Page 109 of Crown of Slumber

The following day, that was exactly what I was doing, standing in the throne room as my mother paced before me, berating me for my actions. Her inky black skirts swished with each step, her dark eyes flaring with rage. “Careless,” she hissed. “Reckless. Foolish! What in the stars’ name were you thinking?”

“I was thinking we needed assistance,” I said calmly. “And we received it.”

She scoffed. “We received nothing but a loathsome princess who despises our people and would rather die than help us.”

“Do not speak of my fiancée in that way,” I said sharply.

Mother stopped her pacing to stare at me, eyes wide. I didn’t often use a tone like that with her. Generally, it was the opposite. But I wouldn’t have her sullying Aurelia’s name based on gossip alone. “You have not met her,” I went on. “Aurelia is lovely, and she is willing to put aside our differences to forge on with this alliance. I was hoping you would do the same.”

Mother’s expression twisted into a disgusted grimace. “She has deceived you, Fennick. You cannot trust her.”

I said nothing, because her words were far too closeto the truth. Itwas, in fact, a deception. But she couldn’t know that. “I sent word ahead of our arrival. Did you not believe my message?”

“Of course I didn’t! You have been in the bed of practically every female courtier in our kingdom. Never in a thousand years did I expect you to settle down, let alone with anenemy princess.I thought it was some rather hideous joke on your part.”

I sighed. “I have made a bargain with her, Mother. She will give us a dragon.”

Mother froze, looking me over, her eyes narrowing in suspicion. “She swore it in blood?”

“Yes. Whatever dragon possesses the most powerful fire. She will give us what we need.”

Her eyes narrowed further still. “And in exchange?”

“We grant her access to stardust.”

Mother’s lips grew thin. “Foolish boy. You can’t offer something like that. Our stores are low enough as it is.”

“Yes, but with Dragonfire, we can secure our people’s safety. We can increase our coffers with trade once the roads are clear and the unseelie have stopped their attacks. Commerce will flow smoothly once more.”

Mother frowned, her eyes shrewd and calculating as she considered this. “You swore in blood as well?”

“Of course I did. The Summer Princess is many things, but she is no fool. She would not have sworn in blood if I had not done the same.”

Mother sighed, then resumed her pacing. “This is still disastrous. You should have consulted me first.”

“There was not time. We need the dragonnow, Mother. To cease negotiations for me to run home and get permission from dear Mama first would have been ridiculous.”

Mother sniffed in disapproval, her nose wrinkling. “I suppose.”

“You needn’t have sent a squadron for us,” I said, rubbing the back of my neck. “We were meant to visit the Court of Twilight before coming here.”

“My mages sensed you crossing the border, and with the unseelie tribes rampaging through the kingdom, I couldn’t take any chances.”

“I need to speak with Marek.”

“You shall do no such thing,” she snapped. “You are neededhere, Fennick, not only to clean up the mess of your engagement, but to put the people’s minds at ease. You can visit your friend later.”

“The matter is urgent, Mother. Imustspeak with him.”

“Speak with him another time.” Her tone was firm and gave no room for argument.

I bit my lip, remaining silent. Perhaps I could slip away after the fete, while the kingdom was sleeping off the alcohol and merriment. It was less than a day’s ride to the Twilight Palace, and by the time Mother realized I was gone, it would be too late.

But would Aurelia come with me? And if she did, what if we were caught? For me to sneak off in the middle of the night was one thing, but if I was with the Summer Princess, my betrothed, whom the people already suspected of duplicity, that would reflect poorly on her. And we couldn’t afford that.

I frowned as I considered my options. Marek and I both possessed contact runes to reach each other in case of emergency. But it did not allow us to speak to one another; only to send an emergency flare, so to speak.

But what if I could find a rune thatcouldallow us to speak across long distances? I was sure I had encountered one in the books I’d borrowed from the witch clans.

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