by Nissa Leder
Sage would take some getting used to before such mortal clothes would seem normal to her. She’d spent her entire life in the Autumn Castle or the Autumn Forest, where mini-skirts and bright colors were unheard of.
“Let her in,” Aria said. “Do you not recognize the Autumn King’s daughter?”
The gates opened.
“I didn’t realize…” the guard who’d left said.
“Next time, I’m sure you will.” Aria turned and headed back to the castle. “Welcome, Sage. Follow me.”
Sage glared at the guards as she passed them. When Sage caught up with Aria, she was smiling.
“They get freaked out so easily. As if on a whim I might take their heads.” Aria laughed.
“I’ve heard worse things about the Unseelie Court,” Sage said.
“It’s earned its cruel reputation, but neither my brother or I have ever participated in its most sadistic traditions.” Aria eyed Sage. “I see you’re back in your usual attire.”
Sage’s ears grew hot. “The dress was fun for a night but not nearly mobile enough.”
She pictured fighting the wolf-like creatures in a dress.
“You look good in either.”
A string of lights on the ground lit the path they followed on each side. The sky above was dark, as it always was in the Unseelie Court. Sage wondered what time it actually was there. She knew time moved faster in Faerie, but she wasn’t sure how much faster. She’d been to the mortal realm too few times to have ever cared.
A large palace appeared, so different than the Autumn Palace. Its white exterior was grand, but odd. There was no elegance to its shape. Were all buildings in the mortal world so square? As they approached, the palace door opened.
“Well, hello.” Kaelem waited inside. “What brings you back here so soon? Has your father seen the light—well, maybe the dark—and decided to ally with me?”
“He hasn’t made up his mind yet.”
Confusion coated Kaelem’s face, wiping away his usual smirk. “What happened?”
Sage and Aria followed Kaelem into the parlor. This room was even stranger than the exterior, with purple walls and three lights with metal contraptions around them hanging over a counter. Were they considered stylish?
Sage pulled her focus from the bright walls and told them about the incident in the Faerie Forest, how she and her sister had visited Declan and barely escaped with their lives. “There were at least six creatures, one of which I killed.”
Kaelem poured himself a glass of liquor and downed it then poured another before offering Aria and Sage a drink.
“Yes,” they answered simultaneously.
“And you’re sure they were the same creatures you saw in the Otherworld?” Kaelem handed them each a drink.
“Yes. Positive. I’ve never seen them in Faerie before, and I’ve spent plenty of time in the forest.” Sage took a sip and nearly choked. It was stronger than she’d anticipated.
Aria downed hers. “We know that Nevina is siding with them, but if everyone else joins against them, they’ll be outnumbered.”
It wasn’t as if the Fates unleashing the creatures into Faerie was surprising. But it meant that whatever their plan was, it was already in motion.
Kaelem refilled his and Aria’s drinks. “The Summer Court is joining the Winter Queen.”
“That ass.” Sage finished her drink. And to think, she’d actually started to have the tiniest bit of respect for Cade. He’d saved Raith’s life on their quest for the tree’s power and seemed genuinely upset when the Fates took his brother.
And now he wanted to join the side the Fates were on?
Sage expected Kaelem to remark on the betrayal, but he didn’t.
A tingling started in Sage’s fingertips and swam up her arms, heating her veins. The overwhelming feeling of everything faded just a little as the liquor spread through her.
Aria sat on the couch and extended her legs. Her already short skirt rode up even higher. She glanced at Sage and grinned. “Well, he chose the wrong side. Clearly, our side will kick their side’s ass.”
“Does your father know?” Kaelem took Sage’s glass from her.
“Not yet. Willow hid Declan with the brownies for now as he heals. I can’t tell my father about him or he’ll be furious with my sister and likely kick him out of the castle.”
Kaelem set his drink on the bar counter. “He needs to know. It will help him understand how far the Fates are willing to go. Your sister and her boyfriend are welcome here if he kicks them out.” He refilled Sage’s drink and gave it back to her.
“I’ll see what I can do.” She took another drink. The liquor didn’t taste as strong this time. Had he made the drink weaker or was she getting used to its taste?
She hated the idea of revealing her sister’s secret, but the entire Autumn Court was in danger. If her father didn’t send protection outside of the castle, innocent Autumn lives could be lost. She would have to make Willow understand.
She finished her drink more quickly this time and set the empty glass on the table.
“Thank you for the update, Sage. You’re welcome here at the Unseelie Court as long as you’d like, though I hope you’ll try to get your father to join us.”
“I’ll do my best. And thank you for the offer.” When she stood, lightheadedness struck her. “I will return home tomorrow and speak with him. If I can get there, that is.”
Kaelem and Aria gave her confused looks, and she explained how she was unable to evanesce anywhere closer than the bottom of the hill.
“Our extra boundaries must be working,” Kaelem said.
“Of course they are, I helped put them up.” Aria hopped up. She glanced at Kaelem, who nodded. “I can add you as someone with permission to evanesce in and out.”
“I’ll let you two get to that.” Kaelem exited the room, giving Aria a wink as he passed by.
“This way,” Aria said.
“Where are we going?” Sage asked as they left the castle and followed a path, past the gardens, to a small house at the edge of the castle grounds overlooking the city below.
“To the guest house. My main room is in the castle, but Kaelem let me have my own space out here as well.”
The cool breeze was refreshing, counteracting the heat from the liquor. Stars sparkled above in the clear night sky.
“Do you ever get tired of the endless night?” Sage asked as they entered the house.
It was cozier than Sage had expected, especially compared to the large size of the castle. A teal couch with multi-colored patch fabric cushions sat against the far brick wall. The adjacent wall was covered in a turquoise color with a mint-leaves pattern painted across it.
“The sun is beautiful, but something is haunting about the darkness that calls to me.” Aria looked above the couch to a large canvas painting of city buildings beneath a purple and navy sky. A pink moon shined in the top corner.
On the other side of the room stood an easel.
“Did you paint that?” Sage asked.
“Yep.” Aria stuck her palm on the door of a magenta armoire. When she pulled her hand away, the door opened. Inside, she took out a small silver cauldron and set it on the table in front of the couch.
“It’s amazing,” Sage said.
Aria went back to the armoire and grabbed a small pouch and took out a needle inside. She sat on the couch and patted the spot next to her. “Have a seat.”
Sage obliged. “What’s that?”
“It’s a potion to serve as an extra barrier to the regular protections in place around the castle grounds.” Aria held out her hand. “I need a finger.”
Sage pointed her index finger toward Aria.
Aria pricked it with the needle and guided it over the cauldron.
Four drops of Sage’s blood dripped into the golden liquid. It bubbled for a few seconds before growing calm again.
“You should be able to evanesce now,” Aria said.
Sage pictured herself next t
o the doorway. She evanesced there. “Amazing.”
“I am pretty great.” Aria grabbed a thick, black stick from the table and pressed a button on it. A large white canvas rolled down across the room and a moving picture appeared. “It’s a projector.” Aria pointed to a gray, box-like thing behind her.
Sage should go straight home, but she wanted to let her head clear from the liquor first. And she wanted to get to know Aria better. Surely, the Autumn Court would survive if she stayed another hour.
She sat next to Aria again and together they watched the moving picture—called a movie—set in the mortal world. There were transportation machines called cars that drove in streets and planes that flew in the air all without magic.
After it was over, Aria pressed a button and the screen turned black. “Amazing, huh?”
“Humans are interesting beings,” Sage said. She wanted to stay and get to know Aria more, but she needed to return to her family. “I should get home.”
Aria leaned in and pecked Sage on the lips. “Don’t be a stranger.”
Chapter Eighteen
Scarlett’s head hung down as her limbs remained tied to the wooden cage. Her mouth was so dry it felt as if she hadn’t had any water in ages.
How long had she been there? Hours? Days? The red creatures occasionally walked by. They were thin, with long arms and legs. Two small horns poked from their forehead making them look like demons. They were bald, with big ears that came to points on top and large black eyes. Some stared. Some spoke to her in some language she didn’t understand. Some poked her with a stick and laughed. Everyone once in a while, one came into the cage and bit her, sinking its teeth deep into her flesh. Pain would radiate through every nerve in her body.
She’d been stupid to come here. She knew it before she left and she definitely knew it now. No one even knew where she was. They might assume she’d been taken, but even if they guessed she was in the Darkland, they wouldn’t know how to find her. She hadn’t told anyone about the portal and, even if she had, she didn’t know if just anyone could open it.
“Well, well, you haven’t passed out yet,” Raith’s voice said behind her. He walked around and opened the cage. “Impressive.”
Scarlett wanted to tell him exactly what she thought he could do, but she bit her tongue. The more hurt she got, the less likely escape would be. Provoking him wouldn’t work in her favor.
Raith sniffed the air. “And that anger seething from you is delicious.”
Scarlett lifted her head and met his gaze. This wasn’t him, she reminded herself. It was only slightly reassuring.
“I was just told the Fates have returned. I’m glad you’re awake to greet them.” He untied her legs first then her arms.
She fell forward.
Raith caught her as her body pressed into his.
His familiar scent stirred her stomach.
He pushed her back. “Stand up or I’ll drag you.”
As Scarlett found her balance, her stomach grumbled. Her legs were weak, but, though wobbly, they still held her. She didn’t doubt his threat.
Raith tied her hands together in front of her and pulled her out of the cage and through another tunnel.
When Scarlett stepped outside, a dark sky appeared. A red moon hovered above. Ahead, they walked through an archway in a stone wall with a turret on each side. On the other side stood a huge, gothic castle.
Two stairways curved, combining to make a circle leading to the castle on either side. Raith didn’t lead Scarlett up them, though. Instead, he yanked her around to a pit sunk into the ground and surrounded by stones shaped like gargoyles.
The Fates stood in the center. Two watched Scarlett with eager eyes while the other kept behind them. All three wore similar black dresses. Their skin was pallid as it always had been and their eyes remained dark, but they looked like they had in the vision Scarlett had seen, not like they had when she’d first met them.
“Look, Morta, do you feel her fear?” one asked.
“Yes, Decuma, how satisfying,” Morta replied.
Before, they’d seemed bound together, always speaking as one. Something had changed, allowing them each a will separate from one another.
Scarlett lifted her chin.
“Oh, wrath, even better.” Decuma turned around and grabbed a knife.
Scarlett reached inside herself and searched for her magic but there was nothing there. She tried to run, but Raith jerked her back.
Decuma teased Scarlett by dragging the knife down her cheek, too softly to break skin. “So pretty, I almost hate to ruin your face.”
Morta chuckled. “I’ll do it.”
“What about you, Nona?” Decuma asked the Fate hovering in the back.
“We shouldn’t be doing this without father’s permission,” Nona said.
“I’ll take that as a no.” Decuma pushed the tip of the blade into Scarlett’s cheek.
Scarlett clenched her jaw as pain pulsed through her face. Decuma slowly pulled the knife down to the top of her chin.
She stared ahead as the foulest words she could think of ran through her mind.
Blood dripped from her cheek as Decuma handed the blade to Morta.
“My turn.” Morta sliced Scarlett’s shoulders. “Uh oh, your outfit turned red.”
“Sidhe or not, she’ll die if she loses too much blood without her magic to heal her,” Nona said from the back.
“Good point. We wouldn’t want to end it too quickly for her.” Morta reached her upward palm out. A black tendril of smoke grew from her hand and wrapped itself around Scarlett’s neck and squeezed.
Scarlet reached her tied hands up and tried to pull it from her throat. It didn’t budge.
“She’s turning pink,” Nona said. There was no joy in her statement. Instead, concern laced her words.
Every time Scarlett almost passed out from lack of oxygen, Morta would release the smoke then, with a quick flick of her wrist, use it as a whip to smack her with.
Scarlett lost track of how many times they’d alternated between the two forms of torture.
Finally, as the smoke tightened around Scarlett’s neck again, Morta said, “This has been fun, but I think it’s time we get this over with. I’m hungry.”
Scarlett’s lungs burned, desperate for air.
This was it.
Her stupidity had finally got her killed, but she was happy no one else had to die with her. At least not yet. What would happen to everyone when the Fates attacked?
“Enough,” a male voice boomed.
The smoke loosened and Scarlett fell to the ground.
She curled into a ball as she gasped to refill her lungs. Someone lifted her. When she stood, she met green eyes and a chiseled jawline.
“Sorry, father,” Morta said.
Father.
This was Ankou? Of course, he was pretty. Scarlett chuckled. How had she expected anything less? Everything in the fae world was gorgeous. Well, no, not everything. But it seemed everyone fae or Sidhe held some sort of beauty. The person standing in front of her was as far from the wart covered, gray-skinned man she’d envisioned when Vida had told her about Ankou. His face had been hidden in the vision she’d seen of the Fates, but his cruelty made him ugly no matter how perfect his features were.
Ankou ran his fingers over the cuts on Scarlett’s shoulders. The wounds tingled, the pain vanished and the bleeding stopped.
He lingered at the slice on her cheek. “I sense Dana’s essence in you and you share her allure as well.” He turned to the Fates. “I see you’ve been treating our guest rather abhorrently.”
“We wanted to end her to save you the hassle, father,” Decuma said.
“I appreciate your eagerness, but it isn’t time for that yet.” He focused on Scarlett again. “How did you come to stumble into my realm?”
Scarlett checked her mind shields. She might not have her other magic, but she was able to keep her mind safe. “That’s none of your business.”
Sh
e thought of the book and the visions it had given her. It had wanted her to know more about Ankou and how to get to him. Had it known that she would end up beat up and trapped?
“Oh, but it is. This is my home and you are trespassing. There’s only one entrance, and it’s heavily guarded. The other way is through a portal and very few are strong enough to create one.” Ankou ran his fingers through Scarlett’s hair then down her arm. “You possess the power, but how did you know the incantation?”
She shuddered as his skin touched hers.
He ran the back of his fingers over the cut on her face and it healed.
“I’m afraid the bite marks must stay. We wouldn’t want your magic to come back too soon.” He shifted and spoke to Raith. “Take her back and keep her magic subdued. Get her something to eat. We needn’t be monsters.” His lips curved into a grin that sent a shiver to Scarlett’s core.
He might be pretty to look at, but she didn’t doubt for one second that he was lethal.
Chapter Nineteen
Nevina had accepted Cade’s request to ally, but she’d suggested he remain at the Winter Court for the time being. Cade didn’t love the idea, but he didn’t have much choice.
He knew she didn’t completely trust him. Even though he’d rather return to his own court, he was more useful there with Nevina. It would give him more time to decide which side he really wanted to be on.
Visions of the seamstress he’d killed, dead on the ground, haunted Cade. He’d done it both out of mercy and to save himself and Poppy, but he couldn’t ignore the guilt inside, eating away at him. She’d been innocent and he’d killed her. There was no taking such an action back.
Poppy sat in a chair in the room Nevina had given them to share, reading a book. “What lies! This book claims that the Summer Court cheated to win the war against Winter.” She flipped the page. “It insinuates my father, as the army’s general, broke a spoken agreement of a truce and deceitfully killed the Winter King.”
