Page 24 of The Court of Secrets
“How was it?”
Tears pricked my eyes. “Everything I expected.” I took a deep breath, my gaze darting to the rock for half a second.
***
Yawning, I peeled my eyelids open and squinted at the spray of white light coming through the double windows. I stretched out, rolling back my shoulders and smiling as satisfaction rippled through my body. A good night’s rest did wonders. No one had disturbed me, as requested. After the day I’d had yesterday, I wished I could have spent the next week sleeping it off, but duty called.
My feet hit the rug that shielded them from the cold, polished stone floor. I stood, letting my white dress fall around my ankles.
Let me in,a voice in my head whispered.
My eyes widened and I froze, rooted to the spot. Was I going mad? I’d hoped to find Morgana yesterday, but with meeting my mother and the afternoon meetings, I was so tired.
“Go away,” I whispered back, hoping I wasn’t descending into insanity. Something pinched inside my chest, palpating my heart. I closed my eyes and breathed through it, using Birch’s breathing techniques to calm me. It was the darkness. I wanted to stamp it out, but something told me it wouldn’t be that easy. Willpower alone wouldn’t get rid of it.
Maids entered my room, ready to get me dressed for the day, distracting me from my dark thoughts. They lit the fire, and the smell of logs burning and ash tinted the air.
The head housekeeper, Ada, met me as I left my room. She curtseyed, lifting the emerald skirt of her dress up a couple of inches as she did. “Your Majesty, Lady Montague was hoping to have an audience with you regarding the preparation for the welcome ball.”
I sighed. I had so much to do already this morning. I needed to make time to find Morgana before I turned mad. “Tell her to come now if she wishes to talk, as I don’t have time later.”
She nodded and hurried away. I turned back to my room and slumped my shoulders when I pushed the door open. “Not a minute of peace,” I grumbled as I sat on one of the armchairs. Across from it, a second chair sat. I’d been offered my father’s room, but I couldn’t bring myself to move into it, even though it was twice as big as mine.
Florence entered. Her silky blonde waves were tied back, and her arched eyebrows were raised as she looked around. Her violet eyes, her most striking feature, latched onto mine. “Winter… I mean, Your Majesty. Look.” She sat herself on the other chair. “I’ll be quick.”
“Please.”
She leaned forward. Her eyes glittered with excitement. Her pink lips curved upward at the corners. “I have taken on the role of royal event planner since returning, as Dominique, Amos’s planner, was killed in the battle.” She cleared her throat. “Anyway,” she said cheerily, as if Dominique had never existed. “The banquet in your honor tomorrow is all planned,” she explained. “It’s customary for new monarchs to have one.”
“Yes. The banquet.” I hadn’t even considered it up until now. Thank goodness for Florence being on top of things.
“I know the dark fae will be coming to court soon,” she continued, “and I was wondering if you want to do a celebration. I know your coronation is coming up, which will take center stage, but it may be a show of good will to hold something for them. A dance, perhaps? After all, they did join us in battle.”
She had a good point. “What would you suggest?”
Her eyes lit up. “A masquerade ball. They’re all the rage among the elite now. The dark fae love dances, and mystery too. What better way to get people out of the slump they’ve been in since the battle?” She shoved a makeshift invitation into my hand, as well as a guestlist. I glanced at them, then handed them back.
I tapped my fingers against my chin. “It is unlike anything we usually do here.” I leaned back in the chair. Change was what I wanted, and a masquerade ball was certainly different than the usual parties held at Ash Court. Florence was bringing a sense of youth to the castle. She may have been several years older than me, but she held such promise in her stare and excitement in her soul. I slowly nodded, then stood. “Make it elegant,” I said. “But alluring. Don’t mess it up.”
She smirked and curtseyed. “You have my word. It will be nothing short of fabulous.”
“Good, now…” I pointed at the door. “Take your leave. I have something to take care of.”
The door shut behind her, and my gaze drifted to the window. Pin pricks covered my skin, setting me on fire. It was brief but enough to know I was in trouble. I couldn’t spare another minute.
CHAPTER NINE
“Morgana!” I yelled, following her down narrowing passageways. Stone illuminated from the shadows as the lamps flickered to life. Dry musk hit my nose, making me sneeze.
“Stop. On command of your queen.”
She froze and turned slowly until her orb-like eyes met mine. I felt terrible talking to her like that, but she had left me no choice. I approached carefully, each step feeling heavier until I was standing in front of her. She looked lost, her eyes looking but not watching. There was an emptiness I’d not noticed in Niferum, a disconnect.
“Morgana?” I asked tentatively. “Please. Tell me what is wrong.”
“I have somewhere to be.”
“Enough with the lies.” A sob escaped through my words. “I have been desperate to talk to you. We both know what happened. You made a deal with something, or a sacrifice, I don’t know, but now whatever you used to bring me back is inside of me.”
