A Sliver of Shadow (39 page)

Phin and I shared a look and I shook my head. “Yeah, you
know what? I think it would be best if I avoided the court stuff as much as possible from here on out.”

“This have anything to do with that scrape on the side of your mouth?”

“Yeah. And I want to wait until Moira gets here before I talk about it.”

Melanie nodded, pulling her violin from her case to run through her scales. It said something about our friendship that she was willing to let it go, and I was grateful for it. A few moments later she had already moved into a soft version of
Canon in D
.

“Music to brood by,” I quipped, as the incubus ambled his way toward us through Moira’s solarium.

“Sleep well?” Ion’s dark voice rumbled, one brow arched suggestively. Without waiting for an invitation he stretched out beside me with his arms behind his head.

“You would know. Where’s your partner-in-crime?”

He shrugged. “I’m sure he’s off doing something noble and princely. Seems the type.”

“Maybe he’s getting breakfast.” Phineas rolled over to shake himself.

“Gods know I could use something to eat.” Brystion nudged me. There was something suggestive about it, but the golden flare of his eyes bespoke something a bit more serious.

“Ah.” I flushed, suddenly understanding. “What about your TouchStone?”

“She was short term,” he said softly, staring up at the sky. “They all are. Besides, without the CrossRoads open I can’t manage to make it into the Dreaming anyway.”

“I didn’t realize things were going to get this messy.”

His mouth quirked into a half smile. “Of course you did. With you, the shit doesn’t just hit the fan, it coats the walls.”

“And isn’t that a lovely image.” I fingered the folds of the
gown. “Look, if we can’t get this stuff figured out in the next few days, I’ll see what I can do.”

“Generous of you. But I think we’ll have bigger problems than that. You’ve become a target, Abby.”

“Getting a bit slow on the draw, aren’t you? I kind of figured that out yesterday.”

“I’m serious,” he snapped. “Don’t let a few kisses from a prince fuck with your head. This isn’t some sort of Sleeping Beauty bullshit. I
will
take you out of Faerie if this doesn’t resolve soon.”

I flinched beneath the reproach. “I know. And I’m doing the best I can.” I glanced up to see Talivar approaching us with a small basket. The prince frowned when he saw Brystion, but whatever he was going to say was lost when I noticed the small figure beside him. “Jimmy!”

The pig-man gave a little grunt, which I took to be of good humor when his mouth split into a broad grin.

“You have a visitor,” Talivar said, setting the basket beside me. “Sorry I’m so late. I found him outside the main gates, seeking an audience with me.”

“Just a wee bit o’ an excuse,” Jimmy mumbled, his ears pinking. “I knew they wasna gonna lets me in so easy to see ye, belikes.” He paused, beady eyes glancing down at my dress, his snout quivering wetly. “And I brought ye a wee bit of something too. Though maybe ye do no’ need it so much now.” Pulling off his shoulder sack, he rummaged through it for a moment, clucking in satisfaction as he pulled out a large bolt of silk. “A gift from the silkworms.”

I smiled, genuine happiness flooding my chest as I took it from him. “I’ll have something made up with it as soon as I can,” I assured him, strangely touched by his gesture.

The prince opened the basket to reveal a cluster of soft biscuits and a bowl of fruit. “There’s meat and eggs to be had, but I couldn’t carry enough up here for everyone.” His
mouth pursed as his gaze slid to Jimmy. “And under the circumstances …”

“I get it.” And even
I
would feel a bit odd downing a plate of bacon in front of Jimmy. I snagged a biscuit, tossing another into Melanie’s lap.

“I’ll have the servants bring up the rest of it,” Talivar said. “I hadn’t realized you were all planning on breakfasting out here until Moira informed me.”

“Speaking of which, where is she?”

“Attending Mother. The Queen apparently had some sort of shock last night after I saw her to her rooms.”

I stopped chewing and swallowed hard. “Yeah. About that.”

The prince frowned. “Is
that
what you meant last night?”

“Yeah. She found me in the garden after I talked to my father and, uh … tried to TouchStone me.” I winced, ignoring Ion’s low whistle. “It didn’t go well.”

“Especially when Abby linebackered her ass into the dirt,” Phin said with a cough.

“You attacked my
mother
?” Talivar stared at me, his mouth gaping.

“Not by choice,” I retorted. “Would you have preferred it if I’d let her suck me dry after I became her TouchStone? Though I don’t think she cared for the gag much.”

Brystion made a little gesture with his hand. “Shit. Fan. Splatter.”

“Ha-ha. And now you know why I didn’t want to talk about it.”

Jimmy shifted uncomfortably beside us. I clenched the cloth he’d given me and got to my feet. “Excuse me a moment, guys. Think I’m going to do something with this.”

I started toward the solarium and waved at Jimmy to follow. The pig-man hesitated, but shuffled behind after a
minute. Not that I didn’t trust him exactly, but I suspected there was going to be a discussion or two about to happen that I didn’t really want to be involved in. Not one he needed to be privy to, anyway.

“Sounds like ye’ve been busy,” he mused, his broad feet slapping loudly on the wood floors as we made our way to my room. “Kitsune asked me to send word along as well. She hopes ye’ve found what ye seek.”

I frowned at him, opening the door. “I suppose I could better answer that if I really knew what that was.”

He grinned up at me. “Aye, she said as much”

“And Tresa?” I laid the silk bundle carefully upon my bed, smoothing out the wrinkles. “Is she still … there?”

“Oh, aye. Kitsune has her coming and going to lay attendance as quick as she snaps her fingers.”

“I’m surprised she’d let a viper like that so close. I wouldn’t trust her, that’s for certain.” I bit down on the inside of my cheek.

“I canna say what Kitsune’s motivations are, but it seems to be having a bit of a benefit, so that’s something.” His snout twitched suddenly. “Odd. It smells of poison in here.”

“Huh?”

“‘Tis an odd scent, to be sure, ye ken. I thought I smelled it in the hallways betimes when the prince led me here. Odder still to find it in your bedroom, aye?”

My blood ran cold as I looked at the empty bottle of wine on the mantel. I snatched at it and held it out to Jimmy. “Is it coming from this? Talivar and Brystion drank it last night.”

“Nae. Good vintage, mind, but that’s not it.” His piggish eyes blinked nervously as he snuffled around the room. “There’s somewhat blocking the scent of it … it’s been hid
verra well.” His gaze fell on my discarded gown from the night before. “There.”

“My dress? I have a poisoned dress?” I frowned at him. “But I feel fine. Are you sure?”

He tapped his nose. “This doesn’t lie. Somewhat’s amiss.” He dropped to his hands and knees, his knuckles bending to support his weight. It would have almost been comical except for the circumstances. “Sweat,” he grunted. “Rocks, and leaves and growing things, soup and … a unicorn … and here,” he squealed triumphantly, shaking his head so that his big ears flopped forward.

In his hands he clutched the small bit of the cloth I’d used as a makeshift gag for the Queen. Maybe it had caught on my dress in the struggle? “Are you sure that’s it?”

“Aye. Taint of spider poison sure enough. But it’s a strange thing. Usually poison is coated on something, ye ken … and there’s old sweat exuded upon it, but the poison smell goes deeper than that. Almost as though it was woven into the very fabric itself.” He licked his tusks curiously. “Seems like an awful amount of trouble to go to poison ye.”

“Poison you?” Moira stood in the doorway, her face a thundercloud. I tried not flinch beneath the steely eyes as she stared at me. Obviously she’d been let in on the little powwow of what went down last night. Talivar loomed behind her, face unreadable.

I shook my head at her, taking the scrap from Jimmy and holding it out to her. “Not me. Your mother.”

“That’s ridiculous. The Queen’s clothing only comes from the finest of weavers. She’s the only one allowed to wear this type of silk.”

“Then it would make it rather easy to poison her with it, wouldn’t it?” I pointed out.

“But to weave all her dresses from it? It takes long enough
merely to collect it—let alone make it something she could wear. If there were that much poison on it, the seamstresses would be affected.” She gingerly rubbed the scrap between her two fingers, delicate brow furrowing.

Jimmy sniffed the air as she took it. “Bristlefangs. From the northern reaches. Not an easy place to get to, but their poison glands go for a pretty penny in the Lower Crescent. The scent isn’t strong enough for it ta’ be the entire cut o’ cloth … but perhaps every few bits of it?”

My brain seemed to have disconnected itself as the pieces started to finally snap into place, the Queen’s crazed behavior suddenly making a hell of a lot more sense. “And … um. How deadly is this poison?”

“Well, if ye was to get bit, it’s pretty fatal … especially for you mortal types. The silk, though … I don’t know. I imagine it might be a little slower acting. It drives ye mad, ye ken?”

My eyes met Moira’s horror-stricken face and she let out a soft gasp. “That’s why she’s been scratching at herself. Why she’s been tearing at her clothes all this time. Somehow her body knows …” Her mouth became grim. “And we’ve only been making it worse, forcing her to wear it.”

Talivar thrust out his lower lip thoughtfully. “And if this poisoned spider silk came from the Barras? Kitsune will be implicated, you realize.”

Jimmy backed up a few steps. “Ye canna’ mean that. I know things are a wee bit rough between us these days, but she wouldna’ stoop to poison. Not like this.”

“Then someone wants you to think it,” I said softly. “To create more conflict, distracting us from the real issue.” I gave Moira a hard look. “Just how involved was Maurice when he was here as your TouchStone?”

The princess crossed her arms against my question.
“He had the illusion of immortality during his time with me. A chance at power should I become queen. There are those here who would not be averse to helping him in this, even under these circumstances.” Her mouth compressed. “Some feel as though my mother has retained power too long. That Faerie is starting to suffer beneath her rule. That perhaps the power structure would be different if she had not chosen … Thomas.”

Her face became troubled and she turned to her brother, handing him the bit of cloth. “Take this to Thomas and explain to him what has happened. But be discreet.” Her eyes darted to Jimmy. “At the very least we can get my mother dressed in something other than what she has.”

I scooped up the silkworm cloth from the bed. “I know this was a gift, but if she fights you on wearing anything other than silk, at least we know it’s not contaminated.”

Talivar nodded gravely, gathering it beneath his arm. “We will need to burn all of her clothing.”

“But that’s evidence,” I pointed out.

“Evidence we might never want to come to light,” he countered. “An extended illness we can explain away. To admit we let our own mother be poisoned before our very eyes?” He shrugged helplessly. “This is a very fine line we must walk, Abby. Assuming Thomas even believes it.”

Jimmy tugged on his sleeve. “I’ll go wit’ ye, lad. He canna’ fault my nose for finding it, aye?”

Moira nodded and the two of them left, Jimmy trotting comically beside the prince. The princess shook her head.

“I don’t deserve him, you know. My brother. Anyone else would have blamed me for what happened to him, but he never did.”

“Blame you for what? I thought his father was involved.”

She sank onto my bed. “Yes. That is the gist of it, but there were rumors in the court that Talivar’s injuries were
caused simply to strengthen my own claim to the throne. By all rights, he should be next in line, but …”

“It’s a stupid fucking rule,” I said, my frustration at the political situation boiling to the surface.

“I agree.” She swished her feet against the bed like a child. “It’s why I brought him to guard you, you know. He’s never been the same since it happened. I thought by giving him a purpose or by getting him out of the palace for a while, he might start to focus less on what he lost.” A sad smile curved the corner of her mouth. “It’s not nearly enough and it never will be, but thank you for all that you’ve done for him.”

What the hell had he been like before I met him? From the way people went on about it, perhaps Talivar had been far worse off than I’d known. Anger rippled through me again. Despites all its beauty, there were some very ugly sides to Faerie.

“I’ll bet. Funny how much concern you seem to have over someone you’ve essentially tossed by the wayside simply for having physical flaws.” I tapped my own head. “I’m surprised you can stand to be around me, frankly.”

“I do not make the rules, Abby. This is who we are as a people and I cannot change it. Not yet.” She sucked in a ragged breath, frown lines creasing her perfect brow. “First things first.”

“Can’t you force your mother to abdicate the throne to you, then?”

“We could try, but that wouldn’t solve the issue of the CrossRoads being closed. That’s too deeply entwined with her own magic at the moment. The only way to force her hand would be to kill her … and I’m not ready to do that.”

“And what about your son?” I cocked my head at her. “Do you sacrifice one for the other?”

She flinched. “It’s complicated.”

“No shit. If it weren’t for me TouchStoning him, he might have faded by now. He still might. You might want to consider trying to ‘convince’ her a little harder.”

“I’m bound by protocol. I’ve done what I can.”

“Then I guess we’d better find someone a little more willing to draw outside the lines,” I told her. My sympathy only went so far, and I was tired of letting my “destiny” spin me wherever it would. “Your world needs you—hell, your
son
needs you—and you need to stop hiding behind the old rules of what ‘used to be,’ and start living in the now. This isn’t some Faerie legend of old.”