Page 3 of The Shadow Fae Rhapsody
That’s not it… that’s not the reason he didn’t want me to come.
Aerin has been doing just fine at the battlefront. Seneschal Kearne is just being polite because he doesn’t want to say what everyone else has been saying.
I am weak.
My growth is stunted because I am born prematurely. I’ve seen the look in people’s eyes. They pity me because I’m smaller than my peers.
“I’ll be fine, Lord Kearne,” I assure him. I know he is just trying to help.
Lord Kearne inhales a slow, even breath. “Very well, I shall take my leave then. Stay safe, Princess.”
I give him a farewell hug and walk to my room. Father’s sudden departure to Tiamat weighs heavily on my mind. I hope he is safe wherever he is.
My pulse thumps out of rhythm over a soft mewling sound. It comes from one of the smaller quarters around the corner. I slowly sneak towards the doorway. Sunlight filters through the large window, shimmering on the neatly braided brunette hair of the person inside the room.
Pretty.
The lady startles at my sudden presence.
“Oh, it’s you, Your Highness,” Jessica says, wiping tears over her cheeks.
She is sitting near a pile of sharp broken porcelain. That’s dangerous. Adults should know better.
“Why are you crying?” Moments like this make me wish I had handkerchiefs readily available with me like Rainer does.
The girl sniffles and takes a moment to compose herself.
“I left the window open and a stray cat broke in.” Tears fall freely from Jessica’s eyes as she unfolds the truth.
It must have been Luce who broke the vase.
Evil, naughty tabby.
“The governess wants to cut my pay for the month.” Another choke of sob slips out from her. “I barely have enough to buy milk for my sister.”
I take another glance at the broken brown pot. I’m not saying that the vase deserved to get knocked over by Lucifer, but what a hideous piece of decoration.
I unclip the pins in my braid.
“You can buy another ugly pot with this,” I say, offering her the shiny hair clip. I know that the stuff the handmaidens wove over my hair is valuable.
Jessica backs away from the gift like I had shown her a worm. “I can’t take your diamond headdress.”
“Of course you can,” I insist, passing it to her.
“No, no,” she repeats, shaking her head fervently. “I can’t. They’ll accuse me of stealing.”
Her reaction confuses me to no end.
“Give me the one from your hair then. It’s a trade,” I suggest.
She leans back, a frown tugging her mouth. “A gemstone for a wooden hairpin… Are you sure?”
I give her a firm nod.
Jessica says nothing for a long while, studying my face. I can almost read the whirring in her mind. She must be thinking of her starving sister. I know I would do anything for Aerin. The fear in her face finally dissolves into something calmer.
“You should have all of mine,” she finally says.
