Page 147 of Spring Guardians & Songbirds

He leaned back, studying me as I was studying him, as if we were two of the same kind. Perhaps we were. One fed by greed and another by hate. “Don’t doubt yourself, my child, you know me well. She has received the punishment she deserved for it.”

I didn’t doubt his word, he was very little forgiving when it came to such a thing as treason, especially from someone under the wing of his most trusted. I was twisted, but father was forge bent in his ways, so I was very pleased with his response.

A wicked smile crept on my face, stretching ear to ear, and I threw my goblet up in a toast. “Father, don’t make me like you. It is more dangerous than having me hate you.”

He let out a rumble of laughter and clicked his goblet to mine.

The world was so loud in its silence. Sat on a furry rug, I stirred the crackling embers of the fireplace over and over till my arm was sore and the poker suddenly felt too heavy.

The knock at my door made me jump upright. Nissa, the young servant who’d pledged to my side, peeked just her head in. “His Majesty would like you to attend dinner with him.” She bowed, dropping a folded piece of paper inside before leaving.

Two days from now, when the shift changes after lunchtime, there will be no guards guarding the northern exit into Tenebrose.

Perfect.

My hair fell loosely in waves down my back, a rosy silken short sleeve dress clung tight around all my body, draping to the floor—no black rose anymore. Today I was a plain pink dandelion. It suited me, made me look severely innocent. A complete lie, but I was here to fool anyway.

The second the dining chamber doors flew open, my eyes and smile grew wide with excitement and amusement at the sight of the two yellow radish sprouts in front of me. Fren and Rueben sat on my father’s right, their pale beige faces almost blank until they opened their blue eyes. Startling really, if they caught you by surprise you could lay an egg from shock. They both had hollowed and thinned ghastly.

I sat across from them, but their gaze remained down to their food—they were scared but I could read anger there as well, their grips had tightened as if spoons and goblets could grow tiny legs and sprint away.

“My, my. Did you not miss your little sister?” I asked, clicking my tongue and my father let out a sigh knowing what was to come. “Venomous behaviour really, disrespect that is.”

Reuben choked and coughed his water, and I threw him a handkerchief from across the table. “Worry not, it doesn’t really poison my spirit.”

The eldest half breed finally managed to muster some courage and lifted his gaze to meet mine. “I see even the Adriatian king couldn’t break your rabid character, there must be no hope really,” he sneered.

My smile grew wilder at his comment, finally the boredom was leaving my body. “And a bit of poison managed to lubricate your arse to bring out that little worm of courage, there must be some hope really.”

Flaring in anger, he threw his goblet towards me and before I could move away to dodge it, father lifted his palm and released a wall of ice preventing it from hitting me.

Reuben and Fren stared in shock towards their father who was panting like cold fury, which surprisingly didn’t seem to be directed at me.

He turned to Reuben. “Is this how your mother has raised you? If you cannot win an argument, and with a woman at that, hit them?” Well, well, since when did my father grow a backbone of rightness? Father’s eyebrows gathered in a frown as he crossed his arms. “Dealing with council, deals, trades and much more is a war itself, a war of words and banter. Do you plan on hitting them with your goblet as well if you cannot overtake them? How is your sister more versed and prepared to face them than you are?” he criticised.

I knew how. I was a queen, and he was a stuffed solstice turkey.

Reuben and his sister froze at his words and their eyes began to grow slightly wide, probably taking my father’s words as a hindrance to the bastard's position.

Father wiped his mouth and stood to leave.

“Could I see you for a moment, later?” I asked and he accepted with a nod, leaving me to my entertainment.

Fren did not hesitate, she dropped her cutlery loudly to the table. “What did you do to my mother, you wretched bitch?” I liked the new fire, but it didn’t suit her pitchy voice that sounded like a violin played by a horse.

“You need to ask father of that, not me, dear. This time I truly did nothing, it was all sweet, old, withered crone.”

I waited by the winter gardens, emptily staring around the dreaded snow coated bushes and conifers. How ridiculous. My name was Snow, yet I had a deep dislike for it.

Father came down the corridor with two others and separated by the gates of the garden, heading in my direction.

“We should make this our official meeting spot, you always ask me to come here,” I said with irritation. My eyes had rolled to the point of headache when his courtier had let me know where he wanted to meet.

He approached, putting a hand on my shoulder and I stared down at the unusual affection that was growing common between us lately—bloody disgusting. “It is your mother’s garden. We used to sit here almost all the time. She used to insist we eat here during the summer months when the snow was not as severe. She even came up with your name while we were sitting here one night. I thought you remembered that and liked it here, was I wrong?”

My mind started boiling in anger at how lightly he mentioned her, as if he truly cared for her. “Yes, I hate snow,” I answered, flicking away the white frosted mess atop a bush.

My father laughed, like thorns dragged through silk, and it gritted on my nerves. “Serene hated it as well, she kept repeating that for months when she first came. When she decided on your name I questioned her choice, but she explained that she wanted to name you after it so maybe she could learn to love it just like she loved you.”