A Court of Madness and Depth

Chapter 12

The air was freezing on my bare skin as I stood in front of the entrance to the Hewn City. The mountain rose above me like a towering castle. The frost from the chill nipped at my skin, driving me even further into my already sour mood. My frozen mask would not be hard to draw on tonight.

Despite being in the Night Court, the Hewn City was a place of no comfort to me, not in the way Velaris was. Inside lay every manner of violence and debauchery. It was always hard to walk past those Iron gates that crested the entrance to the city. Especially when I had been raised with cautionary tales of the treatment of my cousin, Morrigan.

Chaste. That was the role that I played while within the Court of Nightmares. We all had a role to play. My father was the Mad Lord, my brother was the Dark Prince, and I was the innocent, unthreatening daughter. The married women of the Hewn City wore small slips of gossamer fabric, revealing and mature. Since I was unmarried my outfit was to be a bit more conservative. However, it was still revealing enough to freeze my ass off in the chill winter air.

The shadows near the edge of the mountain shifted and Azriel emerged from the darkness. I threw him my most withered glare and he offered me a small apology. He took me in, letting his dark eyes scan over my somewhat revealing dress. The innermost deep black part of his eyes narrowed and expanded as his gaze crossed to the slits in the skirt, which carved a line through the fabric from my feet to my stomach. I felt myself redden as I watched his cheeks heated slightly. Azriel had not been able to hide the way he had felt last night, a pang of some foreign feeling tightened in my chest at the memory. I wondered how I compared.

The shadowsinger quickly turned his attention to our task at hand, seemingly easily casting me and my exposed legs aside. Together we strolled into the city of darkness and rock. High above us the crystals carved into the inside of the mountain glistened like foreign and misshapen stars. Night had just began to fall outside so within the mountain the city was just waking up. Smells of fresh bread and spices drifted up to meet us, like a comforting breeze of welcome. The scent would likely be the only friendly greeting we receive

Azriel walked a bit behind me. We were careful not to speak to each other. My brother always said "the walls have ears". I wasn't sure what he meant, but I heeded his advice whenever it came to the Hewn City. Around us fae, humans, and lesser faeries scurried, leaving us a wide berth as we made our way through the crowded streets. Whenever someone walked too close he expanded his shadow, the unusual magic sent the citizens of the city scurrying back into their familiar darkness. I usually disapproved of being shielded, but this protection felt comforting.

That pang of untouched feeling wrapped around my chest again. It was tight and loose all at once, as if my heart was hammering, but there was no time to focus on the feeling because we had arrived at my uncle's estate. The rough stone building loomed over us in a threatening and unwelcoming way. The building was carved straight from the rock with sharp edges and rough angles. Within the windows no warm light glowed, only the red embers of dying fires. I swallowed hard as we entered.

An assembly of courtiers were gathered in the dining room, seated around a tall table. When I entered no one seemed to notice. They simply went about their meetings, paying me no mind. However, when I took my place in my father's chair at the head of the table, Azriel flanking my left, everyone fell silent. There was a shift in the air as if the idea of me, a child and a female, sitting in the High Lord's chair was deserving of severing tension.

"I see you are making a habit of sitting in seats that are not meant for you," My uncle, Kier, strode towards me from where he had been talking with two men I didn't recognize. Before sitting he kissed my forehead with an embrace that held no true warmth or kindness. He took a seat at my right and I could sense the change in Azriel's posture. My uncle smiled at me. It was rare he smiled at all, but if he was in a good mood I wasn't about to question it. Kier examined me from my hair to the bottom of my feet, "I heard about what happened at the Autumn Court. It was unforgivable what Beron did, but child, we need to be careful not to harshen our relationships with our allies."

"Perhaps you can help me understand how an ally can be both unforgivable and considered a friend," I asked lightly, letting just enough edge harshen the brassy tone of my voice. There were a few mumbles around the room and I offered the room a faint smile, the obedient curious daughter. Kier's back straightened at my question. He knew the reasoning behind my asking it. The long history between his family and the Vanserra's was well known.

"You look beautiful today, Asryana," my uncle's voice was laced with condescension. There was no true compliment in his tone. With that one word 'beautiful' he diminished me to a face and a body, no less than a piece of artwork. He completely avoided my question, choosing not to engage with me in matters of court.

I was used to their games. The way they played with me and my kind. Whether it was because I was a female or an Illyrian or both. The intersections within me caused them to refuse to acknowledge that there was anything of substance within me. I often found myself debating who treated their females worse, the Illyrians or the Court of Nightmares.

I pushed forward with the conversation, ignoring Kier's patronizing, "Thank you, uncle. My father sends his best. He is unable to attend tonight-"

"Still licking his wounds," a sharp faced courtier in the corner of the room spoke out, his voice nasal and unfamiliar. I turned to him, making my face into cold amusement.

"You must be new to this assembly," I offered him a cold smile, laced with kindness, but coated in disrespect, "Tread carefully, sir. I destroyed a High Lord's throne and lived to tell the tale. Do not believe that simply because my father is not present your mind won't still be turned to molten."

I wove a strong strand of power towards the sharp faced male. He stiffened in his seat as I wrapped around his mind like yarn on a spool. I pulled the connection taught and he yelped. He resembled a rat, face angled and narrow, his eyes bulged from his head in panicked shock. A rat indeed. A rat caught in a trap.

"Let's all play nice," my uncle said, placing an authoritarian hand on my bare leg. I winced at the touch,too high on my thigh. Azriel was on him in a mere moment. A curl of shadow wrapped around the curve of my father's chair. The darkness became a solid mass as it wound its black and clawed hand around the leg of my father's chair, like a cold set of talons. The shadow wove its way around Kier's hand and pulled him from my leg.

"Let's all keep our hands to ourselves," Azriel said with a voice that was void of all the rasp I had heard before, his voice here was cold and terrifying. I felt a wash of relief pass over me, soaking into the knowledge that he could tell when I was uncomfortable even if I didn't tell him.

"Uncle," I said, offering Kier a pleasant, childish smile, "I don't have any ill will here. You are all my family. However, I can't have anyone speaking ill of our High Lord. Otherwise, it would be an act of treason. I don't tolerate treason. I am sure all of you understand."

With that, I set my gaze upon each member of the room. I let my violet eyes meet the gaze of every single male gathered, challenging any of them to speak against my father. The rat shrunk back into his hole and I smiled, satisfied with the results of my challenge. A curling wisp of shadowy pride swirled against my mental shield. I fought the urge to grin with pleasure.

"Now," I continued, "Carry on please. I will be here in my father's stead and report back to him."

There were no objections. I listened as my uncle explained the various affairs of the Court of Nightmares. It was tedious, boring, violent information, but I was thankful he told me. I was sure there was much he was purposefully leaving out, but there would be no more struggle for power today. I had proven myself as the High Lord's daughter.