Page 395 of Kingdoms of Night

Calva murmured agreement and rinsed Isa with another tiny bucket of the steaming water.

“What powers will the prince have?”

“I think you should ask him. I don’t want to speak behind his back.”

“Oh, right. Of course. I will. Thank you for this bath, Calva.”

With gentle movements, Calva helped Isa dry off with the thick fabric she’d brought, and then dressed her in a light green dress with a woven belt that hung at her hips. The material was wildly soft and Isa couldn’t stop brushing her fingers down her sleeve and marveling at the turn of events—from servant with little hope of a future to a woman being treated like royalty on a legendary island of magic.

“You should sleep for a while. I can sense your body’s fatigue.” Calva pointed to the wide hammock in the far nook.

“Thank you. For all of this.”

Calva gave her a smile before drawing the thick vines across the main doorway and leaving quietly.

The hammock could have been made of solid rock and Isa would have still fallen asleep immediately. But it was as soft as her dress, and she rested better than she had since childhood. Birdsong followed her into dreams of dark eyes, a deep voice, and the feel of a kind touch on the back of her hand.

CHAPTERTHIRTEEN

VIRIDI

Viridi peeked into the room where Julian had taken Isa’s ward. Conversation bounced from the bathing room.

“And you’re not going to make us leave? I want to stay here forever. Would that be all right or is that not? Do I need to ask for your king’s permission? It seems like the prince likes us so maybe he’d say yes. What do you think? I’m very hungry. Do you think I could have a second meal right after the bath? I wouldn’t eat much. Just maybe a little more of that red stuff? It was really delicious. I have never had that before. Do you like the red stuff?”

“Please, Master Nico, sit still for even one moment so I don’t get this soap into your sensitive human eyes.”

A chuckle left Viridi, and he pinched his lips to keep from laughing louder. Julian would be mortified if he knew Viridi had heard the trouble he was experiencing with one small youngling. He patted the doorframe, silently thanking the oak that made up his home, then left to find Felix.

Surely, Isa and the rest of them would sleep for a while. Prince Werian had sent Branch to Viridi requesting that word be given to the prince’s crew out on his ship, just off the coast. Branch had appeared rather excited to have the chance to row over to the ship in the rarely used boat they kept hidden in the cave where the sea folk had once lived.

Viridi envied Branch. Viridi used to climb down to that cave when the tide was out and dig up runed seashells and other sea folk artifacts. He assumed there were sea folk still somewhere in the great expanse of oceans, but they hadn’t seen any, and the scrolls never spoke of them beyond a scant mention in times of the distant past, in the age of the gods and goddesses, Arcturus of Air, Vahly of Earth, Nix of Fire, and Lilia of Water.

Leaving the oaken castle’s side door, Viridi took the winding path through the kitchen garden. Brazenberries glistened, bright and ripe, on the bushes beside a stand of scorchpeppers—one of his favorite spicy treats. Basil and mint waved in the breeze as he walked by, their scent mingling in the air. Beyond the garden, the path wound into the deeper woods where Felix’s home tree stood near a babbling stream.

Felix was going to hate being awoken, but it couldn’t be helped. Viridi had to be sure someone he truly trusted knew about Isa and the others and his wishes for their good treatment just in case Viridi lost himself to the forest at large.

It had happened once already. In the middle of star basking, the jeweltrees’ voices had grown loud in his head and he’d lost his ability to reason. He had regained his senses far from the place where he’d been enjoying the stars with the others. He had no idea what he had done in that lost time. And if the tales were true, being the Thorned One meant growing into a monster capable of great violence. It wasn’t as if he were simply dreaming and meandering about the island as the wild trees influenced him. No, danger pounded through his blood. And he didn’t want Isa and her party to suffer at the hands of his ridiculous father if he had to escape to the far side of the island, out of his mind.

Felix’s tall pine tree bent its limbs to greet Viridi, who set a hand against the rough bark.

“Felix, I hate to bother you, but this is important. Wake, my friend.” Magic shivered under Viridi’s skin, his power reacting to his will and the position he held above Felix in the hierarchy of dryad elves. The sensation buzzed into his hand on the pine, and the wood beneath his palm warmed suddenly.

Viridi stepped back as the pine’s trunk hazed with magic, emerald sparks blinking in and out as Felix appeared, eyes closed and face relaxed in rest.

Then Felix’s eyes flew open and he swore, shaking his head. “You sapling’s root, what in the name of every god are you doing? You know the night I had with Juno.”

Viridi grinned and leaned against a nearby beech. “So she was swayed by your keen knowledge of the female body?”

Felix rubbed his face viciously, then yawned, showing all his teeth. “I would love to say yes, but I think it was my interest in her study of the changing ocean temperatures.”

Rolling his eyes skyward, Viridi laughed. “You two will marry in the library, won’t you? Have your wedding night amongst the scrolls?”

Punching Viridi lightly in the stomach, Felix walked past him. “You might be the prince, but I’m not above being caged for thwapping you.”

“Thwapping? Oh, do tell me what that will involve.”

The sun hit Felix’s face and he winced and stopped, whirling on Viridi. “Seriously, why did you wake me? It’s not even sunset.”

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