The Dark Fairy King
Chapter 42: Sketchy Lumera

Chapter 42: Sketchy Lumera

Scarlette ignored me—but that’s just her. Casually missing things and randomly adding new ones.But I was focused.Petty name-calling wasn’t going to distract me."You said you’re a sketcher?" I challenged. "So sketch away." I handed Lumera a piece of parchment and a fountain pen.

Scarlette stepped back, watching as Lumera began to draw. Light magic shimmered from her fingertips, bleeding into the lines and giving them a soft glow.

"Light reflects colour," Lumera said, matter-of-factly.

I stared, quietly surprised.

She caught my expression instantly. "You seem surprised, my King." She chimed, then added the most unnecessary question. "Did you not know that, my King?"

Wait. Hold on. Was she calling me ignorant?

Scarlette snorted with laughter.

That wasn’t amusing.

Lumera blinked at her, confused.

"I didn’t realise I could make my Queen so happy," Lumera added. "Does my drawing bring such joy?" she said, dry as sand.

My jaw dropped.

Apparently, the new-world Lumera didn’t know how to read the room. Utter disaster.Killed in the old world for hosting us. Reborn in the new world as an irritant.What can I say? Enduring her was the least I could do.

Then my eyes widened as I saw the image coming to life on paper—curly white hair in a tight bun, a deep red-magenta dress, golden bracelets... and beneath one of them... a broken wand tattoo.Socially inept as she was, Lumera was a brilliant sketcher.

"Wait... is that a broken wand?" Scarlette asked, eyes wide as she leaned in.

"The real question is—how do you know this woman?" I asked, stepping forward and taking the paper from Lumera’s hands.

"Isn’t that—" Scarlette began.

"Faragonda," I finished, my voice low, tight with disbelief.

But how could it be Faragonda? After all her contributions? Did Lumera have some personal vendetta?

"Lying to your King and Queen is a capital offence," I said coldly.

"It’s her. I’m a hundred percent sure," Lumera replied without hesitation. "Last night, they walked back from the palace. They were chatting like always. I was in my room. Then, in the middle of the night, I heard them arguing—shouting, things being thrown."

Scarlette’s expression darkened.

"I was about to leave my room when that woman blew petals in my face." Lumera’s voice wavered for the first time. "Then... nothing. I locked my door, but the poison kicked in fast. I knew it was Midnight Orchid."

She swallowed. "I heard banging. Screaming. Then silence. I only moved when I heard guards outside. Then you both came. But I never forget a face—especially not the one that murdered my sister and tried to silence me too."

I gritted my teeth. I wanted to dismiss it. But the picture was too clear. The details too specific.

"You know she’s a councilwoman, right? The most senior Love Fairy in the Kingdom," I said carefully.

Lumera sheepishly nodded.

"And you’re aware that accusing a councilwoman is a serious crime, yes?" I reminded her.

But Lumera didn’t waver."And murdering one is a greater crime, regardless of who did it," she said evenly. "Wouldn’t you agree, my King?"

She wasn’t wrong.But why did it feel like we were the ones on trial?

"Well, we’re not the type to blame victims, are we?" Scarlette cut in sharply. She turned back to Lumera. "We’ll take everything you’ve said into account. For now, you’ll need to stay here."

"For my safety or because you suspect me?" Lumera shot back.

"A bit of both," Scarlette said smoothly. "But let’s just agree your home isn’t safe right now."

Lumera exhaled and looked out the window. "I will rest here then, Your Majesties, but I will need some peace and quiet."

Did she just try to ask us to leave? Seriously?

"Your bluntness is appalling," I told her, trying to mask my irritation. "I’m not sure I like it."

"My King," Lumera replied calmly, "I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings. But I won’t lie just to make things easier to hear. I am honest that way."

"We can be rainbows and sunshine," she added. "But I’m not. I said I was broken. I hope you’ll sincerely consider my unfiltered words. They were honest."

At this rate, she can lock her honesty in a box and throw away the key.

Then she added, because she had to: "I will be mindful of my words, my King."

I smiled.

And then she added: "I didn’t realise you were so sensitive."

The gall.

"You repugnant—" I scowled, but Scarlette grabbed my arm and pulled me away.

"Give us a moment," she said over her shoulder. "And stay here."

"Yes, my Queen," Lumera said, bowing as we exited.

"That insolent Light Fairy is not the Lumera that hosted us," I muttered as Scarlette led me briskly down the hall. "Did you not see?"

"We’ll deal with that later," she said, not slowing.

"Where are we going?" I asked as we strode down the corridor, our footsteps echoing in the silence.

"To check on Faragonda, of course," she replied curtly. "To prove Lumera is right."

"Or wrong," I added.

Scarlette nodded, though her silence told me she didn’t believe that second option.

"If this is real... what Lumera’s saying—then we’ll have to remove Faragonda from the courts," I said quietly. "I hope Lumera’s wrong. I hope it’s someone else. Anyone else."

Scarlette gave me a sharp look. "Do you really believe it could be someone else?"

"The Anti-Magic Mages?" I offered, unsure.

"But their ideology is already here," she said grimly. "It’s around us—festering, seeping in. It could be anyone."

"Why would the most senior Love Fairy, appointed to our council, be associated with the mages?" I pressed.

"But that tattoo. The broken wand. It’s identical to theirs," she argued. "How did Faragonda even get one? Is she linked to them? Unless you have a better explanation."

I hesitated. "I want to say the drawing’s wrong. I want to dismiss it—even if Lumera has no reason to lie. You see... Faragonda has served since forever. She’s the reason the Love Fairies came out of hiding, chose to live among the rest of the Kingdom. She was a bridge. If she truly—"

"—murdered Lumera’s sister and tried to poison her," Scarlette cut in, her voice like flint, "then she’s no longer fit to be in power. No matter what legacy she leaves behind. And haven’t you noticed? Faragonda’s been more reclusive lately. Doesn’t that strike you as odd?"

I nodded slowly, the weight of kingship pressing harder than usual. "Still. We need proof. More than a sketch. More than a memory under trauma."

"Then we get it," she said. "Cleanly. Quietly. If Lumera’s telling the truth... we act."

I didn’t answer right away.

"How did we miss this? Why didn’t we stop it?" I muttered.

Scarlette stopped, turning to face me."Because murderers don’t wear signs. Because traitors hide behind robes and polished speeches. And because we were busy—as always. Fighting plagues. Securing borders. Dealing with a dozen crises a day. There’s always a threat hiding in the shadows, waiting for us to blink."

She softened, just slightly. "But we’re here now. And Lumera’s giving us a second chance. Don’t forget that. She’s speaking—unlike the last Light Fairy we failed to protect."

I looked away. "She’s not easy to like. Not this version of her. New-world Lumera is just... too blunt and sketchy."

"Are you being judgmental again?" Scarlette raised an eyebrow. "She’s been through a lot."

"And we haven’t?" I replied stiffly.

"She doesn’t need to be liked," Scarlette countered. "She just needs to be heard. And believed. We owe her that much."

"We owe it to the Kingdom to be objective," I said coolly.

"And you’ll see," Scarlette said firmly. "You’ll see that I’m right. And that Lumera is too."

I said nothing.