A Heart so Dark and Hollow

By the light

The festival is far more beautiful than I could ever have imagined. Fae move about, occupied with various activities. The aroma of roasted meat and baked goods reach me, and my mouth waters. Beside me, Seryn stands, looking about with disinterest.

'Why did you ask me to come with you?' I ask, looking for some way to break apart the thick silence.

He gives me a sideways glance. For a moment it seems like he is not going to respond to my question, until he says, 'The reason escapes me, mortal. But I was under the impression that you have been cooped up in the palace for far too long. It made your complexion . . . unsightly.' Then, as though he spoke too much, he presses his lips together and continues walking.

Surprised and also mildly offended at him calling my complexion unsightly, I follow, making faces behind his broad back.

'How rude,' I say under my breath.

'Watch how you speak of me, mortal. I can still send you back to the palace if I wish,' he says, then bends so that he can easily enter a canopy before them.

Inside the canopy are a group of brightly dressed fae, undoubtedly members of the Day Palace. Their eyes instantly rise and fall on Seryn and I.

An old fae rises to his feet with his arms stretched out in a welcoming pose. 'Oh, what a pleasant surprise, Your Majesty,' he gives a half-hearted bow, 'we thought you would not be able to make it.' His smile is oily, and sends an unpleasant shiver down my spine. The gold markings on his face dip into the wrinkles on one side of his face.

His fox-like eyes land on me, and one twitches. 'And who might this little mortal be?'

Seryn steps forward, coming between the man and I. 'Azade, if I were in worse spirits, I would have called off this festival. Tell me why you decided to move it forward, even when you know that this festival must be held on the sacred day?'

Azade straightens, and something dangerous swims behind his golden eyes. 'It is the right of the Day Palace to see to the plans and execution of this festival. After all, it is done in honour of our ancestors.' He moves away and settles into a nearby chair. 'The Council of Light decided that there should be a change in the date of the festival to celebrate the return of our kindred.'

The silence that falls will make the sound of a dropping pin seem like the wail of a newborn. All other members from the Day Palace watch in quiet anticipation as silent messages are exchanged between the two men.

'I came here for the sake of courtesy. And now that greetings have been exchanged, I believe that it is time for us to leave,' Seryn says, with lips taut and pale.

I shift close to his side as he makes to leave the canopy tent, but someone else comes in, stopping him in his tracks.

I have to squint slightly in order to see the woman who just entered. She has golden hair, as though the sun came into the canopy to shine on her alone.  Her eyes, which are also golden, give off a certain glow. Every pore of this woman exudes radiance.

But from the moment she starts to speak, my stomach sinks in disdain.

'Oh, Seryn darling. How good it is to see you.' She moves to wrap him in an embrace, but he shifts away, causing her to grasp nothing but air. She looks up at him, then pouts. 'Are you by any chance scared, my King?'

Seryn’s jaw tightens.

This is the woman that cursed him! The realisation is swift and breath-stopping. At first glance I would have never been able to tell that such a radiant person can be capable of hurting someone else. All at once, the beauty she had held in my eyes faded.