Page 11 of The Forbidden Fae King

I use the excuse to scan the room for my parents, starting at the table of cakes, pastries and fruit platters. There is an iridescence radiating from the apples, oranges, grapes and strawberries, each letting out their own colored light across the table. Of course, our best samples were presented to the king.

Both of my parents are engaged in a conversation with the king, whose mouth moves rapidly, with a red flush creeping up his neck. My father runs a hand through his red hair, glancing multiple times at the same banquet table. My mother’s schooled face is the image of serenity, but her shoulders are held tight.

There is no need for me to inform them of the king’s dissatisfaction.

Ice settles within my stomach.

Niall’s razor-sharp attention is still honed on me. He pulls an apple out of his pocket and holds it. “The flesh of your apples don’t glow like they used to. As a child, Appleshield fruit was luminous. It shimmered like a jewel in sunlight. Now it shines like dull metal.”

The apple in his hand is indeed lackluster, its skin is almost white, with pale washes of green and reds. Worse, it is marred with small, brown dints. Dread grows within me.

“So you found a bad piece of fruit. So what?” Finan seems about to lose his temper at his brother, and I realize from his perspective, Niall is being quite rude.

“It hasn’t been unnaturally ripened by magic over the winter and it has signs of a slight blight, like a regular apple. This tells me Appleshield doesn’t have enough labor with skilled magic to tend all their orchards and crops. That not enough power is being put into some of the harvest.”

“Those are big observations from a single piece of fruit.” I shoot Finan a glance and laugh, hoping he will step in again. “Where did you get it from?”

“A servant picked it directly from the keep’s orchard. I had to know if something was happening to the fruit we receive in the Sunbright City while in transit, or if the problem is here.”

Damn. Damn. Damn. Not good.

My hands become clammy, but I can’t wipe them on my dress. I don’t dare let Niall see my nervousness. “It has been seven years since portals to the Otherworld have opened. Magic waxes and wanes. If there are minor issues, they will be corrected when the magical relics are brought back into our lands. We have had a particularly severe winter this year, so the magical needs for our orchards have doubled.”

These excuses were well planned and practiced by our family, only to be brought out at the most dire of situations. They are only a fraction of the truth.

Niall frowns deeply as he processes my excuses.

“Not to mention, we are only starting the season of feasts,” I saywith a joyful tone. “Did you see the five Cú Sídhe we brought in from the hunt this morning? There will be many more.”

At the mention of the hunt, of my participation, Finan cringes, and I regret it immediately.

Niall gives me a searching stare, and I fear my lies and evasions will be undone under it. He takes a bite from the apple. “It doesn’t taste as sweet and crisp as it did when I was a kid.”

“Niall!” Finan rolls his eyes. “You are boring us with this talk of apples. So they aren’t as pretty. Who cares? Keira said they will be more to your liking next year.”

I laugh as though Finan told a clever joke.

Niall’s lips compress into a thin line. “Nevertheless, father has requested a tour of the orchards. We are going now and I think you should come, if you believe it would be interesting enough.” He turns and leaves, the muscles of his shoulders coiled tight.

Finan chuckles. “He is far too easy to goad. We’ll do an inventory of the orchards and test the magic of the staff. It’s not like there is anything more we can do about it.”

I nod and it takes all of my energy to keep that pleasant expression on my face.

Chapter 4

Keira

Grey clouds move across the sun as our party leaves the castle grounds and passes under the main gate of the inner wall. My father leads our party, repeatedly running a hand through the length of his hair as the wind blows it in his face.

Caitlin is at his left and the king to his right, with Finan and I taking up the rear. Between us, Niall is in deep conversation with the king’s druid adviser, Murdoc. A handful of king’s guards move with us at such a distance, it’s easy to forget they are there.

The intensity of the elements increases as we cross the wide bridge that spans from the rise of the castle, across a deep, wooded valley, and connects with the orchards. My velvet cloak billows around me. The king’s white beard whips into his face.

“This blustered cold and wind,” the king bellows. “By the gods, it never gets this cool down south.”

My father turns to me and raises a single finger, motioning it in a circle. I nod, unlacing my arm from Finan’s grip.

I focus my attention on the wicked breeze. On the particles of air all around us. I place my hands together, then spread them wide, weaving a thick shield of solid air around us, imbuing my magic intowhat was already there to make it perform to my will. I mold the structure into a dome that moves at the speed of our footfalls.

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