“What does it mean if someone has no uhra at all?” I asked.
She raised her brows. “That they’re dead. Everyonehas a soul.”
Right on cue, Raf appeared. I’d been so absorbed in our conversation, I hadn’t heard him come in. He was leaning against the counter—a bemused smile playing on his lips as he looked at us. His wavy, dark hair spilled over his brow and I watched him push it back, only for it to immediately spring forward. He was always shaking that same lock of hair out of his eyes. It was irksome… just like everything else about him.
“Are you ready, Goldie?”
I snapped to attention.Goldie? That’s what my mother had called me once upon a time. I hadn’t heard that nickname in a decade. I said goodbye to Meli and fell in step with Raf as we walked back to our horses.
“What was your errand,Raffie?” I couldn’t resist smiling. The nickname sounded as ridiculous as I thought it would.
“Call me that again and I’ll turn you into dust.” He doubled down on his surliness and for some reason I found it hilarious.
Maybe it was the gift of a light heart that Meli had just bestowed on me, but I couldn’t stop laughing. He was so distracted watching me, he tripped, making me laugh harder. I was hysterical, bending over and clutching my stomach.
“Stop it. People are watching,” Raf said under his breath, scowling at me. The surrounding villagers were indeed staring as they quickened their pace to pass us.
He let out a snort, covering his mouth, before another laugh bubbled out of him. And then we were wheezing, keeled over, with tears in our eyes. There was no explanation for the fit of madness, other than we both seemed to be in desperate need of a good laugh.
Finally… Goldie and Raffie had come to a truce.
Later that evening, I sat around a table with the royal family and their guests. Rafael and Louis were both absent. The seating chart had shifted to Arnold and Galen closest to the Queen, which meant I had to sit next to Isla. I knew I shouldn’t have had any issue with her—I’dencouragedGalen to pursue her, after all—but having to converse with her was a different story. I kept to myself and prayed she’d do the same.
“So Marigold, do you have your dance picked out for the Hyacinth Festival yet?” Isla smiled at me innocently.
I choked on a piece of bread.Dance?
“Oh, I won’t be dancing,” I said politely, before taking a generous sip of wine.
“Don’t besilly. Everyone that’s part of the ceremony has to dance. Are you going to partner with Louis or Rafael?”
I cringed, unsure of how to respond.
Galen cut in. “She’ll be dancing with me.” He looked like he’d surprised even himself. The slight slur in his voice let me know he’d been drinking.
“Withyou? But I thought—” She turned, looking back and forth between us.
“What’s this about?” snapped the Queen. “Galen, you’ll be dancing with Isla, of course. Have you lost your mind?”
Galen glared at her, his green eyes locked in a silent battle with her icy blues. “No, Mother. I can think of no higher honor than dancing with the firstworld walkerwe’ve had in two-hundred years. In fact, it’s cause for celebration.” Galen stood, ushering the footmen over. “A round of champagne, please.”
They scurried over with a chilled bottle, fresh from the ice chest. “To Marigold. To Erador. To Nymera. May we unite the worlds!” He threw back a glass and poured another, then sat back in his seat dramatically, appearing quite pleased with himself. Everyone at the table was so stunned, it took a moment for someone to break the silence.
Arnold sputtered, “A-a world walker? Yourcousinis fromErador? Why am I just finding this out? How?”
He turned to the Queen, standing and leaning his hands on the dinner table in barely contained ire. “Your Grace, you’ve been hosting a world walker forweeksand haven’t told me—the council?” He pounded his fists on the table and the guards ran over to Sylvia’s side, weapons raised. He lifted his hands up in apology. “I meant no harm. I just didn’t think I’d ever see the day. When will she open up the portal? Are we going to address the public? We need to convene and tell the others!” His head was about to spin off his body.
“SILENCE!” yelled Sylvia. He sat back down andcrossed his arms.
“Marigold is ahybrid.Raised as a human. She does not yet have access to her powers. She managed to arrive here while she was sleeping—or so she says. We’ve been hosting her while she learns how to access her magic… so she can open a doorway. I was planning to wait until the festival to announce her to you all.” The Queen flashed a murderous glare at Galen. I felt my blood drop to a frigid temperature as tensions around the table escalated.
Arnold turned to me. “The gods gifted amongrelwith world walking gifts? What kind of blasphemy is this?” He looked so irate that I stood and backed out of my seat, grabbing a butter knife. The way he said mongrel made my gut twist.
“And youbelieveher? That she can’t open up a portal after she’s already done it? Have you even interrogated her? Perhaps she needs proper persuasion. Hand her over, I’ll get her to open a bridge out of this world by tomorrow morning.” He bared his teeth at me and my hands iced over in response. Dahlia was hanging on his arm, trying to pull him back to his seat.
“Enough!” Sylvia commanded. “Guards, please take Arnold back to his rooms until he’s calmed down. Take the women back to their prospective rooms as well. Galen, you’re staying with me.” He defiantly glowered at her. I felt like a carcass being fought over by a pack of rabid wylks.
I glanced back at Galen as I was escorted out. He stared back with raw, unfiltered agony in his eyes. His amber uhra was dim, with a flickering dark blue flame at its center.
