Page 15 of A Crown of Darkness

You serve me, the Aurum snarled. It would hear no argument, no debate. She was meant to obey. She had been born to serve this power of light and flames and absolute obedience.

But she didn’t. Not now. She served her kingdom, her people. That was the truth of it. That was why she had taken Wren and run away in the first place. That was why she had given up Roland.

Roland…she had to find Roland…

Great light, she thought and stopped herself while the Aurum laughed, but the Aurum was not everything, no matter what it believed.

She felt Hestia seize on the magic carrying Elodie, a wild and desperate hope born out of fear. Ylena was threatening them, threatening…him…

But Hestia was depleted and weak. She had used all that she had to save the prince. Wren’s prince, Elodie realised. Finn. Her daughter’s beloved, just as Roland was hers. The power of the Nox rose briefly in response to Hestia’s entreaties and started to fail almost at once. Maryn reached out, trying to lend her strength. Even Maryn instinctively understood the truth of it, the necessity. They had to get Hestia and Finn away from Ylena.

Ylena, or whatever was using Ylena to do its bidding, willing or no, wanted Finn. To bind him, control him, or perhaps just destroy him. If they could break him they could use him against Wren. It could not stand.

Hedge witch, let us help.

Elodie threw all that she had into the heart of that spell, all that remained of her, and watched the old magic rise to spirit Hestia and Finn far away.

After that, nothingness swallowed her whole.

WITCHKIND LORE

No one can truly understand old magic.

It is wild and wanton, it knows no rules.

It is like a child, forever young.

A bird in flight, it is a thing of joy.

Give yourself over to joy.

But to wield it, give yourself completely.

For if you hold back anything from its embrace,

Its tide may rip you apart.

CHAPTER 8

WREN

Finn woke Wren far earlier than he normally rose, his tone curt.

‘We don’t have a lot of time. Make yourself presentable.’

Confused, she pushed the fall of her dark hair out of her face and found the room full of servants. Not the usual ones either. Not the lithe, seductive and desperate souls he normally surrounded himself with since they had come to Sidonia. These people were older, with downcast eyes and impassive faces, wearing ornate livery or simple robes of pale colours. There were more women than men and they all busied themselves with various tasks. Several filled a large bath with steaming, fragrant water, while others laid out a selection of gowns the like of which Wren had not seen since coming here.

They reminded her of Lynette, if you took all her fire and independence from her. At the thought of anyone from Pelias, that same pang of loss and regret stabbed into her and Wren winced, trying to push the memories away.

She had taken it all for granted, hated it. And now…she only wanted to be back there. She wouldn’t even argue with Lynette over the array of clothing the lady-in-waiting laid out before her. The outfits and the hairstyles could be as elaborate and ridiculous as her heart desired. Anything, aside from a crown.The thought of that and all it implied still chilled Wren to the bone. Now more than ever.

‘What’s happening?’ she asked.

Finn paused in the doorway and cast a glance over his shoulder. ‘The king wants to see us. Formally and in front of the whole court. Don’t make trouble, Wren. It will not go well for you if you try anything.’

Try anything? What was she going to try? She was helpless here, his captive and by extension a captive of the royal court of Sidonia. All that had been made perfectly clear.

Wren felt listless and lost.

---