Page 15 of Crown of Briars
If King Varius tried to eat me or destroy me with his shadows, he would have to get through my dragon first.
A few minutes later, the carriage passed under the portcullis surrounding the castle of the Shadow Court. I sat up straighter and squared my shoulders, trying to emulate confidence.
“The staff are expecting you,” Clermont said. “But please be mindful that our customs are quite different from yours. And they will be in their unseelie forms.”
I closed my eyes and nodded, trying to picture all manner of beastly figures. Barbed tails, large snouts, several pairs of eyes and limbs… I needed to prepare myself so I could remain composed.
“Will the king be there as well?” I asked, my eyes opening and scanning the scene outside the window. But it was pitch black now. I couldn’t even make out the shadows.
“No. You will not see him until the wedding ceremony.”
I frowned and glanced at Clermont, but he averted his gaze. Another secret he was keeping. Was the king avoiding me? Or was he just as repulsed by our union as I was?
Far too soon, the carriage came to a stop, and I steeled myself with several deep breaths. Clermont opened the door and slid out, then extended a clawed hand to me.
I forced myself to take his hand, carefully avoiding those formidable talons. Relying on his steady grip, I eased out of the carriage, taking the steps slowly until I emerged in a wide courtyard. Several white lanterns lit the space, illuminating a crowd of fae forming an aisle leading from the carriage to the steps of the castle. I craned my neck to drink in the massive edifice before me. Steel columns and beams glinted in the moonlight, towering high above me. Towers and balconies and winding staircases surrounded even the highest levels. I was so accustomed to my dull block-shaped home that I found myself overwhelmed by the intricate details of this palace. Ornately carved statues. Intricate lattice work. Stained glass windows. Stones, it wasmagnificent. Certainly nothing at all like the prison-like dungeon I’d pictured.
Clermont cleared his throat, and I hastily stepped forward, my legs like lead from the lack of movement. He guided me a few steps closer to the other fae, then turned to assist Ramia out of the carriage. Unlike me, she refused his hand and clambered down the steps with ease.
I eyed the Shadow Fae before us, quickly glancing over each one before I could focus on their features. I didn’t want to stare or appear rude, especially after what Clermont said about causing offense. But the sight of each fae only made my stomach churn more violently.
Horns. Fangs. All-black eyes. Flesh with barbs sticking out. Long, forked tongues. Some with crimson skin, others with violet. One fae even had gray skin mottled with amber spots, asif he were sickly. Some had long, thin tails like Clermont’s. Others had wide, short tails that looked more like a third leg.
All of them wore servant finery, but the clothing did not cover nearly as much skin as I was accustomed. Some of the male fae had their shirts open at the chest. Some females revealed a scandalous amount of cleavage, or their tunics came up, exposing their bellies. To my surprise, some of the females wore trousers like the males.
None of them were smiling. But I curtsied low, inclining my head as a sign of respect.
In return, they all pressed a fist to their hearts with a loudthumpthat echoed in the night.
I stilled, unsure of how to respond to this. Clermont leaned close to me and murmured, “To our kind, this is a sign of respect. We do not bow or curtsy.”
I looked at him in alarm. “Is it—was it wrong for me to do so?”
“Of course not. It is a sign of respect foryourpeople, so of course you are right to do it.” He smiled again, and for the first time, it felt genuine and kind.
I nodded appreciatively, then turned to face the aisle of fae. I wanted to say something, but I assumed many, if not all of them, would not be able to understand Terrish, the language of the Earthen Court. And I wasn’t quite ready to reveal my knowledge of Agnarrish.
“Enzira will show you to your rooms,” Clermont said, gesturing to the fae in front. She had wrinkled violet skin that practically blended into the darkness around us. Her hair was in dozens of black braids around her face, and a long pair of fangs protruded from her teeth. “She will see to all your needs within the castle.”
Enzira stepped forward and once more pressed a fist to her chest. In a thick accent, she spoke in Terrish. “Welcome to the Shadow Court.” She gestured to the steps leading to the entrance doors. “Come.”
Ramiaand I followed Enzira up the castle steps, trying not to trod on the long, gliding purple tail that swished behind her. I felt the eyes of all the Shadow Fae boring into the back of my head as I passed, but I resisted the urge to turn and look at them. It was probably just as alarming for them to see a human as it was for me to see them.
Once we passed through the doors, darkness pressed in on us, lit only by the tiny blobs of white light from the lanterns along the wall. I squinted, peering up at the ceiling to see how high it went. With a gasp, I jerked backward, my hand locking onto Ramia’s arm.
“What?” she hissed.
I pointed toward the ceiling, and she stiffened beside me.
The lantern light just barely illuminated the wispy smoke coiling overhead, completely masking the ceiling from view. If the shadows descended lower, they would consume us all.
A warm, scaly hand pressed against my arm, and I jerked around to see Enzira looking at me with wide eyes.
“Safe,” she said softly. “No danger.” She pointed up at the shadows, then said, “Tirsh.”
I blinked at the Agnarrish word.TirshmeantUmbra.
The shadows above us must belong to the Umbra Mist Clermont had spoken of.
