by Nissa Leder
Hair Gel gasped.
It was Scarlett. She’d caused him to choke. Her anger took over and she’d lost control.
She went to Teddy and helped him up. “You okay?”
“I’ll be fine.” He walked gingerly as Scarlett helped him to the couch.
Natalie, beer in hand, giggled as she danced her way to them. “You two didn’t get far.” The smile faded from her face as she saw Teddy’s pain filled expression. “What happened?”
Scarlett explained, conveniently leaving out the part about how she caused Hair Gel to choke.
“Party’s over,” Natalie yelled. Everyone stared at her. “Now.”
Natalie was normally a perky person, but when she got mad, everyone knew to watch out.
The room filled with whispers, but no one dared defy a pissed off Natalie. People trickled outside.
Scarlett inhaled her rage as Hair Gel passed by with a cocky smirk. It took every ounce of willpower for her not to send him flying into the wall as she’d done to the pen. Next to her, hate radiated from Teddy.
Instinctively, Scarlett found Teddy’s hand and squeezed, sending a burst of serenity through them both.
Within ten minutes of Natalie shooing everyone out the door, the room had cleared.
“Nothing like one asshole to ruin a party,” Natalie plopped down next to Teddy. “But maybe it was for the best. The room is spinning.”
Teddy chuckled. “Better sleep it off, sis.”
Natalie kissed Teddy’s cheek. “Good idea, bro.” She leaned over him—Teddy wincing as her knee got a little too close to him for comfort— and hugged Scarlett. “Goodnight, my loves.”
After Natalie had gone to bed, Scarlett curled next to Teddy on the couch. Maybe it was the alcohol. Or maybe the high she’d felt as she’d caused Hair Gel’s lungs to constrict. Or perhaps the fear Natalie struck in the room when she kicked everyone out. Whatever it was, all she wanted was to be close to him. Not in a romantic way, but as someone who’d always been there for her.
“Thanks for standing up for me,” Scarlett said, her head on Teddy’s shoulder.
“Always.”
Even though Scarlett had more power now than she ever knew existed, fear consumed her. She wasn’t in control of herself. Anyone around her was in danger. She could never forgive herself if she hurt someone she loved.
She thought of Teddy, Natalie, and Ashleigh. They were mortal. They were fragile. Scarlett wasn’t either of those things now, at least not physically. Her mind felt delicate as she realized the life she lived before was no longer hers. She’d have thought magic would make life easier, not more complicated.
“Wanna watch a movie?” Teddy asked.
“Sure. What are you in the mood for?” Scarlett went to the entertainment center and opened the cabinet that held all the movies.
“You pick.”
“Are you sure that’s safe?” Scarlett grinned.
“It’s a risk I’m willing to take.”
Scarlett grabbed the girliest chick flick she could find and popped it into the DVD player.
She resumed her position next to Teddy, his warmth pressing into her side. He wrapped his arm around her and held her close, releasing a playful groan when he realized the movie she’d picked.
Halfway through, Teddy dozed off. She watched his peaceful sleep as her thoughts drifted away. Scarlett knew what she needed to do. She’d made her share of mistakes in her life, but nothing would compare to losing control and hurting someone she cared about. She would never forgive herself if she caused someone she loved pain with her fae magic.
As much as she hated the thought of taking Kaelem up on his offer, she hated feeling out of control even more. Scarlett sighed and kissed Teddy’s forehead.
Carefully, she scooted out of the comfort of his arms and propped him against pillows. Without a look back, Scarlett left before she changed her mind.
When she got home, Scarlett went straight to her room.
She opened her desk drawer and reached for the sapphire in the back.
God, she wished there was another way. But she hadn’t heard from Raith since he’d left, and, even if he was there with her, Kaelem had been the one to give her the pill. He would have to be the one to help her now.
He’d warned her there would be a price.
She stared at the jewel, warm to the touch, in her hand, searching her mind for some other option. When she came up blank, she closed her palm and thought of Kaelem. It burned hot.
With her eyes still closed, she heard him.
“Hello, darling.”
Chapter Four
Scarlett felt herself pulled through the air. She wasn’t sure how far they went, but within seconds, she and Kaelem appeared in front of a mansion.
The Unseelie Palace.
To say it was different than she expected was an understatement. It was absolutely nothing like she’d pictured. It was white from top to bottom, made mostly with square lines except for a large cylindrical turret on the front right corner.
“A bit different than the stuffy Summer Court,” Kaelem said.
Scarlett had almost forgotten he stood next to her. The white of the palace stood out against the blackness of the sky above.
Clear as could be, millions of stars shone down on them. Scarlett had never been afraid of the dark. She’d relished it. And the night sky above was more beautiful than anything she’d ever seen.
“What time is it here?” It had been early morning when Scarlett had left Natalie’s house, the sun slowly rising from the horizon.
“Noon.”
“Huh?”
“The Unseelie Court is also known as the Night Court.”
After everything she’d seen in the Summer Court, and everything inside her that had changed, she wasn’t sure why that, of all things, shocked her.
“Let’s go inside.”
Kaelem wrapped his arm around Scarlett’s waist and guided her forward.
The entryway, made entirely of glass, stood tall. Its double doors swung open in front of them.
A fae with hot pink hair greeted them at the door. She wore a short black skirt, white crop top, and high black boots. Had Scarlett seen her on the streets, she may have thought her a stripper.
The smirk on Kaelem’s face told Scarlett he’d been in her mind.
Jerk.
A bigger smirk.
“King,” the fae said.
“Hello, Lola. This is Scarlett. She is an honored guest and will be treated as such. Please prepare a suite for her.”
“Will do.” She nodded and marched up the wooden staircase in front of them.
Scarlett pictured one of Kassandra’s servants saying “will do” to her. She chuckled.
“You’ll find our court is much different than the Summer Court.”
“Obviously.”
“Lola will follow any command I give her, but we don’t waste our breath on formality. Life’s too short.”
“Can’t the fae live a long time?”
“If not killed, yes. Best to sleep with one eye open.” Kaelem’s eyes twinkled.
Whether or not she’d accepted it, Scarlett was fae now. She hadn’t thought about living longer.
“You’ll get used to the changes,” Kaelem said. “Now, it’s lunchtime.”
On cue, her stomach grumbled. She hadn’t even eaten breakfast yet, but apparently, it was lunchtime there.
The dining room was just as modern as the exterior of the palace—such a contrast to the Summer castle. The food, on the other hand, reminded Scarlett of the meals she’d had in Faerie. More delicious, even.
A small creature that Scarlett learned was a brownie brought her meat, which Scarlett thought was turkey, with an apple cinnamon glaze dished on top. The brownie was short and clearly not human, with long, thin limbs, large ears, and a pointy nose. Its narrow eyes avoided Scarlett’s gaze. Were they slaves?
“Brownies serve the high fae and in return are given room and board underneath th
e homes they work for and whatever food they desire.”
“So slaves who get to live inside the plantation mansion instead of a shack outside? How generous.”
“The fae world is different than the mortal world you come from.”
“Or maybe the two are more similar than you realize.”
She’d learned of the horrors of slavery in school. Plenty of plantation owners condoned it by claiming they kept the slaves fed and clothed. Freedom was overrated, they asserted.
Kaelem stared at her. If he was listening to her thoughts, he chose not to comment.
As a brownie placed a loaf of bread next to Scarlett’s plate, she thanked him.
He froze, eyes briefly meeting hers then darting to the ground, then exited the room.
With a guilty stomach, Scarlett savored every bite. She hadn’t eaten in hours and, though she disagreed with using any creature as a slave, she had to eat regardless and the food was delicious. Even her taste buds had become more sensitive with her transition. It was as if she could taste each individual flavor from the nutmeg in the glaze to the salt and pepper sprinkled on the turkey. After the main course came dessert.
“When do we start?” Scarlett asked after she finished her last bite of chocolate cake with a raspberry frosting spread on top. There was also cheesecake and a lemon meringue pie, but her stomach was too stuffed to even consider anything else.
“Humans, always in a rush.” Kaelem licked the frosting off his fork.
Scarlett imagined him licking every inch of her.
Ugh. Stop. Not again.
Kaelem laughed. “You’re too much fun.”
“I’m not human anymore, remember?”
“Technically, no. But you’ll have to get used to yourself as fae before you quit acting like one.”
“I’ll ask again. When do we start?”
“The Unseelie Court comes alive at night. I could show you the town.” Kaelem wiped the frosting that lingered on his lips with his index finger then stuck it in his mouth. When Scarlett put her hand on her hip and just glared at him, he said. “Tomorrow. We start tomorrow.”
Cade thought, after becoming king, his mother would stop summoning him like a child.
He thought wrong.
As king, he could refuse her, but king or not, he didn’t want to find himself on her bad side.
“Mother,” he said as he stepped into the parlor. “You wanted to see me?”
Two servants fanned Kassandra as she relaxed on the chaise by the window. Another played the piano. “Leave us.”
The servants all obliged.
“Sit.”
Cade obeyed, taking the chaise across from her. Candles in golden holders hanging on the walls lit the room as the sun set outside.
“I’m so proud of you, my son,” Kassandra said. “You’ve shown such strength in your first months as king.”
He hadn’t done anything, really. He’d thrown a ball to celebrate his victory and made an effort to make public appearances to his people. There had been no threat to face or treaty to negotiate. So far, his time as king had been quiet.
Kassandra flicked her hand, lighting the fireplace across the room. “Now that you’ve settled into your new role, I think it’s time to discuss your future.” She resumed her perfect posture, stiff in body and expression. Her green eyes pierced Cade as if waiting for a response.
Did she want him to find a wife? Already?
Kassandra folded her hands in her lap as she glanced at the vase full of red Ranunculuses sitting on the end table next to the chaise. “Your father was a wonderful king. He always had the best of intentions. But he was an idealist and never understood our place as fae in the world.”
“What do you mean?” Everyone loved Cade’s father as king. He won the war against Winter and kept peace with the other courts until his death.
“He always took pity on the humans—their frailty and emotional weakness—but it cost our court. We defeated the Winter court as a fluke. Had the general not accidentally killed the Winter King, they would have taken us down. And now, I fear his daughter, the Winter Queen, will retaliate.”
“But it’s been fifty years.”
“She needed time to learn how to rule, and what is a half-century to us fae? We need to prepare for any possibility. You’re a new king. Our court is vulnerable.”
“What are you suggesting?” Cade stared out the window behind his mother, the sun now hidden behind the forest. His court was peaceful, his people safe. What if someone tried to ruin it?
“We are at our strongest when feeding off of human emotion. Your father’s policy to never take humans against their will was admirable, but not practical.”
“You want me to allow Summer fae to kidnap humans?”
Cade’s mind drifted to Scarlett. She’d come into Faerie willingly, but not without coaxing. Cade preyed on her, a predator luring its prey to its death.
Kassandra moved from her chaise to Cade’s and placed a hand on his. The gesture felt odd. Cade couldn’t remember the last time his mother had embraced him in any way.
Her hand remained on his. “It’s a necessary evil. I know you’ll do what you must to keep your people safe.”
“I’ll take it into consideration.”
Kassandra nodded. “May I make one more suggestion?”
Cade held back a groan. But his mother had been the queen of the Summer Court for longer than he’d been alive. It would be wise to hear her out. “Please do.”
“You should visit the Seelie and Unseelie Courts, introducing yourself as Summer King,” Kassandra said. “It is tradition.”
This time Cade let himself groan. He’d only met the Seelie Queen once when he was only five years old. He didn’t remember much about her.
But the Unseelie King—Cade had had more than enough of Kaelem in his lifetime. Better to get that visit over with first.
What choice did he have?
Scarlett’s mouth dropped open when she entered the room she’d be staying in. A large window covered the far wall, peering out at the city.
The palace stood atop a cliff. Below, city lights sparkled like stars in the sky.
Her room was sleek, with exposed beams and a slate fireplace. It reminded her of a New York penthouse she’d only ever seen on TV.
“Ah, the penthouse belongs to me,” Kaelem said.
Get out of my head, Scarlett thought.
“Not until you learn how to keep me out.”
Scarlett turned back to him, a grimace on her face.
They’d spent the rest of the day after lunch on a tour of the Unseelie palace and then watched a movie in the theater room, which surprised Scarlett more than anything she’d seen in the world of the fae so far. The Unseelie Court might sit in the mortal realm, but it had magic buzzing through it and was certainly not the human world Scarlett knew. Nevertheless, it had a theater.
Kaelem picked the newest superhero movie, which he informed her were his favorite type of mortal shows followed closely by soap operas. A brownie served them dinner as they watched the ginormous screen, and, at times, Scarlett seriously wondered if someone had slipped her some shrooms and this was all in her head. She made sure to thank the brownie again. This one was different than the one she’d thanked before, with higher cheekbones and wider-set eyes, and had given Scarlett a small nod before leaving the room.
Kaelem stood a foot away from her now. Scarlett gazed into his steel eyes. Her stare traveled downward, past his chest to his stomach, then further.
Scarlett shook her head. “Ugh.”
Kaelem was a ganacanagh, a sexual fae who brought out lust in those around him. He’d told her as much when he’d stolen her from The Hunt. Scarlett had hoped she’d quit thinking such dirty thoughts about him the more she was around him, but that wasn’t happening.
“It usually only gets worse,” Kaelem said. “Unless you learn to control it.”
He stretched his hand around her, placing it on her lower back. “Or may
be if we just fucked, you’d get it out of your system.”
His body was so close to hers. If she leaned forward even an inch, their chests would touch. It would feel so good…
“No.” Scarlett stepped back, pulling herself from his hold.
“You’re learning already.” He turned and headed to the door. Before he left, he said, “You’ll find we have a lot more fun here at the Unseelie Court than what you experienced with the Summer boys.”
“Good night,” Scarlett said, desperate to be alone before she changed her mind about his offer. Whatever his ganacanagh gifts did, she couldn’t ignore his effect on her.
After he was gone, Scarlett fell back onto the bed. The perfectly straight silver comforter crinkled under her body. The bed was heaven.
She wanted out of her clothes and into something more comfortable. She’d forgotten to pack anything. Maybe there were clothes in the closet.
She’d expected a couple of nightgowns, but was shocked to find an entire wardrobe inside the gigantic walk-in closet. Bright colors filled one side, dark colors the other. In the back was a row of nightgowns. Scarlett grabbed one, light pink and short. It would do.
Tomorrow, her training would begin. She wondered if time moved differently here like it did in Faerie? Yet again, Scarlett had just up and left. Ashleigh was back at her college apartment, but she’d still expect Scarlett to text her now and again. Was there cell service in the Unseelie Court?
A million questions raced through her mind, but she’d have to wait to ask Kaelem for answers and didn’t dare summon him again that night. Spending time with him felt like a rope dangling over a fire. The longer it burned, the sooner it would snap, and she could imagine what might happen if it did.
She’d learn how to control her powers and go home soon, before she did anything stupid or got herself into any more trouble.
But for now, she’d sleep.
Raith had spent the night in a willow tree and now his back hurt. It was the most uncomfortable night of sleep he’d ever had. His feet hurt from walking and time seemed to drag as he passed tree after tree.