The Last Daughter of Elysia

Chapter 21

Aelys's hands were on her hips and the look on her face would've sent most fae running. Morgana thought her sister looked remarkably like a lion with her golden hair floating around her head. An armored boot appeared behind Aelys, and it was Willow emerging through the wall of water.

Caliath dropped Morgana's hand.

Aelys marched over, eyes flashing. "What are you doing with my sister?"

The air was charged, like the moment when two predators sized each other up before a fight.

Willow smoothly stepped between the royals.

Caliath moved back and politely bowed. "Your Highness, I ran into Lady Morgana whilst I was going on a stroll through the maze." His eyes shifted to Morgana, and she remembered what he'd asked of her the first time he'd saved her. No one must know that I saved you. Morgana's eyes widened, trying to convey to him that she didn't want to lie to her sister.

Aelys didn't bother with niceties or polite addresses, despite Caliath sticking to protocol. "Really? Because the walkway to this feature is burned to cinders. You wouldn't know anything about that would you?" It was then that Aelys noticed Morgana's burns and the charred remains of her gown. Her nostrils flared and she whirled on Caliath. "You attacked her! Didn't you?"

"Your Highness, please step back on account of the contract between the Golight and Aeperian aristocrats." Willow's hazel eyes held a grim warning.

"Oh, yes that contract. Where my life will be forfeit if I do something to him?"

"Yes."

"I know that Morgana isn't a fae aristocrat, but she is still included in that contract as far as I'm concerned." Aelys's eyes narrowed. "And she's been harmed plenty by the looks of it."

"It wasn't him, Aelys. It was Elysia's magic," Morgana said in a small voice. She wanted to tell Aelys that Caliath had saved her, but seeing as he forbade it before, she figured she wouldn't be allowed to tell anyone about it this time either.

Caliath gave her a look of gratitude.

Aelys turned back to Morgana. "Was it really the magic?"

"Yes."

They shared a look, and Aelys's mouth puckered as if she'd eaten a lemon. Reluctantly, she turned to Caliath and dropped into a short curtsey. "Forgive me, Your Highness. I may have been hasty when I saw you with my sister." Her voice was like acid.

"Apology accepted."

"With that said. Why were you holding her wrist?"

An awful silence grew, like an eclipse's shadow sweeping across a forest and hushing the animals.

"I apologize." Caliath bowed again. "I should not have touched Lady Morgana. I was concerned because of her burns."

"Is that true, Morgana? Or did he touch you without your consent?" Aelys looked Caliath up and down, as if he were a vagrant fae that was trying to steal some fair maiden's virtue.

"It's true. He was concerned about my burns. I didn't mind him touching me." Morgana glanced at Caliath, and heat seeped into her cheeks.

A tense moment followed where everyone waited for Aelys to respond.

"Well then, that's settled." She sniffed. "I need to have a private word with my sister, if you don't mind?"

Willow and Caliath bowed, but Caliath kept his eyes on Morgana. They stared at each other, a strange air between them. She didn't want him to go, not so soon. She had so many questions. Morgana watched him until he left.

As soon as they were gone Aelys gripped Morgana's shoulders. "Are you okay? What happened?"

"I'm okay. Fire exploded out of me this time."

"My Goddess, it's getting worse."

"I know. Do you think it's because I haven't had the elixir for a while?"

"I'm not sure. But at least you haven't been sick lately." She gently laced Morgana's arm through hers and they set off down the seashell path. "The maze was a charred mess, Phillipe is going to throw a fit when he sees it."

Morgana winced, thinking of what Phillipe's reaction would be. He was a squat pooka and the Head Gardener, who was always trying to get rid of the sprites that plagued the visitors.

"Did the prince say anything to you?"

Morgana was silent, she really didn't want to keep anything from Aelys, but she felt that she owed Caliath.

"Morgana?"

Morgana figured that vague half-truths were her best bet. "He didn't say much. He was nice to me, that's all."

Aelys stared at her for a moment, a careful expression on her face. "I saw you both looking at each other after we were presented to court."

Morgana pressed her lips together.

"He couldn't tear his eyes away from you during the ceremony."

"Aelys." Morgana blushed.

"I know mother wanted you to find a suitor but I'm not sure how she'd feel about the Aeperian Prince."

"It's not like that."

"It better not be. He's vile."

Morgana swallowed her retort, wondering if Aelys would change her mind if she knew that the 'vile' Aeperian Prince had saved her life twice now.

"You know it wouldn't work. Ever. There's too much bad blood between our courts. And you deserve much better than him. You'd be better off finding a baron."

"I don't want a baron, and I already know it wouldn't work." Annoyance flared Morgana's nostrils. "Besides, he's royal, he'd have to marry one of the aristocrats, like you and Damon."

"Don't remind me." A jellyfish bobbed past Aelys's head. "But Aeperos Court's different. Some of their aristocracy marry commoners."

"Really?" That was news to Morgana.

"Yes. But there hasn't been a marriage between the courts at all. We hate each other, as you know."

Morgana looked down, heart sinking. Caliath's parents must hate Golights, it was probably why Caliath was forbidden to be friends with her.

"They're repulsive criminals. They always have been," Aelys said.

They strolled past a vibrant bed of anemone where clownfish peeked between pale stalks.

"Surely not all of them are criminals." Morgana looked at Aelys.

"Most of them are." Aelys shrugged. "Anyway, that's enough talk about Aeperians. We'll get those burns healed with my tonic and change into some outfits that I've prepared." She shot Morgana a mischievous grin. "Then we'll go steal that book from the healer."