Page 24 of Crown of Briars
Enzira’s brow furrowed again, her fingers busy weaving through my hair. “King Varius?”
“Yes. Do you know him?”
She pressed her lips together, her eyes flicking to the ceiling as she considered how to respond. “King Varius is strong. And good. He is saving Shadow Fae.”
I licked my lips. “And what about humans? Does he hate them?”
Enzira was quiet for a long moment as she continued working, pinning sections of my hair into small knots in the back of my head. Then she said, “Not hate.”
Well, that wasn’t very comforting.
When she finished, she tugged a few strands of hair loose so they framed my face, highlighting its heart shape. She gripped my shoulders tightly and looked in my eyes.
“King Varius not hurt you,” she said firmly. “He isgood.”
I blinked at this unexpected conviction. When she continued looking at me as if expecting a response, I stammered, “O-Okay.”
I wasn’t sure I believed her. Varius could be the most benevolent king in the world, but if he detested humans as much as my people detested the unseelie, then none of that benevolence would apply to me.
“I found it!” Ramia chirped from my doorway. She bustled in, nudging past Enzira to face me. In her hands was a gleaming diamond tiara, which she arranged neatly in my hair.
My breath caught in my throat. It was stunning. A row of sparkling diamonds spread across the length of the tiara, and in the center was one of the largest diamonds I had ever seen. I sucked in a sharp breath as my blood warmed. A strange energy and boldness took hold, blotting out all fear and uncertainty.
Ramia bent close to me and whispered, “To give you strength.”
My gaze cut to hers. I didn’t like that look of shrewd understanding in her eyes. Did she know what diamonds could do? Did she know the full extent of my power?
I gazed at my reflection in the mirror. Between thescandalous black dress—which made Ramia purse her lips on multiple occasions—to the dark kohl lining my eyes, I looked unrecognizable. Truth be told, if I looked like this in the Earthen Court, people would expect me to work in a brothel.
But with the tiara and other jewels, plus Enzira’s insistence that this was the custom in her court, I could envision myself through new eyes. I’d seen Shadow Fae before, though it was mostly castle attendants. They did dress differently. And they embraced the beast that was a part of themselves.
In a sense, I was doing the same. I might not have had horns or fangs or a tail, but that didn’t mean I couldn’t proudly display the body that belonged to me.
I sat up straighter, the diamond tiara making me feel more confident. This was what I had been born to do. I had known from the beginning that this was my fate. And I would accept it with all the courage and grace I could muster.
I stood, smoothing my palms along my skirt, and turned to find Enzira handing me a small ceremonial dagger. Rubies and sapphires glittered from the hilt. My breath hitched as I recognized the glint of diamond as well.
“I—what is this for?” I asked breathlessly. Did Enzira realize what a dagger like this could do, if I were to wield it?
“For blood,” Enzira said. “King Varius has knife. You have knife. It is fine.”
I was learning that when Enzira saidfine, she meant it was customary to her people. My throat knotted, and I swallowed hard before accepting the dagger. As soon as my fingers wrapped around the hilt, power swelled within me, making me gasp.
Enzira took a hesitant step back, assessing me with concern in her eyes. “Is good?” she asked uncertainly.
I nodded quickly, my breaths sharper and faster now. My body felt empowered, like I could run for miles and not tire. “I am well. It’s just—it’s so beautiful.” I lifted the blade to betterinspect the gemstones. Along with the diamond, I recognized rubies and sapphires. Rubies allowed me to see across vast distances, and sapphires gave me the gift of music. Neither of these powers would be helpful to me today.
Enzira brought a leather strap with a sheath that blended in with my dress. She tied it around my waist, then gestured for me to tuck the dagger inside.
I didn’t want to part from it. I wantedmore.But as Enzira watched me expectantly, I knew I couldn’t hold onto it without arousing suspicion. My hand shook as I slid it into the sheath, then released my grip on it.
Immediately, the energy left me, and I almost wilted from the exhaustion that took its place. In an instant, Ramia was at my side, lacing my arm through hers. I made a mental note to ask her exactly how much she knew about my powers, but in this moment, I couldn’t be mad about it.
“Shall we?” Ramia asked, patting my hand.
Enzira offered a wide smile, then led us out of the bedchamber. To my surprise, she only strode two steps down the hall before reaching for the first door on the right and pushing it open.
I frowned. The hall for the wedding ceremony was located in the guest suite?
