Summer Princess (Dark Fae Book 1)

by Sloane Murphy

  I sigh and place my arm through his waiting one, letting him escort me down to the ballroom while ignoring his ridiculous question. Just look at Edimere; he wasn’t always this way, and just because I don’t have that darkness in me now doesn’t mean it couldn’t be there if I followed the same path as him.

  The gold doors of the ballroom sparkle when they open, allowing us entry into the hellish event. The party started without us, and I really don’t mind. I look out across the room from the raised entryway and take in the decadence, defiled by the party’s entertainment. Members of both royal courts laugh and drink amongst the chaos. I grab a drink from one of the nearly nude waiters as Erion grips my arm more firmly. “Well, it’s not like this is our first time immersing ourselves in this debauchery, but it seems the king has gone all out tonight. The blood is already casting rivers through the room.” His voice is quiet as it rumbles through his chest. I know he hates these things as much as I do, even with all of his bravado about me letting loose.

  The air in here even feels different from the rest of the world—the desperation from the helpless, combined with giddiness and bloodthirstiness from those in power. Erion guides me across the room, and I paint a cruel smile on my face to match my brothers, so as to blend into the room and avoid too many people stopping to greet us. The only problem with being the royals of the Summer Court is that everyone wants to greet us regardless of our outward manner. I tip back the glass and finish it in one go, placing the glass onto one of the many waiting trays around us. I step forward, but Erion pulls me back just as a body falls at my feet, blood spilling from the boy’s neck. I look down at his frail, pale body, and my heart clenches. He cannot be much older than me. His eyes beg me for help, to save him from this fate. I step forward to reach for him when a cackle rings out around us as someone pounces on the body to finish their fun. I watch the woman as she straddles his waist, grinding against him as she laps at the cut on the boy’s throat, her arms pinning his to the ground. My stomach turns, and I want to drag her off of him, but Erion’s arm holds me in place, stopping the intervention I am desperate to take. The woman groans as she lifts her hands—each finger tipped with metal claw—and slashes the boy’s wrists, and she continues to writhe on him. She lets out a long, drawn-out groan as she tears the boy’s chest open, and I feel my knees weaken. Only Erion’s grip on me keeps me standing.

  “I’m just going to go get a drink and hide in a corner,” I utter. He releases my waist, but I feel his eyes on me as I finish weaving across the floor. It’s as if I’m unseen when I am alone, despite being a royal, which is why I hate being made to come here. Everyone wants to align themselves to the throne, ensnare one of my brothers into marrying them, but my more gentile nature is not unnoticed. I am not seen as suitable or fit to be a royal, but no one would dare to say these things in front of my brothers. The only upside is getting to spend time with Rowan and Cade. The five of us try to get away from it, the politics of it all, despite Cade and Erion being heirs to the thrones. It’s stupid as far as we’re concerned—the wars, the fighting, the distrust between the two courts.

  All because about a couple thousand years ago, there was a betrayal between the two courts. Who was at fault depends who you ask, but essentially, the families crossed one another, and so the feud was born. It escalated to all-out war after one side—again depends which side you ask as to who was in the wrong—took the feud too far, and people ended up dead. Both sides said that the deaths would not stand, but no one would take responsibility for the deaths. That is until my brother and Cade were born. My mother and the Queen of the Winter Court saw fit to align their husbands in a ceasefire for the good of their sons. Neither one wanted their son to be a target in a centuries-old war that no one really knew the truth of. I mean, I get it. It seems so stupid to hate someone just because of who their family is. If we can be friends, why can’t everyone else just put this stupid centuries-old feud behind them? At least with the ceasefire, now it’s easier, and maybe one day, when Erion and Cade hold the thrones, our world will look vastly different. Unfortunately for us, the Fae, while not immortal, are not that easy to kill without the right iron-tipped weapons. There are some illnesses our healers cannot mend, but beyond this, our cell regeneration from the power of the lands around us means that we can live for hundreds, and in some cases, thousands, of years.

  I slide onto a stall at the end of the bar and hide in the shadows of the corner. A drink is placed in front of me, Berripagne. I swear it’s the only thing available at these things. I’ve grown to handle the tart taste and sharpness of the bubbles, but I don’t think I’ll ever enjoy it the way most people do. I sit and sip the never-ending stream of bubbles placed in front of me and pretend I’m anywhere but here. The hours pass and no one bothers me; it’s bliss. I just imagine a land far from here, away from the darkness and stupid rules, while I try not to obsess about the fact that Cade nearly kissed me earlier.

  “I thought I might find you hiding over here.” Speak of the devil.

  “You know me well; the shadows are always a good place to hide.”

  “Someone who looks as breathtaking as you do shouldn’t be hiding in the shadows, Em.” I don’t know what to say to that, so I gulp down the rest of my glass. “Come, we should mingle with the masses, show our faces a little, and pretend that our fathers get on as well as we do.”

  “Can I not just leave? This entire night has been horrid,” I say, but before he can answer me, I hear a roar - a pained scream.

  “Rowan.” Cade runs towards the noise, and I follow closely behind. The sight in front of me is enough to make me weep. I look at Edimere, covered in blood, to the girl at his feet, the life gone from her. Rowan is on his knees opposite the scene. I have no idea why he is here; he’s not meant to be here.

  “Why? Why her?” he wails at his father, who holds his shoulder and looks down disapprovingly as confusion covers Edi’s face.

  “This cease-fire is as fake as her professed love for you. She’s a villager, and you are nobility. You shouldn’t get so attached to them, Rowan. This was the best way I could show you the difference between them and us. Now the problem is solved.”

  “She never hurt anyone!” He shrugs off his father and struggles to his feet. Cade watches in front of me, trying to shield me, but I can feel how much he wants to go to his brother.

  “She is a Summer commoner; you should not sully yourself in such ways. Next time, I will not be so lenient with my punishment. Plus, it looks like you could learn a thing from young Edimere. He is more Winter than you will ever be. I’m almost proud of the hand I had in his work this night,” Earon boomed as Rowan’s eyes grow dark.

  “You did this!”

  It feels like I’m watching in slow motion as Rowan picks up one of the many swords discarded around the room and runs towards Edimere, who meets him head-on.

  “You don’t want to do this, Rowan,” Edi shouts, meeting the sword blow for blow with the dagger in his hand, his weapon putting him at a disadvantage, but it’s Rowan I fear for. I know my brother. I can see the darkness inside him taking over as the challenge intensifies. “I am not your enemy. I had no idea who she was, let alone that she was anyone to you. Do not make me do something we will both regret.”

  Edi’s voice rings out across the room over the noise of clashing metal, while everyone just watches. The crowd cheers the latest show of strength and the potential bloodshed. I gasp when Cade darts towards them as Rowan falls back to the floor, his dark hair coated in thick red blood, and Edi closes in on him.

  I watch in horror as Edi raises the blade in his hand, his blue eyes now completely black. “I tried to warn you, Rowan. But you never listen.”

  I hear Erion shout Edi’s name, but I’m rooted to the spot. I can’t move. My vision blurs as Cade sweeps in behind Edi. At first, I think he’s taken hold of him, but then Edi stops fighting and falls back onto Cade, who jumps back, looking down at the scene before of him. That’s when I notice the bl
ood on Cade’s hands, the iron-tipped sword clattering to his feet, and the red blooming on the chest of my twin’s white tux. Chaos erupts, and I run to Edi, dropping to my knees, and place my hands on his chest.

  “You’re okay, Edi. I’m here. You’re going to be okay,” I say, but the blood coming from his mouth, and the fact that his deep-indigo eyes are glassy, tells me otherwise.

  “Emilia, get out of the way!” My father rips me from Edi as the healers rush in. I look down at the blood on my shaking hands and back to my brother’s now lifeless body. Erion crouches behind me, wrapping me in his arms as we mourn our loss together.

  Cade stands with his brother and father on the edges of the scene. I feel Cade’s eyes on me, begging me to understand, but the pain of losing my twin is too much, like half of my very being was just torn away. He steps towards me, faltering when his father places a hand on his shoulder. The conflict on his face is as evident as the tears that stream down mine.

  “This is all your fault, you monster!” I scream at them, I don’t know which one deserves it most, but it fits each of them. “I will never forgive you for this!”

  My heart shatters into a thousand pieces, and I know that life will never be the same again.

  Chapter One

  Five years later

  I walk through the streets of Avaenora, the main city south of Eressea, where the Summer Palace looks down upon us all, with my head in the clouds. To walk here, you would never know that we’re at war. The birds sing, and people have stands out in the streets selling their wares, trying to make a living. The sun beams down upon us, and I can feel the rays rejuvenate me. Being part of the Summer Court, I have an affinity with the sun and fire. I watch on as children run and play around me, trying to keep their footing as the run on the gray and purple cobbled ground.

  Excitement and anticipation flood me as I lose myself in the crowd of people gathering this morning, celebrating the new day. At the same time, I lose the guard my father insists he doesn’t have tracking me but is impossible to miss. His guards all carry themselves as if they have such purpose and look down at those around them. Apparently, being in my father’s personal guard makes these men feel superior, despite the fact they’re on babysitting duty.

  The hope of seeing Oberon fills me; he’s the entire reason I snuck out this morning. I know he’s back from his latest hunt, and it feels like forever since he wrapped me up in the warmth of his thick, muscular arms.

  I remember the first time I met him four years ago. It was after one of Father’s first, and probably most brutal, beatings. I’d finally figured out that my parents blamed me for everything that happened, and that nothing in my life was going to go back to normal. And so, I ran. I had nowhere to go, so I just kept running and ended up at the top of the waterfalls, where my brother had saved me so long ago. I curled into a ball and sobbed, finally grieving the loss of not just Edi, but of my parents too. They were never going to be my parents again, not like they were, though the smallest sliver of hope still wrapped itself around my heart.

  My mouth feels like I’ve swallowed sand. I stretch out from the ball I’ve been curled in for days while I cried every ounce of water in my body, or at least, that’s how it feels. I’ve moved past my anger, my denial of the things happening to me, and all I feel is numb. I sit on the edge of the cliff and stare out over Avaenora, knowing that its beauty is only skin-deep. Despite the beauty of it, it holds the beasts that roam this world, encourages them to thrive.

  I’m so lost in thought, I don’t notice the Hunters coming up behind me from the forest.

  “Oh, lookie what we have here, boys. A little lost princess. I wonder what her daddy would think about her being up here all alone,” the tall one at the front taunts.

  “Maybe her daddy doesn’t need to know we found her. Looks like little miss royal upped and ran away. Nobody would know if we kept her for ourselves . . .” the second jeers, as they gather around me, the cliff edge at my back. I stumble back, and try to draw my fire, but not eating for days has left me weak. The flames answer my call, and the Hunters take a step back, looking angry.

  “You guys should leave, or it won’t be my father you have to worry about,” I say with as much strength as I can muster. My father hasn’t taught me much, but how to draw on my strength in the worst of times, that’s a valuable lesson to have learnt.

  “You stupid little bitch. You’re going to regret threatening us,” the third leers. I see their fingers turn to talons and watch as the shadows swirl around them. These Hunters must be high in their order to call on the shadows the way they do, but I don’t recognize them from my father’s guard, which must mean they’re from the Winter Guard.

  “You guys are a little far from home; you really should be heading back if you want to make it in one piece,” I tell them, goading them. I don’t know if it’s brave or stupid, or if I really just don’t care anymore.

  “You should probably listen to the princess.” I look behind them to see another Hunter, but this one I know I’ve seen around the palace.

  “Oh, fuck off, Oberon. You’re not wanted or needed here,” the first guy says as he steps closer to me again, but I can almost taste his fear. In a blink, he is lifted in front of my eyes, and his head rolls from his body. Oberon stands there, the first guy’s head hanging from his fingers by his hair with a wicked smile on his face.

  “Anybody else want to piss me off today?” he taunts, and the other two mutter under their breath before they back away from me and disappear back into the forest. At their retreat, Oberon throws the head over the edge of the cliff and kicks the body to follow it. “You shouldn’t be out here alone, princess.”

  “But I’m not alone, now am I?” I smile at him and pull back the last dying parts of my flames. “Thank you for your help. I totally had it under control, though.”

  “Oh, you did, did you?” He laughs softly.

  “Of course, I’m not just some damsel out here waiting to be rescued.” I huff, my hands landing on my hips.

  “I can see that. I just thought I’d step in and save you the bother. Makes me feel good about myself.” He laughs again, and I can’t help but laugh with him.

  “But really, thank you.” I step forward and put a hand on his arm. I’ve never really spoken to a Hunter before, they tend to avoid me at court, but I’ve always been curious about them as a people. About their circumstances. How they deal with it all. “I’m Emilia, but my friends call me Emmy.”

  “I know who you are, princess. We should get you home.” I wince at his words.

  “That place is not my home. Not anymore.” I sigh. “But it’s not as if I have anywhere else to go. My best friend is on the other side of the veil with her family, and everyone else is either gone or dead. Oh my god, I sound like a whiny brat. I’m sorry, it’s just been one of those weeks.”

  “Don’t worry about it, princess, I’m used to hearing the royals moan.” He winks at me. “But we really should get you home. There have been people out searching for you since you didn’t come home that first night. It is not fitting for the princess to be lost.”

  “Please call me Emmy, and I wasn’t lost, I was just trying to escape.” I groan but walk towards him and follow beside him as he leads the way back to the palace.

  “We all wish to escape at some time or another, but fate has plans for us all. Sometimes escaping is the exact opposite of what we need to be doing. Sometimes nothing can change unless we stay and fight against the wrongdoing and try to change it.”

  “It sounds like you’ve thought about this a lot.”

  “A man in my position has a lot of time to wonder about the cruel tricks of fate.” He says, and nothing I can say won’t sound like pity, so I say nothing at all. Somehow, the silence is comfortable, and we walk side by side until we reach the palace gates.

  “Well, this is me.” I point to the palace and laugh at my idiocy.

  “I can see that.” He smiles at me again, and with the warm light f
rom the palace against the darkness around us, something about him calls to me.

  “Thank you again,” I say and reach up on my tiptoes and kiss him on the cheek. “Until next time.”

  “Until next time, princess.”

  After that day, I sought him out, a friendly face in a sea of anger and indifference. After two years of being my friend, I gathered the courage to kiss him. He kissed me back with such passion that even the thought of it makes me sigh. Obviously, our friendship has always been a secret, a princess with a Hunter just would not do. I roll my eyes, practically hearing my mother’s voice in my head.

  Wandering these stalls in the morning, my face hidden by the hood on my black cape so as not to draw undue attention, is one of my favorite things to do. I can pretend the rest of the world doesn’t exist. I don’t feel the gaping hole in my chest from the loss of Edimere, my twin. I forget that my older brother has been gone since the day after Edi died, fighting the war with the rest of the soldiers of the Winter Court. I try to ignore the pressure from my father to marry into the royal family of the Autumn Court to strengthen our position and our allegiance with them, and the fact that my mother will never speak up against him, no matter how unhappy I am. Being a princess isn’t as glamourous as everyone seems to think it is. I’d hang up my crown in a heartbeat for the chance of true love and happiness. Hell, I’d cross the veil into the mortal realm if I thought I’d ever truly be able to escape the reach of my father.

  I weave through the crowds, tasting the foods from the traders and purchasing beautiful scents from the perfumers, hoping I’ll get a glance of him. This right here is the life I’ve always wanted. To be just another person. There’s nothing lonelier than being a royal Fae. Being closed off from the world, it wasn’t so bad before, when Erion and Edimere were here, but the only real company around the palace is my parents, the guards, or the Fae at court, and that is not the sort of company I’d ever choose to keep. I’ve never really fit in at court; I’m not quite brutal enough. I swear, the crueler you are, the better you do. People think I’m too soft; they expected me to raze the lands when my twin was killed, but rather than anger taking over, sadness did. Don’t get me wrong, the anger is there, and it stays stoked within my heart, but I don’t let it rule me. It’s not like I’ll ever forgive the ones responsible for his death, I won’t ever have to, but I wouldn’t flay the skin from their bones either. My twin was not well, his darkness was overcoming him, and he should have been detained, so that we could help him rather than slaughtered. Now I have to live with a piece of me missing— a piece of my soul was torn away. He was the yin to my yang, my balance, and for losing that alone, I will never be able to forgive the Winter Court.