Chapter 11

DIANA

An entire month had passed since that strange night by the waterfall.

One month since I had seen Draven.

At first, I had expected him to appear the next day. Then the day after that. Then perhaps a week later.

But he never came.

When I finally asked Aeris where the prince was, the fae had simply smiled and informed me that His Highness had traveled on official business.

That answer should have satisfied me. Instead, it only made the strange disappointment in my chest worsen.

"Princess."

A wooden sword smacked my shoulder.

"Ow!" I jumped back, rubbing the affected area.

Aeris stood opposite me with his own practice sword balanced lazily across one shoulder.

His silver hair gleamed beneath the sunlight. "You were daydreaming again."

"I was not."

"You absolutely were."

"I wasn't."

He raised one eyebrow. "You have the worst liar's face I have ever seen."

I glared at him, but he looked too pleased with himself.

The training courtyard behind my wing had become my favorite place in Volkar over the past month. The alternative was spending all day locked in my chambers.

Apparently Draven had ordered that I be taught basic self defense.

To everyone's surprise, Aeris had volunteered. To absolutely no one's surprise, he had spent the entire month tormenting me.

"Again," he said.

I groaned. "Aeris."

"Again."

"I am tired."

"It is barely noon."

"I am emotionally tired."

He rolled his eyes. "Tragic."

Before I could respond, he lunged at me. I barely blocked his strike and the impact rattled my arms.

"Good!" Aeris called.

A second strike followed immediately and I blocked it again, then another.

Soon we were circling each other across the snowy courtyard.

I laughed a real laugh when I successfully struck him. The kind that hadn't come easily since arriving in Volkar.

Aeris nodded as he watched me, then his teasing expression softened. "You've improved."

I blinked. "Really?"

"Yes."

His gaze moved over me. "Your balance is better."

Before I could argue further, a very big shadow swept across the courtyard.

I immediately lifted my eyes to the sky and saw two dragons soaring above Volkar. Their enormous wings stretched across the sky as they circled the fortress.

My breath seized.

It didn't matter how many times I saw them. The sight was always breathtaking.

Sarah stopped beside me. "Creator."

Mina followed my gaze. "I don't think I'll ever get used to that."

Aeris snorted. "You should probably get used to it."

We looked at him.

The fae pointed lazily to the sky. "You're literally married to one."

A strange feeling settled in my chest. "Unfortunately, I'm married to the only dragon in the realm I apparently cannot go close to."

Sarah immediately looked uncomfortable while Mina suddenly found the ground fascinating.

Aeris, meanwhile, looked delighted. "The longing begins."

"There is no longing." I denied it, pulling my brows together.

His smile widened. "Princess, you've asked about him six times this week."

Heat rushed into my cheeks. "I have not."

"Yes, you have."

"I was being polite."

"You were being curious."

I opened my mouth to argue but Aeris already looked victorious.

Then suddenly, a horn sounded from the front gates and the training grounds quieted.

Several warriors turned as we watched a rider approaching.

Unlike most visitors to Volkar, he wasn't alone. Behind him was a royal carriage draped in gold banners bearing the crest of the Central Palace.

My stomach tightened immediately.

The messenger rode directly into the courtyard before dismounting. Then he dropped to one knee.

"Princess Diana Volk."

He extended both hands, holding a scroll up towards me. "I bear a royal decree from the Central Palace, Her Imperial Majesty, the Supreme Queen." He declared, his head still bowed.

Behind me, I heard a gasp.

Sarah covered her mouth with her hand, her eyes widening in terror. Mina stumbled backward against the bench she and Sarah had been sitting on.

"The... the Queen?" Mina whispered, her voice shaking with panic. "The Queen herself?"

I looked at the seal as I accepted the scroll.

Sarah and Mina had already moved closer. Slowly, I unfolded the letter and my eyes scanned the words.

"Princess?" Sarah asked nervously.

I lowered the letter. "The Queen has summoned me."

Sarah looked horrified. "Summoned?"

"To the Central Palace...for a week."

"Her Majesty requests that Princess Diana reside as her guest in the Central Palace for seven days." The messenger reported.

Guest.

The word felt oddly threatening.

I looked up at him. "When do we leave?"

"Tomorrow morning, Your Highness." He gestured towards the carriage behind him. "The Queen sent transportation."

My eyes widened. What in the world was going on?

The messenger bowed again. "I was instructed to tell Your Highness to rest and prepare for the journey. We depart at sunrise."

A strange feeling formed in my stomach.

The Supreme Queen was a ruthless matriarch who ruled the realm with an iron fist. A summon from her was never a casual invitation.

The messenger rose and went to join the others from the central palace.

The Queen had ignored me and my family completely during our stay in the palace and now, she suddenly wanted me at the Central Palace for a whole week?

Aeris took the letter from my hand and read it himself. His brows rose, then he laughed.

I didn't like that laugh one bit. "Aeris?"

The fae handed the letter back. "Well."

"What?" I asked, getting impatient.

"It appears Her Majesty has finally decided to inspect her stepson's wife."

My stomach dropped. "Why would she want to inspect me? I'm just a human girl."

Aeris handed the letter to Sarah, then said, "Princess." His expression turned oddly sympathetic. "Do you know who hates Prince Draven more than anyone else in this realm?"

I blinked. "Who?"

Aeris folded his arms. "The Queen."

My mouth fell open.

"What?" me, Mina and Sarah blurted out together.

Aeris nodded. "Her Majesty and His Highness have spent decades barely tolerating each other."

"Why?" I managed to ask after some minutes.

Aeris shrugged. "Politics...power....history, and neither of them has ever bothered hiding it."

A chill crawled down my spine.

Slowly, my gaze drifted back to the royal carriage waiting near the gates. Tomorrow morning, I would leave Volkar to spend a week with the one woman in the realm who openly despised my husband.

In his absence.