Page 14 of Crown of Briars
“Why not?”
“The Umbra Mist protects us.”
My brows drew together. It was hard to reconcile the idea ofgood shadowsandbad shadows. To me, they were all evil. But, according to Clermont, one type of shadow protected us from the other. It was quite confusing.
“Brace yourself,” Clermont warned.
I tensed, alarm racing through me as I expected some kind of attack. But there was a slight bump, which jostled the carriage. And suddenly, from outside the window, smoke engulfed us, masking everything from view.
Beside me, Ramia started with a yelp, her head jerking as she woke. With bloodshot eyes, she frantically looked around in confusion.
“We are now in the Shadow Court,” Clermont explained.
In spite of my fear, I leaned forward to gaze out the window, fascinated by the way the shadows moved like they were alive. Thick plumes churned as if coming from the ground like a geyser. Some coiled in faint wisps, while others made great sweeping motions in the air. They almost looked like they were dancing.
“I should warn you,” Clermont said suddenly, “that Agnarr Castle has certain magical properties that might alarm you.”
My gaze snapped to his, my blood chilling. “What does that mean?” My voice was sharper than I’d intended. Beside me, Ramia went stiff as a board.
“It is difficult to explain,” Clermont hedged. “It is best to show you in person.”
“Will it harm us?” I asked quickly. Surely, he could give us that much information.
“Not unless you intend to inflict harm on someone in the castle.”
My stomach turned liquid at that.Shit, shit, shit.Would this magical castle somehow know of my intention to kill the king?
“We are human,” Ramia said, a panicked edge to her voice. “I—I don’t know if we can survive living in a castle that’s surrounded by fae magic.”
“You can,” Clermont said, his voice steady and reassuring. “I know this because the human princesses from before survived it as well.”
“Did they?” I challenged. The words slipped from my mouth before I could stop them. “Or did the castle end up killing them? I truly have no idea what fate befell the brides who came before me. Like my aunt, for instance.”
Clermont’s easy smile slipped from his face, his expression turning cold. “As you are already aware, humans do not have as long a lifespan as fae do. I can assure you the previous brides werenotkilled by the castle, nor were their deaths the result of nefarious means. Some humans simply die of old age or illness. Did you ever wonder why a human bride is collected every generation?” He lifted his eyebrows as if this answered all my questions.
Because the Wraith King got hungry and had run out of human flesh to devour.The thought came to me unbidden, prompted by my nightmares and the frightening stories I’d heard as a child.
I made no response. It was only after the sun started setting, darkening the mist around us, that I realized Clermont never outright stated that Varius did not kill his brides.
He also never said the shadows didn’t kill them, either.
Years of manipulating truths because of my fae bloodline made me acutely aware of the way words could be phrased. Clermontimpliedthat human brides were collected because they died of old age every generation. But he did not explicitly say this.
Nausea swirled in my gut. It was painfully clear this fae washarboring secrets about his king and the Shadow Court—particularly why they needed me so badly.
Breathe, Sybelle,I told myself, my hand automatically going to the amber stone at my throat. My finger ran over the smooth surface and chiseled edges, seeking comfort in the familiar feel of it. Azure’s voice was silent, but I knew she was there. She had to be.
I prayed she could fly high enough to steer clear of the shadows.
Still holding my pendant, I asked, “Is the castle close?”
Clermont looked at me, his face softening into that bland smile again. “Yes. We will arrive shortly.”
I smiled, but my question hadn’t been for him. After a moment, Azure’s voice appeared in my mind.
“I’m flying above the carriage, keeping you in my sights. The castle is less than a mile away.”
I released a long breath of relief. She was here. She was following me.
