Page 111 of Beyond the Faerie Gate

“His magic was almost as impressive,” Florian says. “He could create traps. He caused all sorts of chaos when we were younger, and yes, he accidentally hurt people too.”

“But I still don’t know what my gifts are,” I grumble. “Apparently Drystan knows, but—”

“And we’re going to explain it to you today,” Florian cuts me off. “We’re waiting for your high priestess to confirm it first.”

“Wait… you know as well?” Am I the only person who doesn’t?

“We had a talk after the events of last night.”

I should’ve sent Mab to stalk the other members of my Guard rather than check on Caed.

“I have to know.”

Florian stiffens. “Is that an order, my lady?”

In that moment, I realise there’s a very clear boundary between speaking to my brother as his sister and speaking to him as his queen. Somehow, I’ve crossed it without meaning to, and I bite my lip as I silently will him to meet my eyes again.

He doesn’t. His focus is fixed on the ground.

“Fine,” I mutter, pacing towards the fountain. “We’ll wait for Kitarni. And in the meantime, you can tell me more about our family and our mother.”

Thankfully, it’s the right thing to say. The rigid boundary between us dissipates, and he offers me his hand. “Come on, there’s something I should show you.”

I let him lead me farther into my garden, around behind the open bedroom to a tree-lined glade I’ve not explored before. In the centre is a shallow, mosaic lined crater that reminds me of the temple in Siabetha, but smaller. One of the large stones in the bottom has been worn smooth in places.

“This was our mother’s favourite spot in the garden,” Florian explains, stepping down into the bowl-shaped depression and kneeling beside the well-worn stone. He pats the space beside him, and I slip and slide down the smooth green tiles to join him. “She used this space to meditate in the mornings, or when she was struggling with a vision. I come here sometimes when I need to feel grounded.”

My hand finds one of the grooves and I trace it, following the length of what must’ve been a knee and calf.

“But now this is your space, I’ll find another—”

“No!”

He jerks at the vehemence in my tone, and I blush, looking away.

“If this is the place you feel close to our mother, I wouldn’t want you to feel cut off from it, just because I’m here.”

I dare another look up, smiling shyly at the silent gratitude in his expression. Somehow, without him saying the words, I know he’s thanking me.

I cough and try to change the subject. “Did she ever tell you about them—her visions, I mean?”

He shakes his head. “She didn’t share our own futures with us, but we all learned to read things about what she’d seen in what she didn’t say. When Madoc—he’s your second eldest brother—decided to visit the Spring Court, she was so happy, she couldn’t hide it. On his very first day there, he met his mate. They’ve got two children now.” He smiles fondly. “It went much the same way with our other brothers.”

“But not you?”

He shakes his head. “I did ask her once if I’d find my mate by visiting the courts like they did. She wouldn’t answer, of course, but she moped around the palace for days afterwards. It didn’t take much work to figure out she’d never seen my mate.”

Oh, Florian. My heart gives a sad little thump.

“I’m sure she’s out there.” I try to cheer him up, but he snorts.

“She is.” He stares out into the distance, frowning with a combination of what looks almost like sadness and… regret? I don’t have time to evaluate the emotion before he wipes it away. “But I’m almost three and a half millennia old, Rose. By now, I’ve learned to accept that some things aren’t meant to be. Besides, what time do I have for a mate? I spend every spare moment running around after my crazy siblings.”

“I’m sure we’re not that bad!” I protest.

His belly laugh lifts the mood. “That’s because you’ve not met Dare, or seen how much he’s managed to annoy King Eero in the relatively short time he’s lived in the Summer Court! Mother said that having our brother there would be ‘good for diplomacy,’ but in this one instance, she was very wrong. I’ve had more diplomatic disasters thanks to him there than he’s managed to solve.”

He grins. “I can’t wait until you get to deal with him. After all, his messes will be your problem when you’re crowned.”

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