Page 60 of Shadow Wings

The Phaetyn hushed, and I glanced around to see the cause. My gaze fell on a litter being carried out of the Pink House. No confusion as to who that was. I pursed my lips and practiced my impassiveface.

Slowly, Queen Alani was carried to the royal table, and her mate—Luna’s ex-mate, King Kaelan—got up to lift her and deposit her in a grand wooden chair. Unlike the floral crowns every other female wore, Alani’s crown was made of silver, gold, and glittering emeralds anddiamonds.

So that was how she reminded everyone who she was. My disdain for the queen deepened, and the sweetness of the chocolate soured in my mouth. I might want a crown like that, but it would be for me to treasure, not to showoff.

The queen arranged her embroidered robes around her, and the talking resumed as she fell into conversation with hermate.

After what I’d seen today, how Alani and Kaelan had watched as Luna’s lover was slaughtered and she was carted off by the emperor, I could barely stomach being this close to them. I thought of my conversation with Dyter about the Drae and tried to suppress my hasty judgment. Perhaps, there hadn’t been anything they could’ve donethen.

But the trees didn’t think so. Just as they thought Luna’s child was still out there. After talking with both Kamini and the Phaetyn rebels—and listening to my own gut—I was certain the trees only told truth. Yet, if they’d told truth, I was sitting at a table with two people who’d let their rightful ruler—one of them her sister and one of them her ex-mate—be taken hostage. Even if they couldn’t stop Draedyn, they hadn’t told the truth to the other Phaetyn. Not the wholetruth.

That, I knew, could tear this place apart. However, the words from my lips would do no good. Half of these people hated me. They thought I’d come to take over, that aDrae monsterhad come to claim the queendom. The other half either didn’t like this queen or didn’t like being confined in Zivost, apart from theworld.

Imightgain the support of some of them if I disclosed Luna’s past. The trees wanted their people to know the truth. But if two thousand Phaetyn fought two thousand Phaetyn, they would eventually heal. There could be no victor without using Drae blood. The destruction would go on andon.

The Phaetyn were fighting over whether they had to stay in the forest or not, which, really, did not even register as important compared to cannibalism, starvation, or say . . . the forced conscription of men fighting in the emperor’s war of greed.Thatmade me furious, that the Phaetyn were squabbling over such a petty thing when the answer was so simple. Why couldn’t each Phaetyn make their owndecision?

The answer was obvious, and shame sunk deep in my chest. I’d been ignoring the people’s right to choose just as hard as the Phaetyn royals. Just not for aslong.

The crowd hushed again, and I turned to see Alani standing with her hand raised in theair.

“My people,” she said. “Tonight, I’ve come to you. I wanted to see your faces, your smiles and laughter, to partake in your joy. You, each of you, are why I struggle, day in and day out, to keep the barrier up, to keep ussafe.”

Oh brother. More than half of the gathered Phaetyn erupted into applause, but several Phaetyn remained mute, their facesstony.

“I would like to welcome our temporary guests, Ryn and Dyter. They have also brought with them Lord Irrik”—she held her hand out when several of the Phaetyn gasped and then raised her voice as she continued—“Fear not. He lies in deep slumber, and I’ve been assured he poses nothreat.”

I narrowed my eyes as I processed what she’d said. If I had faith in the queen, I might believe she’d meant our assurances regarding Tyrrik. But, the knowledge I had was that she’d leave her own sister to their enemy. Unease congealed deep in mygut.

“Please, sit with your neighbors,” she continued. “Sit with your friends, your family, and your kin. Eat, dance, and uphold the values of ourrace.”

Kamoi scraped back his chair and held his hand out to me. Without thinking, I followed his lead, placing my hand in his as I stood. Wait. Why were we the only two up? What washappening?

Music startedplaying.

“We’re dancing?” I asked as he led me around thetable.

I glanced back at Dyter, who was scowling afterus.

“Yes, would you like to?” the Princeasked.

“Do you always ask later than you should?” I asked through my fakesmile.

He turned, expressionsheepish.

As he opened his mouth to speak, I held up a finger. “Your apologies are beginning to losemeaning.”

Kamoi nodded, a grave expression on his stunning face. “I will do better. I’m not used to asking, but I see it is important to you. I’ll dobetter.”

“That’s a very princely thing tosay.”

He led me into a cleared area just past the tables. The band, a duet, consisted of a Phaetyn with a wind instrument that looked like three wooden flutes stacked on top of each other, and another with a harp that was twice hisheight.

Kamoi spun me in a circle, forcing my attention from the band to myfeet.

There wasn’t anyone else dancing yet. I dropped his hand and put distance between us, but he simply eyed the space and stepped towardme.

“That’s not how we dance in Verald,” I lied. I couldn’t tell if Kamoi was aware of how this looked. Maybe this was a normal occurrence for him, what with being the prince and all. But I didn’t want to strengthen any of the rumors about us binding. I waved my hips and stomped in acircle.

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