Before I could question her, she shook her head. “Just trust me, Kalian.”
29
Myrcedes
I walked into the fae castle; apparently, this place was called the Jewel Palace. Kalian thought I should know the name if I was going to address everyone in the realm for a big announcement about their leadership. Daath, Syrion, and Kalian all wanted to accompany me, but the entire ensemble didn’t help us look any less conspicuous. Unlike the first time I’d entered this place, now all eyes were on me.
“The Kings of Death and Life, the Queen of the Universe, and a disgraced General walk into a palace,” Daath chuckled behind me. “That sounds like the start of a bad joke.”
I rolled my eyes but smiled. I may have laughed if I hadn’t been so nervous. Everyone was watching us, and the gossip made its way through the halls of the palace before we did, so it didn’t take long for a welcoming party to arrive.
We began to ascend a large staircase, following Kalian’s direction, heading for the Seers’ tower, when a voice from below halted us.
“What are you doing?”
We all turned, and at the bottom of the stairs stood the pale blonde Seelie guard I remembered from Kalian’s trial and from the vision on the Floor of Dreams. My blood ran cold as I recalled the image of him dragging Serriah toward a guillotine. He had his sword clutched in his hand, prepared to attack if necessary. He wore that same chiseled gold armor I’d seen Kalian in the first time we’d met, and the hilt on his weapon matched.
“Bahz,” Kalian called. “We-”
“You were banished,” Bahz growled. He had seven soldiers behind him. I wondered if this reception was exclusively because we had brought Kalian or if we would have received the same treatment without him. “And the rest of you have no reason to be here.”
I saw Daath and Syrion’s expressions shift to ones of haughtiness and displeasure. The Lord of Death scoffed. “Watch to whom you’re speaking, boy. I’ve any reason I like.” As he spoke, Daath took a single step down the stairs, and I watched all eight soldiers on the ground flinch in fear. I had to bite my lip to keep from laughing. “My companions have the same privilege.”
Bahz hesitated before regaining his composure. “The Jewel Palace is closed to all visitors, from the fae realm or not. With the recent disappearance of almost every council member, the remaining two have moved into the palace under the protection of the royal army. You wouldn’t happen to know anything about the others, would you?” His eyes narrowed into a sharp glare, and I swallowed hard.
“We’ve no idea,” Syrion answered coolly. They were both so calm. Then again, they weren’t afraid of the events that I’d seen in the Floor of Dreams. I remembered what the reflection had told me the second time, that there was a revolution, and that in it, Kalian was the first to die…
“I’ll believe that the day Minerva comes back from the ashes you reduced her to,” the Seelie scoffed.
Syrion’s expression didn’t twitch a muscle as he responded. “I don’t care what you believe. We have business to attend to now, so if-”
“No, you don’t!” I couldn’t help but flinch at the shout. “You have no authority here, no right to march in and decide our palace is your playground for meetings and whatever the fuck else you’re trying to pull!” The soldiers behind Bahz began to reach for their own weapons slowly.
We can’t fight with them, I spoke to Daath and Syrion mentally. Too many people will get hurt.
I opened my mouth to speak and try to diffuse the argument when a voice from above me cut me off.
“Your majesties.”
The soldiers below us all raised their gaze, and the rest of us turned to see a tall woman who looked positively ancient standing at the top of the stairs. She very slowly began to descend them, and I was half concerned she was going to trip and fall in her frail state.
“I’m glad you accepted our invitation.” Her voice had a soft tremble that many old people had, but she spoke with confidence and didn’t seem to have any difficulties moving or speaking. For a second, I tried to remember if she was right and we had been invited and I’d just forgotten. After a moment, I realized she was merely covering for us. “General Bahz, your men are preparing the courtroom for this afternoon, aren’t they?”
I turned back to see Bahz and the rest of the soldiers. The Seelie looked frustrated, perhaps even disappointed, but he nodded. “Yes, ma’am. I apologize for the interruption.”
Out of the corner of my eyes, I saw Kalian bow his head toward the woman in a similar fashion to the rest of the soldiers. I glanced at Daath and Syrion, but they both gave a slight, almost imperceptible shrug.
I have no idea what’s going on. Syrion sent his voice into our heads.
She seems to be covering for us, Daath answered, but I don’t know why.
“Come,” the woman said. I whipped my head back around to see her turning and ascending the steps, which made me even more nervous that she was going to trip in her long yellow dress. It looked like something I’d see in a bad play about the renaissance. Her gray and white hair looked long, but it was hard to tell because she had it pulled up into a thick bun.
I glanced at Kalian as we walked, trying to find any answers he might have, but the ex-General seemed just as confused as we were. At least he knew who this woman was. The last thing I wanted was to disrespect her directly after she’d helped us by asking a question I felt like I should have known the answer to.
We all remained silent until we reached the top floor. At some point, it dawned
