Chapter 7

A BEAUTIFUL CAGE

I had grown up hearing stories about Silverfang. People said its towers reached the clouds and its halls were so wide that it could hold a village. I had always thought those stories were exaggerated. They weren't. The carriage rolled into a huge archway carved with wolves caught in mid-howl. Their stone eyes seemed to watch us as we went by, making me feel smaller than I ever had in my life.

Kael helped me out of the carriage himself. His hand gently held mine, careful not to squeeze too hard. I avoided looking at him and rather stared at the pale stone steps that led to tall doors that could have been three men standing on each other's shoulders.

"This way," he pointed.

I followed because I didn't know what else to do. My legs moved on their own while my mind was idly trapped in the memory of what had happened in the ballroom. I could still hear Selene naming a price for me as if I were a piece of silk.

Inside the palace smelled of beeswax candles and fresh roses. Marble floors spread as far as the eyes can see, in every direction. It was polished so brightly that I could see my blurry reflection staring back at me. I looked pale and lost in my mother's blue dress.

Servants lined up in neat rows and each one of them bowed as we passed. I sensed their eyes on me as they stole a quick glance at my face, my dress, and my bare wrist where a bracelet had once been.

I knew what they were thinking. Who is she? Why her? What could possibly be so special about this nobody from Mooncrest?

Kael walked so close to me that I could feel the warmth coming off him, but he never once let his hand touch my back. I also took note of the distance he kept between us. His fingers hovered at my back as if he knew that if he touched me again tonight I might fall apart completely.

"The east wing is quiet," he said in a deep and soothing voice. "I thought you might prefer that, after everything."

I did not answer him because I did not trust my voice not to break when I opened my mouth. As we climbed a wide staircase, our footsteps bounced off the walls hung with the portraits of kings I didn't recognize. Their painted eyes seemed to follow me all the way till we reached the top where a long corridor lay open before us, lined with dark wooden doors.

Kael stopped in front of the largest one and opened it then stepped aside for me to enter first. The room overwhelmed me just as much as the palace had. It had a huge bed draped in silver and pale blue silk in the middle that could contain six people. A fireplace crackled with fresh flame which threw warm light on a thick carpet that my feet had sunk into when I stepped on it. Tall windows covered one wall. Their curtains were drawn open to reveal the night sky and the dark gardens below. A vase near the bed was filled with white roses, their scent thick and sweet in the warm air.

"These will be your chambers," Kael said from the doorway. "If you need anything, there's a bell beside the bed. Someone will come."

I swirled in a slow circle, taking in every space of the room. It was larger than my entire wing at the Ashthorne estate and filled with beautiful things yet none of it was something I had asked for or wanted. There was a dressing table that had silver brushed on it and a wardrobe carved with moon shapes. Just as I suspected, it was filled with gowns.

What a cage, I thought. A beautiful, golden cage. "Thank you," I said because I couldn't think of anything else. Even those two words came out weak and empty.

Kael studied me. There was warmth in his eyes, but I kept my gaze on the roses. "Aurelia. I know this isn't the home you wanted."

Hearing my name from his lips felt strange. "No, it isn't," I replied.

"I won't force anything on you. Not the bond, not this palace, and not even me." He paused. "But I won't leave you unprotected either. Whatever you decide about us, you're safe here. That much I can promise.”

I said nothing. What was there to say to a man who had bought me from my own family, no matter how gently he tried to hide that truth in kind words?

He lowered his head in a small, formal gesture. That was strange coming from a king. "Rest, if you can. Someone will bring you food if you want it."

He slowed the door leaving me alone in the middle of the room. I could still hear his footsteps fading down the hallway until they disappeared completely. The silence that followed was deafening.

I don't know how long I stood there until at last, my legs finally carried me to the bed. I sank slowly into it. The silk sheets were cool and soft in my palms. My mother's dress, now wrinkled from the carriage ride, pooled around me. Tiny creases covered the fabric that had once been pressed. My mother had saved it for a day she believed would be filled with happiness. I remembered her voice from years ago as she brushed my hair before bed.

True love can never be forced, little moon.

Then I thought of my father's downcast eyes when Selene gave her price. I thought of Rowan's cruel words in the garden when he called me convenient. Oddly, his betrayal didn't sting as much as it did before. So much had happened in a short time for me to think too much about it. 

The tears came rushing without warning and rolled down my cheeks. This time, I did not fight them after all there was no one here to see me. No Della to gently wipe my face and no audience waiting to decide whether I was strong, weak, or worthy. I curled onto my side on top of the silk covers, still wearing my mother's dress, and cried for the girl I used to be. The girl who believed her boyfriend's promise would last forever. The girl who thought love was supposed to be easy, full of peaceful mornings, warm hands, and no pain.

That girl was very far away now.

After some time, my tears slowed and finally stopped. My eyes were swollen. My chest was empty and sore. Exhaustion tugged at every part of me. I didn't have the strength to change out of my mother's dress or climb properly under the blankets. My eyelids were becoming heavy and I fought to keep them open. Alas I gave up and let sleep take me.

I don't know how much time passed when the door burst open. My eyes flew open and my heart pounded violently in my ribs. I covered my mouth as I gasped with eyes wide open. The fire was burning, though its flames had grown low. In the dim light, I saw a figure move quickly through the doorway.

Kael.

But this wasn't the calm man who had left me alone earlier. His shoulders were tense. His eyes were sharp and alert that it sent shivers down my spine. He crossed the room in three long strides and knelt beside the bed. He held my wrist.

"Don't move," he whispered. "Stay quiet, Aurelia. Don't make a sound.”