The king turned away, conversation clearly finished, and Amethyst followed with a last lingering look in my direction. I stood awkwardly in the vast hall, still wrapped in Iowyn's cloak and feeling increasingly out of place among the fae courtiers who watched me with undisguised curiosity.
"Come," Iowyn said, his hand settling on the small of my back. "You need rest and time to process what you've learned."
Before we could move, a ripple went through the gathered fae. They parted like a dark sea, making way for a figure that approached with silent grace.
My breath caught in my throat.
She moved like a dancer, each step precise and fluid. Her skin was the pale blue of twilight shadows, contrasting with hair so black it seemed to absorb light. But what made my heart stutter were the wing
