Page 19 of These Vile Hearts

Taking another gulp of wine, I try not to let her see me crumple with disappointment and frustration. Pretty sure I just look constipated now. Better that than vulnerable. “Where did you find a mortal girl anyway? Thought you were against bringing them here.”

A red slip of a gown lies flush against her ample curves, leaving rather little to be imagined. Compared to her feathered and jeweled ensembles, though, it’s quite understated. “Fern found her trapped in a tree siren’s nest just outside of the Rose District. She’s endured too much of their song to be brought home. She would just find her way back.”

“TheRose District? That close?”

“The king has spent so much time worrying about warding out the mortals—when he isn’t inviting them into his bed, of course—he’s completely ignored all the other threats in this damned forest.”

Dryads and arborfae are among the few in Sylveris deemed “Seelie.” Which is to say that we follow Sylveris Law and are reasonably ethical creatures who don’t murder everyone we encounter for sustenance or amusement. Then there are the “Unseelie” blood nymphs, tree sirens, and wood hags, with their lawless nature and questionable morals. Though I’ve always found the moral area between the Seelie and Unseelie to be fantastically gray.

The ironfae are a third type, drawing their magic from minerals and ore rather than organic material. They are neither Seelie nor Unseelie. Leave it to the fae who choose to live among mortals to strive for individuality and eschew labels. Durian has always enjoyed his time with the Iron King, visiting his palace beneath the City every few fortnights to take his pick of mortal women while schmoozing fellow royalty. Though several of the ironfae courtiers visit the Nightshade District from time to time, I have visited their palace only once and left with no memory of what transpired. I do hope I enjoyed myself.

“Durian does not believe the other threats are worthy of concern.”

“There are many things the king does not deem worthy of concern.” Madam Debray walks around the chair she’s been leaning against and sinks into it. She whispers indistinctly, and the sizzle ofmagic surrounds us: vines of silence. “I know Dahlia was killed.” Her usual gregarious demeanor has been replaced by a slow-building storm. “Tell me what happened.”

It takes a great deal of strength to maintain my composure as I look down at my wine rather than at Evodia. She may have heard Dahlia was killed, but she doesn’t know how. Thinking Durian is at fault is easier to swallow than her being sentenced to death by my curse. “She, er—”May have loved me and paid the ultimate price for it?“She raised her voice at the king. Threatened his heartwood.”

“What precisely did she say?” Danger curls around her words like a viper biding its time.

The wine isn’t working quickly enough. My fingers brush the nepenthe in my pocket. “Something about felling his heartwood after his vines restrained her.”

Evodia practically hisses. “Why did he restrain her in the first place?”

“She was raising her voice about Mahonia’s arrest. People in line were growing anxious.”

“Where in Redwood Law does it state that we are not permitted to speak above a delicate volume?” Evodia’s voice rises within the cage of silence, making it all the more piercing. “Mahonia wasn’t arrested for treason. She was arrested for denying one of the king’s guards a night with her. There was no trial, no witness, no evidence of treason.”

This is dangerous territory, even within vines of silence, speaking ill of Durian’s choices with so many witnesses—distracted as they may be. I keep my eyes on my wine, swirling it once…twice…a third time. “Perhaps Mahonia was not the girl you thought she was.”

But I’ve spent a great deal of time around Mahonia. Of all the orchids, she was always the kindest to me. Kinder even than her sister.

“You’re pretty, Castor, but not foolish. And only foolish people speak ill of my orchids.”

“Are you threatening the Redwood Prince, Evodia? Do you really want to see what it would do to your profits if I stopped frequenting your establishment?”

More wine. Some of it spills on my pants. I wave a hand over the stain, watching as it vanishes. My slow words sound nothing like my spinning thoughts.

Evodia looses a dark laugh at this. “Perhaps youarefoolish. To think we would suffer without your weekly visits to Magesté, plentiful as they are.”

“Are we actually arguing? I cannot always tell, you see. All the wine.” I hold up my glass, tightening my grip to hide the tremor in my fingers.

“That depends on what you can do for me,” Evodia says. “Believe it or not, some of us concern ourselves with the well-being of others.”

“Why are you lamenting to the cursed prince? What good am I to you?”

My unspoken words hang in the air between us.I can’t help you. I have no power here. I have no power anywhere.

She leans forward earnestly. “You have your brother’s ear. You can convince him to release Mahonia. To release all the Nightshaders who have been unjustly arrested.”

I pull the nepenthe from my pocket, pressing the tip with my thumb and forefinger until it begins to smoke. Taking a deep drag, I wait for the calm to settle over my electrified nerves. Evodia watches me, waiting. A stream of lavender smoke billows from my mouth. “You overestimate our familial bond.”

“And you underestimate the damage he is causing. You think he is merely distracted by other tasks rather than actively neglecting the safety of our district. You think you have no power at all when thereis power in proximity. There is privilege in your untouchable last name.”

I almost laugh at this. The look on Durian’s face anytime I bring up Nightshaders’ concerns is one of great irritation. He can call mebrotherall he likes, but I’ll still always be the adopted boy from the Nightshade District.

“That’s enough,” I state more firmly. “Your faith in my power is appreciated but tragically misplaced. Nothing I say about this district will be well received by the king.”

Evodia wilts in the seat across from me. I wish I could tell her that I can help the Nightshade District, that I can convince the king to let those she cares for go free. But I can’t say any of this.