Her Cinder Throne (Completed)

Chapter 13

Tanwyn's jaw worked as he stared at her. He stood leaning against another target, his arms crossed, and Cole knew he was judging every last thing about her. No doubt it had taken him two seconds to learn to control the ring. But her human blood was working against her.

"That's enough for today," he said, coming forward and picking up her hand. He held it tightly as he pulled the ring off and dropped it into his pocket. He dropped her hand as if it was made of something disgusting.

"I can keep trying," Cole said, not wanting to lose her opportunity.

"I'll see what I can do later," Tanwyn replied. "In the meantime, try and access the magic that resides within the heart of all living things. Try to sense it in the plants and people around you, even in the human world. It'll be hard, as a human, but you might sharpen your sense in that way."

Cole nodded.

"Now, let's talk about the prince," Tanwyn said.

He put a hand on her shoulder, but his eyes swung up to scan the seating above them. Cole turned to try and see what he was looking at, but she saw nothing but shadows. Yet, when she turned back around, Tanwyn's eyebrows were tilted every so slightly down. The corners of his mouth were tight, and his hand on her shoulder felt warm.

"Follow me," he said.

He steered her toward the corridor they had entered through, and only stopped once they were halfway toward the door that led to the stall outside. The darkness wrapped around them, cool and heavy. Cole leaned against the stone wall, thankful for something that would help whip away the heat that was built up inside her.

Tanwyn stood in front of her, close enough that she could feel his breath stirring on the bare skin above her collar bone. "The spy in the royal household has told us that there is going to be an event for the prince's birthday."

"And you want me to kill him during that event?" Cole asked, raising an eyebrow. "Isn't that a bit conspicuous?"

"Yes, but also no. There are going to be dignitaries from all the surrounding countries. Many enemies to your King Thijs. Many people who wish him ill and would gladly kill his spawn without a second thought. If he dies during that night, the options of who could have done it multiply and make it harder for Thijs to narrow down the real culprits."

"So I'm hiding in plain sight," Cole said.

"Exactly. You will be just one of a hundred people who want him dead. Thijs may suspect my people of the deed, but he will have no proof and will find it hard to convince his council and any allies of the fact."

"So what is this event?" Cole asked.

"A ball," Tanwyn replied. "It is ostensibly for the prince's birthday, but my spy has heard from trustworthy sources that its real purpose is to search for a bride."

"He's going to be married?" Cole asked. Her mind went back to the ladies cooing over him in his mother's room. Any girl would be lucky to snag such a handsome mate, but would they also be lucky when he belittled them for dropping something as simple as a teacup?

"Most likely his father is looking for an alliance with a country that has a strong army behind it. The marriage will undoubtedly be only in Thijs' favor," Tanwyn said. "However, you don't need to worry about that beyond knowing that you will be one of his potential brides."

"What?" Cole barked out, jolting straight. "You want me to marry the prince?"

"Not marry him, only enter your name as an eligible maiden in order to draw close to him during the ball. Only those who are deemed worthy enough to vye for his hand will be granted access to him during the night, so you must be willing to become one of those girls."

"Are you kidding? Do you see me? Do you think anyone would believe I'm a noble woman?" She gestured to her shaved head and hardened muscles. "Not to mention, I kind of am currently his servant. It's not going to be convincing that I'm someone worth sharing the throne with when I've been cleaning his floors for the past few days."

"I will take care of them not recognizing you," Tanwyn said. "As for your credentials, I have someone who will create convincing forgeries of noble papers. You will be a lady of a modest fortune. Someone who will be deemed worthy enough to join the ranks of his possible brides, but not anyone that might draw undue attention from the king. You will blend in with the others, and you only need to find a way to get close to him sometime during the night."

"They're going to find out who I am," Cole said.

Tanwyn smirked. "I doubt it. There are over two hundred brides-to-be invited. You are not going to be anything special to him."

Cole bit her lip. She'd recognize Bastian anywhere, and she wasn't sure that he would be able to forget the strange creature that had somehow gotten assigned to his room when he was used to the beautiful and plump girls he'd always been given. She also wasn't sure she wanted to be even considered as a bride for him.

But if it meant reaching her mother, she knew she'd have to do it.

"So that's it?" she asked. "I just need to wait until the ball, and then find a way to draw close to the prince so that I can kill him?"

"I'll be giving you the weapon later, but it will be easily concealed. If you are sure to deliver a good performance, and you can slip away from his body without being seen, you should be able to survive this."

Cole's heart already beat just thinking about it.

Tanwyn glanced behind them toward the training ring. "We should get you back now. You'll be missed soon, and it isn't safe here anymore."

"What do you mean?" Cole asked, trying to look beyond him, but he blocked her view by pushing her toward the door to outside.

"Hurry, we don't have much time."

Cole reached for the handle to the door, but Tanwyn stopped her with a touch. "No, we're not going that way." Before Cole could say anything, he placed both hands on her shoulders, and the world tilted in the now familiar way. She waited as they traveled back to the human realm, and suddenly she heard the rush of wind through the bamboo leaves.

The familiar smells of the courtyard rushed into her nose, and she let out her breath in short gasps as her body readjusted to being back in the real world. The sun was deeper in the sky than before, and the shadows were longer. It had been much longer than only one hour in the palace.

Tanwyn glanced at his ring, then took a step back. "I have to go now." He gave Cole a stern look. "The ball is a week from now. Remember to try and sharpen your magic sense, and don't forget what I told you."

Cole nodded. "I will."

Tanwyn held his hand up, but before he sent himself back to the faerie world, he paused. "You need to find out what the prince likes. What will draw him in. You don't want the king to think you a good match, but you need to have the prince want to be around you enough to draw him off away from the crowd at the ball. So keep close to him now, and learn about him."

Before Cole could ask any more questions, he had disappeared and she was alone again in the courtyard. She stood there for a few seconds, thinking about what he said, but then worry set in that she would be late to meeting the prince as he got back from his hunting trip. If she had learned anything about her last trip to the faerie world, it was that time worked differently there. And it could easily be well past the time he had told them he would need them again.

Gathering up the skirt of her shift, Cole launched herself through the bamboo and back toward the palace. Her duty to her mother started now. She would learn everything about the prince, and she would use it against him. If the king thought he could destroy her mother, Cole would show him that a commoner could be just as good at destroying as he was.