by Nissa Leder
How had he let his sister live so long in this wretched place?
It wasn’t as if he hadn’t tried to negotiate her release, but the Winter Queen was stubborn. The only term she was willing to make to release his sister was marriage to the Unseelie King.
Unlike in the mortal world, fae marriage was permanently binding—a literal until death do we part. And it wasn’t just an emotional connection being promised, but a tether of power as well.
If Kaelem married Nevina, their powers would be combined and split evenly. Fae power was all about balance. What was given must be taken from somewhere else. Nevina was cursed by the season of her court, unable to permanently leave Faerie and limited in her power. Kaelem’s ancestors had made it so. If they were to wed, his court would share some of that burden.
Kaelem had no desire to lose an ounce of his power, but he’d give it all up if it would save his sister. It wasn’t just about him, though. The Unseelie Court needed him to be a strong king. Once word got out that the king of the Unseelie Court was vulnerable, so were his people.
The Seelie Queen would pounce.
As far back as the fae existed, the Seelie and Unseelie Courts had been at war. It wasn’t always an obvious war, no. Fae were sneaky. The only time the two courts had gotten along was when they left Faerie to live in the mortal realm. Then, they’d worked together to bind the power of the fae left behind.
Once the spell was done and the Seelie and Unseelie Courts had settled in their new realm, the animosity between them reappeared.
If Kaelem took Nevina as the Unseelie Queen, his court would be in danger. And as much as he loved his sister and would give his own life to protect her, he had a duty as king to put his people above all.
Kaelem reached out his mind to feel for the presence of others. Two guards were up ahead. One was hungry and couldn’t wait for his shift to be over. He hated guarding the dungeon. It was boring and pointless. Who would be dumb enough to break in?
Kaelem moved to the other mind. This one was female, and, apparently, in love with the other guard. How touching. And exactly the information Kaelem needed.
When he rounded the corner, both guards held out their weapons. The guy raised a sword, the girl a staff.
“Who are you?” the male asked. When his gaze met Kaelem’s, Kaelem’s mind latched on.
“The queen needs you to walk around the castle, nice and slowly,” Kaelem said.
The man nodded and walked past Kaelem and into the tunnel.
“You’re the Unseelie King,” the female said. “Our queen warned us you might come.”
“Did she now?” Kaelem said. “Does your friend know of your feelings for him?”
She glared at Kaelem just as he’d wanted. His mind broke into hers.
“You should go find your lover and tell him how you feel.”
Kaelem chucked as she left.
He continued into the dungeon. Some of the cells were empty. One had a banshee inside, who snarled at Kaelem then begged to be let out. He ignored her and kept going until he reached the cell in the back.
Bars of ice kept him from going any further. When he peeked through them, his chest clenched.
Curled up in the corner, his sister held her legs close to her body. Just like in the vision the Winter Queen had shown him, her hair was cropped short. His sister had always had long, beautiful locks. He was sure Nevina had taken them only to hurt her.
“Aria.” His voice was a mere whisper, but it was enough.
She lifted her chin. When her eyes met his, she grinned.
“Brother!”
She pushed herself up, nearly losing her balance as she took a step. But she continued until she was inches from Kaelem.
He tried to reach through the bars to touch her, but when his hand slipped in between, a powerful cold sent a jolt to his chest.
“It’s loaded with magic.” Aria placed her hands flat against the bars.
Kaelem did the same. It was as close to touching as they could get. “I’m so sorry.”
Aria’s mouth rose in a half-grin. “Could be worse.”
Kaelem reached his mind out to make sure no one was near. “I’ve come to get you out.”
“You cannot marry her, Kaelem. You promised me you wouldn’t.”
The Ice Queen had let him visit her the day she was imprisoned. He had told his sister of Nevina’s offer. In his heart, Kaelem knew his people needed to come first, but had the queen been there as he saw his sister shivering from the cold, he may have forgotten his duty and agreed.
Aria knew him better than anyone—so much so, she knew he would do something stupid to save her. She made him promise not to marry the Ice Queen. No matter what happened to her. He didn’t want to, but he could never tell his little sister no, and that day was no different.
And he would never break a promise.
He stared at her, stuck in that small cell. Her skin was pale. Dark circles lingered under her eyes. If he could at least find a way to give her warmth …
“You can’t,” she said.
Surprise coated his face.
“My body might be weak, but my mind is strong as ever,” Aria said. “It isn’t like you to let your mental shields drop. Is everything okay?”
“I won’t break my promise to you, not ever. I won’t marry Nevina. But I have to try to break you out.” His hands roamed over the bars. “There has to be a way to get through the magic. There’s always a way. “
“Who’s the woman?” Aria tilted her head to the side as she pushed her eyebrows together, a look of inquisitiveness she’d always possessed.
“What woman?”
“The one I saw in your thoughts. Brunette, blue eyes. She’s gorgeous.”
Scarlett’s face flashed in his mind.
“Yes, her,” Aria said.
“Someone here to help me.”
Aria sighed. “Don’t turn yourself into a monster, brother.”
“I…”
He lifted his mental shields again. What had been done was done. He’d already brought Scarlett here, and he had no time to come up with another plan. He’d turn into the devil himself if it meant freeing Aria from this dreadful place. He wanted nothing more than to see her face shine with life again.
Aria lifted her free hand to her heart. “I know you’ll try to save me, but if you can’t, I need another promise.”
He wasn’t sure he wanted to know what she was going to say.
She looked into his eyes. “If you can’t get me out, promise me you’ll find a way to kill me.”
“No.”
“Kaelem, I can’t do this anymore.” She gestured to the cell, to her body, then to her hair. “My body is deteriorating. They took my hair out of spite. The only thing I have left is my mind, and soon she will take that, too.”
He would save her. He’d find a way to get her out and she could go home and recuperate. Things would be good again.
“I know you want that,” Aria said, listening to his thoughts again. “But you can’t start a war with the Winter Court for me. And you can never give her what she wants.”
When he didn’t answer her, she said, “Promise me, brother.”
Tears dripped down his cheeks and froze mid-air before they fell to the ground. “I promise.”
“You got this,” Aria said as she hugged Kaelem.
Kaelem heard the crowd cheer. His brother must have entered the arena.
“Tarek has been practicing for this since he was five,” Kaelem said.
Aria pulled away from Kaelem but kept her hands on his shoulders. “You have far more natural magic than him. Just stay focused.”
Kaelem sighed. She wasn’t wrong. His power was stronger than Tarek’s, but he hadn’t spent enough time training to properly wield it. An idiotic move. He’d always known his brother would challenge him as soon as he was old enough. He just didn’t think it would be the very first day Tarek came of age. Their father was in good health. Kaelem doubted he’d die any time
soon. Why the rush?
“If I lose…” Kaelem started.
Aria interrupted, “You cannot lose.”
He took Aria’s face gently in between his hands. “If I lose, you’ll have to challenge him. But not until you’re ready.”
“You won’t lose.”
Kaelem’s eyes fixated on hers. “If I do, it will be up to you.”
Aria pulled him into one last hug.
The announcer called Kaelem’s name. “I have to go.”
“He’s a showoff. Be patient,” Aria said.
“Love you, sis.”
Tears welled up in her eyes.
Kaelem turned and headed into the arena full of Unseelie fae—high and low fae alike—to face his fate.
“Don’t lose,” Aria yelled as he met the stares of the crowd.
He’d followed Aria’s wishes; he didn’t lose. Some courts allowed surrender. The Unseelie wasn’t one of them. A challenge for the Right of Heir was a fight to the death.
On the ground, blood pooled at Kaelem’s feet. His younger brother’s severed head rolled away from its body.
Chapter Twenty-One
Cade felt mostly back to normal the next morning, though his ego was still wounded. Challenging the Unseelie King was a stupid move, truly. But it showed—win or lose—he wasn’t afraid of a challenge.
Poppy challenging Scarlett was not part of his plan.
He visited her room to confront her about it.
“I can feel your anger,” Poppy said as she sat in a rolled back, burgundy chair next to a window. “You gave me no choice.”
“I gave you no choice?”
“You challenged the Unseelie King in front of the Winter Queen and lost. We couldn’t look weak. What message would that send?”
“So you challenge Scarlett to show your strength?” Please. He didn’t buy it. “Her obvious inability to fight made you look like a predator.”
Poppy clenched her jaw. “At least I won.”
“I may have lost, but at least I picked an opponent worth fighting. I lost with dignity. You won with what?”
“It sent a message to the Unseelie King that he’s only as strong as his partner.”
“Scarlett is not his partner.”
“Then what is she, huh? Because she isn’t yours.”
She was right. Cade learned that in the Battle of Heirs. Scarlett had chosen his brother over him, and now she chose Kaelem. She’d even kissed him. The thought sent nausea to his stomach. But why? And why would he choose her? As king, he had endless choices for a partner.
He must know something about Scarlett that Cade didn’t. Raith had known Scarlett was part fae when Cade hadn’t. He must have to have chosen her for his second.
But Kaelem was infamous for playing games, so maybe he brought Scarlett to the Unseelie Court and to the Winter Solstice simply to get under Cade’s skin, which, if that was the case, was working.
“Leave Scarlett alone.”
“Yes, King.”
Cade didn’t want Poppy mad at him, but he didn’t want Scarlett hurt. “I know you don’t like her and probably won’t understand, but I’m the one who brought her into this world simply to use her as a way to defeat Raith. I don’t know why she’s with the Unseelie King now, but if it hadn’t been for me preying on her vulnerability, she’d still be mortal and far away from here.”
“She should be thanking you,” Poppy quipped. “She’s powerful now and much less fragile.”
Yes, mortal Scarlett would have died from the injury from last night’s battle, regardless of the enchantments on the weapons.
“Maybe.” Cade shrugged. “But she didn’t have a choice. Not really.”
There was no other way he could explain to Poppy how he felt, so he left it at that. He couldn’t let the guilt consume him, though. He was king now, and his people depended on him.
He wouldn’t go out of his way to hurt Scarlett and would keep members of his court from hurting her as well, but if she ever got in the way of protecting his people, he’d do what must be done.
When Scarlett woke up, Kaelem was gone. The pain in her side had faded and was tolerable. Bending over hurt, but as long as she was careful, she could move.
As she slipped on a dress, he entered.
“Oh, sorry.” He looked away.
What had gotten into him? Normally, he would have jumped at the chance to catch Scarlett inappropriate. He’d have said at least one improper comment.
“You okay?” Scarlett reached around to tie the back of her dress, sending a shooting pain through her side. “Ow.”
“Here, let me help.” Kaelem came over and tied her dress.
“Thanks.”
Scarlett couldn’t read his thoughts, but she could feel solemnness coming from his aura. What had happened to make him so different?
Kaelem went into his closet and when he came back out, he held the mirror he’d trapped Ashleigh in. “I thought you might want to visit her.”
Scarlett’s heart fluttered. He’d let her see her sister? She nodded.
“I’ll put you in the mirror with her for a few minutes, then I’ll pull you back out.”
Was it a trap of some sort? Even so, at least she’d be with her sister again. “Okay.”
Kaelem held the mirror in one hand and, with the other, spun his hand in a circular motion.
Scarlett felt as if her body was dissolving into thousands of pieces. Her skin tickled as she moved freely through the air. The world around her blurred. When it came into focus again, she was inside her house.
Her piano sat where it always had, a Chopin book open and ready to play.
“Ashleigh?” she yelled.
Something shattered in the kitchen. “Scar?”
Ashleigh came running to her, an apron on and flour sprinkled on her nose.
They hugged each other tightly.
“You’re okay?” Scarlett asked as she looked her sister over.
Ashleigh had been in a mirror world of their house the whole time. Had she realized she was trapped?
“Of course, I’m okay,” she said. “Just trying to get stuff done before Vance’s birthday tomorrow.”
Last time Scarlett had talked to Ashleigh, she’d been preparing for his birthday.
Time wasn’t moving here.
“I thought you were camping?” Ashleigh asked.
“It got boring,” Scarlett lied. She couldn’t do anything to upset Ashleigh.
She’d been worried the whole time that her sister had been lost and lonely and afraid. But whatever spell kept her here apparently also kept her oblivious.
Scarlett joined Ashleigh in the kitchen as she continued to make the cake she’d started before Scarlet had shown up. As Ashleigh baked, Scarlett asked her how things were going.
Scarlett’s stomach tightened when she realized Ashleigh’s boyfriend might be looking for her. He could be worried—or worse, not worried. Even if Ashleigh didn’t realize the confinement of the mirror, life outside went on.
But Scarlett would have to worry about that later. None of it would matter if she didn’t help Kaelem steal back what he wanted from the Winter Queen. If something happened to Kaelem in the process, Ashleigh might be stuck in the mirror forever.
Scarlett pushed the negative thoughts away. She didn’t have long with Ashleigh, and she didn’t want to waste her time.
“What about you, little sis?” Ashleigh stuck the cake she’d just mixed into the oven. “Anything exciting in your love life?”
“Not right now,” Scarlett said. “I’ve had a few other things to focus on.”
“Don’t be afraid to love. It feels glorious.”
Love. Was Ashleigh that enthralled by the guy she’d been seeing? Scarlett knew she was infatuated, but love?
Scarlett felt her body dissolve again. When it molded back together, she was back in the room with Kaelem.
“I hope whatever it is we’re here for is important.” Scarlett stomped toward the closet. She needed
a moment alone.
“Scarlett, wait.”
She turned back.
Kaelem grabbed her hand.
When their skin touched, the room around Scarlett disappeared and a new image surfaced.
Coldness attacked her. Ahead, she saw a prison cell with bars of ice. She approached it slowly, worry in the pit of her stomach.
These weren’t her feelings. She was in a different mind.
When she peeked through the bars, a girl sat in the corner, head down and arms clutching her legs.
“Aria.” Kaelem’s voice said from the body Scarlett was in.
The girl’s body language shifted, relaxing as she peered up. Her eyes sparkled as she said, “Brother!”
Scarlett returned to her own body. Kaelem dropped her hand and watched her as he waited for her to speak.
Scarlett’s mental wall fell.
It was his sister? He’d stolen Scarlett’s sister to save his own. What kind of ludicrous logic was that? Anger boiled inside Scarlett. Her sister was in love, and she was happy. It might be a frivolous crush—or perhaps it was real—but either way, Ashleigh found a way to smile again. Losing their mom had been hard on her.
And now she may have lost that. Even if Ashleigh went back to him, what could she tell him? That she hadn’t been gone; he was mistaken. Then he’d think she was crazy.
The frailness of the girl in the vision surfaced to Scarlett’s thoughts. She pictured Ashleigh miserable, rotting away in a prison cell. What would she have been willing to do to save her?
“I shouldn’t have taken your sister,” Kaelem said.
Scarlett glared. He was in her head, listening to her thoughts. She’d learned to feel his presence.
You’re a hypocritical asshole.
He grabbed her arm and squeezed.
“Now, now. You should be grateful I haven’t killed you.” The Ice Queen’s voice was cold. “Yet.”
The girl lifted her head, eyes full of fury. “Fuck you.”
“Is that any way to speak to a queen?”
“You’re not my queen.”
Nevina stepped into the cell as the bars parted for her and shot a dagger of ice into Aria’s arm.
Aria shrieked. She screamed again and again as another hit her leg and another her foot.
