A Cursed Reign (Whims of Fae Book 5)

by Nissa Leder

  “Our.” Tamara laughed. “You lost the right to call her your queen when you left. I would like nothing more than to order you killed right now, but Queen Vienna would be angry, and unlike you, I respect her.”

  Sage clenched her jaw. With a long exhale, she released as much anger as she could. Tamara’s words hurt, which was no doubt exactly what she’d wanted. Sage wouldn’t give her the satisfaction of knowing just how deeply they cut.

  “Tie her.” Tamara gestured to the woman to her left.

  It was Jade. The one tribe member who knew Sage’s secret. Her eyes were wide as her gaze met Sage’s. She pulled out a small rope tied to her side and walked to Sage.

  Sage nodded as she held out her arms.

  She knew coming back would be dangerous. But the risk was worth it.

  Jade carefully wrapped the rope around Sage’s wrists. “Sorry.”

  Sage smiled. “It’s okay.”

  Before she was pulled away, Sage looked around. Garnet was no longer anywhere to be seen. Had she been wrong? Had the bird returned to the castle?

  It might be an error in judgment, but Sage didn’t think so.

  Jade was careful as she tugged Sage along with her into the Woodland camp. The familiar setup caused Sage’s heart to flutter.

  “Wait here,” Tamara told Jade. She disappeared into Vienna’s tent and when she returned, the Woodland Queen was by her side.

  Sage’s heart dropped as Vienna’s eyes widened when she saw her. Vienna wore a leather fighting top and skirt embellished with bright thread. The twirling design on her clothing matched the vibrant colors of her headpiece.

  Vienna snapped her head toward Tamara. “Why is she tied?”

  “I…” Tamara stammered. “Is she not an enemy of the tribe?”

  “We don’t, nor have we ever, required tribe members to remain here for life. It has always been the choice of each individual. Sage made her choice and we must respect that.” Vienna clasped her hands together. “Untie her.”

  Jade nervously obliged.

  Vienna stepped toward Sage. “I wasn’t sure we’d ever see you again.”

  Sage’s heart raced as regret swam through her. Seeing Vienna so close brought the memories flooding back.

  Night had fallen and the rest of the tribe had returned to their tents. The full moon hung high in the sky above, illuminating the camp around her. Sage dumped the water bucket onto the remaining embers in the fire pit.

  “You’ve been stuck with clean up duty, I see,” the queen said behind Sage.

  Sage turned to see her smiling. The pastel-colored paint on the queen’s face had smeared into a swirl. With the full moon, the Woodland Tribe had celebrated the Harvest Festival—the full moon closest to the Autumn Equinox. It was their annual celebration and a night of maple liquor, dancing, and colorful costumes.

  As an Autumn Princess, Sage had attended her fair share of balls, but this night had put all of those to shame. There was something magical in the chilly air. Something alluring. Between laughing with her tribemates and the lightness the liquor had given her, she’d never experienced such freedom.

  Vienna helped Sage finish up the cleaning. Every so often, Sage would glance at her and catch her staring back. Heat rose in Sage’s cheeks. She’d known for quite some time she was attracted to women, but she’d never allowed herself to truly give in to that side of herself. It was forbidden back at the Autumn Court, and despite hating the old-fashioned thinking of her parents, she’d never wanted to upset them. But now, so far away from her family and court, she allowed herself to feel everything she’d always desired.

  The moonlight highlighted Vienna’s flawless skin. Its ivory color might look pale on some, but the rosiness in her cheeks made her look lively.

  Vienna’s gaze met Sage’s. “Everything okay?”

  Embarrassment flowed through Sage, but she swallowed it. “I hope this isn’t rude, but you’re so young to be queen.”

  She’d meant to ask a question but somehow it had turned into a statement. Was that too bold? “I mean—”

  “It’s okay.” Vienna laughed, her eyes squinting as she smiled. “Here, come and sit.” She took a seat on one of the logs next to the now burned out fire and patted the empty spot next to her.

  Sage obliged. “I didn’t mean for that to sound rude.”

  “It didn’t. I am younger than usual for a Woodland Queen,” she said. “Our tribe works differently than the courts of the fae world, at least to my limited understanding of them. From what I’ve learned, royal succession is determined by birthright. Here, that isn’t how we do it. At any point, a queen may be challenged for her right. It is then our choice to accept the challenge and fight to keep our title, or to surrender and willingly pass on the headdress to our challenger.

  “Very rarely does anyone surrender. It’s far more likely that, should the time come a queen no longer wants to rule, she choose her successor. For the most part, we all get along. However, as with any people, some tribe members don’t agree with the ways of their queen.”

  Vienna lifted her chin as she looked up at the moon, its brightness casting a glow in her eyes. “My mother was queen and not always a beloved one. She loved her people dearly, but she wasn’t empathetic by nature and, at times, came across as cold. As a female tribe, we have no way to continue our family lines. When our tribe was founded, our ancestors found a way to work around this problem. A brother tribe was created at the same time. Like us, it is strictly one gender. However, once every five years, we meet.”

  “To…procreate?” Sage asked. She’d always admired the tribe for its existence without men and never questioned its longevity without them.

  “It sounds barbaric, I know.” Vienna sighed. “Although we live our day-to-day lives without men, we are still women who desire to have children. Well, some of us. This seemed, to our ancestors, a necessary sacrifice.”

  Life was never perfect, Sage supposed. Would she be willing to mate with a man and bear his child if it meant she was free to live a life without their control for the rest of her days? Did she even want to have children? She’d never given it much thought.

  “What happened?” Sage asked.

  “One of the tribe members asked my mother for permission to not attend the night with the men. She had no desire to have a child if it meant lying with a man. Many of the women of the tribe still lust for men, but sacrifice those desires to remain strong as a tribe. For them, the night is a welcomed escape from our world and traditions. Many mate with the same man every time.”

  Sage gulped. Since joining the tribe, she hadn’t heard any talk of sexual desire. It seemed so far from the world, she’d wondered if the women of the tribe were free from such thoughts. Apparently not. But, despite being around women all of the time, many still preferred men.

  Vienna clasped her hands and circled her thumbs. “My mother refused the woman’s request. She claimed it was our duty and non-negotiable. The woman accepted her queen’s decision, but another disagreed. Tamara’s mother was my mother’s second in command. She tried to convince her to allow the woman to remain at camp while the rest of them attended as usual. My mother wouldn’t budge. To everyone’s surprise, Tamara’s mother invoked an official challenge.

  “My mother could hardly believe it, but she was stubborn and accepted. It was a brutal battle. They were two of the strongest warriors our tribe had ever seen. Tamara’s mother knew my mother’s weakness. When my mother would commit to an ending blow, she’d leave her left side open. Tamara’s mother allowed mine to strike her in the stomach, giving her an opening. She thrust her dagger into my mother’s abdomen. Both women fell to the ground at the same time, but my mother was the first to die. Tamara’s mother lived a few minutes longer and passed the headdress to me.”

  Tears dripped down Vienna’s cheek as she looked at Sage. “She asked to speak to me alone and told me she knew I understood the woman’s request and trusted I would have the strength of my mother but the compassion
needed to make our tribe stronger than ever.”

  Sage’s brows furrowed. Tamara’s mother had wanted Vienna to be queen, not her own daughter? She knew I understood the woman’s request. The woman didn’t desire men.

  Vienna’s mouth turned upward into a slight grin. “Somehow, she’d realized that I too had no fondness for men. I don’t know how she knew. I thought I’d been careful to hide it from everyone. It isn’t as if our tribe is morally opposed to the thought of lying with another woman, but I’d still always felt different for it. I didn’t want my sisters feeling strange around me.”

  When Sage met Vienna’s eyes, a shiver swam through her. She was older than Sage, but not by much. Two years, maybe? And so beautiful and kind.

  “I tried to convince her to choose Tamara. I thought if she couldn’t gain the position she’d earned, she’d at least want it to pass to her own blood. She said Tamara was a wonderful woman, but wouldn’t make a good queen and she couldn’t, in good faith, leave her people to that chance.” Vienna exhaled. “I couldn’t tell her no.”

  “Were you angry at the death of your mother?” Sage may not have always agreed with her parents, but she couldn’t imagine how she’d feel if something happened to them.

  “Part of me was fuming, but the bigger part of me knew she’d done what she had because my mother wouldn’t listen. I loved my mother dearly, but she refused to see past what our ancestors had done and learn that, as a tribe, we needed to grow if we wanted to remain strong and united.” Vienna paused and stared at Sage. “What about you? You know my story, what’s yours?”

  A knot twisted inside Sage’s stomach. Vienna had just opened up to her. Not as a queen, but as something else. Somehow, Sage could feel the distinction even if she wasn’t sure what it meant. But when she tried to bring words to her mouth about the truth of her past, she couldn’t. “I’m not nearly as interesting.”

  Then, without any hesitation, Vienna pressed her lips to Sage’s. In her sixteen years of existence, she’d kissed a few boys back at the Autumn Palace, but never a woman. She’d questioned herself countless times; how could she know she desired women if she’d never tasted one’s lips on her own. But now…now she knew.

  The kiss was gentle but sent a jolt to Sage’s core. Warmth spread first from her mouth then downward until her entire body tingled.

  Almost as quickly as it had begun, Vienna pulled away, embarrassment on her face. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have…”

  Sage reached her hand out to Vienna’s. “Don’t apologize.”

  “We… I….” Vienna struggled for words. “I don’t regret it, but it can’t happen again. The tribe wouldn’t understand, and I am their queen.”

  Sage pulled her hand back and tried to hide her disappointment the best she could. “I understand.”

  “I should be getting to bed.” Vienna stood and started toward her tent. A few steps away, she glanced back at Sage before turning away once more and disappearing.

  Chapter Four

  Scarlett’s head throbbed. A constant, dull pulse had been pounding since her vision of Ankou. The tingling in her tattoos had faded, but she still had no idea what had caused the vision or what exactly it meant.

  “Everything okay, my queen?” Vida asked.

  Scarlett pulled her attention back to the moment she was in. She held a wine glass, half full, in her hand and had absentmindedly been swirling the liquid around. “Yes, just a bit tired.”

  Ailani had organized a dinner party to celebrate Scarlett’s safe return. She claimed that morale was always higher when celebrations occurred.

  Scarlett didn’t feel much like celebrating. Her naivety had given Ankou exactly what he wanted. Now that he’d consumed her blood, the spell binding him to the Darkland had been broken.

  But she’d been able to save Raith, and he had his memory back. That, at least, was a good thing. He’d also taken Scarlett’s memories from her, but somehow when he’d kissed her after his return, he’d passed them back to her. But things felt different than before.

  He hadn’t told her about his time with the Fates. And she hadn’t told him about the choices she’d made while he was gone. Perhaps it was better that way. He’d been there at the Summer Court when her life had been a whirlwind of emotion and changes. They’d shared something special and she’d never regret her time with him.

  “A toast to our queen.” Vida lifted her glass. Her hair was styled into a French braided bun and, for the first time Scarlett had ever seen, she was wearing make-up.

  Ailiani had insisted the party be formal for everyone, not just those of them who normally wore fancy dresses. The satyr now sat across from Scarlett. She’d somehow secured a few flowers to her long horns. While many of the attendees had opted for more neutral colors, Ailani’s dress was a shimmery royal blue.

  Scarlett’s was somewhere in between. Unlike the modest dresses Scarlett had been wearing that the previous queen, Dana, had left behind in her closet, this dress was more modern. With a high, sleeveless neckline, it didn’t reveal too much. The top began a Burgundy color then faded into a rose gold that matched the crown on her head. The dress hugged her curves but the fabric flowed around her legs.

  At first, she’d followed the advice to try her best to imitate Dana’s appearance. But the more she tried to imitate her predecessor, the further from herself she felt. Enough had changed in her life already. She’d spent her youth as a mortal then, in what felt like a breath, she’d become fae. Now she was something else. Something even less familiar. She couldn’t handle it if she had to pretend to be an entirely different person, too.

  Ailani stood, her glass still lifted. “Today, we celebrate our queen’s tenacity as she escaped from Ankou and rescued her friend who had been so viciously blackmailed by his daughters. The battle continues, but I have full confidence under the leadership of Queen Scarlett, we will defeat Ankou once and for all and finally achieve a peaceful Otherworld.”

  Scarlett smiled the widest smile she could muster and lifted her glass as she acknowledged everyone in attendance. She was grateful for Ailana’s optimism and ability to make Scarlett forget how reckless her decision had been. Well, almost forget. The darkness of her once white tattoos served as a constant reminder of her idiocy.

  “Cheers,” the guests all repeated.

  Most of those attending the dinner were from the council or their family members. Ailiani had wanted to have a huge feast and invite some of the common Sidhe, but Scarlett had asked her to keep it smaller. She still wasn’t ready to stand in front of an entire realm of people and promise everything would be all right. For now, she’d leave the positivity to Ailani.

  Next to the optimistic satyr sat her brother, Param. Unlike his cheerful sister, he sat quietly as he ate. As head of the guard, he knew all too well the danger Ankou posed now that he could move freely between the Darkland and the outside Otherworld. He also didn’t seem as eager to dress up as Ailani. Rather than his usual shirtless look, he wore a long-sleeved, loose shirt made of sheer fabric.

  Raith and Rowen had been invited, but they declined. Raith was still embarrassed by his actions after he’d given himself to the Fates and spent most of his time in his room or walking the grounds. Scarlett couldn’t blame him. In fact, she was embarrassed she’d walked into the Darkland by herself like an idiot. But as queen, she had no choice but to attend.

  Queen. The realization of how far her life had shifted hit her at the strangest times. How could someone so average become a ruler of an entirely different realm? Sometimes, she fully expected to wake up from some surreal dream. Other times, her new position felt as natural as breathing. As if she couldn’t imagine her life turning out differently in any way. The magic in her was now part of her essence. Part of her core. At one time, she wished to be human again. Now, the thought felt blasphemous. Although she’d grown fond of being a Sidhe ruler, she didn’t want to forget the part of her that remained from her mortal upbringing. Somehow, she needed to meld the two parts of
her into one if she ever wanted to feel like herself again.

  Scarlett glanced at the spot to her left where Ashleigh sat. “You doing okay?”

  Ashleigh swallowed the food in her mouth. “I’m good.” Her blond hair was long and wavy today and embellished with a silver headband that matched the metallic dress she’d made herself. With no electronics to fill their days and distract them from everything, they’d decided, with the help of the royal seamstress, to learn to sew. Scarlett’s attempt at a dress was an epic fail, but Ashleigh had a natural talent for it. Scarlett pricked herself over and over while Ashleigh increased her stitching speed each day.

  Gratitude spread through Scarlett as she thought about her sister. She could still feel the sadness that lingered, but she hadn’t mentioned the mortal world since seeing Scarlett nearly taken by Raith before she’d rescued him. It saddened Scarlett to think of Ashleigh having to hide her longing for her old life, but she appreciated her thoughtfulness.

  While Scarlett couldn’t imagine being mortal again, part of her longed for parts of her old life. She’d always thought she wanted so much more from the world than a small town life worrying about a mentally-ill mother, but now, simplicity sounded nice.

  The thought of her mother sent anger through her. Her mother had spent her whole life hearing voices because of the Fates. Because they needed Scarlett to find her way to the Otherworld to begin some prophecy. She still wasn’t sure exactly what it was they wanted. World domination? Seemed a cheesy enough thing for the villain to want. But they weren’t facing just one bad guy. Although Scarlett knew Ankou was King of the Darkland, his daughters were strong enough to be to be the villains all on their own. The way they’d bested the Seelie Queen so easily—Scarlett wouldn’t make the mistake of underestimating them.

  Thinking of the Seelie Queen reminded Scarlett of her father: Laik. A topic she’d desperately done her best to avoid. He was Seelie King now, but he’d always been her father, even if she’d never known him. And he’d never bothered to check on her mother. When she’d seen him distraught over Genevieve’s death, she’d let her pity curb her anger. But now, the rage consumed her.