Page 46 of Lady Knight and the Thief

“Yes. This has been home to Faerie royalty since before the First Kings.”

“You’re telling me this castle is older than the Keep in Grethnah?”

“A’aravos Paravale is older thanGrethnah,Lass.”

Cypress could barely wrap her mind around the scale and grandeur of the palace, let alone itsage.

“Why would the Fair Folk leave at all if you have this tucked away in the Wylds?” Cypress asked, without meaning to voice the thought.

“Why should we be subject to being locked away in the forest to suit your preferences?” Torren asked, and there was no missing the edge of anger in his voice.

“That’s not what I meant… It’s just.. Why try to blend or unite with humans at all when you havethis,and there's an apparent chance a human will try to kill you?”

“The world is an awfully large place to never step foot beyond your borders, Lass,” Torren replied.

Cypress nodded, but still felt that the people of Faerie didn’t realize how good they truly had it.

When the pair reached the tall vine-covered gates of the palace, a woman rushed out to greet Torren, holding both horses for them to dismount.

“Welcome home, Prince.”

“Thank you, Zxomre,” Torren said after he dismounted, quickly going through a few movements to stretch his back. “This is Lady Cypress. She is my guest.”

Zxomre nodded, giving Cypress a short bow. “Greetings, my Lady.”

“That is not necessary,” Cypress started giving Torren a glare.

Torren chuckled and said, “Can you have rooms readied for her for the evening?”

“Of course. I will have a setting put out for her next to yours during the celebrations as well,” Zxomre said, then disappeared through an arch leading the two horses behind her while Torren strode toward the tall leaf-shaped doors.

“Celebration?” Cypress drawled, still annoyed that Torren had proclaimed her aLady. It had been… refreshing to not be held up by the expectations of others when they thought of her nobility, or adjacent.

Torren shrugged. “My people love me, and they love to party,” He said as an explanation.

Cypress sighed dramatically. “So much for a quiet evening of rest before going to the Deep Wylds.”

“I thought you werefun, Cypress?” Torren asked, leading her down hallways.

“I never said I wasn’t going to join, merely observing that you failed to mention thecelebrationin the itinerary earlier,” Cypress countered, taking in every inch of detail she could.

She was practically getting a guided tour of the palace. Anything she learned could be of use later.

Despite Torren’s insistence, Cypress couldn’t quite believe that the crown was entirely behind the raids. She wouldn’t. There had to be another answer for it. Another reason.

“I didn’t realize you hated spontaneity, Lass.”

“If I rip out your throat, would that be spontaneous enough for you?” Cypress remarked, drinking in the details.

They went under another arch framed by intricate, interwoven branches of a tree that seemed to grow through the floor and up through the entire castle.

Laughter peeled from Torren’s lips, making him bend at the waist. Cypress resisted the urge to join him, but even so, her lips curved into a wry smile despite herself.

“Yes, Lass. I do believe that would bespontaneousenough for me,” Torren said, wiping the corners of his eyes, then cleared his throat. With one final chuckle, Torren said, “Welcome to the throne room,” while spinning slowly in place to draw her gaze.

Cypress mirrored his movement.

The grand throne room of Faerie was filled with golden light filtered through a canopy of green, orange, and red leaves. The walls appeared to be painted to resemble white bark, with dark charcoal knots sprinkled across the surface.