Glancing around, I pause at the entrance to the garden, Blaise stopping at my side without question. Closing my eyes, I take a deep breath and attempt to ground myself. The scent of roses and lavender invade my senses, their sweet fragrances soothing my ragged soul. They call me, welcoming me with the light brush of their leaves as I pass.
I open my eyes once more and take in the surprising beauty around me.
The castle is perched on top of a cliff, the back of which faces the sea. It is a large, foreboding building made from a dark stone that seems to absorb the light. Built primarily for defence, it is short and squat with only a single tower that rises up out of the darkness. From the point of defence, it makes sense. There is no room for making your home look grand and pretty when it might be destroyed the very next day. Given our history of warwith the fae, I should not be surprised by this. The city is built similarly, with the same dark stone used on the houses and the wall surrounding the city.
The courtyard is large and surrounded by the castle on three sides, a covered walkway with arched pillars creating a pathway along the perimeter. A circular fountain takes centre stage, a stone swan arching its neck as the water cascades down its extended wings and back. The gentle sound is relaxing and makes me smile. The rest of the garden is split into four sections, a pathway dividing them into quarters.
Roses, lilies, honeysuckle, and lavender greet me as I follow the pathway, letting my hand brush along the leaves as I pass. Purple, pink, and white flowers create a riot of colour, each plant perfectly pruned and maintained. Personally, I prefer my plants a little less manicured, but there is no denying how gorgeous this space is. The far end of the garden is without a border, and I make my way over to see what is waiting for us beyond.
What I thought was the end of the garden is anything but. A stone staircase built into the edge of the courtyard leads down to several more gardens on different levels. Each section has a different theme and feel to it, and although I feel uneasy here, I cannot wait to explore the gardens.
My excitement must show, as Blaise snorts in amusement. Ignoring him, I descend the steps, making sure my skirt doesn’t drag behind me. Although I have the castle looming behind me like a silent sentinel, I feel so much calmer out here surrounded by nature. Sure, it is tamed and hemmed in, but it helps settle me.
Walking up to an ornate stone bench beside a bed of gorgeous white roses, I sit and admire the flowers surrounding me. Blaise waits in front of me, his arms crossed and brow raised as he waits for me to do something. Eventually, he seems to realise that I am content to sit here, and he starts to explorethe area around us. He never leaves my sight, but I can see his need to move, to dosomething, in the restless movements of his hands.
“The king was not what I expected.”
My comment seems to take him by surprise, causing him to pause and turn to face me. I cannot get a read on Blaise. One minute, I think he might want nothing more than to get rid of me, then the next, I think he finds me fascinating, like he has discovered a new creature and is studying it closely. Mostly, I believe that he finds me amusing, the little human who bumbles around without a clue as to what is happening in the real world.
He watches me for a moment and snorts, shaking his head in disgust. “The king is an idiot. I do not trust him.” Turning to stare at the castle, he narrows his eyes as though he can see right through the walls and into the king’s office. “Alaric will make sure you are safe.”
This is the most serious I have seen the fae, and the certainty in his voice is aimed to reassure me. Strangely, I find that it does. I run my fingers over a perfect bloom, the velvety petals soft against my skin. I still have so many questions, my thoughts so tangled it feels as though I have thorns in my mind, snagging against me with each action I take.
“Is stopping the Unseelie really as simple as keeping me away from them?”
This has been bugging me since the prince rescued me from the Unseelie. Hiding and protecting me from them seems like a temporary solution. Are they going to care for me until I die from old age, stopping the dark fae from leaving the forest for good, or is there a more permanent plan?
“It sounds simple, but it is anything but.” Wandering back to me, he scans me from head to toe and then solemnly surveys the castle grounds, looking for weaknesses. “The Unseelie are cunning andwillfind a way to get to you. That is a fact, and onethat you should prepare for. You may need to fight your way to safety one day.”
My mouth goes dry at his statement, dread and fear gripping me in its tight grasp. Fingers trembling, I pull my hand away from the flower and let it drop into my lap. The urge to run is fierce. In theory, I should be safe here, protected by the king and surrounded by my people, yet I do not feel safe here. What could I possibly do to change the situation though? I am no one of importance, and other than having an affinity with nature, I have no special skills.
My shoulders droop forward, caving in as a realisation comes to me. “The king will never let me leave, will he?”
Blaise looks grim, yet the flash of sympathy I see in his eyes worries me the most. “After seeing his reaction to you, no, I do not believe so.”
It becomes difficult to take a full breath as the world seems to close in around me. Even the scents of the flowers and the gentle breeze on my face fail to calm me. “So this castle is about to become my prison?” My voice quakes as I speak. Taking a deep breath, I try to contain my overwhelming emotions.
Blaise shuffles his weight from foot to foot, uncomfortable with my display of emotion. “Alaric will do what he can. Our alliance with the humans is fragile, and it will not take much to break it. These things are… delicate.”
His words sink in, and I try to pull myself together. I cannot even imagine how difficult it would be to manage the alliance between the two races, especially when they do not agree. From what I understand, they have only come together to stand against the Unseelie, so what will happen once they achieve that? With no Unseelie to worry about, will the humans and Seelie keep their fragile alliance?
Blaise stiffens, turning as he picks up on something my human senses have yet to register. Before I can ask, Alaricappears in a blur of colour. Blaise is there in a flash, grabbing the prince by the shoulders.
“Your Highness, is everything—”
“We need to leave, now,” Alaric states then strides over to me and stares down at me with that same intensity that takes my breath away. “We are leaving for Seelie territory,” he announces, his body full of tension and urgency. He doesn’t look away from me as he speaks again. “Iris, you’re coming with us.”
Chapter Eleven
We flee the city like death himself is chasing us. Alaric won’t answer any of our questions, acting civilly towards the stable staff for as long as it takes to get their horses. I think he means for me to ride with him once more, but I insist on having my own horse. My family might not have enough money to own a horse, but I still learned how to ride when I was little, and we will be far faster if his mare isn’t loaded down with the weight of two.
“Do not act suspicious,” he orders the two of us as we leave the castle grounds and head for the outskirts of the city.
Of course, as soon as he says this, it makes me feel instantly guilty as I force myself to look innocent, probably only making the situation worse. With the two fae wearing their hoods up and the seal of the king on their cloaks, they are able to pass through the city without much fuss. There is a lot of focus on me though. I am wearing a similar cloak, but with my hood down, and I clearly don’t look like an advisor to the king. It makes meuncomfortable as I try to keep my head forward and avoid the attention.
Thankfully, we make it out of the city with barely a glance from the gate guards, and as soon as we are on the road, Alaric kicks his horse into a canter, Blaise hot on his heels. I grip tightly onto the reins and nudge my horse forward. Luckily for me, the horse I was given is easy to ride and has a sweet temperament. She seems happy to follow behind the other horses, allowing me time to think over everything that just happened.
It does not take a genius to work out that something must have happened between Alaric and the king. With the way we practically fled the city and the breaking pace that we set now as we thunder down the deserted road, it feels as though we are fugitives. Is that what is happening? When I left with Alaric, did I commit a crime?