Page 10 of Broken Hearted
When we finally reached the sleeping car, Zane paused in front of an open compartment. Inside was a narrow bed with thick blankets and linens, as well as a towel and basin of water sitting atop a small nightstand for washing up.
The space was lavishly decorated with thick drapes that werecurrently pulled down over the window for privacy. The walls were lined with rich, dark green fabric, and a black and gold patterned rug covered the floor.
“I know the space is rather small,” Zane said with a wince. “But I hope it will be okay for just tonight.”
“This is perfect. Thank you,” I said, meaning it. Despite the size, it was definitely a step up from the room Eliana had stuck me in at Adrien’s castle.
“Do you need anything before retiring for the night?” he asked, and I shook my head.
“I’m fine, really. I expect to be asleep the second my head touches the pillow.”
He smiled. “Good. Then I’ll leave you alone.” He pointed further down the car. “My room is the last one on the left. If you need anything, anything at all, please don’t hesitate to get me.”
When he’d left I fell into the bed with my oversized clothes still on, and within minutes the rocking of the train lulled me to sleep.
Chapter Four
The next morning I woke to a soft knocking. My eyes popped open, and it took a couple of seconds to remember where I was. When I did, I jumped out of bed and took two short steps to the door, unlocked it, and peered out. A kind-looking fae with dark blue skin and two leathery wings folded behind her smiled back at me.
I took a half step back before stopping myself. We had always been taught that the unseelie were as evil as the Ethereum lords who ruled this land. If we were wrong about the Ethereum lords, I assumed we were about the unseelie as well, but it was going to take a little more time for me to get used to seeing unseelie and not reacting.
“Oh, hello,” I said, trying not to focus on her wings.
“I’m Greta. Lord Zane wanted you to have something fresh to wear this morning,” she said, and then handed me a small bundle of clothes in her hands that I’d been too distracted to notice before.
“Thank you,” I said, returning her smile and accepting the clothes.
“Will you need help putting them on?” she asked, and seeingthat it was a fairly simple dress with the typical underclothes, I shook my head. “Very well then,” she said. “We’re still a couple hours out from Windreum, so just come out when you’re ready and I’ll show you to the dining car where you can have breakfast with Lord Zane.”
I thanked her again and shut the door, quickly changing out of the frumpy dress Elisana had given me and into one of the cotton gowns that Zane had purchased the night before. It was burgundy and fit like a glove.
I wasn’t particularly vain, but it felt incredible to be wearing something that finally fit and was appropriate for the climate. Zane had told me that his kingdom wasn’t as warm as the Southern one, and thank goodness for that. He said that the days were comfortably warm, and the evenings had a slight chill. The dress Greta picked out was lightweight, but had sleeves that went down to my wrists, appropriate for the weather Zane had described.
When I was dressed and ready, Greta was waiting outside my door with another smile. “This way,” she said.
I followed behind her, my eyes catching details I was too tired to pick up on last night. The gilded sconce lanterns lining the walls, the polished wood floors, the fabric-covered ceilings. The train truly spoke of luxury and refinement, yet Zane had told me last night that he intended it for all his people, not just the wealthy. It was a testament to his character that he didn’t think luxury like this should be hoarded for only the rich to enjoy but that he wanted to share it with everyone. He was a thoughtful and kind fae, and I was finding it impossible not to like him.
When we walked through the observation car on the way tomeet Zane, my mouth dropped open. We must have crossed into the Western Kingdom because the scenery had changed drastically. The train was passing through a forested area, and the trees were a kaleidoscope of colors. Burned oranges, bright sienna tones, rich reds, deep purples, and cheerful, buttery yellows.
It reminded me of the time I visited the Fall Court on official business with my mother, but admittedly, the vibrancy and depth of the colors even put the Fall Court to shame. I didn’t know what exactly I expected of Ethereum, but it wasn’t that it would be this beautiful.
Zane rose from his seat when I entered the dining car, a smile on his face. He looked handsome, with his hair braided back into a tight plait and dressed formally in a royal blue jacket and matching dark pants, but my stomach didn’t flip when I laid eyes on him or even when his gaze rolled over me from head to toe and back up again.
“Did you sleep well?” he asked as he pulled out a seat opposite him.
“I did, thank you,” I said, and joined him. There was a delicious spread of fruit, scrambled eggs, and charred meat which I helped myself to and then Zane pulled out a black leather pouch and handed it to me.
“From Dawn. It’s the Shadow Heart,” he said, keeping his gaze on me.
“Oh.” I set my fork down and pulled open the flap. I don’t know what I expected, but a heart made of black stone kind of made sense considering its name. “Do we know what I’m supposed to do with this? Maybe we should go see Dawn?”
“We can if you want to, but Dawn left me a note stating that they are dealing with a crisis at the moment, and if I could help you with this and accompany you to the Wise Ones it would be preferred. But if you’re not comfortable—”
“That’s fine,” I told him. Poor Dawnie. “In her letter to me, she said that the Northern Kingdom where she lives is cursed too.”
He nodded. “It’s like a plague. Started by making the unseelie sick and now it’s bled into the land. We need to see the Wise Ones so they can tell you what your part in all of this is.”
“Okay, let’s go see the Wise Ones then,” I agreed. The sooner I could do my part and figure out a way to get back home to my family, the better. Already, I’d been two nights without my little sisters. I bet they were worried sick.
