Her Cinder Throne (Completed)

Chapter 39

The door closed silently behind her as she stepped back out into the stable corridor. She glanced in the direction that Bastian had disappeared down, and saw nothing but stable doors. He was in one of them with his horse, thankfully, and not within eyeshot of Cole as she creapt down the corridor to the end and the grass bit right before the palace walls.

Grunting in frustration, she ripped the ring from her finger and tried to shove it in her pocket. The glow, strong as ever, made her whole pocket blue, and was even more conspicuous than it had been on her finger. Taking it back out, she glared at the ring and muttered a string of curses she had learned in the mines.

"If you're so magical, why can't you stop glowing when you need to?" she said, slipping it back on her finger and sighing as she looked around for some way of getting out of her duties. She would have to find a safe place to hide the ring in her room until she could figure out how to stop it from giving away her secret.

As she was planning on sneaking around the side of the building and running back to the dorms, she felt a prickle on the back of her neck, and the air around her shimmered as if it was full of the midday heat. A coolness washed over her legs, an invisible rush of water, and then a familiar voice spoke from behind her.

"You've been busy."

Cole rolled her eyes, wanting to snap back but barely reigning herself in. "I've just been trying to do what you wanted me to," she replied, turning around to see Tanwyn leaning against the side of the stable. His long black hair hung over one shoulder, and his aqua eyes watched her intently. The oppressive heat seemed to not bother his perfectly smooth silk tunic or his pristine skin.

"I was informed that you were trying to accomplish your own missions."

"I know. I was almost revealed to the prince because you wanted to scold me like a child," she bit back.

"You are a child," Tanwyn replied, his eyes flashing.

"Why are you checking in on my already? Mistress said you'd be coming tomorrow."

"Yes, well, she told me that you said our little royal family has some sort of crystal in their household. It puts a small wrinkle in our plan, and I'd like to know everything you know about it. After all, the ball is only in a few days time. We can't afford something ruining our plans this close to their execution."

"I don't know anything about the crystal except that Bastian said it can sometimes sense magic that is done in the palace," Cole replied. "You'll have to send your little spy to check it out."

"So he said that it is not always accurate? It cannot sense magic every time it is used?"

"That's what he told me. They only seemed to know about my use of magic, and nothing about you coming to visit me right before that."

"Well, that's a bit encouraging," Tanwyn said, his temporary flash of intensity dying back down into his frustrating indifference. "I think I might send someone to check out the validity of these claims. Our precious prince didn't tell you anything else about it at all?"

"Only that he and someone called Baerghast monitor it."

Tanwyn's eyebrows dipped at the man's name. "We'll have to use the utmost caution, then." He blinked and suddenly it was as if his whole demeanor changed. He smirked at her and raised an eyebrow. "So you finally figured out the magic? Took you long enough. I thought I'd have to find another assassin."

"Can you keep your voice down?" Cole hissed. She glanced into the stable, but saw no one. "Bastian already suspects me, and hearing you screaming about assassinations is not going to help matters."

Tanwyn's mouth quirked. "Bastian?" It was mocking, as if she had used an endearing nickname on Bastian. As if his name was proof of something.

Cole froze for a second. " I mean the prince."

Tanwyn moved on, apparently not that concerned. "Now that you've got a handle on using the ring, you need to practice what magic you can before the ball. The magic you want to cast is not going to be too difficult, but you'll need to be able to hold it for a long period."

"Well, my ring was not being the most secretive," Cole said, shoving her hand up to show him the stone. "It was glowing and wouldn't stop--" Her eyes landed on the ring and saw that it was as dull as it always was. Just a normal ring, to anyone else's eyes.

Tanwyn laughed, his eyes glittering. "I was charging it for you," he said. "And I wanted to talk to you. I didn't think you'd appreciate me sending a messenger again."

Cole grit her teeth. "Don't do anything like that again. I was almost caught."

Tanwyn shrugged. "You'll be fine."

"I don't care if I'll be fine or not. I said not to do that again, and I mean it."

Tanwyn nodded, and somehow Cole got the impression that he would actually follow her orders. It was a miracle, and one that Cole didn't particularly want to dig too deep in to to find out the reason why it had been granted.

A hot breeze washed over them, sending Tanwyn's silk tunic flapping and plastering Cole's servant's shift to her body. She stared at the fae in front of her, wondering why he had ever chosen her. His aqua eyes bored into her, and she felt a ripple run down her spine. It wasn't fear. It was something else that lit a fire under her skin.

"You'll be free soon," he said, his voice low and serious. "Three more days and you will be able to cripple the king enough for us to finish this battle. And then we will both see our freedom and power returned."

Cole inhaled. "I just want my mother back," she said. "I only want my life."

Tanwyn took a step forward, his hand reaching for hers. He entwined their fingers, his palm smooth and warm against the callouses on hers. Energy coursed through her as he stared into her eyes.

"You will get your mother and so much more, Cole. We just need to be rid of the tainted bloodline that rules Soma."

For a moment, Cole could imagine accepting his words. Leaning into them, trusting him, going along with whatever he said. She closed her eyes in that small moment, breathing in the smell of the fae world, drifting close enough to feel his breath...

But then she stepped back and opened her eyes. He was fae, and she was human. She knew better than to trust him entirely.