Crown of Coral and Pearl

“Because of Princess Ilara.”

“But that’s ridiculous. She died hundreds of years ago.” I remembered the way Ebb had held her breath over the bridge. “Is that why you’re afraid of water? Because Ilara drowned?”

“I’m not afraid of water,” she said, bristling. “Not small amounts of it, anyway. But large bodies of water are best avoided. Everyone in Ilara knows that. I had a little cousin who died chasing a ball that rolled into a lake.”

“And you think the water spirits took her?”

“Of course, milady. What else?”

Most likely the child had drowned because she didn’t know how to swim. In Varenia, we were literally born in the water. Fearing the ocean would be akin to fearing the air we breathed. But the story of Princess Ilara was deeply enmeshed in Varenian culture, even now. I supposed it was only natural that would be the same here, in Ilara itself.

“Who raised Ceren after his mother died?”

“It was his nursemaids, mostly, though the queen did spend time with him. She wouldn’t let anyone else take care of Talin, though. She was with him all throughout his childhood. I’ve never seen a son more loved by his mother.”

That explained Ceren’s jealousy. He had grown up without a mother, while his brother had Talia. I felt a twinge of sympathy for Ceren. “Thank you for telling me this, Ebb.”

“Of course, milady.” She finished helping me into my nightgown and tied my hair into a loose braid. “Is there anything else I can do for you?”

“There was a woman in the dining hall tonight. She looked familiar.” I could tell from the fear in Ebb’s eyes that I had stumbled back upon the subject she wished to avoid. “She was the rejected Varenian girl, wasn’t she?”

Ebb sighed, looking at the hole in the wall again. “Yes. Her name is Lady Melina.”

So Melina was the replacement girl, the one who’d caused the Varenians to be punished two generations ago, when all those children died of thirst. Ceren’s grandfather, King Lazar, had not married her, and yet she was still here, forty years later.

“I would like to speak with her,” I said carefully. “Can you arrange for us to meet?”

Ebb looked doubtful. “I can try, but I should warn you—Prince Ceren has never liked Lady Melina.”

“Why not?”

“He finds her presence at court...distasteful.”

My face grew hot with anger. “Why? Because she’s Varenian?”

Ebb shook her head and came to kneel before me. “No, milady.” She lowered her voice to a whisper. “Because she was King Lazar’s mistress.”

My anger soured to disgust. Melina han’t been good enough to be queen, but she’d been good enough to warm the king’s bed? “That’s hardly a reflection on her. I want to meet her. As soon as possible.”

Ebb chewed on her thin lower lip. “I can try, but it won’t be easy. She keeps to the shadows. Sometimes she’ll appear when you had no idea she was even in the room.”

If Lady Melina kept to the shadows, then perhaps that was where I’d have to meet her. “We’ll meet somewhere inconspicuous, when the prince is busy. I promise I’ll be careful.”

“I’m glad to hear it. I only want what’s best for you.”

I leaned down so she would have to look me in the eye. “And you think Prince Ceren is what’s best for me?”

Ebb flushed. “I think not angering him is what’s best, milady.”

I couldn’t argue with that.

After Ebb left, I lowered the tiny curtains that hung over the alcoves where the lunar moss was placed in glass lanterns. It was too bright in here for sleep, and the light illuminated the strange creatures woven into the tapestries and carved into the wood.

I picked up one of the lanterns and held it up to the tapestry closest to my bed. What I’d thought was an amorphous blob was actually a lake, embroidered with tiny blue stitches. A young woman perched on a rock near the water, combing her hair. Something dark and serpentine lingered below the surface of the water. It had a human’s head, but its mouth was filled with sharp teeth.

A loud knock on the door nearly caused me to drop the lantern. I laughed at myself for being so jumpy and set the lantern back down in its alcove. I was still smiling when I opened the door, assuming Ebb had forgotten something. But it was Ceren who waited on my threshold, his face as pale as candlewax against the darkness of the corridor.

“Your Highness,” I said, dropping into a curtsy. “What are you doing here?”

He walked past me into the room, closing the door behind him. “Your wrap.” He handed me the fur capelet I’d left in the dining hall.

“Thank you,” I said, pressing it to my chest to cover the thin fabric of my nightdress.

Ceren pulled back one of the curtains I had lowered, illuminating the room in the eerie blue light. “It’s a full moon,” he said absently. “They say strange things happen during the full moon.”

I stayed where I was near the door. “Do they?”

He strode toward me, crossing the room quickly. I was pressed all the way against the door when he took my hands in his, causing me to drop the wrap. “I’m sorry I mistreated you earlier. But you must understand that there are people watching us at all times. The lords and ladies... They like to talk, to gossip. If I’m going to be their king someday, they must respect me.” His silver eyes glowed pale blue in the light of the lanterns.

“Of course,” I said. “I understand.”

He held on a moment longer before dropping my hands and stepping back. My breath left me in a rush. I stepped hastily away from the door and retreated toward my bed.

Ceren turned to leave, then whirled back around to face me, his long hair fanning around him. “The pie.”

“The—the pie?”

“You never told me if you liked it.”

Talin had told me to act impressed, if I wanted to earn Ceren’s affection. I had no more desire for his affection than for another bat pie, but I did want him to leave. “Oh, yes!” I said as cheerfully as I could muster. “It was very...unique.”

He nodded, seemingly pleased. “Good. It wasn’t easy getting all those bats together. As it was, we lost several during the baking.”

I covered my grimace with the back of my hand. I wasn’t squeamish, but harming innocent creatures for entertainment was not something I could condone. “Perhaps next time, you could put something less...alive in it.” I smiled as sweetly as I could. “The other ladies got a bit hysterical.”

“But not you. You’re made of stronger stuff than they are, aren’t you?” Ceren sent me an admiring glance, then kissed my hand and slipped out the door, leaving me bewildered and more than a little unnerved.

* * *

To my relief, Ceren was gone the next day. A servant told Ebb he’d left New Castle to collect more supplies for his experiment. I asked her to set up my meeting with Lady Melina immediately. As much as I wanted to hide in my room and avoid the stares of the court, I only had a little while to gather information for Sami. And anything that might take my mind off the fact that I was going to marry Ceren—possibly very soon—was welcome.

Ebb was hesitant, but eventually I convinced her that there was no danger, since the king was still in his chambers and Ceren was absent. At the end of the day, she agreed to take me to the library for a meeting.

The library was an unfinished cavern Ebb said was rarely used, but I found it beautiful. The ceilings had been left in their raw, natural state, with pillars of stone for support. There were spiral staircases on either side of the finished part of the chamber, but there was really no need for them, since most of the upper shelves were empty. In order to keep the books safe from the damp, the room had more skylights than any other chamber I’d been in. I waited for Melina under one of the lights, soaking up as much sun as I could.

Lady Melina came alone. She had to be close to sixty, but aside from a few strands of gray hair among the black, she could have been my mother’s age. Her complexion was sallow from so many years inside New Castle, but she was still unquestionably beautiful.

“Hello, child,” she said as we took a seat on a cushioned bench.

No one had called me “child” since leaving Varenia. I was surprised to find that I’d missed it. I bowed my head. “Lady Melina.”

“How are you adjusting to life here in the mountain?”

I kept my eyes downcast, staring at the lace edging of my sleeves. She wasn’t old enough to be an elder, but she was nevertheless worthy of my respect. “Very well, thank you.”

“And how do you like your future husband?”

She was feeling me out, testing me. I didn’t know if I could trust Lady Melina, but right now, she was the closest thing I had to a potential ally. “He’s very...unusual,” I said carefully. “I don’t know what to make of him yet.”

“I suppose you’ll have plenty of time to decide, once you’re married.”

My lip curled involuntarily at the word, but I quickly rearranged my features. “Of course.”