by Nissa Leder
“Good night,” Scarlett said.
“Night.”
Raith passed out on the couch while Scarlett curled into her mom’s bed. Even with her heightened senses, the scent of her mom was long gone now, but the comfort of her room remained.
She could sense Raith, even through the house walls. His emotions ran low, but she could feel dull hatred.
She could feel the bond.
When Scarlett woke the next morning, Raith was gone. He’d left a note saying they’d meet again, but she had no idea where he’d gone. Part of her felt betrayed—how could he just leave her? But It was better that way. She needed some time to herself.
The weekend came and, as Scarlett had hoped, Ashleigh came back to the house.
“Scarlett!” Ashleigh ran to her sister and pulled her into a hug. “You’re alive!”
Scarlett squeezed Ashleigh’s waist. She could feel the relief oozing from Ashleigh. Something was different with Scarlett, but she didn’t have time to worry about that at that moment.
“I just needed some time away,” Scarlett said. “But I’m back.”
Ashleigh didn’t press any further. Scarlett asked her how everything had been while she’d been gone, which had apparently been a week and a half. It had been a lot longer in Faerie, but, thankfully, less time had passed here in the mortal world.
The world had carried on without Scarlett—mostly unchanged.
But Scarlett—she was forever altered.
“Wanna go grab a latte with me?” Ashleigh asked the next morning.
“Sure, let me get dressed.”
Scarlett picked out jeans and a t-shirt, much different than the dresses she’d worn in Faerie. Scarlett dabbed on some makeup in front of the mirror in her room. She needed much less now that things had changed. Her skin radiated a natural vibrancy. Bags no longer lingered under her eyes. Her cheeks constantly blushed pink.
She tucked her hair behind her ears, the tops of which now met in a point.
Chapter Thirty-Three
As Raith wandered Silver Lake aimlessly, unsure of what to do next, he heard a familiar voice.
“A Summer Prince in the mortal world,” Kaelem said behind Raith. “The new Summer King didn’t kill you after all.”
“Nope.” Raith turned to see Kaelem in human clothes, unglamoured. “Surprise, surprise.”
Kaelem cocked his head. “I can’t say it really surprises me.”
Raith shrugged. “What do you want, Kaelem?”
“Can’t an old friend be concerned?”
Raith’s eyebrow rose. “I didn’t know you were capable of concern.”
“You’re probably right. But I do love drama in the other courts.”
“You love drama. Period.” The whole reason Kaelem had invited Raith to his court had been to see if he’d ditch Poppy. Life was a game to Kaelem. Raith knew better than to trust him.
“I like to know things,” Kaelem said. “And I know quite a bit about your lovely Summer Court.”
“It’s not my court anymore.” It really wasn’t. Even if Cade would welcome him back, which Raith doubted, he didn’t want any part of that place.
Kaelem smirked. “Ahh… but I know things about your mother.”
Cade spent his first night as king of the Summer Court among his people and the guests from the other courts. He was congratulated by the Seelie advisor to the queen, a Spring Court Princess, and the King of the Unseelie Court. The other courts would likely send their best wishes with a gift soon, as was customary when a new ruler took his place.
After the festivities, Cade went to his room alone. He could have bed nearly any female there—except Poppy, she wouldn’t do anything she didn’t want to do, even for a king—but he wasn’t in the mood for sex.
He’d killed Scarlett. For what, jealousy? That wasn’t the type of person, let alone king, Cade wanted to be. But he’d spared his brother, sort of. Both Raith and Scarlett would be in the stomach of a cyclops or drained by a banshee by now. But he didn’t slice his sword into Raith’s chest—his first act of mercy.
The next morning, his mother joined him for breakfast. She was no longer the reigning queen of the Summer Court, but she was still royal, so she wore a smaller crown.
“My son,” she said as she sat on the end of the table opposite Cade. “We have many plans to make now.”
Plans? Cade had barely been crowned king and the court had no pressing needs that he knew of.
Kassandra continued. “As you know, many years ago, the Seelie and Unseelie Courts moved to the mortal realm and trapped our courts here and bound our abilities, while they are as powerful as they’ve ever been. It’s time we end the curse they’ve placed upon us.”
Sure, there was some hostility when that had happened, but since then, season courts had thrived, even without their full power.
“The Seelie and Unseelie Courts are too powerful,” Cade said.
“They won’t be if we bind their powers.”
Scarlett stood on the familiar hill overlooking the cemetery below. It seemed like forever since she’d been here. Any hint of breeze had abandoned the empty graveyard.
It was better that way—a moment for her and her mom, alone.
Scarlett’s feet pushed forward, down the hill and through the graveyard. Scarlett twirled the rose, yellow and beautiful, in her hand. She’d picked it from her mom’s garden that morning.
When she arrived at her mom’s grave, her chest tightened.
Scarlett inhaled deeply as she stared at her mother’s name engraved on the headstone. So much had changed since she’d last been here—the same day Cade had found her. Instead of facing her fears, she’d run like a coward. But she’d learned she was stronger than she’d ever known. Her mother had raised her well.
Scarlett breathed in the grief that struck her. Not only did she miss her mother with her entire being, but if anyone would have believed Scarlett’s story, it would have been her.
Unlike Scarlett, who never listened to her mom, not when she was having a fit. But now, after Scarlett had seen so much, she couldn’t help but wonder if her mother’s illness was more than anyone thought.
If Scarlett had the gifts she had now, could she have healed her mother?
Tears dripped down her cheeks. What-ifs were pointless. Scarlett couldn’t let her heartache consume her any longer.
Scarlett placed the rose in front of the stone and walked away.
Read on for a sneak peak of the first chapter in Prisoner of Darkness - Book Two in the Whims of Fae series!
Chapter One
Scarlett twirled her finger around the top of the glass in front of her. She could hear Ashleigh talking about some guy she’d been dating off and on. He had brown hair. Or maybe it was blonde. Scarlett couldn’t remember for sure, and she didn’t much care.
They were out at lunch at a pizza place, the smell of baked dough and cheese filling the room. Pop music played throughout the restaurant, low enough guests could still talk. But Scarlett could hear every word of the songs and each instrument of the background track clear as day, drums, guitar, and piano all twined as one melody.
Since Scarlett returned from Faerie, her relationship with Ashleigh had been great, so different from when she left the mortal world for the world of the fae. Even though only a few days had passed in the human world, Scarlett had been gone weeks in Faerie.
Scarlett and Ashleigh were now the sisters she’d always wanted them to be. But Scarlett was different.
And she hid her new self from her sister.
How close could she ever truly feel to Ashleigh if she never revealed her secrets?
Scarlett pried her attention back to the conversation.
“But I mean, it’s crazy, right? To feel this much so fast?” Ashleigh perched her chin on half, elbow rested on the table. She wore her blonde curls natural today, tamed with some moose and hairspray.
“Not necessarily,” Scarlett said, hoping she sounded like she’d been listening th
e whole time. “Maybe you’re soul mates.”
She didn’t really believe soul mates existed. Then again, at the beginning of the summer she didn’t believe in the fae either.
As Scarlett inhaled, she felt the pull of the bond inside her that connected her to Raith. She hadn’t seen him since he’d left her house two weeks ago. The bond was faint, likely due to the distance between them, but it still tugged at Scarlett whenever she thought of him.
Scarlett scooted out of the booth seat she sat in, red plastic sticking to her skin as she stood. “I’m going to the ladies room before they bring us our pizza.”
“Okay.” Ashleigh picked up her cell phone and began typing, probably a message to her new boy toy.
Scarlett could feel the giddiness inside her older sister as she walked away. She could sense the frustration of the waitress as a group of teen boys tried to flirt with her as she took their order. The cook, far out of Scarlett’s view, was filled with sorrow. Scarlett could hear him humming a country song, slow and haunting, as he prepared the food.
In the bathroom, Scarlett hovered in front of a mirror. Her rosy cheeks and flawless skin still looked foreign to her—not that she was complaining—but she knew she’d get used to them eventually. But her ears, pointed on top—they’d always feel unnatural. Scarlett couldn’t hide from the changes, but she could hide them from everyone else, the humans at least. To them, she looked like she always did. At first, she made sure to keep her ears covered. But with practice, Scarlett had began to learn how to glamour herself. By absorbing the emotion around her, she stored power within herself. Then, she’d close her eyes and picture her ears how they used to look, rounded and mortal. A tingle spread through them. In the mirror, they looked pointed to Scarlett, but when she tucked her hair behind her ear in front of Ashleigh, Ashleigh didn’t say anything.
It took a lot of energy, but now Scarlett could glamour her ears with confidence. So much so, her hair was now pulled up into a bun on top of her head. If only the other changes were as easy to hide.
Everything in Scarlett was heightened now, from the sounds and smells around her to the emotion inside her. Sad movies made her bawl. A bad driver made her boil. Once, when someone cut her off before an intersection, she cursed and wished his car would run into the fire hydrant he was passing. And that’s exactly what happened.
She knew she’d been the cause.
And it didn’t bother her.
Scarlett washed her hands, avoiding another look at herself, and went back to the table. As she sat down again, the waitress brought them their pizza, half pepperoni and half Hawaiian, like always. At least some parts of Scarlett’s life seemed normal.
“Can I get you anything else?” the waitress asked.
“I think we’re good,” Ashleigh said as she grabbed herself a piece of pepperoni. “Looks delicious!”
As the waitress walked away, Scarlett asked, “Did you text him?”
She wanted to care about Ashleigh’s crush. After all, before she’d gone to Faerie all she thought she needed was a strong friendship with her sister. But that was before everything got so horribly complicated.
Before Scarlett turned fae, or known she’d always been part fae.
She didn’t think she was just part fae anymore.
“Yes,” Ashleigh said, happiness bursting from her. Even if Scarlett couldn’t feel it like she did, Ashleigh’s face said enough.
“When do I get to meet him?” It was a normal sisterly request: meet the boyfriend. It’s what before-Scarlett would have asked.
“I don’t want to freak him out, so not yet.” Ashleigh grinned. “But soon. Promise.”
A surge of anger fluttered through Scarlett. It wasn’t her own. It came from the waitress, who had just placed a pizza on the table of the teenage boys sitting across the restaurant. All the boys laughed. One emanated lust.
“Nice ass,” he said.
He must have touched the waitress. What a jerk.
The rage from the waitress fizzled inside Scarlett and turned into her own. She saw the cocky grin the boy wore. Without thought, she thought of the hot pizza sliding onto him, sizzling his skin. When it did, the boys at the table grew silent. The cocky boy screamed, burned from the pizza now in his lap.
Shock filled the waitress, mixed with joy.
Scarlett pulled her attention away, fearful someone might see her paying too much attention. “Well, I’m excited to meet him when you think the time is right.”
Ashleigh’s eyes were glued to her phone, too busy to notice the commotion at the other table.
Scarlett really shouldn’t have done that. It was dangerous and petty. But it felt so good, so right. She absorbed the waitress’ satisfaction, the boy’s humiliation, and the confusion of the others who saw.
Power grew within her.
She wasn’t the old Scarlett anymore.
It had been more than two weeks since Kaelem had teased Raith with knowledge of his mother and Raith new nothing more.
“There, there, Summer Prince,” Kaelem, dressed in a charcoal gray suit, said as he jabbed his fork into the turkey on his plate. “Patience is a virtue.”
“Your cliches won’t make me forget what you promised,” Raith retorted.
“I said I knew things about your mother, no promises of when of if I’d tell you.”
“And I’m not a summer prince any more.”
“No? My mistake.” Kaelem shoved a big bite into his mouth.
They sat at a long, white table, surrounded by sleek, red chairs. Where the Summer Court was luxurious and formal, the Unseelie Court was cold and modern. It lived in the mortal room, though it was heavily protected by from the mortals with fae magic, and had been influenced with the changing styles of the humans. Three metallic chandeliers with dangled above the table, lighting the room with bright round bulbs at the ends of the silver rods. Bold pictures, all black and white photos of scenery with bright bits of color, hung around the room.
The high ceiling had a large skylight that now showed the moonlit sky. While much of the human world was going to bed for the night, the Unseelie Court was just getting started.
A brownie, short with a large nose and wrinkly brown skin, brought in a large cheesecake, topped with cherries. “Master.” It bowed.
“Dessert, mmmm.” Kaelem pushed his dinner plate away. “A slice for you?”
“My appetite is gone.”
The Unseelie king had been toying with Raith too long. He was sick of it. He wanted the information, not pie.
“It’s cheesecake, not pie,” Kaelem said.
“Get out of my head.” Raith let his guard down. Again. Raith focused on his mental wall, fortifying it to keep Kaelem out. He’d been a mess since the Battle of Heirs. His mind shields had always been strong, but lately, in moments of anger, he’d lowered them just enough for Kaelem to sneak through. It didn’t help that Kaelem was king the Unseelie Court and a strong mind reader.
“I’m just teaching you to keep your guard up, always. You never know who will go fishing inside your head.”
“How kind of you.”
“It’s rude to turn away a perfectly good cheesecake.” Kaelem cut two slices, put them on separate plates, and pushed on to Raith. “Dessert always makes a day better.”
If eating the fucking cheesecake would shut Kaelem up, then fine. Raith took a huge mouthful. He couldn’t deny, it was delicious. But he was sick of the Unseelie games. Kaelem could wait years to tell Raith what he knew. What was years to someone who could live centuries?
Raith had more important things to do than to be a pawn in some royal game. If the desire to learn more about his mother wasn’t so strong, he’d already have gone.
All he’d left Scarlett with was a note saying they’d meet again. Could he have been more vague? If he’d known he’d be at the Unseelie Court so long, he’d have given her a proper goodbye. But what would that have been? A hug? A kiss? Passionate goodbye sex?
What were he and Scarlet
t? The bond between them kept them attached, but what if that went away? Neither of them could deny their connection, bond or no bond, but who knew what the connection should mean?
He couldn’t worry about her now. If he wanted answers, he’d have to stay here and humor Kaelem. If Raith left, Kaelem may never share the secrets he said he had. The fae were stubborn, if nothing else.
Kaelem swallowed a bite. “Delightful.”
“Completely.” Raith didn’t hide the sourness to his tone. It’s what Kaelem, who had the former Summer prince in need of information, wanted. Raith had known Kaelem long enough to know that games were fun to him, and his best chance to learn what he needed was to play along.
Although Raith grew impatient, he was under the protection of the Unseelie King. Should his brother, Cade find out he was still alive, Kaelem might keep him safe for nothing more than adding fuel to the fire of brotherly rivalry. That, and nothing angered a fae ruler more than someone coming in and killing his guests.
So, for now, Raith would be a pawn in Kaelem’s chess game. Until he got the information he needed.
Kaelem devoured the last bite of the cheesecake on his plate. Its sweet flavor lit up his taste buds. Dessert was by far the best part of any meal.
He watched Raith grimace in his chair. The Summer prince was too easy. Kaelem could get under his skin with just a look. Oh, the fun. He’d been rooting for Raith. Cade was too boring to be a fae king, all serious and moral.
So much so he’d made the mistake of leaving his brother alive for someone or something else to take care of him. Sure, to most it seemed a merciful deed, but to Kaelem, it showed his cowardice. Royals did not have the luxury for mercy. It made them weak and easy targets.
It was a mistake he’d only made once, and one that haunted him every day.
Two brownies came into the dining room and cleared the table, careful not to meet Kaelem’s eye. He wasn’t sure why they feared him so much. Most likely an effect of his father’s ruling tendencies. Kaelem didn’t see the need to entice terror in everyone around him like the late king.
