Page 9 of The Lord of Whispers

“Alarie,” the high lord began, and his tone was resolute but not harsh. “I know you’re brilliant.”

Despite the humbling position I found myself in, I still felt a flush of warmth at his words of praise.

“That’s why I claimed you for my own House instead of allowing you to go to another House in my Court.”

My hometown, Harborview, was part of the Azure Court. Each year, a student from each court was awarded the opportunity to join the liaison program. But being accepted into the liaison program did not always guarantee a spot at the High Court. Sometimes, a high lord like Jay would keep the liaison for their own House. But often, especially when it came to House Vitruvian, the liaison would be assigned to a lesser House within the high lord’s court. For instance, Jay could have placed me at the Azure Court or passed on me altogether and given the lord in Harborview, Lord Tildon, a liaison for the year. I was beyond ecstatic when I found out that I was placed with House Vitruvian at the High Court.

“But,” he continued, “you’ll find that there is a thing or two that I can teach you. I dare say that you may even learn some things from me that cannot be found inanybook.”

His last statement was made matter-of-factly and not boastfully.

Sufficiently chastised, I began to admit that Jay was right. But he moved on, apparently without the need to extract such a concession from me.

“The Emerald Court is named not only for its emeralds because, as you know, the M is rich in other precious gems as well, but also its emerald-green waters. Similarly, the Azure Court is known for its azure ocean.”

“The Ruby Court…” he paused, “well you weren’t far off. You see, after the Diamond Court separated from the rest of the courts of Valencia, Grey and I had to decide what to do with the realm in the north, this side of the border. A new court was preferable to just tacking the land on to the large amount of land owned by the Crown. The truth is that we had already decided that the new court would go to House Rein.”

“We were speaking to High Lord Rein and his son, Rhett, about the new court, and Rhett is the one who came up with the idea of the Ruby Court. He said rather matter-of-factly that he had spent hundreds of years establishing his wardrobe in various shades of House Rein’s red and he wouldn’t start over, not even for a court of his own to inherit someday.”

“And when I pointed out that rubies have nothing to do with the resources from the land in the north, Rhett pointed out my next point regarding the Silver Court. The Silver Court does not have anything to do with the mining of silver, which, as you likely know, actually takes place in the realm of the Ruby Court. Instead, it’s named after the silver coin said to glimmer between every handshake that occurs at the port in Port City.”

It was fascinating to hear the backstory on events I’d only read about in my textbooks.

“You said that diamond mining was one of the reasons that the North Court was named the Diamond Court. What are the other reasons?” I asked, more interested in a history lesson than I’d ever been before.

The high lord seemed pleased by the fact that I’d remembered to follow up on his earlier point.

“The people from that area, from Alancia, they are hard people, Alarie. They are strong; some would say, even unbreakable, just like diamonds. It’s an apt name, I assure you,” the high lord said. “But do you know what resource, more valuable and more precious than even diamonds, originates from the Diamond Court?”

“I… I don’t know,” I admitted eagerly.

“Iron,” Jay replied simply.

The word hung in the air between us. This was the exact kind of information he had alluded to—the kind of information that I would be able to learn from him that could not be found in any textbook. Information regarding iron, one of the few things fatal to fae, was not commonly known, much less shared with someone like me.

My interest piqued, I asked, “Did that impact the war?” And then, without waiting for an answer to my first question, I followed up excitedly with, “That’s why we had to put up the wall, isn’t it?”

Jay gave me an appraising look out of the corner of his eye.

“Very good, Alarie. The quick answer to both of your questions is yes.”

Like back when I was at university, the warmth of satisfaction at being right washed over me.

I knew the war between Valencia and Alancia ended about twenty-three years ago, a couple of months before I was born. The war started with the Diamond Court breaking from Valencia and creating its own nation, Alancia. The war ended with a permanent magical barrier forever separating the two warring kingdoms.

“Grey and I came up with the idea of the wall, in part, in answer to the unevenly matched supply of iron weapons that favored the north,” he explained.

I looked at Jay, awed by the revelation of his personal involvement in something I’d learned about in my textbooks. Excitedly, I waited for him to continue with his story.

“But there’s a lot more to that story that we aren’t getting into just now.”

A shadow of a smile passed over the reserved high lord’s face in response to my visible disappointment.

“War is not the topic of today’s lesson, dear. Today, we are discussing the High Council and the Houses on the High Council.” And with that proclamation, Jay continued with my lesson.

I knew that House Vitruvian was an old and well-respected House consisting of a long line of pure high fae high lords and ladies. High Lord Vitruvian had made a name for himself, long before he became Contra to the King, as a businessman and a scholar, mixing the two in a skilled manner that made House Vitruvian flush with resources, both in riches as well as status among those who mattered most at the High Court. With the magic dwindling, the Kingdom had become more reliant upon Azurinium to help with everyday tasks. I could only imagine what this surge in demand had meant for Jay in terms of riches.

When the High Court was established a little over twenty-five years ago. Jay was appointed the Court’s first Contra. The Contra was part of a system of checks and balances established within the hierarchy of the High Court. Fundamentally, the King’s power was absolute. He was the ultimate arbiter of all issues in the Kingdom of Valencia. The Contra, second in power in Valencia to the King alone was, by design, meant to be a rival of the King’s, someone who would not act sycophantically and instead would challenge the King when necessary to serve the best interest of the Kingdom.

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