Page 16 of Blooms of Darkness

I answered without even skipping a beat. “I tripped near the rose bushes. You know, the spot where the moon doesn't shine? Behind theenormousstatue of you… Silly me. I stumbled straight into the bramble and cut it.” I speared a strawberry frommy plate, popping it in my mouth and not bothering to finish chewing it all before I continued. “It’s already healed, would you like to inspect it?” I smiled coyly, playing with the fruit and cheese on my plate as if I had no care in the world.

“Ah, yes. Lucky for you, Elisabeth is the best healer.” My father’s gaze lingered so intensely I could feel it on the side of my face as I picked up a slice of cheese. “And how about your walk outside the gate? With Ian?”

I coughed, choking as I reached for my water. Shit, he reallyhadbested me this time. “I’m sure I have no idea what walk you’re referring to.”Father - 65, Lana - 3.How did he always win? I guessed they didn’t call him the king for nothing.

“Lana,” he said sternly, his icy-blue eyes narrowing, “I have cared for you your entire life and know when you’re lying to me. That wound originated from a blade according to Andras. Which means you were training with Ian,again. Since no one corroborated your training in the castle, and no reports of sword fighting on the streets in the middle of the night could be found either, you did it outside the palace walls.”

My shoulders slumped forward with relief at his assumption. I kept my head hanging low, desperately trying to pass as being caught red-handed. When, really, for a moment, I feared my father might know all about the Hidden Henchman and my secret mission.

“Sorry, Father.” I set my fork down, staring at my hands. “I wanted something outside of the stagnant training pit. I wanted to be in the field.”

“You could have been killed,” he snapped. “You areforbiddenfrom leaving Ellevail’s gates. How many times do we have to go through this? Does my word as King mean nothing to you?”

Instantly, I sat up straighter. The king raised his voice so rarely, especially at me. He had my full attention now. His faceharsh, as if daggers were bolting straight from his eyes. My heart pounded. I wasreallyin trouble this time.

“You could have been killed,” he said again, only quieter. “Do you understand what that would mean?” When I didn’t answer, he continued. “It means the end of our royal line, Illiana. The kingdom would have no heir to the throne. It means we would lose you.” His voice returned to its normal tenor as he continued. “You are this Kingdom’s hope. And with the prophecy?—”

I winced at the mention of the ridiculous prophecy. The prophecy ruled every decision made about me. About my future. “We don’t even know if Vivienne’s prophecy is legitimate. I could be destined for nothing and?—”

My father’s eyes flared, heating instantly. “Do not tempt the Fates with such talk.”

I stared at my hands again, willing my heart to stop racing, even as my anger grew. The Royal Seer had one true prophecy when I was a baby and nothing but mere ramblings since. Yet my father took her word as definitive, never second-guessing it for one moment.

He sighed, grumbling, as he reached for an apple from the bowl on the table. “I am happy you are strong and want to train. I gave Ian my blessing to provide you with lessons occasionally, when it did not interfere with his duties as Captain. I gave him my blessing for you to train on the grounds of this palace and it is what I expect. I will not tolerate my wishes being ignored again. Do I make myself clear?”

I nodded. “Yes, Father. I’m sorry.” Genuine fear coursed through my veins. If he reacted this strongly to a simple training session—Fates—imagine how he would react to my work as the Hidden Henchman. He couldneverfind out.

“Now that’s settled.” The king took a bite of the crimson apple, the spray of its juices hit my face as he chewed.

His eyes widened, and we laughed together as I patted away the juice. The worst was clearly over. We were still giggling when the queen walked in, tension easing from the blow-out moments before.

I pushed away from the table, starting to rise when she shooed me down, planting a kiss on my head instead. “Don’t be ridiculous, Illiana. Sit and eat.”

She kissed the king, and a pang of loneliness swept through me as it always did, observing the beauty of their simple acts of love for one another. Most days, I wasn’t a pining-for-love fool, but it didn’t stop me from dreaming of a partnership and love like theirs.

I chewed my cheese and bread for a few more moments, before I wiped my hands on the napkin and started to rise. Escaping while I still could without the round-two lecture from my mother might be the smartest move to make.

“If you’ll excuse me, I’m sure I’ve got some sort of princessely duties to attend to,” I joked.

I’d barely made it halfway across the room, when my father began one of his coughing fits. My mother rushed to his side, rubbing his back, trying to get him to drink some water from the nearby glass.

Nothing helped.

“Guard!” she cried, pointing to the Fae in uniform closest to her. “Fetch Elisabeth at once! As fast as you can!”

He didn’t even bother bowing before running out of the room.

“Lana.” My mother’s voice came out calmer, not as commanding as she’d been when she spoke to the guard. “You may leave, darling. All will be fine. Elisabeth will be here in a moment and all will be well.”

I hesitated, but my mother continued to shoo her hands at me to leave. I watched my father doubled over a few moremoments, before obeying the queen and exiting the dining room.

Gently, I closed the door, hoping Elisabeth would be there soon to heal my father. Or try to. What started as a slight cough had progressed into these uncontrollable fits.

I didn’t know what it meant. I brought a trembling hand to my chest, inhaling and exhaling slowly.

All will be well, I repeated my mother’s words in my head and hurried away from the doors.

It had to be well. Because becoming Queen right now wasn’t at all something I was prepared for.

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