However, when I woke up on the first press day, I wanted to vomit. I put on an elegant rose-colored dress that hit below my knees and let Pierre work his magic with my hair and make-up. When the vampires had gotten me ready for events, they slathered it on, anything to sexualize, like red lipstick and smokey eye shadow. Pierre, however, put golden dust in a half moon from my eyes to my cheekbones, applied a pale tincture to my lips and curled my eyelashes. The make-up was very minimal and ethereal. As for my hair, he put in a thin headband that looked like a less fancy version of Nerissa’s diadem.
Amanda watched him work silently from her position at the piano, then nodded her approval when he was done. “Thank you, Pierre. Let us go now.” She motioned to me as she rose.
“You’re not coming?” I asked Pierre.
He shook his head. “You’ll do great, Cherie!”
“Thanks.” I shot him another glance, wishing he could come instead of Amanda, then followed her out of my apartment. For the first time in nearly a week, I exited the Vasara Training Center, the gate sliding open for Amanda and me.
Outside the stockade gate of Vasara Center, resting in the tall grass and flowers, a white, crystal carriage with two white Pegasi stood. I had never seen winged horses before. Heck, I never even realized they existed. As we approached, one of the creatures turned to face me with dark, soulful eyes.
“They’re gorgeous!” I stepped toward the creature and let him smell my hand before petting his mane. The Pegasus inclined his head, granting his permission.
Something flashed in my periphery, in the direction of the field, and Amanda seized my arm and pulled me into the carriage as if we were in danger. Once I shuffled across the seat, she slammed the door.
“What happened?” I glanced out of the window, confused.
Amanda sighed. “What they call a paparazzi on the Earth side. You made a good move with the whole Pegasus thing, but we can’t give too many free photos. Otherwise, The Fae Press and The Summer Court Newspaper will be pissed.”
It was the first time I’d heard her use strong language. Amanda took her job seriously, and no one was going to ruin it for her. I didn’t reply, too shocked by how calculated Amanda was and not knowing how I would face a press that seemed to want to tear me down without me having done anything wrong.
“Doesn’t the press belong to the king? Certainly, they wouldn’t publish anything he doesn’t like?” I tried.
Amanda snorted. “They wouldn’t dare talk badly about the royal family. Everyone else is fair game. If the king doesn’t like the stories they put out, he’ll blame you. The press has been around for centuries. They know how to shift blame and convince. You, on the other hand, arrived here a week ago. It will take some time to earn the public’s trust.”
I swallowed hard, eyeing the white interior of the carriage, which had no driver. So much for my high status. Apparently, it was only given to me when it served the court.
“We are ready to depart,” Amanda shouted through the open front window to the winged horses. One whinnied, and both walked forward, pulling us through the tall grass. I eyed the window for whoever had been stealing a free photo, but saw no one. The carriage rolled along the field, faster and faster, and then flew into motion, pushing me back into my seat. I glanced down at clay houses and fields growing smaller and smaller. So much greenery and so many flowers. The landscape of the Summer Court was truly paradise. We flew for what I guessed to be five minutes before the Pegasi slowed down as we approached a white castle built into a mountain. Featuring several turrets, it glowed in the sunlight and rested on a huge, flat outcrop, surrounded with massive greenery and waterfalls, one of which ran through the center of the castle before plunging to a valley and a jade green lake far below.
My nails dug into my palms. I’d be meeting not only the press, but also the royal family.
“Welcome to the Summer Court Castle,” Amanda said as shivers raced up my spine.
Chapter 8
Our Pegasi gently flapped their wings and circled the castle, which allowed us to have an amazing view of the countless towers and courtyards below. The Summer Castle was filled with brilliant gardens, fountains, and redwoods that almost rivaled the towers in their height. More details emerged as we circled lower and lower. A giant archway ran through the center of the white castle, allowing one of the rivers to flow between the twin walkways of an open, center courtyard. As we got closer to the center where it seemed we’d be landing, I spied on either side of the river small, dark figures standing, waiting for us. The only thing missing was a red carpet. My mouth went dry, and I shifted in my seat.
Amanda peered out the window before facing me. “Wait in the carriage for a moment after we land to build up suspense.” Her hungry smile made me gulp. “Don’t be too eager or everyone will see you as having no humility. When you exit, pose and smile in the way we coached you. Bring your head back to the right and allow your hair to swing over your shoulder, like this.” Despite her hair being short, Amanda gave me a celebrity-worthy head swing.
“Got it.” Would every move I did and every word I said be under the scrutiny of others? The crystal walls of the carriage seemed to close in, and I wanted to jump out and test my fairy wings even if it meant falling to the ground.
No. I needed to find the rungs of this ladder and figure out how to climb them. Taking a deep breath, I willed my racing pulse to slow.
The carriage landed with the faint clop of the Pegasi’s hooves and the rattling of the wheels in the center courtyard, next to the gurgling river. Though the sky here was open, the castle surrounded us seemingly on all sides, and fae in gowns and suits looked down at us from white balconies that somehow didn’t collapse under the weight of countless hanging vines and pots of flowers. Many of the upper class fae sported whitish-green wings, like Peony. A few were marked with the golden variety that signified that royal blood may have entered their family line at some point. They were probably nobility, like Nerissa and Nathan. Fae warriors, some with bronze wings and others with hunter green ones, stood at the ready with bows and spears, both on the ground level and above. No one else had whitish purple wings like me, meaning I was the only mentalist.
All of the attention would be on me. My head spun as the silence dragged out. Amanda nodded to me again, an indication that I was to throw open the carriage door and face the onslaught.
I did, opening the door slowly and gracefully. Gasps sounded as I lowered my white shoe and leg from the carriage, pushed the door open all the way, and straightened. I threw my head back in the manner Amanda had demonstrated, letting my hair fall over my shoulder. Elegant, but not too cocky.
Before I could get my bearings, a rotating door of fae in suits and professional skirts closed in on me, and everyone began to speak at once.
“Is it true that you are the daughter of an Everston?”
“Did your father really die from drunkenness?”
“Did you know of your magic while you were serving the vampires?” A female fae held up her hands and a flare of white magic formed between them, snapping in my face before vanishing. Apparently, that was the iron-free equivalent of taking my photo.
“Back!” Amanda stepped next to me. She waved the reporters away as if they were a swarm of flies. “One question at a time.”
“Media, please remember your manners,” a loud voice boomed from behind them.
They all parted and silenced, merging with the crowd behind them and creating a path that led straight into an archway. Gold, green, and sheer brightness approached as the greatest wave of magic I’d ever felt washed over me.
Dead silence fell, and I knew from the golden cape, golden sash, and green uniform that I was facing King Peter.
Like Nerissa and Nathan, King Peter gave off his own glow and aura. He wore a vast crown of golden leaves, twisted sticks, and fine jewels that looked like magical dew. I wondered if his crown was alive. King Peter’s pale-green, almost milky eyes trained on me as he folded his wing
s behind him. Some of the glow softened, but I almost balked at the harsh glint in his eyes.
“Vergeat Everston. Your father served me once directly.” King Peter’s tone of voice was unreadable, and I dropped into a curtsy, wishing again that Amanda would’ve warned me that I’d be facing the King today.
“It is a pleasure to meet you,” I said as the fae reporters drew closer. Even in the presence of the king, they were ruthless. After a few seconds, I dared to straighten. Heart pounding, I waited for the king’s reaction.
He did not return the sentiment, his mouth remaining in a harsh line. “Our court has suffered many unimaginable losses. First, your father, who allowed himself to act as a human and become weak before a petty substance that has ruined many of them.”
My heart leapt into my throat, and I struggled to maintain my composure. The oxygen seemed to vanish from the air. King Peter was attacking and warning me. I was not to make the mistakes my father had. His reputation was already working against me.
“Two of my children have also fallen because of the ruthless Winter Court.” King Peter’s magic flared, washing over me like a series of angry needle pricks. The leaves on his crown curled as if trying to contain his anger. “Unfortunately, I am left with one legitimate son and...Caleb.” His attention shifted away from me and to the left. I followed his gaze to find Peony standing beside Caleb. Next to Caleb stood a boy of about twelve years, decked out in a golden sash and cape. He shared King Peter’s golden hair, wings, glow, and haughty gaze.
So I was not the only one under scrutiny here. My shoulders dropped an inch as the attention shifted to Caleb, who took the mental lashing like a pro and didn’t even allow a muscle in his jaw to twitch. Peony drew closer to him, as if wanting to protect him. Interesting. Did she actually care about someone besides herself for once?
“Now we have entered a new age and left the darkness behind us. Vergeat Everston, you will be part of the important effort to lift the souls and minds of the Summer Court to act in harmony and keep the darkness at bay.” King Peter punctuated his sermon with a sharp nod, the intense gleam never leaving his narrowed eyes.
All around me, people muttered.
“Of course.” I dropped into another curtsy. The ocean of pressure returned to my shoulders, threatening to pull me into the cobblestones. So it was true. I was to ensure the former earthbound fae were to become loyal to the king. What would they do to me if I failed? Stop it. There are no problems, just challenges.
Without another word, the king turned and walked back into the archway, leaving me to deal with the media.
“Okay,” Amanda announced, unfazed by the unspoken threat. “Vergeat will now be open to questions and interviews.” She wrapped her arm around my waist like we were best friends, and even though our relationship was pure business, I appreciated the gesture.
My gaze moved over the crowd and landed on a tall figure with white hair and silver eyes. Nathan. He had come, too. He offered me a warm wave.
Amanda pinched me on the arm and nodded meaningfully at Nathan. Clearly, she wanted me to react. I raised my hand and waved back, plastering a smile on my face. Flashes of light surrounded me as fae reporters snapped away photos with their magic. I blinked as afterimages swirled behind my eyelids, feeling dizzy.
“Excellent,” Amanda whispered only loud for me to hear. She knew something that I didn’t, which I hated. But now was not the time to ask. The media swarmed closer, suffocating us, and Amanda released me, throwing me to the wolves.
“I’m Lindie Stockton from the Summer Court News. Is it true that you prefer Virgie to Vergeat?”
“Yes.” I smiled. “I’ve always gone by my nickname.”
The fae nodded. “Virgie, what is your favorite thing about the faeland so far?”
Amanda had schooled me about that. It was a question we’d worked on for hours, given my inability to lie. “Vasara Training Center is amazing, and I love the second chance King Peter has given us former earthbound fae. I like the fact that we can redeem ourselves and earn a better life.”
“How do you perceive the other earthbound fae who were rescued and brought home?”
I could barely breathe. Amanda had fed me a rehearsed answer for that, too. I hated being a puppet, but that wouldn’t last forever. With time, I promised myself, I’d take the strings. “I see them as having great potential that we can tease out.” That was true. “After their rescue, they now have a chance for redemption and to give back to the Summer Court.” Technically, also true. The words ran dry across my tongue. If it weren’t for Caleb and Peony, none of this would be happening. The Summer Court would continue to ignore the plight of the fae who were slaves by the vampires.
“Excellent!” A clean-shaven, middle-aged fae with a strong herbal scent invaded my personal space from the right. “Virgie, how are you dealing with your father’s unfortunate legacy?”
Do not tense. Smile. I expected this question, and yet it still sucked. Beside me, Amanda pressed her lips together. If I showed weakness now, the press would destroy me.
“I am going to be better than my father and serve the court. I will not allow my talents to go to waste. Instead of letting this court fall apart, I will help to unify us all and be a paragon of conduct for my poor brethren who are in deep need of guidance. Together, as a race, we will return to our former glory.”
The male fae’s smile weakened and a tingle of satisfaction ran up my spine. At last, I had some semblance of control.
But a female with curly red hair and bright pink wings shoved into his place. “What do you think of Nathan Bitterbay?”
I hadn’t expected anyone to ask me about the High Commander, but it wasn’t hard to answer this question truthfully. “He is charming, dignified, and a delight.” Another round of flashes sounded as the fae took more photos and that’s when everything clicked into place, making sense. Nathan’s odd attitude. The rose-colored dress. All this talk of romance. If there was anything celebrity-chasing media devoured, it was a love story. Better yet, a rocky love story.
Slowly, I turned my head and met Nathan’s silver gaze. He offered another smile. He knew exactly what the media wanted, and he had no issue feeding their hopes.
I smiled back, not because I was interested in him or romance, but because if the media were busy with our supposed romance, they wouldn’t monitor my progress with the earthbound fae as closely.
My feet ached by the time the reporters finished bombarding me with questions, and I feared that I’d lose my voice by tomorrow. Fed with gossip, the media scattered away like bugs. The nobles and guards retreated too, thinking they knew the woman who would keep the earthbound fae in line. Quiet settled over the outer courtyard, leaving just the gurgling of the river and the occasional huffing of the steeds behind us.
Caleb, Peony, and Nathan stepped closer to us, and Amanda nudged me toward Nathan. “The media may not be on top of you now,” she whispered, “but they are still watching.”
Nathan stepped forward. “Would you like a tour of the castle?” He extended his arm in a gentlemanly manner, offering his elbow. His eyes remained warm, but businesslike.
“I would, very much.” Hooking my arm into his, I allowed him to turn me toward the archway King Peter had vanished into seemingly hours ago. Nathan led me past Peony and Caleb, who had taken to speaking in quiet voices beside a pillar.
“Once again on the arm of a rich man,” Peony hissed to Caleb.
I couldn’t help it. Stopping, I faced her. Bags hung under Peony’s eyes, and I read exhaustion and stress in her gaze. Like me, she was under immense pressure.
But that didn’t excuse what she’d done, abandoning me at the Wild Hunt and then forcing me to stay close to her afterwards, lest she throw me to the vamps. “I wonder where I learned the skill?” I turned away as regret came over Peony’s features, and she shrunk back to Caleb, who wrapped his arms around her. “Sorry, Nathan,” I muttered, trying to do damage control of my temper slip up.
&n
bsp; “It’s fine,” he said, no trace of annoyance in his voice as we entered the archway. “Now, since you will be spending some time here, it’s best to understand the layout, though we won’t cover the entire palace today. The West Gardens are this way…”
Remaining silent, I let Nathan do the talking as I thought. The Summer Court seemed more interested in big proclamations than actually doing anything. Could I prevent a war by playing my role and giving the media and the king what they wanted? Perhaps if they thought the Summer Court had truly returned to its former glory, they wouldn’t send us out to fight the vampires, or worse, the Winter Court.
Chapter 9
To my disappointment, Nathan showed me only the gardens and never took me inside the rooms of the castle.
“You must be exhausted,” he said, clearly noticing that I was slowing as we entered yet another plaza with narrow birch trees and a cobblestone path that was doing absolutely nothing for my heels.
“It was good to walk after standing for hours, but these—” I unclasped my uncomfortable sandals now that we were alone, “—aren’t exactly comfortable.” I took off my shoes, something I would’ve never dared to do in front of a vampire and gauged Nathan’s reaction. But if he was disturbed by my unladylike behavior, he didn’t show it. Instead, he led me to a bench next to a vine-choked statue of a fae noble. Like the other gardens, this one too overflowed with flowers of all colors and the tree closest to us had heart-shaped leaves. If the fae paparazzi were around, hiding in the shrubs, they’d have a field day.
Reluctant Fae Page 6
