Page 84 of Born of Starlight
I didn’t recall anyone ever calling me beautiful in any context before Fenris.Sources be damned.The disappointment that spread across his face tugged at some deep thread within me—I wanted to reach out to him but kept my hands at my sides.
“I still hate you.” My words didn’t sound convincing as they left my tongue.
He nodded. “Get in line.”
He didn’t sound like a man who wasn’t remorseful.
Why had he done it? There was a piece that I was missing.
Fenris interrupted my thoughts.
“We should catch up with Emmerick.”
* * *
Twenty minutes later,Emmerick led us into the city’s heart.
Gray cobblestone streets snaked through tall buildings. The city buzz was mesmerizing and overwhelming—so much noise, clamber and activity. It was so much taller, so much more congested than Belray—but lovely all the same.
I could see why Emmerick had made the driver stop at the gates. Navigating the bustle of Luz by carriage would have proved difficult on such narrow roads. The various spires and rooftops made for a towering sense of belittlement. The city spanned for miles—all built into the temperate, fog-coated hills of the Central Corridor.
The cobblestone we stood on extended up to the palace. From this angle, all that was visible of the Queen’s home were great stone walls and a tall barbican. Though from here it looked small, the walls jutted out taller than any other building on the horizon.
We walked uphill past marketplaces, pleasure halls, taverns, shops and schoolhouses. There was so muchlifehere of every sort. From beggars to bailiffs, craftsmen to courtesans.
The smell of bread wafted from a nearby bakery, and the sound of children playing in a schoolyard nearby sweetened the air further. All of my senses were overloaded—so much to experience. So little time.
But something feltoff.
In the prophecy, Luz’s buildings all had blue stone rooftops and were constructed with white limestone. Yet all the buildings in this city seemed to be constructed of granite—still beautiful, but with gray roofs and not a flicker of white limestone. No bell tower stood anywhere either. I’d seen a bell tower fall.
There may be other parts of the city.My mind reassured me that conjuring visions was not a science.This may simply be a city district not seen in my visions.
As we continued through the city, I found nothing familiar.Had I been wrong?It was growing harder to breathe.This is all new. You are just overwhelmed.
Fenris’ hand found the small of my back, tugging me gently out of the way of a horse passing. He quickly backed away from me once I was safely to the side, as though the touch stung him.
I hated that I wanted to sink into the warmth of his palm. Instead, I looked over my shoulder at the city we had just walked through to get to the palace gates.
“It’s wonderful.” A smile tugged at my lips.Mine to protect.That smile quickly faded because I wasn’t sure if I could.
With Emmerick’s signal, guards raised the iron gates of the barbican leading to the Court of Luz. There was more space between the city and the castle itself than it seemed from the outside. Surrounding us stood fortified battlement walls that insulated the palace grounds.
The grounds were sprawling with gardens of blooming roses and wisteria and acres of pristine hillside. In the middle of it all, a palace stood—a behemoth granite structure with many turrets and towers.
As we approached, I steeled myself to meet the young Queen.
* * *
Guards openedthe silver-trimmed double doors of the throne room. It took all of my self-control to not spin around to take in such a room.
The domed ceilings were painted with murals of the night sky, deep hues of sapphire against silver foiled stars with the constellations mapped in silver lines. Emmerick tapped my shoulder gently to catch my attention before he stepped away. My gaze turned to the throne at the center of the room. It was enormous and looked to be made of solid silver and bore Luz’s emblem of a crown made of acorns.
The young Queen watched us as we moved further into the room. Her hands were neatly folded in her lap. Her honey-colored curls were gathered neatly atop her head and snaked through a crown of platinum leaves that circled her temple. Freckles dappled her nose. I recognized her instantly—the reflection in the lake at Belray while dancing with Emmerick.
The Constable stepped to the side of the room and lowered to one knee. A vision of servitude for his Queen. The Queen’s gaze settled on him.
“Sir Emmerick, I am pleased with your work bringing our guests to court.”
