I didn’t have to wait long for a tour of my new prison. It was, as Hensley had said, a massive suite with interconnecting rooms. We entered the bedchamber first, stepping onto white carpeting covered in thick gray swirls. The walls were tinted mauve. The emperor-size bed was draped in a deep purple quilt and covered in sleek white satin pillows. A tall quilted headboard lifted into a gold-tinted wooden crown as though the bed were a member of the royal family.
Matching deep purple curtains were gathered and tied over transparent white curtains. Through them, I could see the green of the distant rolling hills. Crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling while potted plants bushed out from the corners of the rooms. All the side tables were adorned with large vases filled with pink roses and white calla lilies.
Hensley led me through a set of ornate double doors that took us through a private sitting room and back to an entire room filled with armoires and shelves for clothes and shoes.
After looking everything over, we returned to the sitting room where a pitcher of lemonade, along with sandwiches, had been laid out alongside gold-rimmed porcelain plates and crystal glassware with gold stems.
Hensley stood behind one of the high-back purple cushioned chairs, waiting until I’d sat before she did. Once seated, Hensley poured us each a glass of lemonade. “So, what do you think of the new digs?” she asked eagerly, leaning forward in her seat.
“It’s decadent.”
And obnoxious. Busy. Gauche.
I missed my cottage.
“Sumptuous, isn’t it?” Hensley winked. “You’ll never want to leave your rooms, except you will because the palace is basically yours. Well, it’s King Liri’s, but that makes it yours. I always knew he was sweet on you.” Her next smile looked forced.
“He didn’t exactly hide the fact,” I said, not masking the ice from my tone.
Hensley ignored it. “We all thought that was just to goad Cirrus.”
“Who is ‘we all’?” I asked suspiciously.
“Well, his sisters,” Hensley said in a tone that indicated it should be obvious.
Teryani, Jastra, and Sarfina. How could I forget?
I groaned. My sisters-in-law were another reason I’d never wanted to return to Faerie. The Elmray sisters were the worst. They made me miss Shalendra.
Cirrus had claimed they’d despised one another since birth. But on one front they were united. They all hated me.
“Hensley,” I said carefully as not to alarm her. “Are my weapons still around?”
Hensley took a gulp of lemonade then set her glass down, lips pursed. “The king doesn’t want you to have weapons.”
I snorted. Yeah, he was ruthless, not stupid.
But if he wanted me around, he better allow me a way to protect myself from his sisters, or I’d end up a corpse before he ever had a chance to persuade me to be his queen.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Aerith
Shortly after finishing our refreshments, there was a knock at my door—just loud enough to be heard from the sitting chamber. The lemonade soured in my stomach as Hensley sprang up and flew out the double doors to answer from the bedchamber.
She returned moments later, holding a square box with a red bow on top and announced, “A gift from King Liri.”
“Is he out there?” I demanded, getting to my feet.
Hensley shook her head. “A servant delivered this.” She set the box on the edge of the table, looking from me to the box then back to me.
With a sigh, I ripped off the bow, tossed it beside the platter of leftover sandwiches, and opened the box. At least it was too big to contain another necklace or jewelry of any sort. I peered inside.
No, not jewelry. A campaigne board.
I dropped to my knees in front of the box, sinking into the thick rug. A game of campaigne was my happy place. My escape. My connection to home and, now, Jhaeros.
No matter what happened, all I had to do was move the pieces to find my place of calm.
“Your favorite game,” Hensley said, sounding as excited as if the gift had been presented to her. She was the one person who showed genuine pleasure on my behalf. I swear my happiness meant more to her than her own, as though our emotions were connected.
“Let’s see it. I can help you set it up if you want me to.”
“Yes, thank you, Hensley.”
She beamed. “Let me clear off the table first and make sure it’s wiped clean.”
When I tried to help, Hensley insisted I sit back and wait. I kept my place on the floor while she carried the trays out to the hall. My hair curtained my face as I stared inside the box, pretending the room around me didn’t exist.
After Hensley wiped down the table, I pulled out a heavy purple-and-black board. The squares were made out of tiles while the pieces were carved out of marble and onyx. Once the board was set up, Hensley got to her feet. “I will leave you to rest and will return in a couple hours to help you dress for the ball.”
“Who is attending?” I stared at the campaigne board rather than Hensley.
“Tonight’s ball will be an intimate affair with nobles from the realm and immediate family: Teryani, Jastra, and Sarfina.”
“What about Prince Ryo?” My eyes flicked up to Hensley’s face for this question. I noted the hesitation before her reply.
“The prince will not attend tonight.”
I snorted. “Liri threw him in the dungeons, did he?” Wouldn’t want his younger brother to take him down the way he’d taken down Cirrus.
“Ryo has been sequestered to his room. He is quite comfortable,” Hensley assured me.
I rolled my eyes.
“Can I get you anything before I go?” she asked.
“No, thank you, Hensley.”
Out of the corner of my eyes, I saw the peach-colored curtsy of her skirts before Hensley swept out of the sitting room. I listened for the sound of the door as it clicked shut behind her.
I stared at the polished marble and onyx pieces on the campaigne board, my vision going in and out of focus.
I thought Liri might come by to gloat, but that wasn’t his style.
King Liri.
I plucked the onyx king piece from the board and stared at it. Teryani, Jastra, and Sarfina weren’t the only ones who’d assumed Liri’s attention to me had been to goad Cirrus. I’d been dumbfounded when Liri offered to make me his mate after Cirrus’s death. Perhaps the idea of taking his brother’s bride for his own had brought him delight. Perhaps as time passed the novelty would wear off. Maybe without Cirrus around Liri would tire of me.
I rubbed the king piece between my fingers, a plan formulating in my mind.
If one good thing could come out of my captivity, it was for Liri to open his stony eyes and see what a bore it was to try enticing me without Cirrus around to watch.
I set the onyx king in the center of the board then picked up an onyx mage. There were no princess pieces, so I used the mage to represent my sister-in-law Jastra, sticking her beside Liri since she was his devotee. Next, I picked up a marble mage, representing Sarfina, who had fawned over Cirrus as though he was a divine being. I set her piece several squares to the left of the onyx king and mage. I skipped over Teryani, Liri’s twin sister, going for a marble shrub. Ryo was easy. I placed him near Sarfina before returning to the puzzle Teryani presented.
Teryani had always made herself out to be neutral, queen of her own camp, treating all her brothers as though they were juvenile and unworthy of her devotion. One would think that as Liri’s twin, she would naturally align herself with him, but the pair had always acted indifferent—almost as though the other didn’t exist. Even if Liri were out of the picture, Dahlquist had an antiquated law that a female could not inherit the crown unless there were no males to rule the realm. Which was unlike the neighboring kingdom of Ravensburg where Liri’s Aunt Naesala ruled as queen and could pass her throne on to any family member of her choosing since she had no heirs of her own. She’d made no secret of her preferen
ce for Cirrus or intention for him to inherit Ravensburg. I assumed she would leave her kingdom to Liri since she’d always expressed deep disgust for Liri’s cousins on her other brother’s side of the family.
Three of Teryani’s brothers were now in the realm of no return with only two left. She could be playing the long game. I had no trouble believing that, which made her piece become crystal clear.
I grabbed the marble king and set it in a corner of its own.
And who was I? An archer, for sure, but what color?
Liri was my opponent, which made me marble.
I plucked the marble archer off the board and set it near Liri.
I’d survived Faerie the first time by keeping my wits about me, and I would do so again.
I was no longer Aerith Heiris of Pinemist, nor Princess Aerith Elmray of Dahlquist. I was a piece on a campaigne board—a game I knew how to play well.
A game I knew how to win.
But could I take my skills off the board and into the ballroom and halls of the palace?
At my insistence, Hensley and I left my chambers an hour after the ball had begun.
Liri had picked out my ballgown: a deep wine-red sleeveless gown with twinkling diamonds in the full tulle skirt. From the box of jewels in my dressing room, I’d selected a multi-stranded diamond bracelet and teardrop earrings to match the choker plastered to my neck.
For my first move, I dressed up the way Liri wanted—in the gown he’d chosen, dripping in jewels. I had a theory that my resistance excited him. By playing along, he might find I’d become less intriguing—less of a challenge.
Everyone knew I didn’t care for flashy jewelry, but tonight I’d blind them with sparkles. They were about to meet the new Aerith. The independent Aerith. I might be a captive, but I was nobody’s bride.
“Princess Aerith, you are a vision,” Hensley gasped after she finished pinning up my hair.
Instead of looking at myself, I stared at Hensley in the mirror’s reflection. She’d changed into a simple pink satin ballgown and pinned her hair into a twist. Her rounded ears looked out of place, as did the sweetness in her smile.
We walked from the king’s wing to one of the palace’s smaller ballrooms in the east wing. Instrumental music echoed down the hallway the closer we approached, spilling out of double doors left open.
Two guards stood at the entrance. They nodded at me.
Entering the ballroom was like stepping through a portal in time. I recognized the faces of the realm’s richest nobles. They’d shown up dressed in their finest gowns and suits. I wasn’t the only female draped in jewels. Gemstones flashed off all the females present, dripping down plunging necklines and circling wrists like bedazzled cuffs.
I’d seen it all before. I half expected Cirrus to step out of the crowd, dressed all in white with gold embellishments, and wave me over to his side.
All eyes turned to me, making me grateful for the loud music playing. Otherwise, the hush would have been deafening. No one had been dancing. If they had, they would have surely stopped and turned to gawk.
I lifted my head, strolling in with an air of superiority and boredom, though my heart beat wildly inside my chest. It didn’t matter that Hensley was by my side. I was entirely alone, left to fend for myself.
I hadn’t loved Cirrus, but he’d been a barrier between me and the treacherous world of Faerie, court life, and his sisters.
It struck me all over again that he was gone. Dead. I was the mate who’d failed to protect him.
No one approached me. They waited and watched.
“Let’s get some refreshments,” I said to Hensley. I needed a drink on the double, and Faerie had the best wine. It wasn’t something I’d ever imbibed on. I’d had to keep ever alert on behalf of Cirrus. Now I needed to keep a clear head for myself, but if I didn’t drink something, I would lose my courage. One glass, that was all.
“Oh yes, of course, Princess Aerith.” In that moment, Hensley’s cheeriness brought a small dose of comfort, a spot of warmth in a cold, cruel sea of Fae.
We made our way to a long table covered in a white linen cloth, silver trays, and flutes of bubbling sweet wine.
Servants attired in silvery tunics and stony expressions stood at the ends of the tables, handing flutes to anyone who walked up. There was no friendly dragon shifter or sassy succubus to serve up signature drinks here. A pit formed in my stomach, growing with each step.
Before we’d made it to the table, Sarfina pushed through the crowd and stormed over as though she wore breeches rather than a sheer white gown with a gold bikini underneath. Long, light blonde hair spilled over her shoulders with golden highlights that shone beneath dozens of overhead chandeliers.
The assembly appeared to lean forward on their toes.
Let the spectacle begin, I thought with a sigh. Remind me to thank Liri for pushing me into the deep end without a dagger.
Sarfina marched straight up to me, nearly stepping on my slippered toes. “You have a lot of nerve showing up here,” she yelled in my face.
Even with the shriek of the instruments, anyone within thirty feet could hear what she said. Those who couldn’t were quickly informed as guests turned to repeat Sarfina’s biting words.
“You’d do well to be nice to me, Sarfina,” I answered coolly.
Her gray eyes hardened. “Why? Because you’re Liri’s new plaything?”
The pit in my stomach turned to burning coal.
“King Liri,” Hensley murmured in disapproval, but Sarfina didn’t hear her.
I lifted my chin higher. “You shouldn’t speak to the guest of honor that way.”
“Honor, my white faerie ass.” Her eyes latched on to the diamond choker. “Nice collar,” Sarfina sneered. “You’re no longer family. You shouldn’t be showing your face or wandering the halls. You’re Liri’s pet. And pets need to stay in their cages.”
“King,” Hensley said softly.
The air chilled as Sarfina turn her glacial look to the human beside me. “What was that, human?” she asked in a low, menacing tone.
Hensley glanced at the floor, unable to meet Sarfina’s gaze. “King Liri,” she said, eyes downcast.
Sarfina struck Hensley so quickly I gasped in horror and surprise. Her lithe white-gowned body collided with Hensley’s pink gown as Sarfina pulled Hensley’s hair out of its twist and ripped at her bodice.
Hensley whimpered and squealed but did nothing to defend herself.
“Stop it!” I screamed.
Sarfina spat in Hensley’s face and stepped back. “Never speak to me unless I give you permission, human. Next time I won’t be so gentle.”
Hensley’s head hung, her messy hair falling over her shoulders like tattered rags.
“Now apologize to me.” A wide grin traveled up Sarfina’s cheeks. When Hensley didn’t respond, Sarfina yelled, “Speak!”
“I’m sorry, Princess Sarfina. Please forgive me. It won’t happen again.”
Sarfina huffed. “Very well. Dismissed.” She flicked her wrist toward the double doors.
Without looking at me, Hensley hurried out of the ballroom, nearly tripping on the pink hem of her gown as she rushed out.
My stomach twisted. I wanted to follow her out, make sure she was okay. I also felt like throwing up. But to run after a human servant would be viewed as a weakness.
“Looks like you lost your one friend here,” Sarfina said in a low tone meant only for me.
I kept my regal stance, schooling my expression and answering in my own low voice. “You forget I have the most powerful friend of all. King Liri,” I said, enunciating “king” as Hensley had done.
Sarfina lost her smile. “You’ll pay for betraying my favorite brother. That’s a promise,” she hissed and stormed off.
Before I could regain my bearings, a female chuckled beside me. Teryani. Oh, sweetberry pie served à la venom.
She wore her long, straight white hair unbound, the way Liri did. It was scary how much they looked
alike. All of the Elmray children were gorgeous, but Teryani had an otherworldly beauty that made it hard not to gawk in her presence. Her hair was parted down the middle, covering her ears and framing her pale oval face. Gold liquid shimmer rimmed her eyes, bringing out the cool blues of her irises. A willowy frame and light pink lips that often parted with a look of angelic wonder gave her a childlike appearance. Her dress was made of coppery fabric leaves that clung to her chest and torso then flared out from the waist over a shimmery copper slip. Thin straps left her arms bare and brought attention to the fact that she wore no jewelry—not even a single ring circled her elegant pale fingers.
“Bravo, Aerith. A most spectacular entrance,” she said sweetly, passing alongside me as though I were a pedestrian on the street.
Sarfina. Check.
Teryani. Check.
That just left Jastra.
And King Liri.
I turned to the table and reached for a sparkling flute.
“Princess Aerith, please allow me,” a server said, leaping forward.
I was closer to the table, but whatever. I took the flute from his outstretched hand and began sipping it at once. Eventually, eyes began to turn away from me when it became clear nothing more exciting was taking place between me and my in-laws. I finished the flute and traded it for another full glass, drinking until my head buzzed.
Ready. Steady.
Well, not so steady, but good enough to get through the evening, which was about to get started.
The music stopped when a Fae dressed in black coattails strolled in with a trumpet. He lifted the instrument to his lips, blasted through the tube, then lowered the trumpet and announced, “King Liri.”
Murmurs arose as Liri strolled in looking resplendent in a high-collared capelike coat that was black with a golden shimmer. A crown of gold-and-red branches and leaves sat atop his snowy white hair, which curtained his wide shoulders. It wasn’t the crown—the thick heavy gold one I’d seen my father-in-law wear on official business. I imagined Liri had as many crowns to choose from as the royal females likely had necklaces.
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