Page 40 of The Kingdom Cursed By Iron

I nod, an old determination lighting within me.

“If at first you don’t succeed…” I say. It’s a cliché, but I also know it means there’s some truth to it.

Ruskin looks nonplussed. “Then it’s nothing to be worried about?”

Despite myself, I laugh. “No, ‘try, try again.’ It’s a saying.”

“Oh. Well, in good time. We need to test some of your skills first,” he says. I can’t help but feel a happy warmth at the way he says ‘we.’ Like we’re a team. A partnership. It was what I always wanted our relationship to be, in all ways. This is just a fraction of what I hoped for, but at least I’m being looped in rather than being kept in the dark. It’s nice to feel like I’m being kept at the heart of my own work here, unlike last time.

Ruskin raises an arm to guide me out of the orchard and I follow his lead.

As we’re exiting, a trio of fae meet us coming the other way. The man at the head of the group has flowing blond hair and impossibly bright blue eyes, features which seem vaguely familiar. He immediately sweeps into a bow, with the younger fae behind him following suit a moment later.

“Your Highness,” the man says, his powerful voice carrying down the corridor. “Just the one I was wanting to see.”

“Interesting, as I hadn’t thought of you at all, Lord Hadeus,” Ruskin says. I don’t need to turn around to know Ruskin has his Unseelie features out again.

“Indeed, and yet, I believe I may have the means to assist with this situation we find ourselves in.”

“What situation is that?” Ruskin asks, not handing the man an inch of help in this conversation. I glance between the pair of them, wondering why Ruskin seems so wary of him.

“The iron, my Lord. I brought my associates here to examine it.” Lord Hadeus gestures to the younger fae, and I notice they have scrolls of parchment and quills in their arms. “As I’m sure you’re aware, my mining business supplies the better part of the Seelie Kingdom, and I therefore have the resources to start removing this blight from your palace.”

“That’s quite the claim,” Ruskin says.

“Perhaps. But I have many hard workers and, you’ll forgive me, my Lord, but the sooner we banish this poison from the court, the better, wouldn’t you say?”

“I would say. But I would also say I have not seen you at the dining hall lately. I’d assumed the reason for your absence was for personal reasons. So you can see how your offer of help now might surprise me.”

I study Hadeus’s reaction, trying to understand what’s really being said. As with so many fae conversations, I get the sense that half of it is taking place behind the words spoken aloud.

“Ah, yes.” Hadeus bows his head. “My niece’s fate was unfortunate, but Galaphina was unwise to provoke you, my Lord.”

I keep my face neutral as I can, but it’s hard when I realize this man is related to the woman who tried to kill me on my first day in Faerie—and very nearly succeeded, before Ruskin snapped her neck. It clicks now, why Ruskin is being wary. He wants Hadeus to know that he doesn’t fully trust the fae lord’s motives, that he’s testing him.

“And that’s all that you have to say on the matter?” Ruskin asks. “Her death could not have been easy on your family.”

“You are correct, my Lord, but we Swallowtails are loyal to the crown, and her punishment was not unexpected.”

Expected, Hadeus implies, but not just. I notice he hasn’t looked at me during the whole exchange—though that in itself isn’t surprising. It must be galling to have to stand before the man who murdered your niece and the lowly human who is the reason he did it, but Hadeus seems calm enough. It’s enough to make me believe he wants this iron gone as much as any of us.

“Very well, Lord Hadeus.” Ruskin steps aside, gesturing to the orchard entrance. “Then let us see what you make of things.”

I notice Hadeus and his minions pale slightly as they approach the iron, but to their credit, they seem to push through the feeling. The younger fae flit about, quickly taking measurements and scribbling them down.

“Dear, dear,” Hadeus says as they work, scanning the room. “Quite the mess, and such an awful sensation, as well.”

For the first time, I sense him looking at me out the corner of his eye.

“I suppose this is nothing to you?”

“It doesn’t make me feel sick, if that’s what you mean,” I mutter back. I can’t work out what it is about this man I don’t like, but I’m certainly not warming to him.

The measurements take all of five minutes—with the fae working to get in and out as quickly as possible. I see relief wash over all their faces when we duck back out into the corridor and put a few yards of distance between us and the orchard.

“I can have a team of my best miners here by the end of the day,” Hadeus says, after quick consultation with his lackeys. “They’re good for this work—Gargin and Wentle clan, natural diggers.”

“You’re talking about Low Fae?” I say. To my knowledge, High Fae don’t have clans, but the Low Fae seem to group themselves by their different traits.

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