Delphinium, or A Necromancer's Home (TCoLaD Book 2)

Cursed

~ Trisday, 12th of Maius, 11831 ~

She was in Renaud's rooms. They were empty—he had already gone to breakfast. She knew she had been late to meet with him, staying in bed and not wanting to face the day, pretending to be asleep when Lizzy came in to ask if she was coming to eat. But she had hoped that he would still be here. He did sometimes wait for her.

Síofra did not know if she was relieved or disappointed.

Her hand went up to the necklace she still wore. It had felt heavy all night, making it hard to breathe, but she did not take it off. It was a gift. His first gift to her.

"My dear, what's wrong?"

She whirled around to the door, heart pounding as if caught doing something she shouldn't have. He stood there, a concerned tilt to his head, blue eyes lighting up at seeing her face, arms opening to her.

She ran to him. Those arms wrapped around her as she pressed her face into the crook of his neck and inhaled his scent, spiced cloves, and calm washed over her.

"I missed you," she said, chiding herself for her worry. "And I wished to speak with you before breakfast and the heat of the day, but I slept in instead. May we go walk in the gardens? I hope it is not already too hot."

"Of course. But aren't you hungry?"

"I'll eat when we get back."

His arm was strong and warm. She leaned against him as they walked to the gardens, not speaking, just enjoying each other's company.

Normally he would make sure to keep them to the more tame areas, those closer to where the gardens were maintained, but today, once out, he let her lead them further out and onto the edges that would touch the forest.

"How are you feeling?" she asked. "Was His Highness harsh with everyone?"

"The prince was upset. I cannot blame him, the duc is his brother in some ways. But perhaps this will help him see reason."

"I do not understand. Who will see reason?"

Renaud hesitated. He took a deep breath and stared out into the forest. "Prince Aimé, and maybe even Pierre. What has been happening the last few weeks. It cannot stay like this, the duchy cannot function like this."

"I agree," she said. "I am sure we can come to a compromise where the fée and people of Spadille understand each other." There were laws in place already, and much of the time there was a mutual respect, but a fée's thoughts were often strange to those not of the land. And at times it was not the fée's fault, but the fault of Faery itself. Síofra had once wanted someone new to play with. Morgaine and she had had an argument the day before, so she wandered the land wishing for another companion, a new friend. Another girl had appeared, similar in age, a dozen years to Síofra's eleven, and said she was lost. Her name had been Euphrasie. Síofra asked her to stay and play and then they would find her parents after. The two had taken to making flower crowns and chasing after one another, splashing in a river and eating berries. Time stretched the afternoon into weeks, months, with the sun barely moving, and the need to sleep or do anything important gone. As they played the other girl had gotten older, slowly at first, and then she was no longer a child but a young woman, as if years had passed. Only then had Rhianu found her daughter and her new friend. After sending Síofra to help set up dinner with Morgaine, the argument long forgotten after much play, the margravine had escorted Euphrasie home.

At dinner that night Rhianu had told Síofra that Euphrasie had spent almost three years in Faery, while those in this part of the realm only felt it as a day. She had not said why aloud, but Síofra had known that it was because of her. Her wish, her desire, had given her a friend for the longest afternoon of her life, and the realm had made sure her family were in the same time. Morgaine and she had, the next morning, found a huge ring of toadstools surrounding their home and lands, the markers that separated them from all else for that one, and yet a thousand, days.