Page 14 of Sharpen Your Claws

Because she had. They saw Fearworn in him. Even the way Nicholas moved, limbs not setting right and every step almost a sway, like the wind could topple him.

“Charmaine and I must take our leave.” William sidestepped toward the threshold. Charmaine retreated, giving him room to run. “Goodbye, Nicholas,” he muttered, uncertain if the fae would truly let him leave.

Nicholas shared a toothy grin. “For now. I will see you soon, William.”

The words felt like a promise. He didn’t know how he felt about that promise.

William shut the door. He met Charmaine’s fearful expression, no doubt mirroring her. She opened her mouth to speak, but thought better of it. Together, they hurried toward the ballroom. His breathing stuttered for reasons he couldn’t comprehend. Missing Nicholas, being terrified of him, wanting to be closer, wanting to run, every emotion surged, whipped, bit and scratched. His mind went silent in a way he didn’t believe possible, but it wasn’t the least bit relieving.

“His eyes,” Charmaine said in the ballroom.

“I saw them,” he said.

“You don’t think… he wouldn’t be like…”

“Nicholas will not become the next Feaworn.” He wished to believe his words, but he never excelled at optimism. There were no tales that ended well for a shade.

Charmaine gazed toward the open doorway. William felt it too, as if they were being followed. Except Nicholas had not entered, nor did violet eyes watch from the crowd, but that didn’t stop him from thinking they were there. Nicholas, but not. Still a ghost haunting William in another way.

“Did he say anything?” she asked.

William almost laughed. “He said he hadn’t abandoned me, that he made a deal with Laurent to save my life and that’s why,” he glared at his right arm, sensing where the silver connected with his shoulder, “he couldn’t keep in contact, but he broke that deal tonight, somehow.”

Fae could not lie, but it felt like a lie. Rather, he wanted it to be because then the last two years of grief wouldn’t have been for nothing. What could he do with the pent up anger? He still felt it, still wanted to kick and scream like a toddler. Still wanted to fight, argue, battle against Nicholas, as if that would remove the hollowness within. But what could possibly change? He didn’t want hope. Hope always abandoned him.

Charmaine leaned forward. “What will you do now?”

“Nothing. I’m grateful for what he did, but it is done and over with. What else would we do?” He didn’t believe in fairytales and happily ever after. There could be none for them.

Nicholas fell to the terrifying path of a shade. He would get worse. In what way, he wasn’t certain, but he could not handle the thought of watching Nicholas’ deterioration. Day by day, he witnessed horror, but he could fight it. He had the Sight. Catching broken strings and mending patients led to better outcomes, but he could not help Nicholas. They ended that day on the field. Nothing more. At least, he repeated such a thought to himself over and over, hoping for it to one day settle into an immovable foundation.

“Well, let us hope he keeps his distance.” Charmaine nodded toward the crowd. “I searched for you because Richard has caught His Majesty’s attention. We should hurry before he leaves.”

William grappled for the satchel at his waist, double checking they had everything. “I am sorry that I ran off at all. I don’t know what came over me.”

“You don’t need to apologize to me.” Sweat trickled down her neck, darkening the collar of her uniform. He understood the nerves were from much more than their run in with Nicholas.

“You do not have to join me if you do not want to,” he offered.

“No, I am going with you.”

He was grateful for her company. Having Charmaine at his side made pushing through the crowd easier. Richard and Robert spoke with King Ellis on the opposite side of the ballroom near the doors to the gardens, unaware of William and Charmaine’s presence until they closed in.

“Ah, there you are.” Robert gestured for William to join them. “Your Majesty, you know of my youngest, William Vandervult.”

“Yes, of course. It is so great to see you again, my boy. We would not be here without you, either.” King Ellis had always been a tall man, towering over most. His tanned white skin wrinkled around his eyes and mouth. Gray streaked his otherwise black hair, but King Ellis wore age well. He came across kindly, if one didn’t know better, but there was a darkness to his brown eyes, something deep and cold.

William bowed, grateful to do so because the king wouldn’t see the anger in his eyes. “Thank you, Your Majesty. I’m honored to have been of help to the cause.”

“And that cause calls for you again, for there is trouble afoot in Alogan, Your Majesty.” Richard signaled for him to give the king their findings. “My dear brother may have discovered cruelties done upon the beloved soldiers of our kingdom. Those struggling in health after giving so much to protect us are taken care of by the Vandervult clinics, by my brother here, and they are going missing.”

Courtiers watched Richard’s flamboyant display of concern. He spoke over the music and waved a hand about dramatically. No one could miss him, and Richard knew it.

“Do you recognize that name there?” Richard tapped the page. “Harrison Wells, it is absurd I even asked because of course you would remember the name of a man who sunk the ships Fearworn tried to send across the seas. He had been attending our clinic for nearly a year, but he hasn’t shown in a month now.”

Richard chose not to add that Harrison Wells mentioned traveling to see family a month ago. When William mentioned this, Richard reminded him that socialites love a good story and Harrison had the best story. They wouldn’t care about Vale, an elderly woman with nothing to her name, or Denison, a young boy falling on hard times. Harrison, the war hero, that would get their hearts pumping.

“There are others, you see, but my brother doesn’t have the manpower to investigate. He is a proud soldier and an even prouder doctor to those like him who served in the war, who are the very reason we can have this ball at all. I know you are busy, but if Your Majesty would see to finding help for our soldiers, we would be most appreciative.” Richard gave an exaggerated bow.

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