Commander Kael led Ravenna down a long stone corridor in the east wing of the castle. The walls were decorated with rich silk tapestries and tall windows looking out over the royal gardens. He stopped in front of heavy wooden doors and pushed them open.
The guest chambers were huge and beautiful. A large bed with thick velvet curtains sat in the center of the room.
A warm fire crackled in the large stone hearth. It was far more luxurious than the wild woods she called home. But to Ravenna it felt just like a gilded cage.
"I will leave guards outside your doors Lady Elara" Kael said politely. "The King wishes for you to rest. Dinner will be brought to your room tonight."
Ravenna thanked the commander and closed the doors behind him. As soon as she was alone she let her magical disguise drop for just a moment. Her chestnut hair shifted back to its natural dark shadows and her hazel eyes flashed with bright purple light.
She reached out with her raw magic and let it sweep over the stone walls. She was searching for spies or hidden traps. The room was physically safe but her magic picked up something else. A very dark cold energy pulsed deep within the foundation of the castle. It felt like old rotting blood.
Before she could investigate the strange dark magic a sharp knock echoed at her door.
Ravenna quickly pulled the disguise back over her body. Her hair turned light and her eyes softened back to hazel. She opened the door and found Queen Isolde standing in the hall. Queen Lysandra stood right next to her holding a small silver tray with two goblets of wine.
"May we come in Lady Elara?" Queen Isolde asked. Her cold blue eyes were already scanning the inside of the room.
"Of course Your Grace" Ravenna replied stepping aside.
The two queens walked in. Their heavy silk gowns rustled loudly against the stone floor. Lysandra set the silver tray on a small wooden table near the fire.
"We wanted to welcome you properly" Isolde said taking a seat in a velvet chair. "It is very rare for our king to bring strangers into Valerius. He is usually very guarded. You must have done something truly remarkable to earn his favor."
Ravenna kept her face perfectly calm. She knew they were digging for secrets. She walked over and stood near the warmth of the fire. "I only offered him shelter from the storm Your Grace. I used my healing herbs to keep him warm and safe. Any healer would have done the same."
Lysandra scoffed softly. She picked up a goblet of wine and took a small sip. "Valerius has the finest doctors in the mortal lands. Yet my husband chose to bring a simple village healer back to the capital. Forgive me if I find that hard to believe."
"King Draven is a very cautious man" Isolde added smoothly ignoring Lysandra. "He carries the heavy burden of the throne. He needs loyalty. Tell me Lady Elara where exactly is your village located?"
Ravenna lied with perfect grace. "Far to the south Your Grace. Past the great river. We are a quiet people who keep to ourselves."
Isolde stared hard at Ravenna. She was trying to break the calm mask of the village healer but Ravenna did not flinch. She had stared down mythical beasts and wild storms. Two jealous mortal queens could not frighten her.
"You should know your place here" Lysandra warned her. Her dark eyes narrowed with clear malice. "You may have the temporary attention of the King but you are nothing more than a peasant. Do not overstep your boundaries in this castle."
"Lysandra please" Isolde said raising a hand to silence the other queen. Isolde stood up gracefully. "We have taken enough of your time Lady Elara. Drink the wine and rest. The royal court is very demanding and you will need your strength."
The two queens walked out of the room leaving a trail of heavy expensive perfume behind them. Ravenna closed the door and locked it. She looked at the silver tray and the two goblets of wine. She did not need to taste the liquid to know it was tainted. Her magic could smell the faint trace of sleeping poison mixed into the sweet red wine. They were testing her.
She poured the wine into the roaring fire. The flames hissed and spit burning away the poison.
Ravenna walked over to the tall window and looked out at the darkening sky. The queens were cruel and jealous but they were not the real threat. The dark rotting energy she felt earlier was much worse. She closed her eyes and focused her mind. The dark magic was wrapped around the royal family like a tight heavy chain. It was an ancient curse. Someone had poisoned the bloodline of Valerius ensuring that King Draven would never ever father a male heir.
A soft knock pulled her away from her thoughts. It was different from the sharp demanding knock of the queens.
Ravenna opened the door. King Draven stood in the hallway. He had changed out of his silver armor. He wore a simple dark tunic that stretched tight across his broad muscular chest. He stepped into the room and closed the door softly behind him.
"Did my wives visit you?" Draven asked immediately. His stormy gray eyes searched her face for any signs of distress.
"They brought me poisoned wine" Ravenna said plainly. She pointed to the empty silver goblets on the table.
"I poured it into the fire."
Draven clenched his jaw in pure anger. He ran a large hand through his dark hair. "I should banish them from the castle tonight. I brought you here to be safe and they are already plotting against you."
"They cannot hurt me Draven" Ravenna promised him walking closer to his massive frame. "But I discovered something much worse. The reason you have no son is not a medical failure. It is not the fault of your wives. There is a dark ancient curse buried deep in the walls of this castle. It is actively suffocating your royal bloodline."
Draven stared down at her in shock. His desperate search for an heir had finally found an answer and the truth was worse than he ever imagined.