Page 57 of A Court of Ash and Midnight
First, however, I have to attain some semblance of cleanliness.
I summon the guards back for a bucket of water and some soap, and I spend most of the next hour polishing myself up. A healer had cleaned and put salve on my wounds from the challenge earlier this morning, but not much else. I don’t bother trying to do anything with my hair, leaving it down so it falls a bit past my shoulders. My fingers twist through a strand of it, curling and uncurling it around my finger. I’ve never let it get this long, and with a sudden pang of sorrow and longing, I wonder if my mother had hair like this.
I’d give anything just toremember.
Finally, I am dressed and reasonably clean, so that when the guards come for me, I look somewhat the part.
The dinner is located at the opposite end of the valley from the cliffs. A series of silk tents have been erected, and a good bit of fae magic has gone into making them look stately. In one tent, an enormous table is set with plates and goblets and silver and candles. In another tent there are multiple tables laden with food. And in the third tent, there is wine and ale and pipes for smoking. Throughout each of the tents, silver and gold trees are scattered, giving the effect that we’re dining in a glowing forest rather than beneath simple tents. They glimmer faintly in the twilight, and some of them release clouds of tiny flowers that float beneath the pitched roofs of the tents.
“Wine or ale?” Cillian asks me as we reach the tents. “You didn’t die today, meaning I am still the second as I very much prefer. I think that deserves a toast.”
“Ale,” I say. I have no idea if the wine here is regular wine or fae wine, and I certainly have no intention of finding out.
He saunters off, leaving me on my own. Our grandparents had walked with an entourage of guards ahead of us, and I watch as they enter the dining tent and make note of where they sit, so I can be sure to sit as far away from them as possible. Provided we don’t have assigned seats.
As I duck beneath the branches of a silver tree and enter the drink tent behind Cillian, my eyes rove the crowd. I tell myself I’m not looking for anyone in particular, but deep down I know it’s a lie. Daemon has made it clear that we’re enemies now, so I have no plans to seek him out. But I also can’t help but want answers, just like everything else in my life. I know he’s here representing his house, but why does he have to act as if he doesn’t even know me?
As I sweep my gaze across the tent, I do find a familiar face, but not the one I’m looking for.
“Professor Julian!” I exclaim as he walks toward me.
“Embyr! It’s so nice to see you,” he says, offering me a slight bow. “Alive, no less. Congratulations on making it through the first challenge.”
“Were you here this morning?”
“Alas, no. I made it in this afternoon.” He frowns. “There were some things at Shadow’s Keep I had to get situated before I could make the voyage.”
It already seems a lifetime has passed since I left the castle. And ten lifetimes since that night on the beach outside Kyrn. My life has certainly become so, so strange in these last few months.
“Well, I’m glad you could make it. I only hope the first challenge wasn’t merely beginner’s luck.”
The professor offers a polite smile. “Hopefully not. Though, this might be a good time for you to discover whatever magical talent might be hiding within you.”
I realize that with everything that had happened, I hadn’t been able to tell him how we survived the fire. Daemon had told them someone tried to kill us, but not how we escaped. “Well, there’s something you should know…”
I recount for him what happened in the healing ward, and as I do, his eyes grow wider and wider.
When I’m done, he says, “Well, surely you can use that to your benefit during the challenges!”
“Use what to your benefit?” Cillian asks, striding up and handing me a goblet of ale.
I don’t really want to share what happened with my cousin, especially considering I have no idea how to control my magic. “Oh, nothing major,” I say, making a dismissive wave with my hand. “Professor Julian was sharing some self-defense tips. He was one of my professors at Shadow’s Keep. He’s traveled a long way to watch the tournament.”
Professor Julian blinks a couple of times but nods in agreement.
“Another good reason not to die, cousin!” Cillian slaps me on the back, making me spill some of my ale. “Don’t want to let the old professor down.”
“Thank you, that’s quite comforting,” I say, swatting him on the shoulder.
We talk for another few minutes, the Professor fascinated to hear about how human royal houses operate differently than fae royal houses, and Cillian more than happy to regale him. Eventually a bell is rung to announce the start of dinner, and everyone begins to travel through the food tent to pile their plates high. It seems we are nearly last in line, so by the time we get food and make it to the dining tent, there are only a few seatsleft at the end of the table. My grandparents are clear at the other end of the tent, and Toryn’s family is on that side as well.
I’ve just settled into my chair, sitting between Cillian and Professor Julian, when Daemon, and presumably his family, take the seats opposite us at the table.
“Daemon!” Professor Julian calls in greeting. “So many champions from Shadow’s Keep in the tournament… I am honored to teach such fine fae. And humans,” he adds swiftly, nodding his head toward me.
Daemon responds with a cordial greeting, but the man and woman sitting with him cast cold looks at Professor Julian, and they don’t so much as look in my direction. The man is large and broad-shouldered, reminding me a bit of Commander Thornne, and the woman rather petite for a fae. They both have white-blonde hair and pale skin, which stands out in stark contrast to the black they wear, and also in odd contrast to Daemon’s dark features. They’re both adorned in so much jewelry they glitter in the light of the candles running down the center of the table.
Daemon flicks his gaze up to mine once, for the briefest of moments, his expression unreadable.
