by Nissa Leder
When she reached the dance floor, her brother held out his arm. Sage let him take her hand in his, and he guided her to her father who sat on a throne, lifted high on a pedestal so he was visible for all to see.
“I congratulate my daughter on this great accomplishment,” he said. The room remained silent, not even a breath to be heard by any of the guests. Interrupting the king wouldn’t end well for the interrupter.
Sage’s brother released her hand and approached their father. He handed the king a sword that had been leaning against the throne. Her brother gestured for her to step forward.
Sage held a groan and obliged, bowing her head to her father, as was the custom.
The king took the sword and rested its tip on Sage’s shoulder.
“I welcome my eldest daughter, princess to the Autumn Court council.”
The crowd burst into applause. Now Sage would gain all the undeserving privileges—and burdens—that came with being claimed by her father, and any freedom Sage thought she’d had disappeared.
Chapter Three
The meeting she’d had with the women unnerved Scarlett. Who were they? And more importantly, would their prediction come true?
Scarlett wished Raith were there. Instead, he was off somewhere with Sage—the exotic, tough Sage who he’d been with while Scarlett was at the Winter Solstice with Kaelem. She had no room to be jealous. Raith was free to do whatever he wanted. Though their connection was strong, they'd made no commitment to one another, and Raith had assured Scarlett before he left that Sage preferred women. Still, envy swam through Scarlett at the thought of her helping him find out more about his mother.
Scarlett wasn't proud of it, but since becoming fae, she’d learned it was impossible to ignore her emotions. Instead, she’d learned to control them. To use them.
With a deep breath, Scarlett absorbed her jealousy, turning it into magic inside her. Just as Cade had numbed her when she was grieving at the Summer Court, Scarlett subdued the envy inside herself. Raith wasn’t there to confide in, so she’d figure something else out. Simple as that.
Ashleigh’s mental promise to never forgive her played in Scarlett’s head again. If Ashleigh was whom the women spoke of, Scarlett needed to find a way to protect her and, if at all possible, somehow gain Ashleigh’s forgiveness.
Scarlett had to at least try to get Ashleigh to speak to her again, so she headed back to her room. The one good thing about Ashleigh refusing to leave the chair was it made her easy to find.
A brownie—who’d Scarlett had learned the day before was named Mo—exited the elevator as she passed by. He wore a black suit with a red bowtie. Every brownie had a unique style at the Unseelie Court. Mo’s was the most formal Scarlett had seen so far.
“Do you need anything, miss?” Mo asked. “Your linens changed, something to eat?” The elevator doors shut behind him.
“No, thank you.” Scarlett smiled. At least four times a day, one of the brownies checked on her. At first, she thought they were sent by Kaelem—his twisted way of apologizing for stealing her sister or something—but from all the questions they asked her, she realized they came on their own, all for the chance to get to know her better.
She enjoyed their company. Her sister wouldn’t talk to her, and Scarlett avoided Kaelem as much as she could, still unsure if she should be mad at him or thankful. The brownies were kind and inquisitive and genuinely seemed to like her.
“I will check back later.” Mo tipped his chin before turning to click the elevator button.
Scarlett continued. From the hallway, she heard voices inside. She knocked on the door and gently opened it. As soon as Scarlett stepped into the room, the voices hushed. Unlike when she visited before, the bedroom lights were on when she entered.
Aria sat on the bed, legs crisscrossed, in a hot pink crop top and high-waisted black shorts, something Scarlett could have pictured her friend Natalie wearing.
Ashleigh’s chair faced the bed instead of the window as it had when Scarlett had left her breakfast. The pancakes, not even a bite gone, remained on the tray.
“Hey, Scarlett,” Aria said. Her shaved head had begun to grow back, now styled in a short pixie.
Ashleigh turned her head toward the wall.
“Hi.” Scarlett reeled in the anger she felt at Ashleigh’s reaction. An outburst toward her sister wouldn’t help her cause. “What are you two talking about?” She smiled, hoping to mask any annoyance on her features.
Aria glanced at Ashleigh and waited for her to respond. When she didn’t, Aria said, “Just girl talk.”
“Oh?” Scarlett sensed the lie as soon as it left Aria’s lips. They were talking about something important. “Mind if I join?”
“Not at all.” Aria patted the empty space on the bed next to her.
Ashleigh mumbled, “Great.”
“She speaks,” Scarlett said. “A miracle.”
So much for containing herself.
Ashleigh looked straight at Scarlett. “Everything’s about you. As usual. Turning into another creature didn’t change that, I see.”
Scarlett’s chest tightened. Ashleigh had spoken to her. It was what she wanted. But the contempt in her voice stabbed Scarlett’s soul. “I…”
“You can’t talk your way out of this one, Scarlett. The damage is done. And now I’m all talked out. Thank you for the visit, Aria. I’m going to take a bath.” Ashleigh pushed herself up from the bed.
Her sister had become so frail. Her arms were tiny now. Dark circles lingered under her eyes, and the bones in her face stood out more than ever before. Scarlett had noticed the changes but she hadn’t fully realized how bad her sister looked.
Once Ashleigh had gone into the bathroom and shut the door behind her, Scarlett quietly asked Aria, “Will she ever get better?”
Aria hesitated. She glanced at the door then back to Scarlett. “She needs to go back to the mortal realm.”
“But it isn’t safe,” Scarlett protested. If Kassandra went looking for her…
“She’ll waste away here. I know the feeling of being trapped somewhere, and even if this castle may seem more luxurious than a Winter Court prison cell, the claustrophobia of being stuck somewhere you wish you weren’t is the same for her as it was for me.”
Scarlett gulped as Aria’s words sank in. All she wanted was to protect her sister, but she’d given Ashleigh no choice in the matter. Not once.
“A tiger trapped in a cage is no life for a tiger,” Aria added.
You will lose someone, but not all will be lost.
They hadn’t said who it would be. The thought of losing anyone twisted Scarlett’s stomach into a pretzel. But the thought of losing Ashleigh stole the breath in her lungs.
“I need her to at least try to understand,” Scarlett said. “I would do anything to keep her safe.”
“But would you do anything to keep her happy?” Aria’s expression softened. “You’re not the only one to blame, not in the slightest. If my brother hadn’t been so extreme in his desperation to save me, maybe your sister would still be in the mortal world, curled up with her boyfriend on the couch.”
Aria hadn’t trapped Ashleigh in the mirror, but Kaelem had done it to save her. “It wasn’t your choice and not your fault.”
“Nevertheless, Ashleigh’s life has changed.”
“Thank you for being there for her. If she won’t talk to me, I’m glad she has you.”
Aria hopped up from the bed and pulled Scarlett into a hug. “She will forgive you if you give her time and let her choose her own destiny.”
Scarlett appreciated Aria’s advice.
She just wasn’t sure she could take it.
Kaelem slouched on the leather sofa as he watched that day’s episode of his favorite soap opera. Human struggles were so very… human. He wasn't sure how else to explain it. Both mortal and fae alike experienced the same emotion, yet humans were cursed with disease and famine and such short lifespans. For as much as they valued money, it coul
dn't save them from death.
At least not yet. Human technology advanced more every day, and Kaelem wondered how long until it could stop even death. And what humans would be willing to do to each other for such a luxury.
On today’s episode, a man had been shot in the head and was unconscious in the hospital. Two women, both his lovers, visited him, just missing each other. But the preview for tomorrow’s episode promised a clashing between the two and Kaelem couldn't wait.
“I can't believe you watch this show,” Scarlett said behind him.
He’d heard her come in a few minutes ago but she’d waited until the show was over to speak.
“Mortal drama is so much fun,” Kaelem said.
He expected a witty remark, but Scarlett didn't reply. Instead, she silently sat next to him, arms crossed.
Kaelem had worried Scarlett would despise him for what he’d done to her sister, but, although she hadn’t completely forgiven him, her time at the Unseelie Court had subdued her anger. It was unlike him to feel guilt, but forcing Scarlett to help him like he had was something he regretted.
“Everything all right?” Kaelem straightened his posture as he pushed himself from his slouch.
“She’ll never forgive me. No matter what I do.” Scarlett looked forward as she spoke, with a wide-eyed gaze. “She’s getting thinner every day.”
“It’s only been a few weeks.” Kaelem scooted closer to Scarlett and placed his hand on her shoulder. “Give her time.”
Scarlett turned her head toward Kaelem, tears pooling in her eyes. “Time to what, waste away as she glares at me every time I try to talk to her?”
Guilt rose in Kaelem like bile. What a horrid feeling. He was developing a soft heart, something unheard of for an Unseelie King. Maybe he’d watched one too many mortal shows. He grabbed the remote and turned the television off.
“I can erase her memory.” Kaelem watched Scarlett as she took in his words. “Whatever it is she longs for in the mortal world, I can make it disappear.”
Scarlett stared at him.
Kaelem tried to listen to her thoughts, but her mental shield stood too strong. She mastered her fae gifts more every day. The way she took down Kassandra in the Winter Court was impressive, to say the least, but since that day, her power had only grown.
“Could you ever give back her memories?” she asked.
“No, not if I took them,” Kaelem answered. “There are ways to trap memories, but that’s a different type of magic than I possess.”
Scarlett glanced ahead again.
Kaelem attempted to pry into her thoughts one more time. A small crack in her metal shield appeared. He snuck in.
I can’t lose her. But taking her memory? God, to even consider it makes me a horrible person. Aria is right, though. She’s trapped in a world where she doesn’t belong, and as long as I keep her here, she’ll hate me.
Kaelem felt the love Scarlett possessed for her sister in her concern. The same love he had for Aria. He’d have done almost anything to save her.
But what if what the women said is true? What if something will happen to Ashleigh?
The women? Kaelem pushed harder into Scarlett’s mind. An image of the Fates speaking to Scarlett appeared.
They’d visited her, too? Visiting a common fae was nearly unheard of. The Fates were known for sharing their warnings with fae royalty, but they didn’t meddle in the day-to-day life of other fae, especially one of mortal birth.
Kaelem pressed further, hoping to learn the warning they’d given her, but Scarlett lifted her mental shield, forcing him out. She hadn’t sensed his presence.
Now that was impressive. It was one thing to block him out, but Kaelem’s mind gift was as powerful as it could be. Very few fae could push him out without realizing he was there.
“I don’t know what to do.” Scarlett’s shoulders fell. Her chest quivered as tears poured from her eyes.
Kaelem pulled her close, awkwardly patting her back. He wasn’t used to comforting someone. He inhaled her sweet rose scent.
He didn’t need Scarlett’s permission to take Ashleigh’s memory. Maybe she’d hate him more if he did it without her consent, but if it would save her the guilt of making the decision herself, it would be worth it.
The Fates’ warning to him replayed in his mind. Scarlett could be crucial to whatever changes were on the horizon of the fae world, and alienating her even more than he already had wouldn’t be wise.
Scarlett sniffled as she wiped the tears from her cheeks. “Thank you for the offer. I’ll keep it in mind.”
Kaelem nodded. He considered making a joke about taking her mind off of her worries, but he didn’t. “Just say the word, and I’ll do it.”
Scarlett stood and took a deep breath. “I think I need a break from practicing magic today.”
“No problem. Go do something fun.”
Scarlett gave a half grin. “Yeah, maybe.”
After she left the room, Kaelem turned the TV back on and flipped through the television channels, only to turn it off again. Suddenly human drama seemed less entertaining.
Lola entered the room with an envelope in her hand. With one hand on her hip, the other handed it to Kaelem. “This just arrived.”
He took it from her and she left. The sparkly silver envelope was embossed with the Seelie Queen’s seal, a gold circle surrounded a swirly letter S. Inside was an invitation to the annual Seelie ball.
Kaelem was sick of the courts and all their rituals. He didn’t have to go to them all, and if he were to skip any, it would be the Seelie festivities. But with the Fates’ warning of upcoming war, he couldn’t risk missing out on a chance to learn where the other courts stood.
Plus, the Seelie Queen hated when anyone refused an invitation, which would be a reason not to go if she wasn’t the only other fae ruler whose power rivaled his own.
And so, to the Seelie Court Kaelem would go.
Chapter Four
Although Sage had kept her emotions locked tight, Raith saw the dread in her eyes as her brother led them to the Autumn Castle. Behind the hedges, the castle grounds looked like an empty field of grass, but after crossing the threshold, Raith saw them for what they really were.
An ironwood fence stood on each side of the cobblestone path, a twisting vine with deep red leaves climbing up it. They crossed a small bridge that hovered over a shallow creek, with crystal clear water flowing over stones of different shapes, sizes, and colors.
Raith’s magic buzzed inside him. As they neared the castle, they passed a row of trees that served as another barrier to the castle. Leaves of red, orange, and yellow fell from the trees and scattered across the ground, yet the path remained clear.
The silence between Sage and her brother grew awkward. It wasn’t as if Raith didn’t understand a sibling feud, but witnessing such tension felt a lot different than being the one caught up in the bad blood.
A single guard, dressed in tan fighting leather, stood at the tall, walnut door that served as entrance to the castle.
Sage’s brother, whose name Raith learned was Ajax, nodded and the door opened. He had an arrogance about him that put even the Unseelie King to shame.
Kaelem had surprised Raith, which he didn’t know was possible. He’d gone to such great lengths to save his sister, and, blood or not, Raith didn’t know the Unseelie King had such love in him. It wasn’t just his sister that Kaelem cared for. Raith had sensed his fondness for Scarlett as well.
And hers for him. Even thinking about them together sent a jolt of rage through Raith, but where had he left Scarlett? The fear he’d felt when he’d sensed she was in danger at the Winter Court was the strongest emotion he’d ever felt. If he wasn’t so desperate to find out more about his mother, he’d have never left Scarlett alone with Kaelem.
Although Raith worried what might happen if they grew even closer, he knew the Unseelie King would keep Scarlett safe, and the only thing worse than her caring for Kaelem was for something to happen
to her.
Raith regained his focus as they entered a large entryway with a grand staircase covered in ivy. Greenery inside a castle was unusual, but it didn’t give a dirty feel like Raith would have expected.
Raith and Sage continued to follow her brother to the Autumn Court throne room.
A large skylight sat high on the tall ceiling, brightening the room. At the far end were four thrones. The largest sat ahead of the others, a male fae sitting in its seat, watching as they approached with the owl from the forest perched on the throne’s back. A few feet behind and to his right sat a smaller throne with a female fae who Raith assumed was the Autumn Queen.
In the Summer Court, the king and queen sat side-by-side, thrones of equal fashion. Whoever had royal fae blood was the ultimate ruler, though the people equally loved their partner. Something told Raith it wasn’t the same here in the Autumn Court.
The king wore a serious expression. “I knew you would return to us someday.”
Sage’s face remained calm. “We’re here for information.”
The king glanced between Sage and Raith. “And who is we?”
“This is Raith. He is part Summer and part Autumn, and is searching for knowledge about his mother.”
The king looked back to his wife, who grinned and asked. “Are you two a couple?”
Raith almost burst into laughter at the thought. Did they not know Sage preferred women?
“Yes,” Sage snapped. “Will you help us or not?”
Wait, what? Why had Sage lied? She’d been so open with Raith about her sexuality. Did her parents really not know? He knew humans got caught up on sexuality, but he’d never known any fae to care one way or another.
But the Autumn Court distanced itself from the others more than any other court. Occasionally, a ruler would attend another court’s festival, but rarely did the Autumn Court host its own. Raith hadn’t realized how much he didn’t know about the court that gave him his most treasured nature gift until that moment.
