Page 119 of Kingdom of Briars and Roses

You are the real thing, the shadows inside me whispered. But I wasn’t Summer fae. So, I shoved them down again, and they shut up.

I half-expected to find Rydian or even Callan waiting for me when I emerged from my room, but the hall was empty.

“This way.” Beryl led the way, stiff-backed and silent except for the clicking of her shoes.

I swallowed hard and followed her through the castle.

A set of grand doors loomed ahead of me, the golden trim gleaming in the sunlight that streamed through the large windows. Guards stood on either side of the open doors, their hands resting casually on their swords. They didn’t make eye contact as Beryl paused before them.

“Her Highness, Aurelia of Sevanwinds, for the king,” Beryl informed them.

“Enter,” one of them grunted.

Beryl stepped back and motioned for me to proceed.

My stomach twisted with a mixture of dread and determination.

Last night, I’d returned to my room mostly due to a lack of other options. If I’d gone anywhere else, Rydian would’ve followed, and despite his loathing for Callan, I wasn’t sure he wouldn’t report everything I did back to the king. Especially if whatever blood vow Callan had mentioned really existed. Instead, I’d lit a candle, shut the curtains, and done my best to go inward—to the quiet place between worlds, as Sonoma had taught me. The way of the Aine, she’d called it.

A quieting of the mind that had once led to a direct connection with the Fates. It had been so long since anything waited on the other side that I’d stopped the practice.

Last night was the first time I’d tried it in years.

I’d gotten no answer.

Not from the Fates and not from Sonoma. It had been stupid to hope for either one. A flimsier plan than even Callan’s.

I was on my own. So, I’d made the most of it. An effort that had lasted long into the night. But it had been worth it.

The guard at the door grunted at me, a sign I had taken too long. With a deep breath, I walked inside, straightening my shoulders as I went.

The large throne room was draped in shadows, despite the late afternoon sun filtering in through tall windows. The king stood by a table, his back to me, studying a map of the fae realms spread across its surface.

I faltered at the sight of it—so familiar. The memory washed over me like a tidal wave. My father and mother poringover a map nearly identical to this one. Planning, strategizing, trying to come up with a way to stop Heliconia.

It hadn’t worked then.

I could only hope it would work now, though after hearing Callan’s plans last night, I wasn’t confident.

Besides, there were marked differences between my memory and this moment. Duron was dressed in full regalia, from the crown on his balding head to the gold-embroidered robes that stretched over his gut. Like he never wanted anyone to forget who and what he was, even in his most private meetings.

Three other fae males were gathered on the opposite side of the table. The same advisors I’d seen in Callan’s study. Two of them stood and peered over the maps. The third sat in a chair pushed back from the table, his legs crossed, a mug held casually in one hand.

At the sight of me approaching, they all looked up. Duron’s golden crown caught the light, and I had the distinct impression he’d chosen exactly that place to stand for that reason.

Like father, like son, I thought with disgust.

“Princess,” he said. His voice, usually so calm and composed, held a sharp edge today. “Come in.”

I did as he commanded, my steps careful and measured across the stone floor. The door shut behind me with a soft thud, sealing me in the room.

Trapped.

“You wanted to see me, Your Majesty?” I kept my tone formal, neutral, though it took every bit of my self-control not to let the tension seep into my voice.

For a moment, he said nothing, just studied me. A predator sizing up its prey. “As you know, your alliance with my son was based on certain… agreements between you.”

“That’s true.” My heartbeat quickened.

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