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“No, no, take what you want and I will show you to your rooms,” High Lord Soma responded, gesturing for us to grab our selections.
“I’ve got what I need,” Gozzak commented, and Zuriel dipped his head in agreement.
“Show us the way,” I said, throwing the blue fabric over my arm.
Another series of covered walkways took us to a long hallway lined with doors, many propped open, revealing revelers preparing for the announcement. The whole keep was alive with activity, and my carefully honed instincts had me scanning every room, assessing for weak spots or who could be a threat.
At the end of the hall, we crossed paths with King Airre and Queen Immonen of the Crystal Realm, the latter calling out to usand waving excitedly in our direction. “General Drazen, where is our emperor?”
“I’m afraid he was detained in the Iron Realm,” I deflected, not offering more information than necessary. Ruslan was strict with keeping Izidora’s status quiet until the right moment – especially since the Night Fae would be in attendance.
“A shame, truly,” Queen Immonen replied. “How is Izidora?”
“Nothing to report, unfortunately,” I said, dancing around the truth.
“Such a shame. She didn’t deserve what Kazimir did to her. We’ll have to catch up later once you’ve had a chance to change,” Queen Immonen sighed. The Crystal Fae also wore the traditional dress of the Day Realm, and I was pleasantly surprised that they were interested in learning and adopting the customs of the other realms too.
Guess Ruslan and Izidora really did make an impact on them.
“Yes, of course, Your Highnesses.” Chin dipping to chest, I used the cover to glance at High Lord Soma, who waited patiently for our exchange to end. I straightened, catching Zuriel and Gozzak doing the same out of the corner of my eye. “If you’ll excuse us, it's rather hot and we were promised these clothes would be better suited for the weather here.”
King Airre chuckled, the braids woven into his long, blond hair swinging as he shook his head. “They are much better suited indeed. We’ll speak shortly.”
High Lord Soma continued to the last three doors in the hall, opening them individually for us. “You all will be here. I’ll wait for you to change, then guide you to the main hall. The keep can be quite confusing to navigate.”
I clapped the male on the shoulder as I walked past him into my room. “I appreciate it, High Lord Soma. We’ll only be a moment.”
Closing the door behind me, I made a quick survey. A large bed covered most of the space, though every inch of it was finely decorated. A small sitting area offered me a place to set my clothes while I hurried to an adjacent bathroom to wash. Stripping out of my Iron Realm clothing, I tossed it through the doorway and onto the free couch. The cool water was a welcome relief to the scorching heat, and I cupped my hands, gathering enough to splash my face, then let more trickle down my back and across my muscular chest.
Immediately, my skin felt like it could take a breath, and the sweat that had gathered at the nape of my neck began to dissipate. With one last look in the mirror, I ensured my long hair was properly secured on top of my head, then returned to the bedroom and pulled on the blue linen clothes. By the time I exited the room, Zuriel and Gozzak were already waiting with High Lord Soma. He quickly ushered us along, following the throng of people moving through the keep. I scanned every face for enemies and every wall for potential blockades or escape routes.
Which was rather difficult, given the mass of Fae shuffling like a herd of sheep into a corral. “Looks like we might not have needed an escort after all,” I joked, indicating the flow of people.
“Perhaps not,” High Lord Soma chuckled. “The Day Fae are very excited to meet the princess. Finally, the line of succession is secure. Though, our king and queen were happy for a healthy babe.”
“Of course,” I replied, glancing around the crowd in search of the Night Fae. “So tell me, Soma… where are they?”
With the way I dropped my voice, it wasn’t hard to guess who I referred to. “High Lord Domon is dealing with them. He drew the short straw.” A grin flashed across his dark skin, then he shook his head. “I would not want to be in his position.”
“Yeah, you lucked out with us,” I laughed. “But they will be in attendance tonight?” I needed clarification because I planned on watching Kazimir like a hawk. Between Zuriel, Gozzak, and myself, he would have a pair of eyes on his every move. We needed to assess his mental state and report back to Ruslan the next day. If we were going to strike the Night Realm, we needed to know what we were working with.
A heavy sigh escaped the big male beside me. “Yes, though not anywhere close to the babe or the other nobles. I’m sure he will not appreciate it.”
“I don’t expect he will take it well,” I agreed grimly, rolling my shoulders. I resisted the urge to crack my knuckles like I was preparing for a fight.
I was, but I didn’t want it to be obvious to everyone around us.
The sea of people rounded a corner and disappeared through doors flung so wide I was certain ten could walk abreast into the space. We squeezed through them, stepping into an enormous room with high ceilings that I swore must have been woven with the branches of the giant tree that surrounded the keep. Bubbles of light filled it, golden hues cast across every surface and contrasting with the falling night outside. Much like the Iron Realm, pelts lined the walls and floors, though instead of fluffy fur, these were short-haired and patterned. Tables with long benches lined the hall, creating a communal feel in the vast room as Fae slipped into spots with no apparent order.
“You’ll be up there, close to the platform,” High Lord Soma commented, pointing toward the opposite end of the hall, where King Airre and Queen Immonen had already settled themselves among their nobles.
Glancing over my shoulder, I nodded to Zuriel and Gozzak, who both scanned the room in search of the Night Fae. There were so many people, it was hard to see through them all,and a muscle ticked in my jaw as they remained hidden. But I plastered on a welcoming smile when we arrived at the table filled with nobility, trying my best to represent Ruslan – the emperor – and his interests.
“There,” Gozzak muttered, nudging me with his elbow, and I followed his gaze to a table about fifty paces away, where a glittering crown reflected the light of a thousand golden bubbles. He froze halfway between sitting and standing when our gazes collided like two magic bombs, and the way emerald leeched from his eyes raised the hairs on the back of my neck. They morphed into that same color as they had when I’d dropped from the sky and found his knife in Izidora’s chest. Zuriel gripped my arm with more force than I thought him capable and yanked me to the bench beside him.
“I’m just as upset as you are, Drazen, but you cannot lose your cool here,” he said flatly. “We will watch him, and we will get our vengeance. But not today.”
Blowing out a breath, I nodded, rubbing the back of my neck.
