Spin the Shadows

by Cate Corvin

  Robin gave me a faint smile, as though he could read my thoughts. “Unlikely. I have enough proof to put him away for life. The Queen deliberately kept the jury small.”

  He’d already instructed me on the finer points: the jurors were all strong supporters of Titania. Robin could likely say three words against Brightkin, and they’d find the prince guilty, but my boss had still brought along a large folio packed with every last inch of evidence he had against both Prince Brightkin and Calder.

  I was about to ask if he was likely to receive the death penalty when the courtroom doors opened. Several older Gentry filed into the room, their faces proud and hard.

  “The jury,” Robin muttered to me.

  “They look very nice,” I whispered back. One of the female Gentry looked down her nose at me before swishing her dress aside to sit down.

  Then a knight filled the door.

  He was enormous, clad head to toe in lacquered armor so deep a blue it was only a shade away from black.

  It was impossible to tell what he looked like under the helmet, but I had the distinct impression of eyes on me. I shifted uncomfortably again under the scrutiny.

  As he approached, I caught sight of the stunning vision behind him.

  Queen Titania was the most beautiful Gentry Fae I’d ever seen. Her hair hung to the floor in a waterfall of perfect, pale gold, almost blending with the champagne dress of petals she wore.

  It flowed around her like water as she made her way to the dais behind the knight, and the light through the prism ceiling made the crown of gold leaves on her head sparkle.

  She sat on the throne and looked out over the room, and I suppressed a shudder. Brightkin had inherited her sea green eyes.

  Another Fae royal came in next, a young woman who was almost identical to Titania with the exception of her amber-colored eyes. She looked close to my age.

  Robin muttered in my ear as they passed. The knight was Noctifer, Titania’s Right Hand, and the younger royal was Princess Tanaquill, Titania’s second child.

  If Brightkin was convicted, she would be next in line for the Seelie Throne.

  I felt horribly out of place, the only Lesser Fae in this room. To make it worse, I still had the distinct impression that Noctifer was watching me, a dark presence behind the Queen.

  That giant sword on his back wasn’t just for show, after all.

  Princess Tanaquill’s amber eyes landed on Robin and softened. A knot of completely unwarranted jealousy writhed in my stomach, but my boss’s eyes were on the door.

  Several Garda marched in next. Brightkin was chained between them, pale and sweating, looking the worse for wear after a night in their cells.

  He was followed by Calder, who was spitting and swearing at everyone. The satyr’s eyes landed on Robin, and he drew himself back to spit on Robin and me.

  One of the Garda punched the satyr. Choking and wheezing, he was dragged up to the bench next to Brightkin.

  Their lawyer was an eight-inch-tall pixie. He landed on the table at the front of the room and cleared his throat.

  Queen Titania raised one slim-fingered hand. “Court is now in session. Let the charges against Prince Brightkin and Calder be presented.” Even her voice was like music, golden and filling the room like chimes.

  A Gentry Fae stepped forward, reading from a scroll. “Crown Prince Brightkin stands accused of breaking the Unveiled Accords with the following charges: the abduction and trafficking of human visitors to Avilion…”

  I struggled to keep my breathing even as the Gentry continued down a laundry list of crimes. There was no way Brightkin was walking out of this room as an innocent man.

  The pixie lawyer presented a case of innocence with so many holes in it that I nearly snorted out loud, which would’ve been a big mistake. I kept my eyes on the Queen, lacing my fingers together in my lap to force myself to hold still as the pixie droned on and on.

  Finally, Robin got up, bringing his folio. He opened it and spread several photographs over the table in front of the Gentry jury.

  One of the women gasped, pressing a hand to her chest. “The Crown Prince consorted with nymphs?”

  I held back a wince. That was her takeaway? That fucking a Lesser Fae was worse than abducting human girls and drugging them?

  Anger boiled in my veins, but I swallowed it down. If a giant tree ripped through the Queen’s courtroom, we were screwed.

  Glancing at the Queen, I saw a tiny smile playing around the edges of her flawless lips. She already knew this was a mock trial; Robin could hand them a used tissue as evidence, and Brightkin would be fucked regardless.

  I found I didn’t care too much, even though it was all a game. I’d seen it with my own eyes; those girls’ lives had been stolen away from them.

  A Fae scurried in the door, whispered something in Robin’s ear, and scurried back out.

  The look that crossed Robin’s face was gut-wrenching, a storm cloud of anger, dismay, and pure sadness.

  He mastered it quickly and turned to Titania. “There is another charge to level. One of the humans has just passed away under the care of the healers due to his negligence in feeding them faerie fruit and evanesce. He is now accused of breaking the Unveiled Accords with the murder of a human.”

  I forced myself to keep breathing, even though I wanted to erupt into a thousand branches.

  One of those poor girls would now be sent home to her grave… and there was only one acceptable reparation under the Accords.

  Titania raised her hand again. “I’ve seen enough of the evidence. Prince Brightkin, I strip you of your titles and lands. You are no longer of the Seelie Court; we cast you out, and we sentence you to death. If any of the jury dissents, submit your protest now.”

  Her green eyes flashed to the jurors, clearly challenging them to dare say a word against her.

  There was a fraught silence as all of the Gentry stared back at her, their mouths firmly shut. It was so quiet I could’ve heard a pixie fart.

  “Very well. Let the consequences be carried out for both prisoners.”

  The satyr shrieked, struggling against his chains, but the Garda hauled him upright. Robin closed the folio and returned to me. “Come. We have to witness the execution.”

  Great. More blood.

  I followed him out, my stomach already sloshing around. Queen Titania and Princess Tanaquill led the way out of the courtroom and through a prismatic blue and green hall to a courtyard.

  It would’ve been a beautiful garden, but for the low block of onyx on the ground, right in the middle.

  The dark knight Noctifer stepped next to it. He unsheathed the massive sword, the blade catching the sun and shining with engraved thorns.

  I hung back next to Robin, who watched impassively as the Garda hauled Calder up to the stone.

  He was forced to his knees and stretched across it.

  I couldn’t help myself. I grimaced as Noctifer raised his sword, and squeezed my eyes shut when the sword descended.

  There was a hollow thump as Calder’s head hit the ground.

  Brightkin’s breathing was fast and terrified. “Mother, you can’t do this. I’m the prince. I’m the fucking prince! Your son!” He screamed it, thrashing wildly.

  His pleas fell on deaf ears. The Garda kicked Calder’s body aside and stretched Brightkin on the stone.

  Titania stood by like a golden statue, her face cold. “I have no son.”

  I forced myself to watch this time. Noctifer’s blade was already stained red, and Brightkin was sobbing, no longer Gentry-beautiful as snot and tears ran down his face.

  I kept in mind that a girl had breathed her last this morning because of him. This had to be witnessed.

  When the Right Hand brought his sword down, the blade sliced cleanly through Brightkin’s neck.

  His sobs cut off abruptly, and his golden head of hair dropped to the stones alongside Calder’s. A pool of blood dripped over the onyx chopping block.

  “Well,” the Q
ueen said briskly. “That’s done. Come, my Hands.”

  It was hard to believe how cold she was. Under all that warm, shimmering gold, she must have a core of pure ice. Her firstborn son beheaded in front of her, and not a single tear gleamed in her eyes.

  Princess Tanaquill glanced sidelong at Robin under her eyelashes as he followed Titania and Noctifer.

  I held back, trailing behind them. I didn’t really belong here. This was a palace for the Gentry, for people like Robin, not nymphs who stumbled blindly through the dark.

  But Robin paused before following the Queen inside and looked back at me with puzzlement. “Come on, Briallen. This is for you, too.”

  I glanced back at the Garda, who were cleaning up the bodies, and hurried after him.

  We were far enough behind the royal retinue and the bloodied knight that Robin leaned down to whisper to me. “Act like you belong. It’s half the battle.”

  He smiled encouragingly at me and brushed my hand.

  Noctifer waited outside a room that turned out to be a parlor. His helmet turned as we passed.

  Inside, the prism walls gave off a pearly light. The Queen sat on a delicate chair of woven roses, sipping a cup of tea.

  Maybe ruling an entire kingdom slowly crushed the emotions of the Gentry. She didn’t look like she’d sentenced her own son to death this morning.

  “Robin, lovely work. I would’ve preferred it to be a little quieter, but… I suppose we don’t get everything we want.” Her sea green eyes flashed up to me. “This is your new… protégée?”

  Robin stood so close to my side that I felt his body heat through my clothes. “This is Briallen Appletree, my Queen. A daughter of the Hesperides.”

  Queen Titania only raised one eyebrow. “Hesperides? How strange that your trees seem to prefer blood to water. Congratulations on a job well done, dryad.”

  What in the trees did that mean, blood to water?

  I opened my mouth, but she clearly wasn’t expecting a reply.

  “Well, train her as you see fit, Robin. I need you back on the Ghosthand case as soon as possible.” The Queen scowled at her tea. Scowled at it. Like a common Lesser. “They’ll start rioting if we don’t make progress there, and my own sister is beginning to get under my skin with her demands.”

  Robin inclined his head. I was still just amazed that the Queen was capable of showing any emotion beyond complete iciness.

  “As you wish, my Queen,” he said. Princess Tanaquill smiled at him from her perch on a velvet chaise.

  I tried not to glare. It wasn’t my right to glare.

  Titania waved her hand, dismissing us completely. Robin and I both bowed, and I did my best to ignore Noctifer as we left.

  I didn’t breathe any easier until we stepped outside the Seelie Palace entirely.

  “Not all that fun, is it?” Robin asked.

  We strode down the glittering steps together. “Nothing like a few beheadings to start my day,” I said breezily, but what I really wanted right then was to run to Mothwing Falls, kiss Gwyn until my face hurt, and pretend I hadn’t seen any of it.

  “I checked on the humans this morning.” Robin walked close enough that he brushed against me. “One was… beyond saving. The others have a chance to recuperate, but it will likely take a long time.”

  “That’s better than no chance at all.” At least they were in safe hands now. “Can I visit them?”

  He nudged me with his shoulder. “I meant to ask if you’d like to. They might benefit from seeing someone their age, maybe someone who can help bring them back.”

  I looked out over the city, feeling relieved, but stopped dead in my tracks halfway down the stairs. “Robin, what the hell is that?”

  It looked like a giant tree in Sobek Street, its canopy gleaming with blossoms that caught the sunlight like flames.

  Robin followed my gaze. “That’s your tree, Briallen.”

  My breath caught in my throat. I’d made that? It was enormous, a complete monstrosity. “Oh, my trees. Someone is going to kill me over this.”

  Was this what the Queen had been talking about? I’d never created something like this, even back on Emain Ablach. It was like a nightmarish sister to my gentle, glowing tree in Annwyn.

  A tree grown on blood, its pink blossoms stained crimson.

  He let out a soft laugh. “No, they won’t. By the way… I have something for you.”

  Robin reached into his suit pocket and pulled out a plastic card.

  “Ooh.” I reached for it, glad for an excuse to quit staring at the rather horrifying tree. “Is it another fake ID? Are we on another super-secret mission to take down the Ghosthand?”

  My heart thumped when I held it up. It was the blue iridescent card of a full Avilion resident, featuring my photo and name.

  “It’s yours,” he said. “Permanent residency with honors. Turn it over.”

  I flipped it. On the back, which on my yellow visa ID had been blank, there was a silver circle with an upraised hand in the middle. “Blessed. Fucking. Branches.”

  “You have access to the Seelie Palace with that card.” Robin put his hands in his pockets, and a quick smile flitted across his lips. “Don’t abuse the privilege, though.”

  “Me? Abuse power? Never.” I snorted and tucked the ID in my pocket reverently. “How dare you even imply such a thing, sir.”

  Robin was standing much too close to me. I could pick out every different shade of blue in his eyes. “You can be pretty squirrelly when the mood overtakes you. Briallen, look… I wanted to talk to you about something.”

  I blinked, not processing the second half of that. “Squirrelly? Okay, where is the real Robin and where did you hide his body?”

  A cool breeze washed over us, ruffling his dark hair. Robin leaned in, his eyes gleaming. He was close enough that our arms were touching.

  “I’m right here,” he said, only inches away from my lips.

  I rose on my tiptoes… and felt the wind carry an icy cold kiss to my cheek.

  I gasped and fell back to earth. Robin’s eyes darkened like a storm as he straightened up.

  “Jack.” Robin grated the name out.

  He appeared in a swirl of snow flurries that immediately melted into droplets on the Seelie Palace’s stairs. Jack was once again flawless in his white suit, smirking up at us, his pale eyes fixed on me.

  “Did I interrupt something?” he asked smoothly.

  I took a tiny step back from Robin, which Jack immediately noticed. His smile grew wider.

  “No,” Robin said shortly. “Why are you here?”

  Jack took a step up, frost spilling over the stairs. “I’m here to collect on what I’m owed.”

  I crossed my arms. I’d tried to be nice to Jack the last time I saw him, and he’d brushed me off completely. “Can it wait? We’re busy.”

  “No, it can’t wait, Briallen Appletree. You see, your employer borrowed something from me.” Jack’s gaze cut right through me. “A ring of shadows that was used to save your life.”

  My breath caught in my throat. Robin had said it was a loaner, but he’d borrowed it from Jack Frost, of all people?

  “And…” He took another step. “I saved Robin’s life.”

  A muscle tightened in Robin’s jaw. “Out with it. What do you want?”

  Jack rose yet another step, close enough to reach out and touch me. “I want to borrow your agent. I’ve saved two lives, and now I wish to borrow a mere fraction of her time. She will not be held against her will, and will be returned to Seelie territory and the safety of your home every night. I swear to this.”

  I stared at him, completely nonplussed. What could Jack possibly want with me?

  “Absolutely not,” Robin said firmly, but Jack held out his hand to me.

  “Well, Briallen?” His smile hadn’t faded in the slightest. “You and your employer are in my debt, and I will collect in far less pleasant ways if I must. What do you say?”

  I looked down at his hand, pale in
the sunlight, but rough and warm despite his ice and suave demeanor. “What do you intend to borrow me for?”

  He held my gaze like a snake. “That would be the Unseelie Left Hand’s business. Little ears are listening.” Jack cocked his head towards Robin.

  “You don’t have to go with him, Briallen,” Robin murmured. “I can repay him in other ways.”

  A sheen of ice formed on Jack’s palm and melted just as quickly. The sun sparked rainbows from the drops.

  I exhaled. If not for Jack Frost, Robin wouldn’t have made it to the surface. He would’ve died in the darkness, and we all would’ve lost something that day.

  “I can’t let him collect from you, Robin.” I reached out and laid my hand in Jack’s palm.

  His fingers closed around mine, and the way he looked at me at that second felt so… intimate. Intense.

  Despite myself, a frisson of excitement went through me. His ice was like fire, cold but burning. “I’m the one who asked him for help. It’s my duty to make up for it.”

  Jack pulled me into a close embrace. A torrent of glittering snowflakes blew around us as he smiled down at me.

  “Time to come home,” he whispered in my ear.

  “What?” I met his cool gray eyes, shock surging through the strange desire I felt for him.

  Robin reached out for me.

  And disappeared as Jack and I vanished in a whirling storm of ice and snow.

  * * *

  The End

  * * *

  To Be Continued in Breath of Frost

  About the Author

  Hello reader!

  If you enjoyed this book, please consider leaving a review on Amazon! All of the books I write are important to me, and leaving reviews helps support authors so they can write more for you!

  * * *

  Cate loves all things passionate and paranormal, from sexy, hunky warlocks in haunted houses to shredded shifters under the full moon! She lives in the South with her family and pets, and loves every kind of coffee, horror and fantasy movies, and cats. Reading is her favorite hobby when she’s not writing.