A Kingdom of Stars and Shadows

I jerked back at her action, but my body was still pressed against the carriage.

Her brown eyes peered up at me, and I could see the confusion on her face. “Welcome, Starblessed. I’m Eletta, your lady-in-waiting.”

I had no idea what that meant, but I was more than ready for the girl to get up off her knees. “Please call me Adara.” I reached my hand out for her, but her cheeks reddened, and she quickly stood on her own.

“You must be tired from your trip. I have prepared your rooms where you can rest until the king and queen are ready for you.” She motioned up the stairs, and I quickly looked back in search of Evren one last time.

He still wasn’t there, and I scolded myself for caring. He was a fae, a captain of a royal guard, and he would be no help to me here.

“I just need to grab my trunk.” I started toward the back of the carriage, but the guard stopped me.

“It will be taken to your rooms.”

My rooms.As if this was to become my home. I knew the reality of it was the truth, but it felt like the closest thing to a lie.

This palace would never be my home. It didn’t matter what waited for me inside.

“Okay.” I nodded and started up the stairs after Eletta.

She watched me with every step I took, but she didn’t speak. We walked through the large doors, and I was instantly hit with the heat of a large hearth that sat at the base of the room. The fire was roaring inside as if it was trying to heat the entire palace, and I shuddered as I watched the large flames lick up the sides of the stone.

“Your room is in the north wing.” Eletta nodded in that direction, and I followed behind her.

Everything we passed was gilded in gold or marble or beautifully aged stone. I had never seen anything like it in my entire life.

“How old is the Achlys palace?” I asked, and my voice echoed throughout the empty hall.

“It is said that the palace was built by the first fae king, Novak, more than three millennia ago.” Eletta absently ran her finger along the wall as she passed.

There was no way that could be right.

We finally reached my room, and Eletta opened the door before standing aside to allow me through. I did so hesitantly.

There was another small hearth at the edge of the room, and a much smaller fire danced inside and warmed the space. A large bed sat across from it covered in rich fabrics that draped to the floor in the softest shade of rouge.

As much as I hated it, my muscles begged for me to lie against it and feel if it was as welcoming as it appeared. There was a small desk perched next to the single window in the room, and atop it was blank parchment and ink along with a gold mirror that spanned the width of the dark wood.

“The washroom is this way.” She stood near the only other door in the room, and I quickly followed her inside.

I couldn’t stop the sigh from passing my lips as I spotted the large copper tub that took up most of the space. Eletta smiled.

“I shall prepare a bath for you so we can get you ready to be presented to the royal family. They should call upon you within the next couple hours.”

“Okay.” I nodded my head even though I was wholly unprepared for what was to come.

Eletta lifted her fingers and turned them in the smallest pivot, and water began pouring out of the stone wall into the tub. I shot backward and clung to the door as I watched her magic. The tub steamed with the heat of the water, and I couldn’t speak a word as she lifted a small bottle and dropped oil against the surface.

The smell of jasmine hit me just as she turned to face me.

“Are you all right?” She looked around quickly, reassuring herself that no one else was there.

“You used magic.” It was a question and an accusation.

“Of course, I did.” Her brows lowered, and she stuttered over her words. “Everyone here uses magic.”

I stared at her because I wasn’t sure what to say. Of course, I knew that the high fae would possess powers, but Eletta wasn’t high fae. She was my lady-in-waiting, and I couldn’t wrap my head around what I had just seen.

If Eletta could do that, what was Evren capable of?