Page 27 of Haunted

This makes me pause. I haven’t given the gods of this world much thought, not since I’ve witnessed so much death in my lifetime. “I don’t believe in these creators we call masters.”

“She serves the Dark Master,” Nesta says. “He unites the regions. His power controls the dragon riders. Without our dragons, the empress would have no control. Without our master, the lords would have their tiny regions separate and languishing because they can’t agree on trade or borders.”

“I don’t believe that.”

“You haven’t seen a world without the empress at command. I’ve seen it.”

I don’t ask how old Nesta is. “You must think me traitorous to speak of the empress this way,” I say.

“I know of your special arrangement. You forget; I was there the day she made her request.” Nesta means the day the empress asked me to speak freely because she needed a confidant. Nesta’s fingertips glide across my forearm as she speaks. “You are in her confidence. Though I do not know why she has taken to you in such a fashion.”

“I’m just another possession to her.”

“Maybe. But I think you’re more.” Nesta tugs on my sleeve. “Come. I’m going to put you to work. You have been the empress’s shadow for so long that you haven’t visited my haven in this dreary valley.”

22

A half an hour later and I’m in the gardens on the south side of the stronghold.

“We don’t need greenhouses as the regions in the north do.” Nesta leads me toward a raised bed full of herbs. “This land is warm enough year round to produce crops. The problem is the ground. It’s so hard because it’s solid magma, but I convinced several dragons to cart in loads of rich soil.”

“I wouldn’t doubt it. You can be quite convincing when you know what you want,” I say.

Nesta laughs before running her fingertips over a leaf and bruising it. She indicates for me to do the same. She then brings her fingers to her nose. “Smell.”

I follow her example. A lemon fragrance fills my sinuses.

“It’s nice, yes?” she asks. “Lemon balm. Wonderful sedative.”

I agree with her. “But aren’t herbs unnecessary with our powers?”

“You mean my powers. When’s the last time you’ve used the light to heal?”

“I haven’t. Other than minor cuts and scrapes on my own person.”

“Exactly.” Nesta grins.

With that introduction, I soon find myself elbow deep in soil and water and weeds. Nesta turns me into her willing assistant. I didn’t expect the gratification from tending such fragile creations, but Nesta has me forgetting everything for a time. Her laugh and her smiles soften all the harshness that I associate with Caer.

Sometime after the midday meal, Nesta and I are collecting butterfly pupae and chrysalides. Her butterflies are precious, she tells me. She hatches them, gathered from other regions, and brings them to her garden. She makes sure all the pupae are collected in a safe location so they aren’t discarded with garden waste.

Nesta places an ugly, withered-looking brown casing in my hand. “This is from my favorite butterfly. I call it Palace Purple Powderfly.” She glances about briefly. “Wait, there it is.”

A purple iridescent butterfly waves by. Nesta coaxes it toward me. She erupts into laughter when it lands on my forearm. “It likes you because you smell like flowers.”

I give Nesta an unbelieving grin.

“From working in the garden all day,” she adds.

I humph, but as I gaze across the garden, tracing the path of the Powderfly after it lights into the air, my eyes fall on another sight I didn’t anticipate.

Empress Rhianu has frozen near a hedge. Her chest rises and falls in quick breaths. Her hand squeezes the branch of the nearest shrub—a rose. Animosity flashes in her eyes, and I know it’s not from the blood running down her wrist from thorns cutting her flesh.

Her thundering aura shocks me, and our eyes lock. Only when the empress snaps the branch in half, turns, and strides away do I realize Nesta is holding my bicep. She was supporting my arm so the butterfly wouldn’t fly off.

A quick flash of fear surges from Nesta. She cuts off the emotion as she drops her grip on my arm.

I’m afraid for her. Until now, I didn’t believe Nesta’s suggestion that the empress had clearly claimed me as hers, and Nesta obviously didn’t have permission to touch such a prized possession.

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