Page 34 of Faerie Trials

Halfway through February, I sat at my desk, watching the snow pile higher and wondering how I’d gotten here. Not here physically but here in this wasteland of nonstop work with a decided lack of Mike in my life since our fight. Melia understood, and I found myself using her as a sounding board because she had an insane ability to listen, process, and always offer up the perfect advice.

Unfortunately, in this situation there was nothing she could do in the end besides offer an ear, because although I took her advice to heart, it didn’t grant me extra time in the day.

“Don’t worry about Mike,” she had assured me. “He’ll come around. He always does.”

It was better to keep my distance from the prince. I tried to assure myself of it repeatedly but nothing I said ever worked. I still missed him.

February rolled into March and spring break finally arrived, giving me a much-needed block of free time where I could lounge in bed for an extra hour without feeling guilty about it. Juno gave me a few days off from tutoring, and Raelynn even let me have the week off from working in the kitchens.

Scoretwofor Tavi.

It was a week of pure bliss. Five days where I could do whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted, including reading for fun. Except I found I didn’t want to spend my break in my room. Not when there were so many places to roam. And roam I did.

I swallowed a laugh, walking down the hallway toward the hot springs grotto beneath the castle I’d discovered on accident. Although part of me wondered why no one ever told me about the hot springs, I decided to keep them to myself. Maybe they were simply forgotten, and if I inquired about them, that might remind others and they’d become too crowded to enjoy. And if I’d discovered something heretofore unknown, well then, I wouldn’t risk giving their location away.

Clutching my book tighter, I walked through the corridors and down the spiraling staircase into the grand hall. Last year at this point, reading for pleasure would have seemed like no big deal. Now I realized I’d taken those lazy days of my past for granted.

I didn’t notice the increased number of guards lining the stone walls. I certainly didn’t notice King Tywin until he nearly ran over me.

“My,my. Tavi Alderidge. Here I thought you’d all but disappeared on us.”

I glanced up and up and up until I met his eyes, like twin sapphires pulled from the Arctic Circle. A striking man, Tywin stood much taller than the average person, gray-haired and wearing his power like others did clothing. It crackled around him in a visible aura. Chin pointed, jaw line that could cut glass, his face gave no hint of softness. Everything about him was hard and heavy.

Today the Elder Council surrounded the king on all sides. They stared down at me and there I stood in my bathing suit and cover-up. Heat rushed to my face.

“I’ve been busy studying, Your Majesty.” I kept my head dipped low and spoke softly, feeling absolutely embarrassed. Of all the times for me to run into the king…

“Wonderful. I’m glad to hear it,” he replied with a low, unamused chuckle. “You were at the top of your class back in the human realm but at the bottom of your class now. I certainly expected much better from you.”

One of the guards behind him joined in the king’s laughter, the sound turning into a dry cough. Blood rushed to my head and stayed there until I nearly felt woozy.

“Yes, sir, I am aware. I’m trying my best to get my grades up and keep them up.”

What else could I say to him? There was no way for me to defend myself. Not when he was right.

“Good, good. I’m glad to see you aren’t allowing the dark stains of the past to influence your efforts in the present. After all, Madam Muerte’s murder remains unsolved and the investigation is still ongoing. The strain of this alone would be a burden for anyone to bear.”

I glanced up with a start. Did he…? Hedid, I realized when I saw the smugness on the king’s face. He still thought I’d murdered the carnival gypsy and somehow gotten away with it. God, I could barely pass my classes. Did he really believe I could get away with murder?

Apparently so.

I kept my mouth shut, unsure how to word whatever I wanted to say to him and deciding silence spoke for itself. It was better not to come across as a smart mouth, as my uncle Will had called me, saying I had a real problem keeping the lips zipped. Well, yeah. Who doesn’t when falsely accused?

With my gaze averted and nothing else forthcoming from me, it didn’t take long for King Tywin to lose interest and bid me a good day. The Elder Council behind him was silent as they followed.

I didn’t trust the monarch as far as I could throw him. Which wasn’t far because he was built like an ox. Melia had once told me she didn’t trust him either, saying he’d been in power for far too long, longer than any other monarch in recorded history. And I had to admit there was something odd about him. Just thinking it caused a buzzing at the back of my neck I could neither describe nor ignore.

What was his real deal? And what did he want from me?

The king ruled Faerie with an iron fist. Directly beneath him was the Elder Council who handled most of the magical issues and banded together to support the king unreservedly. Beneath the elders were the courtiers with their respective holdings, in charge of their lands and properties and the people beneath them, although ultimately everyone answered to Tywin. There was no democracy here.

Jogging the rest of the way down through the catacombs, I followed the wisps of steam into the grotto. A knot of tension loosened at the sight of the water. Bluer than any in the mortal world and drawing me forward.

Come on,Tavi,let go.

Yes. I planned on letting go.

As if the water called my name, I shucked off my cover-up and tossed it into the corner, holding my book aloft as I stepped into the heated pool. And sighed with contentment. Oh yes,thiswas what I needed. A moment to recuperate, to still the shivering in my insides and let everything slip away.

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