Page 66 of Of Realms and Chaos

Henry stilled, his green eyes taking on a haunted look before moving to me. His plum tunic and black trousers were tight-fitting, the tops of his low-cut boots showing due to the pants being too small. Shah was unfazed by Henry’s open caution, casually leaning forward against the wooden table in the center of the meeting room, her dark eyes never leaving mine.

“I want to say no, but I cannot deny that I have failed to stand up to her for two hundred years.” My voice wavered, tears pricking my eyes. Wrath snuggled further into me, so out of character for the dalistori. Though I only knew him for a few days, I was confident in the fact that the creature cared little for the feelings of others.

Before the sense of dread and self-loathing could take root, I took a deep breath and remembered the anger hiding behind the sorrow. Mia had taken everything from me. From the magic in my veins to the love in my heart, the fae queen stole and stole until I was but a husk, empty and devoid of substance.

Shah made her way over to me, momentarily stopping to stare at Wrath—whose yellow eyes were alight with curiosity as his tail swished back and forth. When Shah leaned down, snatched up his body, and promptly set him back down on her lap, the dalistori looked too shocked to speak, tiny mouth agape to show razor sharp teeth.

If the queen noticed the hostility that slowly began to taint the air around us, she did not show it. Instead, she softly scratched Wrath in the same way I had been, shushing him sternly when he let out a soft growl. I laughed, a brief and sharp chuckle that was not enough to block out the never-ending screams of my own mind.

“You are a queen, not just by right or name, but in your very soul. Not many are brave enough to dream of something better, especially those of us who have suffered for doing the same early on. But even the brave stumble, even the brave fail. Forgive yourself so that you may save others from enduring the same fate.”

With that, she stood, lifting a disgruntled yet pacified Wrath into her arms. “You are lucky that I have not feasted on that bleeding heart of yours, mortal girl.”

“Oh, shut up. We are off to find cake. I tire of strategizing.” Passing Henry with a soft nod, she said, “Those who are willing can travel to Eoforhild. As for the rest of the matters, send your prince back so we may further discuss.”

Looking back at me once more, Shah said a goodbye in the only way someone broken by betrayal could.

“I pray to the gods that you remember who you are, Queen Asher.” And then she was gone, taking Wrath with her.

Henry watched her leave, jaw tight and mind unshielded. Allowing myself a quick look, I slowly entered his mind, finding Genevieve at the forefront. My surprise was fleeting because soon the selfish desire to avoid the heavy topic Henry was about to bring up replaced it.

“So you apologized to her?” His face remained aimed at the door, but the tick of his jaw and the quick sweep of his eyes my direction made it clear he was listening. After a couple of agonizing seconds, involving me staring at the side of his freckled face and him pretending not to notice me, the pumpkin caved.

“Yes.” Still, he did not face me. Not because he wished to prevent the conversation, but because he knew that discussing it meant having to fight with me. It was clear in the slump of his shoulders and the heavy sighs that repeatedly left his lips. As if I were the exhausting one of the two of us.

Well, I was—but he did not have to make it so obvious.

“Do you want to talk about it?” Tone calm, I stood, walking casually to his side. If I got close enough to the door, then I could probably—

“No. Do not change the subject, little brat.” Three more steps, and I would be at the opposite side of the large table, the dark wooden furniture providing the perfect amount of space.

“I guess it is my turn then.” Letting my finger slide over the last bit of table left, I looked at him and winked. His answering glare was all I needed to know he was far too serious for this early in the morning.

So I did the only reasonable thing I could when facing an uncomfortable conversation about my feelings. I ran.

“We need to talk about this, Ash!” Henry’s shouts rang through the hall as I sprinted barefoot across the cold yellow floors. Twice I had run from my problems within the last twenty-four hours. A smarter fae would have learned her lesson by now, but no one had ever really classified me as smart.

Manipulative? In more ways than one.

Evil? Obviously.

Beautiful? Sure.

Smart? Rarely.

Another trait not often associated with me? Contrite.

Apologizing was not something an heir learned in Academy nor was I taught it from Mia and Xavier. In fact, I was always highly encouraged to never admit weakness by apologizing unless I was backed into a corner. Over the last few months of my time in Betovere, I had found myself practically glued into that corner, and still, I was struggling to find the words to say as I made my way to Genevieve’s guest chambers.

In Henry’s memory, he had walked from the room given to him—which was right beside my own despite my embarrassing self-guided tour last night—and then taken a right turn, following until he reached a green door with yellow flowers.

One set of stairs, three hallways, and an angry string of curses later, I was standing in front of the princess’ chambers that she always occupied when visiting her best friend. To my eternal disbelief, the two of them were inseparable. Shah had told me little of their friendship, but she did say that Genevieve was our best chance at securing an alliance with Maliha. I truly did not expect them to ever help when I had physically assaulted their precious prince.

The foul little shit.

Still, I could make things right with her. Even if I would sooner kill her brother than allow him to breathe in my presence once more. With clenched teeth, a racing heart, and memories of a foot slamming into my stomach, I sighed and knocked two times.

A loud groan came from the other side, followed by the creak of an old bed as someone shifted. Momentarily, I considered entering her mind, if only to see what she planned to do with the information she learned yesterday. Genevieve had the potential to not only sever any alliances between Eoforhild and the mortal kingdoms before they could be formed, but also to alert Mia and Xavier to my whereabouts. This game of chess I was beginning was dangerous, one that might involve sacrificing pawns to protect the board.

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