Rowan spent the rest of the week pleasantly, whiling away the hours in the library, which was truly magnificent. There were books on magic that she’d only read about as mythical sources, and others she’d never even heard of. She’d already filled an entire notebook with ideas and observations, and Fenella had been good about giving her opinions on what would actually work. In truth, she was getting a bit anxious to try some things out, but she wanted to speak with Aidan first.
After her last disastrous attempts at casting in the Otherworld, she felt like she ought to at least ask his permission before endangering his house. And, though she wouldn’t let herself admit it, their brief encounter before his departure, coupled with what she had learned from Teague, had made her eager to speak to him again.
Finally, the week was coming to an end. She had spent the majority of the morning out in the main courtyard with Teague and Fenella, and they were just having a nice lunch out in the sunshine when she heard a sentry call out.
Rowan turned her face to see the dark spot against the horizon that was growing steadily larger, and she felt a thrill of fear in her heart. But Teague and Fenella were smiling, so she looked back to the sky just as a gust of cool wind rushed over the gate and hit her in the face.
She couldn’t help but gasp in awe. Perhaps a part of her had wanted to forget the details of her first encounter with Lord Kennet and his sons because of the terror and confusion of it, but now that she could see the sinuous form of the dragon approaching, it all came back in a rush.
His midnight and ebony scales shimmered in the sun just the way they had then, with a dark, fierce beauty, and as he circled for a landing, she could see his enormous wings were made of black feathers, like a raven. Everyone backed to the edges of the courtyard, and she did as well, but she couldn’t take her eyes off Aidan.
His neck arched back as he approached the ground, his wings flapping in swooping arcs like a hummingbird until his rear claws touched the ground. Then, the dragon form began to disappear, a storm of feathers blowing away behind him like a long cloak swirling in the wind.
Rowan started walking forward despite herself, not even realizing it until she was alone in the middle of the courtyard.
Aidan’s eyes were focused on her with dagger sharpness, but the expression on his face was something approaching a smile. “Are you that eager to see me already, Lady Rowan?”
She could hardly admit that, not even to herself. “Your transformation magic is like nothing I’ve ever seen before. I suppose I wasn’t in any shape to appreciate it the first time. I just wanted to get a closer look.”
The prince didn’t say anything, but Rowan had the distinct impression that he didn’t entirely believe her. “It’s not terribly difficult magic with the amount of power available here. I could probably teach you.”
“Would you really?” That was one of the spells she’d been wanting to try out, but she wouldn’t have dared to try anything as complex as a dragon. But with Aidan’s help…
“Of course. I wouldn’t have suggested it otherwise.” Out of the corner of her eye, Rowan could see several of the servants standing around, obviously waiting for her to leave so they could speak to the prince. She took a step backward.
“Well, thank you very much. I’m sure you have things to do, so I’ll take my leave.” Was it her imagination that the prince was a little disappointed? But then he seemed to see his staff waiting in the wings, and he nodded.
“I suppose it can’t be helped,” he muttered, almost to himself. Rowan turned to go back to her lunch, and then he called out. “Do you have anything scheduled for tomorrow, Lady Rowan?”
It was an unexpected question, so it took her a moment to comprehend what he was asking. “No, I suppose I don’t. I was planning to continue reading in the library.”
“At least you haven’t yet run out of books,” he said with a wry smile. “Then, if you’re willing, I’d like to take you to see the city. I’m sure Teague told you all about it.”
“Oh, yes. I would love to!” She offered him a bright smile, and his eyes widened a fraction.
“Well, then, I’ll look forward to it.”
The next morning, Rowan twirled a ribbon aimlessly through her fingers as Fenella arranged her hair. “Are you nervous?” the maid asked with a hint of amusement.
rvous?” Rowan turned this over in her head. She supposed that was one way to put it. Her stomach felt like it had been filled with live birds. “Perhaps. I'm excited to see Serenalis, and I want to get to know Aidan better, but…”
“Are you afraid he’ll end up disappointing you like his brother?” The fae girl patted the complex braid into place and stood back. “I know I told you that Niall could be trusted, which didn't turn out very well, but I've been looking into Prince Aidan. I really don't think you have anything to worry about.”
“I don't suspect him of bad intentions,” Rowan said thoughtfully. “But your people and mine have different views of the world. What if we’re simply unable to see eye to eye?”
“I think you have more in common than you think,” Fenella said cheerfully. Rowan couldn't say anything. She already found Prince Aidan dangerously charming. Getting along with him might make fulfilling her outrageous contract easier to bear, but surely anything more would be foolish.
A knock at the door made her turn around in her chair. “Who is it?”
“Are you ready, Lady Rowan?” Aidan's voice was muted through the door, but still unmistakably him. Fenella gave her an encouraging grin, and taking a deep breath, she strode to the door and opened it.
“I am ready now. I apologize if I kept you waiting. I thought we were doing well on time.”
Aidan blinked at her, his eyes taking her in with an expression that appeared to be a little surprised. It was certainly more skin than she had ever dared show before, though nothing compared to what she'd seen some of the fae wear. Fenella had helped her choose the dark blue gown, which had an asymmetrical neckline that left one shoulder bare while the other arm was covered in the most intricate lace Rowan had ever seen.
Layers of sheer fabric flowed around her legs to the floor, studded with a spray of crystals that glittered with their own light. It seemed appropriate for a city perpetually bathed in starlight.
“You look…lovely,” he said, a hint of hesitance in his voice. “And no, you aren't late. In fact, I may be a little early.” He sounded almost embarrassed. Rowan raised her eyebrows, but then he cleared his throat and offered her his arm. “Shall we go?”
She smiled and slipped her hand through his elbow “Yes, let’s.”
Rowan was somewhat confused when Aidan led her to a carriage. Never mind that the entire thing appeared to be made of silver and crystal; it was a far too normal mode of transportation for the Otherworld.
Even the horses, though a certainly beautiful pair of solid black thoroughbreds, seemed to be flesh and blood creatures with nothing at all uncanny about them.
She must've had a rather strange look on her face because Aidan frowned. “Something wrong?”
She shook her head. “I only thought we'd be traveling through one of those magical gates again. I suppose I assumed that's how everyone got around here.”
Aidan smiled, brief but genuine, as he helped her enter the carriage. “We could go by gate, but then you would miss the best part of the journey.” She raised her eyebrows in question, but he shook his head. “Just keep looking out the window.”
Rowan frowned in annoyance, but she did as she was told, leaning her elbow against the window frame and peering out as the carriage lurched forward. At first, there was nothing much to see. Aidan's estate, she had learned, was in the mountains, and once they were outside the walls, they were surrounded by sheer rocks and snow-covered slopes. “Is it always like this here, or are there seasons of some kind?”
“I keep my realm tied to the seasons of the mortal world, for the most part. It’s nearing the winter solstice now, but we aren't so high up that we don't have a summer. I warm the estate with magic, however, and parts of the city as well.”
“Is there a reason for that, or do you just like all of the seasons?” If it had been possible, Rowan would have personally been quite glad to fix the weather to something resembling late spring at all times.
“Every season has something to look forward to, I suppose, but the true reason is that keeping the seasons to their natural course conserves a great deal of magic,” he replied.
She turned away from the window to stare at the prince. “Conserve it? I had no idea it would be necessary. There seems to be no lack.”
Aidan nodded. “I’m sure it appears inexhaustible to you, since the magic available in mortal lands is so scant. But for all our gaudy displays, it was not so long ago that all fae, even the Lords of the Three Courts, were in danger of extinction because magical energy had all but disappeared.”
Her eyes narrowed with interest. This was certainly something she’d never been taught in school. “So, what happened?”
“Even in your world they must still tell the story of Gearoid Og, beloved of the Lady Aine?” Rowan raised her eyebrows in surprise. Of course, they did. It was one of the most important events in all of magical history, in all of human history even, for that was when the Otherworld, which had by that point been relegated to the realm of legend and heretical superstition, suddenly made itself known to mortal lands in an abrupt and astonishing fashion.
Led by Gearoid, the powerful Lord of Kildare and Aine, the Lady of the Court of Waves, a group of representatives from all three Courts had toured Europe, teaching magic, performing miracles, and generally making a spectacle of themselves.
The Pope had tried to have them executed as demon-worshippers, but they were so beautiful and charismatic that he’d been forced to recant when the public began calling for his ouster. That was the beginning of the Magical Enlightenment. Who knew what state the world would be in without their involvement?
“Yes, of course. Everyone learns about it in primary school, if not earlier. I don't understand what it has to do with magical shortages.”
“Magic is created by two things in the mortal world, life and belief. Between the plague and the pope, there was precious little of either during that time period,” Aidan said easily. “But if you don't look out the window now, you're going to miss it.”
She spun around in her seat and let out a gasp. Before her was simply the most stunning sunset she had ever seen. The red disc of the sun balanced in the rim of the world like a coin on its edge. Indigo and lavender clouds seemed to stream along its wake, wreathed in scarlet fire. However, once she had recovered from her initial astonishment, she was not, at first, entirely sure what he wanted her to see. It was beautiful, as many things in the Otherworld were beautiful, but in this case, it wasn't even terribly different from a sunset she might’ve seen from the hills of her father’s country estate.
But she decided to watch a moment longer before questioning Aidan about it, and that's when she discovered something odd. The sun was setting rather more quickly than she was used to. After just five minutes of travel, it was already halfway below the horizon, as if the carriage was traveling away from the sun even as it moved quite alongside it. “Is the sun moving faster than normal, or is there something else I’m not understanding?”
Aidan smiled again, appearing both gently amused and entirely pleased with himself. “The sun is not moving faster. In a way, the sun isn’t moving at all. I know you've heard that Serenalis is a city of perpetual night?” Rowan nodded, suppressing an entirely new round of questions just so that she could have this one mystery explained. “The entire realm is like that, the sky frozen at a different time of day. The closer you get to the city, the closer you get to night.”
“But the day seemed to pass normally at your estate,” she ventured. She knew for sure that she’d witnessed both night and day on several occasions.
“Correct. The effect dissipates in the mountains before it reaches early afternoon. I specifically built my own dwelling outside the effect of the spell.”
“You said before that altering the course of the seasons used too much magical power. Is changing the path of the sun not similar?” she asked, curious, rather than accusative.
Aidan nodded, but she saw something melancholy in his eyes. “I would not have done such a thing myself, but Serenalis was not created by me. It was a gift from Lord Kennet to my mother. She was fond of the stars. I have only inherited it.”
“I’m sorry,” she said quietly, daring to once again put her hand on his arm. He was less surprised this time and did not hesitate to place his hand over her own. His fingers were long, slender, and cool to the touch, and rather than removing his hand right away, as he had done previously, he grasped her fingers lightly in his own. Rowan thought she might forget to breathe.
“It is nothing to apologize for. It was a good question, and my mother has been gone for a long time. It does not grieve me to speak of her now. You also lost your mother at a young age, did you not?”
Rowan nodded. “She died giving birth to my younger brother. He didn't survive her by more than a few hours. But I was only two. I don't remember having a mother, so I can't really miss her.” That wasn't entirely true. She sometimes missed the idea of having a mother, someone to comfort and advise her in the ways that her father was unwilling or incapable of doing. But she could not miss the actual person because she was an unknown quantity. Rowan's father had never been willing to talk about his wife, and it was one subject on which his daughter was unwilling to push.
“Still, until you complete the contract with my father, you are essentially an orphan. I feel badly about the whole situation,” Aidan said quietly, and Rowan realized that he had not released her hand as he squeezed it. His dark eyes were gentle, and she felt a strong need to look away before she was drawn into them.
“Well, I am a grown woman, and it’s not as if you decided on the terms of the bargain,” she replied in a somewhat breathless voice. The prince frowned.
“Whatever you may think, my father didn’t choose those terms on a random whim. We’ve been keeping an eye on you for nearly your whole life.”
Rowan looked up, opening her mouth to question him further, and then the carriage lurched to a stop. Caught off guard, she was nearly driven into the prince’s lap, but he put a hand against her shoulder, saving her the embarrassment. “It seems we’ve arrived. We’ll have to continue this conversation later.”
As if to prove his point, the carriage door swung open. She could hear the sound of music even before Aidan helped her down to the ground. A city of sparkling light spread out all around her, but the first place she looked was up.
The night sky arched overhead, the stars brighter, closer, and more numerous than she had ever seen, despite the fact that the full moon also hung huge and luminous above them.
She was amazed by the beauty of it as much as she was enthralled by the skill and amount of magic she knew it must have taken to create. “I take it you approve,” Aidan said with a hint of amusement in his voice.
“It’s amazing,” she said, flashing him a bright smile. His eyes widened, and she noticed for the first time how luminous they were, despite being nearly black.
He cleared his throat. “If you’ll come with me, I will show you the rest of the city,” he said, offering his elbow. Once again, she linked her arm through his and allowed herself to be led.
*****************
“The theatre truly was splendid. I've been to the opera in London several times, but that was something completely unexpected. The costumes were magnificent, and the music…” Rowan sighed, smiling dreamily. It had been engrossing and magical without being, well, obviously magical and so full of light and sound and spectacle she had trouble putting her praise into words.
“I'm glad you enjoyed it,” Prince Aidan said, smiling as he leaned his elbows on the table, steepling his fingers under his chin. They were now sitting inside a quiet little restaurant in the Artisan’s Quarter, waiting for their meal to arrive. In truth, Rowan was both exhausted and starving after being escorted all over Serenalis, but she was also… happy. “There are some theatres in the Otherworld that use magic to make you feel as if you are living in the story, but I find I prefer this more…material method better.”
“That does sound interesting. Almost like reading a novel, but the pictures in your head have come to life. I can't imagine the amount of magic that must require.”
Aidan nodded. “Magic, and very specialized skill with enchantment. Most of the high fae do not care for it, however, because it requires some mind alteration, and is therefore dangerous. Even without the risk of accidental damage, we are wary of others learning our secrets.”
Quite unexpectedly, Rowan found the conversation turning in a useful direction. “Is that why you prefer the more traditional style of theatre, or is there another reason?” she asked, not even having to feign interest. The more she learned about Aidan, the more she wanted to know.
“There are a few of my private thoughts I’d rather not have everyone in the Court knowing, yes,” he replied with a somewhat grim smile. “But I told you before that I try to use large amounts of magic only when necessary.”
“You did, but you didn’t really explain why, besides the fact that magic used to be scarcer,” she said. He gazed at her thoughtfully before nodding almost to himself.
“You saw how my brother treats the lesser fae. I don’t even like the term, but the truth of it is that only the bloodlines of the nobility are blessed with great magical power. But all of us need magic to survive, so when power was in short supply, instead of trying to curb their own magic usage, most of the nobles started trying to keep these ‘freeloaders’ off their lands. When I inherited Serenalis, I started taking in those that had been driven away.
I believe there is enough magic for all fae to live comfortably, but it does necessitate that I restrict my personal usage somewhat. And I’ve been trying to learn from mortals about non-magical ways to do things. The less magic we use, the more people we can provide for.”
It was certainly not an answer she’d been expecting. Rowan gaped at him, and Aidan answered with a slightly troubled smile. “I suppose that doesn’t sound like something the son of the terrifying Lord of the Court of the Heavens should say.”
She couldn’t help the snorting laugh that escaped her. Then, Aidan laughed too, a quiet chuckle that was nevertheless contagious. The waiter arrived with their meal to find them nearly collapsed on the table with laughter. Rowan didn’t even remember what they were laughing about, but she felt that some of the tension that had plagued her the past several weeks had been lifted.
Aidan wiped his eyes with his fingers and shook his head. “This whole situation is ridiculous, I know. You’ve handled things so much better than anyone could have expected, forest fires notwithstanding.”
“I was hoping you wouldn’t bring it up,” Rowan said, her brow furrowing in consternation. Aidan chuckled again and sipped his wine. The food, baked fish in a spicy sauce on top of a grain that might have been rice, was delicious, but there was something different about it. It took a moment to place what it was. “This food…it’s actually cooked, isn’t it? Rather than created by magic?”
“I’m impressed that you can tell the difference,” he said, setting down his glass. “You’re correct. I hope you aren’t disappointed.”
“No,” she replied, smiling easily. “Of course, the food I had in your father’s palace was delicious, but it always felt lacking. I can’t quite describe it.”
Aidan smiled back at her in a way that made her heart turn over. “You’re one of the few people who agrees with me. Conjured food is fine, but there is something about real food, prepared with skill from ingredients grown from the earth, that feels more…satisfying.”
The rest of the meal was spent pleasantly, though Rowan had a lot on her mind. Finally, she couldn’t imagine eating any more, and Aidan seemed to agree. He leaned back in his chair with a sigh, and she thought she’d never seen him so relaxed. “Are you ready to depart, Lady Rowan?”
“I think so. Serenalis is a wonderful place. Even as tired as I am, I still don’t quite want to leave.” He held his hand out to help her from her chair and smiled as she stood. For whatever reason, they were standing much closer than usual, and she could smell the scent of him, cool and exotic all at once, cedar, spice, and snowfall. She wanted to embrace him, and as soon as the thought crossed her mind, she could feel her cheeks coloring.
“There is one more place I’d like to show you, if you aren’t too exhausted,” he said, and she thought his voice sounded lower than usual.
“Ah, yes, that would be fine,” she managed somehow, and he took her hand and led her back out into the street.
They walked along the sidewalk in silence for several minutes. Even as captivated as she was by the sights of the city, the globes of glowing crystal that lit the streets in faint blue light, the sounds of music and laughter floating from the yellow warmth of windows and doorways, she was acutely aware of the press of Aidan’s hand against her own.
way, it felt completely natural and, in this unfamiliar place, was even somewhat comforting, but it was also maddeningly distracting. Just as before, she noticed that his fingers were cool to the touch, and though he held her hand gently, she felt the strength contained within.
“Here we are.” His voice rang out in the night air, making her flinch, but her startled gasp died in her throat, transforming into a sigh of wonder. Their stroll had taken them away from the inhabited parts of Serenalis, and now they stood on a wide green lawn. She supposed it was a park. But the best part stood before them, a sort of natural balcony that looked out over the city. When Rowan walked forward and leaned on the railing, she could see all of Serenalis spread out beneath her, twinkling like scattered starlight. Aidan came to stand beside her, and she looked over at him. His expression was serene, and the moonlight reflecting off his sharp features made him look like the statue of some long-forgotten god.
“You really love Serenalis,” she observed with a smile. He nodded without looking in her direction.
“At first, it was just a memento of my mother. But now, it is the thing I wish to protect at all costs. It is a dream of a better world for my people.”
“And that’s why you want to become your father’s heir so badly.” It wasn’t a question so much as a realization, but he nodded again anyway.
“Niall has always been kind to me. I don’t believe that he’s evil at heart. But if he succeeds as Lord, things will stay exactly as they are, and eventually, my city will run out of room for refugees. If things are really going to change, they will have to change everywhere.”
Rowan took a deep breath. There was no reason to wait any longer, even if it was mildly terrifying. He had dropped her hand when they had entered the park, but now she reached for him, holding his hand in both of her own.
“Lady Rowan?” he asked with wide eyes. She could feel herself blushing, and all she could do was pray that his night vision wasn’t much better than hers.
“Prince Aidan, I…” It was difficult to find the words, not to mention embarrassing. Looking up at his face didn’t help. His eyes had narrowed, his expression somewhat suspicious. She gulped and started again. “I’ve decided that I’d like to stay with you. To fulfil my bargain with your father, I mean.”
She hadn’t been sure what to expect in the way of reception, but she certainly hadn’t imagined being suddenly wrapped in a fierce embrace. It was not particularly romantic, as all the air was squeezed out of her, and she felt that if he put any more force behind it, he would break her bones.
But then, his arms loosened enough for her to look up at his face, and she found he was looking down on her. His expression was complicated. “You’re sure that’s what you want?”
She met his gaze, and instead of being quailed by his dark eyes and their fathomless depths, she felt steadied somehow. His hands had been cold, but his embrace was warm. Even knowing this was a decision that couldn’t be taken back and feeling terribly unsure of where it would lead her, she felt once again a flutter of warmth in her chest. She realized that, despite her best intentions, she had come to like him, and there was a danger in that, she knew, but also some comfort as well. “Yes,” she said with confidence she hadn’t possessed until that moment. “I’m sure.”
He smiled then with a brief flash of white teeth. “I can’t begin to tell you how much this means to me. I know this is an uncomfortable situation for you, Lady Rowan, but I’ll do whatever I can to make you feel more at ease.”
“Could you stop calling me Lady, at least in private? It makes me feel strange and ridiculous,” she said a little hesitantly. But he didn’t seem upset by her suggestion. In fact, his smile might have widened a fraction.
“I will call you by your name if you will consent to call me by mine,” he answered. “Titles can be rather burdensome when hoping to get to know someone better.” That made Rowan happy, that he wished to know her better, because she wished to know him better, but at the same time she felt nervous about what was to happen next.
She knew he was not a cruel sort of person, even if he could be a little blunt, but she also knew that the fae Court and its politics were dangerous. It would not be completely unreasonable for him to want to begin the…process of the terms of the bargain right away. Every time she tried to think about what that would entail, her brain stuttered to a stop. She wanted to ask, but could not make herself form the words.
But he seemed to sense her trepidation. “There is no reason to hurry, Rowan,” he said gently, and to her surprise, he brought his hand around to tenderly brush a strand of hair off her cheek. “Your father is safe where he is, and I will keep you safe, and things can progress at whatever speed you wish.
I would like to inform my father tomorrow so that he can prepare for Niall’s expected explosion of temper, but otherwise, you needn’t rush. I have no desire to make this unpleasant for you.”
A little voice in her mind remarked that it was easy for him to say, since he was functionally immortal, but cynicism aside, she knew he was trying to be kind, and she appreciated more than she could say. Tears of relief pricked at the corners of her eyes, and she blinked them back. “Thank you for being so understanding.”
He shook his head. “I know you don’t have much of a reason to trust me, but I hope that you will come to. I…” he paused, and then he shook his head again, as if trying to clear the cobwebs from his brain. “Shall we go back?”
She nodded, still feeling a bit overwhelmed, and he grasped her hand and led her slowly down the hill. With a sigh, she tilted her head back and looked up at the stars one more time, watching them shiver in the deep blackness of Serenalis’s eternal night. For better or worse, she’d chosen her path, and now it was time to see where it led.