Beauty In Darkness

3

“He was rather brooding and intense, and his magic was impressive. But no, I wasn’t scared.” Perhaps I should have been, but I’d never felt I was in danger while in his presence. He could have easily killed me with the slightest thought, especially after I’d attacked him, but instead he’d dried my gown so I wouldn’t freeze out there. “He was younger than I expected too.”

Lily nodded. “He took the throne two years ago, when he was only twenty-three.”

Barely older than Lily then, who was twenty-two, and one year my elder. I couldn’t imagine being crowned so young. No wonder he was so serious.

Iris, our youngest sister, burst into the room and asked, “Is it true? Is the wizard king here?”

“It’s true,” Lily said. “He says he’s come in peace, though no one believes it. He’s speaking with Father now.”

“He told me he wants to end the war,” I said, as I moved around the room to light some candles.

“Did he? Why now, I wonder?” Lily shook her head. “I’m not sure if Father will welcome him or send him away, but I’ve ordered a feast tonight in King Raith’s honor anyway, though the staff aren’t happy about it. I can’t blame them, honestly. Who simply arrives unannounced like that?” She let out a little shudder. It was just like Lily to be more horrified by King Raith’s lack of social graces than the fact that our kingdom’s most dangerous foe had arrived at our front door with deadly magic dripping from his fingertips.

Iris sat on the bed next to Lily, her legs swinging off the ground. “I heard he cast lightning at the guards and struck them all down. I wonder if he would teach us magic too?”

“Definitely not,” Lily said in her firm, oldest sister voice. She leveled a look at me that clearly said this is all your doing. “And he didn’t strike anyone down.”

“Too bad. I would have liked to see that.” Iris hopped off the bed, headed over to my spellbook, and flipped it open. Like me, she had the gift, although it wouldn’t be fully available to her until she reached puberty. “But you’ll teach me, won’t you Rose?”

“Maybe when you’re older.” I ruffled her red hair, and she pulled away with a scowl that only managed to look adorable on her twelve-year-old face.

Lily sighed and shook her head as she rose to her feet. She wasn’t opposed to magic like our father, she simply worried about us crossing him. “Come, Iris. Let’s get ready for the feast. If all goes well, perhaps you can meet the wizard king yourself.”

Iris perked up at that. “Can I wear your icicle tiara?”

“Yes, but only if you promise to be extra careful with it,” Lily said, as the two of them left the room.

I closed the door after them and wondered if our other sisters were getting ready as well. There were six of us total from four different mothers, all of us named after flowers as was the custom for the royal family of Talador. Lily was the eldest and the future queen, while I was the second daughter and reluctant spare. Jasmine loved the outdoors and was a fine archer, Camellia would rather be a guard than a princess, her twin Violet always had her nose in a book, and Iris was perhaps even more headstrong and rebellious than me.

Yes, our father had four marriages, though none of his wives lasted long after becoming queen. Lily and I came from his first marriage, Jasmine from his second, the twins from his third, and Iris from the last. We’d long wondered if our father would take another bride, but so far he hadn’t. A good thing too because she likely would have been about my age, and that would have been far too awkward.

I turned to my wardrobe and studied my gowns, debating which to wear this evening for the feast. I wanted to look bold and fearless when facing King Raith again, to show him I wasn’t afraid of him revealing my secret. My blood red gown, perhaps. The one with the low neckline, flared skirt, and black trim. I held it up to me in the mirror, my hands running along the smooth crimson velvet. Yes, perfect. He wouldn’t be able to keep his eyes off me all night.

I wasn’t sure why that mattered, but it did.

Two

Raith

L

arge, ornate double doors opened wide to reveal Talador’s throne room, a long stretch of stark white stone with high ceilings and thick, embellished columns. At the far end, King Balsam sat on the Frozen Throne with a view of the frost-covered forest behind him. The throne was made of crystal, despite its name, and was styled to look like shards of ice were splintering off from the chair. King Balsam was draped in heavy furs and wore a large silver and sapphire crown atop his head. Despite only being in his mid-forties—younger than my parents, had they still been alive—his hair was stark white and his face was heavily lined.

He sat up at the sight of me and his icy voice boomed out from his throne. “King Raith of Ilidan. You have some nerve showing up here without invitation. I should have you struck down for even daring to enter my lands. Why are you here?” I strode down the long, thick carpet without hesitation, while the guards stared at me with open hostility. “I’ve come to demand that you end the war against my kingdom and remove your soldiers from our borders immediately.”

He snorted. “I don’t think you’re in a position to demand anything.”

“Is that so?” I raised my hand as if to draw a rune. “If I were to attack you now, you could stop me?”