Page 30 of A Tempest of Shadows

Ryker’s father finally set the crown on King Ivan’s head after, judging by the sun’s position, at least a couple of hours. The two most wealthy men in the realm were on full display as the music started playing again, but they weren’t the most powerful.

My gaze fell to Ryker as he remained unmoving in the front row. As a lightning bearer, he wielded more power than them, but none of them could do what I could.

And despite that, I was trapped here, with a fake smile as my mother turned to me with a big grin. As the aristocrats rose from their seats, the servants scurried to remove the chairs to make room for dancing.

From outside the doors, food carts were rolled in and set up for everyone to eat, drink, and be merry. A crush of amsirah made their way to the four separate stairwells as they exited the second and third-floor balconies to join the party below.

I tried to hold back, to let them all squish each other while I waited my turn, but my mother was too excited to join the celebration for that to happen. Despite her eagerness to go, I was still holding on to the balcony banister when Ryker’s head tilted back and his gaze met mine.

I couldn’t breathe as his mercury-colored eyes blazed into me. I recalled my terror in the woods when I feared he might catch me, but I couldn’t stop a small thrill of excitement from running down my spine.

The man had scared the ghouls and been a bane to their existence, but there wasn’t anything frightening about him now. Instead, my hands tightened on the rail as my heart beat faster, and I finally recalled how to breathe.

Then, his father said something that drew his attention away from me. I stood and stared, but when his father’s attention shifted to me, I knew I’d made a mistake in lingering.

When they met mine, the duke’s eyes were full of disdain. A cold chill ran down my spine as I released the balcony and backed away.

If Ryker ever learned the truth of who I was, he’d hate me for it, but his father already hated me simply because he considered me lesser than them.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

Ellery

Only one more day to go.

Of course, the celebration would go all week, but my mother wouldn’t stay away from the manor that long, and I wouldn’t complain about that. Since some of the other guests had left this morning, she felt it was acceptable for us to go tomorrow.

And I could not wait.

Unlike many others, I’d excused myself from the dancing last night once it was polite enough for me to do so. Besides, no one would miss me in the crush of immortals filling the ballroom.

As more guests, mostly those with manors and farms to run, disembarked from the palace, I wandered the gardens with my mother and the remaining partiers. The freshly crowned king had announced a day of outside games and expected everyone who remained to attend.

As we strolled, I examined what I could see of the palace. Three buildings spread out around us, blocking the view of the rest of the palace. It was so large and encompassing that I wasn’t sure how many buildings there were.

High, arched stone bridges connected the upper levels of the buildings, making it possible for someone to cross between them from higher up in the buildings. Hundreds of lightning rods jutted up from the palace roofs and turrets; the rods protected the buildings from lightning, lightning bearers, and the magnetic storms that ravished the land at least a few times a year.

The stone used to build the palace turned yellow in the sun, giving the buildings a golden hue. That gold color faded when night set in, and the palace took on a silvery shade beneath the moon. If there was no moon or only a small one, it appeared nearly black.

I couldn’t help but admire this magical, beautiful place that was so vast that someone could get lost in it for years. Its splendor awed and saddened me. Amsirah were starving in the surrounding towns, desperate for food, and we’d done nothing but eat and drink since arriving here.

Walking across the lush, green grass of the sprawling lawn outside the gardens and labyrinth, tables overflowing with food and drink lined the way. Servants hurried about with trays while balls cracked off each other as a group of amsirah played a game of calambra.

My mother accepted a gold goblet of wine, but I waved away the one offered to me. It was too early in the day, and I had to keep my wits about me if I was going to get through this day without saying something I couldn’t take back.

King Ivan sat on a throne in the shade as three servants waved three big, blue fans at him. He snacked on a platter of grapes and cheese while surveying his followers with disdain.

I couldn’t stop myself from rolling my eyes at the shifting cluster of immortals who came forth to fawn over him. My mother and I had done our part yesterday and congratulated him in the ballroom, but we hadn’t lingered, mostly because we weren’t afforded the opportunity as we were rushed on to make room for the next wave of sycophants.

I doubted King Ivan remembered us, but my mother nudged me toward him, and I braced myself to keep my mouth shut and behave as we strode toward him. We exchanged pleasantries before being pushed aside by more amsirah, desperate to please their new king.

Afterward, we retreated to mill about and exchange pleasantries while I yearned to strip out of my lightweight yellow dress that floated around my ankles. It was pretty with its belt of red roses and V neckline, but I missed my pants, shirts, and home.

My mother had styled my hair into a braid she’d tucked under to keep off my neck as the spring day was unseasonably warm. She’d pulled her hair into a crown that emphasized the elegant angles of her face.

I spotted Ryker several times amid the crowd, but I avoided him as much as the sheriff, who also mingled with the others. I recognized a few other amsirah who I had also relieved of some of their carisle.

Smiling, I tried not to sweat when I had to exchange polite conversation with them. Before coming here, I’d never considered myself awful for what I’d done; I knew I wasn’t right, but I wasn’t a monster, even if some saw me as such.