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As her full, garnet lips touch my knuckles, her eyes meet Kairons over my shoulder. I can nearly feel him bristling at the intimate contact, and it makes me giggle for a moment. Or, perhaps that's just because of her.
But what I don't feel, blissfully so, is her emotions. Nothing. A blank slate.
I was subconsciously bracing myself for any plethora of feelings, and yet, nothing. I can feel myself smiling at the incredible nothingness, the gift of a normal interaction without fear of seeing something I shouldn't.
She winks at me, the motion so fast that none of the others could possibly have caught it. She knows who I am. What I am. And took my hand anyway.
"I've heard so much about you, Miss Aistin," she tells me, speaking as if we are old friends. "I have been impatiently waiting to meet the first Rhyman who has been brave enough to join our meetings."
I have to hold back my enthusiasm at meeting one of the fair folk. As it is, I'm sure I failed. "I'm so happy to meet you, Queen Maren. So, so happy to be here."
She smiles brighter at me, pulling me closer by the hand that refuses to let go of hers. "How curious."
"I'm sorry?" I ask.
She shakes her head, dragging me away from the men to join her. "It's just that I expected more fear from you, child. I know what stories Rhyma tells of my kind."
I sigh, attempting to remain calm in her eyes, which see too much. "Oh, ummm, I'm not... I don't know. I haven't seen fear do much good in places where hope should exist instead."
She nods, soaking in my words in silence.
Before I even notice, we exit the great room, wandering the halls, which are empty except for King Kairon's guard.
"Ask your questions, child," she finally says.
I trip over myself. "Really?"
She chuckles. "Yes. Please. I love to sate an openly curious mind, and yours is so very open that I can nearly see your questions written all over your face."
I stop walking completely and look around. "There are guards everywhere. Anything you say will go directly back to King Laichnek."
She scrunches her nose at me in good humor. "Kairon has bombarded me with questions every chance he's had since he rose to power. Nothing you ask will be a surprise to him."
"Okay." I take a deep breath, the litany of questions swirling in my mind. "How old are you?"
"It's hard to know now," she answers. "Records have been destroyed and lost so many times, but I remember this very castle being built. I remember it being a beacon of hope for our people, a symbol of peace and collaboration. I was only a child then. My father helped build these walls."
I nod, amazed but determined to make the best use of our limited time together. "What's it like being Fae?"
She chuckles. "What's it like being mortal?" For that, I have no answer. "It's an impossible question because we both have nothing to compare it to, do we?"
"What's it like being queen?"
"That's a better question," she smooths her dress. "It is difficult. If I'm being honest, I wouldn't choose it. But I don't trust the position to anyone else, and neither do my people. Every choice is criticized, every lover publicized, every mistake maximized. I am never a person, only a queen. So it can be very lonely. But my people need me, so I do it."
"Who is worse to deal with, Kairon or Colm?" I pry.
At this, she throws her head back into full laughter.
"Kairon is relentless. Always in the pursuit of something, lest he slow down and have to be with his thoughts for too long. But he's entertaining, at least. His kills are always quite magnificent." Thinking of his magnificent kill this morning makes my stomach churn. "Oh, don't be so uptight. All of us are capable of murder, even you."
"I don't think-"
"You are," she assures me. "And don't for one second believe that it's a bad thing. Being capable of horrors and choosing not to commit them is what makes you good. If you were incapable, you would simply be a weakling."
"That is oddly reassuring." I quietly laugh.
Her serene face is so full of kindness and an almost parental indulgence that it's impossible not to believe every word she says. "I think you have time for one more question before His Royal Majesty tracks us down."
