Page 86 of King of Storms and Feathers

“Thank you.” I jumped up and kissed her cheek, then gave her a quick wave as I sauntered toward the stairs.

“Where do you think you’re going?” she asked, her palm pressing her face where I’d kissed her.

“I’ve arranged to meet Grendal at the Tarneeq Courtyard for a cup of apple tea and some kitchen gossip. Please don’t object to her having a break from work. We won’t stay long, and she’ll be back before it’s time to prepare lunch.”

“Of course. Leaf, wait a moment.” Ari beckoned me over and unstrapped one of the ornate daggers that hung around her hips. “You must wear this if you’re going to traipse about on your own.”

“But if someone sees me with it—” I started to object.

“It will be fine.” She wrapped the knife belt around my waist over my thigh-length gold dress, securing it tightly. “After what happened with Esen, not even Raiden would challenge your right to protect yourself in the court, and Arrowyn would send me back to my people in disgrace if I didn’t keep you safe. Take care and stay out of trouble.”

“Thank you. I will.”

As I darted down the stairs, my hand sliding along the carved marble balustrade, guilt gnawed in my stomach. A few days ago, Arrow had given me permission to leave his chambers occasionally, as long as I was in the company of Ari or a member of his personal guard, with the obvious exception of Esen, who he’d forbidden me to be alone with.

It was wrong of me not to share the king’s conditions with Ari, but she knew Arrow better than me, and she should have realized he’d want his prized slave guarded.

No doubt she’d been distracted, too eager to rush off and plant the idea of a tour of Auryinnia in Raiden’s mind. And probably whisper the suggestion in her low, sensual voice, directly in his ear.

Watching their interactions these past few days, I was now certain Ari’s favorite occupation was giving Raiden a hard-on he couldn’t do anything about. One day soon, the tension would break, Raiden would retaliate, and the serene Sayeeda’s world would never be the same again.

That idea amused me, but as I exited an elevator and stepped into the Underfloor servants’ hallway, the smile slid off my face. I had arranged to meet Grendal here to remind myself that no matter how much I despised being the king’s pet, my living conditions had improved immeasurably.

As long as I behaved, I lived in unchained luxury in Arrow’s apartment, enjoying the view from the pavilion and swimming in the indoor river. All the while dreaming of following the waterfall right out of that damned window again.

After Grendal greeted me with a hug, I studied her serum-dull eyes, noting the lack of flesh on her bones, the sallow complexion, and her vacant expression. She was a mirror of how bad things could have gotten for me if I wasn’t immune to the gold.

“Are you all right?” I asked as we walked along the corridor. “Have they stopped feeding you?”

“Of course not. I don’t feel hungry, that’s all. I’m fine.”

We stopped at a cage of dozing auron kanaras. “If you don’t take care of yourself, you’ll end up like these poor sad fucks.”

Grendal snickered. “Why do you despise them? It’s not the birds’ fault they’re imprisoned.”

“I don’t hate them. I pity them. They’re reflections of our fates. We’re trapped in the Storm Court just like them, our survival dependent on the whims of a stronger species.”

“For me, it’s not so bad here.” She stroked my arm, and I flinched at her cloying touch.

Grendal was much changed from the roommate I remembered. All the fire and fight had gone out of her. She sounded as if the fae had brainwashed her, and I regretted that I’d committed to spend time with her today.

“Look, someone forgot to lock this cage,” I said, running my finger over a latch that hung open. “I should let a kanara out.”

“You can’t be serious,” she hissed. “It’ll be the fires for you if you get caught interfering with those birds.”

“Probably.” I turned and whispered to the closest kanara. Its beady red eyes fixed on me, then it pecked my finger. “I can’t set you all free, but how about you, precious? You look adventurous,” I said, patting the bird’s golden head before lifting it out, holding it between my palms.

It began to flutter in panic.

“Quick! Let’s go before a guard comes.” Grendal took off toward the elevator, and the kanara flapped out of my grasp and flew back toward its cage. The foolish bird.

I leaped into the elevator after Grendal just as a guard strode along the corridor. The kanara landed at his feet. And as the golden doors closed, the frightened bird flew in his face, and he yelped, then ran in the opposite direction.

Grendal and I stifled laughter, and the solemn-faced elevator guard asked, “Which floor?”

“The ground,” I replied, emulating the haughty voices of the high fae of the court.

“You have permission?” he asked, looking down his nose at us.

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