by Nissa Leder
It was all a ruse if you asked Scarlett. When Kaelem had prepared her for what to expect, he’d told her that the Solstice was when Winter Court fae were at their strongest.
She’d remembered Cade explaining the courts to her. It seemed like so long ago when she’d spent that day with Cade, when they’d played in the waves. He’d been carefree then, if only briefly. It was a side of Cade she questioned still existed. Scarlett had learned how the fae courts worked. How each seasonal court was tied to Faerie and at their most powerful during their respective season.
But Scarlett and Kaelem weren’t tied to a season, so their magic was stable. It should give them an advantage. The numbers, however, weren’t in their favor: two against who knew how many. The pressure overwhelmed her.
Scarlett needed fresh air. She walked down the staircase and found the front door guarded by one fae. When she approached the door, it opened.
“Thank you,” she said as she stepped outside.
Instead of following the path that headed into the forest, Scarlett veered off to a path that led around the castle. Hedgerows bordered the path, coated in a thin layer of snow. The cobblestone beneath her feet was perfectly clear.
An opening in the bushes appeared. Scarlett entered a round garden area, miraculously free from any snow or ice. How was that possible?
Rose bushes lined the area, planted on the highest tier. The next row had hydrangea and irises. The bottom row had tulips in every color. Although she hadn’t inherited her mother’s green thumb, Scarlett found comfort in the presence of the flowers. They were the one thing that had kept her mother calm on her worst days. She’d prune the garden while talking to the voices in her head. It was strange how much Scarlett missed those days.
In the center of the area, someone sat on a bench, his back to Scarlett. When he turned his head, Scarlett saw it was Jaser.
“Hi,” she said. “Sorry to interrupt.”
“Join, if you’d like,” he said.
Scarlett sat next to him. “It’s beautiful. How are all the plants alive in the cold?”
“Magic.”
“Of course.” That was the answer for everything.
Jaser chuckled. “Not a fan?”
Scarlett shrugged. “If you would have told ten-year-old me that there was a world where magic was real and someday she’d have powers of her own, I would have peed my pants in excitement.”
“Peed your pants, huh? That’s attractive.”
“It’s a human expression,” Scarlett said. “Guess I shouldn’t use it anymore.”
A rose that had fallen to the ground drifted upward and over to Scarlett, hovering in the air. “You might physically be fae now, but you’ll never erase your mortal memories.”
She took the rose and twirled it in her hand. “Thanks.”
“You’re okay, though?” Jaser asked. “I was glad to see you didn’t die, but surprised to see you with the Unseelie King of all people.”
“He’s helping me.” Scarlett inhaled the scent of the rose, its sweetness tingling her nose. “I’m still learning how to be fae.”
“And what about Raith?”
“Raith?” Could Scarlett trust Jaser to keep a secret? Jaser and Raith were friends, but Jaser now worked for Cade. If he told Cade that Raith still lived, Cade would hunt him down.
“He’s alive,” Jaser said, watching Scarlett as if waiting for her reaction.
“Oh?” She was trying to act dumb, but doing a horrible job at it.
“But you already knew that. I saw him leaving the Winter Castle.” Jaser took Scarlett’s free hand. “You can trust me.”
Scarlett smiled. Knowing she had a friend sent warmth through her. But if the time came and she had to choose between Jaser and Kaelem, as long as her sister remained in the mirror, she’d have to pick Kaelem. And she couldn’t underestimate Jaser’s loyalty to Cade. As a Summer Court subject, Jaser could easily choose his king over his friendship with Scarlett. “I should be heading back in before Kaelem thinks I got lost in a secret lair.”
“Goodnight, human.” Jaser winked.
“’Night.”
Scarlett snuck back into the room as quietly as she could, praying Kaelem was already asleep.
“No such luck, darling.” He lay in the bed, the blankets covering his lower half, his upper half shirtless.
Was he wearing anything?
“Guess you’ll have to come see for yourself.” Kaelem winked.
“Sleeping on the floor never killed anybody.” Scarlett walked to an empty spot on the ground near the fireplace that lit the room. She’d slept on carpet before, but the stone beneath her feet was so hard.
Kaelem pulled the covers off of himself, exposing pant covered legs. “I’ll keep the pants on, but clothing is optional for you.”
The lace had begun to itch. There was no way Scarlett could sleep comfortably in it. Her skin needed to breathe. She slipped the dress off, leaving her in bra and panties.
A jolt of lust hit her, from Kaelem no doubt.
“The rest is staying on.” Scarlett crawled under the blankets next to Kaelem and pulled them over her body. She turned so her back faced him. “And no cuddling.”
The bed quivered as he laughed and rolled over. “We fae aren’t always selfish jerks.”
“I’ll believe it when I see it. Name one person you care more about than yourself?”
“My sister.” Sincerity filled his voice. He hadn’t mentioned anything about a sister. Probably just a ploy to gain her sympathy.
“Me too,” Scarlett said. “And you’re the one who took mine from me.”
“I hope someday you’ll forgive me.”
“Doubtful.”
Scarlett pulled the covers into her chest. If his sister were so important to him, he’d never have taken hers. Or did Scarlett’s sister not count since she was mortal?
Kaelem shuffled away from Scarlett as the room grew dark. “Sleep tight, darling.”
Chapter Sixteen
A knock on the door startled Cade. It was late and he had just taken off his boots and shirt. “Yes?”
“It’s me,” Poppy’s voice drifted through the closed door. “Can I come in?”
“Sure.”
The door opened and Poppy’s head peeked in. When she looked at Cade, she froze for a moment, but continued into the room. She was still dressed in her leather guard uniform.
“I’ve been going back and forth all day, but I think you need to know what happened earlier.”
Cade could sense guilt coming from the bond.
Poppy told him how she caught Raith leaving the Winter Castle and chased after him. She’d been fighting him when he trapped her. When she’d finally broken free of the tree restraint, she saw him talking to Jaser.
When Poppy was about to charge Raith, a woman fae ambushed her from behind a tree. Poppy didn’t know who she was, but she was skilled in combat.
“I should have told you sooner,” Poppy said. “I just didn’t want to upset you while you were here.”
Relief swam through Cade. He was glad Raith got away. He shouldn’t be. His older brother was a threat to his legitimacy as king. Yet, Cade couldn’t deny it was happiness he felt to know Raith lived.
If Poppy felt his relief, she didn’t mention it.
“Don’t tell anyone else about this,” Cade said.
“Of course not.”
“I’ll make sure Jaser knows to keep it quiet as well,” Cade said. He wasn’t sure where Jaser’s loyalties lay. Now that he knew Raith had survived, Cade decided Jaser would return back to the Summer Court. He couldn’t risk Jaser turning on him if Raith attacked. “If Raith shows up again, don’t kill him. I want my brother alive.”
“What?”
“If he’s willing to surrender his right to the crown, there’s no reason he can’t live.”
“It’s because of her. You don’t want to upset the poor human,” Poppy spat.
“No,” Cade snapped. “And she’s not a human an
ymore. Don’t forget she’s fae now, and we don’t know what type of power she possesses.”
“Please.” Poppy groaned. “She’s untrained and nothing I can’t handle.”
“My brother is not to be killed. That’s an order.”
The glare Poppy gave him was as cold as the castle. “Fine.”
Cade had been given another chance. His first act as king had not resulted in the death of two others. They may never forgive him, but maybe he could forgive himself.
After breakfast the next morning, Scarlett continued her training. She spent most of the day alone in the room while many of the guests attended the Solstice tea. By the afternoon, she’d learned to accurately move things with her mind and her mental shield had improved though it remained penetrable—as she learned when Kaelem entered the room.
Suddenly, she couldn’t think of anything but his shirtless body next to hers the night before. Why had she just gone to sleep? There were so many better things she could have done.
But it wasn’t too late. There was still time before…
No. Yuck. Ew.
Kaelem howled in laughter.
“That’s not fair. I wasn’t ready.”
“Again with this business of fair.” He removed the button-up white top he wore and slipped it off his arms.
Scarlett breathed deeply and felt for the barrier in her mind. She lifted it, holding it tightly in place.
You are an ass.
He didn’t respond.
If only your pants were off, too.
Still, no reaction. Good. She hadn’t meant it. She’d only wanted to see if her shield was working. Pressure pushed against it, but she kept it in place.
Scarlett closed the distance between them. She pouted her bottom lip slightly and tilted her head. “I’m so sick of being alone.”
She double-checked the mental shield—still up.
“You aren’t alone.” His arms fell to his sides as he dropped the shirt to the ground.
Scarlett’s finger grazed his lip and trailed down to his chest and down further.
Kaelem’s mouth parted.
Then Scarlett slugged him in the stomach and quickly stepped away.
Kaelem grabbed his abs and gasped for air.
“Always be prepared. Right, teacher?” She couldn’t help but giggle.
As Kaelem lifted his head, she was prepared to fight off a sneak attack, but he was smirking.
“Clever, darling.”
In her celebration, Scarlett’s mental shields fell.
Kaelem approached her. His stare pierced her.
Those eyes, so gorgeous. Her stare dropped lower to the definition in his abs. He was close enough to touch.
And so she did.
Her fingers traced the lines of his muscle. So chiseled.
Something far, far away in the back of her mind yelled at her, but it was muffled and she couldn’t understand it. It must have not been that important.
Kaelem’s arm wrapped around her and pulled her body into his. His hand rested on her ass, holding her close.
She absorbed the lust in the air. So powerful. So potent.
He leaned his face toward her—so near, his hot breath warmed her mouth.
Scarlett shut out the voice in the back of her mind screaming something at her. His mouth looked so lovely. So kissable.
As she pursed her lips to meet his, he pulled away.
Her mind came back into focus.
She was about to kiss him. What in the hell was she doing?
“Always be prepared, darling,” Kaelem said. “And never forget how powerful I am. Teasing me may not be in your best interest. Then again, maybe it is.”
“I… you…” Scarlett shook away the lustful thoughts she’d been thinking. “I need to get ready for this stupid dinner.”
Her shield had been up. How had it dropped so quickly? And how had he been able to kick away any rational thought in her head? Nausea hit as she realized how out of control she’d been. If he hadn’t had pulled away…
She pushed the thoughts away. She’d have to be more careful. Kaelem was right. She didn’t know how powerful he was. If he’d had wanted all of her, she’d have been his.
Why had he stopped? She was grateful he had, but the action surprised her. There was no point in trying to guess. All part of the game he played, most likely.
Scarlett went into the closet to pick out a dress. It wasn't a closet by any standard Scarlett was used to. Nearly as large as the bedroom itself, clothes lined the outside walls. A large crystal chandelier hung down, lighting the room, with a round violet ottoman underneath big enough to seat ten.
Dresses in all the shades of the rainbow hung to Scarlett’s left. Some were long sleeved, others strapless. Some were floor length, others shorter than Scarlett would dream of wearing no matter how confident she was in her legs.
The dinner was formal enough to require a dress, but Kaelem had told her to also keep it fun. A black dress caught Scarlett’s attention. She tried it on and stepped in front of the wall mirror that hung on the far wall in between racks of clothes.
The dress had thin straps and a deep neckline that dropped in a V to her rib cage. It showed off her chest, but kept enough covered to leave room for the imagination. The skirt hugged her hips and stopped mid-thigh.
Scarlett found a pair of peep-toe heels to match. All set.
Kaelem’s mouth dropped when Scarlett exited the closet. He now wore light gray slacks, a white shirt, and a thin black tie.
Scarlett raised her mental shields. She couldn't deny he looked good, too, and she didn't want him knowing it.
“I'll have the hottest date here.” Kaelem held out his arm.
Scarlett linked hers with it. “Let’s get this over with.”
Chapter Seventeen
The line to enter the dining room curved down the hallway. Apparently, the castle had multiple dining halls depending on the size of the function—tonight’s was the biggest of them all.
Most of the fae in line were from the Winter Court. Scarlett had learned the slight difference in aura amongst the courts. When they entered the dining hall, they found their spots at a table in the front of the room.
White linens covered the tables, paired with gold decorations and tableware. Bare twigs stood like trees as centerpieces, with golden orbs hanging from them like ornaments.
“Our honored guest,” one of the servers said as he pulled Scarlett’s chair out for her. There were many other servers throughout the room—all of them fae. Unlike the Summer Court, Scarlett hadn’t seen one human in the Winter castle.
Kaelem read her thoughts and said, “The Winter Court despises humans so much, they won’t even use them as slaves.”
So much for keeping her mental shield up. “Isn’t human emotion the strongest source of power?” That was what Cade had told her.
“Yes, but the Winter Court is too proud to care. They also absorb power from the cold and ice, which, as long as they remain in their court, works well enough.”
Cade arrived with Poppy at his side. Tonight, Poppy wore a long, mint green dress—a startling change to the fighting leather Scarlett had always seen her in. Her blonde hair was pulled into a braided bun on top of her head, with a curled strand hanging down in front of her face on each side.
“You look gorgeous,” Scarlett said.
At first, Poppy glared, but then her expression softened. “Thanks.”
Soon, the table was filled, mostly with fae Scarlett had never seen.
“The one on the far side of the table near the queen’s seat is the Spring Court queen,” Kaelem said.
Scarlett could have guessed she was Spring Court. With so many in the room, she hadn’t noticed the floral scent to her aura. But even so, she wore a crown made of lavender, with her dark hair in a long, loose braid pulled to the front. She grinned at Scarlett, her white teeth bright against her cinnamon skin, and Scarlett returned the friendly smile. A large ruby dangled from a delicate chain th
at hung around her neck.
“The Spring Court gains magic from gemstones,” Kaelem said.
From the corner of Scarlett’s eye, she saw someone staring at her. She turned her head to scan the room as nonchalantly as possible. A male fae, older, with a familiar face she swore she’d seen before looked away as her gaze met his.
Scarlett turned the other way and asked Kaelem in her mind: Who’s he?
“The Seelie Queen’s advisor,” Kaelem whispered. “She almost never leaves her court. She always sends Laik.”
“I think I’ve seen him before.”
“He was at the Blessing.”
Right. She’d caught him staring then, too. She figured it was because she was mortal. Maybe now he realized she wasn’t. Still, Scarlett’s gut told her there was something else. Though not nearly as strong as the bond between her and Raith, a connection of some sort pulled Scarlett toward him. It must have been her Seelie heritage. He was the only Seelie fae she’d met. Could he sense her Seelie blood? And if he could, would he share the knowledge with the Seelie Queen?
She wouldn’t lose any sleep over it. She had bigger problems to worry about. The whole room hushed as the Winter Queen waltzed down the stairs from the balcony above, dressed in a long sleeved, floor length dress made of lavender tinted satin. Her expression was stiff, no happiness radiating from her cold features. When she arrived at her seat at the head of the Scarlett’s table, she spoke.
“Thank you all for coming to celebrate the Solstice week with me. I’m honored to have so many of my loyal subjects here, as well as prominent fae from the other courts. Enjoy this dinner as my gratitude for your support of the Winter Court.”
Servers entered the room, carrying trays of foods and drinks. One set a golden fizzy drink in front of Scarlett, another an appetizer that reminded her of sushi. Once everyone was served, the Winter Queen lifted her glass into the air.
“To the queen,” someone in the crowed said. The tinkling of glass echoed through the room.
As Scarlett ate, she felt Cade’s stare on her. She pretended not to notice, but she wasn’t the only one who took note.
