The doors crashed open against the ancient walls of Astir Castle. Valerien raised an eyebrow at the royal guards as they surrounded his bed.

Leaning back into the pillows, he addressed their commander. 

“Ellie, darling, you could have knocked.”

Two spear points were at his throat before he spoke the last syllable. 

“You will address Commander Elinor with respect or not at all,” a guard growled.

Elinor motioned the men to stand down and said, “I knocked. Twice. Get rid of them.”

Valerien turned to his terrified companions.
“Ladies and gentlemen, will you excuse us? We’ll continue this another time.”

They fled, followed by the guards.

“You need a bigger bed,” Elinor told Valerien and threw a shirt at him.

He caught it just before it hit his face and cursed. Something was seriously wrong if she was that tense.
“The whole town is celebrating the end of the war, Ellie. Why are you here beating down doors?” he asked.

“They are celebrating too early,” she muttered.

He frowned. “But Princess Antha has no troops left. We beat them in the marches. My brother is negotiating her surrender. He’ll be back any moment.”

“He won’t. He is accused of escaping with her to the mortal realm.”

Valerien froze in the middle of putting on his boots, then scoffed.
“What nonsense is that? Lioren would rather fall on his sword than betray his precious honour and oaths.”

“Tell that to the royal council. Half of them are demanding his execution already.”

True fear rose in Valerien for the first time in a century as he shot up and ran to the stables. He already regretted all the wine. This needed a clearer head.

Arriving at the palace with a half-formed plan, he followed Elinor to the throne chamber. The first voice he heard was that of his father.
“It was my sons who defeated Antha’s army in the marshes less than a month ago! They won victory after victory for you, Your Majesty! Lioren would never wed that traitor!”

Valerien cursed. Wed her? What madness was this?

“I don’t dispute your sons’ merits, Lord Astir, nor yours. It is not an accusation we wish to believe, but the fact remains: only a Fae of Astir bloodline can open the Veil between the worlds. There is no doubt that it has been breached,” the queen said coldly.

The room erupted again. Valerien pinched the bridge of his nose as speculation and accusations flew from all sides. He briefly considered setting the room on fire. It would get him instantly executed, but at least his head would stop throbbing from the noise.

He glanced at the stairs in front of the throne. Lioren had knelt there with such devotion when the queen had bestowed the title of Paladin on him. Damn fool.

Taking a few steps forward, he sank gracefully to one knee in an exact imitation of his brother’s sincerity and called out,
“Your Majesty, allow the House of Astir to prove our loyalty!”

All eyes turned to him. The chatter quietened.

The queen’s face showed no emotion as she said, “Speak, Valerien of Astir. But be warned that my patience is thin today.”

“Your Majesty, if it is true that Lioren opened the Veil, there is only one conceivable reason. He wants to trap Princess Antha in the human world, so she can never return. It is a worse punishment than any fortress you could imprison her in.”

“So why hasn’t he returned to tell me so himself?” she asked.

“If Your Majesty allows, I will follow them and find out.”

“And if you find a traitor seduced by my daughter to her cause?”

“Then it is even more important that I go. He could still lead the rebels back. I am the only one who can ensure they cannot return,” Valerien said firmly.

Murmur rose among the council again, while the queen regarded him thoughtfully.

“The House of Astir is accused of treason. You cannot go alone,” she finally said.

“Then send your most trusted commander with me.”

She glanced at Elinor, then addressed her council. “Leave us.”

Once they were alone, the queen sighed and motioned for him to get up.
“You are truly your mother’s son. She always had to have a dramatic entrance, too.”

“I am what you ordered her to create, Your Majesty. So is Lioren. He would not betray you.”

“Then prove it to me. What do you plan to do?”

Valerien knew he could not hesitate. Antha was a flawed creation in her mother’s eyes, but one that could not be undone by her own hand. He decided to gamble.

“The mortal realm is a dangerous place, even for the strongest Fae.”

“Is that so? Your mother only ever sang praises of its light and beauty.”

“Beauty can be lethal too, Your Majesty. Accidents happen. I’ve seen some of the best-trained scouts die of eating the wrong berry, experimenting with iron, or crossing a human witch,” he offered calmly.

A shadow of a smile touched her lips as her inscrutable grey eyes swept over him.
“I see. And if an accident befalls my daughter, what will happen to your brother if you cannot prove his innocence?”

He lowered his eyes and said, “A life in exile is still a life.”

She regarded him thoughtfully for the longest time. 

Finally, she said, “You will solve this by Midsummer. Your father will remain my guest until then.”