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“It was a Leafborne.” Alana steps forward, hands on hips.
Briony frowns at her.
Suranna turns her head slowly to look at Alana, but her expression remains unreadable.
“A Leafborne escaped and returned with dark magic. They tried to attack the castle. Eldrion fought them off.”
Slowly, Suranna looks back at me. “Who is this fae? Who calls you by your name, and not by your title, and answers for you, Lord Eldrion?”
“She is an empath,” I answer quickly. “She has been advising me, and her word is to be trusted.”
For a moment, Suranna looks as if she might challenge me. The crowd behind her quiets, waiting for her to speak. “An empath?” She frowns. “I recognise you from court. You have attended some of Lord Eldrion’s feasts?”
Alana tilts her chin up, suddenly a picture of grace and regality. “Indeed.”
“I have never encountered an empath before.” Suranna’s eyes twitch as though she is wondering whether she should attempt to hide her thoughts from the woman in from of her.
Then a slow, strange smile parts her lips. She steps towards Alana and nods at her. It is a display of respect, and yet no respect lives in her gaze. None.
“Thank you for clearing that up,” she says calmly before turning back to face me. “Am I to assume there will be a feast at the castle again soon? We have missed our jester.”
I sense Briony stiffen and pray she has not given us away with an uncontrolled display of emotion.
“Of course.” I nod firmly, and reach out for Suranna’s hand. I kiss her knuckles and look up at her, smiling. “And I would be honoured if, at the next banquet, you would sit with me at the high table, Suranna. It has been too long since we spent some quality time in each other’s company.”
A smile flutters on Suranna’s lips. She does not allow it to turn into the kind of smile that brightens her face, but she does dip her head a little and flutter her eyelashes.
I glance at Alana.
At least my charm is still effective with some.
“That would be wonderful,” she replies smoothly.
I do like her voice, but it is not like Alana’s. It does not have the spirit or the tenacity that hers does.
“Then, please, do not let me keep you from your day.” I extend an arm, gesturing towards the archway at the rear of the courtyard. “And expect to hear word very soon about the next gathering.”
Suranna looks at me over her shoulder as she leaves. Her eyes move to Alana, then quickly back to me. If she suspects I am lying, she does not show it on her face.
“Soon,” she calls, raising her arm. But as she is almost through the archway, she stops and looks up at the sky again. “And shall we expect the storm clouds to disperse soon, too?”
“Of course.” I raise a hand and wave. “I will see to it immediately.”
When they are gone, and far enough away that I will not be heard, I spin around and storm towards Alana. “I was handling it,” I bark at her.
“No,” she says calmly. “You were not. And I’m guessing that a city full of panicked Sunborne is the last thing we need right now. At least until we have figured out what to do next.”
I open my mouth to speak, but she cuts me off with a vicious shake of her head. “I need to go and see my friends.” She turns back to Briony and, once again, hooks her arm through the smaller fae’s. “Can we go and see them now?”
Briony nods and pats Alana’s hand. “Of course. Follow me.”
I want to follow her. Everything inside me wants to follow her, always.
But I don’t. I just stand and watch her cross the courtyard as if she always belonged here, and was always meant to roam free within my walls.
When I arrive back to my chambers, all I can see is her.
She is everywhere here, and the thought of her returning to her own room tonight makes me feel something I can’t explain.
