Page 19 of The Court of Secrets
CHAPTER SEVEN
I’d dressed in a purple gown, pulled my hair back into a knot of curls, and placed the crown on my head. Pausing to look at my reflection for a moment, I pressed my lips together into a hard line. There was something amiss, a flicker of rage in my stare that wasn’t mine. Shuddering, I forced the fear to the back of my mind, assuring myself today I would find Morgana and put a stop to what was happening. For now, I had to find Cedric.
I ambled to the banquet room, still processing this morning’s events. People stopped and bowed as I walked. Florence came into view. She was talking with Adius, who was stationed at one of the doors. She flashed me a wide smile as I passed. I gave her a nod, then smiled at Adius. I hadn’t warmed up to her entirely yet, but she had fought alongside me in Niferum and appeared to actually love Adius. Her eyes dulled and expression slacked whenever I mentioned my brother, telling me she had loved him too, so I didn’thateher like I had before.
Sweeping into the bustling room filled with long tables, crowds of people, and red-and-gold banners hanging on the walls, I nodded at several nobles I recognized. At the back of the room, by the table of sweet crystals, I saw Cedric’s glistening golden wings. He was showing Amara, who laughed. His small display earned scowls from lunas around him, but he didn’t care. In fact, he barely noticed them. He wore the typical light fae fashion I’d become accustomed to seeing him in. He wore a gold shirt with patterns of yellow swirling inward to the fastened buttons. Gold dust was glittered on his hair and navy-blue pants. It wasn’t naturistic like the clothes in Berovia, but it was close enough.
“Cedric!” I called and met him and Amara at the table. His wings folded into his back. He kissed my cheeks, and I blushed pink. His hand was on my waist, and one of the lords, I noticed, Gregoir, watched us from his table. I slowly pushed his hand from me. “Friends, remember?”
He grimaced. “Ah yes, we must keep up the pretense.”
“You understand.”
“I know,” he whispered; a playful smirk danced on his lips. “I miss kissing you.”
Amara’s eyes widened. “I will leave you both alone.” A knowing smile crossed her expression. She curtseyed, then turned and left.
“Thanks, Am−”
“She’s gone.”
“I can see that.” Turning to face him, I laced my fingers up to my necklace, and pulled the pendant away from the clasp which was aggravating my chest. “I have a lot to tell you.”
“Of course you do!” he said a little too enthusiastically. Something had him in a good mood. He grabbed his plate of pastries, waffles, and honey.
I gestured toward the front of the room. “Let’s go to the top table, where we can talk without listening ears.”
We took our seats. “What was it like?” I asked over a plate of waffles and honey. “The market?”
He grinned. “Good guess.”
“Hardly a difficult assumption.” I gestured toward his twig-woven belt and tunic. “The gold dust gives it away. You can’t find it in Magaelor’s normal shops.”
“The shadow market here isn’t as bad as I thought it would be,” he admitted. “The pixies they’re trading, there are hundreds.”
I scowled. “Hmm.”
He put his hands in the air. “I didn’t buy one.”
“I know.”
“I’d say come with me next time, but I think a queen in an illegal market would raise eyebrows.” He examined a powdered puff of cream in his fingers, then looked at me. “So, are you going to tell me about your excursion to the sacred forest… area?”
“It was breathtaking.” Tears prickled my eyes. “I saw my brother.”
Sadness pinched his features. “Oh, Winter. Was he a ghost… or?”
“Yes and no. He’s my spirit guide. We all get one,” I explained. “He wasn’t transparent or anything like that, but we couldn’t touch. We were separated by a veil.”
His eyebrow arched. “Was he at peace?”
“He looked like he was at peace at first but then kept looking over his shoulder as if he was looking at someone I couldn’t see. He told me something in a rush, then was dragged away. He almost seemed panicked.”
He hesitated, turning the pastry over in his hands. “Don’t get angry, please. Help me understand if I’m wrong, but I have to question the spirit realm. What you said, it makes me wonder. Your history suggests that luna culture derives from forging this other side for your dead to reside in.”
“Yes…” An uncomfortable sensation crept over me. “Why do you ask?”
“I wonder if they’re happy about being stuck there. I mean, the spirit realm was created. Shouldn’t souls be allowed peace? You said your brother was panicked. That doesn’t sound peaceful to me.”
