by Nissa Leder
“It’s time.” Ailani had stepped inside the room unnoticed. “All the guests are here and are waiting for you, my queen.”
Ailani’s dress was made of sheer white fabric and strategically decorated with real flowers in all the necessary places to make it appropriate for the ball. Her horns were embellished with pink and blue sunflowers, flowers native to the Otherworld.
Much of the botanical life there was similar to that of the mortal world. There were roses, daisies, lavender, snapdragons, and many of the other flowers Scarlett’s mother had taught her about as a child. But here, the colors were brighter, and the buds bigger. It was fantastical and lovely, and Scarlett couldn’t help but think how much her mother would have loved it there. During a time of peace, that was.
Ashleigh bent to the ground and adjusted the short train of Scarlett’s dress. “There. Now you shouldn’t step on it.”
The sisters followed Ailani across the castle to the ballroom. Scarlett had almost suggested evanescing but decided the walk there would give her time to calm her nerves. She wasn’t ready to stand in front of all the guests and give some speech of how they would earn victory in the war.
She had no idea what would happen. No idea what type of army Morta had put together. How her power would fair against Morta’s. If she could even keep the darkness at bay and stay in control of her own magic.
Voicing her true doubts wasn’t likely to raise morale.
But this ball wasn’t about assurances of victory. Kaelem had suggested it as a way to thank everyone who had allied with their cause and to give them a chance to mingle with each other before they had to share the battlefield.
When they arrived at the top entrance to the ballroom, Ailani stopped. “I will introduce you, then you can come in and give a quick speech and take your seat.”
Unable to speak, Scarlett nodded then watched Ailani leave.
“You can do this, Scar,” Ashleigh said. “I watched you take care of Mom all those years. You kept her calm during her fits, and encouraged her in her moments of sanity. You’re a natural caretaker.”
Scarlett swallowed her fear as much as she could. “Thank you.”
A round of applause reverberated from the ballroom. Ailani returned. “Go on in.” She bowed as Scarlett and Ashleigh passed by her.
When Scarlett stepped through the archway and onto the balcony overlooking the ballroom, she froze. Hundreds of fae and Sidhe she’d never met stared up at her. The energy in the room hit her like a wave of the sea. She scanned the room, nerves buzzing inside her until her eyes locked with Kaelem’s.
He nodded, his usual self-assured smirk on his lips, and the anxiety in her calmed just enough for her to step to the ledge. She cleared her throat and remembered the trick Ailani had taught her a couple of days ago to use her magic as a megaphone.
Scarlett pressed two fingers to the side of her throat. “Welcome to the Otherworld. I want to thank each and every one of you for not only attending this event, but for joining with us in our cause to defeat the Fates and keep them from destroying all three realms as we know them.” She had practiced this speech at least fifteen times, but with so many sets of eyes on her, she couldn’t remember the next words. She took a deep breath. She’d have to improvise. “I know that many of you come from rival courts, far more used to battling against one another than side-by-side. But I know that you all share a love for your own court, and that is why I’m confident that, this time, you can be allies in the cause instead of enemies.” She paused, taking one last inhale. “Now, enough talking from me. Please enjoy the feast and dancing.”
The room erupted into another round of applause and Scarlett, relieved to have that over with, walked down the curved staircase and took her seat in between Ashleigh and Kaelem.
“Well done, darling,” Kaelem said. “You only look one shade paler than normal.”
Scarlett glanced at him with narrowed eyes. “Not all of us can be such natural attention seekers.”
Kaelem laughed. “I can’t deny my love for attention. Yours especially.” He lowered his head and winked.
He looked beautiful, as always. Scarlett would have thought the effect of his beauty on her would have worn thin by now. Surely, the more you see something lovely the less noticeable its loveliness should become. But that didn’t seem to be the case with him.
As heat rose on her cheeks, she looked around the rest of the table. Aria, Cade, and Poppy sat next to another on the other side of Kaelem. Past them was Vida, Ailani and Param. On the other side were Raith, Rowen, and a few more Otherworld council members. Ashleigh was on Scarlett’s left, and next to her sat Laik. When his eyes met hers, he dipped his chin.
Scarlett held her breath. Anger tightened her chest. She hadn’t seen him since shortly after Genevieve’s death. Then, he wore his pain like a shell, fragile as an egg. She couldn’t help but feel sorry for him. Since then, the memories of everything she’d learned had reminded her how awful he was. How he’d fathered her then abandoned his mother.
Her jaw clenched as the darkness inside her spread outward from her heart, causing her tattoos to prickle. Kaelem’s hand gently touched her thigh, pulling her away from the trance.
“Time to eat,” he said.
Scarlett hadn’t noticed the food that had appeared in front of her. She picked up her fork and cut into the steaming potatoes. She needed to be in better control of herself. Especially in front of such a large crowd of people. Whether she wanted to be or not, she was the leader of this group. Her magic was what gave them hope that they could win. If she lost her cool, many of them would pull away from the alliance, and that wouldn’t help her protect her people.
The rage swirling inside her had receded, but her appetite had gone along with it. She didn’t want anyone to notice, so she forced herself to eat a few bites, pushing the rest of her food around her plate to give the illusion she ate more.
Three courses later, after everyone had finished their meals, Ailani approached Scarlett and whispered, “Now, it’s time to dance.”
Scarlett rose and used her magic to push her voice across the room. “Let the dancing begin.”
The orchestra began to play music. During the first two songs, only a few attendees stood up and danced.
A tap on her shoulder caused Scarlett to turn. Laik stood behind her, peering down. “May I have a dance?”
Although she wanted to refuse, she knew she couldn’t. He’d come to her realm to strengthen the alliance between all the courts. Not dancing with him was sure to be seen as rude.
“Of course,” she said, praying she could keep her anger at bay.
He reached out his hand and she placed hers in his. It was only a dance. After one song, she could return to her seat and, fingers crossed, he would leave her alone the rest of the night.
The alliance with the Seelie Court was crucial to their cause. There was no way Kaelem would have worked so hard to entice Laik to join them if it wasn’t. And if Kaelem could get over the age-old animosity between their two courts, surely Scarlett could control her ill-feelings toward her father.
“I have wanted to speak with you for some time,” Laik said as they began to dance. One hand rested on her side, the other twined with hers. “You must have many questions.”
Scarlett’s eyes narrowed. “You think?”
She should have been more queenly in her words, but sometimes she couldn’t resist her mortal tendencies.
“I see the error in my choices now,” Laik said as he spun her to the music. “I can’t undo them, but I hope to find a way to show you I do care about you.”
“Like you supposedly cared about her?” The bitterness inside Scarlett boiled in her gut.
“I was not blessed with the gift of sight. I made the choices I made to protect both you and your mother, as well as your older sister. How has life treated her in our world?”
“She’s adjusting,” Scarlett said, knowing that it was only half true. She had grown to like parts of the fae
and Sidhe worlds, but Scarlett would be an idiot if she actually thought this was where Ashleigh belonged. But she wanted her sister kept safe, and the best way she could do that was by keeping her close. Maybe if Laik had stayed with her mother, the Fates wouldn’t have driven her mad or killed her. Scarlett wouldn’t have been driven so low in her grief, so easily lured into Faerie by Cade. She’d have never come to the Otherworld and unlocked the power then what?
Would the Otherworld remain magic free forever? Was giving up something so integral to their world worth avoiding the war?
None of it mattered. What was done, was done. Following the spiral of what-ifs would do no good.
“How can I earn your trust?” Laik asked.
“I don’t know.” As unhelpful as she was sure it sounded, it was the truth.
As the rage inside Scarlett seethed, she closed her eyes and thought of the sunshine. If she let her fury control her, the darkness would win, and that wasn’t a useful option.
When she opened her eyes and met Laik’s gaze, she saw the sadness it held. As a child, sometimes all she could think about was how much she wanted a father. Someone to help her care for her mother. To take her to the park and play softball with. To intimidate any boyfriend she brought home because he never wanted to see her hurt. Other times, she was glad not to have a dad. The dad she wanted was one who wanted her more than anything. Who put her needs first. If he had left, surely she didn’t matter.
But what if that wasn’t true? What if leaving was exactly what meant he cared? It was too much to think about now, and truthfully, didn’t really matter anymore.
As the song ended, a warm hand rested on her shoulder.
“My turn,” Kaelem said as he walked around her.
Laik stepped back and bowed. “The Seelie Court will do whatever necessary to help defeat the Fates and their allies. My army is yours, my daughter.” Then he turned and disappeared in the crowd of dancing, couples now filling the ballroom.
Kaelem moved in front of Scarlett and put a hand on her back, much lower than Laik’s had been. She was thankful to him for stepping in and distracting her from her fury, but being so near to him brought forth another emotion.
“You managed to keep the darkness at bay.” Kaelem’s hand slid a little lower. “Impressive.”
“Part of me wants to hate him,” Scarlett said. “The other part understands that he did what he thought was best for my family.”
Her body so close to Kaelem’s sent a shiver through her arms and legs. Even though the room was plenty warm, goosebumps rose on her skin.
She felt the familiar knock on her mental shield and lowered it.
You seem to have stolen every pair of eyes in the room, Kaelem said.
Most likely because they can tell I’m an imposter, Scarlett replied.
Kaelem pulled her a little closer. It’s because you’re glowing, darling. The women wish they held your radiance, and the men wish to devour it in bed.
Scarlett laughed and tilted her head. Is this your way to flatter me out of my clothes?
I don’t know. Is it working? His eyebrow lifted as he smiled.
It was working, but she wasn’t sure she wanted him to know it quite yet. As much as her body craved his touch, making him earn her would be so much more fun.
Kaelem took in the mischievous grin Scarlett wore.
He’d seen her in many outfits, but never had she looked so regal. The lavender lace of her dress brightened the violet in her eyes. And as she gazed at him, his body tingled in all the right places.
We could sneak under the staircase for some fun, Kaelem said into Scarlett’s mind.
And what would everyone think if I disappeared from the ball I’m hosting? The ball that you suggested. Scarlett’s fingers pressed into his back, sending a shiver through his shoulder blades.
We could be quick. Kaelem shrugged a shoulder.
And what would be the fun in that? Scarlett purred.
Kaelem’s heartbeat quickened. God, he wanted to take her into his arms and guide the two of them somewhere private where he could devour her. But she was right. Going fast would take away too much of the pleasure, and she was the host of this ball. Stepping away for more than a few minutes would seem rude.
But that didn’t mean they couldn’t have some fun out there on the dance floor.
Kaelem’s finger traced up Scarlett’s arm, from wrist to elbow to shoulder in a gentle caress. Then it curved the outline of her collarbone, hesitating at her throat before sliding down her breastbone.
Her lips parted as her eyes closed.
He grinned as hot red lust glowed in her aura, an aura she was doing a horrible job concealing.
Kaelem leaned in and, with breath hot on her ear, whispered, “My hands could explore so much more when we’re alone.”
Scarlett’s lips closed, an mmm sound vibrating from them.
The ballroom around them seemed to fade away as their torsos pressed together. With locked gazes, neither seemed to notice anything or anyone around them.
Until the screams reverberated through the ballroom, pulling both Kaelem and Scarlett’s attentions away from one another.
Kaelem looked straight at his sister.
At the table they’d all sat at for dinner, she stepped protectively in front of Ashleigh, lodging herself between her and an edimmu.
Drool dripped from its snarling lips.
How had an edimmu gotten past the protective enchantments?
Kaelem scanned the room. It wasn’t the only one. Others were scattered amongst the guests. As were at least a dozen redcaps, all swiping their long claws at anyone in their vicinities.
“No!” Scarlett screamed as an edimmu snuck around behind Ashleigh.
Aria was too focused on the edimmu in front of her to notice or stop the one flanking them.
Scarlett flung out an orb of light at the creature, but too late. Its claws slashed Ashleigh’s back. She cried out.
Then Scarlett’s light pushed through the edimmu’s heart. As it crumpled to the ground, Scarlett disappeared from Kaelem’s side and reappeared near her sister.
Something approached Kaelem from behind. He turned to see a redcap running at him, its hands extended. As it swung its claws, Kaelem raised a shadow shield and blocked the attack.
The creature’s eyes narrowed as it tried again and again, never able to strike. As entertaining as toying with the stupid thing was, Kaelem needed to get to Scarlett and Aria. When the redcap tried to slice again, Kaelem slipped into its mind and shattered it, then evanesced back to the table.
The shrieks had stopped. And when Kaelem looked around the room again, he saw that all the edimmu and redcaps had been killed. There weren’t nearly enough to cause actual damage. It would take more than a few dozen lowly Darkland creatures to attack a room full of powerful fae rulers and their best soldiers.
Kaelem looked down at Scarlett, who kneeled over her sister with her hands overlapped and hovering over Ashleigh’s back. Scarlett’s eyes were closed as a yellow glow radiated from her palms. After a minute, she pulled away.
Her aura was an open book now, all traces of the lust she’d felt were completely gone and replaced with a swirl of worry and fury. When Ashleigh coughed, a trickle of relief appeared as well.
“You’re okay,” Scarlett said as she pulled her sister into her lap and glanced up at Kaelem. “How did they get in here? Why?”
Ailani, who wore a blank expression as she watched Scarlett hold Ashleigh, stepped forward. “Somehow, they were evanesced through the protective barriers.”
“It was to scare everyone,” Kaelem said. It was the only reason that made sense. There wasn’t enough force to cause real damage. Hurting Scarlett’s sister, the only mortal in the entire room, was a happy accident for them. But if Morta had gotten word of the ball—a ball meant to increase morale—what better strategy than to crash it with just enough creatures to highlight the weakness in the Otherworld Queen. “You need to make a speech. Show
your fury to everyone.”
Vida stepped out from beneath the stairwell, pulling a redcap whose wrists were bound with a rope. “I caught this one. You can be the one to kill it.”
The creature growled at Vida then Scarlett.
Muffles reverberated across the room. Many of the tables had been knocked over. A few soldiers, none of whom had been prepared for an attack, were wounded. Dead edimmu and redcaps were sprinkled across the ballroom floor in pools of their own blood.
Vida tugged on the rope, sending the redcap to the ground. “You need to show everyone what you’re capable of.”
“Killing a redcap—and one that’s bound, nonetheless—is hardly impressive.” Scarlett gently stroked Ashleigh’s forehead.
“Then make its death painful,” Vida said.
“She’s right,” Kaelem said, impressed with her idea and a bit disappointed he hadn’t thought of it himself. “Aria will sit with Ashleigh and I will guard them both in case of another attack.”
Scarlett sighed, but when Aria bent down and pulled Ashleigh toward her, she didn’t stop her.
He highly doubted there would be any more creatures appearing, but Kaelem wanted Scarlett to feel her sister was safe in case there were, so he created a dagger of shadow and moved toward Aria and Ashleigh.
The attack had been to intimidate, not to cause much physical damage. But the mental damage it could create to their alliance was plenty harmful. Scarlett needed to sell her rage and power, or their alliance might crumble.
Scarlett stood and pressed her fingers to the side of her neck. “Morta might have found a way to break through our protections this time,” she started.
That wasn’t exactly what she needed to be highlighting right now. Kaelem tried to knock on her mental shields to remind her of the reason behind the speech, but she wouldn’t answer.
“But it only shows how cowardly she is. Instead of facing me herself, she sent a few of her creatures to scare us. But what good has it done? She’s sacrificed their lives for nothing. They are nothing compared to our allied army.”
