Page 55 of The Savage Queen

“Let’s see how well she pays attention when you meet your end. There are still two tests left.”

“And the clue for the next?”

Fionn smiled.

“Nimhe.”

CHAPTER XX

AISLING

It snowed inside Fionn’s bedroom. This, despite the glass dome overhead, allowing the stars to spill into his ice-polished chambers. A room of pale hagwood carved with snowflakes, bears, and interlacing thorns. Floors draped in fluffy furs, and his four-poster bed blanketed in velvets, silks, and the hide of some Unseelie Aisling preferred to be ignorant of.

“His lordship will be here shortly,” Greum said, disappearing back through the mirror from which they’d entered.

Aisling walked further into the room.

Aisling was alone with her thoughts after the hours of chaos that ensued Lir’s first victory. Her own heart still twisted and sore from the exertion of spectating his win. And if this was merely Fionn’s first test, Aisling dreaded knowing both the second and the third were yet to come.

A familiar ripple sounded behind Aisling. She turned, expecting to find Fionn but instead meeting the eyes of a particularly small dwarven hare carrying a tray of bulb-shaped bottles. Aisling did a double take considering them more closely even as the hare’s paws trembled.

The creature stuttered, at last, managing to speak.

“Apologies,mo Lúra, I thought his lordship was here, but I see I’m mistaken so I’ll just?—”

“No!” Aisling said, biting her tongue lest she sound overeager. Those bottles were significant, Aisling knew. “Were you delivering something for his lordship?” Aisling gestured to the tray.

The hare nodded her head, eyes narrowing in the same breath.

“You’re more than welcome to leave it here until he arrives.”

“I really shouldn’t leave this unattended without his lordship’s approval.”

“Greum informed me Fionn would be here any moment,” Aisling reassured her. Still, the hare seemed unconvinced.

“I’ll return later.” The hare spun on her heel, facing the mirror once more.

“Very well, I’ll do my best to convince Fionn you bore good intentions.”

The hare paused.

“He despises when those around him aren’t punctual, but his temper is no match for me,” Aisling continued, arching her brows to feign sincerity.

The creature’s whiskers fluttered, attention darting between the tray and the not-so-mortal queen.

“I suppose it’s the lesser of two evils.”

Aisling internally rejoiced, doing her best to mask her interest.

The hare set the tray down beside Fionn’s bed before hopping off, offering one last glance before she disappeared through the mirror.

Immediately, Aisling wandered toward the tray. Atop it were seven bottles. One forest emerald, one bone-white and frothing, one rare violet, one blue and foaming, one lusty crimson with the consistency of cream, one clear and still, and one pink aspeonies. Each swirling as though recently ladled from a bubbling cauldron.

Beneath each one, words were written on parchment in Rún.

Aisling cursed herself for not understanding, swearing she’d commit to learning the divine language at a later time.

A ripple sounded behind her.

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