as ornamental horizontal bands to strengthen the massive door.
I wondered if the metal was copper? Where iron rusted red, copper turned green, if exposed to the elements. That got me thinking about the ground I walked on. My magic sensed large iron ore deposits below me. So why did the Fae not use it? Instead, they used copper, silver, pewter. Anything but the plentiful mineral in Faerie’s soil.
Before I could ask, we entered the palace, stepping into a hall. Once my eyes had adjusted to the darkness of the interior, my jaw dropped.
The room wasn’t large, but big enough for a table that could easily seat twenty. Handwoven carpets in jewel colors, fine as gossamer, covered the cold flagstones.
In the back, a fire warmed the room, burning cleanly without acrid smoke. The walls were decorated with pastel fabrics, draped artfully in swags from ceiling to floor. The impression was overwhelmingly beautiful, light and airy.
I was still gawking, turning my head like an owl to take it all in. The king chuckled and patted my hand, speaking for the first time since we left the gardens. “Forgive me. I should have warned you. But I do so enjoy the expressions when strangers first see the reception hall. Will you join us for some breakfast?”
That reminded me that I hadn’t eaten yet, and I nodded eagerly.
“Good. Sit next to me so we can get to know each other better.”
We took our seats, the king at the head of the large table, me kitty-corner to him, and Prys next to me. Opposite us, a man with eyes as sharp as daggers took the fourth seat.
A young woman brought out several bowls of fruit, bread, and cheeses. The man across from me tasted each dish before mumbling a spell over the plate. When nothing happened, he nodded.
“Thank you, my good servant.” The king beamed at him.
The sharp-eyed man rose and placed a sample of each food on our plates. Then he sat again, waiting for permission to eat. The king picked up a slice of what might have been an orange and said, “Please, eat. We must nourish ourselves before we discuss more serious topics.”
I would have preferred some porridge or meat, but one didn’t disobey a king, right? So I followed his example and picked up the fruit. I bit into it, expecting the sweet, acidic flavor of citrus.
My eyes opened wide, and I nearly choked in surprise. It was a fruit unlike any other I’d tasted before. There was a slight citrus undertone, but other flavors like vanilla and cinnamon dominated. Nothing like this existed in my world.
The king laughed out loud at my astonishment. “Fae fare has always been superior to that of humans. Over the millennia, stories have warned them to never partake of our food. This is why humans would rather stay here and never return than give up the pleasures of this world.”
I’d liked Mistress Olwen’s cooking, but this was at another level. It was like comparing mashed potatoes with expensive marzipan. Similar appearance, totally different taste.
The king reached out and lifted my chin, forcing me to look directly at him.
“My, my. When my son told me his sister’s child was alive and here in Faerie, I did not believe him. Not until Bleddyn sent a message several days ago that he had found my granddaughter and was bringing her into the city.”
If I’d had any doubts about who Bleddyn was working for, the king’s words smashed it. Bleddyn had never stopped working for the king.
But maybe I shouldn’t be upset about his split loyalties. While helping Amber, I’d learned the hard way how seriously the Fae took their oaths.
Bleddyn had sworn a fealty oath to the royal household. Compared to that, what were a couple of nights with a human girl? If all I’d be left with were some hot memories, at least I’d found my mom’s family.
“I have no doubt that you are my granddaughter, Beth. Your mother had the same irritating way of daydreaming when people spoke to her. And your eyes are just like hers. You are the spitting image of my daughter, child.”
The king took my hand. “I want you to move into the palace by the end of the week.”
Prys inhaled sharply, but I ignored him as I stared at his father. Could it be that simple? Would I have landed on my feet as part of the most important family in the kingdom of Faerie?
For the rest of the meal, King Rhys wanted to know everything about my upbringing in the human world, how I’d ended up at the academy, and what had brought me to the Fae realm.
I hadn’t planned on mentioning Luke and Kenzy so soon. But as I chewed another delicious morsel, I couldn’t help myself. My grandfather had been nothing but kind to me. What harm would it do to tell the truth?
“My friends were taken to this world. I followed them here.”
For a split-second, the old man’s gaze shifted to his son’s before focusing on me again. “Why do you believe your friends are here, in Faerie?”
Maybe it was my imagination, but he seemed more tense.
“Well,” I began and stopped. Was I supposed to know all this stuff about Faerie, about its people surviving on stolen human energy? Bleddyn had told me as if it wasn’t anything special, as if everybody already knew this.
“I learned that some areas in this world are not able to utilize sunlight.”
Rhys and his son exchanged another quick glance, but the king’s expression hadn’t changed from its interested, benevolent gaze.
I swallowed, trying to phrase it diplomatically. “I understand that after the separation between the human and the Fae world, there are problems guaranteeing the same food quality in all areas.”
The smile slipped off the king’s face. After a pause, he said, “Yes. It is a growing problem, but we have taken steps to make sure our population does not suffer.”
“And that’s why I came to Faerie,” I continued. “Some of my dearest friends were taken from my world to… ehm… to help with the energy shortfall.”
I’d tried my best to use a euphemism and not tell him to his face what I really thought about their practice of killing children. I knew I’d hit a nerve when the king’s eyelid twitched.
I took a deep breath and plowed on. “Is there no other way but kidnapping human children to help the Faerie world?”
Bomb dropped, I sat back and waited. As the pause lengthened, I began to doubt myself. Why hadn’t I kept my mouth shut? It had been incredibly stupid to show my cards in the first hour of meeting King Rhys.
Maybe deep inside, I wanted so much to belong, I hoped with all my heart there was a good explanation. Something that would exonerate my family.
I felt the enmity from the mage bodyguard across me. His sharp eyes fixed on my face as he waited for his master’s response. I hoped the king would not harm his granddaughter after finally finding her. The silence went on for so long that I cursed my naivety, thinking I’d blown it.
His voice sounded weary, showing his true age, when he answered. “If we had not done what we did, it would have meant the end for all the Fae.”
There was so much sadness in King Rhys’s voice, my heart went out to him. Yes, I believed his words. There was no excuse for what the Fae were doing to the humans, but I could understand wanting to save your people.
His gaze was far away as he continued, “We have opened negotiations with the humans to come to a trade agreement rather than obtain what we need by force. Soon, we will not need to take your young for our survival.”
The guard’s face relaxed, and the tension left his body. He calmly reached for a piece of bread and dunked it into the sauce on his plate.
His movement distracted me, but when I looked up, I caught the tightening of Prys’s face at his father’s announcement. When he noticed I was looking at him, he forced a smile.
The king’s eyes sparkled with joy and relief. He took my hand again. “I am glad that you are finally home and I can teach you all I know.”
I sat up straighter at his words. “What do you mean?”
King Rhys patted my hand. “My child, I expect you to rule Faerie after my death.”
What? A choked cough came from next to me. The prince’s lips had disappeared into a thin line.
I asked quickly, “What about Prys? Isn’t the prince in line to the throne?”
The king pinned his son with an imperious glare. His next words were aimed at demolishing his previous heir’s expectations. “Yes, Prys is the prince, but his sister was the firstborn and destined to rule after me. So are her children. Prys is only second in his claim.”
The prince murmured, “As always.”
Clearly, he hadn’t expected anybody to hear, and his father ignored his words as if they’d never been uttered. But I had heard them loud and clear, and I did not like what they meant.
I addressed my grandfather, keeping my voice firm and trying not to show the cold terror running through me. “No, I don’t want to cause trouble between you two. The prince has had years, learning to rule. I know nothing about it. Prys can be king when the time comes. All I want to do is to be with my family and save my friends.”
King Rhys’s voice sharpened as he said, “You will learn. You have missed out on years of training. That much is true. Which is why I command you to move into the palace immediately.”
He turned to his other side. “Would you not agree, Prys?”
I kept glancing between father and son. The prince’s expression had become grimmer by the second. My heart sank. He hated me. My uncle hated me. I couldn’t really blame him, either. How would I feel if some stranger suddenly popped up and took my inheritance away, just like that? And what kind of sociopath was his father that he couldn’t see how hurtful his behavior was?
Oh yeah. Same as his son.
Prys got to his feet, bowed, and excused himself. His back was ramrod straight as his furious strides took him away from the table.
The king sighed and shook his head. “He will come around. It is a shock when plans change. But this is for the best of the kingdom. I want you in the palace by week’s end.”
I nodded silently, knowing any resistance would have been waved away by the ruler. Also, wasn’t this what I’d wanted? To find my family and get close to where my friends might be held?
So why did I feel like I’d walked into a lion’s den, a foreign terrain, full of pitfalls and dangers?