Page 91 of The Nightmare Queen

“You cannot always rely on magic, Your Highness.”

I cock my head at her. “See, that is just what someonewithoutmagic would say.” She throws her hands up in the air, squealing in frustration.

She looks desperately to Felix, “please talk to her. She is refusing to listen.” With that, she stomps out of the room like a petulant toddler. I lean back in my chair and stretch out the rest of my body. Thud!

“OW! Whatthe fu—” My eyes snap open while pain shoots through my tailbone, I look around and find I’m sprawled disgracefully on the floor. Looking down on me is Felix’s tan face with a deep scowl on it.

“Language.” He chastises and reaches a hand out to help me stand. I dust my pants off once I’m on my feet.

“That would have been a thoughtful gesture if you were not the reason I was laid out on the stone floor.” His eyes roll back as he motions for me to follow him and leads me to the courtyard where several guards and squires are training. “I already trained today, Felix, dear. And I have been out with Vada.”

“Eveera. Lady Alina is right.” Oh not this again. He catches sight of my face but carries on nonetheless, “we only just announced that you have taken up the throne. The entire realm is now aware of your existence when to them - for the past fifteen years - they had all thought you dead. There could be any number of threats lining up, you needmorethan Armond.”

I smile sweetly at him, “is that not why I have you?”

“I am your Head of Council. I am not your private guard detail.”

“Fine. I have General Matthis.” I counter.

Felix shakes his head, “he is the general of your military.” His finger wags down at the men and women sparring. “Pick.” My nose scrunches up as I look over the courtyard. That’s when I notice him. Tall, dark, and scrawny. Gangly limbs and probably sweaty hands are holding loosely onto his sword. At first I thought maybe it was ill training. But with how quickly he dodges the swipe of his opponent’s sword and moves in with his own slash, I realize his loose hold on it is cockiness.

“Him.” Felix’s eyes travel to where my finger points. He sighs, before nodding and going down to retrieve the soldier.

Once he’s before me I look him up and down, he can’t be any older than I am. “Axel Mecham, this is your Queen.” The soldier, Axel, extends a shakyhand. I can sense the fear off of him, my serpents twitching at it, when I take his hand for him to bend a knee. The look he gives me is nervous and he glances back at Felix but my head of council is staring up at the sky probably begging the gods for patience.

I smile down at Axel my mind filling with so many ideas. “Oh we are going to have so much fun.”

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Snap! Snap!

I blink a few times to find Axel’s fingers in my face his expression worried. “Sorry.” I say, popping a piece of fruit into my mouth.

“Where did you just go?” The worry not leaving his face.

“Just remembering.” I sigh. The door swings open and Millie and Orem stand in the opening. “What now?” I ask my words garbled by the mouthful of food.

She sighs, “he wants to see you.” He -Rorin.Nausea churns in my gut.Great, with feelings comes illness.Axel looks at me apologetically and helps me to my feet, kissing the top of my head while ushering me out of the room after her.

Once we’re out in the hall, I lean over to her, keeping my voice quiet. “Remember how you said I would need you?” Her lips part and she nods her head up and down. “I need you.” Turning I stand on my toes and cup my hand around her ear whispering what I need done. When she pulls away her eyes have darkened and she gives me one more subtle nod before taking off in a different direction.

A weight starts to ease in my chest,soon.I think.Soon two wrongs will be made right.

My feet carry me right to the baccara rose hedges. The velvet red of my dress spills out around my feet, matching the undertones and texture of the petals. The sun is setting, the rays making prisms of light through the glass hall that glitter through the garden.

“I find you here again. Like a fly drawn to sap.” I turn in the direction of her voice a small smile resting on my lips. Her eyes are glued onto the hedge, not bothering to look at me. “They really are beautiful. Not my particular choice, but then again nothing of Rorin’s choices these day are of my preference.”

She plucks a petal clean off. “I shouldn’t be so surprised you’re drawn here, your mother was too.” The smile I have melts off of my face instantly.What the hell does that mean?“Of course she would be though. She did help me with them after all.” She laughs quietly to herself. The sound sending hairs straight up on the back of my neck. “I suppose she wouldn’t have shared much about me. However, I would’ve guessed a girl as curious and calculated as you seemed to be would’ve figured it out by now.”

My brain feels scattered. “If you’re suggesting my mother spent time here then—” The thought that my mother would have chosen to be here at some point astounds me. It unsettles me.She’s trying to gain the upper hand here, calm down.My conscience snaps.

Mareese tilts her face at me, smiling, “oh she didn’t just spend time here, Eveera. Oh no. Your mother lived here. With me.”Bleeding gods.“Well, with me and my mother. My mother was head healer, and well, Ayla…young Ayla, well she was my mother’s apprentice.” She looks down, walking towards another rose. “We spent years together, Ayla and I. Joined at the hip. Practically sisters.” Mareese spins around spreading out her arms in a wide motion. “She helped me create this space when my betrothal to the king was announced. Many hours did we walk or layamong these flowers. Two very young girls with very big dreams. If she wasn’t slaving over my mother’s teachings, she was in here with me.”

My teeth grind together. “How fortunate you were then, to know her.” I grit out.

She shrugs. “Mm. I thought so too once. I thought the world of her. When she went back to Obsidian, my heart simply broke. Of course I was pregnant with Rorin at that point, which helped ease her loss.” Her lip pouts out, “and when she wrote me that she had lost you as a babe…it was a tragedy.”

The temperature in the garden drops, turning frosty. In my peripheral I see Millie’s magic webbing together above us, thankfully, Mareese doesn’t notice. “She had her reasons for keeping me from you, I’m sure.” We move in a slow motion around each other.

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