A Dream of Fate & Flesh (Courts of Malice #2)

34. Lose Another Friend

thirty-four

Lose Another Friend

Alessia

T he world blurs past as Ezamae windwalks the two of us in quick bursts. The wheels of my mind spin, trying to make sense of everything. It all happened so fast.

One minute, everything was fine, and the next… Eoin was gone.

Without Eoin, Ez can windwalk the two of us faster and farther.

Without Eoin, the silence stretches longer.

Without Eoin… I should be relieved. But I feel the opposite.

I feel responsible.

“I can still only do short bursts at a time,” Ez says at one of our stops while he catches his breath. A dense forest stretches around us, identical to the last couple of stops. The overhead sun peaks through the branches, offering diffused, golden light. “I think I can get us to Ethyria by sundown, but I’ll need to recharge before we get to the court.”

I nod.

“Unless you want to help me out,” he jokes, but it lacks his usual luster.

I sigh.

“You sure? It can be our little secret.” He nudges me with an elbow.

Frustration brims, and I stalk toward him, eyes narrowed. “ Why are you even helping me?”

Eoin made a good point when he said fae always have selfish interests. I don’t believe for a second that Ez’s motivations are altruistic. He showed up out of nowhere at Terra Court and took an interest in me for seemingly no reason. I find it odd he just so happened to be there when I needed an escape and was willing to help.

He has his court to run, yet he’s wasting his time, energy, and magic on me.

Seraphina was his friend, and she tried to kill me—she killed Eoin.

“Trust me when I say I’d like to see you succeed, Alessia,” he murmurs. “It’s mutually beneficial.”

I shake my head, fingering the dagger at my thigh. It still isn’t enough. “Hard to trust you when your good friend tried to kill me.”

His jaw tightens as he leans against a tree and stares past me. “It’s a compliment. All the important fae have had assassination attempts at some point or another. You are officially important enough to—”

“That is not a consolation, nor is it a compliment.” I rebraid my hair, keeping my chin up and gaze steady. “It makes no sense, Ezamae, unless you know something you’re not sharing.”

His eyes dart to the left before refocusing on my face. It’s a small tell, but just enough to raise my hackles.

“I shall deal with her once we complete our journey.” He places a hand over his heart and meets my gaze. “You have my word.”

“Any trust we’ve built is no longer standing.”

“I understand your reservations.” He plucks a leaf from his hair, flicking it away. “However, I do feel it is unfair to hold me responsible for the actions of another. ”

“Why does Seraphina want me dead? I’m nobody to her.”

“You are not nobody.” He gives me a guilty look, his silver eyes shining in the sunlight. With a sigh, he begins pacing.

“Then why?”

“I’m trying to work that out,” he mutters.

“So you don’t even know why?” That almost makes it worse.

“Seraphina isn’t usually… so petty.” His humor melts, and he swipes a hand over his face. “I theorize she fears your potential.”

“I’ll give her something to fear,” I mutter, pacing angrily. “I’m going to rip her skin from her bones—” I come to a sudden stop, hearing the words I’m saying—and meaning them.

The intensity of my anger grows, driving me towards a disturbing inclination to unleash harm upon her. And the image of exacting my revenge feels divine.

Maybe I’ve got it all wrong. What if I was meant to embrace the darkness, not turn it away? Is that the real reason why I failed the trials?

I bite my lip and turn my face up, squinting toward the sky to locate the sun. It’s begun its descent, signaling only mere hours before evening.

With Rainer’s life on the line, he is my priority. Everything else can wait.

“We need to go,” I tell Ez, adjusting the pack on my back.

He makes a contemplative noise and steps toward me. Without warning, he grips my arm, quickly shooting us through the ether. The unexpected move is jarring, and my head spins.

My feet land on solid ground with an oomph, and I stumble like the drunken lord, trying to reacquaint myself with gravity.

As I get my bearings, Ez propels us forward again, and we continue shooting through time and space as we windwalk closer to Ethyria.

To my heart.

To my fallen prince.

As evening falls, the sun’s golden glow melts across the horizon. We’re welcomed into the city by a thick, humid air carrying the scent of brine. The sky is cluttered with loud, squawking bird calls. Laughter and chatter ring into the evening.

The cobblestone streets are bustling with fae and carriages, the crowds stretching as far as the eye can see. Mismatched brick buildings line the streets, proudly advertising ale, food, and various goods.

I’ve never seen a city like this—so many people in one place.

Not people.

Fae .

Sharp ears, ethereal beauty, and even some scales and wings offer a reminder of what these brutal beings are. A vocal trio moves past us, screeching out a bawdy tune as they sling back liquor.

Nervous apprehension has me pulling on my cloak, jerking the hood to hide my hair.

“Ez,” I whisper. “Are you sure it’s safe here?”

“I rather enjoy this part of Ethyria.” He holds his arm out for me, and I hesitantly loop my own through his. He tugs me close, for which I’m grateful. “Many parts are uptight, catering to the rich and noble. This side of the city, however, is a playground for those without a pole up their tight arses.”

A shirtless faerie rams into me, and I push him off. He stumbles away. Ezamae scowls, flicking a wrist. A gust of wind blasts the faerie, and he tumbles, face-planting on the stone path. Raucous laughter howls out around us.

“Ezamae,” I hiss, keeping my head down. The last thing I want is to attract attention to us.

He only pats my hand, tutting softly.

We stride through the busy street, arm in arm, and my eyes carefully wander the many faces and storefronts. I’ve only been to the village square in Lyson a handful of times, and it’s nothing compared to this horror. Lyson has only one street of vendors as opposed to this maze of endless shops crammed together.

Every few feet, new scents hit my nose. Baking bread one second, then it morphs into the stink of rotten eggs. Seconds later, the air breaks, giving way to the salty scent of what I imagine is an ocean.

“It’s a bit much,” I say, scrunching my face. “Lots of… everything.” I hate it.

Ezamae replies, but I struggle to hear him over the din of voices, jingling coins, and the clack of a carriage clamoring by.

Minutes later, Ez stops and pulls free of me. “Here we are,” he says. He jerks his head toward a two-story building with worn brick and a broken sign that dangles above the door. The word is foreign, and I can’t quite make out what it says.

“In another life, I would’ve much enjoyed being a courtesan.” He smiles at a voluptuous passerby. She eyes him with hunger. “Get paid to partake in my favorite activity?” he murmurs. “A dream.” He straightens, rolling his shoulders back and facing me. “Alas, I must pay rather than get paid.”

I clutch my velvet cloak so hard my knuckles ache. “Ez, are we at a whorehouse?”

He gapes at me, eyes wide. “Gods, no .” He grips my shoulders gently. “It’s a brothel , Alessia. These are hard-working folk, not whores .”

My face heats at his admonishing tone. “I didn’t mean it like that. I’m—” sorry . I catch myself. “It’s different where I come from.” Lord Edvin always referred to these places as whorehouses, speaking ill of the people who worked there by choice. But after breaking free of the lord and his estate, I realize how insignificant and often incorrect his perceptions were.

As the last rays of the sun slip behind the horizon, the dozens of oil lamps lining the street simultaneously flicker to life.

I gasp, taking in the wondrous sight.

Ez chuckles. “Sometimes I forget you’re not used to magic.”

I want to correct him, to tell him I’m not used to crowds or cities or so many different smells and sounds, too. That it’s not only their world that’s new to me, but life and freedom in general, but I’m not sure how to explain it to someone like him.

Rainer would understand .

“I shouldn’t be standing on the street, Ez.” Not with Seraphina out there. “We need to get to Rainer.”

“I know. I need to recharge my power to get us to the castle.”

“I thought the castle was here? In Ethyria.”

“The castle—the court—is just beyond city limits. Best if I’m at my prime if we’re going to face the queen.” He pats my shoulder and then releases me. “I’ll be quick. ”

He turns to walk away. Something resembling a shadow moves between the buildings. Fear crawls down my spine. What if it’s the shadow-spirit taunting me? Or worse, what if it’s the sorceress?

Not to mention the queen wants me returned to Dovenak. Would she send anyone after me?

“Wait!” I scurry to Ez’s side.

He cocks a brow at me. “Change your mind about assisting me?”

I slap his arm. “No, but you can’t just leave me out here,” I hiss. My head swings in both directions as I scan the strangers around me, searching for the shadow. “Not when there are… things that want me dead.”

Ez laughs. “Seraphina loathes Ethyria—Queen Yvanthia especially. She wouldn’t be caught dead here.” Ez cocks his head. “Eh, a poor choice of words, I suppose.”

My stomach lurches. “What if she’s not the only one? I—I don’t want to be alone.”

He sighs, glancing at the brothel door and then back to me. “I suppose you can watch then. That is if you don’t want to join.”

My cheeks heat. “I don’t want to watch either.”

“If you say so.” He smirks, opening the door to let me enter first.

A small bell chimes overhead, alerting the patrons to our arrival. I’m not sure what I expected, exactly—perhaps abundant nudity or the bitter scent of sweat and lewd sounds—but it looks like a tavern.

Fully dressed folk drink ale and eat stew around tables. A bar stretches out at the back of the room, where a pretty, older female with pin-straight black hair tends the bar .

“Ezamae, you arse, get over here!” She throws down the bar towel, coming out from behind the counter to pull the Aer Prince into a hug. “It’s been too long.”

They exchange pleasantries, and Ez asks for a room for the night. “Can you send up a meal?” he asks.

“Any preferences on what you’d like to eat?”

“I’m quite hungry, and anything will satiate.”

She nods, giving me a seductive smile before striding back to the counter. She reaches for one of the many keys hanging beside the liquor bottles and extends her arm over the bartop. Ez takes the key, giving her a gracious nod.

“Enjoy your dinner, you two,” she says with a wink.

Ez grabs my hand, leading me toward the stairs. I don’t know whether to be thankful or annoyed that he didn’t bother introducing me.

“I’m not hungry,” I say petulantly as I follow him up the creaky wooden stairs to the second floor. A nervous energy buzzes through me at knowing how close we are to Rainer.

“We’re not eating.”

Ezamae leads me down a hallway, inserting the key into the last door on the left and using his hip to push it open when it sticks. A small oil lamp flickers on with our arrival, casting a soft glow over the space.

The room’s focal point is a rather large bed with silky red sheets. A couple of plush chairs sit against the wall, facing the bed. Most curious, the ceiling above the bed is a mirror.

“Why did you order a meal if we’re not—” He pulls his shirt up and over his head in one fluid motion. I quickly spin to face the wall. “ Ezamae !”

“If you are actually hungry, we can be sure to get Layla’s famous stew on our way out. I guarantee she won’t poison—”

A knock on the door rings out through the space.

“Ah,” Ez says, humored. “My meal has arrived.”

I notice a door between the two chairs. I bolt toward it, yanking it open and slipping inside. A small bathing room greets me.

Beyond the door, I hear muffled rustling and soft voices.

Sighing, I sink onto the floor to ponder my rescue plan. I’m heading into this blind with no fundamental ideas on how to get Rainer. Even if my magic had awoken, I couldn’t use it within the queen’s walls—the wards would prevent me from breaking in.

Except… the dreamwalking worked.

My fingers gently graze my neck. The small holes linger, now rough with the forming scabs. I pull my hair out of the braid, letting it fall around my shoulders to hide the evidence of Rainer’s mark. If we can impact each other in our dreams, perhaps there’s something I can do—or give—to Rainer to help him.

Shortly after, a loud moan reaches my ears. Rhythmic thumping picks up, followed by masculine grunting.

“Oh my Gods,” I mumble, burying my face into my cloak. My face burns with embarrassment as I try to focus on anything other than the sounds from the main room.

I plug my ears, humming to myself. The crescendo builds, and my avoidance does nothing to stop the sound of the female reaching her… pleasure.

Finally— finally— the main door clicks shut in the bedroom. Soft footsteps grow louder as they trail toward the bathroom. The door opens slowly to reveal a—thankfully—fully dressed Ezamae .

I pinch the bridge of my nose and look at the ceiling. “Can we go now?”

“Indeed, my lady.”

On the way out, I glance at the mirror above the bed. I swear I catch sight of a dark shadow trailing me, but when I spin around, there’s nothing there.

It only takes one short burst until we appear just outside the queen’s castle. Perched on jagged cliffs overlooking the sea, the queen’s sprawling castle melds seamlessly with the rock, its stone walls, and soaring towers crowned with gem-encrusted turrets. Waves crash thunderously against the cliffs below.

A formidable stone wall stands tall and sturdy between us and the castle grounds.

I gape, unable to form words.

When I can speak again, I say, “You recharged your energy for that ?” I side-eye Ezamae. “We could’ve walked here.”

“Never enter into battle unprepared, Alessia.” He adjusts the collar of his shirt. “I wanted my power at full strength. Just in case.” He winks, but there’s a sense of unease hiding beneath his calm facade.

“This is stupid,” I murmur, the weight of the situation becoming real. “We don’t even have a plan.”

“I have a plan.”

“Interested in sharing it?” I stare at the sprawling stone castle in the distance. Whenever I think a fae estate can’t get bigger or fancier, I’m wrong. This makes Rainer’s and Eoin’s homes look like shacks. “The prison is beneath that ?”

“Yes. A few levels down, but if all goes well, we won’t need to descend into the prison.”

“How are we going to break Rainer out? We can’t just walk in, stride up to the queen, and ask for his release.”

“That’s exactly what we’ll do.”

I choke on my spit and break out into a cough. Ez pats my back. “Are you sure you’re not trying to kill me, too?”

“You need to trust me,” he says. He turns to face me, his eye contact intense. “Do you trust me?”

For most of my life, I’ve only truly trusted one person: Char.

Despite her secrets and manipulation, I’m reluctant to regret trusting her. She did save my life many times, after all.

After coming here, I trusted Rainer. He pushed me away, temporarily shattering that trust, but after seeing what happened—how he ended up here —his actions are warranted. He pushed me away to avoid this . He needed to work on himself before he could fully let me in.

After everything, I still trust them both. Sometimes, others have reasons for doing things, and trust requires us to let go and accept their actions without knowing the complete picture.

I don’t know Ezamae’s exact intentions, but I genuinely believe he’s trying to help me. His actions have warranted a certain level of belief.

“Do you trust me?” he repeats.

I sigh, feeling stupid for wanting to trust Ezamae, but at this point, there’s nothing I have left to lose. “Close enough.”

“That’ll do.” He grabs my hand. “ Come on.”

He leads me to a massive gate. A couple of guards greet us warily.

“Prince Ezamae Mellían of Aer Court and Lady Alessia… of…” he turns to me and frowns. “Of Dovenak to see Queen Yvanthia.”

The guards share a look.

“She is expecting us,” Ezamae says with a suave authority. “If we are late, it shall be your burden.”

“Drop your weapons,” one of them says flatly.

I unstrap the dagger, and Ezamae pulls out a few hidden blades. My brows fly up.

A few tense moments pass as the guards pat us down, muttering in a foreign language to one another. Finally, the gates creak open, beckoning us forth. I swallow the terrible lump in my throat. I should’ve pestered Ezamae for details on his plan. I should turn around and run far away from here. But the invisible tug I feel in my gut and heart, drawing me closer to the palace—to him—keeps my feet moving forward.

Rainer is here. I can feel it.

And I’ll stop at nothing to free him, no matter the cost.

I refuse to lose another friend.