Page 69 of A Forgery of Fate

The space was larger than I had expected, with the majority of the grounds spanning behind the two cliffs that camouflaged the castle. There were indoor ponds with stone fountainheads modeled after Elang’s dragon ancestors, galleries with domed ceilings so high I felt like I was standing at the bottom of a vase. But the walls were always bald, save for the perfunctory tapestry or scroll, and each chamber was empty. No lanterns, no furnishings, no people.

“The storms have driven away most who live in the Westerly Seas,” explained Mailoh. “Even my youngest daughter was sent away—Lord Elang bade all the children to leave for their safety, and many of the merfolk have sought refuge ashore.”

I could hear the ache in her voice. “Why have the turtles stayed?”

“Yonsar is our home,” she replied. “We will stay until theend.”

She moved on. In the bowels of the castle, we came across a mantle of ferns and hanging roots. Mailoh swept it aside, and beyond was an open inner courtyard.

“This is my favorite place,” she said. “The Court of Celestial Harmony.”

I could see why. In the center was a floating pavilion witha crystal roof, the pattern of its ridges bringing to mind an iridescent carapace. The water here was warmer, alit by the faintest golden glow. I sifted the sand through my fingers, marveling. Each grain was star shaped.

“A remnant of the beauty that once was Yonsar,” Mailoh murmured wistfully. “It’s believed that the Luminous Hour originated here.”

“The Luminous Hour?”

“It’s a gift from the merfolk, honoring the sacred peace between them and dragons. Thousands of glowing pearls float across the realm, and the waters of Ai’long are at their brightest. It’s very beautiful, and there’s always a joyous celebration—even here in Yonsar.”

Will I see it?I wanted to ask, but Mailoh didn’t know that my stay here was temporary.

“When is it?” I asked instead.

“It comes a few days before the Resonant Tide.”

“When the waters are at their darkest,” I mused. “How poetic.”

“Lord Elang’s only seen it once. Did you know, he tried to capture some of the pearls and bury them here? He’d bury crabs in the sand banks too; he trained them to scare anyone passing by. He was quite a rascal when he first came to Ai’long.”

I found that difficult to imagine. “What happened?”

“His mother found out. She made him return the pearls—and the crabs.”

His mother, who I’d gathered was human. Mailoh didn’t elaborate, and I sensed the topic was off-limits, even for her.

I spilled the sand back onto its bed. “I like it here too. It’s warm.”

“It wasn’t always cold in Yonsar. When Lord Elang breaks his curse, the waters will be warm once more.”

The plaintive hope in her voice caused my chest to tighten. Even Mailoh thought I was here to find his pearl. I wasn’t looking forward to letting her down.

Just beyond the court, I noticed a barren field, along with a row of short walls trellised in green buds. “Is that the garden?” I asked.

“Part of it. Lord Elang’s been attempting to revive some of the flowers, but they never survive the storms. So he’s begun transplanting a few closer to the Court of Celestial Harmony as an experiment.”

Elang, gardeninghere? I could hardly imagine anything surviving, let alone thriving, in this bleak seascape. “What flowers?” I asked.

“Thorny ones,” said Elang himself, approaching us from behind, “with poisonous barbs that shoot out to deter intruders.”

“My favorite kind,” I replied tartly. My hackles rose as I whirled to face him. I knew he was alluding to our first encounter.

Mailoh, however, did not. She beamed to see Elang here. “Your Highness, we weren’t expecting you.”

“I ended my meeting with the general early.” Elang planted himself at my side, beholding me in his gaze. “I missed my wife.”

His eyes met mine, both darkly intense. Even though I knew he was acting, my heart quickened a notch. His hair was black today, just like the roses he’d been planting when we first met. It made him look less devilish, more human.

“Have you gone up to the rooftop?” he asked, gesturingat the pavilion. “It boasts the best view of the garden, perhaps even the whole of the castle grounds.”

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