Page 71 of The Powerless Witch

Malakai chuckled.

The ceremony continued with the Fae Queen reciting a rite in a language I hadn’t heard in centuries. A pair of Fae flew to her side, carrying two matching crowns made of vines, flowers, and berries, which she placed on the heads of Amantha andher intended. I held my breath in anticipation of some breathtaking display of the magic of the grove or a formal ritual that marked the exchange of power, but I was disappointed.

The crowd erupted in cheers while the air fluttered with more lights and beating wings as the couple turned to each other and kissed. The kiss was brief, and it made me feel bad for the groom as Amantha pulled back to face her people.

“Well, that was underwhelming,” I murmured as I watched the new couple vacate the altar while the Fae formed a line to give their congratulations and presents. “I don’t understand the idea of marrying someone you do not love. Committing to one person is hard enough, but doing it to someone you don’t love, especially when you’re immortal, is just…”

Malakai looked at me with what could only be described as pity, nudging me to move.

“Logic has no place where the matters of the heart are concerned,” he said in my ear while we made our way to the altar. “And I do believe my sister loves Helio. Aside from my brother, I think he is the only person she has ever loved. She is just bad at showing it. I thought you, of all people, could tell as much.”

I opened my mouth, but then the crowd in front of us parted. My skin prickled when angry, hate-filled gazes slid over it, sending a cold shiver down my spine. Looking ahead, I met Amantha’s eyes first, her noble and serene expression now twisted in obvious displeasure. Her new husband tried to smile, but his lips quickly turned down when he noticed his wife’s reaction. But it wasn’t them who spoke first.

“Bow before your new queen,” the Queen Mother said, moving to stand beside her daughter. Amantha’s shoulders pulled back, and she raised her chin, keeping her eyes on me even as Malakai gave them all a respectful, if too casual, bow. I forced myself to incline my head. “Lower,” the Queen Mother commanded, and I felt my eye twitch in annoyance. My magic whispered eagerly, but I pushed it down.

Instead, I straightened up, looking Amantha straight in the eye.

“I do not belong to the Fae, so she is no queen of mine,” I said softly, suppressing my smile when Amantha’s gaze darkened. “I’m here as a humble guest, giving my well wishes to the happy couple. May you love and cherish each other for as long as you both shall live.”

None of them said anything, just kept staring until Malakai stepped forward. Amantha tensed, but he just extended his hands, offering her a small pouch withsome kind of sapling in it. It smelled strong and sweet, with a hinge of earth and magic coming from the dirt that surrounded it. Helio’s eyes widened and before his wife could speak, he was taking the present with trembling hands.

“As our ancestors did before us, I present you with this seed. Plant it, tend to it, and grow it like the love between you, and use it should a day come when you need it,” Malakai said with a smile while Helio hugged the sapling to his body as if it were the most precious thing in the world. Even Amantha seemed taken aback when she got a closer look.

“I thought the heart trees were extinct,” she breathed, and for once, there was more awe than sharpness in her voice. Heart trees? The name rang a bell, but before I could remember what that was, Malakai was speaking again.

“We thought wrong. They were dormant and waiting.” He shrugged, stepping back to stand beside me. “One just happened to emerge in my garden and call to me. I thought it a fitting present for our new queen and her consort. I hope you’ll accept this small gift from us.”

The awe from Amantha’s eyes drained at once, her attention switching to me.

“Oh, it’susnow, is it?” she snarled, giving me a scathing look that burned like fire. “Didn’t take her long to spread her legs for you. What next? Shall we expect little half-bloods soon?”

Whispers filled the valley, making me realize we were still standing among all the Fae that were tentatively watching us, listening to us. I didn’t get the chance to reply because the Queen Mother glared at her son before setting her eyes on me.

“Earth bless us, that is one thing we shall not have to worry about at least,” she spat, her eyes lowering to my belly. “No child will come out of that womb to plague the world with its violence and darkness.” I felt Malakai’s eyes on my face, but I held my smile.

“Why do I need children when I have all of you to look after?” I replied, trying to keep the bite out of my voice. “Your ancestors would have been ashamed to see how little of their hospitality you have retained. I do not wish to quarrel on this day.” I looked at Malakai and he gave me a subtle nod. “We’ll leave now. Enjoy the w—”

“Leave you shall, and not just this sacred place,” the Queen Mother interrupted me just as I was turning. “You are not welcome here, Ancient one. Be gone from our grove and never return. Your presence here is a desecration to my son’s memory. Wesuffered your presence long enough. Release Malakai from his bargain and leave in peace while you still can.”

“Mother—” Malakai tried to interject, but the look the Queen Mother sent him stopped him in his tracks.

“You will not speak!” she snapped, her eyes narrowing. “This has gone on long enough. It is my will that she leaves this place now and for as long as I live, you will obey or be banished from here!”

Malakai’s face blanched, pure shock overtaking his features. It seemed that whatever hopes his mother held about utilizing his power had dwindled. Chasing him out might as well kill him. The Fae could not survive out of a grove for long and the only other one I knew of was across the ocean, far away from everything he had ever known. He might die or never see his home…because of me.

“Fine,” I said, ignoring Malakai’s eyes as they burned a hole through me. “I’ll leave. No need to be all bitchy about it.”

She raised her hand, and the crowd parted to let someone through. I half expected some of her guards to grab me—I had agreed to leave, not to be thrown out—when my eyes landed on the short, slender figure who stepped forward. Dressed in black pants and a soft turtleneck, Mariam looked entirely out of place in this otherworldly setting. She didn’t wear her glasses this time, but the sweet, innocent smile on her lips was all too familiar.

“Mariam?” I whispered, staring at the woman while she smiled warmly at me, her eyes narrowing almost like she was having too much fun. “Why are you here?”

“What do you mean, Celeste?” She shrugged, looking around with an almost childish fascination. “We are friends, are we not? Friends look out for each other. I came the moment I heard you needed help.”

There was something odd in the way she kept repeating that word,friends, but I had no idea what was going on in that head of hers. We were not friends, and we were most definitely not close enough to help each other. On top of that, she was a Castle—her very presence put me in more danger than all the Fae surrounding me.

But that’s not what worried me the most. She was here, now, exactly when the Queen Mother ordered me to leave. Like…she was waiting.

A nasty feeling formed in my stomach and I took a small step back, bumping into Malakai’s arm. My eyes darted to the crowd around us. All I could see was Fae—beautiful, guarded, and confused—but after letting out a tiny sliver of my magic, I felt them.

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