by Leder, Nissa
“It’s all right.” Scarlett held Ashleigh tight. How long had it been since they last hugged? “I’m okay.”
Mortal Scarlett might have used this moment as an opportunity to make her sister feel even more awful. Forgiving her so quickly would have been too easy.
But after everything that had happened to Scarlett, she had no desire to push Ashleigh away any further or teach her some stupid lesson. Nothing had changed—Ashleigh couldn’t go back to her old life and neither could Scarlett—but maybe, Scarlett prayed, she and Ashleigh could fix their broken relationship just a little.
With everything that had changed and everything that would come, she could use a sister.
Chapter Seven
Cade zoned out the music as he blankly stared ahead. He and Poppy had been sitting since they arrived. He’d expected Kaelem to come speak to him after he’d talked to the Autumn King, but now Kaelem was nowhere to be seen.
Figured. Ever assuming Kaelem was going to do something was a bad idea. Half the time, Cade swore the Unseelie King did the opposite of what anyone guessed he would do simply because he could. That was the benefit to having access to his full power.
The song changed, pulling Cade from his trance. There was no point waiting for Kaelem. He’d find Cade when he wanted. Sitting bored him.
Cade stood and reached out his hand to Poppy. “Dance?”
She glanced at the dance floor then to Cade, placing her hand in his. “Why the hell not.”
It wasn’t quite an ideal response, but at least she didn’t say no.
They walked side-by-side to the dance floor.
Poppy’s hand felt warm against his skin.
Since Raith had surrendered before leaving with the Fates, Cade had felt the distance the lack of bond had created between him and Poppy.
Cade had grown fond of the connection to her. He’d sensed her attraction toward him and it had given him the motivation he needed to kiss her in the cave. Their kiss had been nice—gentle but intense.
He’d grown to admire her more than anyone else. Her fierceness. Her loyalty. Her stubbornness.
Now, in the long, silver dress she wore, she looked elegant, but he preferred her in her usual attire, ready to slice someone’s throat at any given moment.
She was strong and a more capable fighter than anyone he knew, but she wasn’t mean. She didn’t go looking for fights, but she didn’t run from them either.
“Everything okay?” Poppy asked, pulling Cade from his thoughts.
He peered down at her and smiled. “Just thinking about how badass you are.”
A rosy red color flushed her cheeks. “I have my moments.”
He placed a hand on her hip as they danced. “So modest, too.”
“Modesty is overrated. Why are people so quick to diminish the good qualities about themselves? Confidence is much better than timidity.”
Cade agreed, though self-assurance didn’t come as easy to him. Even as a child, he feared his father preferred Raith as a son. Then he worried he’d lose the Battle of Heirs, and, even when he thought he’d won, he feared he wouldn’t be a good enough king to his people.
As they turned, he saw the Seelie Queen staring at them. She sat next to Laik in one of the outside booths facing the dance floor. Had she been watching him long? The light from the chandelier dangling above glowed in the ruby of her necklace. When Cade focused on the gem, a slight bit of magic with the essence of the Summer sun radiated from inside.
Ever since learning that the power of his court was held inside of that tiny stone, Cade wondered what it would feel like to possess its full power. He’d risked so much to learn where to find it but nothing had come of his and Nevina’s discovery.
Had she made any move to free their power from the gemstone?
“The Winter Queen isn’t here,” Poppy said. “Do you think the Fates lured her to their side?”
“I wouldn’t doubt it. They know so much about our courts from living in the background so long. I’m sure they know about Nevina’s desire for power.” Cade kept his voice low. He didn’t want to say too much lest it be overheard.
“I don’t care much for her, but I understand her motives. Especially now with so much uncertainty.”
Cade wasn’t proud of what he and Nevina had done to Laik, but he would be lying if he didn’t admit he too craved his full power. And, truth be told, he didn’t care much for the Unseelie King. Or trust him.
He’d agreed to come tonight to weigh his options to best protect his kingdom. His people needed him make the right choice and to do whatever necessary. There was so much to consider and he’d barely been crowned king. Couldn’t a potential war have waited at least a decade before deciding to knock on the door?
Poppy’s body inched closer to his as they glided to the music, pulling Cade’s thoughts back to the dance floor.
“Where’d you learn to dance so well?” he asked. “I figured you spent all of your time practicing with weapons.”
“When I was younger, my parents envisioned a different future for me. They expected me to be a lady and made sure I had the proper upbringing to earn me a fine husband at court. Maybe even a prince.” She smirked. “Little did they know I’d end up training you instead of bedding you.”
Cade swallowed, lust bubbling inside of him. “Who says it can’t be both?”
Poppy’s lips parted.
Cade shifted his hand to the top of Poppy’s thigh. They hadn’t been this close since their moment in the cave. He’d thought about it so many times, but he feared jeopardizing what they had. But now, as desire coursed through him, those worries dissolved.
* * *
Scarlett hugged Ashleigh for a few minutes then stepped away.
She was about to ask Ashleigh to go with Aria back to the living area of the palace, away from all the fae visitors, but she didn’t. Locking Ashleigh up again would only hurt their relationship, and Ashleigh deserved to make her own choices. Scarlett’s choices were what led her to the fae world. Scarlett had chosen to take the pill Kaelem gave her and she walked through the magical door to the Sidhe realm to search for the power.
Ashleigh chose nothing. Kaelem trapped her in the mirror and Scarlett had wanted her to stay in the Unseelie realm. Scarlett had to let go and let Ashleigh choose how to live her life. The best she could do was to tell her sister everything and hope she realized the danger she faced by returning to the mortal realm unprotected.
“Do you want to go back to the ball?” Scarlett asked her sister.
Ashleigh hesitated. “Sure.”
Kaelem and Aria followed behind Scarlett as she and Ashleigh walked side-by-side back inside.
How could Scarlett have been so gullible? No wonder no one had trusted her before. She should have been smarter. So much for feeling powerful. The magic from the Life Tree lived inside her now, but she still felt worthless.
If something were to happen to Ashleigh, Scarlett would never forgive herself.
She thought of the power she felt when she read the book in the library. Now, more than ever, she needed to prepare herself. When Raith had grabbed her, her human instincts had taken over. She’d felt powerless. She had magic now. She needed to remember to use it.
The way Raith had touched her, so full of malice, sent bile to her throat. What else would he do now that the Fates had turned him into their pet?
When they reentered the ballroom, Scarlett let the music take hold. The beat of the songs thrummed faster now than the ones that played before she’d left.
“Let’s dance.” Scarlett pulled Ashleigh into the crowd.
Ashleigh laughed as Scarlett spun her. The horror she’d felt after witnessing the event in the garden still lingered, but it was fading.
As children, their mother would put on 80s music in the living room and the two girls would dance for hours. As the older sibling, Ashleigh would always lead, and when she found a favorite song, they’d listen to it over and over.
Now, as they danc
ed in the Unseelie ballroom, their moves were a bit more mature than they had been back then, but the smiles on their faces were the same as so long ago.
Dancing didn’t fix anything, but it distracted Scarlett, which was exactly what she needed.
For a few minutes, she would pretend her life was everything it wasn’t: simple.
Chapter Eight
While Scarlett danced with her sister, Kaelem went to get a drink. Cade stood in line in front of him and ordered two glasses of fae wine. Typical Summer fae. Choosing the boring fae wine instead of the more fun, fruity cocktails Lola had chosen for the party.
Kaelem sensed lust trickling from Cade. What had the Summer King been doing?
The sexual tension between him and his guard had always been obvious to Kaelem. But so had their determinedness to fight it. His ganacanagh gifts not only lured others to the Unseelie King, but it also made him more perceptive of desire in others. Some of the attractions he’d seen were interesting, but this one didn’t surprise him at all.
His observant nature made the games he’d played with Raith so much fun. Raith wore his feelings for Scarlett like a stripe on a zebra. But now, with whatever the Fates had done to him, that affection was long gone.
He’d sensed the fear in Kaelem when he held the knife to Scarlett’s throat. As king, fondness toward anyone put her in danger. Another target on Scarlett’s back. She had more power than she realized and likely could take on almost anyone if she learned how to harness her magic.
Kaelem knew, with time, she would become the badass queen she had the potential to be. In the meantime, he would find them as many allies as possible, starting with the Summer King.
Cade picked up the glasses of wine and, when he turned to leave, saw Kaelem.
“Hello.” Cade respectively dipped his chin but failed to hide the annoyance in his stare. “Where did you disappear to?”
So bold. Impressive. Cade had always been so timid and whiny before. What had changed?
“We had a visit from your brother.” Kaelem reached out his mind, hoping to hear Cade’s thoughts, but his shield stood strong.
The flash of worry swept away the annoyance in his expression, letting Kaelem know he still cared for his brother. “Is that so?”
“Apparently, the shields we’ve put up around the palace aren’t as strong as I had thought. Scarlett wandered to the gardens and Raith found her.”
Cade glanced at the dance floor. “What happened?”
“He wanted to take her with him, but his determination to get under my skin thankfully slowed him down.”
Cade laughed. “Leave it to my brother to spend too much time trying to toy with someone. At least that hasn’t changed.”
“No, he’s kept that wonderful quality. But he isn’t the brother you knew. He would have hurt Scarlett just to anger me.”
“Where is he now?”
“He evanesced away.” Kaelem needed to check with his guard. The protections they’d put in place should have prevented anyone without explicit permission from evanescing in or out, both of which Raith managed to do. The Fates had always been able to bypass protections. Somehow Raith had the ability now, too. Wonderful.
“Will you hurt him if you get the chance?”
Kaelem shifted to face Scarlett dancing with her sister. “She’d never forgive me if I did, but to protect her or Aria, I’d kill him in a heartbeat.”
“What can I get you, my king?” the bartender asked.
“A Bubbling Banshee, thank you,” Kaelem said. “I’ll let you get back to your date, but I’ll find you before you leave my court so we can talk in private.”
Kaelem accepted his drink, tipped it in Cade’s direction, took a sip, then found an empty booth.
The Autumn King and Sage had already left. Kaelem was pleased he’d decided to attend, but he wasn’t sure if the Autumn Court would be joining against the Fates. Dagon had mentioned he would have to speak to his council to weigh his options, which led Kaelem to believe that he’d already been approached by someone else.
Kaelem’s best guess was Nevina. She already sought to regain the seasonal court power that the mortal realm courts had locked up long ago. What better way to get it back than to side with the Fates, whose goal of more power aligned perfectly with Nevina’s. Her lack of appearance at his event spoke loudly. Even if she’d shown up, he’d never side with her, not after what she’d done to his sister.
Worrying about who wouldn’t join his team wouldn’t do him much good. Instead, Kaelem needed to strategize. If he thought joining the Fates would be the best for his court, he would consider it. He had no desire to play the hero and get himself killed. But he didn’t trust them. They’d been around too long, always sticking their noses into court business with their fear-tactic prophesies. The Seelie Queen had been smart to be cautious of their predictions.
When he thought they were simply crazy, it didn’t worry him. But now, knowing they were much more conniving than they ever seemed, it meant he didn’t trust them. And aligning with them would only end up getting a knife in his back.
Kaelem chuckled. Is that not what quite literally happened to him already, by Scarlett nonetheless? The woman who he wanted others to follow, who he’d grown far too attached to.
She gracefully walked toward him now. Her appearance had drastically changed since the first time he saw her at the Summer Court. She’d been beautiful, but then her fae nature took control and her Sidhe power changed her. She looked like a jaguar moving through the trees: gorgeous and lethal. One who had been raised in captivity and still didn’t know her own strength. He pitied the fool who angered her enough to experience her first moment of true wrath.
“Your sister seems to have had a change of heart,” Kaelem said as Scarlett sat across the booth from him.
Scarlett smiled a full smile, something he rarely saw her do. “I hate that Raith got to me like that, but maybe it’ll be for the best. I want my sister back so badly.” She rested her arms on the table. “You’re right. We need allies. If they can turn Raith into….that…then who knows what else they can do?”
He was glad she finally saw the importance of having alliances, but he saw the sadness in her eyes when she spoke of Raith. “The more people we have on our side, the easier it will be to defeat them.”
The Seelie Queen approached them, a glass of fae wine in her hand. “Could I have a moment to speak with Scarlett? We queens need some girl time.”
Scarlett gestured for Kaelem to shoo. “Yes, Kaelem, no boys allowed.”
He stood and bowed. “As you wish, m’ladies.”
What did Genevieve want to discuss with Scarlett that required privacy? She’d hinted at knowing a secret about her. Would she use it as leverage or did she have pure intentions?
Now that Scarlett was a queen—and perhaps a stronger one than Genevieve once she learned to harness her powers—she would hold more interest to the Seelie Queen.
Would that make Genevieve more inclined to ally with or against Scarlett?
With Genevieve preoccupied with Scarlett, Kaelem sought out Laik. The Seelie Advisor was more powerful than most people gave him credit for. He’d stuck by his queen for so long, becoming her confidant. What secrets did he know?
“It seems our dates have ditched us,” Kaelem joked as he stood next to Laik.
“The Queen is not my date,” Laik replied. “And I don’t know that Scarlett is yours either.”
Kaelem sipped his Bouncing Banshee. The fruity flavor of the alcohol tingled his tongue. “Fair enough. Do you know what your queen plans to discuss with the newly crowned Sidhe Queen?”
“She didn’t tell me the purpose of the conversation, but I would imagine it has much to do with the newly crowned part.”
Kaelem took another drink as he scanned the room. The Unseelie Guests had returned to the dance floor. The lust permeating the room increased with every song. The bartenders meandered, refilling the drinks and passing around hors-d'oeuvres. It seemed l
ike a successful party. Kaelem would have to find Lola and congratulate her before the night was over.
“It’s so strange that someone so crucial to the future of our fae world lived so long undiscovered in the mortal world.” Kaelem watched for a reaction in Laik, but his expression remained placid.
“Yes, quite interesting. Though I imagine the Fates knew about her.”
“They do seem to have known quite a lot. Did you know that Scarlett had both Unseelie and Seelie blood in her?”
Laik shifted his eyes. “Is that so? Unusual but not unheard of.” He shrugged.
“It had me nervous to bring her to the Seelie Court. We all know how much it opposes romantic relationships between our courts.”
Now that Scarlett was the queen of her own realm, the secret of her bloodline had become less dangerous. Attacking her over it would only bring the Seelie Court into war sooner than necessary. Kaelem wanted to know if it was the secret the Seelie Queen spoke of, or if there was something else—something Kaelem didn’t even know.
“They’ve been looked down upon for many centuries, but my queen is just. She wouldn’t blame a child for the sins of her parents.”
“No? Is she aware of someone else’s mixed heritage?”
“Her concern is the protection of her people. If she focused on the offspring of everyone, she’d have no time to keep anyone safe.” Laik’s emotion remained unreadable.
“I suppose. Scarlett’s mother was a beautiful human. I saw a picture of her in Scarlett’s human home. Scarlett looks a lot like her.” Kaelem maintained eye contact with the queen’s advisor.
“Your fondness for her is apparent.”
“Her existence fascinates me. Did you know her mother?”
A pulse of guilt emanated from Laik. “Of course not.”
Clearly a lie. Kaelem was positive he’d seen the woman in Laik’s mind. He tried to glimpse into Laik’s thoughts, but was hit with a flash of light.
