THE THORN

CHAPTER TWO

Chapter two

The journey back to Aurelith took less than an hour, but by the time the palace towers emerged through the rain, I had imagined at least a dozen ways to make Lucien Veyr regret the day he was born to which none involved mercy.

The palace gates stood open, guarded by two rows of royal soldiers. Their armour gleamed beneath the grey afternoon sky, and the Thornvale banners fluttered above them, their golden embroidery offensively bright, I hated this place. Not because it was ugly. Aurelith was beautiful, with its white marble towers, sprawling gardens, and enchanted fountains that glittered even beneath the darkest clouds created for the fae’s, it was our world.

I hated it because it remembered Every corridor, every staircase, every archway held a piece of the girl I had been before Lucien Veyr tore my life apart. And now he had returned. I dismounted before the stable boy could approach, tossing him the reins. "Princess." A guard bowed deeply.

"Where is my aunt?"

"Her Majesty is in the eastern reception hall, Your Highness. She has been expecting you."

Nicole appeared beside me, pushing damp braids away from her face. "Try not to threaten anyone before we find out why we've been summoned."

"I make no promises." She muttered something about my complete lack of self-preservation and hurried after me as I crossed the courtyard. The palace doors opened before I reached them. Inside, everything was exactly as I remembered. The high ceilings, the crystal chandeliers, the portraits of dead kings and queens staring down at their descendants with varying degrees of disappointment. My father's portrait hung above the grand staircase, I stopped. He was painted in his coronation robes, one hand resting on the hilt of his ceremonial sword. His dark hair was neatly combed, and his green eyes held the quiet warmth I remembered from my childhood. Beside him stood my mother, beautiful and regal, her silver-blonde hair falling over one shoulder.

They looked untouchable.

I swallowed the familiar ache in my throat.

We crossed the grand hall and approached the eastern reception room. Two royal guards stood outside its double doors, their expressions carefully neutral.

One of them stepped forward. "Her Majesty requests your immediate presence, Princess."

"Then why are you standing between me and the door?" He blinked. I smiled sweetly. "Move."

He moved. Nicole sighed behind me.

"One day, your mouth is going to get you into trouble." I didn't reply, I pushed open the doors. And immediately wished I had brought my father's dagger into the room.

My aunt stood near the fireplace, dressed in an elegant gown of deep emerald silk. Her silver-streaked hair was pinned into an intricate arrangement, and a delicate gold crown rested upon her head.

Queen Isolde Thornvale had never needed to raise her voice to command a room. She possessed the sort of beauty that made people underestimate her intelligence, and the sort of intelligence that ensured they rarely made that mistake twice. She turned at the sound of the doors. "Seraphina."

"Aunt." Her gaze travelled over my damp cloak, muddy boots, and the dagger hanging openly at my hip. "You look as though you've been fighting."

"I have."

"Again?"

"Would you prefer I lie?" Her mouth tightened. "Must you make everything difficult?"

"Only when people insist on making everything irritating."Nicole coughed into her hand.

I ignored her “ please go change and meet me here we have something to discuss”

“Where is he?” I demanded, ignoring her last statement. My aunt's fingers rose to her forehead, and she closed her eyes as though silently asking the Mother Goddess for patience. “Go and change, Seraphina. You will meet him soon enough.”

“S “Aunt, I have spent years waiting for this moment. I am not going to stand here playing dress-up while you entertain the man who—”

“Enough!”Her voice cracked through the room. Nicole went silent beside me.

I stared at my aunt, momentarily stunned. Aunt rarely raised her voice, especially at me. Even when I was younger and had managed to set fire to an entire section of the royal gardens with my uncontrolled magic, she had maintained her composure.

Something was wrong. My aunt drew a slow breath and glanced towards Nicole . “Leave us.” She bowed and withdrew without hesitation. Once the doors closed, she turned back to me.

“The delegation from Noctis arrived this morning, as you already know. They have been granted permission to remain at the palace for the duration of the negotiations.”

“Negotiations for what?”

“Peace.” I stared at her, Then I laughed.

“Peace? With Noctis?” Her jaw tightened. “You needn't repeat everything I say.”

“Then stop saying ridiculous things.”

“Mind your tongue.”

“What?” I threw my hands up. “You expect me to believe that the kingdom responsible for murdering my parents has suddenly developed a conscience? That the fallen angels who spent years terrorising our borders have decided they would rather hold hands with the Fae and sing beneath the moonlight?” isolade pressed her lips together clearly not amused.

“This treaty is important for Aurelith.”

“Then sign it yourself.”

“It isn't that simple.”

“It never is, is it? There's always some grand political reason why I must swallow my pride, hold my tongue, and pretend that the world hasn't spent the last eleven years trying to convince me that my parents' deaths were simply the unfortunate consequences of war.”

My aunt's expression changed, something resembling guilt crossed her face, Then it was gone. “Your parents' deaths were a tragedy,” she said quietly. “But you cannot spend the rest of your life allowing that tragedy to dictate every decision you make.”

I felt the words like a slap.My aunt's expression remained unreadable. The fire crackled behind her, filling the silence with the sharp snap of burning wood. “An alliance,” she began carefully, “requires sacrifices from both sides. Noctis has agreed to withdraw its forces from our borders, surrender several territories seized during the war, and recognise Aurelith's sovereignty.”

I stared at her. “And what have they demanded in return? Our firstborn children? A shipment of our finest weapons? Perhaps a few dozen Fae to decorate their dungeons?”

“Seraphina.”

“I'm asking a question.”

“And I'm answering it.” She straightened. “Noctis has demanded a permanent bond between our kingdoms. One that cannot be broken by a change of ruler or a disagreement between our councils.”

A cold sensation crept down my spine.

“What sort of bond?” My aunt looked at me then, and something in her eyes made my stomach tighten. “The kind that has been used to unite kingdoms for centuries.”

I took a step towards her. “Stop speaking in riddles.”

“Marriage.” I simply stared at her, Then I laughed. It wasn't a pleasant sound. It scraped its way out of my throat, sharp and disbelieving, until I saw that she wasn't laughing with me. “You cannot be serious.”

“I am.”

“Who?” I demanded. “Which unfortunate Fae have you decided to sacrifice to this ridiculous arrangement? And why am I being informed of it as though I've already agreed?”

My aunt's silence was answer enough.

The laughter died in my throat. “No.”