Page 138 of Crown of Briars
Enzira snorted, then covered her mouth. She cleared her throat. “I—I will do my best, my lady.” After bringing her fist to her heart once more, she turned and left the room.
After Enzira left,I asked Ramia to fetch me some ginger tea and motherwort to alleviate the pains from my monthly cycle. My cycle wasn’t due for another week at least, but Ramia did not ask for confirmation, which meant I didn’t have to lie.
It still felt dishonest, though.
But I needed to use the shadowstone. And, for Ramia’s own protection, it was safer if she didn’t know about it.
Once she was gone, I didn’t waste any time. I dug through my pouch of gemstones and found the shadowstone.
The jeweled rose was nowhere to be found. But I would have to solve that mystery later.
For now, I needed to know for sure that the Earthen Court armies would not attack the Shadow Court. Not with Warwick dead.
I hurried to the bathing chamber and squeezed the dark stone in my hand. “Show me my father.”
The mirror swirled with gray smoke, but all it did was churn and roil.
“Show me King Maddox of the Earthen Court,” I said, my voice loud and firm.
Still nothing but smoke.
Unease spread through me. What was going on? Where was my father?
Perhaps he had some kind of protective amulet that prevented magic from locating him. That sounded like something paranoid my father would do.
I tried something else. “Show me Gerard, Captain of the Earthen Court.”
If my father’s armies were preparing to march on the Shadow Court, Gerard would be involved.
The smoke swirled, then faded to reveal the courtyard of the Terrona Castle. Gerard stood there in full armor, arguing with another soldier. The captain’s face was ruddy with anger, his eyes dark and enraged. The soldier before him looked young; a new recruit who had neglected his duties, most likely.
Gerard was clearly in the Earthen Court. Relief settled over me, but doubt still crept into my thoughts.
Warwick had mentioned meeting the armies at Chesser Road in three days’ time. That was today. Was there any chance at all the armies would still show up? Even without Gerard leading them?
I shook my head. “Show me Chesser Road.”
I wasn’t sure if it would work. But, sure enough, the vision changed and revealed a familiar cobbled road. It was covered in the roiling mist of the Necro Shadows.
Shit… My home, my kingdom. The shadows were on their doorstep now.
Chesser Road was only a mile from the castle. In no time at all, the shadows would breach the castle walls.
But there were no armies. How could there be, with the shadows so close?
I knew this was good news—it meant there was no army approaching. But it still didn’t make any sense. Why would Warwick have a meeting in the thick of Necro Shadows? What was I missing?
Leaning forward, I peered more closely into the mirror’sdepths, trying to make out any figures within the shadows. But they were too thick.
I placed the shadowstone back in the pouch, frustrated that I hadn’t solved this yet. Was it possible that someone’s fae magic allowed them to move through the shadows unaffected? Could someone be there, waiting for Warwick right now, concealed by the Necro Shadows?
I brought a hand to my amber stone. “Azure?”
It took her a moment to respond. When she did, her voice sounded sleepy.“Yes?”
“Never mind. Go back to sleep.”
“I’m awake, Sybelle. What is it?”
