Page 60 of Oaths & Vengeance
Aella
Iwas in one of the castle’s sitting rooms with Rynn, Tadeus, and Briauna after a tedious dinner with Lord Morgunn, who forgot about my birthday. A custom he followed every year. We each had a piece of murtberry cake that the kind kitchen staff had baked perfectly. It was my favorite kind—unlike my uncle’s. The small tree from which the main ingredient came was one of many varieties that grew in the castle orchard, producing round, lavender fruit. It wasn't very pleasant if eaten fresh, but sweet and delicious when baked in bread or desserts.
“Thank you for this,” I said to my older cousin.
Tadeus shrugged. “You always do something special for our birthdays, and I felt bad I wasn’t here last year to do anything.”
Per his father's orders, he’d been away at court, so it was hardly his fault.
“Do you like our gifts?” Rynn asked, blue eyes dancing with light.
I nodded. “Absolutely. I couldn’t have asked for anything better.”
She’d given me a beautiful diamond barrette, which had to be worth a fortune. It was from her mother’s collection that she’d inherited. I’d tried to refuse, but she insisted, saying I more than deserved it for the sacrifices I’d made for her. If it reduced her guilt, then I supposed I couldn’t turn it down. Also, it was perfect and could be paired with almost anything. I’d told her as much, which made her happy.
My cousin had given me new gardening supplies, which had sat by the arched entrance this morning when I arrived to tend my plants. My favorite was a sack of the best fertilizer in the realm from the Isle of Penoria. It was located off the northwest coast of Zadrya’s mainland and home primarily to the faeries. They didn’t sell much of their rich compost, but when theydid, it was ideal for growing fruit and vegetable plants. I could only imagine how much it cost him since I hadn’t tried purchasing any in years on my budget. The price only grew with the blight and crop failures.
Briauna had woven me a beautiful shawl that matched my green eyes exactly. She knew I often used one while reading on my window seat, but mine had become worn and threadbare. I was touched by the thoughtful gifts the three of them gave me.
“How does it feel to be thirty-three now?” Tadeus asked with an amused look.
I shrugged. “For a couple of months, I’m only a year younger than you, so how do you feel?”
“Like time is passing too fast and also too slow,” he said with a laugh.
“That sums it up perfectly,” I agreed.
I wished Sariyah could have been here as well, but my best friend had to return to Tradain yesterday evening after recovering from the summer solstice celebration. They’d only let her off work for the holiday, but she’d promised she’d have a gift waiting for me when I returned in a couple of days.
Finishing my cake, I set the plate down. “Thanks, everyone, for remembering me, but I think I’m going to retire early tonight. Maybe curl up with a good book.”
“What?” Tadeus asked, surprised. “We usually enjoy a good drink on the north tower roof after cake.”
I wished we could tonight as well, but I had to make my excuses, whether I liked it or not. “Not this time. Camden and I broke things off, and I just want to be alone.”
Rynn leaped to her feet, anger in her youthful features. “You two were fine on solstice night. What did he do?”
“It’s complicated,” I said, giving her a meaningful look. “You know…with my upcoming potential marriage and all.”
She looked confused for a moment before light dawned in her eyes. Rynn might not have known Darrow had shown up that night, but she knew about my marriage to him and that I had to open portals for him frequently.
“Oh.” She settled back in her seat. “Yeah, I can see how that might make things weird.”
Briauna, the only one who knew what I really needed to do tonight, slapped her thigh. “We should leave Aella to it. If she wants to be alone in her room on her birthday, who are we to stop her?”
I gave everyone hugs, took my gifts, and hurried from the room.
A little over an hour later, I exited the portal into Veronna. It was the same location I’d used to reach his great-aunt’s house the night we got married. As a precaution, I wore a thin black cloak and some light glamour to conceal my features. The last thing I needed was for anyone to know who was opening portals tonight, aside from my husband and his inner circle.
I only found Darrow’s sister, Faina, waiting for me. Why was I not surprised? I moved to sit against the tree next to where she rested with her legs crossed. Since she was in black battle garb, I assumed she’d also be fighting this time.
“Which of my villages am I assisting you in ruining?”
“Petosty,” Faina said, picking up a branch from the ground and pulling a knife from a sheath attached to her belt. She began carving into it as if she planned to make a stake.
I clenched my eyes shut. It wasn’t as if I had a favorite village, but that one crafted some of the finest furniture in all of Zadrya. How much would they destroy? Almost eight hundred people lived there, and I worried for their safety.
“How long until the others arrive?” I asked, listening to the sounds of the night and her carving.
