The golden goblet sat inside. It was smaller than I expected, more like a tea cup with ambitions than a goblet fit for a fairy queen. She placed it in front of her and lifted her hand to Kailen. “The elixir?”
He pulled a vial from his shirt pocket, fingering it reluctantly before handing it to his mother. “Don’t waste the magic tonight. No matter how you phrase the question, the answer remains the same. It’s time to ask something else. Ask what Queen Titania plots against you. Ask if you have enemies in your midst.”
No, I thought. Don’t ask that.
Queen Orlaith popped the vial’s stopper off and poured the liquid into the cup. The first bell tolled the hour. Midnight. Picking up the goblet, she swirled the liquid around and around. “Magic cup within my hand, make me wise to understand.” Her tone was pleading, desperate almost. “What more of love is now required, to cultivate the fruit desired?”
“Huh,” Jason whispered to me. “Do you think you have to speak to the goblet in rhyme? ‘Cause that would totally suck if your question ended in orange.”
“Luckily, very few questions end in the word orange.”
A voice emanated from the direction of the goblet, at first with a softness like wind rushing through trees, then growing louder like a storm picking up speed. “For lack of love your trees do pine. Give them this and the fruit is thine.”
The queen showed no emotion to the answer. Her eyes had the same firm resolve they’d shown all night. But she slammed the goblet down so hard it clanged and sloshed drops of liquid onto the table.
Kailen lifted his chin, coldly triumphant. “You can bring twelve couples here or twelve hundred. It matters not. While we sit and watch dancers, our enemies will move against us.”
“Which is why we need the fruit to ripen.” She picked up the goblet as though it might tell her more information. After a moment, she put it down again with a frustrated thud. “How could the trees lack love? The princesses love their suitors enough to defy their father in order to see them. It must be true love.”
“Or the thrill of rebellion,” Kailen uttered. “Mortals don’t know why they love.” He gazed out of the pavilion to the night sky. “The goblet is giving you riddles, not answers. We love our trees more than these silly girls love their princes, and still not a leaf grows without your magic aiding it.”
Queen Orlaith’s dark eyes grew even darker. “It isn’t my love the trees need. The goblet has made that clear enough. The trees require true love between mortals.” She picked up the cup again and sipped its contents. “Perhaps we just need patience. Love, like fruit, requires time to ripen.”
Kailen folded his arms. “Fine. Then let the couples’ love ripen on its own for the next month. Tomorrow we should return to court and use the goblet for more productive ends. Ask what plans Titania has set in motion.”
Queen Orlaith frowned tightly. “Am I not still queen? I decide where and when I’ll hold court.”
Her words silenced him.
She leaned back in her chair, clicking her golden fingernails against the arm rests. “You must learn to take counsel instead of giving it.”
I’d stared at the goblet for so long, when I turned my gaze I still saw its outline everywhere my eyes went. I put my hand on Jason’s arm. “Should you ask to sing to her now, or wait a few minutes and hope she’s in a better mood?” If she blew him off now, we’d lose our chance, but if we waited too long, she’d put the goblet away. Once the goblet was in the box, it wouldn’t fit into my pocket.
Jason bit off half a carnation. “Trust me, women are never in a bad mood when I sing to them.”
The music from the current song wound down. Worry swirled in my stomach. If this went badly—no, I didn’t want to think about it. I tightened my grip on Jason’s sleeve. “Remember, keep the queen’s eyes on you.” That way, I’d only have to worry about making sure Kailen didn’t see me.
Jason shoved the rest of the carnation into his mouth, not bothering to swallow before he answered me. “Don’t worry. Charming is my middle name.”
Well, so far it hadn’t been his last name. He stood and walked over, all strut and swagger. I trailed after him, nerves shifting into overdrive. I had to tell myself not to wring my hands. Too conspicuous.
When Jason reached the queen’s table, he bowed with a flourish. “A most excellent party, Your Majesty. It’s only missing one thing.”
She arched one dark eyebrow, regarding him. “What, pray tell?”
“One of my songs.” He unbuttoned a few coat buttons. “Have your people sync up: Baby, You’re the One For Me and we’ll get this place rocking.” He winked at the queen, and pointed in her direction. “I want to sing it to you, because I have a feeling, baby, you’re the one for me.”
Queen Orlaith’s eyebrow didn’t move. “Rocking?” she repeated.
“It’s a term from our time,” I clarified. “It means people will enjoy themselves a lot.”
No movement from the eyebrow.
I stepped between Jason and the table, skirt rustling as it bumped into the marble. “Jason is a famous singer. People from our time pay a lot of money to hear him sing. It’s a great honor.”
The queen picked up her wand, repeated the name of Jason’s song, and tapped her wand with one finger. A perfect rendition of Jason’s song rolled through the pavilion.
The couples dancing out on the floor didn’t seem to know what to make of the change of music. They did their best to waltz to the faster beat.
Jason moved so he stood directly in front of the table. He nodded confidentially at Kailen. “If you have someone special in your life, pay attention to how I sing this song. The ladies love it.”
Kailen didn’t grace the advice with an answer.
Jason smile gleamed in the queen’s direction, suddenly boyish and adorable. His voice rang out, with the clarity that had won him fans around the world. “Baby, I need to tell you what’s in my heart.”
I wasn’t sure whether it was impressive or tacky that he could turn on the charm like that. He put his hand on his chest and sang, “I see you standing there and know you’re the one for me. With everything I have, girl, it’s still you I need.”
Both Kailen and the queen watched Jason, curiosity pinned to their expressions. I stepped toward the side of table, putting myself in a better position to take the goblet.
Jason held his hand toward the queen, imploringly. “Yeah, you saw in me, what no one could conceive.”
“He does have a lovely voice,” Queen Orlaith commented to Kailen. “One wonders where mortals find such gifts.”
I could have given her the rundown I’d heard on the boat ride over, but I spared her the details of Jason and all the work his butt did.
Hand trembling, I reached across the table. I didn’t breathe for fear it would draw attention. Kailen and Queen Orlaith were still looking at Jason. I leaned into the task. Almost there. As my fingers closed around the stem, the goblet moved, lifted slightly off the table.
At the same time, I caught a scent of Jason’s boat. No, not the boat—the lake. I smelled the watery odor of something lake drenched. Donovan. He was near, trying to steal the goblet out of my hand.
I tightened my grip. Donovan was stronger, but I had a better hold. We struggled over the cup, each pulling, lifting it farther off the table. For two seconds, we were at a stalemate. Then the goblet tipped, spilling the last few drops of elixir onto Queen Orlaith’s arm.
Immediately, I let go and straightened up. Just as I did, the queen’s head spun around. Fortunately, her gaze went to the goblet, not me. She saw it hanging suspended in the air, and raised her wand, a swift automatic action that put Donovan in her line of fire. He must not have liked his chances. The goblet clattered to the table.