Total pages in book: 107
Estimated words: 100363 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 502(@200wpm)___ 401(@250wpm)___ 335(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 100363 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 502(@200wpm)___ 401(@250wpm)___ 335(@300wpm)
A knock at the door interrupts us. I pull Luthian’s coat tight around me and adopt my wretched act.
But it’s just Brujon.
“I see we’re back at court,” the old woman says. She picks up the lovely crystal vase from the pedestal near the door and drops it to the floor. “Fuck you and remove the curse.”
“Ask nicely,” Luthian says, eyeing the mess on the floor.
She pushes the pedestal over, too.
“Lovely.” Luthian’s eyebrows raise. “Fine. I should have killed you, you know. Anyone else would have. You’re free, per the terms of our bargain. And I return you to your previous state.”
The air shimmers around the old woman. Her back straightens, her hair burns fiery red, her wrinkled and weathered skin turns smooth and tan. She stands before us a plump, golden faery with wings like droplets of molten glass. She blinks at us as if she doesn’t recognize us.
Then she strides toward Luthian and slaps him full across the face.
“How dare you!” she shouts at him.
“How dare I what?” he seethes, cupping his jaw.
“Whatever it is you’ve done!” Her gaze cuts to me. “Who is this?”
“It’s been five hundred years, Brujon,” he tells her. “I cursed you.”
“I knew it! I knew I was angry at you for some reason—” She pulls her hand back to slap him again and it freezes mid-air. “Five hundred years?”
“Your service has been appreciated, but I no longer need you.” He waggles his fingers at her. “Run along.”
“I’ll bring charges against you.” She shook her finger at him. “King Arcus will—”
“King Arcus will have your wings pierced by hooks and drag you through the streets until nothing is left of you but paste.” He catches the palm that flies his way. “You asked me to hide you.”
She gapes at him. “I would never ask you for help.”
“When faced with a painful death, you’re not as brave as you believe.” He sighs. “I knew breaking the curse would return you to your former state, but I didn’t realize it would erase your last memories before the curse. I should have been more cautious.”
“I’ll recover my memories,” she threatens. “Whatever you’ve done to me—”
“You were a housekeeper,” I say.
Her eyes literally flame with fury. “I was your housekeeper?”
“You were a human woman. A very, very old human woman,” I blurt.
“A very, very old human housekeeper,” Brujon repeats, nodding her head and rolling her lips tightly together. “Great. That’s great.”
“The king has granted me a reprieve, but I have nothing for you. You’ll have to seek out his forgiveness on your own,” Luthian says.
“And how do I beg forgiveness for a transgression I can’t even remember?” she shrieks.
Luthian shrugs. “I suggest you bring something to kneel on.”
Brujon backs toward the door. “You’ll pay, Luthian.”
“I believe you meant to say, ‘Thank you, Luthian’.”
With a cry of rage, she sets my beautiful bed on fire and sweeps from the room, slamming the door behind her.
That’s not fair. I’m not a part of this, I think to myself as Luthian hurries to extinguish the flames and restore the bed with his magic.
“What did you do to Brujon, Guardian?”
“You don’t have to call me Guardian, anymore,” he says, skirting the question. “We’re supposed to be mates. Call me by my name.”
I did call you by your name. No. I can’t think of last night. That was the past, and we’re in the glorious present.
“When do we go back to court?” I ask.
Luthian grins. “Go and look out the window.”
I narrow my eyes in suspicion. My curiosity is too great. I drop his jacket to the ground and hurry to the window seat, kneeling upon it to look out at the gardens.
They are positively crowded with faeries, strolling past the fountains and along the paths, lying naked together on the grass in couples and writhing groups. I look back to Luthian, questioning, and open the window latch, swinging one outward. The house and gardens are connected to a much larger building with much larger grounds. The white stone shines in the sunlight, stretching endlessly to my right and to my left.
It’s as if the entire manor has been slotted into a giant puzzle.
“We are at court,” Luthian says with satisfaction. He reaches up to close the window and takes my hands in his, leading me back from the inquisitive stares of the people below. “Now that we are here, the game has become much more dangerous. You must watch every word you say, unless you are in my home. I have wards, but their magic doesn’t extend to other parts of the palace. No speaking of our plans on the grounds, either.”
“Yes, G—Luthian.” My heart sinks a little. I’ve begun to think of him, at least, the version of him who was my teacher and not my partner in this endeavor, by the name he allowed only me to use. The loss of it stings. “But what of Brujon? She’s heard you talk about all of it.”