When the woman laughed, it sounded like birds chirping, like a ripple of a spring, a forgotten melody. “It is common knowledge that I do not approve of my mate’s early practices. There is no reason I shouldn’t be allowed to read her.”

My mother leaned her back against her throne, shoulders slumping as Nefari’s mate walked closer to us in a lazy and sensual gait. The prince shook his head disapprovingly but didn’t object.

“My interpreter would be a wiser option,” King Ilario said, but all eyes were on the woman now. She had somehow enchanted the room with her presence.

“Please do not hurt her,” Nefari begged.

“Oh honey, you really do have such little faith in me. I’m wounded.” She winked.

His eyes narrowed. “Devina, please.”

“I will not hurt your precious daughter, hon, but I will get the truth.” Devina had no intention of hiding their quarrel. A glint in her eyes made me think she enjoyed the attention; positive, negative, didn’t matter. She wanted to be seen. “Come out, come out wherever you are,” she called as if I was intentionally hiding behind Karmuth.

I was intimidated, yes, but I could handle this. The whole situation. I could most certainly handle the reading. All I needed to do was stand still, that’s all.

I stepped out from behind Karmuth. While he didn’t look happy about it, he also did not stop me.

“Look at you,” Devina sighed. “Don’t you look just like your mother? Hon, doesn’t she look just like her mother? Is that why you’re so protective over her? Because she looks like your precious Princess Siya.” She raised her hand to her mouth. “Whoops, queen now, I suppose. What do you know? Disowned, exiled, and yet made queen. Some fae just have it all.”

I did not like her, but I did raise my eyes off the floor where I’d pinned them to stare at her perfect pair of eyes underneath a perfect pair of eyebrows. I hated her so much!

Her eyes widened as they met my gaze, but not because she baulked away from my fiery stare. No, she was seeing my deformity for the very first time. “What have they done to you, darling?”

I gritted my teeth. She had no business sounding this caring.

I stretched out my hand aggressively. “Why don’t you find out what happened to me yourself?”

She smirked. “Feisty. Must’ve gotten that from your mother. Nefari, I’m afraid, has no such tendencies,” she drawled.

My father looming beside Devina shook his head slowly, his posture sagging. We hadn’t talked yet, hadn’t exchanged a word whatsoever. It was the first time I’d seen him at all, yet I knew his eyes were speaking to me. Asking for forgiveness, for understanding. I hoped we’d have a chance to see if he deserved it.

Devina’s palm was silky against mine. Of course it was. Everything but her personality was perfect. When she wrapped her fingers through mine, she smiled.

“Stay still, yada yada, you know the drill.”

I gasped when a pull at my life force made me breathless and then I faced the delthers again.

“Your daughter really is a firecracker. This ecos will take a while to unravel. It is all messed up and intertwined with none other than a delther—seven of them? Girl, you really don’t know what’s good for you, do you? Drawing from seven delthers all at once is a rookie mistake. Drawing from a delther at all is stupid. I’m not saying you’re stupid, Princess, but this scene clearly did not require your interference. Death fae running for their lives? Totally acceptable if they didn’t make it.”

I could not reply. I’d seen Karmuth reprimanded for replying, so I was left to listen to her monologue that kept the rest of the audience captivated. Me? I had hot coals steaming in my belly. I hated her. I hated her!

“Isay, relax,” Karmuth whispered in my ear. “It is all for show.”

I wasn’t so sure of that as the woman tugged around my life, unravelling parts meant to be left untouched, things that had absolutely nothing to do with my kidnapping. With a lump in my throat and tears in my eyes, I let her see my deepest fears.

She stopped her theatrics for a moment, nodded, and the scene from yesterday appeared in front of my eyes.

Devina clucked her tongue. “Someone has been a bad, bad fae. You have one guess as to who.”

Dropping my hand, she looked at King Rothian. “Your lovely Lord Terwyl has not survived whatever experiment it is you put him up for, I’m afraid. He met a rather unfortunate end. I would almost think this meeting is called only to rile the courts up. The judgement has already been made. Everyone physically involved in the princess’s kidnapping is dead. Yes, you heard me, the princess was indeed kidnapped. A dreary story, really. I doubt you wish for the details.”

“I want Rothian to answer for his crimes!” King Grath gritted his teeth, standing up from his throne. “For years he’s got us living like rats. Enough is enough!”

“You should be happy nobody is charging you with treason, having a fae from Elverstone sitting beside you and all,” Devina replied. “I’m sorry, but I have to vote no on both of your requests. No, King Rothian will not be punished and no, you shall not be granted more feeding grounds. Anyone else have a different opinion?” She looked around the throne room.

King Ilario was first to cast his vote. “No on both accords.” His daughters all followed with the same response.

Prince Nefari shook his head sadly. “No on both accords, I’m sorry.”

From there, everyone else said the same exact thing, leaving out the ‘sorry’. King Rothian rejoiced. That shitface would get away with just about anything, wouldn’t he?

“What about the halflings?” King Ilario brought to their attention, expression thoughtful.

“What about them? They’re coming to Hessia, of course,” Davina said as if this was already decided and talked over.

“What?” I gulped.

“What?” my grandfather repeated in a more angry voice.

“Naturally,” Devina drawled, as if truly it was the most natural thing in the world, then pointed at me. “This one has only months until her insurrection, and delthers mixed with her ecos. A bad combination all around. She needs guidance that only our court can provide. And that one”—she pointed at Karmuth—“has got some freaky powers that we surely need to get to the bottom of.”

King Ilario narrowed his eyes. “That’s not what I’m saying—”

“No, what are you saying, Ilario? Surely you do not intend to execute your own granddaughter. You would have done that years ago if you had the heart. You had your chance. Now it’s our turn.”

Speechless, I turned to look at Karmuth, to look at my mother, the guard next to their throne. Karmuth took my hand and squeezed it. We’d be together. At least we’d still be together. Come what may.

Chapter 53

ISAY

THE COURT HEARING DISBANDED, LEAVING ONLY THE HESSIANS behind. Once it was decided that our fate would be solely for the life fae to decide, the other courts took their leave.

My Elverstone grandfather didn’t even look at me or my mother as he turned his back on us. Nor did I didn’t see him again. The Felrothians were more than happy to flee after their loud shouts of denial were overturned and still went unpunished.

Nobody asked if King Rotten knew of Lord Terwyl’s actions. Nobody seemed to care if he’d been planning something even bigger than my abduction at all.

Prince Nefari stepped closer to me. We were facing each other for the first time ever, and he caught me off guard by reaching out, tugging up my chin with one hand and brushing hair out of my face with the other.

Karmuth beside me growled, but all my father did was take a closer look at my black eye. Actually, that was not completely true. Through the skin contact I felt a tug at my life force, similar to the one I felt during Devina’s reading.

I took a step back, and he dropped his hands.

“Apologies, Princess. I got curious.”

I didn’t reply, just stared at him in return with my one green, one black eye like a perfect abomination.

Karmuth released my hand only to place his around my back and pull me against his side. I wrapped my arms around him in return. He felt solid and comforting.